The first women's march 

On Jan. 21, 2017, more than 10,000 people joined in the Women's March at Mitchell Park in San Luis Obispo, protesting Donald Trump's inauguration the previous day. Worldwide, almost 5 million people hit the streets that day. It's widely regarded as the largest mass demonstration in history.

A year later, a second Women's March attracted nearly the same turnout. The women's marches forged the political careers of many women, including our current Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay).

In the 2020s, protesters continue to march demanding racial justice, restoration of reproductive rights, and an end to the dreadful war in Gaza.

The Women's March was a significant milestone, but it's arguably not the first women's march to take place in San Luis Obispo: That distinction belongs to a somber procession to Mission San Luis Obispo on Dec. 17, 1846, seeking to rescue a prominent local ranchero, José de Jesus Pico, from a firing squad directed by Col. John C. Frémont.

Frémont stormed into San Luis Obispo on a rainy night, Dec. 14, and met no resistance against his California Battalion. Over the previous two months, Frémont had recruited this force in Northern California. Now, with more than 400 men and 1,000 head of livestock, they were headed to LA to put down a revolt in that troubled pueblo. Their late-night invasion overwhelmed the 300-plus residents in our sleeping town.

Frémont ordered Pico's capture, rousted from his hideout in an adobe in Los Osos. Pico had some troubling history with Frémont: In August—five months earlier—Pico had surrendered to an overwhelming force of Americans in Los Angeles, but Frémont had paroled Pico after he had sworn an oath that he would never again take up arms against U.S. forces. But in late November, Pico led an attack against one of Frémont's foraging parties in the Battle of Natividad near Salinas, violating the terms of his parole.

After a brief court martial at the Mission, Pico was convicted and faced a firing squad the following day.

But Pico was the cousin of one of the most charismatic characters ever to grace San Luis Obispo: Doña Ramona Carrillo Pacheco Wilson (1812-1887). Señora Wilson hailed from the prominent Carrillo family in Santa Barbara. In 1826, she'd married Romualdo Pacheco, and in their five years together they had two children. Just weeks after the birth of their second son, Romualdo Jr., her husband joined with the incumbent governor, Victoriano, to put down an insurrection, one of many that plagued Mexican-era California. At the ensuing Battle of Cahuenga Pass, Lt. Pacheco was tragically killed.

The young widow Ramona would attract more suitors, however. In 1836, she married wealthy Scottish shipping Capt. John Wilson, a recent settler in Santa Barbara. In 1845, Wilson and partners purchased Mission SLO and surrounding lands from Governor Pio Pico (another cousin of Ramona). The Wilsons then moved into a new two-story wood-frame house on a site next to the mission, where the splendid 1905 Carnegie Library now stands (our county museum).

A devoted Catholic, Ramona attended daily mass and confession at the Mission. It is said that her feet wore a path in the flagstone as she passed into the chapel for prayer.

In December 1846, Señora Wilson would use that same path to lead the original women's march to beseech Frémont to spare the life of her cousin Pico. According to Myron Angel's 1883 History of San Luis Obispo County:

"A procession was seen passing slowly along the corridor of the mission buildings, composed of matronly looking ladies leading by the hand several little children. The leader was a lady of fine appearance, with uncovered head. The countenances of the others were concealed by their rebosas, their heads bowed, and many of them sobbing audibly. They proceeded to the quarters of Col. Frémont, and falling upon their knees before him, amid tears and sobs, entreated for the pardon of Pico. Frémont received them kindly and listened with patience to their earnest solicitations. For a long time he remained obdurate; but at last relented. ... Pico was pardoned."

With this, Ramona Wilson gave an enduring gift to the emerging state of California: peace. Frémont and Pico joined forces—and indeed, they became lifelong friends. On Christmas Day, Pico helped Frémont seize Santa Barbara without firing a shot. In January, they negotiated a peace treaty, accepting surrender of the last remaining force of Californios under Andrés Pico—yet another cousin. In that treaty, Frémont guaranteed the rights of every citizen of Mexican California the protection of life and property and "equal rights and privileges ... as are enjoyed by the citizens of the U.S."

While the war continued for another bloody year in Mexico, peace prevailed in California.

Sometimes, protests get results. Ramona Wilson's 1846 women's march to Mission San Luis Obispo surely softened Frémont's heart.

Let's thank those who march for peace and reconciliation, who challenge authority, who stake their lives and fortunes for a cause. We need more like those brave women who marched to Mission SLO in 1846, in Mitchell Park in 2017 and 2018, and even now as they remind us of our rights to assemble peaceably, to petition our government, and to achieve peace. Δ

John Ashbaugh loves to walk in the footsteps of Ramona Wilson as he conducts tours of the mission for the Mission San Luis Obispo docents. Contact him through the editor at [email protected].