Chief Juan Lozada (1859 – 1944) was a man highly respected among the local Rancho Tejon Native Americans. He was considered a highly skilled vaquero, or cowboy, and worked on the ranch for around 65 years. Although he was not born or elected as a chief, he was treated as such by the local Native Americans due to the relationship they had with each other. While some people who knew Lozada claimed that he knew how to speak English, it is said that after being swindled by merchants, he refused to speak it again.
The image here is a portrait of Chief Lozada by local artist Charles LaMonk. For more information regarding Charles LaMonk, stay tuned for our next post (Tuesday, 10/2)!
"Gurba, Norma H. Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley. Arcadia, 2013.
Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"