Marquez Relatives Restore Historic Family Cemetery

One of the most important sites in Santa Monica Canyon is the Marquez family cemetery, located behind a long adobe wall on San Lorenzo Street.   Pascual Marquez, whose family along with the Reyes family owned the original Boca de Santa Monica land grant, established the cemetery in 1840 on a plot of land touching the remains of the old adobe house, where he was born in 1844. Pascual Marquez, who died in 1916, was the last person to be buried on site.   Since the passing of Ysidro Reyes (1911-2007), the eighth generation descendents have been working to preserve their family history.   ’We have become very close in the past year, cleaning the cemetery and having barbecues and lunches together,’ says Ysidro Reyes’ daughter Sharon Reyes-Siebuhr, who lives in Mar Vista and is a member of the Pacific Palisades Historical Society.   In addition, the family has donated money towards restoration of the old wooden statue of San Lorenzo that will be placed back in its proper niche in the cemetery. Relatives are also contributing money for a Mexican wrought-iron gate to be placed at the entrance of the cemetery, in hopes of discouraging vandalism that has recently taken place.   Those who have contributed thus far are Rosemary Miano and her children Vince, Sharon and Fred Kilbride; Terri and Marguerite de la Pena (their grandfather is buried in the cemetery); Leo and Nancy Marquez; Joe Peyton and family; Sharon Reyes-Siebuhr and family; Vince and Fran Olivera and family; and Reese Relfe, a Santa Monica Canyon resident who donated money for restoration of the San Lorenzo statue.   Further donations to the family cemetery may be made at www.lasenor.org.