Skip to main content

Margarita Villa Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-23

Scope and Contents

The Family files contain pedigree charts, clippings, and correspondence, mostly between Villa and others. The Subject files contain newspaper clippings, articles, and other ephemera related to Santa Barbara County places, buildings, and people in general.

Dates

  • 1977 - 2009

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist and Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Biographical / Historical

Margarita Delbrook Villa (1913-2011) was a 6th generation descendant of Presidio soldiers Jose Dominguez and Victorino Feliz. She was born in Santa Barbara and lived there all her life. She married Leroy Villa, also a descendant of Spanish soldier Juan Jose Villa, in 1932. The couple had four children: Leroy, William, Therese, and Marjorie.

Margarita Villa did extensive family genealogical research on the early founding families of Santa Barbara. She was a docent at the Santa Barbara Historical Society and the Presidio and was a founding member of Los Descendientes de Santa Barbara, begun in 1986. She was also a member of Los Californianos, and Los Pobladores 200 de Los Angeles. Marjorie Villa Elkin was Secretary of Los Descendientes from 1996-1997.

Villa created a family history titled Footprints of the Past: Family Memories of Leroy W. and Margarita D. Villa. Volume II documents her married life and travels with Leroy, including photos, pedigree charts, and additional information about their ancestors.

Extent

5 Linear Feet (6 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection contains genealogical files about the earliest founding Santa Barbara families, including pedigree charts, clippings, and correspondence; and subject files containing newspaper clippings, articles, and other ephemera related to Santa Barbara County places, buildings, and people in general.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into three (3) series:

Series 1 - Family Files

Series 2 - Subject Files

Series 3 - Los Descendientes organizational records

Separated Materials

Books and journals from this accession were removed and added to the library collection.

General

The records of Los Descendientes were stored by the Villa family, who were very active in the organization from its onset.

Processing Information

Collection was processed by Chris S. Ervin CA on 2020-03-30.

Title
Guide to the Margarita Villa Papers
Status
Completed
Author
Chris S. Ervin CA
Date
2019-07-24
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Presidio Research Center Repository

Contact:
123 East Canon Perdido St.
Santa Barbara CA 93101 USA
(805) 961-5369