Francisco María Ruiz

Francisco María Ruiz (1754–1839) was an early settler of San Diego, California.

He was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant in 1805 in Santa Barbara and transferred to San Diego.

In 1823, Captain Ruiz received the first private land grant in present San Diego County, the 8,486-acre (34.34 km2) Rancho Los Peñasquitos (Little Cliffs Ranch).

Ruiz built an adobe home in the western part of the Ranch, at the eastern end of Sorrento Valley.

In 1837 Ruiz sold his ranch to his great nephew Francisco María Alvarado who cared for him in his old age.