Chief Solano

Who was Chief Solano?

Chief Solano, original native name Sem-Yeto, meaning "brave or fierce hand", and christianed at about age ten with the Spanish name Francisco Solano, was born about 1798-1800 near Suisun Bay, California in California. Sem-Yeto was a famous chief and leader of the Suisunes tribe, a Patwin people of the Suisun Bay region of California. Chief Solano was a charismatic, tall and notable Native American leader in Alta California, because of his alliance, friendship and eventually the support of his entire tribe to General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo of Sonoma, in military and political excursions around Sonoma County and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sem-Yeto was described as tall, 6 feet 7 inches, handsome and brave.