Francisco Xavier Sepúlveda, born in 1747, is the founder of the family. He married María Candelaria de Redondo in 1762; they had six children. He came to California in 1781, as part a military regiment under the leadership of the José de Zúñiga. He served as a military escort for settlers arriving to the Pueblo de Los Ángeles as part of the efforts led by Fernando Rivera y Moncada, former Governor of the Californias. Subsequently, he settled in San Diego, serving at the Presidio of San Diego from 1781 to 1786. After retiring from military service, he settled in Los Angeles. He died in 1788 and is buried at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.