Career
Argüello was collector of revenue at the Mexican port of San Diego, in Alta California Territory. He was granted the Rancho Melijo or Rancho de la Punta in 1833, located on the coast and extending from the Tijuana River Valley to San Diego Bay. He took part in the civil conflict against Alvarado in 1836-1837 and was a deputy in the assembly in 1845-1846.
Arguello was in charge of the Rancho Otay and Rancho San Antonio Abad for a time and then majordomo and landowner at San Juan Capistrano in 1841.
He aided the Americans in the Mexican American War serving as a captain of a company of Californio cavalry, suffering a leg wound in a skirmish with Mexican forces outside San Diego. Afterward he had a claim for $11,548 for damages to his property during the war.
