Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna
Encyclopedia
Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna was a 4418 acres (17.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Cruz County, California
given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Gil Sanchez. The grant extended along the Pacific coast south-east from Rancho San Vicente
and San Vicente Creek (which runs through present day Davenport
) to Laguna Creek and Rancho Refugio
.
. In 1842, Gil Sanchez killed Fulgencio Robles, the terror of all the region, while he was disturbing a party of gamblers. After a hearing, held in Monterey
, Gil Sanchez was ordered to be “exiled 20 leagues from Branciforte and pay 200 Pesos to the children of Fulgencio Robles” in the death of their father.
The grant was acquired by James and Squire Williams. James Williams (1814–1858) and his three brothers (John (1816–), Isaac (1823–1856), and Squire (1825–)), came to California with the Chiles-Walker Party in 1843. The Williams brothers settled at Sutter's Fort
where James worked as a blacksmith and John as a tanner. In 1845, James was married to Mary Patterson (1828–1851) who had come to California with the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party
of 1844. The Williams brothers and the Patterson family settled in the Santa Cruz area.
With the cession
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, . The Williams unsuccessfully tried have the grant defined by boundaries (San Vicente Creek to Laguna Creek) rather than by size (one square league), and the grant was patented
to James and Squire Williams in 1882.
Most of this property was eventually acquired by Jeremiah Respini and became part of the Coast Dairies Property.
Ranchos of California
The Spanish, and later the Méxican government encouraged settlement of territory now known as California by the establishment of large land grants called ranchos, from which the English ranch is derived. Devoted to raising cattle and sheep, the owners of the ranchos attempted to pattern themselves...
in present day Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Gil Sanchez. The grant extended along the Pacific coast south-east from Rancho San Vicente
Rancho San Vicente (Escamilla)
Rancho San Vicente was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Blas A. Escamilla. The grant extended along the Pacific coast from Molino Creek and Rancho Agua Puerca y las Trancas south past Davenport Landing to San Vicente Creek and...
and San Vicente Creek (which runs through present day Davenport
Davenport, California
Davenport is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California. Davenport sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Davenport's population was 408.-Situation:...
) to Laguna Creek and Rancho Refugio
Rancho Refugio
Rancho Refugio was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1839 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to María Candida, Jacinta, and María de los Angeles Castro...
.
History
The one square league grant was made in 1840 by Governor Alvarado to Gil Sanchez, a tithe collector at BranciforteBranciforte
Branciforte or as it was named originally, Villa de Branciforte, was a secular pueblo established by the Spanish in the of Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, in 1797 on the eastern bluff overlooking the San Lorenzo River...
. In 1842, Gil Sanchez killed Fulgencio Robles, the terror of all the region, while he was disturbing a party of gamblers. After a hearing, held in Monterey
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, Gil Sanchez was ordered to be “exiled 20 leagues from Branciforte and pay 200 Pesos to the children of Fulgencio Robles” in the death of their father.
The grant was acquired by James and Squire Williams. James Williams (1814–1858) and his three brothers (John (1816–), Isaac (1823–1856), and Squire (1825–)), came to California with the Chiles-Walker Party in 1843. The Williams brothers settled at Sutter's Fort
Sutter's Fort
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is a state-protected park in Sacramento, California which includes Sutter's Fort and the California State Indian Museum. Begun in 1839 and originally called "New Helvetia" by its builder, John Sutter, the fort was a 19th century agricultural and trade colony in...
where James worked as a blacksmith and John as a tanner. In 1845, James was married to Mary Patterson (1828–1851) who had come to California with the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party
Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party
The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party consisted of ten families who migrated from Iowa to California prior to the Mexican-American War or the California Gold Rush. The Stephens Party is significant in California history because they were the first wagon train to cross the Sierra Nevada during the...
of 1844. The Williams brothers and the Patterson family settled in the Santa Cruz area.
With the cession
Mexican Cession
The Mexican Cession of 1848 is a historical name in the United States for the region of the present day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S...
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna was filed with the Public Land Commission
Public Land Commission
The Public Land Commission, a former agency of the United States government, was created following the admission of California as a state in 1850 . The Commission's purpose was to determine the validity of prior Spanish and Mexican land grants in California.California Senator William M...
in 1852, . The Williams unsuccessfully tried have the grant defined by boundaries (San Vicente Creek to Laguna Creek) rather than by size (one square league), and the grant was patented
Land patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
to James and Squire Williams in 1882.
Most of this property was eventually acquired by Jeremiah Respini and became part of the Coast Dairies Property.