Rancho Capay
Encyclopedia
Rancho Capay was a 44388 acres (179.6 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Tehama County
and Glenn County, California
given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Maria Josefa Soto. The name comes from the Wintun word meaning stream, and refers to Stony Creek. The grant extended two leagues in width and five leagues along the west side of the Sacramento River
from Thomes Creek and Rancho Saucos
on the north to Stony Creek on the south, and encompassed present day Hamilton City
and Monroeville
.
in 1848. The Stokes lived in Monterey.
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 was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Josefa Soto in 1859.
A claim by Pierson B. Reading
for five square leagues was filed with the Land Commission in 1852 but was rejected.
Maria Josefa Soto de Stokes died in Monterey in 1855 leaving as her heirs, her husband and children. In 1857, the California Legislature passed an Act authorizing Dr. Stokes to sell the real property of her estate. In 1858 Dr. Stokes, sold the rancho to Richard Walsh. Walsh immediately sold the entirety of the northern portion of the grant to J. W. Mclntosh.
In 1858, James Stokes married Arabella Clark (1838–). It was a disastrous second marriage, and Stokes took his own life in 1864. In his will, Stokes appointed Frederick Sherwood, who had married his daughter Catherine, and George H. Winterburn, who had married his daughter Josephine, executors of his estate.
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 Tehama County
Tehama County, California
Tehama County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. It is bisected by the Sacramento River. As of 2010 its population was 63,463, up from 56,039 as of 2000. The county seat is Red Bluff.-History:...
and Glenn County, California
Glenn County, California
Glenn County is in the California Central Valley. As of 2010, it had a population of 28,122. The county seat is the city of Willows.-History:Glenn County was formed in 1891 from parts of Colusa County. It was named for Dr. Hugh J...
given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
to Maria Josefa Soto. The name comes from the Wintun word meaning stream, and refers to Stony Creek. The grant extended two leagues in width and five leagues along the west side of the Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
from Thomes Creek and Rancho Saucos
Rancho Saucos
Rancho Saucos was a Mexican land grant in present day Tehama County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Robert H. Thomes. The name means "Ranch of the Elder trees"...
on the north to Stony Creek on the south, and encompassed present day Hamilton City
Hamilton City, California
Hamilton City is a census-designated place in Glenn County, California, United States. The population was 1,759 at the 2010 census, down from 1,903 at the 2000 census. Hamilton City is located east of Orland, and 10 miles west of Chico at an elevation of 151 feet . The default numbers used for...
and Monroeville
Monroeville, California
Monroeville , named for its founder U. P. Monroe, was the county seat of Colusa County from 1851 to 1853. It was located north of Butte City, near the mouth of Stony Creek in northeastern Glenn County, at an elevation of 128 feet . The people of the community of Colusa fought for and eventually...
.
History
Maria Josefa Soto (1810–1855) was married to Gil Cano (1813–1844), a soldier in the Mexican Army. Cano died in 1844, and Josefa Soto was a widow with four children (Rafael Cano, Nicholas Cano, Luisa Cano, and Guadalupe Cano) when she received the ten square league Rancho Capay grant. She married James Stokes in 1844. Dr. James (Santiago) Stokes (1810–1864), an English sailor who came to Monterey in 1834, was a doctor, druggist, and mayor of Monterey. Maria Josefa Soto and James Stokes had eleven more children (James, Junior, Manuel, Domingo, Catherine, Josephine, William, Henry, Mary, Fanny and Luisa). Stokes bought Rancho Los VergelesRancho Los Vergeles
Rancho Los Vergeles was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County and San Benito County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Joaquín Gómez. The name means "flower garden". Rancho La Natividad and Rancho Los Vergeles were adjoining ranchos, north of present day...
in 1848. The Stokes lived in Monterey.
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 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, 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 Josefa Soto in 1859.
A claim by Pierson B. Reading
Pierson B. Reading
Pierson Barton Reading was a California pioneer.-Life:Pierson B. Reading, was born in New Jersey. He came across country to California with Samuel J. Hensley as a member of the Chiles-Walker party in 1843...
for five square leagues was filed with the Land Commission in 1852 but was rejected.
Maria Josefa Soto de Stokes died in Monterey in 1855 leaving as her heirs, her husband and children. In 1857, the California Legislature passed an Act authorizing Dr. Stokes to sell the real property of her estate. In 1858 Dr. Stokes, sold the rancho to Richard Walsh. Walsh immediately sold the entirety of the northern portion of the grant to J. W. Mclntosh.
In 1858, James Stokes married Arabella Clark (1838–). It was a disastrous second marriage, and Stokes took his own life in 1864. In his will, Stokes appointed Frederick Sherwood, who had married his daughter Catherine, and George H. Winterburn, who had married his daughter Josephine, executors of his estate.