Rancho Carne Humana
Encyclopedia
Rancho Carne Humana was a 17962 acres (72.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Napa County, California
given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Edward Turner Bale
. The name means "human flesh" in Spanish. There is speculation as to why the name was chosen. The grant was originally called "Huilic Noma" and also "Colijolmanoc". Rancho Carne Humana was at the northern end of the Napa Valley, stretching from present-day Rutherford northward to Calistoga
, ending at Tubbs Lane and including present-day St. Helena
.
in 1837, and practiced medicine there for five or six years. In 1840–43 he was surgeon of the California forces by General Mariano Vallejo
's appointment. He married Maria Ygnacia Soberanes, the niece of both General Mariano Vallejo and Mariano's brother, Salvador Vallejo. Through General Vallejo's influence, Bale obtained a four league grant of Rancho Carne Humana in Napa Valley, north of George C. Yount
's Rancho Caymus
in 1841.
Bale and his family moved to the rancho in 1843. Bale established a grist mill to grind corn and wheat. In 1846 he built a saw-mill. In 1848, Bale joined the California Gold Rush
, but became ill and died at the age of 38, leaving a widow, two sons and four daughters.
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 Carne Humana was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Maria Ygnacia Bale and the heirs of Edward T. Bale in 1879.
Bale had often used land in payment for services rendered him. His family was financially pressed after his death. His widow Maria Ygnacia Bale was left with managing the estate and battled the courts for decades to hang on to what was left of Bale's original land grant. To his sons he left his cattle, since cattle at the time were of greater value, and to his daughters he left tracts of land to act as their dowries. Upon one such tract of land just north of St. Helena, their daughter Caroline Bale and her husband Charles Krug
planted grapes.
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 Napa County, California
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Edward Turner Bale
Edward Turner Bale
Edward Turner Bale was an English immigrant physician who built the Bale Grist Mill in Napa County, California.-Life:...
. The name means "human flesh" in Spanish. There is speculation as to why the name was chosen. The grant was originally called "Huilic Noma" and also "Colijolmanoc". Rancho Carne Humana was at the northern end of the Napa Valley, stretching from present-day Rutherford northward to Calistoga
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
, ending at Tubbs Lane and including present-day St. Helena
St. Helena, California
St. Helena is a city in Napa County, California, United States. It is part of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 5,814 at the 2010 census....
.
History
Dr. Edward Turner Bale (1810-1849) an English physician, landed at MontereyMonterey, 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...
in 1837, and practiced medicine there for five or six years. In 1840–43 he was surgeon of the California forces by General Mariano Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
's appointment. He married Maria Ygnacia Soberanes, the niece of both General Mariano Vallejo and Mariano's brother, Salvador Vallejo. Through General Vallejo's influence, Bale obtained a four league grant of Rancho Carne Humana in Napa Valley, north of George C. Yount
George C. Yount
George Calvert Yount was a trapper in William Wolfskill's party from New Mexico and came to California in 1831. He was the first Euro-American permanent settler in the Napa Valley, where he was the grantee of two Mexican land grants. Yountville, California is named for him.-Biography:George C...
's Rancho Caymus
Rancho Caymus
Rancho Caymus was a Mexican land grant in present day Napa County, California given in 1836 by acting Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to George C. Yount. Caymus was the name of a subgroup of Mishewal-Wappo Indians. The rancho included present day Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford all within the...
in 1841.
Bale and his family moved to the rancho in 1843. Bale established a grist mill to grind corn and wheat. In 1846 he built a saw-mill. In 1848, Bale joined the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, but became ill and died at the age of 38, leaving a widow, two sons and four daughters.
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 Carne Humana 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 Maria Ygnacia Bale and the heirs of Edward T. Bale in 1879.
Bale had often used land in payment for services rendered him. His family was financially pressed after his death. His widow Maria Ygnacia Bale was left with managing the estate and battled the courts for decades to hang on to what was left of Bale's original land grant. To his sons he left his cattle, since cattle at the time were of greater value, and to his daughters he left tracts of land to act as their dowries. Upon one such tract of land just north of St. Helena, their daughter Caroline Bale and her husband Charles Krug
Charles Krug
Charles Krug was among the original pioneers of winemaking in the Napa Valley, and was the founder of the winery of the same name. Krug immigrated to the United States from Prussia in 1851 and served as an apprentice winemaker for both Agoston Haraszthy and then John Patchett before establishing...
planted grapes.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Bale Grist MillBale Grist Mill State Historic ParkBale Grist Mill State Historic Park is a California state park located in Napa County between St. Helena and Calistoga. The park is the site of a water-powered grist mill that was built in 1846. It was once the center of social activity as Napa Valley settlers gathered to have their corn and wheat...
. The grist mill was erected by Edward T. Bale in 1846. - Charles Krug Winery. Founded in 1861 by Charles Krug (1825-1892), this is the oldest operating winery in Napa Valley. Krug made the first commercial wine in Napa County in 1858.
- York's Cabin. John T. York , the first American to settle in the area that became Calistoga, constructed this log cabin in 1845.
- Hudson Cabin. David Hudson was one of the early pioneers who helped develop the upper portion of Napa Valley by purchasing land, clearing it, and planting crops and building homes. Hudson built his cabin in 1845.
- Sam Brannan Cottage. Between 1859 and 1863, Samuel Brannan (1819-1889) acquired more than 2000 acres (8.1 km²) at the north end of Napa Valley with the dream of making it the Saratoga of California. This is the only 1866 cottage remaining.
- Sam Brannan Store. The store Sam Brannan built in Calistoga.
- Kelsey House. Nancy Kelsey arrived in California in 1841 with the Bartleson-Bidwell PartyBartleson-Bidwell PartyIn 1841, the Bartleson–Bidwell Party led by Captain John Bartleson and John Bidwell, became the first American emigrants to attempt a wagon crossing from Missouri to California.-The trail:...
and settled with her family south of present-day Calistoga. - Napa Valley Railroad depot. The Napa Valley Railroad depot was built in 1868. Railroad brought people to Brannan's Calistoga resort.