Rancho Chamisal
Encyclopedia
Rancho Chamisal was a 2737 acres (11.1 km²) Mexican land grant
in the Salinas Valley
, in present day Monterey County, California
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to Felipe Vasquez. The grant was located east of Monterey
and extended along Pilarcitos Canyon, south of the Salinas River
(opposite Rancho Nacional
). The grant was bounded by Rancho El Toro
on the east.
. The bandit Tiburcio Vásquez
was a nephew. Felipe Vasquez was granted the one square league Rancho Chamisal in 1835, and left to his widow Nicanor Lugo, and three children, Manuel, Dionisio, and Pedro Vasquez.
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 Chamisal was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to Felipe Vasquez in 1877.
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 the Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
, in present day Monterey County, California
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to Felipe Vasquez. The grant was located east of 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...
and extended along Pilarcitos Canyon, south of the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
(opposite Rancho Nacional
Rancho Nacional
Rancho Nacional was a Mexican land grant in the Salinas Valley, in present day Monterey County, California given in 1839 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Vicente Cantua...
). The grant was bounded by Rancho El Toro
Rancho El Toro
Rancho El Toro was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Ramón Estrada. The grant extended along Toro Creek south of Hill Town on the Salinas River.-History:...
on the east.
History
Jose Felipe Vasquez (1782–), son of Jose Tiburcio and Maria Antonia Bojorquez, married Maria Nicanor Lugo. His brother, José Tiburcio Vásquez, was the grantee of Rancho Corral de TierraRancho Corral de Tierra (Vasquez)
Rancho Corral de Tierra was a Mexican land grant in present day San Mateo County, California given in 1839 by Governor Pro-Tem Manuel Jimeno to José Tiburcio Vásquez. The name means “earthen corral” in Spanish. Jimeno granted Vasquez the smaller southern part of Rancho Corral de Tierra and...
. The bandit Tiburcio Vásquez
Tiburcio Vasquez
Tiburcio Vásquez was a Californio bandit who was active in California from 1854 to 1874. The Vasquez Rocks, 40 miles north of Los Angeles, were one of his many hideouts and are named for him.-Early life:...
was a nephew. Felipe Vasquez was granted the one square league Rancho Chamisal in 1835, and left to his widow Nicanor Lugo, and three children, Manuel, Dionisio, and Pedro Vasquez.
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 Chamisal 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 1853, 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 Felipe Vasquez in 1877.