Rancho Cienega del Gabilan
Encyclopedia
Rancho Cienega del Gabilan was a 48781 acres (197.4 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Monterey County
and San Benito County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Antonio Chaves (Chávez). The name means "spring of the hawk ranch". The grant was located in the Gabilan Range
east of present day Salinas
.
. He was tax collector at Monterey
in 1843, and one of the prime movers in the movement against Manuel Micheltorena
1844. Chaves was the grantee of the eleven square league Rancho Cienega del Gabilan 1843 and the three square league Rancho Pleyto
in 1845. He took part as Lieutenant
in various military operations in the Mexican–American War
of 1846. He was sent by José Castro to John C. Frémont
's camp at Gavilan Peak. Later he kidnapped Thomas O. Larkin
and was second in command at the Battle of Natividad
, where he was wounded. He returned to Mexico in 1848.
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 Cienega del Gabilan was filed by José Yves Limantour
with the Public Land Commission
in 1853. José Yves Limantour, who became notorious for his fraudulent claims, maintained that he had bought the grant from Chaves. The land commission rejected his claim.
Thomas O. Larkin
(1802 - 1858) claimed he bought Rancho Cienega del Gabilan from Chaves and received confirmation of it just after he died in 1858. Larkin had also bought Rancho Pleyto from Chaves.
Jesse D. Carr bought the rancho from the Larkin heirs, and the grant was patented to Jesse D. Carr in 1867.
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 Monterey County
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...
and San Benito County, California
San Benito County, California
San Benito County is a county located in the Coast Range Mountains of the U.S. state of California, south of San Jose. As of 2010 the population was 55,269. The county seat is Hollister, which includes nearly two-thirds of the county's population. El Camino Real passes through the county and...
given in 1843 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 Antonio Chaves (Chávez). The name means "spring of the hawk ranch". The grant was located in the Gabilan Range
Gabilan Range
The Gabilan Range or Gabilan Mountains are located on the Pacific Coast Range of California's Central Coast trending in a northwest-southeast direction along the Monterey County and San Benito County line. It is bordered by the Diablo Range, the San Andreas Fault, and State Route 25 to the east and...
east of present day Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
.
History
José Antonio Chávez, came to California in 1833 with Governor José FigueroaJosé Figueroa
General José Figueroa , was a General and the Mexican territorial Governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835.Figueroa oversaw the initial secularization of the missions of upper California, which included the expulsion of the Spanish Franciscan mission officials.This also involved the issuing of...
. He was tax collector at 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...
in 1843, and one of the prime movers in the movement against 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...
1844. Chaves was the grantee of the eleven square league Rancho Cienega del Gabilan 1843 and the three square league Rancho Pleyto
Rancho Pleyto
Rancho Pleyto was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to Antonio Chaves . The grant extended along the San Antonio River southeast of present day Jolon. Much of the grant is under water, inundated by the creation of the San Antonio...
in 1845. He took part as Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in various military operations in the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
of 1846. He was sent by José Castro to John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
's camp at Gavilan Peak. Later he kidnapped Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas Oliver Larkin was an early American emigrant to Alta California and a signer of the original California Constitution. He was the United States' first and only consul to the California Republic.-Early years:...
and was second in command at the Battle of Natividad
Battle of Natividad
The Battle of the Natividad took place on November 16, 1846 in the Salinas Valley, in present day Monterey County, California, during the California Campaign of the Mexican-American War, between United States organized California militia and loyalist Mexican militia.-Battle:San Juan Bautista was...
, where he was wounded. He returned to Mexico in 1848.
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 Cienega del Gabilan was filed by José Yves Limantour
Joseph Yves Limantour
Joseph Yves Limantour was a French merchant who engaged in the California sea trade during the years preceding American occupation of that Mexican province in 1846...
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. José Yves Limantour, who became notorious for his fraudulent claims, maintained that he had bought the grant from Chaves. The land commission rejected his claim.
Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas Oliver Larkin was an early American emigrant to Alta California and a signer of the original California Constitution. He was the United States' first and only consul to the California Republic.-Early years:...
(1802 - 1858) claimed he bought Rancho Cienega del Gabilan from Chaves and received confirmation of it just after he died in 1858. Larkin had also bought Rancho Pleyto from Chaves.
Jesse D. Carr bought the rancho from the Larkin heirs, and the grant was patented to Jesse D. Carr in 1867.