Rancho Del Rio Estanislao
Encyclopedia
Rancho del Río Estanislao (also called Ranchería Del Rio Estanislao) was a 48887 acres (197.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Stanislaus County
and Calaveras County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Francisco Rico and José Castro. The grant was located on the north side of the Stanislaus River
, which was called Rio Estanislao during the Mexican era, and the grant encompassed present day Knights Ferry
.
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 Del Rio Estanislao was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to Francisco Rico and José Castro in 1863.
Rico and Castro sold to William Hicks, Abraham Schell, and James C. Stubbins. Abraham Schell, a lawyer, came to Knights Ferry in 1856. He built his home the Abraham Schell House
in present-day Knights Ferry, California
where it currently stands. He purchased three and a half square leagues of the Rancheria del Rio Estanislao in 1863. Schell and his partner, George H. Krause, started the Red Mountain Winery.
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 Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County, California
Stanislaus County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. As the price of housing has increased in the San Francisco Bay Area, many people who work in the southern reaches of the Bay Area have opted for the longer commute and moved to Stanislaus County for the...
and Calaveras County, California
Calaveras County, California
Calaveras County is a county located in the Gold Country of the U.S. state of California. Calaveras is the Spanish word for skulls; the county was reportedly named for the remains of Native Americans discovered by the Spanish explorer Captain Gabriel Moraga. As of the 2010 census, the county had a...
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 Francisco Rico and José Castro. The grant was located on the north side of the Stanislaus River
Stanislaus River
The Stanislaus River in California is one of the largest tributaries of the San Joaquin River. The river is long and has north, middle and south forks...
, which was called Rio Estanislao during the Mexican era, and the grant encompassed present day Knights Ferry
Knights Ferry, California
Knights Ferry is a town in Stanislaus County, California, United States. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, it is about east of Modesto on the Stanislaus River. The Willms Ranch, a California Landmark near the town, was one of many filming locations for the television series Bonanza...
.
History
Francisco Rico and Jose Antonio Castro were granted the eleven square league Rancho Del Rio Estanislao in 1843.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 Del Rio Estanislao 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 Francisco Rico and José Castro in 1863.
Rico and Castro sold to William Hicks, Abraham Schell, and James C. Stubbins. Abraham Schell, a lawyer, came to Knights Ferry in 1856. He built his home the Abraham Schell House
Abraham Schell House
The Abraham Schell House is a historic two-story house located in Knights Ferry, California. It was first built out of sandstone in 1856 for Abraham and Catherine Schell, owners of the Rancho del Río Estanislao. Presently, it stands the same as it did 154 years ago....
in present-day Knights Ferry, California
Knights Ferry, California
Knights Ferry is a town in Stanislaus County, California, United States. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, it is about east of Modesto on the Stanislaus River. The Willms Ranch, a California Landmark near the town, was one of many filming locations for the television series Bonanza...
where it currently stands. He purchased three and a half square leagues of the Rancheria del Rio Estanislao in 1863. Schell and his partner, George H. Krause, started the Red Mountain Winery.