Rancho Farwell
Encyclopedia
Rancho Farwell was a 22194 acres (89.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Butte County, California
given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Edward A. Farwell. The grant was located east of the Sacramento River
along the south bank of Chico Creek and encompassed part of present day Chico
.
, came to California in 1842. In 1843 he became a Mexican citizen, and the next year obtained the five square league Rancho Farwell grant. In 1845 Farwell sold the north half of the grant to brothers James and John S. Williams. John S. Williams (–1849) worked for Thomas O. Larkin
on Rancho Larkin’s Children
.
In 1845, Farwell died having neither wife nor children, but a mother, four brothers and one sister in Maine. At the time of his death, Edward A. Farwell was indebted to John Bidwell
. Bidwell claimed authority to settle the estate of Farwell, and 1849, sold the southern half of the grant to John Potter.
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, James Williams and the heirs of John S. Williams (Maria Louisa Carson, widow and John Shelby Williams, Jr., son), and the heirs of John Potter, filed a claim for Rancho Farwell with the Public Land Commission
in 1853. The Commission and the District Court confirmed the grant to the Williams and the heirs of Edward A. Farwell, but not to the heirs of J. Potter. The grant was patented
to the Williams heirs and the heirs of Edward A. Farwell in 1863.
In 1860, heirs of Edward A. Farwell from Maine started litigation to recover the southern half of the grant that was then occupied by Henry Gerke of Rancho Bosquejo
. In 1875, the 1849 sale of the southern half of the grant to John Potter was declared by the court to be void.
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 Butte County, California
Butte County, California
Butte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the US state of California, north of the state capital of Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 220,000. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty."Butte County is watered by the...
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 Edward A. Farwell. The grant was located east 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...
along the south bank of Chico Creek and encompassed part of present day Chico
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
.
History
Edward Augustus Farwell (1814–1845), born in MaineMaine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, came to California in 1842. In 1843 he became a Mexican citizen, and the next year obtained the five square league Rancho Farwell grant. In 1845 Farwell sold the north half of the grant to brothers James and John S. Williams. John S. Williams (–1849) worked for 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:...
on Rancho Larkin’s Children
Rancho Larkin’s Children
Rancho Larkin’s Children was a Mexican land grant in present day Glenn County and Colusa County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Francisco Larkin, Caroline Ann Larkin, and Sophia Adelaide Larkin, children of Thomas O. Larkin...
.
In 1845, Farwell died having neither wife nor children, but a mother, four brothers and one sister in Maine. At the time of his death, Edward A. Farwell was indebted to John Bidwell
John Bidwell
John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist...
. Bidwell claimed authority to settle the estate of Farwell, and 1849, sold the southern half of the grant to John Potter.
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, James Williams and the heirs of John S. Williams (Maria Louisa Carson, widow and John Shelby Williams, Jr., son), and the heirs of John Potter, filed a claim for Rancho Farwell 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. The Commission and the District Court confirmed the grant to the Williams and the heirs of Edward A. Farwell, but not to the heirs of J. Potter. 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 the Williams heirs and the heirs of Edward A. Farwell in 1863.
In 1860, heirs of Edward A. Farwell from Maine started litigation to recover the southern half of the grant that was then occupied by Henry Gerke of Rancho Bosquejo
Rancho Bosquejo
Rancho Bosquejo was a Mexican land grant in present day Tehama County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Peter Lassen. The name means "Wooded Ranch" in Spanish...
. In 1875, the 1849 sale of the southern half of the grant to John Potter was declared by the court to be void.