Rancho Las Posas
Encyclopedia
Rancho Las Posas was a 26623 acres (107.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Ventura County, California
given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa
to José Antonio Carrillo
. The grant extends along the Simi Valley
from near present day Moorpark
to Camarillo
. Rancho Simi
borders it on the east, the Rancho Calleguas
on the south, Rancho Santa Clara del Norte
on the west, and a range of mountains on the north.
. He served three non-consecutive terms as alcalde
of Los Angeles
between 1826 and 1834. His brother, Carlos Antonio Carrillo
,was granted Rancho Sespe
in 1833 by Governor Figueroa. He married Estefana Pico (1806–) in 1823, and after her death, Jacinta Pico (1815–) in 1842; both were sisters of Pío
and Andrés Pico
. José Antonio Carillo also grantee of the Island of Santa Rosa
.
Captain José de la Guerra y Noriega
(1779 –1858) was Comandante of the Presidio of Santa Barbara
from 1827 to 1842. De La Guerra married José Antonio Carrillo's sister, María Antonia Carrillo (1786–1843), in 1804. José de la Guerra y Noriega , who had begun to acquire large amounts of land in California to raise cattle, purchased Rancho Las Posas from the Carrillo family in 1842.
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 Las Posas was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to José de la Guerra y Noriega in 1881.
After Jose de la Guerra’s death in 1858, the rancho was held by his heirs until 1870, when it was sold to the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company headed by Pennsylvania Railroad
president, Thomas Alexander Scott
and his agent Thomas R. Bard
.
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 Ventura County, California
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa
José 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...
to José Antonio Carrillo
José Antonio Carrillo
Captain José Antonio Ezequiel Carrillo was a Californio rancher, officer, and politician in the early years of Mexican Alta California and U.S...
. The grant extends along the Simi Valley
Simi Valley
Simi Valley is a synclinal valley in Southern California in the United States. It is an enclosed or hidden valley surrounded by mountains and hills. It is connected to the San Fernando Valley to the east by the Santa Susana Pass & 118 freeway, and in the west the narrows of the Arroyo Simi and 118...
from near present day Moorpark
Moorpark, California
Moorpark is a city in Southern California. It was founded in 1900 by Robert Poindexter, presumably named after the moorpark apricots that grew in the area. The city has experienced a great amount of growth since the late 1970s...
to Camarillo
Camarillo, California
Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at...
. Rancho Simi
Rancho Simi
Rancho Simi, also known as Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi, was a Spanish land grant in eastern Ventura and western Los Angeles counties given in 1795 to Francisco Javier Pico and his two brothers, Patricio Pico and Miguel Pico by Governor Diego de Borica...
borders it on the east, the Rancho Calleguas
Rancho Calleguas
Rancho Calleguas was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Pedro Ruiz. The grant was south of Rancho Las Posas, and east of Rancho El Rio de Santa Clara o la Colonia, north of the Rancho Guadalasca, and west of Rancho El...
on the south, Rancho Santa Clara del Norte
Rancho Santa Clara del Norte
Rancho Santa Clara del Norte was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Juan Maria Sanchez...
on the west, and a range of mountains on the north.
History
Captain José Antonio Ezequiel Carrillo (1796–1862) was the son of the José Raimundo CarrilloJosé Raimundo Carrillo
Captain José Raimundo Carrillo was an early Spanish settler of San Diego, California and founder of the Carrillo family in Spanish California.-Biography:Carrillo was born in 1749 in New Spain at Loreto, Baja California...
. He served three non-consecutive terms as alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
between 1826 and 1834. His brother, Carlos Antonio Carrillo
Carlos Antonio Carrillo
Carlos Antonio Carrillo , Governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1838. He took his oath as governon in Pueblo de Los Angeles, present day Los Angeles, on December 6, 1836. aCarlos Antonio Carrillo was the son of a prominent California family...
,was granted Rancho Sespe
Rancho Sespe
Rancho Sespe was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to Carlos Antonio Carrillo...
in 1833 by Governor Figueroa. He married Estefana Pico (1806–) in 1823, and after her death, Jacinta Pico (1815–) in 1842; both were sisters of Pío
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
and Andrés Pico
Andrés Pico
Andrés Pico was a Californio who became a successful rancher, served as a military commander during the Mexican-American War; and was elected to the state assembly and senate after California became a state, when he was also commissioned as a brigadier general in the state militia.-Early...
. José Antonio Carillo also grantee of the Island of Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa Island, California
Santa Rosa Island is the second largest of the Channel Islands of California at 53,195 acres . Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3009, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California, the 2000 census showed an official population of 2 persons. It is part of...
.
Captain José de la Guerra y Noriega
José de la Guerra y Noriega
José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega was a soldier and early settler of California.-Biography:José de la Guerra was born 1779 at Novales, Cantabria, Spain. As a boy he wished to be a friar...
(1779 –1858) was Comandante of the Presidio of Santa Barbara
Presidio of Santa Barbara
The El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, also known as the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, was a military installation in Santa Barbara, California. It was built by Spain in 1782, with the mission of defending the Second Military District in California...
from 1827 to 1842. De La Guerra married José Antonio Carrillo's sister, María Antonia Carrillo (1786–1843), in 1804. José de la Guerra y Noriega , who had begun to acquire large amounts of land in California to raise cattle, purchased Rancho Las Posas from the Carrillo family in 1842.
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 Las Posas 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 José de la Guerra y Noriega in 1881.
After Jose de la Guerra’s death in 1858, the rancho was held by his heirs until 1870, when it was sold to the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company headed by Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
president, Thomas Alexander Scott
Thomas Alexander Scott
Thomas Alexander Scott was an American businessman. He was the 4th president of what was the largest corporation in the world, the Pennsylvania Railroad, during the middle of the 19th century...
and his agent Thomas R. Bard
Thomas R. Bard
Thomas Robert Bard was a political leader in California who assisted in the organization of Ventura County and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1900 to 1905 as a Republican. He is known as the "Father of Port Hueneme" for his efforts in building and expanding the city, as...
.