Rancho Llano Seco
Encyclopedia
Rancho Llano Seco was a 17767 acres (71.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Butte County, California
given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico
to Sebastian Keyser (Kayser). Llano Seco means "dry plains" in Spanish. The grant extended along the east bank of the Sacramento River
south of present day Chico
.
, was confirmed in 1845 by Governor Pico. Sebastian Keyser (d.1850), born in Austria, was a trapper who had accompanied John Sutter
in 1838 from Missouri
, through New Mexico
to California. Keyser went to Oregon
but returned in 1841 to work for Sutter at his Rancho New Helvetia
. In 1845, Sebastian Keyser became owner of a half interest in Rancho Johnson
. He settled on the Bear River
, and married Elizabeth Rhoads. Keyser sold his interest in the ranch to Charles James Brenham
in 1849. Keyser then operated a ferry on the Cosumnes River
, where he drowned in 1850.
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 Llano Seco was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Charles J. Brenham in 1860.
Between 1860 and 1875, John Parrott acquired all of Rancho Llano Seco. John Parrott (-1884), a native of Tennessee
, joined his brother's mercantile and importing business in Mexico. He was appointed United States Consul at Mazatlán
from 1837 to 1846, and reappointed after the Mexican–American War
in 1848 until his resignation and move to San Francisco in 1850. Parrot and Company, of San Francisco was a major landholder and banking firm. In 1852, he built one of San Francisco's first large buildings, the Parrott Block. In 1853, he married Abbie Eastman Meagher (1829–1917). In 1862, he bought part of Rancho de las Pulgas
, and built in 1868, his Baywood residence and estate. Rancho Llano Seco is still owned by the descendants of John and Abbie Parrott.
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 1845 by Governor Pio Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Sebastian Keyser (Kayser). Llano Seco means "dry plains" in Spanish. The grant extended along the east bank 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...
south 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
The four square league grant, provisionally made in 1844 by Governor Manuel MicheltorenaManuel 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...
, was confirmed in 1845 by Governor Pico. Sebastian Keyser (d.1850), born in Austria, was a trapper who had accompanied John Sutter
John Sutter
Johann Augus Sutter was a Swiss pioneer of California known for his association with the California Gold Rush by the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall and the mill making team at Sutter's Mill, and for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area that would eventually become Sacramento, the...
in 1838 from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, through New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to California. Keyser went to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
but returned in 1841 to work for Sutter at his Rancho New Helvetia
Rancho New Helvetia
Rancho New Helvetia was a Mexican land grant in present day Sacramento County, Sutter County and Yuba County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to John Sutter. The name means "new Switzerland" after Sutter's home country...
. In 1845, Sebastian Keyser became owner of a half interest in Rancho Johnson
Rancho Johnson
Rancho Johnson was a Mexican land grant in present day Yuba County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Pablo Gutiérrez. The grant was located along the north side of Bear River, and emcompassed present day Wheatland...
. He settled on the Bear River
Bear River (Feather River tributary)
The Bear River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada, winding through four California counties: Yuba, Sutter, Placer, and Nevada....
, and married Elizabeth Rhoads. Keyser sold his interest in the ranch to Charles James Brenham
Charles James Brenham
Charles James Brenham was the second and fourth mayor of San Francisco in 1851 and from 1852 to 1853.Brenham was born on November 6, 1817 in Frankfort, Kentucky. At an early age, he left home to work on riverboats on the Mississippi. By age twenty, he ran his own steamship...
in 1849. Keyser then operated a ferry on the Cosumnes River
Cosumnes River
The Cosumnes River is a river in northern California in the United States. It rises on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and flows approximately into the Central Valley, emptying into the Mokelumne River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.-Name:...
, where he drowned in 1850.
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 Llano Seco 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 Charles J. Brenham in 1860.
Between 1860 and 1875, John Parrott acquired all of Rancho Llano Seco. John Parrott (-1884), a native of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, joined his brother's mercantile and importing business in Mexico. He was appointed United States Consul at Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
from 1837 to 1846, and reappointed after 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...
in 1848 until his resignation and move to San Francisco in 1850. Parrot and Company, of San Francisco was a major landholder and banking firm. In 1852, he built one of San Francisco's first large buildings, the Parrott Block. In 1853, he married Abbie Eastman Meagher (1829–1917). In 1862, he bought part of Rancho de las Pulgas
Rancho de las Pulgas
Rancho de las Pulgas was a 1795 Spanish land grant in present day San Mateo County, California to José Darío Argüello. The name means "Ranch of the Fleas". The grant was bounded by San Mateo Creek on the north and San Francisquito Creek on the south, and extended about one league from San...
, and built in 1868, his Baywood residence and estate. Rancho Llano Seco is still owned by the descendants of John and Abbie Parrott.