Rancho Lomerias Muertas
Encyclopedia
Rancho Lomerias Muertas was a 6660 acres (27 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Benito County, California
given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José Antonio Castro. The name means "barren hills". The grant was between the Pajaro River
and the San Benito River
, south of present day Gilroy
.
, and grantee of Rancho Sausal
.
In 1844, José Antonio Castro sold Rancho Lomerias Muertas to José María Sanchez. Sanchez was the grantee in 1835 of Rancho Llano de Tesquisquita
directly to the north of Rancho Lomerias Muertas. Jose Maria Sanchez (1804–1852), came to California from Mexico in 1825 forming a partnership with Francisco Perez Pacheco, grantee of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
. In 1840, Sanchez married Encarnacion Ortega (1824–1894), the daughter of Quentin Ortega and Vicenta Butron of Rancho San Ysidro. The first rancho Sanchez bought was Rancho Las Animas
from the widow of Mariano Castro in 1835.
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 Lomerias Muertas was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to José M. Sanchez in 1866.
With the acquisition of Rancho Lomerias Muertas, the Sanchez domain extended over 49000 acres (198 km²) with the Pajaro River
dividing his lands. Sanchez drowned in the Pajaro River on Christmas Eve, 1852, leaving his widow, Maria Encarnacion Ortega Sanchez, and five children (sisters: Vicenta; Refugia; Candelaria; Guadalupe and one brother, José Gregorio). Numerous people were interested in gaining control of the vast Sanchez estate. In 1853, Maria Encarnacion Ortega Sanchez married her attorney, Thomas B. Godden. Godden was killed in the explosion of the steamboat "Jenny Lind" en route from Alviso to San Francisco on April 11, 1853. Maria Encarnacion Ortega's two husbands had died within four months of each other. In 1853, Maria Encarnacion Ortega married Dr. Henry L. Sanford. Sanford was killed in 1855, and Maria Encarnacion Ortega married George W. Crane (1827–1868), who died of Measles
in 1868.
In 1864, the Sanchez heirs started selling their share of the land to Henry Miller
. By 1867, Miller and Lux owned 44000 acres (178 km²) of the Sanchez ranchos.
In 1871, and Maria Encarnacion Ortega married her fifth husband, Anastacio Alviso, who was shot and killed shortly after their marriage.
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 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 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José Antonio Castro. The name means "barren hills". The grant was between the Pajaro River
Pajaro River
The Pajaro River is a river in Northern California, forming part of the border between Santa Cruz County and Monterey County and between San Benito County and Santa Clara County.-History:...
and the San Benito River
San Benito River
The San Benito River is a river on the Central Coast of California. From its headwaters near San Benito Mountain in the Diablo Range, it flows northwest between the Diablo Range and the Gabilan Range, traveling for about before its confluence with the Pajaro River, about upstream from the river's...
, south of present day Gilroy
Gilroy, California
Gilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 48,821 at the 2010 census. Gilroy is well-known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces...
.
History
General José Castro was the son of José Tiburcio Castro, administrator of the secularized Mission San Juan BautistaMission San Juan Bautista
Mission San Juan Bautista was founded on June 24, 1797 in what is now the San Juan Bautista Historic District of San Juan Bautista, California. Barracks for the soldiers, a nunnery, the Jose Castro House, and other buildings were constructed around a large grassy plaza in front of the church and...
, and grantee of Rancho Sausal
Rancho Sausal
Rancho Sausal was a Mexican land grant in the Salinas Valley, in present day Monterey County, California given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to José Tibúrcio Castro. An additional grant was made by Governor Pío Pico in 1845. The name is Spanish for "willow grove"...
.
In 1844, José Antonio Castro sold Rancho Lomerias Muertas to José María Sanchez. Sanchez was the grantee in 1835 of Rancho Llano de Tesquisquita
Rancho Llano de Tesquisquita
Rancho Llano de Tesquisquita was a Mexican land grant in present day San Benito County and Santa Clara County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José María Sanchez. The name means "flats of Tesquisquita"...
directly to the north of Rancho Lomerias Muertas. Jose Maria Sanchez (1804–1852), came to California from Mexico in 1825 forming a partnership with Francisco Perez Pacheco, grantee of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe was a Mexican land grant in present day San Benito County and Santa Clara County, California a consists of two square leagues given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa and two square leagues given in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to Francisco Perez Pacheco...
. In 1840, Sanchez married Encarnacion Ortega (1824–1894), the daughter of Quentin Ortega and Vicenta Butron of Rancho San Ysidro. The first rancho Sanchez bought was Rancho Las Animas
Rancho Las Animas
Rancho Las Animas was a Spanish land concession in present day Santa Clara County given in 1802 by Viceroy Félix Berenguer de Marquina to José Mariano Castro. The rancho was regranted in 1835 to Castro's widow Josefa Romero de Castro by Mexican Governor José Figueroa...
from the widow of Mariano Castro in 1835.
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 Lomerias Muertas 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 M. Sanchez in 1866.
With the acquisition of Rancho Lomerias Muertas, the Sanchez domain extended over 49000 acres (198 km²) with the Pajaro River
Pajaro River
The Pajaro River is a river in Northern California, forming part of the border between Santa Cruz County and Monterey County and between San Benito County and Santa Clara County.-History:...
dividing his lands. Sanchez drowned in the Pajaro River on Christmas Eve, 1852, leaving his widow, Maria Encarnacion Ortega Sanchez, and five children (sisters: Vicenta; Refugia; Candelaria; Guadalupe and one brother, José Gregorio). Numerous people were interested in gaining control of the vast Sanchez estate. In 1853, Maria Encarnacion Ortega Sanchez married her attorney, Thomas B. Godden. Godden was killed in the explosion of the steamboat "Jenny Lind" en route from Alviso to San Francisco on April 11, 1853. Maria Encarnacion Ortega's two husbands had died within four months of each other. In 1853, Maria Encarnacion Ortega married Dr. Henry L. Sanford. Sanford was killed in 1855, and Maria Encarnacion Ortega married George W. Crane (1827–1868), who died of Measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
in 1868.
In 1864, the Sanchez heirs started selling their share of the land to Henry Miller
Henry Miller (rancher)
Henry Miller was a German-American rancher who at one point in the late 19th century was one of the largest land-owners in the United States.-Biography:...
. By 1867, Miller and Lux owned 44000 acres (178 km²) of the Sanchez ranchos.
In 1871, and Maria Encarnacion Ortega married her fifth husband, Anastacio Alviso, who was shot and killed shortly after their marriage.