Rancho Los Laureles
Encyclopedia
Rancho Los Laureles was a 6625 acres (26.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Monterey County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José M. Boronda and Vicente Blas Martínez. Los Laureles refers to the California Bay Laurel tree. The grant extended along the Carmel River
and the Carmel Valley, was bounded to the east by the Rancho Tularcitos
and Rancho Los Laureles (Ransom)
on the west, and encompasses present day Carmel Valley Village
.
Vicente Blas Martinez married Maria Josefa Teodosia Amezquita (1801-) in 1817. In 1851, Vicente Blas Martinez and his wife, sold their half-interest in Rancho Los Laureles to the Borondas.
The Boronda family partiarch, Manuel Boronda (1750-1826) accompanied Junípero Serra
’s second expedition to Alta California . By 1790, Boronda was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco
and married Maria Gertrudis Higuera (1776-). Besides his military duties, which included carpenter work, Manuel also conducted a class for boys. The couple then moved to Santa Cruz. In 1811, at age 61, Manuel retired from military service and with his family moved to Monterey, where Manuel built an adobe house in 1817. The three sons of Manuel and Gertrudis Boronda were: José Canuto Boronda (1792-), José Eusebio Boronda (1801-), grantee of Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
; and José Manuel Boronda (1803-1878).
José Manuel Boronda married Juana Cota (1805-1894) in 1821. Although David Jack
's claims to the contrary, multiple sources list Juan Cota de Boronda as the originator of what is now known as Monterey Jack Cheese. In 1840, José Manuel Boronda, his wife, and their 15 children, came to settle on Rancho Los Laureles.
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 Los Laureles was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to José M. Boronda and Juan de Mata Boronda in 1866.
In 1868, the Borondas sold Rancho los Laureles to Elihu Avery, who sold it to Ezekiel Tripp in 1874. Nathan W. Spalding, later Oakland ’s fifteenth Mayor, purchased a half interest in 1874. Abner Doble bought a half interest in 1875; Frederick Getchell and David Ayers in 1881; and Frank Hinkley a half interest in1881. In 1882, the Pacific Improvement Company purchased Rancho Los Laureles.
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 Monterey County, California
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José M. Boronda and Vicente Blas Martínez. Los Laureles refers to the California Bay Laurel tree. The grant extended along the Carmel River
Carmel River
The Carmel River is a river on the Central Coast of California in Monterey County that originates in the Santa Lucia Mountains. The river flows northwest through the Carmel Valley with its mouth at the Pacific Ocean south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is often considered the northern boundary of Big Sur...
and the Carmel Valley, was bounded to the east by the Rancho Tularcitos
Rancho Tularcitos (Gomez)
Rancho Tularcitos was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to Rafael Gomez. Tularcitos means "place of the little Tule thickets"...
and Rancho Los Laureles (Ransom)
Rancho Los Laureles (Ransom)
"Rancho Los Laureles" was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to José Agricio, an Ohlone Indian...
on the west, and encompasses present day Carmel Valley Village
Carmel Valley Village, California
Carmel Valley Village is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. At the time of the 2010 census the population was 4,407, down from 4,700 at the 2000 census. In November 2009, a majority of residents voted against incorporation.-Geography and ecology:Carmel Valley...
.
History
The one and a half square league grant was made to Vicente Blas Martinez and José Manuel Boronda, along with Boronda’s son, Juan de Mata Boronda.Vicente Blas Martinez married Maria Josefa Teodosia Amezquita (1801-) in 1817. In 1851, Vicente Blas Martinez and his wife, sold their half-interest in Rancho Los Laureles to the Borondas.
The Boronda family partiarch, Manuel Boronda (1750-1826) accompanied Junípero Serra
Junípero Serra
Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...
’s second expedition to Alta California . By 1790, Boronda was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
and married Maria Gertrudis Higuera (1776-). Besides his military duties, which included carpenter work, Manuel also conducted a class for boys. The couple then moved to Santa Cruz. In 1811, at age 61, Manuel retired from military service and with his family moved to Monterey, where Manuel built an adobe house in 1817. The three sons of Manuel and Gertrudis Boronda were: José Canuto Boronda (1792-), José Eusebio Boronda (1801-), grantee of Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
Rancho Rincon de Sanjon was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José Eusebio Boronda. The name means "corner of Sanjo del Alisal"...
; and José Manuel Boronda (1803-1878).
José Manuel Boronda married Juana Cota (1805-1894) in 1821. Although David Jack
David Jack (businessman)
David Jack , also known as David Jacks, was a powerful Californian landowner, developer, and businessman. Born in Scotland, he emigrated to California during the 1849 Gold Rush, and soon acquired several thousand acres in and around Monterey, shaping the history of Monterey County in the first...
's claims to the contrary, multiple sources list Juan Cota de Boronda as the originator of what is now known as Monterey Jack Cheese. In 1840, José Manuel Boronda, his wife, and their 15 children, came to settle on Rancho Los Laureles.
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 Los Laureles 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 José M. Boronda and Juan de Mata Boronda in 1866.
In 1868, the Borondas sold Rancho los Laureles to Elihu Avery, who sold it to Ezekiel Tripp in 1874. Nathan W. Spalding, later Oakland ’s fifteenth Mayor, purchased a half interest in 1874. Abner Doble bought a half interest in 1875; Frederick Getchell and David Ayers in 1881; and Frank Hinkley a half interest in1881. In 1882, the Pacific Improvement Company purchased Rancho Los Laureles.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Boronda Adobe. The home of José Manuel Boronda, located on Boronda Road in Carmel Valley. There are two other Boronda Adobes. These are the Boronda Adobe of Monterey built by Manuel Boronda and the adobe home of his son, José Eusebio Boronda, in north Salinas.