Rancho Posa de los Ositos
Encyclopedia
Rancho Posa de los Ositos was a 16939 acres (68.5 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Monterey County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Carlos Cayetano Espinoza. The name means "the pool of the little bears". The grant extended along the west bank of the Salinas River
south of present day Greenfield
.
. Carlos Cayetano Espinosa received the four square league Rancho Posa de los Ositos in 1839, and married Josefa Maria Boronda (1826–) 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 Posa de los Ositos was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to Carlos Cayetano Espinoza in 1865.
William Dunphy bought Rancho Posa de Los Ositos. William M. Dunphy (1827–1892), born in Ireland
, went to Texas
in 1845, and then came to San Francisco in 1849. He had brief success in gold digging, and turned his attention to the cattle business. In 1852 Dunphy married Carmen Uvilla. He formed a partnership with Thomas Hildred, in 1855, that was to become one of the largest in ranching operations in the West. In 1881, he bought out the Hildred interest.
William Dunphy is survived today by 1 Great-Great Granddaughter, Julia Viola Burnett, and 3 Great-Great-Great Grandsons, Noah Burnett, Matthew Burnett and Daniel Burnett.
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 B. Alvarado to Carlos Cayetano Espinoza. The name means "the pool of the little bears". The grant extended along the west bank of the Salinas River
Salinas River (California)
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, running and draining 4,160 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
south of present day Greenfield
Greenfield, California
Greenfield is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Greenfield is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 feet . The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000, increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most...
.
History
Jose Carlos Cayetano Espinosa (1815–1865) was the son of Salvador Maria Espinosa, grantee of Rancho Bolsa de las EscorpinasRancho Bolsa de las Escorpinas
Rancho Bolsa de las Escorpinas was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Salvador Espinoza . The grant was northwest of present day Salinas, bounded on the south by Espinosa Lake and Rancho Los Gatos or Santa Rita of his...
. Carlos Cayetano Espinosa received the four square league Rancho Posa de los Ositos in 1839, and married Josefa Maria Boronda (1826–) 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 Posa de los Ositos 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 Carlos Cayetano Espinoza in 1865.
William Dunphy bought Rancho Posa de Los Ositos. William M. Dunphy (1827–1892), born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, went to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1845, and then came to San Francisco in 1849. He had brief success in gold digging, and turned his attention to the cattle business. In 1852 Dunphy married Carmen Uvilla. He formed a partnership with Thomas Hildred, in 1855, that was to become one of the largest in ranching operations in the West. In 1881, he bought out the Hildred interest.
William Dunphy is survived today by 1 Great-Great Granddaughter, Julia Viola Burnett, and 3 Great-Great-Great Grandsons, Noah Burnett, Matthew Burnett and Daniel Burnett.