Rancho Potreros de San Juan Capistrano
Encyclopedia
Rancho Potreros de San Juan Capistrano was a 1168 acres (4.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Orange County
and Riverside County, California
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
to John Forster
. The grant was composed of three detached tracts, called (from north to south), Rancho Potrero los Pinos (523 acres (2.1 km²)), Rancho Potrero el Cariso (168 acre (0.67987248 km²)), and Rancho Potrero de la Cienega (477 acres (1.9 km²)). The grants were located in the present day Cleveland National Forest in the southeast corner of the Orange County and western Riverside County.
in 1845.
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 Potreros de San Juan Capistrano was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to John Forster in 1866.
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 Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
and Riverside County, California
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to John Forster
John (Don Juan) Forster
John Forster was born in England; became a Mexican citizen of early California, and was one of the largest landowners in California.-Early life:...
. The grant was composed of three detached tracts, called (from north to south), Rancho Potrero los Pinos (523 acres (2.1 km²)), Rancho Potrero el Cariso (168 acre (0.67987248 km²)), and Rancho Potrero de la Cienega (477 acres (1.9 km²)). The grants were located in the present day Cleveland National Forest in the southeast corner of the Orange County and western Riverside County.
History
John Forster received three small pasture areas of the former Mission San Juan CapistranoMission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
in 1845.
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 Potreros de San Juan Capistrano 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 John Forster in 1866.
External Links
- Topographic Maps of Portreros from TopoQuest http://www.topoquest.com