Rancho San Antonio (Mesa)
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Antonio was a 7982 acres (32.3 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Clara County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Juan Prado Mesa. The grant was bounded by Adobe Creek to the north and Stevens Creek to the south, and included Permanente Creek
, and present day Los Altos Hills
.
. Since 1828, Juan Prado Mesa had been a soldier at the San Francisco Presidio. In 1835, when Vallejo
moved his company to Sonoma
, Alférez Juan Prado Mesa was left in charge of the San Francisco Presidio. Later Mesa served as the commander of the Santa Clara Mission guard. Juan Prado Mesa was wounded in an Indian fight in 1838, granted Rancho San Antonio in 1839, and died from his wounds 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, claims for Rancho San Antonio were filed with the Public Land Commission
. Six claims were filed - two of which were patented
. A claim was filed by the Mesa heirs (Encarnación Mesa et al) with the Land Commission in 1852, and the grant patented at 4440 acres (18 km²) in 1866. A claim was filed by William A. Dana, Henry F. Dana, and James W. Weeks et al with the Land Commission in 1853, and the grant patented at 3541 acres (14.3 km²) in 1857. A claim for 500 acres (2 km²) filed by Henry C. Curtis with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 2551 acres (10.3 km²) filed by William A. Dana and Henry F. Dana with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 3051 acres (12.3 km²) filed by James W. Weeks with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 100 acre (0.404686 km²) filed by William W. White with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected.
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 Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Juan Prado Mesa. The grant was bounded by Adobe Creek to the north and Stevens Creek to the south, and included Permanente Creek
Permanente Creek
Permanente Creek is a stream originating on Black Mountain in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is the namesake for the Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization...
, and present day Los Altos Hills
Los Altos Hills, California
Los Altos Hills is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 7,922 at the 2010 census. Located in Silicon Valley, Los Altos Hills is one of the wealthiest cities in the nation.-Strictly residential:...
.
History
Juan Prado Mesa (1806 - 1845) was born in Santa Clara, grandson of Corporal José Valerio Mesa who came to California with the Anza Expedition, and son of Jose Antonio Mesa, grantee of Rancho Los MedanosRancho Los Medanos
Rancho Los Medanos was a Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Antonio Mesa and Jose Miguel Garcia. The name "los medanos" is derived from the sand hills located along the San Joaquin River on its northern boundary...
. Since 1828, Juan Prado Mesa had been a soldier at the San Francisco Presidio. In 1835, when Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
moved his company to Sonoma
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
, Alférez Juan Prado Mesa was left in charge of the San Francisco Presidio. Later Mesa served as the commander of the Santa Clara Mission guard. Juan Prado Mesa was wounded in an Indian fight in 1838, granted Rancho San Antonio in 1839, and died from his wounds 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, claims for Rancho San Antonio were 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...
. Six claims were filed - two of which were 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...
. A claim was filed by the Mesa heirs (Encarnación Mesa et al) with the Land Commission in 1852, and the grant patented at 4440 acres (18 km²) in 1866. A claim was filed by William A. Dana, Henry F. Dana, and James W. Weeks et al with the Land Commission in 1853, and the grant patented at 3541 acres (14.3 km²) in 1857. A claim for 500 acres (2 km²) filed by Henry C. Curtis with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 2551 acres (10.3 km²) filed by William A. Dana and Henry F. Dana with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 3051 acres (12.3 km²) filed by James W. Weeks with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. A claim for 100 acre (0.404686 km²) filed by William W. White with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected.