Rancho San Emidio
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Emidio was a 17710 acres (71.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Kern County, California
given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Antonio Dominguez. The grant was located along San Emigdio Creek in the foohills of the San Emigdio Mountains
, between Santiago Creek on the west and Pleitito Creek on the east. There is speculation on the name. Either it is an alternative spelling of San Emigdio (Saint Emygdius the protector Saint against earthquakes), or an intentional corruption, meant as a witticism since "emidio" means tired or weary. The rancho was established at a way stop at the foot of San Emigido Canyon on El Camino Viejo
(the old road) that ran along the eastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley
to the Rancho San Antonio, on San Francisco Bay
.
. In 1819 Dominguez married Maria Francisca Antonia Villa. Their daughter, Maria Antonia Dominguez, was later the grantee of Rancho Sisquoc
. José Antonio Dominguez received the four square league Rancho San Emidio in 1842. Dominguez died during the winter of 1843-44, and his widow and seven children moved back to Santa Barbara
. John C. Frémont
acquired a half interest in the rancho from the Dominguez heirs.
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 San Emidio was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to Francisco Dominguez and John C. Frémont in 1866.
The Dominguez half share was sold to David W. Alexander and Francisco P. Temple
, who sold to E.C. Singletary. In 1860, the Frémont half share went to his daughter, Frances Cornelia Fremont Porter, who in 1868 sold to Edward Fitzgerald Beale
, owner the Tejon Ranch
. Beale sold the share to E.C. Singletary in 1877. In 1878, James Ben Ali Haggin
bought the whole rancho from E.C. Singletary (who may have been acting as an agent for Haggin). Haggin transferred the rancho to the Kern County Land Company on its incorporation in 1890.
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 Kern County, California
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Antonio Dominguez. The grant was located along San Emigdio Creek in the foohills of the San Emigdio Mountains
San Emigdio Mountains
The San Emigdio Mountains are a part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, extending from Interstate 5 at Lebec and Gorman on the east to Highway 33–166 on the west. They link the Tehachapis and Temblor Range and form the southern wall of the San Joaquin Valley.The range is within Los...
, between Santiago Creek on the west and Pleitito Creek on the east. There is speculation on the name. Either it is an alternative spelling of San Emigdio (Saint Emygdius the protector Saint against earthquakes), or an intentional corruption, meant as a witticism since "emidio" means tired or weary. The rancho was established at a way stop at the foot of San Emigido Canyon on El Camino Viejo
El Camino Viejo
El Camino Viejo à Los Angeles , also known as the Old Los Angeles Trail, established in 1820's, was the oldest north-south trail in the interior of Alta California...
(the old road) that ran along the eastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
to the Rancho San Antonio, on San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
.
History
José Antonio Dominguez (1796–1844), was a soldier at the Presidio of Santa BarbaraPresidio of Santa Barbara
The El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, also known as the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, was a military installation in Santa Barbara, California. It was built by Spain in 1782, with the mission of defending the Second Military District in California...
. In 1819 Dominguez married Maria Francisca Antonia Villa. Their daughter, Maria Antonia Dominguez, was later the grantee of Rancho Sisquoc
Rancho Sisquoc
Rancho Sisquoc was a Mexican land grant in present day northeastern Santa Barbara County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to María Antonia Dominguez de Caballero...
. José Antonio Dominguez received the four square league Rancho San Emidio in 1842. Dominguez died during the winter of 1843-44, and his widow and seven children moved back to Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
acquired a half interest in the rancho from the Dominguez heirs.
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 San Emidio 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 Francisco Dominguez and John C. Frémont in 1866.
The Dominguez half share was sold to David W. Alexander and Francisco P. Temple
Francisco P. Temple
Francisco P. Temple served on the first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1852.-Biography:...
, who sold to E.C. Singletary. In 1860, the Frémont half share went to his daughter, Frances Cornelia Fremont Porter, who in 1868 sold to Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale was a national figure in 19th century America. He was naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, diplomat, and friend of Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Ulysses S. Grant...
, owner the Tejon Ranch
Tejon Ranch
The Tejon Ranch Company , based in Lebec, California, is one of the largest private landowners in California. [The federally-gifted lands still held by the Catellus Corporation, a successor to the Southern Pacific Land Company, are much more extensive.] It was incorporated in 1936 to organise the...
. Beale sold the share to E.C. Singletary in 1877. In 1878, James Ben Ali Haggin
James Ben Ali Haggin
James Ben Ali Haggin was an Turkish Americanattorney, rancher, investor and a major owner/breeder in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing...
bought the whole rancho from E.C. Singletary (who may have been acting as an agent for Haggin). Haggin transferred the rancho to the Kern County Land Company on its incorporation in 1890.