Rancho San Jose del Valle
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Jose del Valle (also called "Rancho Agua Caliente" or "Warner's Rancho") was a 26689 acres (108 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Diego County, California
given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Jose Antonio Pico, and then given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Juan Jose Warner
. The most northeasterly grant made within present day San Diego County, it was bounded on the west by Palomar Mountain
, and on the south by Buena Vista Creek and Rancho Valle de San Jose
, and encompassed present day Warner Springs
. The western part of the grant is under the waters of Lake Henshaw
, formed in 1922 by a dam on the San Luis Rey River
.
was then administrator of the mission, made formal application for "the place called Agua Caliente", belonging to the Mission San Luis Rey
. Continued trouble with the Indians probably caused Pico to abandon the land.
Jonathan T. Warner (1807-1895), better known as Juan José Warner, was in born in Connecticut. He settled at Los Angeles in 1831 and in 1836 married Anita Gale, daughter of a Boston sea captain, who had been brought to California when five years of age and placed in the care of the Pico family, by whom she was adopted. In 1844, Governor Micheltorena granted the six square league Rancho San Jose Del Valle to Juan José Warner.
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 Jose del Valle was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Juan J. Warner in 1880. A claim by Juan J. Warner for four more square leagues (Rancho Camajal y Palomar) west of Rancho San Jose del Valle was rejected.
By about 1875, Louis Phillips
and John G. Downey
(1827–1894) owned most of the southern four square league Portilla Rancho Valle de San Jose and the northern six square league Warner Rancho San Jose del Valle. In 1880 Downey became sole owner.
The rights of the Cupeño
American Indians to occupy the land became a controversial matter. In 1901, the US Supreme Court concurred with the finding of the lower courts that a U.S. Government patent of ownership conferred absolute ownership, and the Indians were ordered ejected.
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 San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Jose Antonio Pico, and then given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
to Juan Jose Warner
Juan Jose Warner
Juan Jose Warner , a naturalized American-Mexican citizen, developed Warner's Ranch in Warner Springs, California. From 1849-1861, the ranch was important as a stop for emigrant travelers on the Southern Trail, including the Gila River Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line...
. The most northeasterly grant made within present day San Diego County, it was bounded on the west by Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain is a mountain in the Peninsular Ranges in northern San Diego County. It is famous as the location of the Palomar Observatory and Hale Telescope, and known for the Palomar Mountain State Park.-History:...
, and on the south by Buena Vista Creek and Rancho Valle de San Jose
Rancho Valle de San Jose (Portilla)
Rancho Valle de San Jose was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to Silvestre de la Portilla. Located in north east of San Diego County, it was bounded on the north by Buena Vista Creek and Rancho San Jose del Valle...
, and encompassed present day Warner Springs
Warner Springs, California
Warner Springs is a small unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. It is associated with two National Historic Landmarks, the Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station and Warner's Ranch, both connected to the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line. It is also near the...
. The western part of the grant is under the waters of Lake Henshaw
Lake Henshaw
Lake Henshaw is a Reservoir in San Diego County, Californiaat the southeast base of Palomar Mountain, approximately miles northeast of San Diego, California and miles southeast of Los Angeles....
, formed in 1922 by a dam on the San Luis Rey River
San Luis Rey River
The San Luis Rey River is a river in northern San Diego County, California. The river's headwaters are in the Cleveland National Forest near Palomar Mountain. The river drains into the Pacific Ocean on the northern end of the city of Oceanside. The river is over long and drains...
.
History
In 1840, Governor Alvarado granted José Antonio Pico, whose brother Andrés PicoAndrés Pico
Andrés Pico was a Californio who became a successful rancher, served as a military commander during the Mexican-American War; and was elected to the state assembly and senate after California became a state, when he was also commissioned as a brigadier general in the state militia.-Early...
was then administrator of the mission, made formal application for "the place called Agua Caliente", belonging to the Mission San Luis Rey
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, also known as Mission San Luis Rey or San Luis Rey Mission Church, was founded on June 13, 1798 in coastal Las Californias, in the present day U.S. city of Oceanside in California. The local Quechnajuichom Native American tribe became known as the Luiseño 'Mission...
. Continued trouble with the Indians probably caused Pico to abandon the land.
Jonathan T. Warner (1807-1895), better known as Juan José Warner, was in born in Connecticut. He settled at Los Angeles in 1831 and in 1836 married Anita Gale, daughter of a Boston sea captain, who had been brought to California when five years of age and placed in the care of the Pico family, by whom she was adopted. In 1844, Governor Micheltorena granted the six square league Rancho San Jose Del Valle to Juan José Warner.
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 Jose del Valle 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 Juan J. Warner in 1880. A claim by Juan J. Warner for four more square leagues (Rancho Camajal y Palomar) west of Rancho San Jose del Valle was rejected.
By about 1875, Louis Phillips
Louis Phillips
Louis Phillips was a wealthy land owner and rancher in Los Angeles County, California.-Biography:Louis Phillips was born in Prussia and moved to California in the early 1850s. He moved to Spadra in 1862 and began engaging in sheep herding and cattle raising...
and John G. Downey
John G. Downey
John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor...
(1827–1894) owned most of the southern four square league Portilla Rancho Valle de San Jose and the northern six square league Warner Rancho San Jose del Valle. In 1880 Downey became sole owner.
The rights of the Cupeño
Cupeño
The Cupeño are a Native American tribe from Southern California. Their name in their own language is Kuupangaxwichem.They traditionally lived about inland and north of the modern day U.S.-Mexico border in the Peninsular Range of Southern California...
American Indians to occupy the land became a controversial matter. In 1901, the US Supreme Court concurred with the finding of the lower courts that a U.S. Government patent of ownership conferred absolute ownership, and the Indians were ordered ejected.