Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito was a 8876 acres (35.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Monterey County, California
given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Marcelino Escobar. The grant extended along the Pacific coast from the Carmel River
on the north, past Soberanes Point to Palo Colorado Canyon on the south.
, in 1839.
In 1841, Escobar’s two sons, Juan and Agustin, sold the rancho to Maria Josefa de Abrego, wife of José Abrego. José Abrego came to California in 1834 with the Hijar-Padres Colony and married Maria Josefa Estrada (1814–), daughter of José Raimundo Estrada (1784–), and half sister of Juan Alvarado. José Abrego was the grantee Rancho Punta de Pinos
. Maria Josefa Abrego deeded the land to a group of soldiers from the Monterey Presidio
in 1842. In 1844, the soldiers of the Presidio turned the Rancho over to their supervising officer, Colonel José Castro.
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 y Sur Chiquito was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, but rejected by the Land Commission in 1855.
In 1855, Castro filed an appeal with United States District Court, and sold his land to Joseph S. Emery and Abner Bassett, leaving to them the legal fight for ownership. Bassett died, in 1874, leaving his undivided one-half interest to his wife and eight children.
Only two of the Escobar children, Juan and Augustin, had sold the rancho to Josefa de Abrego in 1841. Complicating the ownership dispute, the other Escobar heirs in 1859 agreed to give to Delos R. Ashley, an attorney, one-half of the rancho if he would get it back for them. In 1860, these same heirs sold a portion of what they claimed to Mathew G. Ireland, who had in 1859, bought a quit claim deed from the Abrego family.
After lengthy litigation, Castro won the appeal. The title was confirmed in 1885, and the grant was patented
to José Castro in 1888.
In the early 1880 's coal deposits were found on the rancho. Shortly after receiving the patent for Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito in 1888, those who claimed the rancho formed the Carmelo Land and Coal Company, and thus, for the first time in almost half a century, Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito came under one ownership.
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 Alvarado to Marcelino Escobar. The grant extended along the Pacific coast from the Carmel River
Carmel River
The Carmel River is a river on the Central Coast of California in Monterey County that originates in the Santa Lucia Mountains. The river flows northwest through the Carmel Valley with its mouth at the Pacific Ocean south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is often considered the northern boundary of Big Sur...
on the north, past Soberanes Point to Palo Colorado Canyon on the south.
History
The two square league grant was made to Marcelino Escobar, a prominent official of MontereyMonterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, in 1839.
In 1841, Escobar’s two sons, Juan and Agustin, sold the rancho to Maria Josefa de Abrego, wife of José Abrego. José Abrego came to California in 1834 with the Hijar-Padres Colony and married Maria Josefa Estrada (1814–), daughter of José Raimundo Estrada (1784–), and half sister of Juan Alvarado. José Abrego was the grantee Rancho Punta de Pinos
Rancho Punta de Pinos
Rancho Punta de Pinos was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to José María Armenta, and regranted to José Abrego in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena. The name means "Point of the Pines"...
. Maria Josefa Abrego deeded the land to a group of soldiers from the Monterey Presidio
Presidio of Monterey, California
The Presidio of Monterey, located in Monterey, California, is an active US Army installation with historic ties to the Spanish colonial era. Currently it is the home of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center .-Spanish fort:...
in 1842. In 1844, the soldiers of the Presidio turned the Rancho over to their supervising officer, Colonel José Castro.
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 y Sur Chiquito 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, but rejected by the Land Commission in 1855.
In 1855, Castro filed an appeal with United States District Court, and sold his land to Joseph S. Emery and Abner Bassett, leaving to them the legal fight for ownership. Bassett died, in 1874, leaving his undivided one-half interest to his wife and eight children.
Only two of the Escobar children, Juan and Augustin, had sold the rancho to Josefa de Abrego in 1841. Complicating the ownership dispute, the other Escobar heirs in 1859 agreed to give to Delos R. Ashley, an attorney, one-half of the rancho if he would get it back for them. In 1860, these same heirs sold a portion of what they claimed to Mathew G. Ireland, who had in 1859, bought a quit claim deed from the Abrego family.
After lengthy litigation, Castro won the appeal. The title was confirmed in 1885, 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 José Castro in 1888.
In the early 1880 's coal deposits were found on the rancho. Shortly after receiving the patent for Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito in 1888, those who claimed the rancho formed the Carmelo Land and Coal Company, and thus, for the first time in almost half a century, Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito came under one ownership.