Rancho San Marcos
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Marcos was a 35573 acres (144 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico
to Nicolas A. Den and Richard S. Den. The grant in the Santa Ynez Valley
extended between the San Rafael Mountains
and the Santa Ynez River
.
. Nicolas Den came to Santa Barbara
in the 1836 and was also the grantee of Rancho Dos Pueblos
. His younger brother Richard Den came to Santa Barbara in 1843, and was a doctor who practiced in the Pueblo de Los Angeles
.
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 Marcos was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Nicolas A. Den and Richard S. Den in 1869.
In 1868 William Pierce, bought Rancho San Marcos from the Den brother’s heirs. Pierce was also the owner of adjoining Rancho Tequepis
and Rancho Nojoqui
.
in 1836. Den who had studied to become a medical doctor in Dublin, and although not yet graduated, he became the first medical doctor in the Santa Barbara area. His brother, Richard, came to Santa Barbara in 1843. While both Den brothers were medical men, Nicolas Den’s practice had been put aside in favor of administration of Rancho Dos Pueblos and service as alcalde
of Santa Barbara. He also devoted himself to preserving the local mission and establishing a Catholic seminary in Santa Barbara. In later years Nicolas Den was one of the seven organizers of the Society of California Pioneers. He married Rosa A. Hill, a daughter of Daniel A. Hill. He died in 1862, leaving ten children.
, Ireland, had followed his brother Nicolas, to Santa Barbara in 1843. Richard Den practiced medicine in Los Angeles
with the exception of a brief sojourn in 1848 - 1850 prospecting for gold in Calaveras County, and a decade’s absence (1854 - 1866) to administer Rancho San Marcos, until 1895. Den also aroused a certain awe in his later days as he made his rounds astride a black charger, dressed in black and wearing a black felt hat atop "a clustered mass of wavy hair as white as snow". A participant in the Mexican-American War, Richard S. Den, served as the Chief Physician and Surgeon for the Mexican forces. Although he treated Californio
s and the American prisoners, including Benjamin D. Wilson and his party captured at the Battle of Chino
in 1846.
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 Barbara County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Nicolas A. Den and Richard S. Den. The grant in the Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley
The Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the San Rafael Mountains to the north. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west. The Santa Ynez Valley is separated from the Los Alamos Valley, to the...
extended between the San Rafael Mountains
San Rafael Mountains
The San Rafael Mountains are a mountain range in central Santa Barbara County, California, U.S.. They are part of the Transverse Ranges system of Southern California which in turn are part of the Pacific Coast Ranges system of western North America....
and the Santa Ynez River
Santa Ynez River
The Santa Ynez River is one of the largest rivers on the Central Coast of California. It is long, flowing from east to west through the Santa Ynez Valley, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Surf, near Vandenberg Air Force Base and the city of Lompoc....
.
History
The former Santa Barbara Mission land was granted to the Den brothers, who emigrated from IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Nicolas Den came 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...
in the 1836 and was also the grantee of Rancho Dos Pueblos
Rancho Dos Pueblos
Rancho Dos Pueblos was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Nicolas A. Den. The land extended along the Pacific coast to the northwest of the pueblo and Presidio of Santa Barbara, from Goleta Slough west to Dos Pueblos...
. His younger brother Richard Den came to Santa Barbara in 1843, and was a doctor who practiced in the Pueblo de Los Angeles
Pueblo de Los Angeles
El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles was the Spanish civilian pueblo founded in 1781, which by the 20th century became the American metropolis of Los Angeles....
.
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 Marcos 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 Nicolas A. Den and Richard S. Den in 1869.
In 1868 William Pierce, bought Rancho San Marcos from the Den brother’s heirs. Pierce was also the owner of adjoining Rancho Tequepis
Rancho Tequepis
Rancho Tequepis was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico to Joaquin Villa. The grant extended along both sides of the Santa Ynez River at the mouth of Cachuma Creek east of present day Santa Ynez...
and Rancho Nojoqui
Rancho Nojoqui
Rancho Nojoqui was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Raimundo Carrillo...
.
Nicolas A. Den
Nicolas August Den (1812–1862) was an Irish immigrant who moved to Santa BarbaraSanta 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...
in 1836. Den who had studied to become a medical doctor in Dublin, and although not yet graduated, he became the first medical doctor in the Santa Barbara area. His brother, Richard, came to Santa Barbara in 1843. While both Den brothers were medical men, Nicolas Den’s practice had been put aside in favor of administration of Rancho Dos Pueblos and service as alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
of Santa Barbara. He also devoted himself to preserving the local mission and establishing a Catholic seminary in Santa Barbara. In later years Nicolas Den was one of the seven organizers of the Society of California Pioneers. He married Rosa A. Hill, a daughter of Daniel A. Hill. He died in 1862, leaving ten children.
Richard S. Den
Richard Somerset Den (1821–1895), a native of County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Ireland, had followed his brother Nicolas, to Santa Barbara in 1843. Richard Den practiced medicine in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
with the exception of a brief sojourn in 1848 - 1850 prospecting for gold in Calaveras County, and a decade’s absence (1854 - 1866) to administer Rancho San Marcos, until 1895. Den also aroused a certain awe in his later days as he made his rounds astride a black charger, dressed in black and wearing a black felt hat atop "a clustered mass of wavy hair as white as snow". A participant in the Mexican-American War, Richard S. Den, served as the Chief Physician and Surgeon for the Mexican forces. Although he treated Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
s and the American prisoners, including Benjamin D. Wilson and his party captured at the Battle of Chino
Battle of Chino
The Battle of Chino, a skirmish of the Mexican-American War occurred on September 26–27, 1846, during which 24 Americans led by Benjamin D. Wilson, who were hiding in the adobe house of Rancho Santa Ana del Chino, were captured by a group of about 50 Californios.-Background:In late September 1846,...
in 1846.