Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy
Encyclopedia
Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy was a 17773 acres (71.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in the Santa Clara River Valley
, in present day Ventura County, California
, and granted in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Manuel Jimeno Casarin. The rancho lands include the present day cities of Saticoy
and Santa Paula
along the Santa Clara River
.
Secretary of State under Governor Alvarado and Governor Micheltorena, was a senior member of the State Assembly, and occasionally acting governor. He was married to María de las Angustias the daughter of José de la Guerra y Noriega
. Casarin, who lived in Monterey
, also owned Rancho Salsipuedes
in Santa Cruz County
and Rancho Jimeno
in Yolo County
. Unlike many land grants holders, Casarin was not required to show any use or development of the land and apparently he did not use the land, either for agriculture or ranching. He died in 1853 during a visit to Mexico.
Levi Parsons, Eugene Casserly, J. B. Crocket, David Mahoney and others, purchased the rancho from Casarin in 1852.
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 Santa Paula y Saticoy was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to John P. Davidson in 1872.
In the 1850s, the ranch came under the ownership of T. Wallace More, and his brothers Andrew and Henry, owners also of the neighboring Rancho Sespe
. By 1860, the More brothers were the largest landowner in Santa Barbara County (which at the time included all of present day Ventura County). Besides Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy and Rancho Sespe, the More brothers owned Santa Rosa Island
, Rancho Lompoc
and Rancho Mission Vieja de la Purisma
. The drought of 1863 and 1864 forced the More brothers to dissolve their partnership and divide up their lands.
George G. Briggs, of Marysville, California
, purchased the rancho from the More Brothers in 1862, planning to plant fruit orchards. Discouraged by droughts and the death of his wife, Briggs returned to northern California in 1864. In 1867 Briggs subdivided the rancho and sold it for smaller 150 acre (0.607029 km²) farms.
In 1872 Nathan Weston Blanchard, purchased 2700 acres (10.9 km²) from Briggs and founded Santa Paula
. Thomas R. Bard
, representing Thomas Alexander Scott
of the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company arrived in Ventura in 1867 with the intent of purchasing land for oil exploration. During the early 1880's, Pennsylvania oil men Wallace Hardison
and Lyman Stewart
established the Hardison and Stewart Oil Company in Santa Paula. In 1890 several small oil companies owned by Hardison, Stewart and Bard combined to become the Union Oil Company.
After the patent was issued, a dispute arose over the boundary between Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy and the adjacent Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura
.
When the St. Francis Dam
broke in 1928 upstream a devastating flood
came down the river, very wide at a speed of 5 miles (8 km) per hour, adding the rancho's river adjacent settlements to the losses and destruction.
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 the Santa Clara River Valley
Santa Clara River Valley
The Santa Clara River Valley is a valley that runs from east to west through Ventura County and northwest Los Angeles County, California...
, in present day Ventura County, California
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, and granted in 1843 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 Manuel Jimeno Casarin. The rancho lands include the present day cities of Saticoy
Saticoy, California
Saticoy is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Ventura County, California. It lies in the Santa Clara River Valley, south of the intersection of Wells Road and the Santa Paula Freeway, on the east side of Ventura, and north of the Santa Clara River at the head of the delta...
and Santa Paula
Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula is a city within Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census...
along the Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (California)
The Santa Clara River is approximately long, located in southern California in the United States. It drains an area of the coastal mountains north of Los Angeles. The Santa Clara is one of the largest river systems along the coast of Southern California and one of only a few remaining river...
.
History
Micheltorena granted four leagues to Casarin. Manual Jimeno Casarin served as Alta CaliforniaAlta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
Secretary of State under Governor Alvarado and Governor Micheltorena, was a senior member of the State Assembly, and occasionally acting governor. He was married to María de las Angustias the daughter of José de la Guerra y Noriega
José de la Guerra y Noriega
José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega was a soldier and early settler of California.-Biography:José de la Guerra was born 1779 at Novales, Cantabria, Spain. As a boy he wished to be a friar...
. Casarin, who lived in Monterey
Monterey, 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...
, also owned Rancho Salsipuedes
Rancho Salsipuedes
Rancho Salsipuedes was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Cruz County, California. Two leagues were granted in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to Francisco de Haro. Eight leagues were granted in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Manuel Casarin. The name means "leave if you can" in Spanish...
in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
and Rancho Jimeno
Rancho Jimeno
Rancho Jimeno was a Mexican land grant in present day Colusa County and Yolo County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Manuel Jimeno Casarin...
in Yolo County
Yolo County, California
Yolo County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the other counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. The city of Woodland is its county seat, though Davis is its largest city....
. Unlike many land grants holders, Casarin was not required to show any use or development of the land and apparently he did not use the land, either for agriculture or ranching. He died in 1853 during a visit to Mexico.
Levi Parsons, Eugene Casserly, J. B. Crocket, David Mahoney and others, purchased the rancho from Casarin in 1852.
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 Santa Paula y Saticoy 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 John P. Davidson in 1872.
In the 1850s, the ranch came under the ownership of T. Wallace More, and his brothers Andrew and Henry, owners also of the neighboring Rancho Sespe
Rancho Sespe
Rancho Sespe was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to Carlos Antonio Carrillo...
. By 1860, the More brothers were the largest landowner in Santa Barbara County (which at the time included all of present day Ventura County). Besides Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy and Rancho Sespe, the More brothers owned Santa Rosa Island
Santa Rosa Island, California
Santa Rosa Island is the second largest of the Channel Islands of California at 53,195 acres . Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3009, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California, the 2000 census showed an official population of 2 persons. It is part of...
, Rancho Lompoc
Rancho Lompoc
Rancho Lompoc was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Joaquín Carrillo and José Antonio Carrillo...
and Rancho Mission Vieja de la Purisma
Rancho Mission Vieja de la Purisma
Rancho Mission Vieja de la Purisma was a Mexican land grant in present day northern Santa Barbara County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to Joaquín Carrillo and José Antonio Carrillo...
. The drought of 1863 and 1864 forced the More brothers to dissolve their partnership and divide up their lands.
George G. Briggs, of Marysville, California
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
, purchased the rancho from the More Brothers in 1862, planning to plant fruit orchards. Discouraged by droughts and the death of his wife, Briggs returned to northern California in 1864. In 1867 Briggs subdivided the rancho and sold it for smaller 150 acre (0.607029 km²) farms.
In 1872 Nathan Weston Blanchard, purchased 2700 acres (10.9 km²) from Briggs and founded Santa Paula
Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula is a city within Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census...
. Thomas R. Bard
Thomas R. Bard
Thomas Robert Bard was a political leader in California who assisted in the organization of Ventura County and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1900 to 1905 as a Republican. He is known as the "Father of Port Hueneme" for his efforts in building and expanding the city, as...
, representing Thomas Alexander Scott
Thomas Alexander Scott
Thomas Alexander Scott was an American businessman. He was the 4th president of what was the largest corporation in the world, the Pennsylvania Railroad, during the middle of the 19th century...
of the Philadelphia and California Petroleum Company arrived in Ventura in 1867 with the intent of purchasing land for oil exploration. During the early 1880's, Pennsylvania oil men Wallace Hardison
Wallace Hardison
Wallace Libby Hardison was one of the founders of Union Oil.Hardison was born in Caribou, Aroostook County, Maine, the youngest of eleven children. He followed his brother, James Henry Hardison, to the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania. At first, they worked as field hands, but eventually...
and Lyman Stewart
Lyman Stewart
Lyman Stewart was a U.S. businessman and cofounder of Union Oil, which eventually became Unocal. Stewart was also a significant Christian philanthropist and cofounder of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles...
established the Hardison and Stewart Oil Company in Santa Paula. In 1890 several small oil companies owned by Hardison, Stewart and Bard combined to become the Union Oil Company.
After the patent was issued, a dispute arose over the boundary between Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy and the adjacent Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura
Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura
Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura was a Mexican land grant in present day Ventura County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico to José de Arnaz...
.
When the St. Francis Dam
St. Francis Dam
The St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity-arch dam, designed to create a reservoir as a storage point of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. It was located 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California, near the present city of Santa Clarita....
broke in 1928 upstream a devastating flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
came down the river, very wide at a speed of 5 miles (8 km) per hour, adding the rancho's river adjacent settlements to the losses and destruction.