Rancho Santa Rosa (Estrada)
Encyclopedia
Rancho Santa Rosa was a 13184 acres (53.4 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Luis Obispo County, California
given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Julian Estrada. The grant extened along the Pacific coast from San Simeon Creek on the north to the present-day town of Harmony
, and encompassed present day Cambria
.
, was born in Monterey
. Originally part of the Mission San Miguel
coastal grazing land, the three square league Rancho Santa Rosa was granted to Julian Estrada in 1841. In 1842, Julian Estrada married Nicolasa Gajiola (1820-1890). Estrada was elected San Luis Obispo county supervisor in 1860 and 1861. His brother, José Ramón Estrada, was granted Rancho San Simeon
and Rancho El Toro
.
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 Rosa was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Julian Estrada in 1865.
In 1858, Estrada mortgaged the rancho to Domingo Pujol, a Spanish born San Francisco lawyer. When Estrada could not pay the debt in 1862, Pujol took possession of the rancho except for 1500 acres (6.1 km²) occupied by Estrada. Pujol sub-divided the land and sold it in lots.
In 1865, George Hearst
(1820 – 1891), a successful miner during the California Gold Rush
era and later a US Senator, started to acquired land in the area. His first step was to buy most of Rancho Piedra Blanca
and Rancho San Simeon
. In 1865, Hearst bought all Rancho Santa Rosa except 160 acre (0.6474976 km²)from Estrada; however Estrada did not have the right to sell this land, as Pujol was in the process of foreclosing on it. Hearst sued, but ended up with only 1340 acres (5.4 km²) of Estrada's holdings. When Estrada died in 1871, his son, Francisco, took over the management of his remaining 160 acre (0.6474976 km²). When they left in 1876, they sold their 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) to Hearst.
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 Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Julian Estrada. The grant extened along the Pacific coast from San Simeon Creek on the north to the present-day town of Harmony
Harmony, California
Harmony is an unincorporated town located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It lies north of Cayucos and south of Cambria on SR 1, near the junction with SR 46. The ZIP Code is 93435...
, and encompassed present day Cambria
Cambria, California
Cambria is a seaside village located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the California State Route 1 . The name Cambria was settled upon in 1869 .It is a census-designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States...
.
History
Julian Estrada (1813 – 1871), son of José Mariano Estrada, grantee of Rancho Buena VistaRancho Buena Vista (Soberanes)
Rancho Buena Vista was a Spanish land concession in the Salinas Valley, in present day Monterey County, California given in 1795 to Jose Maria Soberanes and Joaquin Castro. The grant was just south of Spreckels.-History:...
, was born 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...
. Originally part of the Mission San Miguel
Mission San Miguel Arcángel
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded on July 25, 1797 by the Franciscan order, on a site chosen specifically due to the large number of Salinan Indians that inhabited the area, whom the Spanish priests wanted to evangelize. It is located at 775 Mission Street, San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo...
coastal grazing land, the three square league Rancho Santa Rosa was granted to Julian Estrada in 1841. In 1842, Julian Estrada married Nicolasa Gajiola (1820-1890). Estrada was elected San Luis Obispo county supervisor in 1860 and 1861. His brother, José Ramón Estrada, was granted Rancho San Simeon
Rancho San Simeon
Rancho San Simeon was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Ramón Estrada. The grant extended along the Pacific Coast from Rancho Piedra Blanca south to San Simeon Creek....
and Rancho El Toro
Rancho El Toro
Rancho El Toro was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Ramón Estrada. The grant extended along Toro Creek south of Hill Town on the Salinas River.-History:...
.
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 Rosa 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 Julian Estrada in 1865.
In 1858, Estrada mortgaged the rancho to Domingo Pujol, a Spanish born San Francisco lawyer. When Estrada could not pay the debt in 1862, Pujol took possession of the rancho except for 1500 acres (6.1 km²) occupied by Estrada. Pujol sub-divided the land and sold it in lots.
In 1865, George Hearst
George Hearst
George Hearst was a wealthy American businessman and United States Senator, and the father of newspaperman William Randolph Hearst.-Early life and education:...
(1820 – 1891), a successful miner during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
era and later a US Senator, started to acquired land in the area. His first step was to buy most of Rancho Piedra Blanca
Rancho Piedra Blanca
Rancho Piedra Blanca was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José de Jesús Pico. The name means "white rock" and refers to rocks painted white by its bird population...
and Rancho San Simeon
Rancho San Simeon
Rancho San Simeon was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José Ramón Estrada. The grant extended along the Pacific Coast from Rancho Piedra Blanca south to San Simeon Creek....
. In 1865, Hearst bought all Rancho Santa Rosa except 160 acre (0.6474976 km²)from Estrada; however Estrada did not have the right to sell this land, as Pujol was in the process of foreclosing on it. Hearst sued, but ended up with only 1340 acres (5.4 km²) of Estrada's holdings. When Estrada died in 1871, his son, Francisco, took over the management of his remaining 160 acre (0.6474976 km²). When they left in 1876, they sold their 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) to Hearst.