Rancho Suisun
Encyclopedia
Rancho Suisun was a 18237 acres (73.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Solano County, California
given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Solano
Indian chief and Captain in the Mexican Army. The rancho lands include the present day city of Fairfield, California
.
. However Solano was not able to retain it, and sold it to General Vallejo in May 1850. There was a dispute between Vallejo and José Francisco Armijo of Rancho Tolenas
about the boundary between the two ranchos.
In August 1850, General Vallejo sold Rancho Suisun to Capt. Archibald A. Ritchie. Three days later, Ritchie sold a one-third interest in the land to Capt. Robert Henry Waterman, who like Ritchie had been involved in the China trade. Waterman, who came from Fairfield, Connecticut
, established Fairfield, California
in 1856. Rancho Suisun would become an ongoing legal battle for Ritchie until his death in 1856.
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 Suisun was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852 and the grant was confirmed by the Commission. The United States unsuccessfully appealed the legality of Chief Solano's title to the US Supreme Court and 17755 acres (71.9 km²) of the grant was patented
to Archibald A. Ritchie in 1857.
A claim for Rancho Suisun was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and 482 acres (2 km²) of the grant was patented to J. H. Fine in 1882.
his primary residence until 1854. In 1850 Ritchie purchased Rancho Suisun from General Vallejo. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes acquired Rancho Guenoc
and the adjoining Rancho Collayomi
in Lake County
in 1851. Ritchie hired John M. Hamilton, his brother-in-law, and Robert Sterling, nephew of Capt. Robert Henry Waterman, as managers. On July 9, 1856, nearing Napa
from Sonoma
, Ritchie was thrown from his wagon and killed.
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 Solano County, California
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Solano
Chief Solano
Chief Solano, original native name Sem-Yeto, meaning "brave or fierce hand", and christianed at about age ten with the Spanish name Francisco Solano, was born about 1798-1800 near Suisun Bay, California in California. Sem-Yeto was a famous chief and leader of the Suisunes tribe, a Patwin people of...
Indian chief and Captain in the Mexican Army. The rancho lands include the present day city of Fairfield, California
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
.
History
Chief Solano receive a four square leagues land grant due to his friendship and support of General Mariano Guadalupe VallejoMariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
. However Solano was not able to retain it, and sold it to General Vallejo in May 1850. There was a dispute between Vallejo and José Francisco Armijo of Rancho Tolenas
Rancho Tolenas
Rancho Tolenas was a Mexican land grant in present day Solano County and Napa County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José Francisco Armijo. The grant was north east of present day Fairfield and was bounded on the south by Rancho Suisun.-Mexican era:Jose Francisco Armijo ,...
about the boundary between the two ranchos.
In August 1850, General Vallejo sold Rancho Suisun to Capt. Archibald A. Ritchie. Three days later, Ritchie sold a one-third interest in the land to Capt. Robert Henry Waterman, who like Ritchie had been involved in the China trade. Waterman, who came from Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
, established Fairfield, California
Fairfield, California
Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
in 1856. Rancho Suisun would become an ongoing legal battle for Ritchie until his death in 1856.
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 Suisun 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 confirmed by the Commission. The United States unsuccessfully appealed the legality of Chief Solano's title to the US Supreme Court and 17755 acres (71.9 km²) of 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 Archibald A. Ritchie in 1857.
A claim for Rancho Suisun 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 482 acres (2 km²) of the grant was patented to J. H. Fine in 1882.
Archibald Alexander Ritchie
Archibald Alexander Ritchie (January 28, 1806, New Castle, Delaware - July 9, 1856, Napa, California). Ritchie was a sea captain involved in trading with China. In 1838, Capt. Ritchie left the sea to become the resident agent at Canton, China were he lived until 1847. The discovery of gold in California brought Capt. Ritchie to San Francisco. He was prominent merchant providing supplies for the gold rush. In 1850, Ritchie made BeniciaBenicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
his primary residence until 1854. In 1850 Ritchie purchased Rancho Suisun from General Vallejo. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes acquired Rancho Guenoc
Rancho Guenoc
Rancho Guenoc was a Mexican land grant in present day Lake County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico to George Rock. Rancho Guenoc was one of three land grants in Lake County...
and the adjoining Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi was a Mexican land grant in present day Lake County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Robert T. Ridley. Rancho Collayomi was one of three land grants in Lake County...
in Lake County
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
in 1851. Ritchie hired John M. Hamilton, his brother-in-law, and Robert Sterling, nephew of Capt. Robert Henry Waterman, as managers. On July 9, 1856, nearing Napa
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
from Sonoma
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
, Ritchie was thrown from his wagon and killed.