Rancho Tzabaco
Encyclopedia
Rancho Tzabaco was a 15439 acres (62.5 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Sonoma County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to José German Piña (often misspelled as "Pena" in historical documents). The grant extended along Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River
,north west of present day Healdsburg
and encompassed present day Geyserville
and the Dry Creek Valley AVA
. The grant was immediately north of Henry D. Fitch
's Rancho Sotoyome
.
, received the four square league Rancho Tzabaco grant in 1843. By 1846 German Pina and his brothers were running the rancho. José German Pina died in 1847 leaving an undivided one fifth share to each of his four surviving brothers (José de Jesús (b.1826), Francisco(b.1831), Antonio(1831–1853), and Luis(b.1834)) and a sister Clara (b.1836).
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 Tzabaco was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to José de Jesús Piña et al., heirs of José German Pina, in 1859.
From 1850 onward the Piña family fell into increasing debt. Led by Elisha Ely in 1851, American squatters began to settle on the grant. In 1853, Antonio Piña was murdered by squatters. General Vallejo
was named executor of the estate.
Several months after the murder of their brother, two of the Piña brothers signed over their entire interest in Rancho Tzabaco to John B. Frisbie, an American lawyer and real estate speculator who was also acting as their attorney. John B. Frisbie was also the son-in-law of General Vallejo. The deal was that the Piñas were to maintain pocession for five years. There were squatter uprisings when Frisbie took pocession in 1858.
For many years afterwards the surviving Pina family members made court appeals to regain their land. Antonio Piña's daughter, Maria Antonia Piña, filed a claim to her murdered father's estate in 1862. The courts denied the claim because she was illegitimate. German's sister, Clara Piña married Guillermo (William) Fitch, whose relatives owned the adjacent Rancho Sotoyome.
Duvall Drake Phillips with a partner, Sam Heaton, purchased 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of Rancho Tzabaco in 1856.
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 Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
given 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 José German Piña (often misspelled as "Pena" in historical documents). The grant extended along Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River
Russian River (California)
The Russian River, a southward-flowing river, drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately , it is the second largest river flowing through the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area with a mainstem 110 miles ...
,north west of present day Healdsburg
Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg is a city located in Sonoma County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 11,254...
and encompassed present day Geyserville
Geyserville, California
Geyserville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, USA. Located in the Wine Country, it is noted by tourists for its restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, and wineries...
and the Dry Creek Valley AVA
Dry Creek Valley AVA
The Dry Creek Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, located northwest of the town of Healdsburg. The valley is formed by Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River, and is approximately long and wide...
. The grant was immediately north of Henry D. Fitch
Henry D. Fitch
Henry Delano Fitch was an early settler of San Diego, California.-Life:Henry D. Fitch was born 1799 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was a sea captain and trader...
's Rancho Sotoyome
Rancho Sotoyome
Rancho Sotoyome was a Mexican land grant given to Henry D. Fitch. Sotoyome or "Satiyomes" was the name of a Wappo tribe. The grant, in present day Sonoma County, California, extended along the Russian River encompassing the Alexander Valley and present day Healdsburg.-History:San Diego sea captain...
.
History
José German Piña (1829–1847), son Lázaro Piña (d.1847), a soldier who had come to California in 1819 and grantee of Rancho Agua CalienteRancho Agua Caliente (Pina)
Rancho Agua Caliente was a Mexican land grant in present day Sonoma County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Lázaro Piña . The name means "warm water" and refers to the hot springs in the area...
, received the four square league Rancho Tzabaco grant in 1843. By 1846 German Pina and his brothers were running the rancho. José German Pina died in 1847 leaving an undivided one fifth share to each of his four surviving brothers (José de Jesús (b.1826), Francisco(b.1831), Antonio(1831–1853), and Luis(b.1834)) and a sister Clara (b.1836).
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 Tzabaco 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 José de Jesús Piña et al., heirs of José German Pina, in 1859.
From 1850 onward the Piña family fell into increasing debt. Led by Elisha Ely in 1851, American squatters began to settle on the grant. In 1853, Antonio Piña was murdered by squatters. General Vallejo
Mariano 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...
was named executor of the estate.
Several months after the murder of their brother, two of the Piña brothers signed over their entire interest in Rancho Tzabaco to John B. Frisbie, an American lawyer and real estate speculator who was also acting as their attorney. John B. Frisbie was also the son-in-law of General Vallejo. The deal was that the Piñas were to maintain pocession for five years. There were squatter uprisings when Frisbie took pocession in 1858.
For many years afterwards the surviving Pina family members made court appeals to regain their land. Antonio Piña's daughter, Maria Antonia Piña, filed a claim to her murdered father's estate in 1862. The courts denied the claim because she was illegitimate. German's sister, Clara Piña married Guillermo (William) Fitch, whose relatives owned the adjacent Rancho Sotoyome.
Duvall Drake Phillips with a partner, Sam Heaton, purchased 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of Rancho Tzabaco in 1856.