Rancho Yokaya
Encyclopedia
Rancho Yokaya was a 35541 acres (143.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Mendocino County, California
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
to Cayetano Juarez. The name Yokaya means "south valley" in the language of the Pomo people
. The grant extended along the Russian River
from the southern end of Ukiah Valley
to the northern end of Redwood Valley
, from one to two miles wide, and approximating sixteen miles in length, and encompassed present day Ukiah
.
at Hopland
in 1844 and Rancho Yokoya in 1845.
Cayetano Juarez (1809 - 1883) was a soldier at Presidio of San Francisco
until 1836. Juarez married Maria de Jesus Higuerra (b.1815), daughter of Francisco Higuerra in 1835. In 1836 Juarez was made mayordomo at Sonoma
. For his decade of service to the Mexican government, Juarez was granted Rancho Tulucay
in present day Napa County, California
in 1841. In 1844 he was elected Alcalde of Sonoma. Although often away, Juarez resided on Rancho Tulucay until his death in 1883, and is buried in the Tulocay Cemetery in Napa, California
. Juarez was granted the eight square league Rancho Yokaya in 1845.
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 Yokaya was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, but rejected by the Commission in 1854. But on appeal was confirmed by the District Court in 1863, and US Supreme Court in 1864, and the grant was patented
to Cayetano Juares in 1867.
James H. Burke, came to California in 1853, and in 1857 he and his brother, J. W. Burke, purchased 974 acres (3.9 km²) of the Yokaya rancho, extending from Robinson Creek to Burke Hill, about two miles.
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 Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Cayetano Juarez. The name Yokaya means "south valley" in the language of the Pomo people
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
. The grant extended along 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 ...
from the southern end of Ukiah Valley
Ukiah Valley, California
Ukiah Valley is a valley located in Mendocino County, California, United States. It contains the Mendocino County seat of Ukiah. It also is home to the unincorporated towns of Redwood Valley, Calpella, Potter Valley and Talmage...
to the northern end of Redwood Valley
Redwood Valley, California
Redwood Valley is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located southwest of Potter Valley, at an elevation of 722 feet . It comprises the northern portion of the Ukiah Valley. It is about 8 mi north of Ukiah and 12 mi south of Willits. Potter Valley is to...
, from one to two miles wide, and approximating sixteen miles in length, and encompassed present day Ukiah
Ukiah, California
The average high temperature is 73.5 °F . Average low temperature is 46.1 °F . Temperatures reach 90 °F on an average of 65.6 days annually and 100 °F on an average of 14.4 days annually. Due to frequent low humidity, summer temperatures normally drop into the fifties at night. Freezing...
.
History
Neither Spanish nor Mexican influence extended into Mendocino County beyond establishing in southern Mendocino County: Rancho SanelRancho Sanel
Rancho Sanel was a Mexican land grant in present day Mendocino County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Fernando Feliz . The grant extended along the Russian River and encompassed present day Hopland. It is named after a village of the Pomo people near Hopland; the...
at Hopland
Hopland, California
Hopland is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the west bank of the Russian River south-southeast of Ukiah, at an elevation of 502 feet . The population was 756 at the 2010 census....
in 1844 and Rancho Yokoya in 1845.
Cayetano Juarez (1809 - 1883) was a soldier at Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
until 1836. Juarez married Maria de Jesus Higuerra (b.1815), daughter of Francisco Higuerra in 1835. In 1836 Juarez was made mayordomo at 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...
. For his decade of service to the Mexican government, Juarez was granted Rancho Tulucay
Rancho Tulucay
Rancho Tulucay was a Mexican land grant in present day Napa County, California given in 1841 by Governor pro tem Manuel Jimeno to Cayetano Juarez. The Tulucay name originates with the names Tulkays and Ulucas that were applied to the inhabitants of a Patwin village in the area...
in present day Napa County, California
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
in 1841. In 1844 he was elected Alcalde of Sonoma. Although often away, Juarez resided on Rancho Tulucay until his death in 1883, and is buried in the Tulocay Cemetery in Napa, California
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...
. Juarez was granted the eight square league Rancho Yokaya in 1845.
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 Yokaya 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, but rejected by the Commission in 1854. But on appeal was confirmed by the District Court in 1863, and US Supreme Court in 1864, 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 Cayetano Juares in 1867.
James H. Burke, came to California in 1853, and in 1857 he and his brother, J. W. Burke, purchased 974 acres (3.9 km²) of the Yokaya rancho, extending from Robinson Creek to Burke Hill, about two miles.