Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro
Encyclopedia
Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro was a 5496 acres (22.2 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Sebastian Rodríguez. The name means "pocket of the Pajaro". Pocket usually refers to land surrounded by slough - in this case the Watsonville Slough. The grant extended from Monterey Bay
to present day Watsonville
with the Pajaro River
as its southern boundary.
. Sebastian Rodriguez was commissioner for the Mission Santa Cruz
.
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 Bolsa del Pajaro was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Sebastian Rodríguez in 1860.
In 1852, Judge John H. Watson (–1882) and D.S. Gregory, an attorney, claimed Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro through a sale by the brother of Sebastian Rodríguez, Alejandro Rodríguez (1791–1848). Watson came from San Francisco as a district judge, but after a year resigned from the bench of the third district court but remained in the area as a lawyer. Watson and Gregory had secured interests from Alejandro Rodriguez and claimed the original grant was made to Alejandro Rodríguez and Sebastian Rodríguez. A claim for a half interest in Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro filed by John H. Watson and D. S. Gregory with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. Watson was elected to the California State Senate
in 1859, and died in Elko, Nevada
in 1882.
Considerable litigation ensued between the heirs of Sebastian Rodriguez and heirs of Alejandro Rodriguez, claimants to Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro. It was finally settled in favor of Sebastian Rodriguez.
When Sebastian Rodriguez died his children (Jacinto Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez , Maria Antonia Rodriguez , Rafaela Rodriguez , Pedro Rodriguez, Desiderio Rodriguez and Francisco Solano Rodriguez) inherited the rancho.
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 Santa Cruz County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Sebastian Rodríguez. The name means "pocket of the Pajaro". Pocket usually refers to land surrounded by slough - in this case the Watsonville Slough. The grant extended from Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
to present day Watsonville
Watsonville, California
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
with the Pajaro River
Pajaro River
The Pajaro River is a river in Northern California, forming part of the border between Santa Cruz County and Monterey County and between San Benito County and Santa Clara County.-History:...
as its southern boundary.
History
The two square league grant was made to Sebastian Rodriguez, a soldier at the Presidio of MontereyPresidio of Monterey, California
The Presidio of Monterey, located in Monterey, California, is an active US Army installation with historic ties to the Spanish colonial era. Currently it is the home of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center .-Spanish fort:...
. Sebastian Rodriguez was commissioner for the Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz
Mission Santa Cruz was established in 1791 and named for the feast of the Exultation of the Cross, the name that the explorer Gaspar de Portolà gave to the area when he camped on the banks of the San Lorenzo River on October 17, 1769, and erected a wooden cross...
.
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 Bolsa del Pajaro 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 Sebastian Rodríguez in 1860.
In 1852, Judge John H. Watson (–1882) and D.S. Gregory, an attorney, claimed Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro through a sale by the brother of Sebastian Rodríguez, Alejandro Rodríguez (1791–1848). Watson came from San Francisco as a district judge, but after a year resigned from the bench of the third district court but remained in the area as a lawyer. Watson and Gregory had secured interests from Alejandro Rodriguez and claimed the original grant was made to Alejandro Rodríguez and Sebastian Rodríguez. A claim for a half interest in Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro filed by John H. Watson and D. S. Gregory with the Land Commission in 1853 was rejected. Watson was elected to the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
in 1859, and died in Elko, Nevada
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
in 1882.
Considerable litigation ensued between the heirs of Sebastian Rodriguez and heirs of Alejandro Rodriguez, claimants to Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro. It was finally settled in favor of Sebastian Rodriguez.
When Sebastian Rodriguez died his children (Jacinto Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez , Maria Antonia Rodriguez , Rafaela Rodriguez , Pedro Rodriguez, Desiderio Rodriguez and Francisco Solano Rodriguez) inherited the rancho.