Rancho Buri Buri
Encyclopedia
Rancho Buri Buri was a 14639 acres (59.2 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Mateo County, California
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Antonio Sánchez. The name derives from the Urebure village of the Ramaytush
speaking Yelamu
tribe of Ohlone
people who were settled by the banks of San Bruno Creek
. Rancho Buri Buri extended between the north line of South San Francisco and the middle of Burlingame, and from the San Francisco Bay to the top of the Peninsula ridge and included present day Lomita Park
, Millbrae
, South San Francisco
, San Bruno
, and the northern part of Burlingame
.
and the Presidio of San Francisco
. In 1827, Sub lieutenant José Antonio Sánchez, who was stationed at the Presidio, was granted permission by Mexican governor José María de Echeandía to occupy the rancho for “grazing and agricultural purposes”. The land grant was confirmed in 1835, by Governor Castro. Sánchez worked the land from the time it was granted to him until his death in 1843. Upon his death, the rancho lands were divided between his 10 children.
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 Buri Buri was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to José de la Cruz Sánchez
and siblings in 1872.
The heirs to Rancho Buri Buri were forced to sell their land to pay for property taxes, legal fees, and loans. The new owners of Rancho Buri Buri included Darius Ogden Mills
, Ansel I. Easton and Charles Lux. Mills bought José de la Cruz Sánchez's one-tenth of his father's estate (1500 acres (6 km²)), which is now Millbrae. Later, Mills and his brother-in-law, Ansel Ives Easton, acquired almost all of the land between Millbrae and San Bruno, west from El Camino Real, including the land on which San Francisco International Airport
(originally Mills Field) presently stands. Charles Lux and a business partner, Alfred Edmondson purchased 1700 acres (7 km²) of Rancho Buri Buri in 1853. Lux bought out Edmonson’s interest in 1856, and founded the town of Baden (northwest of modern-day South San Francisco). In 1855 Charles Lux bought 1464 acres (6 km²) of Rancho Buri Buri land and became a partner of fellow San Francisco butcher and entrepreneur Henry Miller
, forming the firm of Miller & Lux. It was on this property that Charles Lux built his family country home. Through his heirs, the Lux Ranch was sold to Peter E. Iler of Omaha, Nebraska
and became the site of the industrial city of South San Francisco.
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 Mateo County, California
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Antonio Sánchez. The name derives from the Urebure village of the Ramaytush
Ramaytush
The Ramaytush are one of the linguistic subdivisions of the Ohlone Native Americans of Northern California. Historically, the Ramaytush inhabited the San Francisco Peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean in the area which is now San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.The Ramaytush...
speaking Yelamu
Yelamu
The Yelamu were a Native American tribe of Ohlone people from the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California.-History:The Yelamu lived on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in the region comprising the City and County of San Francisco before the arrival of Spanish missionaries in 1769...
tribe of Ohlone
Ohlone
The Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, are a Native American people of the central California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the area along the coast from San Francisco Bay through Monterey Bay to the lower Salinas Valley...
people who were settled by the banks of San Bruno Creek
San Bruno Creek
San Bruno Creek is an intermittent stream that rises on the eastern slopes of the Northern Santa Cruz Mountains in San Mateo County, California, USA. The headwaters descend a relatively steep canyon east of Skyline Boulevard in a tortuous course...
. Rancho Buri Buri extended between the north line of South San Francisco and the middle of Burlingame, and from the San Francisco Bay to the top of the Peninsula ridge and included present day Lomita Park
Lomita Park, California
Lomita Park, California was a small unincorporated community adjacent to San Bruno in San Mateo County, just west of the San Francisco International Airport. It was roughly bounded by San Felipe Avenue, El Camino Real, San Juan Avenue, and the Southern Pacific railroad tracks.The Southern Pacific...
, Millbrae
Millbrae, California
Millbrae is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, just west of San Francisco Bay, with San Bruno on the north and Burlingame on the south. The population was 21,532 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, South San Francisco
South San Francisco, California
South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, San Bruno
San Bruno, California
San Bruno is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 41,114 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to San Francisco International Airport and Golden Gate National Cemetery.-Geography:San Bruno is located at...
, and the northern part of Burlingame
Burlingame, California
Burlingame is a city in San Mateo County, California. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula and has a significant shoreline on San Francisco Bay. The city is named after diplomat Anson Burlingame. It is renowned for its many surviving examples of Victorian architecture, its affluence, and...
.
History
Rancho Buri Buri, which was first established as grazing land for Mission DoloresMission San Francisco de Asís
Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions...
and the 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...
. In 1827, Sub lieutenant José Antonio Sánchez, who was stationed at the Presidio, was granted permission by Mexican governor José María de Echeandía to occupy the rancho for “grazing and agricultural purposes”. The land grant was confirmed in 1835, by Governor Castro. Sánchez worked the land from the time it was granted to him until his death in 1843. Upon his death, the rancho lands were divided between his 10 children.
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 Buri Buri 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 la Cruz Sánchez
José de la Cruz Sánchez
José de la Cruz Sánchez was the eleventh Alcalde of San Francisco in 1845.-Life:José de la Cruz Sánchez was the eldest son of José Antonio Sánchez grantee of Rancho Buri Buri in present day San Mateo. José de la Cruz married Josefa Ramona Eduarda Mercado y Sal and they had eight children...
and siblings in 1872.
The heirs to Rancho Buri Buri were forced to sell their land to pay for property taxes, legal fees, and loans. The new owners of Rancho Buri Buri included Darius Ogden Mills
Darius Ogden Mills
Darius Ogden Mills was a prominent American banker, philanthropist and, for a time, California's wealthiest citizen.-Biography:...
, Ansel I. Easton and Charles Lux. Mills bought José de la Cruz Sánchez's one-tenth of his father's estate (1500 acres (6 km²)), which is now Millbrae. Later, Mills and his brother-in-law, Ansel Ives Easton, acquired almost all of the land between Millbrae and San Bruno, west from El Camino Real, including the land on which San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
(originally Mills Field) presently stands. Charles Lux and a business partner, Alfred Edmondson purchased 1700 acres (7 km²) of Rancho Buri Buri in 1853. Lux bought out Edmonson’s interest in 1856, and founded the town of Baden (northwest of modern-day South San Francisco). In 1855 Charles Lux bought 1464 acres (6 km²) of Rancho Buri Buri land and became a partner of fellow San Francisco butcher and entrepreneur Henry Miller
Henry Miller (rancher)
Henry Miller was a German-American rancher who at one point in the late 19th century was one of the largest land-owners in the United States.-Biography:...
, forming the firm of Miller & Lux. It was on this property that Charles Lux built his family country home. Through his heirs, the Lux Ranch was sold to Peter E. Iler of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
and became the site of the industrial city of South San Francisco.