Rancho Cañada de Capay
Encyclopedia
Rancho Cañada de Capay was a 40079 acres (162.2 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Yolo County, California
given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
to the three brothers Santiago, Nemicio, and Francisco Berreyesa. "Cañada de Capay" means "valley of the Capay" in Spanish. "Capay" comes from the Southern Wintun
Indian word for "stream". The rancho occupied the Capay Valley
on both sides of Cache Creek.
, who was the grantee of Rancho San Vicente
, was killed by John C. Frémont
's men in 1846. Francisco Berreyesa was also the grantee of Rancho Rincon de Musalacon
in 1846.
Jasper O'Farrell purchased seven and a half leagues (about 33400 acres (135.2 km²)) from the Berreyesa brothers in 1847, and Charles Hoppe purchased one and a half leagues (later known as the Hoppe tract) from the Berreyesa brothers. Hoppe sold the land to Henry Lawrence, who in 1851 sold it to John D. Stephens and his brother George Dickson Stephens, in partnership with John S. Jury and John Q. Adams. In 1854, Nemicio Berreyesa was lynched
by masked men while he was guarding the family lands at night, and in 1856, Francisco Berreyesa was murdered in his home in Santa Clara
, now known as the Berryessa Adobe.
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 Cañada de Capay was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to O'Farrell, John S. Jury, and John D. Stephens in 1865.
O'Farrell sold an undivided half of the seven and one-half leagues to banker John Milton Rhodes and his business partner, Francis W.Fratt, in 1853. In 1858, Sylvanus Arnold and John Gillig, both Sacramento merchants purchased the other half of the grant. Gillig planted grain, grapevines, and fruit trees and established Yolo County's first winery
in 1860. The Arnold and Gillig tract includes the town of Capay
. The Hoppe tract includes the towns of Esparto
and Madison
.
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 Yolo County, California
Yolo County, California
Yolo County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the other counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. The city of Woodland is its county seat, though Davis is its largest city....
given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to the three brothers Santiago, Nemicio, and Francisco Berreyesa. "Cañada de Capay" means "valley of the Capay" in Spanish. "Capay" comes from the Southern Wintun
Wintun
Wintun is the name generally given to a group of related Native American tribes who live in Northern California, including the Wintu , Nomlaki , and Patwin tribes. Their range is from approximately present-day Lake Shasta to San Francisco Bay, along the western side of the Sacramento River to the...
Indian word for "stream". The rancho occupied the Capay Valley
Capay Valley
Capay Valley is a mostly rural valley west of the Capay Hills, and northwest of Sacramento in Yolo County, California, United States.Cache Creek flows through the valley and the Capay Valley AVA...
on both sides of Cache Creek.
History
Pío Pico granted nine square leagues to three Berreyesa brothers: José Catarino Santiago (1815–1856), Joseph Zenobia Nemicio (or Nemesio) (1819–1854), and Francisco Antonio (1824–1856) in 1846. Their father, José de los Reyes BerreyesaJosé de los Reyes Berreyesa
José de los Reyes Berrelleza was born at Mission Santa Clara de Asís in Las Californias on January 6, 1785, the third child and first son in the family of María Gertrudis Peralta and Nicholas Antonio Berrelleza. He served as an army sergeant at El Presidio Real de San Francisco. In 1805, he...
, who was the grantee of Rancho San Vicente
Rancho San Vicente (Berreyesa)
Rancho San Vicente was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Clara County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to José de los Reyes Berreyesa. The grant was located west of the Santa Teresa Hills at the south end of Almaden Valley...
, was killed by John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
's men in 1846. Francisco Berreyesa was also the grantee of Rancho Rincon de Musalacon
Rancho Rincon de Musalacon
Rancho Rincon de Musalacon was a Mexican land grant in present day Sonoma County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Francisco Berreyesa...
in 1846.
Jasper O'Farrell purchased seven and a half leagues (about 33400 acres (135.2 km²)) from the Berreyesa brothers in 1847, and Charles Hoppe purchased one and a half leagues (later known as the Hoppe tract) from the Berreyesa brothers. Hoppe sold the land to Henry Lawrence, who in 1851 sold it to John D. Stephens and his brother George Dickson Stephens, in partnership with John S. Jury and John Q. Adams. In 1854, Nemicio Berreyesa was lynched
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
by masked men while he was guarding the family lands at night, and in 1856, Francisco Berreyesa was murdered in his home in Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
, now known as the Berryessa Adobe.
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 Cañada de Capay 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 O'Farrell, John S. Jury, and John D. Stephens in 1865.
O'Farrell sold an undivided half of the seven and one-half leagues to banker John Milton Rhodes and his business partner, Francis W.Fratt, in 1853. In 1858, Sylvanus Arnold and John Gillig, both Sacramento merchants purchased the other half of the grant. Gillig planted grain, grapevines, and fruit trees and established Yolo County's first winery
Capay Valley AVA
The Capay Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Capay Valley, in northwest Yolo County, California.The region included in the AVA borders Napa County, Lake County, and Colusa County, and is bounded by the Blue Ridge to the west and the Capay Hills to the east.The AVA was...
in 1860. The Arnold and Gillig tract includes the town of Capay
Capay, California
Capay is an unincorporated community in Yolo County, California. It is located on Cache Creek west-northwest of Esparto, in the Capay Valley, in the northwestern part of the county. Capay's ZIP Code is 95607 and its area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 210 feet...
. The Hoppe tract includes the towns of Esparto
Esparto, California
Esparto is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Madison
Madison, California
Madison is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California. Madison's ZIP Code is 95653 and its area code 530. It is located west of Woodland, at an elevation of 151 feet . The 2010 United States census reported Madison's population was 503.-History:The Cache Creek post office opened in...
.