Rancho Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay
Encyclopedia
Rancho Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay was a 32431 acres (131.2 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Luis Obispo County, California
. The grant consists of Canada de Los Osos (Valley of the Bears) granted in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Victor Linares, and Pecho y Islay granted in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Francisco Badillo. The grants were consolidated in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
to James Scott and John Wilson. The grant extended from the Pacific coast along Los Osos Creek
and the Los Osos Valley
to almost present day San Luis Obispo
, and encompassed Montaña de Oro State Park
and Los Osos
.
Captain John Wilson (1797–1861), a Scottish-born sea captain and trader, came to California in 1837. In 1837 Wilson married María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco (1812–1888), widow of José Antonio Romualdo Pacheco, who was killed at the Battle of Cahuenga Pass
in 1831. Carrillo, was a daughter of Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, the grantee of Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa
, and María's sister married General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
. María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco was also the grantee of Rancho Suey
. Wilson and his business partner, James Scott (-1851), owned Rancho Los Guilicos
in Sonoma County
and Rancho El Chorro
and Rancho Cañada de los Osos & Pacheco y Islay. Wilson also bought Rancho San Luisito
and Rancho Huerta de Romualdo
. In 1845, Wilson moved his family from San Luis Obispo to Rancho Cañada de los Osos & Pacheco y Islay, built an adobe home and lived there until his death in 1860. Scott also a native of Scotland, came to California with his business partner Captain Wilson.
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 los Osos y Pecho y Islay was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to John Wilson in 1869.
The rancho was inherited by Wilson's wife, Ramona Carrillo Wilson and their daughter, Ramona Hilliard (1839-1912), who married Frederick Hillard (1822-1890) in 1862. Ramona Carrillo Wilson died in 1888. In 1891, Ramona Hilliard sold the southern portion of ranch to Luigi Marre (1841-1902), and continued to operate the northern portion as leased land. Alden Spooner Jr. first leased in 1892. In 1901 Henry Cowell of San Francisco acquired a note of indebtedness on the Hilliard property and took control of the ranch. In 1902, Alden Spooner Jr. bought it from Cowell's widow.
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 Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
. The grant consists of Canada de Los Osos (Valley of the Bears) granted in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Victor Linares, and Pecho y Islay granted 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 Francisco Badillo. The grants were consolidated in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to James Scott and John Wilson. The grant extended from the Pacific coast along Los Osos Creek
Los Osos Creek
Los Osos Creek is a stream in coastal San Luis Obispo County that discharges to Morro Bay. Los Osos Creek rises in the Clark Valley on the slopes of the Irish Hills. After flowing through Clark Valley, Los Osos Creek flows into Los Osos Valley...
and the Los Osos Valley
Los Osos Valley
Los Osos Valley is a landform along the coastal area of Central California south of the town of Morro Bay, California, USA. Prehistoric human habitation existed in the Los Osos Valley by the ancient Chumash tribe. An early European visit to the Los Osos Valley was recorded in 1769 by...
to almost present day San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
, and encompassed Montaña de Oro State Park
Montaña de Oro State Park
Montaña de Oro is a state park in California, United States. The park is located six miles southwest of Morro Bay and 2 miles south of Los Osos...
and Los Osos
Los Osos, California
Los Osos is an unincorporated area and a census-designated place located along the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California. The community is part of the 93402 and 93412 ZIP Codes and area code 805. The population was 14,276 at the 2010 census....
.
History
Rancho Cañada de Los Osos (northern portion) was granted in 1842 by Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado to Victor Linares; and Rancho Pecho y Islay (southern portion) which was granted in 1843 by Governor Micheltorena to Francisco Padillo. In 1844 John (Juan) D. Wilson and James (Diego) G. Scott bought Rancho Canada de Los Osos from Linares. In 1845 this rancho was combined with Rancho Pecho y Islay to the south, thus forming Rancho Cañada de Los Osos y Pecho y Islay.Captain John Wilson (1797–1861), a Scottish-born sea captain and trader, came to California in 1837. In 1837 Wilson married María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco (1812–1888), widow of José Antonio Romualdo Pacheco, who was killed at the Battle of Cahuenga Pass
Battle of Cahuenga Pass
The Battle of Cahuenga Pass of 1831 was fought near Los Angeles between the unpopular Mexican Governor of California , and local settlers. Two men, Pacheco on the one side and Avila on the other, were killed...
in 1831. Carrillo, was a daughter of Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, the grantee of Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa
Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa
Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa was an Mexican land grant in present day Sonoma County, California given in 1841 by Governor pro tem Manuel Jimeno to María Ygnacia López. The grant was along Santa Rosa Creek, and encompassed present day Santa Rosa, California....
, and María's sister married General Mariano Guadalupe 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...
. María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco was also the grantee of Rancho Suey
Rancho Suey
Rancho Suey was a Mexican land grant in present day southern San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to María Ramona Carrillo de Pacheco...
. Wilson and his business partner, James Scott (-1851), owned Rancho Los Guilicos
Rancho Los Guilicos
Rancho Los Guilicos was a Mexican land grant in present day Sonoma County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to John Wilson...
in Sonoma County
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....
and Rancho El Chorro
Rancho El Chorro
Rancho El Chorro was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to business partners James Scott and John Wilson. The grant between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo extended along the north bank of Chorro Creek.-History:Captain...
and Rancho Cañada de los Osos & Pacheco y Islay. Wilson also bought Rancho San Luisito
Rancho San Luisito
Rancho San Luisito was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José de Guadalupe Cantúa...
and Rancho Huerta de Romualdo
Rancho Huerta de Romualdo
Rancho Huerta de Romualdo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado and in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Romualdo. The name means Romualdo's vegetable garden...
. In 1845, Wilson moved his family from San Luis Obispo to Rancho Cañada de los Osos & Pacheco y Islay, built an adobe home and lived there until his death in 1860. Scott also a native of Scotland, came to California with his business partner Captain Wilson.
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 los Osos y Pecho y Islay 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 John Wilson in 1869.
The rancho was inherited by Wilson's wife, Ramona Carrillo Wilson and their daughter, Ramona Hilliard (1839-1912), who married Frederick Hillard (1822-1890) in 1862. Ramona Carrillo Wilson died in 1888. In 1891, Ramona Hilliard sold the southern portion of ranch to Luigi Marre (1841-1902), and continued to operate the northern portion as leased land. Alden Spooner Jr. first leased in 1892. In 1901 Henry Cowell of San Francisco acquired a note of indebtedness on the Hilliard property and took control of the ranch. In 1902, Alden Spooner Jr. bought it from Cowell's widow.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Wilson adobe. Built by Captain John Wilson in 1845.
- Spooner's Ranch House.