Rancho Guenoc
Encyclopedia
Rancho Guenoc was a 21220 acres (85.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Lake County, California
given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico
to George Rock. Rancho Guenoc was one of three land grants (along with Rancho Lupyomi
and Rancho Collayomi
) in Lake County. Lake County was formed in 1861 of land taken mainly from Napa County
and the northwest portion taken from Mendocino County
.
Rancho Guenoc encompassed essentially all of Coyote Valley including Guenoc
, stretching from the range of low mountains just north of Middletown
to what is now the southern end of Spruce Grove Road, and from the most westerly curve of Putah Creek
eastward and dipping south to encompass what became the Guenoc winery and vineyards
.
. In 1850 Rock built a log cabin in the area where the Stone House is now.
In 1847 George Rock sold Rancho Guenoc to Jacob P. Leese (1809-1892). Leese was a trader from Ohio who had married María Rosalia Vallejo, sister of General Vallejo
, and was the owner of the adjacent Rancho Collayomi
. Leese evidently abandoned the claim, and Rancho Guenoc was taken over by Captain Archibald A. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes in 1852.
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 Guenoc was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Archibald A. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes in 1865.
Ritchie was killed in an accident in 1856. Paul Forbes sold his share of both Rancho Guenoc and Rancho Collayomi to one of Ritchie's sons-in-law, Gen. M.D.L. Simpson, in 1867. The following year, Simpson deeded half the lands to Ritchie's wife, Martha and children. The heirs began selling portions of the properties in the early 1870s.
In 1888, the British actress Lillie Langtry
, purchased a 4200 acres (17 km²) of Rancho Guenoc to raise racehorses and grapes.
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 Lake County, California
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to George Rock. Rancho Guenoc was one of three land grants (along with Rancho Lupyomi
Rancho Lupyomi
Rancho Lupyomi was a Mexican land grant in present day Lake County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Salvador Vallejo and his brother Juan Antonio Vallejo. Rancho Lupyomi encompassed present day Clearlake. Rancho Lupyomi was one of three land grants in Lake County...
and Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi was a Mexican land grant in present day Lake County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Robert T. Ridley. Rancho Collayomi was one of three land grants in Lake County...
) in Lake County. Lake County was formed in 1861 of land taken mainly from Napa County
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....
and the northwest portion taken from Mendocino County
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...
.
Rancho Guenoc encompassed essentially all of Coyote Valley including Guenoc
Guenoc, California
Guenoc is a former settlement in Lake County, California. It was located in the Coyote Valley northeast of Middletown, at an elevation of 968 feet .Guenoc was founded in 1866. Its first store opened in 1866....
, stretching from the range of low mountains just north of Middletown
Middletown, California
Middletown is a census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States. Middletown is located south of Lower Lake, at an elevation of 1099 feet . The population was 1,323 at the 2010 census, up from 1,020 at the 2000 census...
to what is now the southern end of Spruce Grove Road, and from the most westerly curve of Putah Creek
Putah Creek
Putah Creek is a major stream in Northern California, a tributary of the Yolo Bypass. The creek has its headwaters in the Mayacamas Mountains, a part of the Coast Range...
eastward and dipping south to encompass what became the Guenoc winery and vineyards
Guenoc Valley AVA
The Guenoc Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Lake County, California, USA, about north of the town of Calistoga. Guenoc Valley AVA was the first American Viticultural Area designaion granted to an area with just a single winery....
.
History
Rancho Guenoc was six square league land grant encompassing essentially all of Coyote Valley. George Rock (also known as George Roche and probably George La Roche) was born about 1785 in Canada and died after 1850. He lived at Guenoc from about 1848, as agent for Jacob P. LeeseJacob P. Leese
Jacob Primer Leese was a San Francisco pioneer, who built the first permanent house in San Francisco...
. In 1850 Rock built a log cabin in the area where the Stone House is now.
In 1847 George Rock sold Rancho Guenoc to Jacob P. Leese (1809-1892). Leese was a trader from Ohio who had married María Rosalia Vallejo, sister of General 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...
, and was the owner of the adjacent Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi
Rancho Collayomi was a Mexican land grant in present day Lake County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Robert T. Ridley. Rancho Collayomi was one of three land grants in Lake County...
. Leese evidently abandoned the claim, and Rancho Guenoc was taken over by Captain Archibald A. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes in 1852.
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 Guenoc 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 Archibald A. Ritchie and Paul S. Forbes in 1865.
Ritchie was killed in an accident in 1856. Paul Forbes sold his share of both Rancho Guenoc and Rancho Collayomi to one of Ritchie's sons-in-law, Gen. M.D.L. Simpson, in 1867. The following year, Simpson deeded half the lands to Ritchie's wife, Martha and children. The heirs began selling portions of the properties in the early 1870s.
In 1888, the British actress Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry , usually spelled Lily Langtry when she was in the U.S., born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a British actress born on the island of Jersey...
, purchased a 4200 acres (17 km²) of Rancho Guenoc to raise racehorses and grapes.
Historic sites of the Rancho
- Stone HouseStone House (Lake County, California)The Stone House, the oldest building in Lake County, California, was erected of stone in 1853–54 by Robert Sterling, whose wife was the first non-Indian woman in Coyote Valley. It was rebuilt in 1894 and served as headquarters of the Rancho Guenoc land grant and the first store in the...
(CA Registered Landmark #450)
External Links
- Diseño del Rancho Guenoc at The Bancroft Library