Rancho Huasna
Encyclopedia
Rancho Huasna was a 22153 acres (89.7 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Luis Obispo County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Isaac J. Sparks. The grant extended along the Huasna River and the western slope of the Santa Lucia Range, east of present day Arroyo Grande
and encompassing Huasna
.
. He arrived in Los Angeles
in 1832, and by 1848 had established a large otter trapping and merchant business in Santa Barbara
. In 1836, he married Maria De Los Remedios Josefa Eayrs (1813–1893), daughter of sea captain George Washington Eayrs (1775–1855). They had three surviving daughters: Manuela Flora Sparks (1846–1933) who married Irish sea captain Marcus Harloe (1833–1908) in 1866; Maria Rosa Sparks (1851–1933) who married Arza Porter (1838 –1899) in 1870; and Norberta Sallie Sparks (1854–1930) who married Frederick K. Harkness (1852–1905) in 1874.
Sparks was granted the five-square-league Rancho Huasna in 1843 and bought Rancho Pismo
from José Ortega in 1846. He never lived at Rancho Huasna, preferring instead to be closer to his business holdings in Santa Barbara. Rancho Huasna was managed by the Englishman John Price, who later acquired Rancho Pismo from Sparks.
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 Huasna was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Isaac J. Sparks in 1879.
On Sparks death in 1867, Rancho Huasna was divided among his three daughters: Manuela Flora Sparks de Harloe, Maria Rosa Sparks de Porter, and Norberta Sallie Sparks de Harkness.
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...
given 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 Isaac J. Sparks. The grant extended along the Huasna River and the western slope of the Santa Lucia Range, east of present day Arroyo Grande
Arroyo Grande, California
Arroyo Grande is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 17,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Arroyo Grande is a small coastal town with historic, suburban, and rural elements located at...
and encompassing Huasna
Huasna, California
Huasna is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Huasna is located on the western slope of the Santa Lucia Range; the Huasna River runs through the community. Huasna is east of Arroyo Grande....
.
History
Isaac Sparks (1804–1867) was born in MaineMaine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. He arrived in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1832, and by 1848 had established a large otter trapping and merchant business in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. In 1836, he married Maria De Los Remedios Josefa Eayrs (1813–1893), daughter of sea captain George Washington Eayrs (1775–1855). They had three surviving daughters: Manuela Flora Sparks (1846–1933) who married Irish sea captain Marcus Harloe (1833–1908) in 1866; Maria Rosa Sparks (1851–1933) who married Arza Porter (1838 –1899) in 1870; and Norberta Sallie Sparks (1854–1930) who married Frederick K. Harkness (1852–1905) in 1874.
Sparks was granted the five-square-league Rancho Huasna in 1843 and bought Rancho Pismo
Rancho Pismo
Rancho Pismo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1840 by Governor Pro Tem Manuel Jimeno to José Ortega. The grant extended along the Pacific coast and encompassed present day Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Shell Beach and parts of Arroyo...
from José Ortega in 1846. He never lived at Rancho Huasna, preferring instead to be closer to his business holdings in Santa Barbara. Rancho Huasna was managed by the Englishman John Price, who later acquired Rancho Pismo from Sparks.
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 Huasna 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 Isaac J. Sparks in 1879.
On Sparks death in 1867, Rancho Huasna was divided among his three daughters: Manuela Flora Sparks de Harloe, Maria Rosa Sparks de Porter, and Norberta Sallie Sparks de Harkness.