Rancho Los Guilicos
Encyclopedia
Rancho Los Guilicos was a 18834 acres (76.2 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Sonoma County, California
given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to John (Juan) Wilson. The grant extended along Sonoma Creek
, south of Santa Rosa
from Santa Rosa Creek
south to almost Glen Ellen
, and encompassed present day Oakmont, Kenwood
and Annadel State Park
.
in 1831. Carrillo, was a daughter of Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo, the grantee of Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa
. 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), also owned Rancho El Chorro
and Rancho Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay
in San Luis Obispo County. 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.
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 Los Guilicos was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to John Wilson in 1886.
Wilson never occupied Rancho Los Guilicos, and in 1849, sold the rancho to merchants William Hood and William Pettit. Scotsman William Hood (1818–) had come to California to join the California Gold Rush
. Hood, for whom Hood Mountain
is named, quickly bought Pettit's and became the owner of the entire rancho. Unfortunately, Hood could not pay his debts on the land and he sold it in 1893.
In 1849, William Hudson (1813–1866 ) and his brother Martin Hudson (1807–1871), from Virginia
, bought 2500 acres (10 km²) and engaged in raising wheat and stock.
Irishman Captain John Hamilton Drummond (1830–1889), who served in the British army, came to California in 1877, and purchased part of the rancho and engaged in sheep raising and viticulture. In 1890, the Drummond Ranch was purchased by Mary Ellen Pleasant
.
U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns
of Utah bought the property in 1905 and added other property's to increase the size to 1,800 acres. Kearns entertained his friend President Theodore Roosevelt
and used the property as an investment and vacation property until just before his death in 1918. The site of the Los Guilicos Rancho in the "Valley of the Moon" was formerly part of Senator Kearns' ranch and was the setting for part of a Jack London novel Valley of the Moon (1913) wherein his heroine exclaimed, "We have found our Valley!"
. House constructed in 1858 by William Hood for his bride, Elsia Shaw of Sonoma.
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 Sonoma County, California
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....
given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to John (Juan) Wilson. The grant extended along Sonoma Creek
Sonoma Creek
Sonoma Creek is a stream in northern California. It is one of two principal drainages of southern Sonoma County, California, with headwaters rising in the rugged hills of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and discharging to San Pablo Bay, the northern arm of San Francisco Bay. The watershed drained by...
, south of Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
from Santa Rosa Creek
Santa Rosa Creek
Santa Rosa Creek is a 22 mile long stream in Sonoma County, California which rises on Hood Mountain and discharges to the Laguna de Santa Rosa by way of the Santa Rosa Flood Control Channel...
south to almost Glen Ellen
Glen Ellen, California
Glen Ellen is a census-designated place in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA. The population was 784 at the 2010 census, down from 992 at the 2000 census. Glen Ellen is the location of Jack London State Historic Park , Sonoma Valley Regional Park, and a former home of Hunter S....
, and encompassed present day Oakmont, Kenwood
Kenwood, California
Kenwood, California is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Sonoma County, California, United States, located on Sonoma Highway between the cities Santa Rosa and Sonoma. It lies east of Sonoma Creek in the upper part of Sonoma Valley, a region sometimes called the Valley of the...
and Annadel State Park
Annadel State Park
Annadel State Park is a state park of California, USA, situated at the northern edge of Sonoma Valley and offering many recreational activities within its property...
.
History
The four square league grant was made to Captain John Wilson (1797–1861), a Scottish-born sea captain and trader, who came to California in 1830. 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 PassBattle 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....
. 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), also owned 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 y Pecho y Islay
Rancho Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay
Rancho Cañada de los Osos y Pecho y Islay was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California. The grant consists of Canada de Los Osos granted in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Victor Linares, and Pecho y Islay granted in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to...
in San Luis Obispo County. 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.
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 Los Guilicos 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 1886.
Wilson never occupied Rancho Los Guilicos, and in 1849, sold the rancho to merchants William Hood and William Pettit. Scotsman William Hood (1818–) had come to California to join the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Hood, for whom Hood Mountain
Hood Mountain
Mount Hood, also known as Hood Mountain is a mountain near the southeastern edge of Santa Rosa, California at the northeast of the Sonoma Valley and attains a height of . The originally name was Mount Wilikos, an Indian name meaning "willows."...
is named, quickly bought Pettit's and became the owner of the entire rancho. Unfortunately, Hood could not pay his debts on the land and he sold it in 1893.
In 1849, William Hudson (1813–1866 ) and his brother Martin Hudson (1807–1871), from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, bought 2500 acres (10 km²) and engaged in raising wheat and stock.
Irishman Captain John Hamilton Drummond (1830–1889), who served in the British army, came to California in 1877, and purchased part of the rancho and engaged in sheep raising and viticulture. In 1890, the Drummond Ranch was purchased by Mary Ellen Pleasant
Mary Ellen Pleasant
Mary Ellen Pleasant was a 19th Century female entrepreneur of partial African descent widely known as Mammy Pleasant, who used her fortune to further the abolitionist movement. She worked on the Underground Railroad across many states and then helped bring it to California during the Gold Rush Era...
.
U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns
Thomas Kearns
Thomas Kearns was a mining, banking, railroad and newspaper magnate. He was elected United States Senator from Utah from 1901 to 1905.- Immigration and mining :...
of Utah bought the property in 1905 and added other property's to increase the size to 1,800 acres. Kearns entertained his friend President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
and used the property as an investment and vacation property until just before his death in 1918. The site of the Los Guilicos Rancho in the "Valley of the Moon" was formerly part of Senator Kearns' ranch and was the setting for part of a Jack London novel Valley of the Moon (1913) wherein his heroine exclaimed, "We have found our Valley!"
Historic sites of the Rancho
William Hood HouseWilliam Hood House
The William Hood House was built in 1858 by William Hood. Its California Historical Landmark number is 692. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 6, 1998.The house was built from bricks that were made on the property...
. House constructed in 1858 by William Hood for his bride, Elsia Shaw of Sonoma.