Rancho Los Vergeles
Encyclopedia
Rancho Los Vergeles was a 8760 acres (35.5 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Monterey County
and San Benito County, California
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Joaquín Gómez. The name means "flower garden
". Rancho La Natividad
and Rancho Los Vergeles were adjoining ranchos, north of present day Salinas
. The rancho headquarters of each were close to the entrance to the pass through the Gabilan Range
to San Juan Bautista
.
in 1834–1835. In 1835 he was commissioned to secularize Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
, and was the grantee of the two square league Rancho Los Vergeles. José Eusebio Boronda, grantee of Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
, served as Mayordomo. It was at Gómez rancho in 1846, that American consul, Thomas O. Larkin
, was taken prisoner by the Californios during the Mexican–American War
. To clear debts, Gómez sold Rancho Los Vergeles to James Stokes in 1848.
James (Santiago) Stokes (–1864), an English seaman, came to California in 1840. He was a doctor, druggist, and mayor of Monterey. In 1844, he married the widow, Maria Josefa Soto De Cano (1810–1855), who was the grantee of Rancho Capay
. The Stokes lived in Monterey.
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 Vergeles was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to James Stokes in 1875.
Maria Josefa Soto de Stokes died in Monterey in 1855 leaving as her heirs, her husband and children. In 1858, James Stokes married Arabella Clark (1838–), and gave her title to Rancho Los Vergeles. It was a disastrous second marriage, and Stokes took his own life in 1864. In his will, Stokes appointed Frederick Sherwood, who had married his daughter Catherine, and George H. Winterburn, who had married his daughter Josephine, executors of his estate. The executors took possession of Rancho Los Vergeles, and ousted the widow Arabella.
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 Monterey County
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
and San Benito County, California
San Benito County, California
San Benito County is a county located in the Coast Range Mountains of the U.S. state of California, south of San Jose. As of 2010 the population was 55,269. The county seat is Hollister, which includes nearly two-thirds of the county's population. El Camino Real passes through the county and...
given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Joaquín Gómez. The name means "flower garden
Flower garden
A flower garden is any garden where flowers are grown for decorative purposes. Because flowers bloom at varying times of the year, and some plants are annual, dying each winter, the design of flower gardens can take into consideration to maintain a sequence of bloom and even of consistent color...
". Rancho La Natividad
Rancho La Natividad
Rancho La Natividad was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Manuel Butrón and his son-in-law, Nicolás Alviso. Rancho La Natividad and Rancho Los Vergeles were adjoining ranchos along Gabilan Creek north of present day...
and Rancho Los Vergeles were adjoining ranchos, north of present day Salinas
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
. The rancho headquarters of each were close to the entrance to the pass through the Gabilan Range
Gabilan Range
The Gabilan Range or Gabilan Mountains are located on the Pacific Coast Range of California's Central Coast trending in a northwest-southeast direction along the Monterey County and San Benito County line. It is bordered by the Diablo Range, the San Andreas Fault, and State Route 25 to the east and...
to San Juan Bautista
San Juan Bautista, California
San Juan Bautista is a city in San Benito County, California, United States. The population was 1,862 at the 2010 census, up from 1,549 at the 2000 census. The city of San Juan Bautista was named after Mission San Juan Bautista...
.
History
José Joaquín Gómez came to California from Mexico in 1830. He was regidor at MontereyMonterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
in 1834–1835. In 1835 he was commissioned to secularize Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission, is a Roman Catholic mission church in Carmel, California. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and a U.S...
, and was the grantee of the two square league Rancho Los Vergeles. José Eusebio Boronda, grantee of Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
Rancho Rincon de Sanjon
Rancho Rincon de Sanjon was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to José Eusebio Boronda. The name means "corner of Sanjo del Alisal"...
, served as Mayordomo. It was at Gómez rancho in 1846, that American consul, Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas Oliver Larkin was an early American emigrant to Alta California and a signer of the original California Constitution. He was the United States' first and only consul to the California Republic.-Early years:...
, was taken prisoner by the Californios during the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
. To clear debts, Gómez sold Rancho Los Vergeles to James Stokes in 1848.
James (Santiago) Stokes (–1864), an English seaman, came to California in 1840. He was a doctor, druggist, and mayor of Monterey. In 1844, he married the widow, Maria Josefa Soto De Cano (1810–1855), who was the grantee of Rancho Capay
Rancho Capay
Rancho Capay was a Mexican land grant in present day Tehama County and Glenn County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Maria Josefa Soto. The name comes from the Wintun word meaning stream, and refers to Stony Creek...
. The Stokes lived in Monterey.
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 Vergeles 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 James Stokes in 1875.
Maria Josefa Soto de Stokes died in Monterey in 1855 leaving as her heirs, her husband and children. In 1858, James Stokes married Arabella Clark (1838–), and gave her title to Rancho Los Vergeles. It was a disastrous second marriage, and Stokes took his own life in 1864. In his will, Stokes appointed Frederick Sherwood, who had married his daughter Catherine, and George H. Winterburn, who had married his daughter Josephine, executors of his estate. The executors took possession of Rancho Los Vergeles, and ousted the widow Arabella.