Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores
Encyclopedia
Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores was a 133440 acres (540 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day northwestern San Diego County, California
given by governor Juan Alvarado in 1841 to Andrés Pico
and Pio Pico
. The grant was located along the Pacific coast, and encompassed present day San Onofre State Beach and Camp Pendleton
.
by Alvarado. Three years later, the grant of Rancho Las Flores was added, and the grant renamed Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. Pio Pico and Andres Pico built the first two rooms of the Ranch House. Pio Pico later lost the land in a horse bet with Jose Andres Sepulveda.
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 Santa Margarita y Las Flores was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Pio Pico in 1879.
In 1863, Juan Forster
, an Englishman who became a Mexican citizen and married Pio Pico’s sister, paid off Pico’s debts and received the deed to the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. In 1864, Forster began expanding the Santa Margarita Ranch House to 18 rooms and turned the land into a cattle ranch. Forster lived at Rancho Santa Margarita some 18 years and greatly expanded the house. When Forster died in 1882, his heirs sold the ranch to Irish immigrant James Flood who selected his friend Richard O’Neill to manage the ranch. James Flood died in 1888. In 1906, James Flood, Jr gave O’Neill an undivided half ownership. In 1923, Jerome O' Neill and James Flood, Jr formed a corporation to control the ranch now known as Rancho Santa Margarita.
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 northwestern San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
given by governor Juan Alvarado in 1841 to Andrés Pico
Andrés Pico
Andrés Pico was a Californio who became a successful rancher, served as a military commander during the Mexican-American War; and was elected to the state assembly and senate after California became a state, when he was also commissioned as a brigadier general in the state militia.-Early...
and Pio Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
. The grant was located along the Pacific coast, and encompassed present day San Onofre State Beach and Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
.
History
In 1841, during secularization, Pio Pico and Andres Pico were granted 89742 acres (363.2 km²) Rancho San Onofre y Santa Margarita next to the Mission San Juan CapistranoMission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
by Alvarado. Three years later, the grant of Rancho Las Flores was added, and the grant renamed Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. Pio Pico and Andres Pico built the first two rooms of the Ranch House. Pio Pico later lost the land in a horse bet with Jose Andres Sepulveda.
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 Santa Margarita y Las Flores 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 Pio Pico in 1879.
In 1863, Juan Forster
John (Don Juan) Forster
John Forster was born in England; became a Mexican citizen of early California, and was one of the largest landowners in California.-Early life:...
, an Englishman who became a Mexican citizen and married Pio Pico’s sister, paid off Pico’s debts and received the deed to the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. In 1864, Forster began expanding the Santa Margarita Ranch House to 18 rooms and turned the land into a cattle ranch. Forster lived at Rancho Santa Margarita some 18 years and greatly expanded the house. When Forster died in 1882, his heirs sold the ranch to Irish immigrant James Flood who selected his friend Richard O’Neill to manage the ranch. James Flood died in 1888. In 1906, James Flood, Jr gave O’Neill an undivided half ownership. In 1923, Jerome O' Neill and James Flood, Jr formed a corporation to control the ranch now known as Rancho Santa Margarita.
See also
- Rancho Santa Margarita, CaliforniaRancho Santa Margarita, CaliforniaRancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master planned community set upon rolling hills. Most neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are within various homeowners associations...
- Rancho Mission ViejoRancho Mission ViejoRancho Mission Viejo was a land grant given in 1845 to John Forster. Later it became a cattle ranch and leased land operation in what is now Mission Viejo, California, in southeast Orange County, California.-Mexican land grant:...