Rancho Sausal
Encyclopedia
Rancho Sausal was a 10242 acres (41.4 km²) Mexican land grant
in the Salinas Valley
, in present day Monterey County, California
given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa
to José Tibúrcio Castro. An additional grant was made by Governor Pío Pico
in 1845. The name is Spanish for "willow grove". The grant encompassed present day Salinas
.
. Jose Tiburcio Castro married Maria Rufina Alvarez and they had two children - José Antonio Castro and Maria Francisca Castro.
Castro sold the land to Jacob P. Leese
, who had married General Vallejo
’s sister, and acquired extensive land holdings, 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 Sausal was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1853, and the grant was patented
to Jacob P. Leese in 1859.
Leese is considered to be one of the founders of Salinas, although he left the area in 1865 and did not return until 1885. Leese sold 80 acre (0.3237488 km²) to Elias Howe, who is usually credited as the founder of Salinas, in 1856.
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 the Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
, in present day Monterey County, California
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...
given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa
José Figueroa
General José Figueroa , was a General and the Mexican territorial Governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835.Figueroa oversaw the initial secularization of the missions of upper California, which included the expulsion of the Spanish Franciscan mission officials.This also involved the issuing of...
to José Tibúrcio Castro. An additional grant was made by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
in 1845. The name is Spanish for "willow grove". The grant encompassed 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...
.
History
José Tibúrcio Castro was living on Rancho Sausal prior to the 1834 grant of two square leagues. His father, Macario, was a sergeant in the Mexican army. Jose Tiburcio Castro (1780 - 1840) was a soldier, and later civil administrator of secularized Mission San Juan BautistaMission San Juan Bautista
Mission San Juan Bautista was founded on June 24, 1797 in what is now the San Juan Bautista Historic District of San Juan Bautista, California. Barracks for the soldiers, a nunnery, the Jose Castro House, and other buildings were constructed around a large grassy plaza in front of the church and...
. Jose Tiburcio Castro married Maria Rufina Alvarez and they had two children - José Antonio Castro and Maria Francisca Castro.
Castro sold the land to Jacob P. Leese
Jacob P. Leese
Jacob Primer Leese was a San Francisco pioneer, who built the first permanent house in San Francisco...
, who had married 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...
’s sister, and acquired extensive land holdings, 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 Sausal 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 1853, 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 Jacob P. Leese in 1859.
Leese is considered to be one of the founders of Salinas, although he left the area in 1865 and did not return until 1885. Leese sold 80 acre (0.3237488 km²) to Elias Howe, who is usually credited as the founder of Salinas, in 1856.