Rancho Valle de San Jose (Portilla)
Encyclopedia
Rancho Valle de San Jose was a 17634 acres (71.4 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Diego County, California
given in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez
to Silvestre de la Portilla. Located in north east of San Diego County, it was bounded on the north by Buena Vista Creek and Rancho San Jose del Valle
. The western part of the grant is under the waters of Lake Henshaw
formed in 1922 by a dam on the San Luis Rey River
.
in 1834, Captain Pablo de la Portillà
was appointed administrator. In 1836, his brother, Silvestre de la Portillo (1801–), was granted the four square league Rancho Valle de San Jose, a portion of the valley formerly occupied by the Mission San Luis Rey, by Governor ad interim, Nicolás Gutiérrez. Silvestre de la Portillo left the rancho in charge of his brother, Pablo, and returned to his native Sonora
and did not come back until the 1850s.
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 Valle de San Jose was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Silvestre de la Portilla in 1880.
In 1858, Silvestre de la Portilla sold Rancho Valle de San Jose to Vicenta Sepulveda de Carrillo. Silvestre de la Portillo married Claudia Valdez in 1860 at Mission San Luis Rey. Maria Vicenta Sepulveda (1816-1907) was married to Tomas Antonio Yorba
(1787–1845) and then married to Jose Ramon Carrillo (1821–1864). Vicenta also received the Rancho La Sierra
grant in 1846. Vicenta remained on Rancho Valle de San Jose until 1869, at which time she moved her family to Anaheim
.
By about 1875, Louis Phillips
and John G. Downey
(1827–1894) owned most of the southern four square league Portilla Rancho Valle de San Jose and the northern six square league Warner
Rancho San Jose del Valle. In 1880 Downey became sole owner.
The rights of the Native American
Cupeño
Indians to reoccupy their ancestral homeland became a controversial matter. In 1901, the US Supreme Court concurred with the finding of the lower courts that a U.S. Government patent of ownership conferred absolute ownership, and they were ordered ejected.
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 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 in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez
Nicolás Gutiérrez
Lieutenant Colonel Nicolás Gutiérrez was a twice acting governor of Alta California in 1836 from January to May and July to November.Gutierrez served two abbreviated terms in less than a year as acting governor of Alta California in 1836...
to Silvestre de la Portilla. Located in north east of San Diego County, it was bounded on the north by Buena Vista Creek and Rancho San Jose del Valle
Rancho San Jose del Valle
Rancho San Jose del Valle was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Jose Antonio Pico, and then given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Juan Jose Warner...
. The western part of the grant is under the waters of Lake Henshaw
Lake Henshaw
Lake Henshaw is a Reservoir in San Diego County, Californiaat the southeast base of Palomar Mountain, approximately miles northeast of San Diego, California and miles southeast of Los Angeles....
formed in 1922 by a dam on the San Luis Rey River
San Luis Rey River
The San Luis Rey River is a river in northern San Diego County, California. The river's headwaters are in the Cleveland National Forest near Palomar Mountain. The river drains into the Pacific Ocean on the northern end of the city of Oceanside. The river is over long and drains...
.
History
During the process of secularizing the Mission San Luis ReyMission San Luis Rey de Francia
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, also known as Mission San Luis Rey or San Luis Rey Mission Church, was founded on June 13, 1798 in coastal Las Californias, in the present day U.S. city of Oceanside in California. The local Quechnajuichom Native American tribe became known as the Luiseño 'Mission...
in 1834, Captain Pablo de la Portillà
Pablo de la Portillà
Pablo de la Portillà was a soldier and pioneer in nineteenth-century California.Capt. Portillà served in the frontier Spanish army.He arrived in 1819 with his troops on the Cossack from Mazatlán, Mexico....
was appointed administrator. In 1836, his brother, Silvestre de la Portillo (1801–), was granted the four square league Rancho Valle de San Jose, a portion of the valley formerly occupied by the Mission San Luis Rey, by Governor ad interim, Nicolás Gutiérrez. Silvestre de la Portillo left the rancho in charge of his brother, Pablo, and returned to his native Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
and did not come back until the 1850s.
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 Valle de San Jose 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 Silvestre de la Portilla in 1880.
In 1858, Silvestre de la Portilla sold Rancho Valle de San Jose to Vicenta Sepulveda de Carrillo. Silvestre de la Portillo married Claudia Valdez in 1860 at Mission San Luis Rey. Maria Vicenta Sepulveda (1816-1907) was married to Tomas Antonio Yorba
José Antonio Yorba
José Antonio Yorba , also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I, was a Spanish soldier and early settler of Spanish California.-Spanish Soldier:...
(1787–1845) and then married to Jose Ramon Carrillo (1821–1864). Vicenta also received the Rancho La Sierra
Rancho La Sierra (Sepulveda)
Rancho La Sierra was a Mexican land grant in present day Riverside County, California, United States. In 1846 Governor Pio Pico issued the grant to Vicenta Sepulveda...
grant in 1846. Vicenta remained on Rancho Valle de San Jose until 1869, at which time she moved her family to Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
.
By about 1875, Louis Phillips
Louis Phillips
Louis Phillips was a wealthy land owner and rancher in Los Angeles County, California.-Biography:Louis Phillips was born in Prussia and moved to California in the early 1850s. He moved to Spadra in 1862 and began engaging in sheep herding and cattle raising...
and John G. Downey
John G. Downey
John Gately Downey was an Irish-American politician and the seventh Governor of California from January 14, 1860 to January 10, 1862. Until the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003, Downey was California's only foreign-born governor...
(1827–1894) owned most of the southern four square league Portilla Rancho Valle de San Jose and the northern six square league Warner
Juan Jose Warner
Juan Jose Warner , a naturalized American-Mexican citizen, developed Warner's Ranch in Warner Springs, California. From 1849-1861, the ranch was important as a stop for emigrant travelers on the Southern Trail, including the Gila River Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach line...
Rancho San Jose del Valle. In 1880 Downey became sole owner.
The rights of the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Cupeño
Cupeño
The Cupeño are a Native American tribe from Southern California. Their name in their own language is Kuupangaxwichem.They traditionally lived about inland and north of the modern day U.S.-Mexico border in the Peninsular Range of Southern California...
Indians to reoccupy their ancestral homeland became a controversial matter. In 1901, the US Supreme Court concurred with the finding of the lower courts that a U.S. Government patent of ownership conferred absolute ownership, and they were ordered ejected.