Rancho Zayante
Encyclopedia
Rancho Zayante was a 2658 acres (10.8 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Cruz County, California
. The grant, measuring one league by one-half league (2,658 acres), straddled Zayante Creek
, near its confluence with the San Lorenzo River
. It included most of the present day communities of Mount Hermon
and Olympia, parts of Felton
, Ben Lomond
, Quail Hollow and Brackney, but not Zayante
.
to Joaquin Buelna, who had been a teacher in San Jose
and [alcalde] of Branciforte
(part of today's city of Santa Cruz). The grant lapsed, and it was re-granted in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Joseph Ladd Majors.
Joseph Ladd Majors (1806–1868), a trapper from Tennessee
, came to California over the Santa Fe Trail with Capt. Isaac Graham
in 1834. In 1838, Majors became a naturalized Mexican citizen and, at least temporarily, changed his name to Juan José Crisostomo Mayor. In 1839, Majors married María de los Angeles Castro (1818–1903), daughter of José Joaquín Castro of Rancho San Andrés
. Over the next decade, Majors would use his naturalized status as the middleman for a series of land deals, obtaining land holdings in his name, and then leasing or selling the land back to his American partners. Majors allowed Graham and others to use his name as owner, since they were not allowed to own land, because Alvarado failed to follow through with his equal rights promises made years earlier. In 1852, Majors testified before the United States Land Commission saying, "It was granted in my name because I was a Mexican citizen and could hold land but I held it for Graham and others who, not being citizens, could not hold it in their name." Graham’s reputation would probably have precluded him from achieving Mexian citizenship, and his personal prejudices prevented him from applying.
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 Zayante was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Isaac Graham and William Ware in 1870. A claim was filed with the Land Commission in 1853 by Robert Cathcart administrator for the Joaquín Buelna estate, but was rejected.
Edward Stanly, Isaac Graham’s lawyer, acquired Rancho Zayante on Graham’s death. Stanly laid out the town of Felton in 1868, named for John B. Felton
(1827-77) who was mayor of Oakland, a University of California
Regent and twice unsuccessful candidate for US Senate.
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 Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
. The grant, measuring one league by one-half league (2,658 acres), straddled Zayante Creek
Zayante Creek
Zayante Creek is a stream within the San Lorenzo River watershed in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The U.S. government has designated Zayante Creek as impaired with respect to sediment. Lompico Creek, a tributary of Zayante Creek, is listed for impairment by pathogens...
, near its confluence with the San Lorenzo River
San Lorenzo River
The San Lorenzo River drains a large watershed in Santa Cruz County, California. The headwaters originate in the Santa Cruz Mountains at an elevation of , and the river flows through the San Lorenzo Valley before emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Monterey Bay...
. It included most of the present day communities of Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top there is “Hermon Hotel”, in the buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied...
and Olympia, parts of Felton
Felton, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Felton had a population of 4,057. The population density was 891.2 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Felton was 3,691 White, 25 African American, 29 Native American, 69 Asian, 11 Pacific Islander, 60 from other races, and 172 from...
, Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond, California
Ben Lomond is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, and also the name of the mountain to the west. The population was 6,234 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Quail Hollow and Brackney, but not Zayante
Zayante, California
Zayante is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California. It is a residential area located on Zayante Creek. Zayante sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Zayante's population was 705.-History:...
.
History
Rancho Zayante was granted in 1834 by Governor José FigueroaJosé 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 Joaquin Buelna, who had been a teacher in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and [alcalde] of Branciforte
Branciforte
Branciforte or as it was named originally, Villa de Branciforte, was a secular pueblo established by the Spanish in the of Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, in 1797 on the eastern bluff overlooking the San Lorenzo River...
(part of today's city of Santa Cruz). The grant lapsed, and it was re-granted in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Joseph Ladd Majors.
Joseph Ladd Majors (1806–1868), a trapper from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, came to California over the Santa Fe Trail with Capt. Isaac Graham
Isaac Graham
Isaac Graham was a fur trader and mountain man. In 1830, he joined a hunting and trapping party at Fort Smith, Arkansas that included George Nidever. Graham attended the rendezvous of 1832 and took part in the battle of Pierre's Hole. From there, Graham joined Joseph R. Walker's party headed for...
in 1834. In 1838, Majors became a naturalized Mexican citizen and, at least temporarily, changed his name to Juan José Crisostomo Mayor. In 1839, Majors married María de los Angeles Castro (1818–1903), daughter of José Joaquín Castro of Rancho San Andrés
Rancho San Andrés
Rancho San Andrés was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to José Joaquín Castro. The grant on Monterey Bay extended from La Selva Beach on the north to Watsonville Slough on the south...
. Over the next decade, Majors would use his naturalized status as the middleman for a series of land deals, obtaining land holdings in his name, and then leasing or selling the land back to his American partners. Majors allowed Graham and others to use his name as owner, since they were not allowed to own land, because Alvarado failed to follow through with his equal rights promises made years earlier. In 1852, Majors testified before the United States Land Commission saying, "It was granted in my name because I was a Mexican citizen and could hold land but I held it for Graham and others who, not being citizens, could not hold it in their name." Graham’s reputation would probably have precluded him from achieving Mexian citizenship, and his personal prejudices prevented him from applying.
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 Zayante 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 Isaac Graham and William Ware in 1870. A claim was filed with the Land Commission in 1853 by Robert Cathcart administrator for the Joaquín Buelna estate, but was rejected.
Edward Stanly, Isaac Graham’s lawyer, acquired Rancho Zayante on Graham’s death. Stanly laid out the town of Felton in 1868, named for John B. Felton
John B. Felton
John Brooks Felton ....
(1827-77) who was mayor of Oakland, a University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
Regent and twice unsuccessful candidate for US Senate.