Rancho Del Paso
Encyclopedia
Rancho Del Paso was a 44371 acres (179.6 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Sacramento County, California
given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Eliab Grimes. The grant extended along the north bank of the American River
and was bounded roughly by today’s Northgate Boulevard, Manzanita Avenue, and Elkhorn Boulevard. The grant encompassed present day North Sacramento
, Del Paso Heights
, Rio Linda
, Arden-Arcade
, and a portion of Carmichael
.
gave the land north of the American River to Eliab Grimes, Hiram Grimes, and John Sinclair. Captain Eliab Grimes (1780–1848), a native of Massachusetts
, was a Honolulu merchant of many years and operated with his nephew Hiram, as the firm E & H Grimes. Hiram Grimes would later own Rancho San Juan
and Rancho Pescadero
. Eliab Grimes persuaded Sinclair to occupy the Rancho Del Paso until such time as he (Grimes) could take legal title to it. In 1843, John Sinclair, who had gone to work for Sutter in 1840, and his wife Mary Sinclair, occupied the Rancho. In 1844, Eliab Grimes received the official ten square league land grant. Over the next four years, Grimes and Sinclair, raised cattle and harvested wheat on the property.
Grimes, who subsequently became an important trader and political figure in San Francisco, died in 1848, leaving his share of the rancho to his nephew, Hiram Grimes. Three months later, in 1849, John Sinclair sold his share of the property to Hiram Grimes. Hiram Grimes later owned Rancho San Juan
and Rancho Pescadero
. In 1852, Grimes sold the entire Rancho Del Paso to San Francisco trader Samuel Norris. Gotthilf Wilhelm Becher Christensen was an immigrant from Denmark
who came to California in 1839 and renamed himself Samuel Norris.
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 Del Paso was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Samuel Norris in 1858.
During the 1850s, Norris remained embroiled in a legal battle with the descendants of Eliab Grimes, who contested Eliab Grimes' will, and hence Norris' claim to the rancho. In 1860, the United States Supreme Court sided with Norris.
Norris emerged deep in debt to his lawyers James Ben Ali Haggin
(1822–1914) and Lloyd Tevis
(1824–1899); and in 1862, Norris sold Rancho del Paso to them. Norris later unsuccessfully sued Haggin and Tevis, claiming fraud.
facilities. Haggin stopped using the ranch as a horse breeding operation in 1905, and concentrated his breeding efforts at his Elmendorf Farm
in Lexington, Kentucky
.
With the rapid growth of the Sacramento Valley, the Rancho Del Paso Land Company was incorporated in 1891, and sold to the Sacramento Valley Colonization Company in 1910.
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 Sacramento County, California
Sacramento County, California
Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
to Eliab Grimes. The grant extended along the north bank of the American River
American River
The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
and was bounded roughly by today’s Northgate Boulevard, Manzanita Avenue, and Elkhorn Boulevard. The grant encompassed present day North Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, Del Paso Heights
Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, California
Del Paso Heights is a neighborhood within the city of Sacramento, California. The generally recognized borders of Del Paso Heights consist of the Beltline Freeway Interstate 80 on the north, Norwood Avenue on the west, Arcade creek on the south, and Roseville Road on the east. Del Paso Heights is...
, Rio Linda
Rio Linda, California
Rio Linda is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 15,106, up from 10,466 at the 2000 census...
, Arden-Arcade
Arden-Arcade, California
Arden-Arcade is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 92,186 at the 2010 census. It is east of the city of Sacramento and west of the community of Carmichael....
, and a portion of Carmichael
Carmichael, California
Carmichael is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 61,762 at the 2010 census, up from 49,742 at the 2000 census.-Geography and geology:Carmichael...
.
History
John SutterJohn Sutter
Johann Augus Sutter was a Swiss pioneer of California known for his association with the California Gold Rush by the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall and the mill making team at Sutter's Mill, and for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area that would eventually become Sacramento, the...
gave the land north of the American River to Eliab Grimes, Hiram Grimes, and John Sinclair. Captain Eliab Grimes (1780–1848), a native of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, was a Honolulu merchant of many years and operated with his nephew Hiram, as the firm E & H Grimes. Hiram Grimes would later own Rancho San Juan
Rancho San Juan
Rancho San Juan was a Mexican land grant in present day Sacramento County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Joel P. Dedmond...
and Rancho Pescadero
Rancho Pescadero (Grimes)
Rancho Pescadero was a Mexican land grant in present day Stanislaus County and San Joaquin County, California given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Valentin Higuera and Rafael Feliz. Pescadero means "fishing place" in Spanish...
. Eliab Grimes persuaded Sinclair to occupy the Rancho Del Paso until such time as he (Grimes) could take legal title to it. In 1843, John Sinclair, who had gone to work for Sutter in 1840, and his wife Mary Sinclair, occupied the Rancho. In 1844, Eliab Grimes received the official ten square league land grant. Over the next four years, Grimes and Sinclair, raised cattle and harvested wheat on the property.
Grimes, who subsequently became an important trader and political figure in San Francisco, died in 1848, leaving his share of the rancho to his nephew, Hiram Grimes. Three months later, in 1849, John Sinclair sold his share of the property to Hiram Grimes. Hiram Grimes later owned Rancho San Juan
Rancho San Juan
Rancho San Juan was a Mexican land grant in present day Sacramento County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Joel P. Dedmond...
and Rancho Pescadero
Rancho Pescadero (Grimes)
Rancho Pescadero was a Mexican land grant in present day Stanislaus County and San Joaquin County, California given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Valentin Higuera and Rafael Feliz. Pescadero means "fishing place" in Spanish...
. In 1852, Grimes sold the entire Rancho Del Paso to San Francisco trader Samuel Norris. Gotthilf Wilhelm Becher Christensen was an immigrant from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
who came to California in 1839 and renamed himself Samuel Norris.
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 Del Paso 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 Samuel Norris in 1858.
During the 1850s, Norris remained embroiled in a legal battle with the descendants of Eliab Grimes, who contested Eliab Grimes' will, and hence Norris' claim to the rancho. In 1860, the United States Supreme Court sided with Norris.
Norris emerged deep in debt to his lawyers James Ben Ali Haggin
James Ben Ali Haggin
James Ben Ali Haggin was an Turkish Americanattorney, rancher, investor and a major owner/breeder in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing...
(1822–1914) and Lloyd Tevis
Lloyd Tevis
Lloyd Tevis was a banker and capitalist who served as president of Wells Fargo & Company from 1872 to 1892.-Early life:...
(1824–1899); and in 1862, Norris sold Rancho del Paso to them. Norris later unsuccessfully sued Haggin and Tevis, claiming fraud.
The Haggin Years
Rancho Del Paso became nationally prominent during the 1880s for its extensive horse breedingHorse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
facilities. Haggin stopped using the ranch as a horse breeding operation in 1905, and concentrated his breeding efforts at his Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, and has been involved with horse racing since the early 19th century...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
With the rapid growth of the Sacramento Valley, the Rancho Del Paso Land Company was incorporated in 1891, and sold to the Sacramento Valley Colonization Company in 1910.