Rancho Las Positas y La Calera
Encyclopedia
Rancho Las Positas y La Calera was a 3282 acres (13.3 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Santa Barbara County, California
. The grant consisted of two parts:- "La Calera" (The Lime Kiln) given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Narciso Fabregat, and "Las Positas" (The Little Springs - referring to Veronica Springs) given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
to Thomas M. Robbins. The grant was the northwest of the pueblo and Presidio of Santa Barbara
, and encompassed the present day Hope Ranch
.
. In 1845, Fabregat sold La Calera to Thomas Robbins. Thomas M. Robbins (1801–1854) was a Nantucket, Massachusetts
sea captain who came to California in 1823. Robbins married Maria Encarnacion Carrillo (1814-1876), daughter of Carlos Antonio Carrillo
, in Santa Barbara in 1834. In July 1846, Robbins added the additional half square league grant "Las Positas" given to him by Pio Pico. Robbins was also granted Santa Catalina Island
by Pío Pico in 1846.
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 Las Positas y La Calera was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Thomas M. Robbins in 1870.
In 1861, Thomas Hope bought the co-joined Rancho Las Positas y La Calera from Robbins' widow Encarnacion Carrillo. Thomas W. Hope (1820–1876) was born in County Meath
Ireland
and came to the United States in 1836. He learned sheep and cattle ranching in West Texas. During the Gold Rush
he went to San Francisco, where he married Delia Fox. Thomas Hope moved to Santa Barbara in 1850 to become a sheep rancher and prospered, especially when the price of wool skyrocketed during the American Civil War
. Thomas Hope died in 1876, and left the western half of the rancho to his widow, Delia, and the eastern half to his six children (Anna, Katie, John, Rosa, Theresa, and James). In 1887, Delia Hope sold her half to the Pacific Improvement Company and moved to San Francisco. Delia Hope's sale marked the beginning of the development of the present-day Hope Ranch. In 1892 Thomas Hope’s body was exhumed and taken to San Francisco for reburial.
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 Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
. The grant consisted of two parts:- "La Calera" (The Lime Kiln) given in 1843 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 Narciso Fabregat, and "Las Positas" (The Little Springs - referring to Veronica Springs) given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Thomas M. Robbins. The grant was the northwest of the pueblo and Presidio of Santa Barbara
Presidio of Santa Barbara
The El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, also known as the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, was a military installation in Santa Barbara, California. It was built by Spain in 1782, with the mission of defending the Second Military District in California...
, and encompassed the present day Hope Ranch
Hope Ranch, California
Hope Ranch is an unincorporated suburb of Santa Barbara, California, located in Santa Barbara County. As of the 2000 census, the area had an approximate population of 2,200. The ZIP codes are 93105 and 93110, and the community is in area code 805.-History:...
.
History
Narciso Fabregat was a Lieutenant with the "Mazatlan Volunteers" sent in 1819 to protect the Santa Barbara Presidio and pueblo from attack by the privateer Hippolyte de BouchardHippolyte de Bouchard
Hippolyte de Bouchard, or Hipólito de Bouchard , was a French and Argentine sailor and corsair who fought for Argentina, Chile, and Peru....
. In 1845, Fabregat sold La Calera to Thomas Robbins. Thomas M. Robbins (1801–1854) was a Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
sea captain who came to California in 1823. Robbins married Maria Encarnacion Carrillo (1814-1876), daughter of Carlos Antonio Carrillo
Carlos Antonio Carrillo
Carlos Antonio Carrillo , Governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1838. He took his oath as governon in Pueblo de Los Angeles, present day Los Angeles, on December 6, 1836. aCarlos Antonio Carrillo was the son of a prominent California family...
, in Santa Barbara in 1834. In July 1846, Robbins added the additional half square league grant "Las Positas" given to him by Pio Pico. Robbins was also granted Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
by Pío Pico in 1846.
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 Las Positas y La Calera 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 Thomas M. Robbins in 1870.
In 1861, Thomas Hope bought the co-joined Rancho Las Positas y La Calera from Robbins' widow Encarnacion Carrillo. Thomas W. Hope (1820–1876) was born in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and came to the United States in 1836. He learned sheep and cattle ranching in West Texas. During the Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
he went to San Francisco, where he married Delia Fox. Thomas Hope moved to Santa Barbara in 1850 to become a sheep rancher and prospered, especially when the price of wool skyrocketed during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Thomas Hope died in 1876, and left the western half of the rancho to his widow, Delia, and the eastern half to his six children (Anna, Katie, John, Rosa, Theresa, and James). In 1887, Delia Hope sold her half to the Pacific Improvement Company and moved to San Francisco. Delia Hope's sale marked the beginning of the development of the present-day Hope Ranch. In 1892 Thomas Hope’s body was exhumed and taken to San Francisco for reburial.