Rancho Rosa Castilla
Encyclopedia
Rancho Rosa Castilla was a 3283 acres (13.3 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day Los Angeles County, California
given to Juan Ballesteros in 1831 by Governor Manuel Victoria
. The land grant failed to receive confirmation from the Public Land Commission
. The community of Rose Hills, Los Angeles, CA 90032 still carries the tradition and name of 'Rancho Rosa de Castilla'.
s founded the San Gabriel Mission
in 1771, they dubbed the small river El Rio Rosa de Castillo. In 1831, the land was granted to prominent Californio
Juan Ballesteros, the Register of the Pueblo of Los Angeles from 1823 to 1824. The rancho, which also included today's Lincoln Heights
, City Terrace
, and portions of South Pasadena
, Alhambra
, and Monterey Park
, was christened Rancho Rosa de Castilla.
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 Rosa Castilla was filed with the Public Land Commission
by Anacleto Lestrade, a priest at the San Gabriel Mission, in 1852, but the Rosa de Castilla grant failed to receive confirmation from the Land Commission. The Board of Land Commissioners rejected the claim because of (a) unclear boundaries, and (b) that the original grantee, Juan Ballesteros, had not occupied the land continuously as required.
In 1852, the title to passed to Jean-Baptiste Batz and his wife, Catalina. A Basque
emigre, Batz used the land for farming and intensive sheep ranching. In 1882, after both Jean-Baptiste and Catalina had died, the land was divided among six of their children.
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 Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
given to Juan Ballesteros in 1831 by Governor Manuel Victoria
Manuel Victoria
Manuel Victoria was Governor of the Mexican territory of Alta California from January 1831 to 6 December 1831.The revolt leading to his twelve month abbreviated tenure and subsequent exile were due to his nullifying the order of his predecessor, José María de Echeandía, to secularize the missions...
. The land grant failed to receive confirmation from 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...
. The community of Rose Hills, Los Angeles, CA 90032 still carries the tradition and name of 'Rancho Rosa de Castilla'.
History
"Rancho Rosa de Castilla" was named for the abundant amount of roses along the river. The TONGVA Indians named this area, 'OTSUNGNA'= Place of Roses. When Spanish FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s founded the San Gabriel Mission
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
in 1771, they dubbed the small river El Rio Rosa de Castillo. In 1831, the land was granted to prominent Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
Juan Ballesteros, the Register of the Pueblo of Los Angeles from 1823 to 1824. The rancho, which also included today's Lincoln Heights
Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California
-Geography and transportation:Lincoln Heights is bounded by the Los Angeles River on the west, the San Bernardino Freeway on the south, and Indiana Street on the east; the district's Eastern border is unclear due to the area's uneven terrain...
, City Terrace
City Terrace, California
City Terrace is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California. It is considered part of the East Los Angeles region. The U.S. census numbers are included with East Los Angeles.-Geography and transportation:...
, and portions of South Pasadena
South Pasadena, California
South Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,619, up from 24,292 at the 2000 census. It is located in in the West San Gabriel Valley...
, Alhambra
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
, and Monterey Park
Monterey Park, California
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future"...
, was christened Rancho Rosa de Castilla.
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 Rosa Castilla 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...
by Anacleto Lestrade, a priest at the San Gabriel Mission, in 1852, but the Rosa de Castilla grant failed to receive confirmation from the Land Commission. The Board of Land Commissioners rejected the claim because of (a) unclear boundaries, and (b) that the original grantee, Juan Ballesteros, had not occupied the land continuously as required.
In 1852, the title to passed to Jean-Baptiste Batz and his wife, Catalina. A Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
emigre, Batz used the land for farming and intensive sheep ranching. In 1882, after both Jean-Baptiste and Catalina had died, the land was divided among six of their children.