Rancho San Bernardo (Snook)
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Bernardo was a 17763 acres (71.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Diego County, California with two square leagues given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado and an additional two square leagues given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
to José Francisco Snook. The grant was between present day Escondido
and Poway
, and encompassed present day Rancho Bernardo
, 4S Ranch
, the San Pasqual Valley
, and Lake Hodges
.
, which formed the north boundary of Rancho San Bernardo. In 1838, Snook and his wife took over an 8800 acres (35.6 km²) portion (known as the “Inverness Pocket”) of Berry’s Rancho Punta de los Reyes grant near Tomales Bay
, and eventually gained title to it from Governor Alvarado. In 1839, Snook sold this land to Antonio Osio, and they returned to San Diego County. By 1842, Snook had received the two square league Rancho San Bernardo land grant from Governor Alvarado. In 1845 Snook convinced Governor Pico to add two square leagues. While Snook was away at sea, the rancho became the site of the 1846 Mexican–American War
Battle of San Pasqual
. Snook died in 1848 and his widow married Henry Clayton, who came to San Diego with the Mexican boundary survey.
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 San Bernardo was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to María Antonia Alvarado de Snook in 1874.
In 1867, Snook's heirs sold Rancho San Bernardo to Thomas Fox acting for James McCoy , sheriff and state senator in 1868. McCoy had come to San Diego in 1850 as a soldier, and become one of the most influential citizens of the early American days. McCoy sold to Charles Wetmore, Sylvester Lyman and Omar Oaks. In 1886, Charles Snook of England sued Wetmore, Lyman and Oaks to recover a 2/9 interest in Rancho San Bernardo.
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 with two square leagues given in 1842 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado and an additional two square leagues given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to José Francisco Snook. The grant was between present day Escondido
Escondido, California
Escondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
and Poway
Poway, California
Poway is a city in San Diego County, California. Originally an unincorporated community in San Diego County, Poway officially became a city in December 1980. Even though Poway lies geographically in the middle of San Diego County, most consider its relative location as north county inland...
, and encompassed present day Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, California
Rancho Bernardo is an upscale master-planned community in the northern hills of the city of San Diego, California.-Geography:The topography of Rancho Bernardo consists of canyons and rolling hills...
, 4S Ranch
4S Ranch, California
4S Ranch is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, California.To the east of 4S Ranch is the San Diego community of Rancho Bernardo. To the west is the Santa Fe Valley...
, the San Pasqual Valley
San Pasqual Valley, San Diego, California
San Pasqual Valley is the northernmost community of the city of San Diego. It is bordered on the north by the city of Escondido, on the east and west by unincorporated land within San Diego County, and on the south by the city of Poway and the community of Rancho Bernardo.State Highway 78 runs...
, and Lake Hodges
Lake Hodges
Lake Hodges is a lake and reservoir located in Southern California, about north of San Diego and just south of Escondido, California. When full, the reservoir has , a maximum water depth of , and of shoreline. Interstate 15 crosses Lake Hodges via the Lake Hodges Bridge...
.
History
Joseph Snook (1798–1848), an Englishman, had been since 1824 a mariner along the Mexican coast, in the employ of Virmond, as master of the English brig Avacucho and later of the Mexican brig Catalina. In 1833, he became a Mexican citizen, and changed his name to Jose Francisco Snook. In 1837, Snook married Maria Antonia Alvarado (1811–), daughter of Juan Bautista Alvarado, grantee of Rancho Rincon del DiabloRancho Rincon del Diablo
Rancho Rincon del Diablo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Diego County, California given in 1843 to Juan Bautista Alvarado. The name means "the devil's corner" or "the devil's lurking place"...
, which formed the north boundary of Rancho San Bernardo. In 1838, Snook and his wife took over an 8800 acres (35.6 km²) portion (known as the “Inverness Pocket”) of Berry’s Rancho Punta de los Reyes grant near Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay is a long narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Marin County in northern California in the United States. It is approximately 15 miles long and averages nearly 1.0 miles wide, effectively separating the Point Reyes Peninsula from the mainland of Marin County. It is located...
, and eventually gained title to it from Governor Alvarado. In 1839, Snook sold this land to Antonio Osio, and they returned to San Diego County. By 1842, Snook had received the two square league Rancho San Bernardo land grant from Governor Alvarado. In 1845 Snook convinced Governor Pico to add two square leagues. While Snook was away at sea, the rancho became the site of the 1846 Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
Battle of San Pasqual
Battle of San Pasqual
The Battle of San Pasqual, also spelled San Pascual, was a military encounter that occurred during the Mexican-American War in what is now the San Pasqual Valley community of the city of San Diego, California. On December 6 and December 7, 1846, General Stephen W...
. Snook died in 1848 and his widow married Henry Clayton, who came to San Diego with the Mexican boundary survey.
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 San Bernardo 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 María Antonia Alvarado de Snook in 1874.
In 1867, Snook's heirs sold Rancho San Bernardo to Thomas Fox acting for James McCoy , sheriff and state senator in 1868. McCoy had come to San Diego in 1850 as a soldier, and become one of the most influential citizens of the early American days. McCoy sold to Charles Wetmore, Sylvester Lyman and Omar Oaks. In 1886, Charles Snook of England sued Wetmore, Lyman and Oaks to recover a 2/9 interest in Rancho San Bernardo.