Rancho San Luis Gonzaga
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Luis Gonzaga was a 48821 acres (197.6 km²) Mexican land grant
in the Diablo Range
, in present day Santa Clara County
and Merced County, California
given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
to Juan Perez Pacheco and José Maria Mejía. The grant was bounded by Francisco Pacheco's Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
on the west (at the top of present-day Pacheco Pass
), the San Joaquin River
and San Joaquin Valley
on the east, and Los Baños Creek
on the south.
soon after and did not occupy the grant. The eleven square league grant was made to Juan Perez Pacheco and José Maria Mejía in 1843. Three days later, Captain Mejia gave his half of the grant to Pacheco. Juan Perez Pacheco (1823–1855) was the son of Francisco Perez Pacheco (1790–1860), grantee of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.
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 Luis Gonzaga was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852, and the grant was patented
to Juan Perez Pacheco in 1871.
When Juan Perez Pacheco died in 1855, the property went to his father, Francisco Pacheco. Upon Francisco Pacheco's death in 1860, as the only surviving child, Ysidora inherited most of the Pacheco holdings. In 1850, Ysidora Pacheco (1829–1892) married Mariano Malarin (1827–1895) of Rancho Chualar
. When María Ysidora Pacheco died in 1892, her estate consisted of Rancho San Luis Gonzaga and half of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.
Part of Rancho San Luis Gonzanga became the San Luis Reservoir
in 1962. In 1992, Paula Fatjo, a great granddaughter of Ysidora and Mariano Malarin, left in her will 6890 acres (27.9 km²), which is now Pacheco State Park
, to the California Parks System.
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 the Diablo Range
Diablo Range
The Diablo Range is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Coast Ranges. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United States.-Geography:...
, in present day Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
and Merced County, California
Merced County, California
Merced County , is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793, up from 210,554 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Merced...
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 Juan Perez Pacheco and José Maria Mejía. The grant was bounded by Francisco Pacheco's Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe
Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe was a Mexican land grant in present day San Benito County and Santa Clara County, California a consists of two square leagues given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa and two square leagues given in 1836 by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to Francisco Perez Pacheco...
on the west (at the top of present-day Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main road over the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley....
), the San Joaquin River
San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California in the United States. At over long, the river starts in the high Sierra Nevada, and flows through a rich agricultural region known as the San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean...
and San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
on the east, and Los Baños Creek
Los Baños Creek
Los Baños Creek or Los Banos Creek, originally El Arroyo de los Baños, is a tributary stream of the San Joaquin River. Its source drains the slopes of the Diablo Range within the Central Valley of California, USA. Los Baños Creek has its source at the confluence of North Fork Los Banos Creek and...
on the south.
History
A grant was first made in 1841 to Francisco Jose Rivera of Monterey, but he returned to MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
soon after and did not occupy the grant. The eleven square league grant was made to Juan Perez Pacheco and José Maria Mejía in 1843. Three days later, Captain Mejia gave his half of the grant to Pacheco. Juan Perez Pacheco (1823–1855) was the son of Francisco Perez Pacheco (1790–1860), grantee of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.
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 Luis Gonzaga 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 Juan Perez Pacheco in 1871.
When Juan Perez Pacheco died in 1855, the property went to his father, Francisco Pacheco. Upon Francisco Pacheco's death in 1860, as the only surviving child, Ysidora inherited most of the Pacheco holdings. In 1850, Ysidora Pacheco (1829–1892) married Mariano Malarin (1827–1895) of Rancho Chualar
Rancho Chualar
Rancho Chualar was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1839 by Governor protem Manuel Jimeno to Juan Malarin. The grant extended along the north bank of the Salinas River, and encompassed present day Chualar.-History:...
. When María Ysidora Pacheco died in 1892, her estate consisted of Rancho San Luis Gonzaga and half of Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.
Part of Rancho San Luis Gonzanga became the San Luis Reservoir
San Luis Reservoir
The San Luis Reservoir is an off-stream artificial lake in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. The reservoir stores water taken from the San...
in 1962. In 1992, Paula Fatjo, a great granddaughter of Ysidora and Mariano Malarin, left in her will 6890 acres (27.9 km²), which is now Pacheco State Park
Pacheco State Park
Pacheco State Park is a California State Park in the Diablo Range, located mostly in western Merced County, California but extending into southeastern Santa Clara County and entrance located near Hollister in San Benito County....
, to the California Parks System.