Los Rancheros

Antonio Buelna (who had helped lead a revolt against Governor Nicholas Guitierrez) was granted 8 suertes (about 1471 acres) of land in 1839 at the western part of Arroyo San Francisquito as a gesture of thanks by the newly imposed Juan Bautista Alvarado. (His "Rancho de San Francisquito" eventually became what is now the northwest end of Stanford University and western Menlo Park. In the "Unionization of California," Buelna's land was usurped by squatters, resulting in several quarrels about ownership. A wealthy San Franciscan, George Gordon, eventually bought out the squatters and Buelna heirs in 1863 and created a country estate for himself, which he subsequently sold to Leland and Jane Stanford.)

Segundino Robles (a robust 6’3" American-born Hispanic who became mayordomo at Santa Clara Mission) purchased a large section of eastern San Francisquito land from Jose Pena in 1841. (His "Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito" now makes up most of southern Palo Alto and part of the Stanford campus). An 1862 map shows Pena's house near Camino del arrastradero dela mission de Santa Clara and Pena's house at an aguajito (probably today's Lake Lagunitas). Robles was a skilled horseman, rancher, hunter, party host, father of twenty nine children (only eight lived to adulthood), "Californio" patriot, and adept businessman capitalizing on the Ohlone cinnabar cave (New Almaden Mine) making a fortune supplying gold seekers with much needed mercury during the Gold Rush years. Robles, apparently, was one of the few Hispanics who was able to hold onto his land after the U.S. takeover of California. Robles adobe house, a popular party spot, was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. (With strong redwood timbers and a roof which survived, however, a barn was constructed from its salvage, and that remained standing near today's Alma and San Antonio roads well into the 1950's).

Northeast of Robles' Rancho Rincon was a 2229 acre tract held by Rafael Soto called "Rancho Rinconada del Arroyo" (the area makes up what is now Menlo Park and downtown Palo Alto). Rafael died in 1839, but his wife Antonia Mesa Soto rode to Monterey to register claim on the land and was granted title by Governor Juan Bautista Alavardo in 1841. During the "Unionization of California" the widow had difficulty holding on to the land, even though a 1847 dise–o map clearly showed Rancho Rinconada del Arroyo under the name of Se–ora Antonia Mesa. Soto heirs were not granted U.S. patent to what was left of the land until 1872, and not without much politicking by sea Captain John Greer (who married Maria Luisa Soto Coppinger) and opportunist brothers Thomas and Henry Seale (who wanted half of the ranch in exchange for their help in re-securing the title).

Also much contested was the title to a 69,000 acre land grant called "Rancho de Los Pulgas" which was allowed to San Francisco Presidio Commandant Jose Arguello around 1775 by the Spanish government. The allowance may have been a verbal agreement between the Governor and the Commandant since it was apparently unsupported by official documents. A latter Governor (Figueroa) would endorse only a bayside grant of 35,200 acres to the Arguellos in 1820. Jose's son Luis was next heir to lay claim the land, but historian A.L. Bancroft mentions that a Captain Luis Arguello drowned in March 1830 while crossing the bay in a whale boat. Although the Arguello family maintained a claim to ownership throughout the Mexican governmental period (1822-1846), evidently there was no strongman in the family to back up the family claim, particularly after the U.S. military takeover of California, the ranch was prey to dozens of Anglo squatters who operated in an air of impunity. Worth noting is in 1851 a fellow named Steiberger built a fence along the north side of mission road which divided fields from marshland (this came to be known as the middle field fence and the general alignment of Middlefield Road). Since U.S. Land Commissioners never heartily recognized the Arguello family claim, the land was pretty much up for grabs for much of the late 1840's and early 1850's (until a court decision in 1856). For Rancho de los Pulgas, this was truly a "wild, wild west" period of squatters, quarrels, fights and the like, with the most powerful occupants being the de-facto owners. The Arguellos sold off much of what was left of the ranch to pay lawyers fees and U.S. taxes.

Back to index