Rancho Cañada de Jonive facts for kids
Rancho Cañada de Jonive was a large piece of land, about 10,787 acres, in what is now Sonoma County, California. It was a Mexican land grant given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to a man named James Black. The land included the area where the town of Freestone is today.
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Exploring the History of Rancho Cañada de Jonive
In 1835, Governor José Figueroa wanted to build the Presidio of Sonoma. This fort was meant to keep an eye on the Russian presence at Fort Ross. To help expand settlements towards Fort Ross, Governor Figueroa sent three men: Edward McIntosh, James Black, and James Dawson.
These three men were sailors. They came to California with Captain John B.R. Cooper, who was related to General Vallejo. The Russians eventually left Fort Ross in 1841 and sold it to John Sutter.
Early Settlers and a Sawmill
James Black settled on the land that would become Rancho Cañada de Jonive. James Dawson and Edward McIntosh settled on a nearby area called Rancho Estero Americano. The three men worked together to build a sawmill. This mill was on Salmon Creek, close to the town of Freestone.
The sawmill on Rancho Cañada de Jonive was busy until 1849. At that time, the men sold all their lumber and left to search for gold.
James Black's Journey and the Land Grant
James Black was born in 1810 in Inverness, Scotland. He started working on ships when he was young. In 1832, he arrived in Monterey.
By 1842, when the Russians left California, Black was already cutting timber for John Cooper. In 1844, James Black married Maria Agustina Sais. Her brother, Domingo Sais, also received a land grant called Rancho Cañada de Herrera.
Black moved back to Rancho Cañada de Jonive. In 1845, he officially received the land grant for this area. Later, in 1848, Black traded his land with Jasper O'Farrell. Black ended up with O’Farrell’s Rancho Nicasio land, and O’Farrell received Rancho Cañada de Jonive.
Rancho Cañada de Jonive Becomes United States Land
After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. This change happened with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The treaty said that existing land grants, like Rancho Cañada de Jonive, would still be valid.
In 1852, a claim for Rancho Cañada de Jonive was filed with the Public Land Commission. This was required by a new law called the Land Act of 1851. The land grant was officially given to Jasper O'Farrell in 1858. This official document is called a patent.
Jasper O'Farrell married Mary McChristian in 1849. They moved to Rancho Cañada de Jonive and lived there until O'Farrell passed away in 1875.
