Rancho Corte Madera de Novato facts for kids

Rancho Corte Madera de Novato was a huge piece of land, about 8,879 acres, in what is now Marin County, California. It was a special gift, called a Mexican land grant, given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to a man named John Martin. The name "Corte Madera de Novato" means "the lumber mill of Novato." This land stretched along Hicks Valley, which is northwest of the modern-day town of Novato.

History of the Rancho

John Martin and Early Life

An Englishman named John Martin (1787–1860) arrived in Yerba Buena (which is now San Francisco) in 1822. He traveled on a ship called the "Orion." In 1826, John Martin married Maria Tomasa Antonia Dominga Cantua. They settled at the Presidio of San Francisco, which was a military fort.

By 1832, Martin was farming near Sonoma. In 1837, he moved to the area that would become Rancho Corte Madera de Novato. He officially received his land grant in 1840. He lived there with his wife and their children's families.

Changes After the Mexican-American War

After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. This change was agreed upon in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said that the United States would respect the land grants given by Mexico.

To make sure these land grants were official under U.S. law, a new rule called the Land Act of 1851 was created. John Martin had to file a claim for his Rancho Corte Madera de Novato with the Public Land Commission in 1852. This commission checked if the land grants were valid. John Martin's grant was officially approved, or "patented," in 1863.

Family and Land Sales

In 1852, John Martin sold a part of his rancho, about one square mile, to his daughter Loretta and her husband, George Brewer. He also gave another square mile to Loretta alone.

In 1853, George Brewer tried to prove that John Martin was not mentally capable of managing his land. However, Brewer lost the court case. After this, John Martin started selling off parts of his land. George Brewer died in 1853. John Martin and his wife Tomasa then lived with their daughter Loretta. John Martin passed away by 1860, and Tomasa later married Manuel Barra.

William Hicks Buys Land

In 1855, a man named William Hicks (1817–1884) bought about 4,000 acres of Rancho Corte Madera de Novato. William Hicks was also known as "Uncle Billy." He had come to California in 1843 with a group called the Chiles-Walker party.

Even though he owned land in the rancho, William Hicks did not live there. He lived on another rancho called Rancho Sanjon de los Moquelumnes. However, Hicks Valley and Hicks Mountain are both named after him.