Rancho El Molino facts for kids
Rancho El Molino was a very large piece of land in what is now Sonoma County, California. It was about 17,892-acre (72.41 km2) big. This land was given as a Mexican land grant in 1833. Governor José Figueroa first gave it to John B.R. Cooper. Another governor, Nicolás Gutiérrez, officially confirmed the grant in 1836. The name "Molino" means "mill" in Spanish. This name came from Cooper's sawmill, which was built on the land. The grant stretched south from the Russian River along Atascadero Creek. Today, it includes the town of Forestville.
History of Rancho El Molino
Captain John Bautista Rogers Cooper married Encarnacion Vallejo in 1827. She was the sister of General Vallejo. In 1835, Governor Figueroa asked General Vallejo to build the Presidio of Sonoma. This fort was meant to help stop the Russians who were at Fort Ross. To help expand settlements towards Fort Ross, Cooper received the Rancho El Molino land in 1833.
Cooper built a sawmill on his land in 1834. This mill used water power to cut wood for sale. Cooper also suggested people who could receive land grants nearby. These grants included Rancho Cañada de Jonive, Rancho Cañada de Pogolimi, and Rancho Estero Americano.
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 land grants given by Mexico would still be valid. So, in 1852, Cooper filed a claim for Rancho El Molino. He did this with the Public Land Commission. He received the official legal document, called a Land patent, in 1853.
In 1856, Cooper’s daughter, Ana Maria, married German Hermann Wohler. Hermann came to California in 1848. He worked a lot with buying and selling land. He even served one term in the California State Legislature in 1855. Cooper gave the newlyweds about 1,320 acres (5.3 km2) of land near Forestville. Later, Hermann opened an office in San Francisco. From there, he managed his properties, including farms in Sonoma County. Hermann Wohler passed away in 1877. After his death, the main 1,320 acres (5.3 km2) of land were sold. Raford Peterson and his partner Charles Farmer bought them. Peterson later bought out Farmer's share.
Captain Cooper died in 1872. He left a large amount of land to his wife, Maria G. Encarnacion Vallejo Cooper. He also left land to his son, J.B. Henry Cooper, and his two daughters, Ana Maria Wohler and Amalia Molera. His friend G.H. Howard also received some land. Cooper asked for his share of Rancho El Molino to be sold. This sale would help pay off his debts.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
Cooper's Sawmill was built in 1834. It was the first sawmill in California that used water power for business. This mill cut redwood lumber. The power for the sawmill came from Mark West Creek. Sadly, a big flood destroyed the sawmill in early 1841.
