Rancho Jesús María facts for kids

Rancho Jesus Maria was a very large piece of land in what is now northern Santa Barbara County, California. It covered about 42,185 acres (which is about 171 square kilometers). This land was given out as a Mexican land grant in 1837. The governor at the time, Juan B. Alvarado, gave it to two people: Lucas Antonio Olivera and José Antonio Olivera.

The rancho stretched along the Pacific coast, from Shuman Canyon all the way south to the Santa Ynez River. Today, this historic area is where Vandenberg Space Force Base is located.

History of Rancho Jesus Maria

Early Owners and Sales

In 1839, Lucas Antonio and José Antonio Olivera sold the land grant to José Valenzuela. A few years later, in 1847, José Valenzuela sold parts of the rancho to two different people. He sold one-third of the land to Pedro Catarino Carrillo and another one-third to Lewis T. Burton.

Pedro Catarino Carrillo's Role

Pedro Catarino Carrillo (1818–1888) was a son of Carlos Antonio Carrillo, who was an important person in California history. Pedro received his education in places like Honolulu and Boston. He held several important jobs in California. He was appointed as a collector of customs in both San Diego and Santa Barbara, California. This meant he was in charge of collecting taxes on goods coming into those ports.

Pedro Carrillo also served as an alcalde, which was like a mayor or chief judge in a Spanish or Mexican town. He was also a town surveyor for Santa Barbara, meaning he helped map out the town. Later, he became a justice of the peace in Los Angeles, which is a judge who handles minor legal cases. In 1841, Pedro Carrillo married Maria Josefa Ramona Bandini.

Lewis T. Burton's Influence

Lewis (Luis) T. Burton (1809–1879) came from Tennessee. He traveled overland to California in 1831 with a group called the Wolfskill party. He arrived in the Santa Barbara area soon after, looking to trap otters. In 1839, Lewis Burton married Maria Antonia Carrillo. She was the daughter of Carlos Antonio Carrillo and the sister of Pedro C. Carrillo.

Lewis Burton was also an important figure. He served under John C. Frémont, who was a famous explorer and military officer. In 1850, Lewis Burton became the first American Mayor of Santa Barbara. In 1846, he bought another large piece of land called Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal. Today, a place called Burton Mesa is named after him.

Land Grant Confirmation

After the Mexican–American War, California became part of the United States. This happened with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. This treaty promised that the existing Mexican land grants, like Rancho Jesus Maria, would be honored by the U.S. government.

To make this official, the U.S. government passed the Land Act of 1851. This law required landowners to file a claim for their land grants. A claim for Rancho Jesus Maria was filed with the Public Land Commission in 1852. Finally, in 1871, the grant was officially confirmed and patented to Lewis T. Burton and José Carrillo. This meant they had clear legal ownership of the land.

Later Ownership and Military Use

Lewis Burton continued to buy the different shares of Rancho Jesus Maria. By the time he passed away in 1879, he owned the entire rancho. His son, Ben Burton, inherited all of Rancho Jesus Maria.

In 1906, Edwin Jessop Marshall bought Rancho Jesus Maria. He was a businessman who owned land in California, Arizona, and Mexico. In 1941, the Marshall family sold the rancho to the United States government. The government wanted to use the land for a military facility. Today, this land is known as Vandenberg Space Force Base.