Rancho Laguna de San Antonio facts for kids
Rancho Laguna de San Antonio was a very large piece of land, about 24,903 acres (100.78 km²), given by the Mexican government in 1845. This land grant was located in what is now Marin County and Sonoma County, California. Governor Pío Pico gave this land to a man named Bartolomé Bojorquez. The area included Chileno Creek and Laguna Lake.
Contents
History of the Rancho
Bartolomé Bojórquez and His Family
Bartolomé Bojórquez was born in 1780. His father, Pedro Antonio Bojorques, came to California with the De Anza Expedition, a journey that explored and settled parts of California. In 1803, Bartolomé married Maria Nicolasa Linares. They had seven children together.
Bartolomé Bojórquez was a soldier who served at the Presidio of San Francisco, which was a military fort. In 1845, he was given the Rancho Laguna de San Antonio. This rancho was huge, covering about six square leagues, which is a very large area of land.
Changes After the Mexican-American War
After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. This change was finalized by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. This treaty promised that the land grants given by the Mexican government would still be recognized by the new U.S. government.
To make sure these land claims were official, the U.S. government passed the Land Act of 1851. This law required people who had received land grants to file a claim with the Public Land Commission. Bartolomé Bojorquez filed his claim for Rancho Laguna de San Antonio in 1852. His ownership of the land was officially confirmed, or "patented," in 1871.
Losing the Land
In 1851, Bartolomé Bojorquez shared ownership of the rancho with his family. He gave a part of the land to each of his seven children, and he kept parts for himself and his wife. However, over time, the Bojorquez family lost their property. This happened because they had taken out loans using the land as security, and they were unable to pay these loans back.
See also
- List of Ranchos of California
