Rancho Refugio de la Laguna Seca facts for kids
Rancho Laguna Seca (also known as "Refugio de la Laguna Seca") was a very large piece of land, about 19,973-acre (80.83 km2), given out by the Mexican government. This happened in 1834 in what is now Santa Clara County, California. Governor José Figueroa gave this land to a man named Juan Alvires. The name "Laguna Seca" means "Dry Lake" in Spanish. It refers to a lake in the area, Laguna Seca, which sometimes dries up. The rancho stretched south along Coyote Creek. It went from Rancho Santa Teresa and Coyote down to Rancho Ojo del Agua de la Coche and Morgan Hill.
Contents
History of Rancho Laguna Seca
Juan Alvires was an important leader in his time. He served as the alcalde (like a mayor or judge) of San Jose from 1812 to 1813. He was also the alcalde of Monterey in 1826. Later, he was the alcalde of San Jose again in 1837.
Early Owners of the Rancho
The large Rancho Laguna Seca, which was about four square leagues in size, was given to Juan Alvires in 1834. However, Juan Alvires faced money problems. Because of this, he sold Rancho Laguna Seca to William Fisher in 1845. William Gulnac, who owned another rancho nearby, helped Fisher with the purchase. Gulnac was also Fisher's brother-in-law.
William Fisher was born in England in 1810. He moved to Massachusetts before coming to California. In 1830, he sailed to the West Coast as a ship's mate. He traded goods like hides and tallow. In 1834, he married Liberata Ceseña. They continued their trading business in Baja California.
Fisher Family and the Rancho
In 1846, William Fisher decided to move his family to Alta California. They made their home in the Pueblo of San José. William Fisher was asked to be the alcalde of San Jose, but he said no. He was likely busy raising cattle on his rancho and running his business in San Jose. He also had poor health.
By 1849, William Fisher's health got worse. He sold his store in San Jose to his clerk, Josiah Belden. William then returned to the rancho. He passed away there in 1850 at the age of 40. He left the rancho to his wife, Liberata Ceseña, and their six children.
New Marriages and Land Changes
In 1851, Daniel Murphy married Maria Fisher. Daniel was the youngest son of Martin Murphy. Martin owned the rancho next door, called Rancho Ojo del Agua de la Coche. Later, in 1882, Daniel and Maria's daughter, Diana, secretly married Hiram Morgan Hill.
After William Fisher died, his wife Liberata Ceseña married Dr. George H. Bull in 1851. Dr. Bull was a medical doctor from Troy, New York.
Rancho Under United States Rule
California became part of the United States after the Mexican-American War. This was agreed upon in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said that the land grants given by Mexico would still be honored.
Because of a new law called the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Laguna Seca was filed. This happened in 1852 with the Public Land Commission. The land was officially given to Liberata Ceseña Bull and the heirs of William Fisher in 1865. Juan Alvires also filed a claim for the land in 1853, but his claim was not approved.
Dr. Bull passed away in 1854. In 1857, Liberata Bull sold her half of the rancho, about 9,986 acres (40.4 km2), to her son-in-law, Daniel Murphy. She then married Caesar Piatti in 1858.
Dividing the Rancho Land
In 1858, Daniel Murphy started a lawsuit to divide the rancho. This led to different parts of the land being given to different people:
- Thomas Fisher received about 1,499 acres (6.1 km2).
- Cipriano Fisher received about 1,790 acres (7.2 km2).
- W. Fisher received about 1,795 acres (7.3 km2).
- Eulogia Fisher Rota (wife of Daniel Rota) received about 1,348 acres (5.5 km2).
- Fiacro Fisher received about 1,784 acres (7.2 km2).
- Daniel and Mary Murphy received the largest share, about 11,552 acres (46.7 km2).
In 1876, Eulogia Fisher sold her part of the land to Fiacro Fisher. Liberata lived on Rancho Laguna Seca until Caesar Piatti passed away in 1899.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
- Rancho del Refugio de la Laguna Seca, Stone Building. This building was constructed between 1860 and 1880.
