Rancho San José (Palomares) facts for kids
Rancho San Jose was a huge piece of land in what is now northeastern Los Angeles County. It was about 22,340 acres big. In 1837, the Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado gave this land to two men: Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Véjar.
Today, many cities and towns are built on what used to be Rancho San Jose. These include Pomona, LaVerne, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, Azusa, Covina, Walnut, Glendora, and Claremont.
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History of Rancho San Jose
Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Véjar owned many horses and cattle. They kept their animals at another ranch called Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas. This ranch became too crowded for all their animals. So, Palomares and Véjar looked for their own land.
In 1837, Governor Alvarado gave them the land for Rancho San Jose. This land used to belong to Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. The mission's lands were taken by the government in 1833.
Palomares and Véjar marked the ranch's borders on March 19, 1837. This day is a special holiday for St. Joseph. That's why they named the ranch after him. A priest named Father José Maria de Zalvidea came from the San Gabriel Mission. He held the first Christian ceremony in the Pomona Valley under an oak tree. This tree was located where 458 Kenoak Place in Pomona is today.
More Land and New Owners
Later, Luis Arenas, who was Ygnacio Palomares's brother-in-law, joined them. They asked Governor Alvarado for more grazing land. In 1840, they received an extra 4,431 acres. This new part was called the Rancho San Jose Addition.
In 1846, Luis Arenas sold his share of Rancho San Jose to Henry Dalton. Dalton also owned another ranch nearby.
After the Mexican–American War ended in 1848, California became part of the United States. The peace agreement, called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, said that the land grants given by Mexico would still be valid.
In 1852, a claim for Rancho San Jose was made to the U.S. government. This was required by a new law. In 1875, the government officially recognized the land grant. It was given to Dalton, Palomares, and Véjar. The Rancho San Jose Addition was also officially recognized at the same time.
Challenges and Changes
Palomares and Véjar raised sheep and cattle on Rancho San Jose. They also grew crops for their families and workers. In the early 1860s, the area faced big problems. There was a huge flood, followed by several years of very dry weather. This caused many of their animals to die. Sadly, some of Palomares's children also passed away during this difficult time.
Ygnacio Palomares died in 1864. His wife began selling parts of the ranch land in 1865. She sold their main adobe home in 1874 and moved in with her children. Ricardo Véjar also lost his share of the ranch in 1864 due to money problems. Two merchants from Los Angeles bought his part. In 1866, these merchants sold the ranch to Louis Phillips.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
Many old buildings from Rancho San Jose still exist today. This is partly because the area grew slowly at first. Also, the Historical Society of Pomona Valley worked hard to save these places. Some of these historic sites are:
- La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose – This was Ygnacio Palomares's first adobe home, built in 1837. The Historical Society of Pomona Valley now takes care of it.
- La Casa Alvarado – An adobe home built in 1840 by Palomares's friend, Yganacio Alvarado. It is near the Casa Primera.
- Ygnacio Palomares Adobe – This was the second, larger adobe home built by Ygnacio Palomares between 1849 and 1854. The Historical Society of Pomona Valley also operates this one.
- Phillips Mansion – A large house built in 1875 by Louis Phillips. He bought about 12,000 acres of the southern part of the Rancho in 1864. Louis Phillips became one of the wealthiest men in Los Angeles County. The Historic Society of Pomona Valley now manages this mansion.
- San Dimas Hotel – A hotel built in 1887 by the San Jose Ranch Company. They hoped for a land boom, but it didn't happen. The hotel never had a paying guest and became a private home. The City of San Dimas now operates it.
Important People of Rancho San Jose
Ygnacio Palomares
Ygnacio Palomares was born on February 2, 1811, near Mission San Fernando. He was one of thirteen children. His family was very well-known in Los Angeles.
Ygnacio Palomares married Maria Concepcion Lopez in 1832. They had eight children together. He was active in Los Angeles politics in the 1830s and 1840s. He served as a "Country Judge" (Juez de Campo) in 1834 and 1840. He was also a "Justice of the Peace" (Juez de Paz) in 1841. During this time, he made some tough decisions about law and order. He was also a councilman (regidor) in 1835 and 1838.
In 1843, he voted for the President of Mexico. In 1844, he was a Captain in the local militia. The next year, he served as an alternate in the assembly. He was even elected the last Mexican mayor of Los Angeles in 1848. However, he held the job only for a short time. After being mayor, he settled down at his Rancho San Jose adobe.
Ricardo Véjar
Nepomuceno Ricardo Véjar was born in San Diego in 1805. His father was a soldier. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1810. Ricardo Véjar also served as a "Country Judge" in Los Angeles in 1833.
Ricardo Véjar married Maria Bendita Soto. He owned one-third of Rancho San Jose. He also owned another ranch called Rancho Los Nogales. As mentioned, Véjar had to give up his part of Rancho San Jose in 1864 because of financial difficulties. He lived the rest of his life in the Spadra area with his family. He passed away in 1882.
Luis Arenas
Luis Arenas came to California around 1834 with a group of settlers. He was married to Josefa Palomares, who was Ygnacio Palomares's sister. He served as the alcalde (mayor) of Los Angeles in 1838.
In 1841, Luis Arenas received the Rancho El Susa land grant. In 1844, Henry Dalton bought El Susa from Arenas. Dalton also bought Arenas's one-third share in Rancho San Jose. Arenas also received land grants for Rancho Pauba in 1844 and Rancho Los Huecos in 1846. His son, Cayetano Arenas, worked for Governor Pio Pico and received the land grant for Rancho San Mateo.
