Rancho San Miguel (Olivas) facts for kids
Rancho San Miguel was a large piece of land in what is now Ventura County, California. It covered about 4,694 acres (19 square kilometers). In 1841, the Mexican government gave this land to two men, Felipe Lorenzana and Raymundo Olivas. This gift was called a Mexican land grant. The land included parts of today's City of Ventura, and the Santa Clara River was its southern border.
Contents
History of Rancho San Miguel Land Grant
Felipe Lorenzana was an orphan who traveled from Mexico City to California around 1799. He later married Maria de Natividad Ruiz.
Raymundo Olivas was born in Los Angeles in 1801. When he was 16, he joined the Mexican Army. He was sent to the Presidio of Santa Barbara, which was like a fort.
The Olivas Family and Land Ownership
In 1832, Raymundo married Teodora Lopez in Santa Barbara. They had a very large family with 21 children! There were eight girls and thirteen boys.
Both Raymundo Olivas and Felipe Lorenzana received land for their service in the army. In 1841, they were given the Rancho San Miguel land grant.
Changes After the Mexican-American War
After the Mexican-American War, California became part of the United States. This change was agreed upon in 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said that the land grants given by Mexico would still be honored.
To make sure land ownership was clear, the United States created the Land Act of 1851. This law required people to prove they owned their land.
In 1852, a claim for Rancho San Miguel was filed with the Public Land Commission. This commission helped confirm who owned the land. In 1873, the ownership of the grant was officially recognized for Raymundo Olivas and Felipe Lorenzana. This official recognition is called a patent.
Later Ownership of the Rancho
In 1864, Felipe Lorenzana sold his half of Rancho San Miguel to a person named Dixie W. Thompson.
Raymundo Olivas passed away in 1879. His half of the Rancho was then divided among his many children and other family members.
Historic Sites of the Rancho
- Olivas Adobe: This is a historic adobe home built in 1841 by Raymundo Olivas himself.
