Seventy-five Years in San Francisco

When I was at the port of San Luis Obispo, in the bark Louisa, in the year 1831, the mission of that name was wealthy, with sixty thousand head of cattle and thousands of sheep and horses. The great wealth of the missions, while under Spanish and Mexican control, in cattle, horses and sheep, will be shown by the following enumeration of their livestock before and after their secularization—before and after the year 1830.

Mission Sonoma: 30,000 cattle and 1,000 horses and mares. The stock on the Rancho Suscol before mentioned belonged to the mission.

Mission of Santa Clara: 65,000 cattle, 30,000 sheep and 4,000 horses and mares. Mentioning this mission recalls to my mind a transaction in hides and tallow with Fathers Mercado and Muro in my earlier dealings with them in September, 1844, which showed that the missions acted in unison with each other. I received from Father Mercado of the Santa Clara mission a letter to Father Muro of Mission San José requesting him to deliver to me two hundred hides, which he did, as part payment for some goods I had sold the former. I had not pressed the matter at all; but he said it was the same as if he had paid for them himself

Mission San Juan Bautista: more than 60,000 cattle, 2,000 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Mission San Antonio: Don José Abrego, administrator in 1833 and 1834; 10,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares, 10,000 sheep. There were 1,000 Indians at the mission.

Mission San Miguel: 35,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Soledad (mission): 25,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

La Purísima Concepción (mission): 20,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 15,000 sheep.

Mission Santa Ynéz: 20,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

Mission San Fernando: 50,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Mission San Gabriel: 80,000 cattle, 3,000 horses and mares and 30,000 sheep.

Mission San Luis Rey: 60,000 cattle, 2,000 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Mission San Juan Capistrano: 20,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

Mission of San Diego: 15,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Mission of Santa Barbara: 20,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 20,000 sheep.

Mission San Buenaventura: 25,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

The following is a list of the solid men of the department, anterior to and after the change of government.

Francisco P. Pacheco: Ranchos San Felipe and San Luis Gonzaga, about 90,000 acres of land; 20,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares and 15,000 sheep. That rich hacendado was a large buyer of merchandise, and I sold many goods to him in 1844 and 1845. He hauled the hides and tallow from his hacienda, a distance of sixty miles, to the embarcadero of Santa Clara, now the town of Alviso.

David Spence: Rancho Buena Esperanza, 25,000 acres of land; 4,000 head of cattle, 500 horses and mares.

Juan Malarín: Ranchos Zanjones, Guadalupe, Correos and Chualar, 8 leagues of land; 10,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

James Watson: Rancho San Benito, 2 leagues of land; 2,000 cattle, 100 horses and mares and 1,000 sheep.

Teodoro Gonzáles: Rancho San Cenobio or Rincón de Ia Punta del Monte; 5,000 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Estevan de la Torre: Rancho Escarpines, 2 leagues of land; 1,600 cattle and 150 horses and mares.

Estevan Munrás: Rancho Laguna Seca, 3 leagues of land; 3,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Feliciano Soberanes: Ranchos ex-Mission Soledad and San Lorenzo; 4,000 cattle, 2,000 sheep and 300 horses and mares. This land was the old Mission Soledad and pursuant to the law of secularization was sold by order of the government. After the arrival of a bishop in California, he called on Señor Soberanes, who was ill at the time, and requested him to give back to the Church the property above named—an advisable act, if he, Soberanes, wanted to save his soul. The old hacendado replied to the reverend father that he had decided to leave the land to his heirs and must decline his request.

Charles Wolter: Rancho Toro, 4 leagues of land; 3,000 cattle, 2,000 sheep, 150 horses and mares.

Sebastián Rodrígues: Rancho Bolsa del Pájaro, 2 leagues of land; 2,000 cattle and 100 horses and mares.

José Amesti: Rancho Los Corralitos, 4 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle, 300 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Juan Antonio Vallejo: Rancho Pájaro, 4 leagues of land; 6,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

W. E. P. Hartnell: Rancho Alisal, 2 leagues of land; 2,500 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

James Stokes: Rancho de Ia Verjeles; 2,200 cattle and 100 horses and mares.

José Rafael Gonzáles (“Pintito”): Rancho San Miguelito de Trinidad, 5 leagues of land: 4,500 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Juan Wilson: Rancho Guílicos, 4 leagues of land; 3,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Government Rancho Nacional: in Monterey Valley; 6 leagues of land; 15,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Santiago and José Ramón Estrada: Rancho Buenavista, 3 leagues of land; 2,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Joaquín Estrada: Rancho Santa Margarita, 6 leagues of land; 4.000 cattle, 300 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

José Simeón Castro: Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo, 8 leagues of land (the present site of the city of Castroville); 6,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Francisco Rico: Rancho San Bernardo, 3 leagues of land; 3,000 cattle and 100 horses and mares.

José Abrego, owner of the following ranchos: Punta Pinos, 1 league of land, now the present site of Pacific Grove; Noche Buena, near the Hotel Del Monte, 2 leagues; Saucito, 1 league; and San Francisquito, 3 leagues. Those ranchos contained 4,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Juan Anzar: Rancho Los Aromitas y Agua Caliente, 3 leagues of land; 4,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Charles Wolter: Rancho Tularcito; 1,000 cattle and 50 horses and mares.

William G. Dana: Rancho Nipomo, 32,728 acres of land; 6,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

Joaquín and José A. Carrillo: Rancho Lompoc, 38,335 acres; 2,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 1,000 sheep.

Salvio Pacheco: Rancho Monte Diablo, 18,000 acres of land; 3,500 cattle, 300 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Henry D. Fitch: Rancho Sotoyomé, 11 leagues of land; 14,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

John A. Sutter: Rancho New Helvetia, leagues of land; 4,000 cattle, 800 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

William A. Richardson: Rancho Sausalito, 19,571 acres of land; 2,800 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Rafael García: Ranchos Tomales and Baulinas, 2 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle and 150 horses and mares.

Ygnacio Pacheco: Rancho San José, 6,660 acres of land; 3,300 cattle and 400 horses and mares.

John Marsh: Rancho Los Meganos, 4 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Tomás Pacheco and Agustín Alviso: Rancho Potrero de los Cerritos, 3 leagues of land; 4,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Anastasio Carrillo: Rancho Punta de Ia Concepción, 24,992 acres of land; 4,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Ex-Alcalde José Jesús Noé: Rancho San Miguel, 1 league of land; 2,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Hilaria Sánchez Read: Rancho Tamalpais, 2 leagues of land; 2,000 cattle, 200 horses arid mares and 1,000 sheep.

Juan Temple: Rancho Los Cerritos, 5 leagues of land; 14,000 cattle, 5,000 sheep and 1,000 horses and mares.

Ricardo Véjar: Rancho San José, 22,720 acres of land; 8,000 cattle and 600 horses and mares.

Abel Stearns: Rancho Alamitos, 6 leagues of land, and other ranchos amounting to many thousand acres; 30,000 cattle, 2,000 horses and mares and 10,000 sheep.

Juan Avila: Rancho El Nigüil, 4 leagues of land; 9,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Pío Pico and Andrés Pico: Rancho Los Coyotes, 56,980 acres of land, in Los Angeles County; 10,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep; also Ranchos Santa Margarita, Las Flores and San Mateo, in San Diego County, with many thousand acres of land; 10,000 cattle, 2,000 horses and mares and 15,000 sheep.

Carlos Antonio Carrillo: Rancho Sespe, 6 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Ygnacio del Valle: Rancho Camulos, 22 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Manuel Domínguez: Rancho San Pedro, 10 leagues of land; 8,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Bernardo Yorba: Ranchos Santiago de Santa Ana, 11 leagues of land; La Sierra, 4 leagues; El Rincón, 1 league; those ranchos in all contained 20,000 cattle, 1,500 horses and mares and 8,000 sheep.

Agustín Machado: Rancho La Ballona, 13,920 acres of land; 10,000 cattle and 600 horses and mares.

Julio Verdugo: Rancho Los Verdugos, 8 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

John Roland and William Workman: Rancho La Puente, 48,790 acres of land; 10,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

José Sepúlveda: Rancho San Joaquín, 11 leagues of land; 14,000 cattle and 3,000 horses and mares.

José Antonio Aguirre: Rancho San Pedro, 2 leagues of land; 3,700 cattle.

José Loreto and Juan Sepúlveda: Rancho Los Palos Verdes, 31,600 acres of land; 8,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Nasario Domínguez: Rancho San Pedro, 2 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Ygnacio Machado: Rancho La Ballona, 13,920 acres of land; 5,600 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Antonio María Lugo: Rancho San Antonio, 11 leagues; and Chino, 6 leagues of land; 30,000 cattle and 1,500 horses and mares.

José María Lugo: Rancho San Antonio; 3,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Vicente Lugo: Rancho San Antonio; 4,000 cattle and 400 horses and mares.

Tomás Yorba: Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, 8 leagues of land; 10,000 cattle, 400 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Teodosio Yorba: Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, 7 leagues of land; 7,800 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Tomás A. Sánchez: Rancho La Ciénega; 2,000 cattle, 1,000 horses and mares and 15,000 sheep. This hacendado was sheriff of Los Angeles County from 1860 to 1868.

José Noriega and Robert Livermore: Rancho Los Pozitos, 2 leagues of land; 4,000 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Fulgencio and Mariano Higuera: Rancho Agua Caliente, 2 leagues of land; 3,500 cattle, 350 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Antonio Suñol: Rancho El Valle de San José, 51,573 acres of land; 10,000 cattle, 500 horses and mares and 5,000 sheep.

Agustín Bernal: Rancho El Valle de San José, 8,000 cattle, 400 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Juan Bernal: Rancho El Valle de San José; 2,300 cattle, 200 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Tiburcio Vásquez: Rancho Corral de Tierra, 1 league of land; 2,100 cattle and 200 horses and mares; in San Mateo County.

Francisco Sánchez: Rancho San Pedro, 2 leagues of land, in San Mateo County; 4,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Joaquin Ruiz: Rancho La Bolsa Chica, 2 leagues of land; 2,400 cattle and 500  horses and mares.

José Antonio Yorba: Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, 2 leagues of land; 3,200 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Ramón Yorba: Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, 2 leagues of land; 2,500 cattle and 400 horses and mares.

Macedonio Aguilar: Rancho La Ballona, 2 leagues of land; 4,800 cattle, 400 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

Diego Sepúlveda: Rancho Los Palos Verdes, 2 leagues of land; 5,300 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Francisco Sepúlveda: Rancho San Vicente, 38,000 acres of land; 5,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Francisco Ocampo: Rancho San Bártolo, in Los Angeles Valley; 8 leagues of land; 7,000 cattle and 350 horses and mares.

John B. R. Cooper: Rancho Molino, 3 leagues of land; 6,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares; also Ranchos Sur, 2 leagues of land, and Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo, or La Sagrada Familia, 2 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Juan María Anzar and Manuel Larios: Ranchos Santa Ana, 1 league, and Quien Sabe, 6 leagues of land, in San Juan Bautista Valley; 4,000 cattle, 300 horses and mares and 4,000 sheep.

Ygnacio Palomares: Rancho San José (Pomona), 2 leagues of land; 3,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares.

Pedro Avila: Rancho El Nigüil, 2 leagues of land, in Los Angeles Valley; 3,400 cattle and 300 horses and mares.

Henrique Avila: Rancho Los Cuervos, 2 leagues of land; 2,200 cattle, 300 horses and mares and 2,000 sheep.

José María Avila: Rancho Los Cuervos, 2 leagues of land; 2,000 cattle and 200 horses and mares.

Antonio Ygnacio Avila: Rancho Sauzal Redondo, 5 leagues of land; 4,500 cattle and 500 horses.

Andrés Pico: Ex-Mission San Fernando, 11 leagues of land; 5,000 cattle and 500 horses and mares. Some years after the secularization of the mission of San Fernando, it became impoverished, and 121,620 acres of its lands were granted to Eulogio de Célis; probably Pico became a joint owner with him in the large tract.

To enumerate all the ranchos in the department, with the livestock on them, would take too many pages. I have only mentioned, comparatively, a few or some of the more important haciendas, to illustrate their great wealth.

After their downfall, the missions became destitute and the lands were granted by the authorities of the department to citizens of the young country. Those men became stock raisers, and through the experience gained by their observations of management by the fathers they succeeded in reinstating the lost riches of California which were taken from the missionaries; and they even accumulated more than twofold the former wealth of the primitive land. They became extensive hacendados and were inspired by the numerous evidences around them, which remained only as monuments that were fast crumbling away, of the energy, perseverance and industry of the good fathers in their days of plenty and their acquisition of property.

I may have alluded before to the facts contained in the statement, which leads me to make the assertion, without fear of a successful contradiction, that the department of California previous to and after the ruin of the missions, in proportion to the population, was the richest of any country under Spanish dominion and inhabited by citizens of Castilian extraction.

There were 1,045 grants of ranchos of all sizes made by the governors; deducting from that number 245 (which it is presumed were not stocked with animals) will leave 800 ranchos which were probably all stocked, averaging 1,500 head of cattle to each rancho and making a total of 1,200,000; this was after the missions became poor. There are 87 haciendas above mentioned, with an average of 5,310 cattle to each. When, in addition, the horses and sheep are considered, surely no stronger proof of the assertion as to the wealth of the department of California at that period could be either required or produced.