History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories, Part 16

Author: Wilson, John Albert, 1899-; Thompson & West
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 380


USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 16


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SECTION 1 .- COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES,-Beginning on the coast of the l'acific at a point parallel with the northern boundary of the rancho called Malaga: thence in a direction so as to include said rancho to the north-west corner of the ranebo called Triumfo, runuing on the north- erly line of the same to the north-east corner; thence to the sumunit of the ridge of hills called Santa Susanna; thence in a direct line to the north-westermost corner of the tract of land called Castec, where it approaches nearer to, or touches, the tract of land called Tejon: thence along the limits of the raucho or tract of land called the Tejon, up and along its western hue to the northwestern corner thereof;


thence along the northern line of the said tract of land called the Trjon, to its north-eastermost corner: thence in a north-east line to the eastern bunudary of the State: thence along said boundary line to the junction of the northern boundary line of San Diego county with the Colorado river: thenre along the boundary line of San Diego county to the'l'oast Hange, tu the boundary line of San Bernardino county; thence down and along the boundary line of said San Bernardino county tu the boundary line of San Diego county; thence to the Pacific ocean; thence along the coast of said ocean to the point of commencement. including the island- upon said coast.


The easterly portion of the county, as above defined, would appear to have already formed the county of San Bernardino, under the Net of April 26, 1Så3. This mistake was correcled by an Act upproved April 2, 1857. which defined the limits of San Bernardina county, and declared the Acts of the authori- ties of said county, in the meantime, to have the same force und elliet as if the above amendment of 1856 had never been passed. [See Hittel's General Laws, Soc. 1135. ]


By an Act approved April 2, 1866, entitled " An Act to create the county of Kern, to deline its boundaries, and to pro- vide for its organization ;" it is provided:


SECTION I. There shall be formed ont of portions of Tulare and hos Angeles counties n new connty, to be called Kern.


SEC. 2. The boundaries of Kern county shall be as follows: Com- meneing at a point on the western boundary line of Tulure connty, two miles due south of the sixth standard south of the Mount Dinblo lume line; theure dne enst to the western boundary of Inyo county; thence southerly and easterly following the western boundary of Inyo county and northern boundary of los Angeles county tu the north-enat corner of Los Angeles county; thence sonth along the eastern boundary of Los Angeles county to the line between townships eight und nine, north of the San Bernardino base line: thence due west to the Tulare county line; thence sontherly along the said Tulare conuty line to the south-west corner of Tulare county: thence northerly, following along the western boundary of Tulare county to the place of beginning.


In June, 1869, the line between Los Angeles and Kern conu- ties, as now existent, was agreed upon and run by George W. Orth, Tor Kern county, and William I'. Reynolds, for Los Angeles county. The present boundaries of Los Angeles county are defined by Hittell's Code ( 1876, as follows :-


SECTION 3945. Beginning at the south-east corner of Santa Barbara, in the l'acific ocean, at a point on extension line of the northern boundary of the rancho called Malaga, western corner ; thence north- easterly, ao as to include said rancho, to the north-west corner of the rancho called Triumfo, running ou northerly line of the same to the north-east corner thereof; thence to the summit of the ridge of hills called Santa Susanna ; thence in a direct line north westerly to the south-west corner of Kern, as established in section 3941, forming the north-west corner of Los Angeles; thence cast, on southern line of Kern to the western line of San Bernardino, as established in section 3943 ; thence southerly, on western line of San Bernardino to its point of intersection with northern line of San Diego, as established in said section ; thence sonth-westerly on San Diego line, as established in section 3944, to north-west corner of San Diego, in l'acilic ocean ; thence north-westerly, along ocean shore to place of beginning : including the islands of Santa Catalina, San Clement, and the islands off the coast included in Los Angeles county. ('ounty seat, Los Angeles.


Prior to the American occupation, sixty (GO) grants of land were made within the limits of Los Angeles county (as first created), by Spanish and Mexican rulers. All of these have


48


HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


been since confirmed by the United States Government. The following table gives the name of each grant ; to whom con- firmed; mul the acreage of each :-


NAME ..


TO WHOM CONTIEMED.


ACREAGE.


Purblo


City of las Angeles


17.172 37


San Francisco. .. .


.1. Felix, et al.


102,025 95


Mission Fan Fernando.


( hnrelt


71 94


Fx."


I. In: {'elis


6,660 71


'I'njunga


1). W. Alexander, it al.


5,832 71


La Canada


1. R. Scott & B. Hays


13,693 93


Kan l'axqual


Mannel Garfias.


13,319 0%;


Santa Anita


lleury Dalton


4,431 05


1784-1798.


The San Rafael Tract, lying on the left hauk of the Los Angeles river, and extending to the Arroyo Seco, was granted hy Governor l'euro Pages October 20, 1784, and the grant was re-atbruied by Gov- ernor Borica January 12, 1798, to Jose Muria Verdugo.


1810.


The Santiago de Santa Ana Tract, a large area lying along the Sauta Ana river, on its easterly side, and extending from tide water to and some miles within the hill lauds, was grauted to .Antonio Yorba, in 1810.


1822.


The San Pedro Tract, lying along the ocean, and the estuary of San Pedro, was granted to Juan Jose Dominguez by Pablo Vicente Sola, December 31st, 1822.


There would seem, however, to be considerable room for doubt as to the reliability of these dates ; as immediately after giving the above, Colonel Warner continues :-


The dates of these grants are taken from "Iloffman's Reports of Land Cases," but some of the dates are undoubtedly erroneous. This " Report of Land Cases," says the grant to Antonio Yorba was made by Jose Figueroa July 1, 1810. The ouly Figueroa who held the office of Governor of California, or who in the whole history of California issued grants of lands, was General Jose Figueroa, who was appointed iu April, 1832, and reached Monterey, California, -having come hy water-in January, 1833. Consequently, he could not have made a grant of land in California in 1810. There is mneh circumstantial testimony tending to show that both the Yorba and Dominguez grants were made during the past century. Antonio Maria Lugo, a prominent citizen of Los Angeles, giving testimony in the District Court, at Los Angeles, iu 1857, said his age was seventy-six years ; that he remembered the Pueblo of Los Angeles as early as 1785. That he had known the Verdugo, or San Rafael Ranch, since 1790. Tbat Verdugo had had his ranch since 1784, and that it (Fan Rafael) was the third oldest ranch in the county-the Nietos and the Dominguez heing the oldest. During the first quarter of the present century, the Santiago de Santa Ana Ranch was universally known, among the people inhabiting this county, as one of the oldest ranchos, and there are many good reasons for the belief that its founding was contemporary with that of San Rafael. There is no room to doubt the statentent that a graut of the Santiago de Santa Ana Traet, to Jose Antonio Yorba, was made in 1810 hy Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga. but in a partition suit in the District Court, for this county a few years ago, for the partition of that tract of laud among the heirs and claimants, testimony was iutrodneed which showed that the original occupant of that tract was N. Grijalva, who, as also bis wife, died, leaving only two children, hotb daughters. That one of these daughters married Jose Antonio Yorha, and the other Juan Pablo Peralta, and it is far more probable that the former of these two latter persons obtained a new or confirmed grant from Arrillaga, in 1810, than that Grijalva should have established himself upon the tract without having obtained a grant from the Governor. As Governor Borica, in 1798, issued to Jose Maria Verdugo a new or


confirmatory grant of the Tract of San Rafael, which had been granted to Verdugo by Governor Fages, in 1784, so it is probable that the first title papers for San Pedro aud Santiago de Santa Ana had disappeared, or were not presented to the I'nited States Laud Commissions for California. In this partition snit the Court recog- nized the claim of the l'eraltas as descendants of the original pro- prietor of the land. Don Manuel Domingues, one of the present proprietors of the Fan l'edro Kauch, states positively that the grant of that tract was made in 1784.


Uuder date August 7, 1Sal, the following order appears in the minutes of the Court of Sessions, now on lile in the County Clerk's office :-


Ordered-That the conuty of Los Angeles be divided into six tuwn. ships, named as follows, and to comprehend the ranchos und pluces as follows, tu each appropriated :-


TOWN OF LOS ANGELES.


The city of Los Angeles and the following ranchus, to wit; -


Los Corralitos


Eucino Maligo


Feliz


Verdugos


Fanta Monica


Cahuenga


San Vicente


Tujunga


Buenos Ayres


San Fernando, ex-Mission


La Bayona


San Francisco


Piro


Rodeo de los Agnus


Camulos


La Cienega


Canada de los Alamos


La Centinela Sausal Redondo l'alos Verdes


Triumfo


San Pedro


Vergeues


Los Domingnez


Escorpion


Paredon Blanco


San Antonio de la Mesa


Luis Sorritox


Los Alamitos


Lant Yaboueria


Vincente Lugo


Rosa de l'astill


Arroyo Seco


The residence of the authorities shall be in Los Angeles ('ity.


TOWN OF SAN GABRIEL.


The mission of the same name, and the ranchos of San Pasenal. Santa Anita, Andres Duarte, Azusa, La Puente, Los Coyotes, Nietos with all its lines of boundary, Cienega, Mission Vieja with all its lines of boundary.


The residence of the anthorities is in San Gabriel.


TOWN OF SAN JOSE.


Cucamonga, San Antonio, San Jose, El Pedregoso, San Jose en Medio, Los Nogales, Ranebo de los Ybarra.


The residence of Justices is in San Jose en Medio.


TOWN OF SAN BERNARDINO.


Rancho del Chino, Guapa, Jurupa within all its boundaries, Agua Mansa within all its boundaries, San Bernardino, Yucaypa, San Gor- gonco.


The residence of Justice is Jurupa.


TOWN OF SANTA ANA.


Las Bolsas, Los Paredes, Ranchito Mamado de l'olicaipo, Santiago, Santa Ana Abajo, Santa Ana en Medio, San Antonio de Don Bernar- dino Yorba, El Temescal, La Lierra el Rincon, Ranebo de Juan, P. Ontiveras (Aguage).


The residence of Justice shall be at the San Autonio de Dou Bernar- dino Yorba.


TOWN OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.


San Mateo. Mission Vieja, El Trabuco, San Juan Capistrano all its population, Los Alisos, San Joaquin.


The above-named grants were all, at one time, included within the limits of Los Angeles county. Subsequent divisions


of this county have placed many of them within the lines of San Bernardino and Korn counties. Sei supra.


According to Colonel Warner Hist. Sketch, pages , the lint four grants of land made in Los Angeles county outside of the Missions, by the Spanish Government, were made to dis- charged or retired Mission, sobliers. These grants are, by him, classed as follows :-


1784.


The Nietos Tract. embracing all the land between the Santa Ana and san Gabriel rivers, and from the sea to and including some of the hill land on its north-castern frontier, was granted by Governor l'edro l'ages to Manuel Nieto, in 1784.


" Duarte


A. Duarte .


II. Dalton, et al. ..


22,720 28


Rincon de la Brea


G. Ybarra. .


4,452 59


1,09 Noyales


¡M. de Jesus Cinreia, et al ..


460 72


Tract of da l'abla


de lesus Courtenay


49 29


LA Puente


.Inlian Workman, et ul ..


128 26


El. Escorpion


Indian Urbana, et al.


1,110 00


Sun Gabriel Mission ..


Church . . . .


190 69


Potrero de Felipe


M. & M. V. Rouero


2,042 81


l'otrera Grande


J. M. Knuchez


4.431 95


la Merced


P. I. F. Temple, et al.


2,363 75


San Antonio


A. M. Lugo


29,513 35


La Cienega . .


Andria Abila, it ul.


4,439 05


San Jose de Buenas.


Ayres. ..


Agustin Machada, et ul.


13,919 90


1,os l'alos Verdes


J. 1 .. Sepulveda, et al. 3,629 43


Sau l'edro ..


Manuel Dominguez, et al. 43,119 13


Tajunta ..


K. Abila


8,370 27


la llalıra . . .


..


56,979 72


Los Alamitos


A. Stearns


17.789 79


Lin Bulan Chỉca


Joaquin Ruiz. 8,107 40


1.os Bolsas


Kamon Yorba, et al ...


34.486 53


Canon de Santa Ana


=


13.328 53


El Rincuu .


4.431 41


San Joaquin


1. Sepulveda


48,803 16


('nundn de los Alisos.


Jose Sernno


10,668 81


Frnbuco


Juan Fuster


22,184 47


Mission Viejo de la Paz


46,432 65


" San Juan Capistrano Church


44 50


Santa Gertrudis .


Saumel C'arpeuter


21.014 80


In lehre


Jose Maria Flores. 48,799 59


l'aste .


Jose Maria ('vanrubias 22.178 29


El Tejou


.Jose Aguirre, et al.


97,616 78


Providencia


D. W. Alexander, et al. ..


4.438 GS


Paso de Bariola


Pio Pico


7.717 46


Ruden de los Ayuas


4,449 39


San Francisquita


Ileury Daltou


8,852 40


Triumfo


l'recorded in book of patents.


los Felis


6,647 46


Malaga


('ntalina Islands


'lamex Lick


48,825 48


( 'Jemente Island.


Unrecorded


1.os Pinos ...


Juan Forster


522 98


El Casiso.


167 51


De la Cienega


=


447 25


La Liebre


El Tejou


B. D. Wilson, et al. 4.438 69


La Ballona


Rancho Nuevo


Los Cuervos


A. Pico, and others 6,698 57


lass C'uyotes


B. Yorba, it ul. -


62.516 57


Santiago de Santa Ana


48,790 55


Inarta de Custi


Victoria Reid


Rincon de los Bois


6,595 63


Sun .Jose


121,619 24


Maria Rita Valdez


Maria Ygarcia Berdugo. Uurecorded


FY


-


ORANGE GROVE AND RESIDENCE OF J.W. HOOPER, LINCOLN ST, LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES CO., CALIFORNIA.


PUBLISHED OY THOMPSON · WY#ST.


49


HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


The seat of Justice is San Juan Capistrano.


Any rancho not mentioned in the preceding list shall pertain to the town acarest of the occupants of said Raneho.


Ordered that the foregoing be published in the Los Angeles Star, in Spanish and English.


The number of townships has since been increased to six. teen, which will be hereafter reviewed in their regular order.


TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.


Los Angeles county borders on the Pacific ocean, having a coast line of about one hundred and ten miles. It has one good port, and several roadsteads. Its chief city lies south of San Francisco, four hundred and seventy-Que miles by rail- road, and four hundred and seven miles by stramer, rid San Pedro. The county is oblong in form, but very irregular in outline, its greatest length (from north-west to south-east) being about one hundred aud twenty miles, and its greatest breadth (from south-west to north-east) about seventy-two miles; extending almost equally above and below the thirty- fourth parallel of latitude.


At the north-west corner of the county the Coast Range sweeps suddenly inland, and taking a south-easterly direction, livides the county ahnost equally, leaving the Mojave Desert ou the north, and inclosing on the south an innnense valley- or rather a succession of valleys-westling between the iaount- ains and the sea. This expanse of nearly level contry (bro- ken here and there by spurs of the main range, and by low, rolling foot-hills) has an area of about sixty miles in length from south-east to north-west, by an average width of say thirty miles from north-east to south-west, and comprises what is known as the great Los Angeles valley.


This valley ranges iu altitude from fifty to three hundred feet above the level of the adjacent ocean. The mountains bouinling it upon the north and east are-as we have observed -a continuation of the Coast Range, but bear, as to their several portions, various local appellations, as -- San Fernando Mountains, Tujunga Mountains, San Bernardino Range, San Gabriel Mountains, Cucamonga Mountains, San Jose Hills, Santa Ana Mountains, ete. The whole range is frequently referred to in books as the Sierra Nevada Range, but by the best authorities this is hold to be erroneous, that being a wholly distinct range, well defined. The highest mountains bounding Los Angeles valley attain an altitude of five thou- sand feet above ocean level. The slope of the land is froin the . mountains south-west to the ocean, with a fall of about two hundred feet.


The whole county contains-in round figures-about three million acres of land. Of this amount about two mil- lion aeres is desert and mountainous. Of the remaining million acres, half is suitable for grazing purposes; the other half (tive hundred thousand acres) is tillable land, varying from


the highest to the lowest quality; only one hundred and thirty thousand acres has yet been brought under cultivation.


The Los Angeles valley contains three principal streams of water Santa Ana, San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers. The Santa Clara river rivs in the northern portion of the county, but passes out into Ventura county withont entering the valley. Some of the mountain ranges have consideralde timber; oak, redwood, pine and spruce being the principal varieties. In the valleys but few trees exist, yet at a few points may be found oak, sycamore, willow and cottonwood. growing wild; while the eucalyptus, or Australian blue gum, is cultivated quite extensively.


CHAPTER XVII.


COUNTY GOVERNMENT JUDICIARY.


(1850-1880)


Mexican Elections-The Ayuntamiento Powers of the Several Officers- Mutes of the Ayuntamiento-Policy of the American Government- First Inauguration of Civil Officers Under American Role-First Election of Ayuntamiento-First County Election-Civil Affairs Administered by the Court of Sessions-Firat Board of Supervisors-Judges uf the Plaius-Their Powers Delined-Appointments-Lists of County Oilicers.


UNDER Mexican rule, the people voted for Commissariox, who constituted a sort of Electoral College, and mnet annually to elvet the Ayuntamiento, which consisted of the following officers :-


Two ALCALDES, who acted as judges of first instance, having unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction-even to life and death, extending over a district of country including the whole present county of Los Angeles. The two tribunals of appeal provided for by Mexican law, were never established in Cali- fornia, and all appeals from decisions of Alcalles, lay to the Governor.


FOUR REGIDORES, whose duties corresponded to those of members of the present Common Council of Los Angeles City, and having about the same range of powers.


OXE SYNDIC, whose duties were those of the present City Attorney, License Collector, and Treasurer-all in one.


From 1839 to 1546, inclusive, there was also a PREFECT, whose jurisdiction extended over the whole of southern C'ali- fornia. He was appointed by the Governor, with the approba- tion of the Departmental Assembly. All petitions for land and all appeals from the decisions of Alcaldes passed through his hands, on their way to the Governor. He had no power of determining appeals, but his duty was to examine each case and report it to the Governor for determination, with his own opinion thereon: this of course, having considerable weight


with his superior. He was in effect, and might be called it subordinate, or District Governor.


The minutes of the Mexican ayuntamiento commence with 1$31, and extend muinterruptedly down to 1839, when there is a lapse of four year. They begin again in 1844, and con- tinte withont break until the war of the American occupation. The last entry under Mexican mule was made in June, 1846.


It was the policy of the American Government, after obtain- ing possession of California, to make just as few changes as possible in the methods by which the people had been ruled. and to which they had for generations been necustomed. Thus, long after the treaty of peace had become operative, the laws of Mexico were retained in full force, and under these civil officers were appointe l. having exactly the same functions and the same titles as formerly


In December. 1817, the people of laws Angeles elected a new Ayuntamiento, to take office, January Ist, following. But it was the wish of Colonel R. D Masou, then military Governor of Californin, that civil offices throughout the Territory should. henceforth be filled at least partly, by Americans. With this view he appointed Mr Stephen C. Foster interpreter to Colonel J. D. Stevenson First Alcalde, uml Jose Vicente Guerrero Second Alcalde, of Los Angeles. These appointments being made known to the two gentlemen elected to those allices, they consen ted to give way, but it was understood that the Regido- res and Syndic elected by the people should qualify and serve. The sequel is best related in Mr. Foster's own words ( we quote from one of his late letters to the Express :


Colonel Stevenson was determined to have our inniguration done in style. No, on the day appointed, he, together with myself und col- league, escorted by a guard of suddiers, proceeded from the Colonel's quarters ( which was the house now occupied as a stable hy Ferguson & Rover to the Aleatde" ollice, which was where the f'ity of Paris store now stands. on Main street. There we found the retiring lynatomicato and the new one awaiting our arrival. The outh of office was to be administered by the retiring First Alcalde, as stated. We kuelt to take the oath, when we found they had changed their minds, and the Alcalde told us that if two of their number were to be kicked out, they would all go. so they all marched out and left us in possession. Ilere was a dilemma; but Colonel Stevenson was equat to the emer- gency, and said he could give us a swear as well as the Alcable. So we stood up and he administered to us an oath to support the Consti- tution of the United States, and administer justice in accordance with Mexican law. I then knew as much about Mexican law as I did about Chinese, and my colleague knew as much as I did. Guerrero gathered up the books that pertained to his office and took them to his house, where he established his office, and I took the archives and record- across the street to a house I had rented, where Ferry & Riley's building now stands, aud there I was duty installed for the next seven- teen months, the first American Alcalde and carpet bagger in Los Angeles.


The late Abel Stearns wa- afterward appointed Syndie. We had instructions from Governor Mason to make no grants of land, but to attend only to criminal and civil business, and the current munic- ipal affairs. Criminal offenders bad been formerly punished by being confined in irons in the calabove, which then stood on the north side of the plaza, but I induced the Colonel to Joan me balls and chains and I had a chain-gang organized for labor on the public works, under the charge of a gigantic old Mexican soldier, armed with car-


50


HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY CALIFORNIA.


bine and entlaxx, who soon had his gang under good discipline, and why hoasted that he could get twice as much work out of his men as could be got out of the soldiers in the chain-gang of the parrison.


In December, 1848, after place was restored, Mr. Foster by order of Governor Masou, called an election murder Mexican law, for an Ayuntamiento to take the place of that then in otlive. No attention being paid to this notice, the officers were instructed by the Governor, to hohl over until such time as the people should be willing to hold au election. In May, 1849, a second attempt proved more successful, Jose del C. Lago and Juan Sepulveda bring elected First and Second Alcaldes, respectively. These gentlemen held office until January, 1850, when they were succeeded by Abel Stearns and Ygnacio del Valle, who held office nutil the city and county governments Were organized under the State law.


The first county election was held on April 1, 1850. Three hundred and seventy-seven votes were cast in the county, and the following officers were elected :-


Conuty Judge Agustin Olvera Attorney Benjamin lays Benjamin Davis Wilson ('lerk


Sheriff . . George T. Burrill


'Treasurer.


Mannel Garfias


=


Antonio F. Coronel


Recorder Ignacio del Valle


Surveyor


J. R. Conway


Coroner .. Charles B. Cullen,


Who failing to qualify, Alpheus P. Hodges was appointed.


From the organization of the county in 1550, to the creation of the Board of Supervisors in 1832, the Court of Sessions (consisting of the County Judge nul two associate justices), administered the civil affairs of the county.


The first election for Supervisors of the county was held June 14, 1852, nud the following persons were duly elected: Jeffer- son Hunt, Julian Charvis, Francisco P. Temple, Manuel Requena and Samuel Arbuckle. The election returns were canvassed und the result certified July 5, 1852, by Agustin Olvera, Comity Judge, Wilson W. Jones, County Clerk, and Jannes R. Barton, Sheriff. The Board held their first meeting on the first Monday of July, 1852; present, Requena, Charvis and Arbuckle, who proceeded to organize by electing the last named gentleman chairman. The County Clerk acted er-officio as Clerk of the Board.


J'DRES OF THE PLAINS.


"The ollice of Jueces det Campos, or " Judges of the Plains," is a purely Mexican institution, but was in force for several years after the conquest of California and, in fact, until the ollice died n natural death, from lack of material whereon to exercise the ollicial functions. Their duties were to hold Rodeos (cattle gathering-) and Recojedus (horse gather- ings) throughout the county, to settle all disputes and see that justice was dloue between owners of stock. Under date August




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