Rancho Arroyo Seco was a
Mexican land grant in the
Salinas Valley, in present-day
Monterey County, California. It was given in 1840 by Governor
Juan B. Alvarado
Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo (February 14, 1809 – July 13, 1882) was a Californio politician that served as Governor of Alta California from 1837-42. Prior to his term as governor, Alvarado briefly led a movement for independen ...
to
Joaquín de la Torre.
The grant extended along the west bank of the
Salinas River at Arroyo Seco Creek, and encompassed present-day
Greenfield
Greenfield or Greenfields may refer to:
Engineering and Business
* Greenfield agreement, an employment agreement for a new organisation
* Greenfield investment, the investment in a structure in an area where no previous facilities exist
* Greenf ...
.
History
José Joaquín de la Torre was a soldier who was
alcalde
Alcalde (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian '' cabildo'' (the municipal council) a ...
in
Monterey, and afterwards secretary to Governor
Pablo Vicente de Solá. Torre married Maria Los Angeles Cota (1790–1877) in 1803. Torre was granted the two square league
Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo in 1822 by Governor Sola, and the four square league Rancho Arroyo Seco in 1840 by Governor Alvarado. In 1845, Joaquin de la Torre and a detachment of fifty-six armed and mounted volunteers, was sent by Alvarado to capture Los Angeles. The raid upon the unsuspecting pueblo was accomplished quickly and the
Pico brothers, along with
José Antonio Carrillo, were taken into custody. Joaquín de la Torre commanded
José Castro's troops at the
Battle of Olompali
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
in 1846.
With the
cession of California to the United States following the
Mexican-American War
Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexicans, Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% ...
, the 1848
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Arroyo Seco was filed with the
Public Land Commission
The California Land Act of 1851 (), enacted following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the admission of California as a state in 1850, established a three-member Public Land Commission to determine the validity of prior Spanish and Mexican la ...
in 1852, and the grant was
patented to Joaquín de la Torre in 1859.
Report of the Surveyor General 1844 - 1886
John S. Clark founded the California Home Extension Association which in 1902, purchased of of Rancho Arroyo Seco. The colony grew and became known as Clark City, and eventually as Greenfield.
See also
*Ranchos of California
The Spanish and Mexican governments made many concessions and land grants in Alta California (now known as California) and Baja California from 1775 to 1846. The Spanish Concessions of land were made to retired soldiers as an inducement for ...
* List of Ranchos of California
References
{{California history
Arroyo Seco (Torre)
Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco