Rancho Boga was a

Mexican land grant 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 ...

in present-day Butte County and Sutter County, California given in 1844 by Governor

Manuel Micheltorena Joseph Manuel María Joaquin Micheltorena y Llano (8 June 1804 – 7 September 1853) was a brigadier general of the Mexican Army, adjutant-general of the same, governor, commandant-general and inspector of the department of Las Californias, then ...

to Charles William Flügge. The grant extended south from present-day Gridley along the west bank of the Feather River across from fellow German, Theodore Cordua's Rancho Honcut, and encompassed present-day Live Oak.

History

Charles W. Flügge, born in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

came to California with the Bartleson-Bidwell Party in 1841. He became John Sutter's friend and served as his legal adviser, business manager, and representative. He was granted the five square league Rancho Boga in 1844. Sutter and Flügge had a falling out over a land dispute in 1845, and Flügge went to Los Angeles and established himself in retail business with James McKinley. He became enamored of Adelaida Johnson who eventually married

Francis Mellus Francis Mellus (February 3, 1824 – September 14, 1864), brother of Henry Mellus, was a Los Angeles County Supervisor and a successful California business man. Francis Mellus, born in Salem, Massachusetts, was a younger brother of Henry Mellu ...

. In 1852 Flügge wandered off and his dead body was found several days after he was missing.

Thomas O. Larkin Thomas Oliver Larkin (September 16, 1802 – October 27, 1858), known in Spanish as Don Tomás Larkin, was an American diplomat and businessman. Larkin served as the only U.S. consul to Alta California during the Mexican era and was covertly in ...

(1802–1858) bought Rancho Boga from Flügge. 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 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...

provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho Boga 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 Thomas O. Larkin in 1865. A second claim was filed by Leonace Hoover, as administrator, but was rejected. Larkin failed in an effort to have it located in the mining regions. Rancho Boga, on the Feather River, was thought to be so rich in gold that Larkin eventually offered it on the London market for $1 million. In 1873, a conflict between the north boundary of Rancho Boga and the south boundary of the 1846

Rancho Fernandez Rancho Fernandez was a Mexican land grant in present-day Butte County, California given to Dionisio Zenon Fernandez and Máximo Zenon Fernandez in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico. The grant extended along the west bank of the Feather River, and enco ...

grant went to the

US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...

.''Henshaw v. Bissell'', U.S. Supreme Court,85 U.S. 18 Wall. 255 255 (1873)
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References

{{California history Boga Boga Boga Gridley, California