Rancho Huerhuero 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

San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a County (United States), county on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 282, ...

of one square league given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado and another three square leagues given in 1846 by Governor

Pío Pico Don Pío de Jesús Pico (May 5, 1801 – September 11, 1894) was a Californio politician, ranchero, and entrepreneur, famous for serving as the last governor of California (present-day U.S. state of California) under Mexican rule. A member of ...

to José Mariano Bonilla. The grant extended along Huerhuero Creek and encompassed present day Creston southeast of

Paso Robles Paso Robles ( ), officially El Paso de Robles (Spanish for "The Pass of Oaks"), is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Salinas River approximately north of San Luis Obispo, the city is known for its hot ...

History

The Rancho Huer Huero grant was one square league by Governor Alvarado and three additional leagues by Governor Pio Pico of former Mission San Miguel Arcángel land. José Mariano Bonilla (1807–1878), born in Mexico City, came to California in 1834 with the Híjar-Padrés Colony. He married Maria Dolores Garcia (1822–1902)in 1838. He held various public offices in San Luis Obispo, including

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 ...

. His managers suffered repeatedly from Indian raids, and he sold Rancho Huerhuero to Francis Branch in 1847.

Francis Ziba Branch Arroyo Grande ( Spanish for "Big Creek") is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 18,441 as of the 2020 census, up from 17,252 as of the 2010 Census. History The earliest inhabitants of the Arroyo Gra ...

(1802–1874) was the grantee of

Rancho Santa Manuela Rancho Santa Manuela was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Francis Ziba Branch. The grant encompassed present-day Arroyo Grande. History Francis Ziba Branch (1 ...

and part owner of

Rancho Arroyo Grande Rancho Arroyo Grande was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Zeferino Carlón. The grant extended along Arroyo Grande Creek east of present day Arroyo Grande. Much o ...

Rancho Pismo Rancho Pismo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California, given in 1840 by acting governor Manuel Jimeno Casarin to José Ortega (probably a descendant or other relative of José Francisco Ortega). The grant extend ...

and

Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal was a Mexican land grant in present-day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Francisco Quijada. The grant extended along the Pacific coast, just south of present-day Oceano, and ...

. 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 Huerhuero 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 Branch in 1866. In 1859 Branch sold Rancho Huerhuero to Irish sea captain David P.Mallagh (1824–1875). Mallagh came to California in 1849, and soon afterward married Juana de Jesús Carrillo (1834–1901) of

Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa was an Mexican land grant in present-day Sonoma County, California given in 1841 by Governor pro tem Manuel Jimeno to María Ygnacia López. The grant was along Santa Rosa Creek, and encompassed present-day Santa Rosa ...

. Mallagh owned part of Rancho Pismo, which he sold and bought Rancho Huerhuero. Two days later, Mallagh sold the rancho to Flint, Bixby & Co. In the mid-1880s, Flint and Bixby sold Rancho Huerhuero to Amos Adams, Thomas Ambrose, Calvin J. Cressy, and J.V. Webster. The town of Creston, named for Cressy, was founded in 1884.

References

{{California history Huerhuero Huerhuero Huerhuero Paso Robles, California

History

See also

References