Contra Costa County CA Archives History - Books .....U. S. Vs Jonathan D. Stevenson, Et. Al. 1882
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 22, 2005, 8:51 pm

Book Title: History Of Contra Costa County, California

   THE UNITED STATES, Appellants, vs. JONATHAN D. STEVENSON, et al, claiming the
Rancho Medanos.—Claim for two leagues of land in Contra Costa county, confirmed
by the Board, and appealed by the United States. The claim in this case is for a
piece of land called "Medanos," embracing two square leagues,"a little more or
less." It was confirmed by the Board, and the cause has been submitted to this
Court on appeal without argument, or the statement of any objection to its
validity. The title paper is produced by the claimants, and its genuineness duly
certified. The expediente from the archives not only shows that the preliminary
proceedings were in due form, but that the grant was confirmed by the
Departmental Assembly about six months after its date. It is also shown that the
conditions were fully complied with. The delineation on the diseno appears to be
rude and inexact, but the title itself describes the boundaries of the tract
with some precision. In that document the land is mentioned as that known by the
name of " Medanos," and bounded on the south by the land of citizen Noriega, on
the north by that of citizen Salvio Pacheco, on the east by the river San
Joaquin, and on the west by the "lomarias," or small hills. The third condition
states the extent of the granted land to be two square leagues, a "little more
or less." Some of the witnesses appear to have supposed that the land embraced
within these boundaries would include a tract of far greater extent than that
mentioned in the condition. But it is clear that they have confounded the
"lomarias" mentioned in the grant with the range of mountains known as the
Contra Costa hills, which lie at a considerable distance, and which would, if
taken as the western boundary, not only include a tract of country of great
extent, but also one or more intervening Ranchos. It would seem, however, that
the "lomarias" spoken of are a range of low hills, and that the land included
within these and the other boundaries of the grant has about the extent
mentioned in the grant. Such appears to have been the view taken of the case by
the Board, and we see no reason for a different conclusion. The mesne
conveyances appear to be regular. Under the proofs offered, the claimant,
Stevenson, is entitled to a confirmation of the part conveyed to him by the deed
as reformed according to the intentions of the parties under the decree of the
District Court of this State. A decree affirming the decision of the Board must
be entered. (June Term, 1856.)

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.


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