Who is vaca pena named after

Perhaps they even built it in to establish their claim. The pioneers viewing their land had quite a different sight than we get today. Shrubs and vines were abundant, and the valley floor was probably a dense thicket of grasses and small bushes as well.

Colorful wild flowers would cover the valley come spring, and birds sang in every tree and bush. Of course, the many creeks and sloughs were full of fresh fish, wild game was abundant and the grizzly bear flourished.

The Vaca-Pena land grant was vast, and they could have built their homes in a number of fertile spots. The Laguna Valley location was probably chosen for its proximity to nearby creeks and because of its welcome summer breezes. It was once described by Portia Hill as a long, low building, about 64 by 24 feet, with four rooms.

The interior was plastered and whitewashed when she saw it. The rafters and joists were of rough timber. The front door had an upper and lower section. There was no covered porch. By June 6, , Vaca had met the requirement of building a house.

Vallejo, a land grant of 10 square leagues, well over 44, acres. Though Vaca and Pena built their adobes and ran cattle on the rancho, it was to be many years before their claim would be legally established. In , a formal grant was issued, but it was soon discovered the boundaries overlapped the grant of John Wolfskill. Still there were complications. Luzena Wilson, who lived three-quarters of a mile from Vaca, recalled the life on the ranchero in her memoirs.

An army of vaqueros congregated every day about the settlement, smoked cigarettes, ran races, played cards for high stakes, and drank bad whiskey in unlimited quantities. Vallejo and his wife, as well as many of the other prominent Spanish settlers from Santa Rosa, Martinez and Los Angeles.

In all, more than a hundred guests attended the wedding. After the ceremonies, everyone rode all the way to the Vaca rancho for the party that undoubtedly lasted several days.

The Vaca and Pena clans began to grow in number. In , Vaca, whose first wife died in New Mexico, added to his household when he married Estefano Martinez and had one child. The early Spanish were well-known for their hospitality to strangers that was a must for individuals that were traveling long distances. When a traveler set out on a trip that would take more than one day they would stop overnight at the missions or another rancho, whichever was closest. The hospitality left nothing to be desired.

If they needed money, fresh horses, food or lodging, it was provided at no cost. For a while it was a fairly idyllic life for the times, but trouble was brewing for the pioneers. To start with, a dispute as to the size and boundaries of the Vaca and Pena land grant named Lihuaytos reared its ugly head. The latter was due to encroachment upon the neighboring grant owned by Wolfskill Rancho Rio De Los Putos , which brought much ill feeling and the requirement for a re-definition of the grant boundaries.

This encroachment typifies the frequent disregard for the admittedly vague boundaries of the large land grants of the time. Slowly but surely, in spite of family ties by marriage, ill feelings between the two families began to emerge. On Aug. It might be noted that McDaniel was a federal land agent and it was against the laws of the land for him to be involved in purchasing land. Pena was furious. According to Maria Delores Vaca Pena, granddaughter of a Vaca-Pena union, it was the cause of the major quarrel between the two.

The Vacas were land rich, money poor and perhaps not the best managers of their resources. This feud must have been bitter fruit indeed as these old compatriots shared family ties.

In the late s and early s a Pena and Vaca were involved in a murder; either a Pena killed a Vaca or vice versa. It was said that it was from that point that the Vacas began to leave the area. Jesus married Maria Anastasia Vaca. They exchanged vows at the Sonoma Mission. Maria died at a young age, leaving two small children. The children were raised by their paternal grandparents. Maria Vaca married Gabino Pena in Neeves Pena married Miguel Vaca in John C. Pena married Louisa Vaca in Jose Seto Pena married Fidelina Vaca in Jose Jesus married Virginia Vaca in The young son he had by his second wife, Estefano Martinez, was baptized at 7 months on May 8, , at the mission.

Little is known about Juan Manuel Vaca after he left the adobe, other than that he may have settled near Putah Creek. However, there is another story the Vaca clan tells: Vaca rode to Los Angeles to see the governor about this land dispute with his neighbor, and the governor granted him 1, acres near Davisville Davis.

Some Vaca descendants believe he settled there. Portia inherited it and was living there when it was destroyed by the earthquake of It was razed and replaced by a frame structure.

In the census, no Vacas are listed in the Vacaville Township.