Los Angeles Land Papers
Finding aid prepared by Gerardo Licón.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical
Gardens
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2009
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Los Angeles Land Papers
Dates: 1850-1889
Collection Number: mssLos Angeles Land papers
Collector:
Greenburg, Kenneth S.
Extent:
237 items in 1 box
Repository: The Huntington Library,
Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts
Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: These papers document the transfer of
land during the first few decades of American ownership of Los Angeles, California.
This collection consists of the original documents certifying the sale, purchase,
pre-emption, or surveying of land by sheriffs, clerks, notary publics, and surveyors
of Los Angeles County between 1850 and 1889.
Language of Material: The records are in English and
Spanish.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with
the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Los Angeles Land Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
The collection was given to the Huntington Library by Kenneth S. Greenburg from
May 1968 to July 1970.
Scope and Content
These papers document the transfer of land during the first few decades of American
ownership of Los Angeles, California. This collection consists of the original
documents certifying the sale, purchase, pre-emption, or surveying of land by
sheriffs, clerks, notary publics, and surveyors of Los Angeles County between 1850
and 1889. Some of these legal proceedings partially document the transfer of land
ownership from Californio to American hands. Many of these documents are
“pre-emption” claims to land made mostly by new American immigrants to California
under the Possessory Act of April 20, 1852 which gave individuals the right to claim
160 acres of public lands for the purposes of mining or agriculture. The
“inventories of women’s separate property” were a result of the California State law
enacted on April 17, 1850 entitled “Act defining the rights of Husband and
Wife.”
Arrangement
This collection includes 237 items organized into nine folders which include:
mortgage agreements and releases; inheritances and wills; certificates of sale
due to taxes owed, law suits, and foreclosure; claims of preemption; land
documents of individuals significant to Los Angeles history including: Abel
Stearns, Pío Pico, Ignacio del Valle, and Francis P.F. Temple; lease agreements;
and additional miscellaneous legal documents relating to land transfer.
Indexing Terms
Del Valle,
Ignacio.
Pico, Pío,
1801-1894.
Stearns, Abel,
1798-1871.
Temple, Francis Pliny F.,
1821-1880.
Subjects
Mexicans -- California -- Los
Angeles.
Real property -- California -- Los
Angeles.
Women -- California.
Geographic Areas
California -- History --
19th century -- Sources.
Los Angeles (Calif.) --
History -- 19th century -- Sources.
Genre
Agreements California 19th
century.
Bills of sale California 19th
century.
Claims California 19th century.
Deeds California 19th century.
Land deeds California 19th
century.
Leases California 19th century.
Maps California 19th century.
Mortgages California 19th
century.
Wills California 19th century.
Women’s Separate Property
1853-1889
Physical Description: 34 items
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of these items are documents entitled “Inventories of Women’s
Separate Property.” In addition to inventories, this folder also includes
other legal documents relating to female ownership of land and property
including deeds of sale, wills and leases.
Certificates of Sale because of Taxes
1852-1854
Physical Description: 12 items
Scope and Content Note
These items document the loss of land by individuals who owed property taxes.
Their land was sold at public auction by the Sheriff for a fraction of the
value of the property.
Certificates of Sale because of Law Suits
1852-1874
Physical Description: 37 items
Certificates of Sale, Deeds to Properties
1855-1883
Physical Description: 20 items
Scope and Content Note
This folder also includes mortgage agreements, mortgage releases, inheritance
and foreclosure.
Preemption Claims
1851-1854
Physical Description: 34 items
Scope and Content Note
The first half of the most numerous type of legal land document in this
collection.
Preemption Claims
1855-1868
Physical Description: 39 items
Scope and Content Note
The second half of the most numerous type of legal land document in this
collection.
Documents Relating to Del Valle, Pico, Stearns, and
Temple
1852-1875
Physical Description: 28 items
Scope and Content Note
This folder includes legal land documents relating to some of the most famous
individuals relating to Los Angeles history. While the documents of many
significant individuals are included in this collection, this folder focuses
on 24 items relating to Francis P.F. Temple, Abel Stearns, Pío Pico, and
Ignacio Del Valle.
Miscellaneous Legal Documents
1850-1884
Physical Description: 33 items
Scope and Content Note
This folder various types of legal documents not included in other folders
such as: affidavits, leases, and by-laws.
Oversized Documents
1861-1889
Physical Description: 7 items
Scope and Content Note
Includes: maps and United States land grants.
