Abstract of title and certificate of search as to … portion of 50 Vara lot No. 3 of Block 212, Western Addition
Finding aid created by San Francisco History Center staff using RecordEXPRESS
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
2018
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Title: Abstract of title and certificate of search as to … portion of 50 Vara lot No. 3 of Block 212, Western Addition
Dates: 1884
Collection Number: SFH 316
Creator/Collector:
Simpson & Millar (San Francisco, Calif.)
Extent: 1 volume
Repository:
San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center
San Francisco, California 94102
Abstract: Title abstract for a property on the northeast corner of Laguna and Haight Streets, San Francisco
Language of Material: English
The collection is open for research.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Abstract of title and certificate of search as to … portion of 50 Vara lot No. 3 of Block 212, Western Addition . San Francisco
Public Library. San Francisco History Center
Gift.
Biography/Administrative History
Simpson & Millar were successors to C. V. Gillespie, San Francisco’s pioneer searcher of records. Thomas Hayes owned much
land in the Western Addition, and Hayes Valley is named for him. New Hampshire native John P. Hill was a San Francisco merchant
and former bookseller. Fernando Marchena came to San Francisco in 1842, and since 1844 had claimed title to one square league
of land in San Francisco, supposedly a grant from Governor Micheltorena. After selling off portions, including those deeded
to John K. Moore, Marchena was dispossessed of the land, but sued to have title re-established; his case languished, and was
not pursued after his death. John K. Moore came to California from New York state in 1850 and worked as a carpenter until
1891, but for years was engaged in legal battles concerning the immense property he had purchased from Marchena. Frederick
H. Lefavor was master of the U.S. SS McArthur. The property was deeded from Lefavor to Farrell McMorry in June 1884. It
later became the site of the McMorry-Lagan House, a San Francisco city landmark.
Scope and Content of Collection
Volume begins with a description of lands and a map, followed by an index; handwritten abstract comprises 247 numbered pages.
Volume includes the Haye [Hayes] Title, pages 7-46; the Hill Title, pages 47-236, with map Seventh St. south of McAllister
Str. on p. 82, and a Continuation, pages 237-247, followed by one unnumbered page titled Revised, followed then by one page
titled Taxes (for 1884.) The earliest document in the abstract is the deed dated May 10, 1850, of 640 acres, from Fernando
Marchena to John K. Moore, page 19, and the latest is a record of Taxes owed by Lizzie C. Lefavor and Frederick H. Lefavor,
dated November 5, 1884, on the last page of the volume.
Real property--California--San Francisco
Land titles--California--San Francisco
Abstracts of title--California--San Francisco--19th century
Land tenure--California--San Francisco
Land grants--California--San Francisco
Hayes, Thomas, d. 1868
Hill, John P., d. 1855
Lefavor, Frederick H., d. 1918
McMorry, Farrell, d. 1891
Marchena, Fernando, d. 1897
Moore, John K., d. 1900
Hayes Valley (San Francisco, Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.--History--19th century
San Francisco (Calif.)--History--Sources