Tag Archives: rancho

Evergreen of the Mexican Period

April 28, 2016Artwork, Historical Researchcivil war, colonization, indians, mexican, mexico, missions, natives, nature, new Spain, Ohlone, rancho, Rancho Yerba Buena, settlers, Spanish Empire, territory, wildernessevergreen

Evergreen was home to Ohlone Natives before Franciscan Missions would disassociate them from their lands. This vacuum created room for new residents without hesitation.

The first explorers of Northern California, or Alta California, were the Spanish. In 1542, less than a year after Columbus’s voyage, exploration of California would begin. Spanish would explore and conquer Mexico and an explorer and conquistador would pass the “Baja Point” into uncharted waters. Cortes sent Francisco de Ulloa to explored the coastline in 1539. In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo would do some more extensive investigation and like Monterey for a naval base and well-suited to sustain itself.

Spanish and English vessels would reach the Coast of California but only the Spanish would begin colonization from a Mexican base. It was believed that Baja California was an island. California was named after a mythical Amazonian island.

In 1602, Spain would begin developing naval forts at Monterey and San Diego. Serious colonization would begin as missionaries and soldiers explored California over land. This route would become the El Camino Real, Monterey Road and the Alameda through modern San Jose, marked with Mission Bells. Missions would begin to appear in Modern Day Mexico in 1519, however the threat of Russian settlements would hasten the efforts to colonize New Spain. The Spanish Empire would control the coastline for over 300 years.

New Spain would be separated into two parts, Alta California, modern day California, and Baja, modern day Mexico. Gaspar de Portola, in 1768, would lead settlers of New Spain with a land and naval campaign, looking for Monterey but establishing Southern California Missions.

Juan Bautista DeAnza would lead two expeditions into California. New Spain and the Spanish Empire expanded into New Mexico and Arizona, naturally. DeAnza left Tucson on this first journey and encountered agitated native populations. This made for a short trip to LA and home. Another expedition into Alta California in 1768 established the port at San Francisco and would introduce the Spanish intimately with the Santa Clara Valley as the route to San Francisco from Monterey over land. The chain of Missions would lengthen through the 19th century but not in order. It would not extend in the a numerical, chronological order. Santa Clara de Asis would be the 8th Mission opened and the Pueblo of San Jose would be founded in 1777. Mission de San Jose wouldn’t open until 1797 and the latest Mission would open in the Mexican Period.

Mexican Independence would be won in 1819, and include all territories of New Spain. A couple of things brought on the revolt. Napoleon would conquer France and invade Spain. The Spanish Empire didn’t want to be ruled by another monarchy. New Spain had Old Rome’s, the Roman Catholic Church, approval to break away from the Spain crown. The War for Mexican Independence would end with the signing of the Treaty of Hidalgo in 1821. Mexico would set up its own monarchy, but opt for a republic constitution less than 2 years later. With 3,200 settlers at the time California, Alta and Baja, would need settlement to create growth.

It’s this California that Antonio Chaboya would move to in 1821. Native Americans coming to Missions would make up a lot of the economy in the Spanish Period of California’s History. Mexico would inherit these struggles. Mexico had a lot of problems in the upcoming years stabilizing the government and economy. Alta California wasn’t well settled and had no tax revenue coming in. Mexico was able to step up trade out of California by 25%, doing business with Russian on the West Coast for the most part. Monterey was the only port at the time and the capital of the Alta California Territoy. The Mexican Government applied at 100% tariff to pay for the Territory’s expenses. What does that look like? One for trade and one for the government. Tariffs like these made up approximately 90% of government income at the time, no matter where you lived. In 1827, the Mexican Government would dismiss their Spanish born residents. The Government would change formats too many time to really stabilize the area.

So California, as we know it today, was expensive to operate without the strength in numbers to hold it steady. 87,000 indigenous people would be baptized by the Missions in 1800. Outbreak of disease in 1805-6 would decimate Native populations across California’s Missions. The Native American coverts would be treated like free labor, though they were promised land after a certain amount of service. Soldiers would retrieve people who fled the Missions. Those who hadn’t died due to new diseases were difficult to contain. In 1826, the Governor of Alta California would release the indigenous people of their commitment to the Missions, working the land for food and shelter. The Mexican Government would find lessening Native populations also making the Missions a burden also now that they had to provide them land like other citizens and no one stayed to operate the Mission farmlands. The indigenous people would leave and assimilate to their new surroundings. The emancipation would make California a sympathizer and welcome member of the Union Army during the Civil War, 1861-1865. In 1833, the Missions would be secularized by the Government. In 1832, less than 18,000 survived. Mexico couldn’t afford to fund the churches. Acres of Mission lands would be sold off and granted to others.

There were thirty preexisting ranchos granted by the Crown of Spain to friends and families of Government leaders, but none in Santa Clara County by Mexico’s Independence. Land Regulations would open up in 1824, allowing Mexican citizens to petition for land pretty easily and inviting Catholic immigrants to create new homesteads. In 1827, Spanish born citizens, including priests, would have to leave the Mexican Territory. This is when Mexican born Antonio Chaboya would’ve begun making his way to the Santa Clara Valley and eyeing the land.

In order to obtain your land grant in California of the 1820’s-30’s, you would need to work your land for 5 years so you had a claim to it. The grants were often untracked with conflicting boundaries. The disorganized manner in which grants were issued is the reason why this land grant to the right has a rectangular shape like the paper and no outlines. The land was cheap and there was practically no tax or dues on the property. Ranch owners would enjoy a barony type status, providing work and limited land to rand workers. Without the Missions farming the land, Ranch owners would step in, fill in that gap and reap the profits. Through the Mexican Period, forty-one grants would be made in Santa Clara County alone.

In 1831, the Missions would record over 24,000 inhabitants of California- native, immigrant and Mexican. Rancho Yerba Buena would be granted to Chaboya in 1833. Santa Clara County’s first Ranchos would be granted in present day Gilroy, closer to Monterey. Chaboya’s would be the first recorded in present day San Jose.

Neighboring Rancho Santa Teresa would be granted to the Bernal Family in 1834. The Higuera Family would be granted Rancho Pala in 1835, selling it shortly afterwards to Englishman, Mr. Charles White. Rancho Milpitas would be sold to the Alviso Family. The Berryessa Family would be granted land in East San Jose in 1842. Are we recognizing any of these names?

Antonio Chaboya would’ve heard about cinnabar in the hills, but probably didn’t mine even after hearing about nearby Almaden quicksilver mines. The Chaboyas enjoyed vast grazing lands on Rancho Yerba Buena. The largest of Santa Clara Ranchos, Rancho Yerba Buena was over 24,000 acres. The Mexican Period was an awesome time to be Mexican landowner in Santa Clara Valley.

The beginning of the end of the Mexican Period was a land grant made to a Catholic American immigrant, John Sutter, in 1839. Colonization is what Alta California needed and asked for. However, American immigrants to California would begin making their dissatisfaction with the Mexican Government known by 1840, staging various incidents. By 1844, Californios, native born Mexican citizens, would also revolt against disorganized Mexican Rule. By 1846, California as we know it has approximately 12,000 inhabitants.

California’s Statehood would get underway a little before that discovery of gold, but the Gold Rush allowed California to become a State from a Territory very quickly. Before Gold, Texas broke away from Mexico in 1836 and didn’t want to be a part of the United States until 1846. War between Mexico and the United States would ensue over these territories with Americans, Catholics invited by the Roman Church, living in them. That same year, California would rise under the Bear Republic, neutralizing Mexican garrisons without violence or bloodshed. Less than a month later with the capture of Mexican Presidios, Alta California would succumb to US governance. John Sutter’s grant near present day Sacramento would discover gold in 1848.

The end of the Mexican American War in 1848 would see the United States paying $15,000,000.00 for the territories of Alta California – present day California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. This would essentially wipe out the Mexican Government’s debts with the colonization costs. The Compromise of 1850 would see California to Statehood. The Pueblo of San Jose, New Spain’s first non-secular settlement, would become the first State Capital with the help of some Evergreen players. Other Evergreen notables like the Pellier Family and Coe Family would move into Evergreen shortly thereafter. By 1850, there would be over 100,000 people living in California. That’s quite a boom. Here’s our artwork discussing this period of time.

Before the Rancho

April 25, 2016Artwork, Historical Researchagriculture, antonio, california, californios, Chaboya, indians, mexican, mexico, missions, natives, Ohlone, orchards, pedro, period, rancho, Rancho Yerba Buena, statehood, vineyardsevergreen

Our fair Evergreen certainly has seen so many changes since Europeans first came. Our City, or Pueblo, of San Jose was founded the year after the Revolutionary War, 1777. Pueblo de San Jose was the first city in “New Spain” and the first non-religious settlement. Back then, it was Spanish Territory. In 1822, Mexico would win their independence and Alta California would become Mexican Territory. Evergreen was Rancho Yerba Buena through the Mexican Period. In 1848, the Bear Republic would revolt, and Statehood was inevitable in 1850 after Gold was found. Evergreen would be flooded with European newcomers, looking for the American Dream. All that having been said, and having been written down, Evergreen was around before the written record.

California was estimated to have had 13,000-15,000 natives before Spanish colonization. Modern Day Evergreen would be home to Native American several tribes. Hundreds of campsites would be evident in Silver Creek Valley Country Club alone before its construction in the early 1990’s. Artifacts would be found over by the Villages and what would’ve been the Blauer Ranch in the 1960’s. Arrowheads and mortars would be found all over Evergreen.

I have been told to be delicate in how I label the Evergreen Native people. For sure, Ohlone is an appropriate title, but that’s most Natives in Santa Clara Valley. The larger umbrella is Costanoan, all over the South Bay Area to Monterey. As this narrows, the labels become less sure without first person confirmation. An anthropologist might lump them in with the larger Muwekma Ohlone group. Let’s peek under the smaller umbrella.

Tamien or Tamyen were Muwekma and refers to the Native Americans near the Guadalupe River and the Pueblo of San Jose. They would’ve come to Mission de Santa Clara first. That’s not our indigenous Evergreen bunch. Pala or Palenos refers to the Native Americans in and around nearby Rancho Canada dela Pala and Rancho Pala, both being named after a famed Ohlone leader to the. The Werwersen tribe is nearer to Halls Valley and Mt. Hamilton to the Northeast. Native people along Coyote Creek, the western boundary of Rancho Yerba Buena, were called the Aulintac tribe. These are opposite corners of the 25000+ acres of Rancho Yerba Buena and present day Evergreen. Who was in the middle? Who was there at Silver Creek Valley Country Club from 350 years ago? These people had a name and I would hate to misquote. I will get the official tribe name from the people themselves. I want to find our Evergreen Natives, especially since we have so much evidence of them.

From all accounts, our Evergreen indigenous people lived a hunter gatherer lifestyle and a nomadic one at that. Tribes wouldn’t stick around in one place for long and live off the abundant land. Berries, roots, seeds, acorns, and natural grains would take up a large part of their diets. The Ohlone would hunt from a rich, diverse wildlife. A nomadic way of life kept the environment healthy. Ritual dances would be a huge part of their Kuksu Religion. Dance would be incorporated into rain, fertility, hunting, harvest and other sorts of ceremonies. I think Evergreen is gorgeous today. Could you imagine how stunning it was back then? Alum Rock Park is a great resource to get in touch with our Ohlone Natives. Alum Rock Park also has springs similar to Evergreen, along with artifacts and guides to engage with. It’s a popular field trip destination.

In the 19th century, where did they all go?

The Spanish would enter California in the 1760’s. The DeAnza Expedition and Spanish colonization would eventually wipe out the indigenous people across Santa Clara Valley. The Pueblo de San Jose would be established by the Spanish in 1777 and the Mission de Santa Clara de Asis would open right alongside it.

Mission de San Jose opened in June 11, 1797 by Father Fermiin Francisco de Lasuén. It’s located in present day Fremont, on Fremont Boulevard. The Native Americans baptized at Mission de Santa Clara de Asis, near present day Downtown San Jose, would go back home to their land miles away until Mission de San Jose opened nearby. Early days of Mission de Santa Clara and the adjoining Pueblo would see Winter flooding of Guadalupe River, so you couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to stick around.

The Franciscan Missions along the El Camino Real would be hubs of agriculture at the time. Naval Bases at both San Francisco and Monterey would rely on the Santa Clara Valley to feed themselves. Olive orchards, mission grapes and livestock would be handled by a workforce made up of the Native American converts. After ten years of service, a worker would own a plot of land with a couple of location restrictions.

The Mission of San Jose would open up its doors to 33 people in 1797. Small pox and disease introduced by the Spanish would decimate populations at the Mission around 1805. An earthquake brought down the bell tower in 1808. Nonetheless, the population of Native Americans at the Mission de San Jose would grow steadily through the 1810’s-1820’s. A permanent church was constructed in 1809, only to be struck by an earthquake in 1868. A reconstruction stands there today on Fremont Boulevard. The indigenous people from the San Joaquin Valley at Mission San Jose would revolt in 1928-29. Even still, in 1831, the Mission housed over 1800 Native Americans from across the Bay Area and Central Valley.

After a decade of civil war, Mexican Independence from Spain would be realized in 1822. The Territory of New Spain, or present day Mexico and California, would rule itself with the Roman Catholic Church’s protection. A few years later in 1834, the Franciscan Missions would be secularized by the Mexican Government and the Native Peoples would leave the Missions. By the 1840’s, the Native peoples were clumped together in Communities around the Silicon Valley, finding work on ranches where they could. It must’ve been hard to be an indigenous person letting go of your way of life then be turned out of your new home at Mission. Native Americans would return to their land which was granted to Mexican ranchers, like Antonio Chaboya, in the meantime, therefore have no place to return to. They would’ve been understandably upset. This is where we again encounter our Native Evergreen people.

The Chaboyas would also defended their lands from returning indigenous peoples. The Evening News in 1916 would record an event before it faded in time and memory. Don Pedro Chaboya, brother of Evergreen’s Antonio and alcade or mayor of Pueblo de San Jose, held off a Native revolt in the 1840’s with a band of ranchers and defending the Mexican Rancheros. The returning indigenous people, 300 members strong, would steal over 600 horses and squat on various ranchos. The Ohlone Natives were nomadic originally. The indigenous peoples would lived off the land, leaving little trace. They had the carbon footprint we all want. The Ranchers probably wouldn’t have fought at all unless the theft of horses and cattle happened.

In Antonio Chaboya’s Rancho Yerba Buena, who couldn’t possibly oversee every acre at all time, they were difficult to locate. Rancho Yerba Buena found homesteaders setting up shop after years on Rancho Yerba Buena.

Ranch hands and Ranchers alike, Californios, would come together to defend their way of life. Several of Pedro’s brothers, Jose Berryessa, Sebastian Peralta, Augustine and Jose Bernal, Balentin Higuerra and Augustine Narvaez were just a couple notably ranchers in Pedro’s militia. The Mexican Band of Ranchers would run the Natives off as far as Pacheco Pass, lead by Pedro Chaboya. The Californios would overpower the Ohlones while they took refuge at Lake Tachi.

The Franciscan Missions would become Catholic Churches again in 1868 but the Ohlone Natives would not return in full force. By 1935, the Evergreen Native people were almost extinct. Of course they married into other families and assimilated to their new surroundings. Tracking them down has been really hard, but I have some leads to follow with the Missions themselves. The Ohlone peoples of Santa Clara County and beyond still haven’t been recognized by the Federal Government due to lack of knowledge about them. Their peaceful way of life should be praised, as everyone else who came to Evergreen enjoyed the bounty of the land too. Again, I like to wonder what the Evergreen area looked like before the Spanish colonialists came. Here’s the artwork that features our indigenous Evergreen populations.

Follow up – The Way to San Felipe

February 12, 2016Historical Researchcalifornia, californios, downtown evergreen, mexican, period, rancho, Rancho Yerba Buena, san felipe, street nameevergreen

The Way to San Felipe, our previous article , talked all about this old Spanish Road and what it connected. I got a little more clarity from an Evergreen Native who knows it from experience.

White Road changes to San Felipe as it crosses Aborn Road. It cut in half Rancho Pala, which was purchased by Charles White, who arrived in town in 1833. Only a sliver of this Rancho makes it into our Evergreen borders. Rancho Pala ends at Norwood Avenue.

Further down the road, present day Aborn Road has had many names, Evergreen Road, Chew Lane and Aborn Road. That inconsistency makes orienting yourself on different maps a little difficult. It is at the intersection of Evergreen Road and White/San Felipe Road where the town of Evergreen really developed. You’d never know it by the looks of it today.

Quimby and Tully Roads have switched spots and Capitol Expressway is a fairly new roadway. This makes it rough, too, but it’s okay. We’re talking about San Felipe Road here.

Previously, I worked the current Google map of San Felipe Road against an old Spanish Survey to Rancho San Felipe. They were close enough for me to feel like I was looking at the same roads. I accounted for some inaccuracies because it’s so old. The lake is Lake Cunningham, but ought to point North and doesn’t. The compass notes rather where water flows down from.

Also, in 1800’s versions of Evergreen maps, San Felipe Road travels next to a creek bed and I couldn’t think of where that would be. The Creek is closer to Kettmann Road and the Evergreen Library Branch. But when I sat down with Evergreen’s Judge Jerry Kettmann, he brought a little more light to the subject and old geography. This is a 1876 Map of Evergreen.

Judge Kettmann’s uncle, Andy Kettmann owned a Saloon located on San Felipe Road. There are some pretty awesome tales out of the Saloon, but I won’t be spoiling those or Jerry’s interview for you at this time. His Honor comes from a long line of colorful characters, though. He took me for a little drive and helped me get an understanding for what “Downtown” Evergreen was. This is a Map from 1902, true to North.

The Smiths were the first family to have moved into town in 1866. Charles C. Smith and his brother, born in Germany in the 1840’s, bought large tracts of land from the Yerba Buena land grant, with Evergreen Road dead ending at White/San Felipe Road originally. The Stephens/Stevens family were next, making up the original Plat of Evergreen. Francis Joe Smith owned and operated the General Store and was postmaster. His brother was the town blacksmith, and the blacksmith shop is where Hinman’s Garage is today. His daughter Katherine, for which there’s a school named, was a beloved teacher. L. C. Smith’s house still stands today. Their homes and businesses were right off San Felipe Road between Aborn Road and Yerba Buena Avenue.

Speaking of teachers, the location of the school house was a mystery to me. From Barry Swenson’s describing of it, I still couldn’t place it. I have photos of it, but there’s no evidence of it anywhere. It’s here at the intersection directly adjacent to the Kettmann property. There’s a reason. Where the Valero Gas Station and shopping center currently sit, the Evergreen School House once stood. The odd curvy street behind the Wells Fargo, Keaton Loop, was once San Felipe Road. And the bridge over the Creek between Keaton Loop and the Cadwallader neighborhood was a busy path into town. The Cadwallader Subdivisions was once of the first concentrations of developments in Evergreen.

The reason the maps didn’t line up perfectly was because this path had been revised for a more direct route with better flood control.

Down White Road

December 26, 2015Historical Researchbusiness, evergreen, evergreen people, family, generations, leadership, orchards, rancho, Rancho Pala, State Capital, statehood, street name, territory, whiteevergreen

So, there’s a main artery of Evergreen North to South down White Road. In fact, a couple locations I scoped out were on White Road. One of my quests was for “White”. Why this name for an important road? Why on my maps from the 1850’s forward? This was an important person back then and today.

Some of my historical references mention a C. E. White in the 1870’s and 1880’s. Was this my Mr. White, namesake of White Road?

Turns out no. I searched property grants and maps from the area checking for the first occurrence of the name. That wasn’t that hard. It was actually one of the first grants in the area and one of the first European names that occur in Evergreen.

Charles White – C. E. White’s father – came to Santa Clara Valley in the 1840’s. Chas. White bought Rancho Pala, just Northeast of Rancho Yerba Buena. His wife, Ellen, and children were granted the properties later on. Rancho Pala is actually a very small part of Evergreen. What White accomplished during his short life was incredible. And the manner in which he died was rather fantastic as well, though I chose not to use it within my artwork.

Charles was born in 1808 in Ireland. He came to the United States with his wife and two kids, and crossed over land through Missouri, Oregon Trail style.

The White Family quickly became some of the most well liked people in the Pueblo de San Jose. Mr. White served many years as an aclade, or magistrate, similar to a modern day judge. Mr. White was critical part of California’s Statehood and then participated in the “Legislature of a Thousand Drinks”, which made California’s first State Capitol Pueblo de San Jose.

Charles White was also a crucial player in San Jose’s creation of downtown, by selling smaller plots and raising funds for the City treasury. Charles White died on board Steamboat Jenny, which exploded after leaving port at Alviso in 1853.

C. E. White, a well-known businessman and orchardist, was Charles White’s son. Through the early 1900’s. Ellen owned Rancho Pala until she passed away in 1887.

They are no known direct relatives of this branch of the White Family. The only way I was able to verify that this was the same Charles White in all the different accounts was through another related White family. Charles and White are both pretty popular names. Charles White referred to in every possible configuration.

The way to San Felipe

November 6, 2015Artwork, Historical Researchcolonization, geography, mexican, mexico, period, rancho, san felipe, street nameevergreen

We’re going way back in time for this one. The 1700’s in fact to discuss San Felipe Road’s origins. Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe was a large property that encompassed all of Evergreen down to Casa De Fruta and was an extension of Mission San Juan Bautista.

Originally, the land was granted to Francisco Perez Pacheco and that land got passed down through the family. Have you ever gone over Pacheco Pass? In fact, the Pachecos, as landowners, gained wealth and power quickly, buying adjacent ranchos until it spanned from Santa Clara County to Monterey and Merced counties.

So, when I found this awesome map, provided by the UC Berkeley Bancroft Libraries, I didn’t find it familiar and nothing on the map besides the hills made any sense to me. I didn’t recognize the names of the landmarks. Sanjon? Llanitos? What’s that?

If you can find it on the map, that’s actually the area we’re discussing, Evergreen. Tierras de labor were homes of ranch workers, and would later become the pueblo tract. Those hills in the center of the map following the road are the Evergreen hills and behind the Diablo Mountain range. Ausaymas, also known as Animas, is the Morgan Hill area. Sanjon del Tequesquida is the path to the next Rancho over, to another Pacheco family member.

This giant road through the center of our Evergreen Ranchos is the Arroyo de San Felipe or Road to San Felipe. Wait a second. Sound familiar? Certainly does. With a lake and a larger road nearby? Hm…

So, let’s think on this. 1700’s map making wasn’t perfect. No planes for aerial or overhead shots. Only roads, known geographical features and lengths get noted on a lot of these maps. Directions we not exact. Having said that, I laid out the entire length of San Felipe Road into Gilroy and here’s what I saw.

This is modern Google day San Felipe Road and the little yellow line is the 101 and where they make a y, 85 splits off at Bernal Rd. I have removed the topography and background.

It’s feeling familiar, but is this the same road? The shape is similar. Let’s test it out.

Here was my first pass overlapping the 2 images without changing anything about the Google version. This wasn’t enough to convince me though. Close, but no cigar. It’s close, but there’s something else here. I started all over again considering what I know about the accuracy of the cartography of the time.

So, I rotated, blew it up, then skewed it. Much better. At least this makes sense. san felipe roads

This is the majority of San Felipe road ending around Morgan Hill. Where there’s an obvious tear in the page it approximately where White Road and San Felipe Road split. Now, there’s been a little rerouting (straightening) and paving over the last 250 years. The difference in the 2 overlaps is the scale and direction. What should’ve pointed North on the map actually points East.

Mount Hamilton is featured in the upper left hand corner of our map. The Laguna is Lake Cunningham. The Llanito are little waterways or creeks. Sanjon del Tequesquida is currently the same path as the 101, not yet known as the El Camino Real or Mission Trail. Ausaymas is Animas just above Lake Anderson.

Rancho San Felipe passed down to Maria Ysidora Pacheco, but with Mexican Independence, the Spanish family lost their holdings. The Pachecos were first granted the land in exchange for governing the people. The next family from Mexico to own Rancho San Felipe would do the same thing. Rancho San Felipe would soon become the property of lawmen and cattle herder Antonio Chabolla’s.

Here’s our send up to the Pachecos and Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.

The Legacy of Antonio Chaboya

November 4, 2015Artwork, Concept, Historical Researchantonio, cattle, Chaboya, evergreen, evergreen people, family, generations, horses, indians, livestock, mexican, natives, new Spain, Ohlone, pedro, period, ranching, rancho, Rancho Yerba Buena, territoryevergreen

Antonio Chaboya’s name isn’t really well known throughout San Jose but his land holdings certainly are today. Rancho Yerba Buena, parts at least, stayed in the Chaboya family for over a hundred years. From all accounts, they were exemplary citizens predating the European or American immigrants.

Antonio Chaboya, born in Mexico in 1803, obtained one of the first land patents from the Mexican Government, post-Spanish rule. Antonio and family probably came to the Santa Clara Valley with father, Marcos Chaboya, to colonize the area during the late Spanish Period. With Mexican Independence shortly after, the Spanish Missions were decommissioned and their large land tracts were up for grabs. The Missions once were the source of agriculture for the Spanish. Antonio Chaboya enjoyed one of the largest tracts of land afterwards.

Rancho Yerba Buena raised a huge herd of cattle, hundreds horses and various crops. Antonio Chaboya and his family enjoyed a fairly untouched version of Evergreen, not being able to cultivate it all. Rancho Yerba Buena’s rolling hills were populated with grasslands, creek beds, spearmint and oak trees. Yerba Buena translates to spearmint in Spanish. Rancho Yerba Buena was over 25,000 acres, making it a high maintenance property.

Antonio Chaboya was granted the land originally in 1833 by the Mexican Rule, but had to fight to keep it through the 1860’s in the United States. The Chaboyas and their ranch hands even fought and killed bears on their property. The family hosted an annual rodeo at Rancho Yerba Buena for the young horsemen they employ and of the pueblo. The Chaboyas traded a lot of cowhides with Americans and enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle. The property was left to Antonio’s descendants in his passing in 1865.

After the Mexican American War, Antonio Chaboya again was granted Rancho Yerba Buena by the US Government in 1858, one of the first real estate cases heard over “squatters’ rights”.

Antonio’s brother, Pedro Chaboya, served as one of the first lawmen in the area under Mexican Independence. Pedro Chaboya lead the fight when under Spanish rule to defend the ranchos of the Santa Clara Valley from Native Americans and create some peace for the ranchers. He would maintain a much smaller land patent west of Rancho Yerba Buena, near the present day fairgrounds.

We will discuss Evergreen’s land fights, though we didn’t focus much on it within the artwork itself. Rancho Yerba Buena was over 25,000 acres and hard to scout and watch at all times. As cattle grazed throughout Evergreen, it might have been years until someone came upon a new farm or Native camp popping up. The Chaboyas had to part with Rancho Yerba Buena in sections to provide newcomers the opportunity of the American Dream. With this realization, Downtown Evergreen on San Felipe Road and Aborn Road was the first area densely populated with new farmers.

The Chaboya family would maintain homesteads off of Quimby Road in the center of the former Rancho. Chaboyas would have the last names Shobolo, Shabolla, Chabolla and Chaboya, all being pronounced the same way. Chaboya orchards were a source of pride. The family would marry into other prosperous Mexican and American families. They were a well-liked, hard working bunch in Evergreen into the 1940’s. Then, the trail goes cold.

Little trivia: Yerba Buena and Evergreen are trying to communicate the same things about our community and land. Spearmint is super green, and again the forever green inspires the same. If you get a little mint in your yard, watch out. It’s a nuisance and a weed after a while. Spearmint will make itself quite comfortable in your Evergreen flowerbed, as I know from experience.

The Chaboya/Chabolla story is a crucial one in our timeline because it spans our Native American Evergreen to early California Statehood Evergreen into the 20th century. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that Americans started purchasing large lots of land from Rancho Yerba Buena. We find them so important, we’ve featured them several times in the Mural Walk. Here’s what I’ve designed to honor the Chaboya Legacy.

Evergreen Mural Walk

A Public Display of Affection