Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1882, 1880, 1860s, 1839, 1828, 1824, 1797, 1785
In the early sixties, the Malibu grant passed through the tax sale into the hands of Mathew Keller, better known in those days as "Don Mateo." Mr. Keller was born in Ireland and came to America at an early date. After living in Mexico for a time he came to California and was located in Los Angeles about 1850, becoming one of its best known and most prominent citizens. He was one of the first to engage in wine-making and to plant out an extensive vineyard, for which he imported stock from France. He devoted a great deal of attention to the cultivation of the grape and was also interested in th early experiments in raising cotton. At one time he had a complete ginning outfit set up in Los Angeles and offered its use to any one who would raise cotton. He made a thorough study of the process of making wines of different varieties and manufactured it in large quantities. He established houses in Los Angeles and San Francisco and was instrumental in introducing California wines in the east on a large scale, having extensive connections in New York for the handling of his own manufacture.
He put up a large ranch house on the Malibu and made improvements there and when he died in 1881 he left that grant to his son, Henry W. Keller, formerly of Santa Monica, who sold it in 1891 to the late Frederick H. Rindge.
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"[p. 136] Still the question of the boundary [of Boca de Santa Monica] was disputed and was not finally disposed of until about 1880, when the United [p. 137] States courts fixed the limits of the Boca de Santa Monica and July 21st, 1882, a patent for 6,656 acres of land was confirmed to Marquez and Reyes.
Ygnacio Reyes [ -1863] built a ranch house in Rustic Canyon and the family have continuously occupied the land since 1824, part of the grant still being owned by the descendants of the original grantees. This is an unusual case for generally the great land grants of the state have passed entirely out of the hand of the Californians, and the families of the original claimants have profited nothing by the marvelous increase in values.
Ygnacio Reyes also owned a home in Los Angeles, on Main street, near Fourth and is frequently mentioned in the annals of the town. He died there during an epidemic of smallpox in 1863. Three sons still survive him, Guadalupe of Sawtelle; Ysidro and Antonio of Los Angeles.
Francisco Marquez built his ranch house on the edge of the bluff, about at the end of Seventh street. Here it was a landmark for many years, having been destroyed within the past few years.
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[p. 139] " . . . In early days it [La Ballona] was chiefly occupied as a stock range, although some grain was raised and orchards of various fruits were planted about the haciendas. The district was occupied by a number of families in the fifties and sixties and was one of the first townships set aside, originally including San Vicente, Boca de Santa Monica, Malibu and a large territory. It was organized into a school district during the sixties and was a factor in the election of early days.
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"[p. 139] In 1861 a military camp was located on La Ballona, near the creek about three-quarters of a mile from the present town of Palms. This was made the headquarters of the First California Volunteer Infantry, Gen. J.H. Carleton, commanding officer. The camp was established in September, being occupied by Company A, under Col. Latham, for whom the station was named Camp Latham. Several companies were encamped here and at one time there were probably 150 men present. They were sent from here to Arizona to protect the mail service and the camp was not occupied after 1862. A couple of soldiers were buried here and in 1895 their neglected graves were remembered by the veterans of Santa Monica, who made a special trip to decorate them.
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[p. 157] Chapter II Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880, 1863
" . . . From 1863 to 1868 he [Hon. John Perceval Jones] was a member of the state legislature of California. In the meantime, he had gained much experience in mines and mining propositions. When the great developments of the Comstock lode began to attract attention, he was one of the first on the ground. Later he waa made the superintendent of the Crown Point mine.