coast are the tracts of William Beniiz and Ernest
Kufus, the latter with a grist-mill.** Along Russian
River stretches the Sotoyome grant of H. D. Fitch,
with vineyards and raill/^ Cyrus Alexander, lately
Fitch's agent, had occupied Alexander Valley, and
below him now live Lindsay Carson and Louis Le-
gendre«
The hilly peninsula between the bay and ocean, named after the Indian chief Marin, is indebted for a comparatively compact occupation mainly to its posi- tion relative to other settlements, and to the impulse given by the now secularized and decaying mission establishment of San Rafael. This lovelv spot was buddiug into a town, and contained several settlers,** besides Timoteo Murphy, in charge of the mission es- tate. Above extend the tracts of Novato*^ and Ni- casio, the latter owned by James Black ,*^ and adjoin- ing, those of Ramon Mesa and Bartolom^ Bojorques, Rafael Grarcia and Gregorio Briones are located on the ranchos of Tomales and Bolinas, owning many cattle ; and William A. Richardson holds that of Sau- zalito, which is already an anchorage and supply sta- tion,** yet with aspirations cramped by the closely pressing hills, and overshadowed by the looming me- tropolis.**
M Erected by H. Hftgler on Walhalla River, which is now uBoally called GnalaU River.
- ' Covering the present site of Healdaburg.
^ Among oUier settlers may be mentioned Frank Bedwell, Mose Carson, Fred. Starke, Hoeppner, Wilson, the Piflas, and the Gordons.
^* Among them Mrs Merriner and sons, Jacob and J. O. B.; Short and Mrs Miller near by. Ignacio Pacheco was justice of the peace.
'^^ Obtained by F. Fales in 1839 and transferred to Leese. ^ Who had obtained it from J. OTarrell, in exchange for his grant near Bode».
- > The earliest settler here, since 182(5, had been John J. Read, who subse-
quently obtained the Corte de Madera rancho, where he planted orchards and erected a grist-mill, followed by a saw-mill in 1843, the year of his death. Angel Island was for a time occupied by A. M. Oslo. Among other settlers were Martin and Tom Wood, the latter a famous vaquero.
- On the map presented I mark with preference the names of settlers,
giving the rancho only when the actual holder is in doubt, as represented by proxy or tenant, or claiminff merely by virtue of grant. The preceding mat- ter has been drawn from official documents, books, and manoscripta, with no ■maU sapplementiui^ by the moutha of iivi
