Bowen, Jerry

Mar 06, 2000

Abstract: All Mexican land grants in California were poorly defined - a tree, a mountain bluff, lagoon, river, or ravine served as boundaries and frequently these specified more land than was intended to be granted. No accurate surveys were made and the only legal restrictions falling within these vague limits were that excess land would revert to the public domain. Many problems were caused by the vague descriptions after California became a territory and later a state.