CALIFORNIA - Jan 2006
By Hazel Bentley
History
Various expeditions from Mexico, Spain, Russia and England visited California 1540-1792
The Spanish crown landed a small group of military men and missionaries at San Diego in 1769 to subdue the natives and to encourage settlement. They proceeded to build missions.
Spain controlled CA until 1822 when Mexico came into possession and held power until 1846. 1848 Mexico ceded CA to the US. January 1848 Gold was discovered and brought people from all parts of the world. Population went from 15,000 to 100,000 in 2 years.
1850 California becomes the 31st state.
1850 the “Donation Land Claim Act” brings thousands of farmers.
1906 the San Francisco Earthquake. 1920-1930 the depression years brought the “Oakies.”
1940-1948 WWII brought military personnel and factory workers. The state has continued to grow steadily since 1945.
First Settlers and
Ethnic Groups
California is known as a melting pot. They have come to California from all over the world and from every state East and you will find almost every Ethnic origin somewhere in California.
Published Histories
Published histories of counties, towns, and families are extensive. Check the SLC FHC library catalog. It is possible to borrow inter library loan thru our public library. Sutro Library in San Francisco boasts as being the next largest genealogical library and lends to other libraries thru inter library loan.
California Vital
Records Note:911 has added required information to obtain birth and
death records.
Birth, death and marriage records have been kept by the state registrar of Vital statistics in Sacramento since 1 Jul 1905. They are also in each county.
Earlier vital records are entered in the county where the event took place.
Throughout the missions system of the Catholic Church, many vital records were entered in their parish church books and are still available either from the Catholic Church archives, libraries, and/or museums. For instance, the Santa Barbara Mission’s records can be located at the Santa Barbara Heritage Library. SL FHC has microfilms of these.
To be sure that a document is likely to be found in the county, first check the County Resources section for the date of the formation of the county.
Divorce and Naturalization records are kept in the County Superior Court House.
Land Records and
Definitions:
Ranchos: Land grants made by the government.
Pueblos: towns for civilian settlers, a tract four square leagues or 17,500 acres.
Presidios: Land granted for the use of the military to carry out its duties to defend the province against foreign invasion and to keep civil order. Title was actually passed in fee simple. Presidios were established in Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Diego and San Francisco.
Missions: Land set aside for the church in its work with the Indians.
Districts: Originally 4: Alta, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara, and San Diego.
Land Records
1769-1822 Spanish and 1822-1848 Mexican are written in Spanish. The bulk which have survived are found in recorders offices.
Land acquired after 1848 was disposed of by “patents” These will be found in the recorders office as well as, Spanish and Mexican grants of rancho holdings.
Files can be searched at the office of the clerk of the Superior Court in which the probate occurred.
Census
Early CA census records called “padrons” were kept of Spanish, Mexican and Indian residents. They have been published in “The Quarterly”, a publication of the Historical Society of S Calif.
The FHC has microfilmed the LA patrons of 1790,1836,1844,1852
http://www.csac.counties.org/ This will give you websites for each county
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/search.findingaid.html
online archive of California , Bancroft library
located at University of California at
Berkley
http://www.cagenweb.com/cpl/cpl_list.htm California Pioneer List - Master Index
http://www.census-online.com/links/CA/ Census
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/cemetery/california.htm Cemetery Records
http://genforum.genealogy.com/ca/ query site
http://www.interment.net/us/ca/index.htm Cemetery records
http://www.library.ca.gov/html/genealogy.cfm California State Library
http://www.rootsweb.com/ Lots of free information and links.
Vernalfhc.org 3500 links
http://www.uintah.lib.ut.us/ With your library card you can access Heritage Quest for census, and PERSI for California with 34,674 articles on California places, people and histories.
http://www.cyndislist.com/ca-local.htm
http://www.calarchives4u.com/ Current site with links to California Passenger Lists
http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/ca/california.html California Native American Tribes