Quarto bifolium (ca. x cm. or 5x8 in). 3 pp. of text. Brown ink on yellow lined wove paper. Fold marks, but otherwise a very good letter written in a legible hand.

Historically interesting autograph manuscript letter documenting business negotiations regarding one of the last Mexican land grants in California.

Rancho Sisquoc (ca. 35,000 acres) in Santa Barbara County, CA, was granted by Governor Pio Pico to Maria Antonia Dominguez de Cavalleri in 1845. It was then sold to James Huie for $12,500 and later acquired by Rockwell Stone, who, in 1887, left the ranch to his children, Lucius and Harriett Stone (the addressee of this letter). Lucius went bankrupt in 1888, losing his share to William Harris (the author of this letter). In 1892, John T. Porter and Thomas B. Bishop acquired Harriett's share and later Harris's, forming the Sisquoc Investment Company in 1899. The ranch currently operates as the Flood family’s winery.

The author, William Harris of San Francisco, wrote this letter to Harriett Stone, the co-owner of Rancho Sisquoc, in 1891. In the text, Harris anxiously notifies Harriet about the unauthorized road-cutting on the ranch and expresses frustration over her lack of response to previous letters. He warns that if she continues to ignore his communications, he will petition the Santa Barbara Court to appoint a Receiver to manage and divide the ranch. Near the close, Harris urges an immediate response to prevent high assessment rates on the property, which he states are “fifty per cent more then they ought to be.” Overall, historically interesting business letter regarding one of the last Mexican land grants in California.

The text of the letter: “I have this morning received a letter from Mr Wickenden saying that parties by the name of Foresters who live at the northeast part of the Sisquoc Ranch has just completed the cuting of a road on the Ranch, and are preparing to cut another. I have given the letter to your Attorney Mr. A. Comti jr said letter can be seen by you if desired. Now Miss Stone I have writen you two letters and you have not answered either one of them. Now this letter is to notify you that if no notice is given to this letter and others sent by me to you, the Court at Santa Barbara will be ask to appoint a Receiver for the Ranchs and to take emidate posession of said Ranchs and take all necessary care of them. Until the Court will order the said Rancho divided into two equal parts in accordance with opinons obtained from engineers + surveyors, who say the said Rancho can be divided to advantage and profitable to Both parties interested, an answer is requested by return mail. P.S. The parties on the Rancho are being in preparation at Santa Barbara and if emidate attension is not given to them they will assessed at rates as last year which is fifty per cent more then they ought to be.”