Pedro Estrada was the original grantee of this tract of property
commonly known as the "Asuncion Rancho." He owned the entire 40,000
acres from 1845 until 1868. (20 thousand of which is now the City
of Atascadero). Not much remains of this once well known home along
the road overlooking the Salinas River, but you can stand where he
stood and imagine the gardens and trees that have been described as
lush. As the southernmost Rancho of Mission San Miguel, the
Franciscan clergy had this adobe constructed on the Rancho Asuncion
in 1812 and reaped the harvest from its gardens and orchards.
The non-native settling of Atascadero began with the San Miguel
Mission Franciscan clergy. They managed the 60,000-acre Rancho
Asuncion until 1833, when the Mexican government secularized the
mission lands after having won its independence from Spain in 1821.
Governor Pio Pico split up the San Miguel Mission properties by
granting Ranchos to those who solicited them. On June 19, 1845
Governor Pio Pico granted Asuncion Rancho to Pedro Estrada, nearly
40,000 acres of land. Though as an officer in the military at
Monterey, he could not operate the ranch himself and had a brother
manage the ranch for him. It is not stated which brother assisted
him, but he had several brothers who were granted nearby
ranchos.
Hard Times Ahead:
There is a deed dated May 11,1868 granting some of the ranch
over to Martin Murphy - the owner of the neighboring Santa
Margarita Ranch. Many ranchos were lost by the original grantees
during the 1860s, as a result of a severe drought which killed off
most of the cattle on the great ranchos of the California. From the
sale, Pedro carved out 200 acres here by the Salinas River and
lived in his adobe until his death there in 1897. Another sale was
made to J.H. Henry - no date given for that sale in the sources I
have reviewed so far. See the J.H. Henry Ranch
Cache
Pedro Estrada's obituary was written in the MORNING TRIBUNE in
the first week of February, 1897:
"DEATH OF PEDRO ESTRADA - One of the Old Pioneers Dies at the
Asuncion Rancho.
Don Pedro Estrada a well known resident of the county and at
one time a large land owner, died at his home on a portion of the
Asuncion ranch last Saturday morning at 3 o'clock.
The deceased was a brother of the late Joaquin Estrada, who
died at his ranch near this city, a few years ago. Some time during
the early forties, Pedro and Joaquin Estrada left their home in
Monterey, and made their way down to this part of the country and
secured two land grants from the Mexican government. Joaquin's
grant comprised the Santa Margarita and Atascadero ranchos while
Pedro contented himself with the Asuncion rancho consisting of
20,000 acres. The two brothers were very wealthy in cattle and
horses, and enjoyed life to the fullest extent, no expense being
spared for any amusement that suited their fancy. Their friends
were always made welcome, and no one was ever known to be turned
away in hunger or distress. However, their expenditures were quite
large and in the course of time caused them to lose their princely
estates and both met with reverses which in time caused them to
make a little home on a few acres of the grants they once
owned.
Pedro Estrada was taken sick with la grippe about three years
ago, and he never recovered his health thereafter, and catching a
severe cold a few weeks ago, gradually kept getting worse until
death ended his sufferings.
The remains were interred in the cemetery at Templeton
yesterday, the funeral being attended by a large concourse of old
friends."