The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-07
MORE ABOUT PERAL TA-REAvIS
A History of This Celebrated
Land Case.
Interesting to the Student of Old
California Days.
Where the Opposition to the Claim OF
Rnsvis and His Wife Really
Comes From.

The publication, exclusively in TIL
HERALD. OF the story of the Perslta.
and the fact that the taking OF testimon
in the celebrated Persl,a land case hs
been going on in this city since Octo be
LIST before the chief justice OF the cour
Of private land claims, has renewed in
terest in the case to considerable OK
tent. In this city are q large number o
people who are directly interested in tn
case. Some are owners OF land contain s
in the grant through patent from tb
government and others have purchased
land in the grant of James Addison
Reavis, the claimant.
| Outside Of the interest thus directly
awakened, there is in the case a havo
OF early days which makes it interesting
to every studen. of California and Cali,
fornia life
One of the principal witnesses in the
case, Juan lgnacio de la Cruz Francisco
Garcia, now resides in Sonoratown.
This vell-known character is able to res
member away back in 1902, and 10 quite
clear that he enlisted in Sonora, Mexico,
as soldier under Don Miguel Silva de
Peralta, the son of the old baron, and
that he served under him for mum Der
OF years.
Another interesting witness is an aged
priest of San Bernardino, who was pres-
ent OF the birth of twins to Dofs Juans
Laura Ybarra y Escobeda in 1922.
The claim of the petitioners is that
one OF these twins Is the present wife of
James Addison Peralta- Reavis, and that
her true name before the marriage was
Maso Silva de Peralta de la Cordoba,
she claiming to be the great grand
daughter of Baron Miguel Nemecio Silva
de Peralts de la Cordoba.
The cid baron was sent to Am erica on
a mission of investigation at tine begin-
ming OF the last century. and as re-
ward for his services was given a land
grant in what is now Arizona by the
king OF Spain, which was confirmed to
him, as evidenced by many old docu-
ments, which are included in the evi.
denOe OF the petitioners.
The grant embraced several million
acres of land in Arizona and New Mexi-
CO, q large portion Of which has been sold
by the government and q portion is still
unsoid. A number OF towns have been
built Oh it, and if the claimant can es-
tablsh her right to the property it
would seem like tale OF the Arabian
Nights TO contemplate the vastness OF
her possessions.
The old baron died February l, 1924,
in the city OF Guadsla jara, leaving one
con, Jesus Miguel Silva de Peralta, to
whom be willed all his estates.
The petitioners claim that the son
married in 1929, Dof1a Juana Laura
barra Escobsda. and tina. they had
daughter, Dofla Sofia Laura Micaela
Silva de Peralta de la Cordoba de Sans
chez barra de Escobeds.
This daughter, they claim, married
Joee MaRo. or as HE full name appears,
Don Jote Ramon Carmen Maso Gas.
tillo, in Hernosillo, Spain.
AT this point the story assumes local
interest. 1t is claimed that they were
travelling in San BernardiEo county in
1862, and while passing the Bandini |
rancho, near San Salvador, or Aqua |
Mansa, the wife fell sick and was taken |
to the ranch house, where two children,
twins, were born, one male and one |
female.
1t is further claimed that the mother
and the boy died shortly after, and were |
buried in the old San Salvador cemetery,
while the daughter lived, and is the
Sofia Loreto Peralta- Reav;s, petitioner
10 the present case, to the possessions
Of the old baron OF Arizona.
The value of the grant claimed by
Mrs. Reavis is over 100000, 900. 1t EN-.
oracss a region of country in Arizona 40 |
oy loo miles in extent, as large an area
as the states OF Rhode Island and Con-
necticut com bined.
Many OF the most promising and -four
shing towns of Arizona are within the
confines Of the grant. On the western
and near the southern corner,
Maricopa ia situated, the point where
he Southerns Pacific railroad enters.
another railroad town, lies in
he southwestern corner. Phenix, one
If the most Furnishing towns in the ter
'itory. ia in the western part, and the
lively town OF Globe ia located in the
,enter and toward the north.
Among other cities and towns en-.
,raoed in the grant are Tempe, Hayden,
Sweetwater, GAIA Grande,
cotton wood. Pinal, Florence, Pioneer,
)udleyville. Camp Goodwin, Riverside
md McMillenville.
No section of Arizona lie 10 we'll ia
,ored az regards water and meane of ir-
igstion. TIE Gila, Salt and San Pedro
ivers run through the grant, while
mall treams flowing into the larger
mes honeyoom the whole property. !
The undeveloped mineral wealth OF
he district is untold. The most oele-
,rated mineral belt of Arizona, that OF
he Pinal range, 10 situated in the center