Rancho Valle de Pamo
Rancho Valle de Pamo (also called Rancho Santa María) was a 17,709-acre (71.67 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day San Diego County, California, given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to José Joaquín Ortega and Edward Stokes. The grant occupied the Santa Maria Valley and was centered on present-day Ramona.
The four square league former San Diego Mission lands in the Santa Maria Valley were granted to José Joaquin Ortega and his son-in-law, Edward Stokes. Stokes and his father-in-law Ortega received two Mexican land grants - Rancho Valle de Pamo in the Santa María Valley in 1843, and Rancho Santa Ysabel in the Santa Ysabel Valley in 1844.
José Joaquin Geronimo Ortega (1801–1865), grandson of José Francisco Ortega, married Maria Casimira Pico (1804–1883), sister of Pío Pico and Andrés Pico, in 1821. José Joaquin Ortega served as majordomo and administrator of San Diego Mission from 1835 to 1840, and as majordomo of San Luis Rey Mission from 1843 to 1845. From this experience, he knew which were the best of the ex-mission lands when seeking grants. He also served as justice, elector, alternate member of the assembly, alcalde, and county supervisor.
Edward Stokes was an English sailor who came to California from Hawaii. In 1842 he married Maria del Refugio Ortega (1823–1918), daughter of José Joaquin Ortega. Stokes died soon after the Battle of San Pasqual. His widow Maria Ortega married in 1859 Agustin Olvera, grantee of the Rancho Cuyamaca.
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