Early Catholic property transactions in O.C.

Santa Maria Catholic Church (1912-1968), Fullerton, 1910s.

I won't claim I’ve captured every transaction, but the following list covers most of the real estate transactions of the Roman Catholic Church in Orange County that were filed between Aug 1, 1889 (the moment of Orange County's birth) and the end of 1926. Perhaps this will come in handy someday for someone researching Church history. Please note that Orange County did not always have its own diocese and over the years was part of the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles, the Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Abbreviations used in this timeline include MM (Miscellaneous Maps), Deeds (Orange County Book of Deeds), OR (Official Records of Orange County), all of which are government record series available through the County Archives.

Diocese Property Transactions in Orange County, California - Filed 1889-1926 (and related data)

1887 Aug 12 -- Bishop (Francis Mora) sells a portion of "downtown" San Juan Capistrano to the San Bernardino & San Diego Railway Co. (Deeds 219/54)

1892 Aug 20 -- Bishop sells to M. A. Forster: Land near Olive St. in the Mission Tract, San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 55/78)

1892 Nov 11 -- Bishop sells to Southern California Railway Co.: A 60-foot strip of land alongside the railroad tracks in San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 78/60)

1892 Nov 17 -- Bishop sells to Mrs. Zaneta Lecroq of Anaheim: Most of the W 30 acres of the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 8, T 4 S, R 10 W, SBM for $1800. (Deeds 78/148)

1895 Aug 13 -- Bishop sells to Pia Baker & Seraphina Maerz of San Francisco: 0.022 acres at Palm St. near Center St, Anaheim (Deeds 102/397)

1896 Aug 31 -- Francis Mora of L.A. grants to Bishop Montgomery the following 40 acres of land for the building and maintaining of St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church in Anaheim: NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 25, T 4 S, R 10 W, SBM. The deed is subject to reservations contained in the deeds made by the Stearns Ranchos Co conveying said land and is subject also to a life estate (a written request which accompanied the conveyance) in said property for and during the natural life of John Timney by whom said land was conveyed to Mora. [Note: The notary for this document was William R. Burke.] (Deeds 29/6)

1896 Aug 31 -- Francis Mora also grants to Bishop Montgomery the following property: A) Lots 1, 2, 6 and 7 of Block 9 of the Town of San Juan Capistrano, B) A 20-ft wide, 493-ft long strip of land (for a road) on the W boundary of Section 6, T 8 S, R 7 w, SBM, running from Spring St. on the N to the land of Francis Mora on the S. (Deeds 29/8. Also see Deeds 219/54)

1897 Jun 12 -- Bishop sells to William F. Strohschein: One acre in Mission  Tract #4, San Juan Capistrano, for $250. (Deeds 33/49)

1897 Oct 9 -- Bank of America, L.T. & Cecil J Garnsey (of L.A.) sell to Bishop Montgomery some land at Center St and Palm St (St. Boniface) (Deeds 35/157)

1899 Dec 18 -- Bishop sells to William F. Strohschein: A little over an acre near Spring St, San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 47/87)

1901 Jun 20 -- Bishop sells to William F. Strohschein: A little over an acre near Spring St, San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 62/214)

1902 Jan 17 -- Court finds in favor of defendant Clementine Langeberger and Bishop Montgomery, who'd been sued by the City of Anaheim. Ruling confirmed that the Bishop now owned this land: Commencing at the SE corner of Lot 15 of the Langenberger Tract, running thence N 150 ft along the E line of Lots 15 and 16 to the S line of 1st North St, thence E along the S line of said 1st North St 110 ft to the W line of Palm St., thence S along the W boundary line of Palm St 150 ft to the N boundary line of Center St, thence W along the N boundary line of Center St 110 ft to the place of beginning...  (Deeds 72/202)

1902 Jul 12 -- John Timney died

1902 Nov 17 -- Bishop sells to City of Anaheim: Original Building Lot 15, for $350 (Deeds 85/12)

1902 Nov 17 -- Bishop sells to J. M. C. Hill of Orange County: (40 acres) NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Section 25, T 4 S, R 11 W, SBM, for $1575. (Deeds 83/99)

1902 Dec 19 -- The property of the late John Timney goes to Bishop Montgomery. Specifically, the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 25, T 4 S, R 11 W, SBM (40 acres)

1903 Oct 29 -- Sarah & May I. Flood sell the E 10 acres of the N 20 acres of the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 17, T 4 S, R 10 W to the Bishop. (Deeds 97/373)

1903 Nov 13 -- The Stearns Ranchos Co quitclaims to the Bishop any remaining interest in the following: E 10 acres of the N 20 acres of the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 17, T 4 S, R 10 W to the Bishop. (Deeds 103/46) 

1904 Feb 15 -- Bishop sells to Marcos A. Forster: Tract 5, containing about 29 acres of lands at the Mission San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 103/214)

1904 Mar 16 -- Bishop sells to Michael Litten: The 6 acres immediately above Holy Cross Cemetery (Anaheim) for $850 (Deeds 103/264)

1906 Mar 26 -- C. N. Flint, trustee of the city and county of Los Angeles, sells Lots 6 through 10 in Block 9 of the Benedict Tract (MM 4/38-39, Deeds 96/359)

1909 Sep 17 -- Superior Court grants St. Dominic Female Religious Order the right to sell Vineyard Lot C6 in Anaheim for $10,000 (Deeds 177/77)

1910 Mar 10 -- St. Dominic Female Religious Order sells land (probably Vineyard Lot C6) to Albert Muckenthaler.

1912 Feb 6 -- A. J. & Fannie Backs grant the following to the Bishop: lots 11 & 12 in Block A of the Laird Subdivision (MM 6/12)(Deeds 209/274)

1912 Apr 23 -- S. N. & Jennie Fuller sell property in Fullerton to the Bishop: Lots 28, 29 & 30 in Block 29 of the Townsite of Fullerton. (Deeds 211/124)

 1912 May 15 -- Peter F. & Emma J. Johnson sell property in Fullerton to the Bishop: Lots 26 & 27, Block 29, Townsite of Fullerton (Deeds 212/141)

1912 Jul 18 -- J. W. & R. Illa Hand and G. W. & Kate Hamlin sell property to the Bishop: Lots 17 & 19, Block 310 of Huntington Beach. (St. Mary's By the Sea)(Deeds 141/334)

1912 Jul 18 -- Frank A. J. & B. Yulu Diss of Los Angeles sell Lots 21, 23, 25 & 27 in Block 310 of Huntington Beach to the Bishop. (St. Mary's By the Sea) (Deeds 218/354)

1912 Jul 18 -- Roman Catholic Bishop of Monterey & L.A. sells the E 16.25 ft of the S 427 ft of Vineyard Lot D6 to the City of Anaheim (Deeds 224/58)

1912 Nov 15 -- Roman Catholic Bishop of Monterey & L.A. sells land in or adjacent to Vineyard Lot D6 to City of Anaheim for the purpose of extending Chartres Street. Until the street is expanded, the Church will retain use of the property. (Deeds 224/59)

1912/1913 -- Plat Map shows Catholic Cemetery on E. Center St., near today's Evergreen St.

1913 Jul 26 -- The Yoch Co. (of Santa Ana) sells to the Bishop: Lot 92 & 93 of Laguna Beach. (Deeds 242/185)

1914 Jan 30 -- Leo & Marie E. Borchard sell to the Bishop: Lots 24, 26 & 28 in Block 205 of Huntington Beach. (Deeds 247/257)

1914 Sep 10 -- Rev. H. Eummelen sells to the Bishop: Lots 5, 6 & 7 in Block 75 of Town of Santa Ana East (MM 10/43-44) (Deeds 295/113)

1915 Feb 15 -- Estate of Clementina Langenberger is settled. A few excerpts from her will: Her brother, Gustave Zimmerman, gets 5 shares of stock in the Anaheim Sugar Co. She left $1,000 to St. Catherine Orphan Asylum of Anaheim, and $1,000 to the Catholic Church of Anaheim. She left $500 to the city for the purposes of erecting a fountain in memory of her and her husband, Augustus, "in the Plaza at the City of Anaheim." (Deeds 264/383)

1915 Aug 6th -- Catherine E. Measor Leieritz sells to the Bishop: Lots 1 & 2 in Block 4, Tract 39.(MM 9/37) (Our Lady of Guadalupe) (Deeds 269/256)

1915 Sep 8 -- Ruth C. Fairchild (widow of O. G. Fairchild of San Francisco) sells to the Bishop: Lots 25 & 26, Block 4 of Aliso City (MM 1/44) (Deeds 270/18)

1915 Sep 25 -- Bishop allows State Highway Dept to build a State Highway across Lots 6 & 7, Block 9 of Mission Tract No. 1, in San Juan Capistrano (Deeds 278/151)

1918 Jun 5 -- Bishop sells Lots 9-11 of Tract 50, in San Juan Capistrano, to Standard Oil Co. (Deeds 324/195)

1918 Sep 25 -- Bishop sells Lots 9-11 of Tract 50, in San Juan Capistrano, to the State of California (Deeds 328/187)

1919 Jun 18 -- Bishop sells Lot 6, Block 9 of Town of San Juan Capistrano to Etienne Oyharzabal (Deeds 321/113)

1919 Dec 4 -- Bishop sells Lots 11 & 12 of Block A of Laird's Hotel Del Campo Tract in Anaheim to Catherine Larsen (Deeds 346/335)

1920 Jan 26 -- Bishop sells Lot 8 of Tract 50, in San Juan Capistrano, to Otto John Lierman (Deeds 355/394)

1920 Feb 2 -- Ashby & Josephine Mottz Turner sell to Bishop: Block 73 of the Town of Santa Ana East. Also that portion of Wellington Ave abutting said block on the N side, which was abandoned by the City. (Deeds 356/353)

1920 Mar 11 -- Bishop sells Lot 7 of Tract 50, in San Juan Capistrano, to James Monroe Walmer & Ellen Marie Walmer (Deeds 357/245)

1920 Mar 17 -- Bishop sells Lots 3-6 of Tract 50, in San Juan Capistrano, to Leon Eyrand, et ux (Deeds 357/328)

1920 Jun 18 -- St. Catherine Orphan Asylum sells 2/9th interest in some property at the corner of Lemon & Santa Ana Streets in Anaheim to Maria C. Shanley (Deeds 363/108)

1921 Jun 16 -- Bayside Land Co. (P. A. Stanton, president) sells to Bishop: Lot 17 in Block 209 of the Bayview Tract (MM 91/8) (Deeds 388/356)

1921 Aug 3 -- Bayside Land Co. sells to Bishop: Lot 15 in Block 209 of the Bayview Tract (Deeds 403/82)

1921 Oct 20 -- M. J. Galvin sells to the Bishop: W 1/2 of Acreage Lot 61 of the Townsite of Fullerton. (Deeds 405/417)

1922 Jan 27 -- Orange Methodist Episcopal Church sells to the Bishop a parcel commencing at the NE corner of Chapman and Shaffer Streets, as shown on Henry Grote's Addition to Orange, running thence N along the E line of Shaffer St 162 feet, thence E 170 ft, thence S 162 ft to the N line of Chapman St, thence W 170 ft to the point of beginning. (Deeds 412/57)

1922 May 27 -- Ignacio (or Ygnacio) 7 Cyrille Cervantes grant to the Bishop: S 50 ft of the N 200 ft of the E 1/2 of Lot 3 of the Town of Westminster (Deeds 426/328)

1922 Aug 8 -- Mary C. Measor of Washington, D. C. sells to Bishop Cantwell the land at Central Ave and Halladay St in the Delhi area of Santa Ana that would become Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. (Deeds 436/171)

1922 Sep 15 -- Bishop sells Lots 1 & 2 in Tract 39 in Santa Ana to Mary C. Measor (Deeds 436/170)

1922 Dec 11 -- Bishop sells a portion of Block A in Tract 124 in Santa Ana to Ashby Turner (Deeds 448/38)

1923 Jan 11 -- Bishop sells another portion of Block A in Tract 124 in Santa Ana to Ashby Turner (Deeds 450/362)

1923 Mar 15 -- The Pacific Electric Land Co sells to the Bishop: Lots 19, 20, 21 & 22 of Block 14 in Tract 234 (Deeds 465/174)

1923 Mar 21 -- Patrick Browne sells to the Bishop: A portion (see deed) of the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 5, T 5 S, R 10 W, SBM (Deeds 460/198)

1923 Apr 4 -- Bishop sells Lots 26-30 in Block 29 of the Townsite of Fullerton to A. H. Rothaermel and A. D. Moodie (Deeds 472/113)

1923 Apr 18 -- Leo & Marie E. Borchard and D. E. & Polly O. Ford sell to the Bishop: Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 of Block A of Tract 352 in Santa Ana. (Deeds 470/176)

1923 May 14 -- Charles D. & Lydia M. Smith quitclaim to the Bishop: E 1/2 of Lots 28, 29 & 30 in Block 29 of the Townsite of Fullerton. (Deeds 472/112)

1923 May 14 -- H. H. & Margaret L Crooke sell to the Bishop: A parcel near the intersection of Amerige Ave and Commonwealth Ave (near the Richman Addition) in Fullerton. (Deeds 590/58)

1923 Jun 28 -- A. & P. L. Ruiz sell to the Bishop: Lots 7 & 8 of Block B of Bartlett's Adition to Santa Ana (Deeds 475/303 & 512/107)

1923 Jul 26 -- Bishop sells a portion of Block A of Tract 124 in Santa Ana to Ashby Turner (Deeds 481/388)

1924 Jan 2 -- Carl J. & Lena A. Klatt sell to the Bishop: Lots 21 to 26 in Block 75 of Santa Ana East (Deeds 512/146)

1924 Jun 9 -- The Bixby Land Co sells to the Bishop (for less than $100): Lots 13, 14, 15 & 16 in Block 30 of the Town of Los Alamitos (Licensed Surveyors Maps OC 1/25)

1925 Feb 11 -- John & Ida M. Rudolph and Henry Emmelen sell to the Bishop: Lots 27 & 28 in block 75 in the town of Santa Ana East. (Deeds 566/310)

1925 Jul 24 -- James C. Doyle sells to Bishop: A parcel adjacent to Lot 4, Block 8 of the Golden State Tract, Placentia. (Deeds 597/283)

1925 Dec 15 -- Eustace R. & Emma D. Parsons sell to the Bishop: Lot 66 in Block A of Bradfords Resubdivision of Blocks H & I of Placentia (MM 8/65) (Deeds 627/17)

1926 Jan 2 -- A. M. & Lou B. O'Brien sell to the Bishop: The E 45 ft of the W 510 ft of the S 220 ft of the N 440 ft of the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 9, T 5 S, R 10 W, SBM (Deeds 625/25)

1926 Jun 9 -- Jennie & Jennie E. McFadden sell to the Bishop: Lot 18 of Block E in Tract 245 (in Santa Ana). Covenants only allow for houses to be built. (Deeds 655/295)

1926 Sep 23 -- Bishop sells to A. H. & Clara Stetson Reid: Tract 2 and Tract 3 of the Land at the Mission San Juan Capistrano (L.A. Patents 1/588; or part of Tract 808 in MM 24/23)

1926 Sep 24 -- A. H. & Clara Stetson Reid sell to Bishop: Lot 5 in Block 6, Tract 808 (San Juan Capistrano; MM 24/23)(Deeds 681/325)

1926 Oct 23 -- Bishop of San Diego & L.A. sells Tracts 1 & 2 of the Land at the Mission San Juan Capistrano (now part of Tract 808) to A. H. & Clara Stetson Reid (Deeds 681/324. Also see MM 24/23 and L.A. County Patents 1/588)