# Rancho Los Palos Verdes — US Patent Plat

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Document** | Patent Book 2, Pages 543-546 |
| **Title** | Plat of the Rancho Los Palos Verdes |
| **Confirmed to** | Jose Loretto Sepulveda et al. |
| **Surveyed by** | Henry Hancock, Deputy Surveyor |
| **Survey date** | September 1859 |
| **Approved** | June 22, 1880 by J.A. Williamson, Commissioner of the General Land Office |
| **Recorded** | August 4, 1880 at 9 AM, at request of Thomas Hayes |
| **Total area** | 31,629 63/100 acres |
| **Scale** | 40 chains to 1 inch |
| **Variation** | 13° 20' East |
| **Aggregate of Exterior Boundaries** | 2,632.80 chains (≈ 32 miles, 72 chains, 80 links) |

## Notes on Transcription

- Source: PDF scan of original patent plat, 3 pages
- Page 1 (P-2-543): Boundary courses table (244 courses)
- Page 2 (P-2-544): Plat map — western/northern portion
- Page 3 (P-2-545): Plat map — eastern/southern portion
- Transcription date: 2026-04-04
- Bearings are compass bearings (N/S + degrees + minutes [where given] + E/W)
- Distances are in chains and links (1 chain = 66 feet = 4 rods; 100 links = 1 chain)
- `[?]` marks uncertain readings due to handwriting quality
- Some fractional values (e.g., "8½") are written as fractions in the original

## Boundary Courses (Page 1, P-2-543)

244 courses defining the exterior boundary of the rancho. Read left column (courses 1-122), then right column (courses 123-244).

| No | Course | Distance (chains) |
|----|--------|-------------------|
| 1 | N 88 W | 3.84 |
| 2 | " 9½ E | 56.00 [?] |
| 3 | " 5 " | 28.50 |
| 4 | " 8½ " | 39.50 |
| 5 | N 80½ " | 0.50 [?] |
| 6 | S 11 " | 18.25 |
| 7 | " 20 " | 12.00 [?] |
| 8 | " 45½ " | 5.50 |
| 9 | " 85 " | 5.50 |
| 10 | " 4½ " | 0.50 |
| 11 | " 61½ W | 5.00 |
| 12 | " 48½ " | 5.50 |
| 13 | " 88½ " | 8.00 |
| 14 | " 35½ " | 2.00 |
| 15 | " 61 " | 7.00 |
| 16 | " 61½ " | 15.00 |
| 17 | " 54½ " | 4.00 |
| 18 | " 54 [?] " | 8.50 [?] |
| 19 | " 36 " | 11.50 |
| 20 | " 77 " | 3.50 |
| 21 | " 41 E | 7.00 |
| 22 | " 7½ " | 0.50 [?] |
| 23 | " 09½ " | 1 [?] .00 |
| 24 | " 54 " | 0.00 [?] |
| 25 | " 83½ " | 1.50 |
| 26 | " 38½ W | 4.00 |
| 27 | " 70½ " | 7.50 [?] |
| 28 | " 60 " | 24.50 |
| 29 | " 63 " | 9.50 |
| 30 | " 50 " | 15.00 [?] |
| 31 | " 36½ " | 8.00 |
| 32 | " 48 " | 14.00 |
| 33 | " 51 " | 13.50 |
| 34 | " 32½ " | 7.00 |
| 35 | " 4 [?] " | 14.50 |
| 36 | " 46 " | 19.00 [?] |
| 37 | " 32½ " | 8.00 [?] |
| 38 | " 33 E | 4.50 |
| 39 | " 53½ " | 7.50 |
| 40 | N 31 [?] " | 11.00 |
| 41 | S 60 " | 7.50 |
| 42 | " 34½ [?] " | 8.50 |
| 43 | " 8½ " | 9.00 |
| 44 | " 18½ W | 3.50 |
| 45 | " 57 " | 3.50 [?] |
| 46 | " 50 " | 3.00 |
| 47 | " 72 " | 6.00 |
| 48 | " 73 E | 5.50 [?] |
| 49 | " 87½ " | 4.00 |
| 50 | N 78½ " | 2.50 [?] |
| 51 | S 84½ " | 7.00 |
| 52 | " 16 W | 11.00 |
| 53 | " 57½ E | 1.50 [?] |
| 54 | N 17½ " | 12.00 |
| 55 | " 81 " | 5.00 |
| 56 | S 43 " | 3.50 [?] |
| 57 | " 2 N | 3.50 [?] |
| 58 | " 41½ " | 6.50 [?] |
| 59 | " 6 [?] " | 4.00 |
| 60 | " 53½ " | 7.50 [?] |
| 61 | " 77½ E | 9.50 |
| 62 | " 28 " | 6.00 |
| 63 | " 38 " | 5.00 [?] |
| 64 | South " | 4.50 |
| 65 | S 85½ E [?] | 14.50 [?] |
| 66 | " 44 N | 6.00 |
| 67 | " 53 " | 7.00 |
| 68 | " 29 E [?] | 7.50 [?] |
| 69 | " 29 " | 4.50 |
| 70 | " 2 W | 9.50 [?] |
| 71 | " 77 " | 3.00 [?] |
| 72 | " 23 E | 9.00 |
| 73 | " 32½ " | 3.00 [?] |
| 74 | " 9½ " | 2.50 [?] |
| 75 | " 91 [?] " | 3.50 |
| 76 | " 17 W | 10.50 |
| 77 | " 06 E | 10.00 |
| 78 | N 80 " | 17.50 [?] |
| 79 | " 39½ " | 5.50 [?] |
| 80 | " 7 W | 6.00 [?] |
| 81 | " 49 E | 2.00 [?] |
| 82 | " 65 " | 2.50 |
| 83 | " 63½ " | 3.50 [?] |
| 84 | " 23 " | 7.50 |
| 85 | " 45 " | 3.00 |
| 86 | " 64½ " | 5.00 [?] |
| 87 | " 41½ [?] " | 3.00 |
| 88 | N 88 " | 3.00 |
| 89 | " 11 " | 3.00 [?] |
| 90 | " 60½ " | 3.50 [?] |
| 91 | " 4 [?] " | 3.50 [?] |
| 92 | " 4½ " | 7.00 |
| 93 | " 55 [?] " | 4.50 [?] |
| 94 | S 42 " | 9.00 [?] |
| 95 | N 31½ " | 3.00 |
| 96 | " 21½ " | 4.00 [?] |
| 97 | " 56½ [?] " | 3.50 [?] |
| 98 | " 70 " | 3.00 [?] |
| 99 | N 55 " | 8.00 |
| 100 | " 36½ " | 5.50 [?] |
| 101 | N 56¼ " | 10.50 |
| 102 | " 68 " | 11.00 |
| 103 | " 72½ " | 11.00 [?] |
| 104 | " 6 " | 10.00 [?] |
| 105 | " 85 " | 7.50 |
| 106 | " 35 " | 8.50 [?] |
| 107 | " 4½ " | 3.00 [?] |
| 108 | " 62½ E [?] | 6.00 |
| 109 | " 14 W | 7.00 [?] |
| 110 | " 13½ " | 5.50 |
| 111 | S 77½ " | 3.50 [?] |
| 112 | " 31 " | 5.00 [?] |
| 113 | " 87½ " | 4.50 [?] |
| 114 | S 57½ E | 10.50 |
| 115 | " 29 " | 5.00 [?] |
| 116 | " 87½ " | 4.50 [?] |
| 117 | " 2½ W [?] | 3.00 |
| 118 | " 80 " | 8.00 |
| 119 | " 79 " | 8.00 [?] |
| 120 | " 76 " | 5.50 [?] |
| 121 | " 76 " | 4.50 [?] |
| 122 | " 45 " | 14.00 [?] |
| 123 | S 26½ E | 2.50 [?] |
| 124 | " 49 " | 18.00 |
| 125 | " 10½ " | 11.50 |
| 126 | " 29 " | 4.50 |
| 127 | " 60½ " | 7.50 |
| 128 | " 18½ " | 9.50 |
| 129 | " 55½ " | 7.00 |
| 130 | " 83 " | 7.00 |
| 131 | N 85 " | 2.50 [?] |
| 132 | S 89½ " | 15.00 [?] |
| 133 | " 72½ " | 6.00 |
| 134 | " 89 " | 5.50 [?] |
| 135 | " 58¼ " | 8.50 [?] |
| 136 | " 42 " | 5.00 [?] |
| 137 | " 59½ " | 4.00 |
| 138 | " 76½ " | 14.00 |
| 139 | " 47 " | 5.00 |
| 140 | " 74 [?] " | 11.50 [?] |
| 141 | " 53½ " | 18.50 [?] |
| 142 | " 73½ " | 12.00 |
| 143 | " 75 [?] " | 13.00 |
| 144 | N 83 " | 10.00 |
| 145 | S 51½ " | 10.00 |
| 146 | " 87 " | 6.00 |
| 147 | " 25 [?] " | 7.00 |
| 148 | " 18 " | 7.00 |
| 149 | " 63 " | 7.00 [?] |
| 150 | " 14½ " | 11.50 |
| 151 | " S 81 " | 12.00 |
| 152 | " 37 " | 13.00 |
| 153 | " 69½ " | 17.00 |
| 154 | " 75 [?] " | 17.00 [?] |
| 155 | " 63½ " | 14.50 |
| 156 | " 80½ " | 3.00 [?] |
| 157 | " 80½ [?] " | 11.00 [?] |
| 158 | " 30 [?] 23 [?] " | 1.00 [?] |
| 159 | S 55 E [?] | 4.50 |
| 160 | " 31½ " | 6.50 |
| 161 | " 2 " | 4.00 |
| 162 | N 89 " | 10.00 [?] |
| 163 | " 78 " | 4.00 |
| 164 | S 69½ " | 8.00 |
| 165 | N 76½ " | 7.50 |
| 166 | " 22 " | 5.50 |
| 167 | " 63½ " | 3.00 |
| 168 | " 39 " | 4.00 |
| 169 | " 10 " | 3.50 [?] |
| 170 | " 50 " | 2.50 |
| 171 | " 11½ W | 2.50 |
| 172 | " 22½ " | 2.50 |
| 173 | " 32 E | 4.00 |
| 174 | " 34 W | 9.50 |
| 175 | " 10 E | 3.50 [?] |
| 176 | " 19½ " | 4.00 |
| 177 | " 4½ W | 1.50 |
| 178 | " 13 " | 7.00 [?] |
| 179 | " 7 E | 5.00 |
| 180 | " 20 " | 2.00 |
| 181 | " 7 [?] " | 8.00 [?] |
| 182 | " 35 " | 12.00 |
| 183 | " 28½ " | 2.50 [?] |
| 184 | " 3 " | 2.00 |
| 185 | " 5 [?] " | 2.00 [?] |
| 186 | " 56 " | 0.24 [?] |
| 187 | S 70 W | 20.22 |
| 188 | N 20 " | 21.00 |
| 189 | " 70 E | 20.23 [?] |
| 190 | " 46 " | 10.00 [?] |
| 191 | " 132½ [?] E [?] | 8.00 |
| 192 | " 46 " | 10.00 [?] |
| 193 | " 48¾ " | 12.50 [?] |
| 194 | " 68½ " | 12.50 [?] |
| 195 | " 67½ " | 7.50 [?] |
| 196 | " 19½ " | 3.50 [?] |
| 197 | " 4½ W | 3.50 [?] |
| 198 | " 72½ " | 4.50 [?] |
| 199 | " 7 " | 10.00 |
| 200 | " 7½ " | 10.50 |
| 201 | " 2½ " | 1.50 [?] |
| 202 | " 40½ " | 18.00 |
| 203 | " 3½ " | 1.00 [?] |
| 204 | " 21½ E | 9.50 [?] |
| 205 | " 29½ " | 10.00 |
| 206 | " 19½ " | 13.00 |
| 207 | " 8 " | 11.00 [?] |
| 208 | " 17½ " | 3.42 [?] |
| 209 | " 83½ W | 6.00 |
| 210 | " 3 [?] 57½ [?] " | 2.50 [?] |
| 211 | N 32½ " | 4.50 [?] |
| 212 | " 34 " | 9.50 [?] |
| 213 | " 51½ " | 4.00 |
| 214 | " 44 " | 3.00 |
| 215 | " 69½ " | 8.00 [?] |
| 216 | S 33½ " | 4.00 [?] |
| 217 | N 34½ E | 3.50 |
| 218 | " 23 E | 6.00 |
| 219 | " 72½ N [?] | 2.00 |
| 220 | " 2½ N [?] | 4.00 |
| 221 | S 80 " | 7.50 |
| 222 | S 65 " | 2.50 [?] |
| 223 | N 50½ " | 22.50 |
| 224 | " 4½ " | 20.00 [?] |
| 225 | " 46 E | 23.00 [?] |
| 226 | S 63½ " | 11.00 |
| 227 | N 50¾ " | 9.00 [?] |
| 228 | " 60 [?] " | 9.50 [?] |
| 229 | " 54½ " | 10.00 [?] |
| 230 | " 44½ " | 7.50 [?] |
| 231 | " 18½ " | 18.00 |
| 232 | N 10 [?] 12½ [?] " | 4.00 [?] |
| 233 | N 22½ W | 3.50 |
| 234 | " 42½ " | 13.00 |
| 235 | " 26 E | 1.00 |
| 236 | " 76 W | 9.50 |
| 237 | " 23 " | 2.12 [?] .00 |
| 238 | " 22½ " | 46.52 [?] |
| 239 | " 7° 32 W [?] | 10.41 [?] |
| 240 | " 66¾ " | 185.51 [?] |
| 241 | " 86½ " | 32.10 [?] |
| 242 | " 77½ " | - |
| 243 | " 84¾ " | - |
| 244 | " 93 [?] " | - |

**Subtotals:**
- Left column (courses 1-122): 967.69 chains
- Right column (courses 123-244): 1,665.11 chains
- **Total: 967.69 + 1,665.11 = 2,632.80 chains** [confirmed]

**Conversion:** 2,632.80 chains × 66 feet/chain = **173,764.8 feet ≈ 32.9 miles**

---

## Plat Map — Page 2 (P-2-544)

### Title Block

> **Plat of the RANCHO LOS PALOS VERDES**
> finally confirmed to
> Jose Loretto Sepulveda et al.
> surveyed under instructions from
> The U.S. Surveyor General
> by
> Henry Hancock Dep. Sur.
> September 1859.
> Containing 31629 63/100 Acres.
> Scale 40 chs. to 1 inch.
> Variation 13° 20' East.

### Approval

> Approved June 22nd 1880
> J.A. Williamson,
> Commissioner of the General Land Office

### Geographic Features

- Western coastline with numbered survey points (1-80+ visible)
- "Undulating" terrain label in the interior
- Township/Range grid lines:
  - T.4 S.R.14 W. (northeast)
  - T.4 S.R.15 W. (northwest)
  - T.5 S.R.15 W. (southwest)
  - T.5 S.R.14 W. (southeast)
- Lot No. 37, Lot No. 38 (township section lots)
- Section lines: Sec. 12, Sec. 13, Sec. 7, Sec. 18
- "Point undulating [?] stake" notation near coastline

---

## Plat Map — Page 3 (P-2-545)

### Geographic Features

- Eastern portion of the rancho
- "Pedro Rancho" (San Pedro Rancho) labeled along eastern boundary
- "Plain" label in the western interior
- "Hills" label in the central area
- Lot No. 38, Lot No. 39 (township lots)
- T.4 S.R.13 W. (northeast quadrant)
- T.3 S.R.13 W. [?] (southeast)
- Section lines: Sec. 24, Sec. 19, Sec. 25, Sec. 30
- "First Standard Line South" crossing the map horizontally
- "Portuguese Landing" on the southern coast (our area)
- "La Goleta" on the eastern coast
- "Capt. Ord's Work" notation near Sec. 6
- Rock Monuments noted along the southern boundary (survey points 186-244)
- "Recorded Aug 4th 1880 at 9 AM at request of Thomas Hayes"

### Survey Points Visible on Page 3

Points continuing from the boundary courses table, numbered from approximately 186 through 244, running along the southeastern and southern coastline.

---

## Transcription Quality Notes

This transcription has significant uncertainty (`[?]`) in many entries due to:
1. 1859 handwriting by Henry Hancock
2. Scan quality of the 1880 recording
3. Fractional degree values written as fractions (½, ¼, ¾)
4. Some entries where the bearing direction (N/S, E/W) is implied by ditto marks
5. Courses 238-244 have very large distances that may represent long straight-line segments or may be misread

**Critical for computation:** Before attempting to compute a GeoJSON boundary from these courses, each entry should be verified against the plat map points. The plat map (pages 2-3) shows numbered survey points that correspond to these courses — cross-referencing the plotted positions against the transcribed bearings/distances will catch errors.

## Cross-References

- `gov_declaration_article1_property.md` — Tract 14649 references this patent
- `gov_declaration_article8_annexation.md` — Lot "H" (Bixby partition) derives from this rancho
- `legal_lot_h_theory.md` — chain of title from rancho to present
- `heritage_timeline.md` — 1859 survey, 1880 patent, 1882 Bixby partition
- Tract 14649 map (MB 345, pp 23-26) — "Being a Subdivision of a Portion of Rancho Los Palos Verdes as per Map Recorded in Book 2 of Patents, Pages 543-546"