Between the death and endless pressure by the settlers, the Garcias lost 

 their lands, "much of it at the sheriffs auctions". By 1880, Juan Garcia, who 

 lived in his two story frame home near the site of his father's adobes, brother 

 Jose, and Felix, who lived in Olema were apparently the only members of the 

 family remaining in the area. Felix lost his property to Shafter, then operated 

 a saloon in town from July 1876, to April 1879, when he lost all to his creditors. 

 In time Felix Garcia left town and died a pauper in San Rafael in 1900. 47 



Brother Felipe Garcia operated a stage line from Sausalito to Olema in 

 1870. A news correspondent wrote of "the splendid line of stages ... a large 

 amount of the pleasure and comfort enjoyed being due to the provisions made 

 by Mr. Garcia, who may be considered the prince of stagists . . . ," 48 



In 1888 Jose Garcia, as executor of his father's will, made an attempt to 

 recover all of Garcia's land plus $10,000 in a lawsuit against landowners on the 

 rancho, including Shafter, C. W. Howard, Joseph Bloom and John Nelson. The 

 suit was dismissed after the defendants claimed that the suit amounted to 

 fraud "for the purpose of wrongfully depriving the petitioners of the possession 

 of their said lands." 49 



Juan Garcia did his best to hold the family name in esteem. Born on the 

 Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio in 1838, and named after Father Juan of the 

 San Rafael mission, he spent most of his life with his wife Guadaloupe and 

 children in his father's Olema Valley. He farmed in the area, and ran a livery 

 business, as described by Bertha Stedman Rothwell: 



When Don Rafael Garcia died in 1866, he left to his 

 son Juan the remnant of his once famous stable .... 

 This Garcia stable consisted of a large number of well- 

 bred horses and a large assortment of vehicles and 

 saddles. The saddles and harnesses were embellished 

 with the usual silver mountings which were a familiar 

 sight in the early Spanish regime. This stable Juan 

 Garcia prized dearly, and it became his life's ambition 

 not only to keep intact what remained but also to 



Mason, Earthquake Bay, pp. 92; "Abstract of Title and That of Encumbrances on the Nelson 

 Hotel Lot, Olema" Vols. 1 and 2, Jack Mason Museum. 



48 Marin Journal. November 26, 1870. 



49 Marin County Superior Court, Register 2 No. 852, Jose Garcia vs. Nelson et al., in "Abstract 

 . . . Nelson Hotel" Vol. 1. 



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