Supreme Court. He later settled in Watsonville "where he dropped dead in the 

 street" in 1879. 65 



At the time of her husband's death Sarah Randall had five young 

 children, her husband's debt, and limited knowledge of the dairy business. No 

 doubt with the help of her brother and neighbors, Mrs. Randall recovered from 

 her tragedy and kept the dairy ranch going. Soon, however, problems arose 

 over ownership of the Randall land. 56 



Rafael Garcia had been granted two leagues but the map delineating his 

 properties had been carelessly drawn. A new survey cut out about 2,000 acres, 

 including Mrs. Randall's ranch. According to the new map Garcia would have 

 had no right to sell the property to Randall and Nelson. The government could 

 claim this land, but the Shatter law firm claimed that the land belonged to 

 them as part of the old Berry claim which they had rightfully purchased. The 

 matter went to court on October 22, 1862. Mrs. Randall appeared, arriving late 

 and explaining that she was delayed "by remote residence, the inclemency of 

 the weather, the difficulties in traveling, and by ... many other pressing duties 

 and obligations." Also present in the courtroom were Salvador Vallejo, Ignacio 

 Pacheco and James McMillan Shafter. Mrs. Randall's case may have been saved 

 by the testimony of her neighbor to the north, Daniel Olds, Jr., who stated that 

 he was present at the time of the survey and felt her claim was true, and noted 

 that she was "very industrious and devotes herself incessantly to the care of her 

 family and the conduct of her dairy operation. She knows as little about legal 

 matters as the majority of American matrons." The Shatters did not get the 

 Randall Ranch and other Garcia lands as threatened, but instead received the 

 immense Phelps patent to the east. 57 



In March of 1862 a correspondent for The California Farmer visited and 

 wrote that the family "has 1200 acres, 200 head of stock, 100 milkers; had 60 

 milkers last season and made 400 pounds of butter a month; no hay or root 

 crops now, and making no butter; lost some stock." Mrs. Randall leased a 



55 Munro-Fraser, Marin County, pp. 239-240; "Personal History," p. 1. 



56 At the time of their father's death the ages of the Randall children were: Elizabeth Deborah, 

 9 (born October 25, 1850); William James, 8 (April 1, 1852); Fannie Jane, 6 (May 2, 1854); 

 Raymond (or Ramon) Leon, 4 (May 31 1856); and Mary Lorraine, 1 (April 4, 1859); Mary was the 

 only Randall child born at the Olema Valley ranch. 



"Land Case 68 ND, U. S. vs R. Garcia, Bancroft Library, p. 87; Mason, Point Reyes, pp. 45-47; 

 notes by Jack Mason in Jack Mason Museum Collection, Inverness. 



148 



