them for $5.00 per month. Whatever Hurtado was trying to achieve in these 

 transactions didn't work, as the previous sheriffs sale to Shafter was confirmed 

 on March 12, 1872 and a deed was finalized in Shatter's favor. 150 



Shafter deeded the land to his son Payne, owner and resident of "The 

 Oaks" across the county road to the west. Payne Shafter sold the eastern end 

 of the ranch to Neil Mclsaac in 1893, reducing the size of the property to 187.16 

 acres. Shafter also sold small parcels in Olema to tinsmith Samuel Olstead and 

 storekeeper Santino Martinelli. 151 



The Shatters called it the Cheno Ranch or Cheno Field. A two-bedroom 

 house, a 32-foot by 50-foot barn and outbuildings were constructed at an 

 unknown time and the place operated as a small dairy for many years, no doubt 

 under a lease with some local dairyman. In 1910 the ranch was leased to A. F. 

 Morris. 152 



Payne Shafter sold the ranch on February 1, 1934, to Manuel J. and 

 Maria F. DeSouza. The DeSouzas ran a dairy business and raised a family, but 

 after World War II rented the ranch to Jack Dougan. Dougan built a 1140- 

 square foot Grade A barn and shipped market milk. By 1950 the DeSouzas 

 leased the ranch to Wilson Beebe, who continued to operate a dairy until the 

 federal government bought the property in December of 1975 for inclusion in 

 Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In 1964 Beebe had purchased a small 

 plot of land on Drake Highway from the DeSouzas; this was also bought for the 

 park. The Beebe family was relocated in May of 1976 and the buildings were 

 torn down by the park service. 153 



150 Records in "Abstract . . . Nelson Hotel", pp. 145-148; Deeds Book V, p. 508, Book L, p. 22, 

 MCRO. 



'"Deeds Book 57, p. 214, Official Records Book 8, p. 107, MCRO. 



152 Shafter ledger, Jack Mason Museum; Appraisal Report: The DeSouza Ranch (Sebastopol: 

 Harding Appraisal Co., 1973). 



'"Official Records Book 215, pp. 89 and 93; Appraisal: DeSouza: interview with Don Mclsaac, 

 Boyd and Jo Ann Stewart. 



280 



