The Land
You can read the family's whole century in its deeds. An Iowa homestead traded for a gold pan in 1848; $2,000 in Sutter gold that paid off the mortgage and brought the family west; a Mendocino meadow that named a daughter; and then, in September 1869, the claim that defined everything after — 2,000 acres of Pacific Valley between the ocean and the Santa Lucias. Mining claims at Los Burros, ranches at Westlake and Wild Horse Canyon, town lots paid in gold coin — and the ten-dollar deed of 1925 that passed the coast to William Randolph Hearst and scattered the old families. 25 recorded transactions, mapped below.
homesteads & claims deeds & purchases mining assessments & estates
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1845
homestead US Government → William Lucas Plaskett
William Lucas Plaskett married Sarah Barnes in Van Buren County, Iowa in 1845. First children Byron (1846) and Leonidas (1848) were born here.
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1848
mining claim US Government → William Lucas Plaskett
William Lucas Plaskett came west in 1848 for gold. Mined at Sutter Mine where he earned $2000 in gold, which he used to pay off Iowa mortgage and bring family to California.
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1852
homestead US Government → William Lucas Plaskett
Plaskett family homestead in Cherokee County, Iowa. Children Reason Alpha (1852) and Francis Marion (1854) were born here before the family moved to California.
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1856
homestead US Government → William Lucas Plaskett · 160 acres
Original Plaskett family homestead in Mendocino County, in the region now known as Plaskett Meadows. Sarah had her first daughter Mendocino May here on September 14, 1856.
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1864
purchase Frank Muma → Curnell Mansfield & Jim Prewitt
Squatter's rights to Pacific Valley land, north end of valley
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1864
homestead U.S. Government → Curnell H. Mansfield · 160 acres
Homestead filing on south side of Prewitt Creek, Pacific Valley
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1869
homestead US Government → William Lucas Plaskett · 2000 acres
Settled Pacific Valley September 1869, claimed 2000 acres of the narrow valley between the Pacific Ocean and the coastal Santa Lucia Mountain Range. First home built on banks of Plaskett Creek (now site of Plaskett Creek…
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1884
purchase Jim Prewitt → Curnell H. Mansfield
Prewitt's share of Pacific Valley partnership lands
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1890
accumulation Curnell H. Mansfield · 4000 acres
Accumulated lands from Pacific Ocean to summit of Santa Lucia Mountains
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1910
deed L.M.S.Plaskett → Mrs. Murray
L.M.S.Plaskett to Mrs. Murray (Book 115 page h21)
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1910
deed E.M.Plaskett → Mrs. Murray
E.M.Plaskett to Mrs. Murray
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1911
deed W.E. Plaskett → J.S.Plaskett
W.E. Plaskett to J.S.Plaskett ( Book 119 page 181 )
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1912
deed The Plaskett Bros. Mining Company → L.M.Plaskett · 60 acres
The Plaskett Bros. Mining Company sells to L.M.Plaskett for the sum of ten dollars the following property: 1. The Ocean View Quarts Mining claim 2. The Blackberry Quartz Mining claim, and 3- The Lilac Quartz Mining claim…
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1912
deed Edward A.Plaskett → Lawson Plaskett
Edward A.Plaskett to Lawson Plaskett (Book 12k p.269)
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1912
mining deed Plaskett Bros. Mining Company → Lawson M. Plaskett
Sale of Ocean View Quartz Mining claim, Blackberry Quartz Mining claim, and Lilac Quartz Mining claim in the Los Burros Mining District for ten dollars.
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1914
deed Salinas City Bank → Edward A. Plaskett & Wesley B. Plaskett · 641.09 acres · $10
Lot 5 SE of NW, N of NW, E of NE, and East of SE of Section 26 in Township 21 South of Range 6 East...and lots in section 19 Township 21 South of Range 7 containing 641.09 acres...and known as the Westlake Ranch.
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1920
deed Edward A. & Mabel Plaskett, Wesley & Martha Plaskett → his uncle William E. Plaskett · 160 acres · $10
Edward A. Plaskett and his wife Mabel and Wesley and Martha transfer some land to his uncle William E. Plaskett who paid $ 10 for “Lot 5 of Section 18 lying south of the gulch forming the natural division fense between t…
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1920
deed Rosa Fancher a widow of San Luis Obispo Calif → William E. Plaskett · 160 acres · $10
Rosa Fancher, a widow of San Luis Obispo Calif, to William E. Plaskett who paid her $10 for some land in the “NW quarter of Section 4 Township 24.“
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1921
deed W.E. Plaskett and his wife Jessie → Irene Sans · 0.5 acres · $10
W.E. Plaskett and his wife Jessie sell land to Irene Sans. Irene paid $ 10 in gold coin for lots 5 & 6 in block 10 in Salinas. The deed was not recorded until Dec. 20 192b.This land was owned earlier by Byron G. Plaskett…
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1925
deed Plaskett Family → Barbree (agent for William Randolph Hearst) · 1500 acres
Land sold to Barbree, agent for William Randolph Hearst, for ten dollars. Township 21 South Range 6 East: Section 10 (S½ of SE¼), Section 15 (E½), Section 24 (Lots 1 & 5 of N½ of NW¼), Section 25 (Lots 1 & 2), and Sectio…
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1927
deed William E. & Jessie Plaskett → Piedmont Land & Cattle Co. · 500 acres
William E. & Jessie Plaskett sell land to the Piedmont Land & Cattle Co. Registered in O.R. 132 page 2b8. /:■-' 1927 Reason A. Plaskett, age 75, marries his third wife Sara Earl. A/-.U ' /'■ '^' 6, J- ■■
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1936
gift deed Edward and Mabel E. Plaskett → Gordon Plaskett and Vernon A. Plaskett · 80 acres · Less than $100
S½ of NW¼ of Section 8, Township 21S, Range 8E, MDB&M - 80 acres gift to grandsons
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1950
assessment Cyril E. & Margaret A. Plaskett · 1049.14 acres
Multiple parcels in Twp 21S, R7E and R8E including Sections 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12
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1950
life estate Mabel E. & Edward A. Plaskett (Life Estate) · 38.63 acres
SE¼ of SW¼ Sec 5, T21S R8E, Exc portion 600 ft along N line & 100 ft on W line of Hwy
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1950
assessment David & Sarah Plaskett · 0.985 acres
Tract fronting 330.66 ft on W side of County Road, Por Sec 8 T21S R8E, Exc portion in State Hwy
Every parcel above also appears on its place page and on the life maps of the people who held it — start with William Lucas Plaskett, who claimed the valley, or Edward Abbott Plaskett, who signed it away.