In 1974 Hagata recalled his Days on the Vineyard Ranch
and the history of Vineyard and the Guejito
.
In 1974 Hagata recalled his days on the Vineyard and Guejito, and other Ranches where he spent well over 80 years. Born on the Moosa Canyon Ranch in 1893 Hagata was friends from childhood with the Cazaurang family who bought the 13,500 acre Rancho Guejito for $150,000 in 1906. He leased the Vineyard Ranch also known as the Maxey Ranch where he
San Diego County 1891
operated a dairy farm for about 30 years and ran the Vineyard post office serving 3 ranches until it was closed in1922. Vineyard also had a school that closed about the same time as the post office. The Vineyard Ranch started as a 360 acre homestead but grew as other struggling homesteaders sold out to Maxey. "It was his standard policy to pay for his neighbors land with a wagon, a team of horses, one cow and a 50 gallon barrel of wine". Hagata remembered when Cazurang was shot to death in 1940 by a Mexican cowboy who worked on one of Cazurang's ranches in Nevada. The cowboy had a wage dispute or was allegedly paid for
the deed and caught driving Cazurang's Ford for which he was sentenced. After Hagata left Vineyard the 4500 acre Ranch was sold to C. L. Powell who had already purchased the Guejito Ranch separately. Hagata said he made it down into Escondido about twice a year and the Escondido historical society may have his old post office desk.
.Click here to see Eloise Perkins full column and interview with Hagata in 1974