In 1839, Governor Alvarado gave possession to Francisco Sepulveda of the lands known as San Vicente, with a piece of pasture (potrero) named Santa Monica. But the boundaries of the lands were not well defined and there was soon a dispute as to the territory included. In 1839 Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes had received the grant to Rancho Boca de Santa Monica which also included the "potrero" of Santa Monica. In 1840 Francisco Sepulveda petitioned governor Alvarado to place him in "pacific possession of the property, as Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes have given a bad example of disobedience and that under the strength of discordant documents they remain in possession of the place called Santa Monica".