The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 88, July 1984 - April, 1985 Page: 352

352 Southwestern Historical Quarterly
tion, 47,799 acres were purchased from the Southern Pacific Company,
and, probably in part, from the state, and 20,000 acres were acquired
from settlers, presumably through misuse of the Homestead Law. The
author does not examine whether Beale encouraged settlers to take
advantage of the law for his own benefit. It was the income from El
Tejon that made it possible for Beale, with the aid of his wealthy wife,
Mary Edwards, to establish his family in the Decatur mansion in
Washington and to obtain high rank in Republican circles and a close
relationship with President Ulysses S. Grant. Out of this came his
nomination as minister to Austria-Hungary.
Cornell University PAUL W. GATES