Stevenson, Jonathan D.
Jonathan D. Stevenson organized and commanded the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. The regiment arrived in San Francisco by sea in March, 1847, and was disbanded in California in October, 1848. A number of the discharged veteran stayed in California, and a few came to the Santa Cruz area. It's unclear whether Stevenson himself ever resided in this area, but in 1856-57 he filed suit to invalidate the land claims of a number of Santa Cruz residents. His aim, presumably, was to then claim the land for himself. The case was finally resolved in the defendants' favor in 1868.
Stevenson's son Matthew was a Captain in his regiment, and came to Santa Cruz with him, according to Riptide. Several profiles in Riptide Centennial mention that an individual was associated with Stevenson's "projected town" in Santa Cruz (e.g. Schallenberger, Moses (CE11)). However, no details or sourcing are provided.
