Don Rafael Soto

From Palo Alto Wiki

Don Rafael Soto was the son of an explorer who came to California with the De Anza party. He built a landing on San Francisquito Creek about a half-mile upstream from the site of the Palo Alto harbor. From there, he did a good business shipping lumber, hides and tallow to San Francisco. But Soto had the misfortune to stake his land claim on the north side of San Francisquito Creek, land already granted to the Arguellos. Later, Soto's widow moved to the south side of the creek and received a land grant that took in most of north Palo Alto, from the creek to about Oregon Expressway and from the bay to El Camino Real. The area was named Rancho Rinconada del Arroyo de San Francisquito.