lilrich2you,
Welcome to Treasure Net !!
A little history of California land titles might be of interest and assistance in your search. Originally, the Spanish granted land concessions from 1769-1821. Your guy may have received one. More likely, he may have received a Mexican land grant that was given to influential Californians of Spanish descent. Ownership was memorialized as a handwritten topo map defining the area of ownership.
In 1846,the US declared war on Mexico; the war ended in 1848. The treaty that ended the war provided that Mexican land grants would be honored; the title records were sent from Monterey, MX to the States so that title could be investigated and confirmed.
In 1851 , all holders of Spanish and Mexican land grants were required to present their claims to the Board of California Land Commissioners. The process took an average of 17 YEARS to confirm title.
Meanwhile (have I lost you yet?), in 1850, the Calif. legislature met and adopted a recording system for land titles.
"Back in the day" (I started doing this 50 years ago), you could order an Abstract of Title that would provide you with a chain of title report going back to a Spanish land grant if such records were available. Today, you can go to a title company and order a Certificate of Title or a 'cancelled title policy' that will show you who owns the property today. But you need the address of the property first. That can be obtained through a title company doing a Grantor-Grantee search by name.
The biggest clue you gave was the fact the property was sold between 1850 and "ten years prior' to the 1880s. During that time, records were kept, but how extensive they are today can only be ascertained by either doing the Grantee/Grantor check yourself, hiring a third party to do the same or giving the assignment to a title company.
Tom's suggestion, above (assessor's office), may also lead you to the answer you seek.
I hope that helps,
Don.....
