domination. Sem-Yeto led both military expeditions against the other tribes and some peacemaking missions. His main reputation was a man of peace. Sem-Yeto eventually helped to keep the peace between the region's Native Americans and the Mexicans. A peace treaty was signed in 1836. In order to impress the Mexican government, Vallejo arranged for and sent Sem-Yeto with 100 of his Suisun warriors down to Monterey, California to impress and seek military support from Juan Bautista Alvarado, governor of Alta California (1836–1837, 1838–1842). Sem-Yeto and his warriors traveled the distance but missed meeting Alvarado. When the smallpox epidemic of 1837 decimated the Native American population of the Sonoma-Marin region, Sem-Yeto was one of the few natives to be vaccinated and thus survived. Due to his friendship with and support of General Vallejo, Sem-Yeto was one of only two natives to receive a land grant rancho from the Mexican government. (The other native to be granted land was Camilo Ynitia.) In 1842 he received four square leagues known as Rancho Suisun. However, he was not able to retain it for his people after his death; most of the land went to Archibald A. Ritchie in 1857, another section to J.H. Fine. Rancho Suisun was recorded in California state records as follows: Sem-Yeto remained a leader of many regional banded tribes and an influential ally and friend of General Vallejo until the Mexicans lost control of the state in 1846. California statehood (1846–1850s) In 1846, at the end of the Bear Flag Revolt when California became part of the United States, General Vallejo was taken prisoner by Americans at Sutter's Fort and presumed dead. Sem-Yeto thought he had lost his closest ally, so fled north and found refuge with tribes as far north as Oregon, Washington and possibly Alaska. He returned to California in 1850 and died soon after of pneumonia at the old Yulyul village site in present-day Rockville. Legends The following legends exist about the popular chief: Heir of Chief Malica (1817) One legend (unconfirmed) that has been handed down is that Sem-Yeto was the heir of Chief Malica and was present as a child at the tribe's capture and mass suicide of 1817. In this legend, young Sem-Yeto was convinced by Chief Malica to flee the battleground suicide as the rightful leader of the remainder of the tribe, with the few that fled into the hills. For six years,