On March 3, 1871, Representative Stephen L. Mayham of the Subcommittee on Private Land Claims reported an unsuccessful claim by Thomas H. Dowling that he had purchased Yerba Buena Island on September 10, 1849, from Gorham Hyronemo Nye, who had received the island in 1835 "as a compensation for transporting the body of the deceased Governor José Figueroa from Monterey to Santa Barbara".
On March 3, 1871, Representative Stephen L. Mayham of the Subcommittee on Private Land Claims reported an unsuccessful claim by Thomas H. Dowling that he had purchased Yerba Buena Island on September 10, 1849 from Gorham Hyronemo Nye, who had received the island in 1835 "as a compensation for transporting the body of the deceased Governor José Figueroa from Monterey to Santa Barbara".