[1] About 1846 Henry Dalton (1803–1884) owner of Rancho San Francisquito, found two graves on his property that were protected by a cactus hedge.

Dalton was a merchant and had purchased a number of properties in Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley during the late 1800s.

He and his wife Maria née Zamorano (1832–1914) purchased food products around the world and brought them to the San Gabriel Valley at his Rancho Azusa de Dalton homestead.

El Monte is near the end of the Santa Fe Trail and the Southern Emigrant Trail, thus near the end is the oldest non-sectarian cemetery in Southern California, Savannah Memorial Park Cemetery.

The park is also on the route used during the 1800s to transport wood and other supplies to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel.