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San Juan Capistrano Community History
ARBISO, Paul Anacleto (1895—
) A third generation resident is the caretaker for the San Juan Capistrano Mission and the official bell ringer who rings the bells when the swallows return each March and other special, historical events. Discusses ghosts, treasures, and other legends of the area including personal encounters with apparitions.
A section of the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las
Flores, a large Mexican land grant formerly owned by the last Mexican
governor Pio Pico, then by Juan Forster, reflects about life at the rancho
during the days when Richard O’Neill, Sr., his grandfather, and James Flood
jointly owned the land. The ranch often referred to as the O’Neill Ranch is
located in southern Orange County and northern San Diego County of southern
California. The Flood portion of Rancho Santa Margarita has been Camp
Pendleton since World War II. Baumgartner resides in San Juan Bautista and
is well known in the California livestock industry having served in an
official capacity in several organizations including president of the
California Cattlemen’s Association. Bound copy includes a copy of the
original “Abstract of Title” of the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores and
other historical documents. Manager of Rancho Mission Viejo in San Juan Capistrano, California discusses the impact of the bracero program in the area as compared with the green card carrying Mexican laborers employed in the area.
History of San Juan Capistrano, California
from the 1920s: social and agricultural background, floods, residents, and
churches. A large ranch owner in the southern
California San Juan Capistrano area and former head of the Orange County
Farmers, Incorporated discusses the bracero program in southern California
including reasons for ending the program, socialistic ideas of the program,
and mechanization. History of Forster ranches and lands, oil,
old Mission Viejo, and San Juan Capistrano, California area. Administrative aide for the Cultural Heritage
Commission in San Juan Capistrano, California explains the historic
preservation movement in that city, events that prompted community support,
and federal and state measures from which it can benefit financially.
A former rancher and manager of field labor
for D.W.D. Produce Company in Mission Viejo, California discusses bracero
program with Filipino farm workers, and compares Mexican labor in Mexico
with Mexican labor in the United States. Narrator operated a bracero camp
during World War II in Hollister, California. The great—granddaughter of the first
non—Spaniard to settle in San Juan Capistrano, and great—niece of Pio Pico
the last Mexican governor of California, discusses life in the Capistrano
area. The great—granddaughter of Juan Avila, owner
of Rancho Niguel, discusses the Avila, Yorba, and Landell families, the
murder of Pablo Pryor, bruias, Chola Martina, and an accounting of
California history. A young Lutheran pastor and property owner in
the Mission Viejo area of southern California describes the planning and
building of the first church in the planned, newly developed community of
the original Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. Comments on residents of
the area. MOISO, Anthony R.
(1939—
) An O’Neill family heir and vice—president of
the Mission Viejo Company, relates colorful history of the
O’Neill ranch and the Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. Comments
on agriculture, prominent people, and banking in this area of
southern California. Life in old San Juan Capistrano, California
including many anecdotes about the war, the Depression, schools and
community affairs, such as fiestas, dances, and weddings. A member of the Rosenbaum family discusses
briefly the family ranch and the bracero labor, including comments about
Cesar Chavez. Ranch was up for sale at the time of the interview. PEASE, Ethel Rosenbaum
(1892—
) Portrayal of ranch life at the turn of the
century in San Juan Capistrano and southern Orange County, California;
recollections of childhood games, dances, church activities, Father
O’Sullivan, and the first public school built in Orange County which
operated spasmodically——only when they had money to pay teachers. A farmer in San Juan Capistrano, California
who leases farmland discusses his experiences with Mexican and Negro
farmhands. A longtime rancher and the third largest farm labor employer in San Juan Capistrano, California area, discusses the influence of Eleanor Roosevelt on the bracero program. An in—depth interview concerning cost, training, and mechanization of the program.
General discussion of agriculture in Capistrano Valley including the use of pesticides, the role of Mexican national labor, and flood control.
Owner and manager of Rosenbaum ranch in the San Juan Capistrano, California area provides information on the bracero program, its effect on local workers, and treatment of Mexican—American workers by their supervisors.
Manager of Rosenbaum ranch in San Juan
Capistrano, California and former manager of American Fruit Growers Camp
compares Puerto Rican laborers with the Mexican workers of the bracero
program. Father came to southern California in the
1850s and settled in Silverado Canyon on property which was later sold to
Madame Modjeska. Recalls old Clubfoot, the last grizzly bear killed in
Silverado Canyon which is now at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.
C.; the mining camp at Silverado; homesteading, and mining at Cochise,
Arizona; farming on the O’Neill ranch; and old—timers in the area. A Crocker Bank officer in charge of the O’Neill Trust and vice president in charge of finance for the O’Neill properties discusses land conservation, agriculture, mineral extraction, the O’Neill family, and the Mission Viejo Company.
Great—granddaughter of Nathanial Pryor, a
Yankee silversmith who arrived in California without permission with
Sylvester Pattie, and descendant of the well—known Yorba family recalls
pioneer families, church and mission activities, Father O’Sullivan, and
family anecdotes, such as the selling of the now famous El Adobe to satisfy
a $50 grocery debt. Husband was editor of the first newspaper in San Juan
Capistrano, California.
Descendant of two pioneer families of southern California, the Yorbas and the Rioses, discusses his families, childhood experiences, and general history of the San Juan Capistrano area.
RELATED MATERIALS
Thesis: Thesis includes the following oral history interviews: Paul Anacleto Arbiso; Gladys Landetl; Daisy Yorba Winterbounne; Lucana Forster Isch; Richard Lynn Shrewsbury; Joseph Yorba; Ethel Rosenbaum Pease; Delphuna Olivares; Carl Hankey; H. L. Remmers; Elizabeth Forster; C. Russell Cook. Interviews are bound separately and housed in the California State University, Fullerton, Oral History Program Archives. |
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