Category: People

1842-1923

Judge Richard Egan was one of San Juan’s best known citizens for over 50 years. He was born in County Waterford, Ireland, in 1842 and brought to the United States at the age of 10 years to be educated on the East Coast. An adventurous youth, he became a blockade runner in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and later sailed around Cape Horn to San Francisco in 1866.

Egan came to San Juan Capistrano in 1868. He first lived in an adobe north of town and settled permanently in the fertile valley, planting groves of walnuts, eucalyptus and magnificent Lombardy poplars of which he was exceptionally proud. In 1883 he constructed a red brick residence on Camino Capistrano from bricks “left over” from the construction of the Marco Forster “Casa Grande” residence. Harmony Hall, as it was known, suffered a devastating fire in the upper floors in 1897, and was rebuilt in 1898.

Egan was a landowner, farmer, Justice of the Peace, telegrapher, notary, surveyor, agent for nearby landowners, keeper of rainfall records and dispenser of charity to the needy. From 1880 until 1884 he was a Los Angeles County Supervisor and in 1889 he helped adjust the boundary line when Orange County was created. By common consent Egan was San Juan Capistrano’s alcalde in the Spanish tradition: mayor, judge, and chief dignitary.

He was first elected Justice of the Peace in 1870, the same year the telegraph came to San Juan and he became its operator. From then until 1890 his reelection to office was routine, whether or not his name appeared on the ballot! Understanding the necessity for a railroad through Orange County, he became a director of the Santa Fe Railroad and their right-of-way agent for the route to San Diego.

Among his many accomplishments was his service on the local school board for 32 years, and his supervision of the repair of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, financed by the Landmarks Club of Los Angeles in 1896. He was also an Orange County Road Commissioner, appointed in 1910.

Richard Egan was well-read and spoke five languages: French, Italian, Polish, Spanish and English. No doubt his linguistic talents facilitated his friendship with actress Helena Modjeska, who dubbed Judge Egan the “King of Capistrano” and he set about “knighting” all his many friends.

Judge Egan died in 1923, but his house still stands in the place where he helped local residents untangle the intricacies of American law, and amassed and important collection of historical artifacts, most of which were lost in the 1897 fire.

 1815 – 1882

John “Don Juan” Forster was born in 1815 in Liverpool, England to a very unpretentious family. He grew up to become one of the largest landowners in all of California. At the age of 17 John traveled to Mexico and was working for his uncle, James Johnson, in Guaymas, Mexico. He became the captain of one of his uncle’s ships. In 1836 he became a Mexican citizen and was living in Los Angeles where he worked as a shipping agent at San Pedro. Later he was also Captain of the Port of San Pedro. In 1837 John married Dona Ysidora Pico, sister of Pio Pico the Governor of California.

Forster began acquiring land in the 1840s as a result of his connection with Governor Pico who granted him the lands of Rancho Trabuco and Rancho Mission Viejo. He also owned Rancho San Felipe and Rancho de la Nacion in what is now San Diego County. In 1844 Forster and James McKinley purchased the old ruins of Mission of San Juan Capistrano for $710. Here he made his home until 1864 when the Mission was given back to the Catholic Church by President Abraham Lincoln.

In 1846 the United States and Mexico were at war and Governor Pico fled to Mexico, leaving Forster in charge of Pico’s ranch, Santa Margarita y Las Flores, which today is Camp Pendleton. On his return to California, Pico borrowed large sums of money from Forster to cover his gambling debts. By 1864 Forster offered to pay $14,000 and assume all of Pico’s current debts in return for the deed to rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores. The Picos, Pio and Andres, agreed and Forster became the largest landowner in California, eventually holding over 200,000 acres.

Forster moved his family to Santa Margarita y Las Flores in 1864. The ranch house had been built sometime before 1827 and was in need of repair and remodeling. At this time it had two bedrooms and a living room. Forster expanded the house to 18 rooms surrounding a flower-filled courtyard. It is still standing today and became the home of the Commanding General at Camp Pendleton until 2007 where it is now being made into a museum.

Don Juan died in 1882 and his family sold the ranch to James Flood. Flood made Richard O’Neill his manager who later became half owner of this ranch. In 1940 the United States Navy needed a west coast training facility and purchased a major portion of the ranch from the O’Neill and Flood families and it became Camp Pendleton.

1824 – 1910

Richard O’Neill was born in 1824 in Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland. It was a fortuitous meeting when Richard O’Neill met James Flood on a ship leaving Ireland for the USA. It led to a great friendship that resulted in great rewards for both. They stayed on the east coast for a while until they decided to try their luck in the great California Gold Rush. After sailing for California and they found that the “diggin’s” weren’t always that productive. O’Neill, an experienced butcher, set up shop in San Francisco while Flood set up a saloon. However O’Neill’s fortunes fluctuated while Flood went on to become the “King of the Comstock Lode,” a founder of Wells Fargo Bank, and had many other highly successful endeavors. But their friendship always remained constant.

Later O’Neill successfully managed a ranch up north for the owner and later on operated one for Flood. In 1882 he agreed to inspect some prospective ranch properties in Southern California for Mr. Flood. After he took the SP train to Santa Ana, he rode the Seely & Wright stage to San Juan Capistrano. When that stage stopped in an alleyway between two buildings, little did he realize that one day these two buildings would be joined and eventually become the El Adobe Restaurant, owned by his grandson, Richard Jerome O’Neill. He then booked into the French Hotel, a two-story adobe next door.

Don Juan Forster had passed away and his heirs, strapped with a huge mortgage, had decided to sell the vast Ranchos Santa Margaritas y Las Flores, Mission Viejo, and Trabuco. It was a ranch land extending from Oceanside to the Lake Forest area, and from the Pacific to the Santa Ana Mountains. O’Neill determined to see this prospect, saddled up after his arrival and began to inspect this property. He liked what he saw and went back to convince James Flood about the possibilities. Flood invested the capital to buy it and formed a partnership with his friend, O’Neill, on a handshake. Two months later a title was recorded with Flood’s name and the purchase price set at $457,000 to reflect the $207,000 mortgage that the Forster heirs transferred as part of the sale. O’Neill became the ranch manager for these 205,000 acres. Flood stayed in San Francisco but occasionally came to visit, mainly for recreational purposes.

Tom Forster, grandson of Don Juan Forster, once remarked about O’Neill’s appearance that…”He was very slight of build and very short, but you almost stood at attention when he came around. He gave orders constantly and no one dared disobey him. He worked hard himself, getting up all hours of the night, and everyone on the ranch had to work. He wore boots and denim trousers most of the time because he actively worked the ranch. He generally had a short stubble of beard. He was a little man in stature, but big in personality.”

By 1888, O’Neill’s good managing brought Flood an annual income of $100,000. Flood passed away in 1891, leaving the ranch to his son, James Flood Jr. An excellent relationship remained with O’Neill and Flood Jr. He honored his father’s commitment and in 1906, Richard was given one-half interest in the ranch as a reward for his 24 years of faithful management.

In 1907 Richard gave his half interest to his crippled son Jerome, and then passed away in 1910 at the age of 83. Jerome was crippled from polio, but this did not slow him down. He was well known for horsemanship and rode more, and better, that any vaquero. He became more successful than his dad and netted a half-million dollars profit in one year.

1874-1933

Monsignor O’Sullivan was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 19, 1874. As a boy he studied at Saint Xavier School in Louisville and later entered the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He became a student for the priesthood for the Diocese of Louisville and studied at Saint Bernard Seminary in Rochester, New York. He was ordained in 1904.

Shortly after his ordination, doctors told him he suffered from tuberculosis and he would most likely be an invalid for the short part of his life that was left to him. Seeking a climate that would make is illness easier to bear he spent time in both Texas and Arizona. He met Father Quetu, who was taking care of the parishoners by saying Mass weekly for them, in Tucson, Arizona. Father Quetu suggested that perhaps the abandoned Mission might provide O’Sullivan with a limited ministry and be some consolation to the young priest.

O’Sullivan decided to visit San Juan Capistrano and, as he stepped off the train and walked the short distance to the Mission, he saw and fell in love with the magnificent ruins. “The place appealed to him: it was like himself, whose body was gone in decay”, wrote Henry Bedford-Jones. O’Sullivan was put in charge of the ruins of Mission San Juan Capistrano on July 5, 1910. He set up a makeshift tent among the arches in the corridor of the Serra Chapel because the old living quarters of Father Mut were filled with insects. He drew close to the villagers and Juanenos and learned much of the history of the Mission.

Father O’Sullivan began to dream. He knew what the Mission had been and he now dreamed of what it could be again. Not knowing when his life might suddenly be cut off, he labored only for the present. He began to store old tile, carvings, and other pieces of the Mission, believing that someone would come after him and complete the restoration of the Mission. O’Sullivan worked with his own hands, carving beams, plastering walls with adobe, using square nails to restore parts of the Mission. Slowly the Mission began to respond to his work and amazingly O’Sullivan’s health grew better each day.

Gathering the parishioners into a parish organization, in 1918 the Mission was given parochial status with Father O’Sullivan as its first modern pastor. Uppermost in the pastor’s mind was the restoration of the Serra Chapel. In 1922 this was accomplished and the beautiful reredo from Spain was installed behind the altar. A parish grade school was established in 1928 with the teaching Sisters of the Immaculate Conception from Ohio.

When Monsignor St. John O’Sullivan died in 1933 in the city of Orange, “Southern California lost a holy priest, a great man, and a high minded citizen.” His remains lie buried in the old Mission cemetery adjacent to the Serra Chapel.

* St. John O’Sullivan was his baptismal name. This does not infer that he was a canonized Saint. Many of Irish descent would use this form as a given name. However many Catholics felt this was improper to have the title St. or Saint in a given name and commonly would refer to him as “Sin-jin” instead of St. John.

1829 – 1917

Polonia Gutierrez, born in 1829, is the first recorded deed holder of the Montanez Adobe on Los Rios Street. Sometime before 1850, Polonia married a man by the name of Montanez and shortly thereafter became a widow. She married Francisco Canedo in 1853 and after his death in 1870; Polonia married Isadore Simard, a doctor.

Polonia lived in the Montanez Adobe for most of her married life and retained the deed to the land. Polonia was one of four midwives in the village and was also in charge of the religious education of the children when there was no priest at the Mission. It was during a terrible drought in 1890 when she and her little group of children are reported to have brought rain to San Juan Capistrano.

According to legend, Polonia instructed the children that if they would make a spiritual trek and pray, it would rain. The first day they made a trek to what is now Dana Point, but no rain came. The next day they made a trek up Trabuco Canyon, but still no rain came. The third day she and the children sang and prayed while walking south to Capistrano Beach. Polonia and the children prayed while on the beach and they saw clouds start to form and soon it began to rain. It rained so hard that the village sent three wagons to the beach to rescue Polonia and the children. The drought was broken.

Polonia died in 1917 in her late 80s.

1713 – 1784

Junipero Serra was born on November 24, 1713 to Antonio Serra and Margarita Ferrer, his wife, in the village of Petra on the Island of Mallorca off the east coast of Spain. He was baptized the same day at the Gothic Church, Saint Peter’s, and given the name Miguel Joseph. He attended classes at the Friary of San Bernardino in Petra but lived at the home of his parents. In 1730, Serra received the Franciscan habit in the Convento de Jesus in the city of Palma, capital of Mallorca. One year later he made his profession and took the name Junipero.

During the years 1731 and 1737, Serra continued to study philosophy and theology at the royal Friary of San Francisco at Lulana University in Palma. Serra preached in many towns of Mallorca before he journeyed to New Spain.

Early in 1749 Serra and his friend, Father Palou, decided they wanted to become missionaries and together applied for permission to serve in this field. Many weeks went by without a reply to their request. On Palm Sunday 1749, Father Palou received word from the father Commissioner General of the Indies that they had been accepted. Palou quickly made his way to Petra, informing Serra of the decision. At the age of 35, Serra left Mallorca with his friend, Father Palou, headed for Mexico and his new responsibilities.

In Mexico Serra worked diligently to convert the Indians to Christianity. As Father President of Franciscans, his missions in Northern Mexico became models of the mission system. Father Serra founded his first mission in Alta California, Mission San Diego in 1769. In 1776 he founded Mission San Juan Capistrano as the seventh in a chain of 21. The Serra Chapel at this mission is the only remaining church in California in which Father Serra is known to have celebrated Mass. Father Serra died in 1784 and is buried at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo near Monterey. California. Today the Catholic Church is going through the lengthy process of establishing sainthood for Father Junipero Serra and he was given the title of “Blessed” in preparation.

Our historic and wonderful old Mission was named for an Italian Saint, John Capistran, but since this was a Spanish Mission they used the Spanish version, San Juan Capistrano. He was born about 1385 in Capestrano in the Kingdom of Naples which is now part of Italy. As our community grew around the Mission it became known by the Mission’s name as well. St. John led a rather interesting life in nobility, as a governor, fervent priest and military leader.

He was born in nobility but his father died early and his devoted mother taught him primarily Latin then sent him off to attend the University of Perugia. Here he studied civil and canon law with great success. He married the daughter of a prominent citizen in 1412 and King Ladislaus of Naples appointed him Governor of Perugia. John zealously eradicated corruption and bribery but there was a family, the Malatesta, who controlled several cities and had many dissenters. John was selected to bring about peace. For his efforts the Malatestas cast him into prison. His treatment was bad, the King had abandoned him, and he meditated about the unfairness of all earthly things. After he was released he made a decision to join the religious orders. Either his wife had died or he received special dispensation to join the Franciscan Order. He studied theology and was ordained in 1425. Before he was accepted in the Franciscan monastery, the Superior ordered him to solemnly renounce the vanities of the world. John rode through Perugia mounted backwards on a donkey, wearing a paper miter on which his greatest sins were listed.

Fr. John traveled all over Italy and incessantly toiled for the salvation of souls. He became so popular that great crowds would gather to hear him speak. They would even erect pulpits in their city plazas and stop all traffic to accommodate him. At one time two Friars were accused of heresy. They were brought to Rome for trial and Fr. John was appointed their spokesman. So successful was his defense, that they were acquitted.

Fr. John was one of those ascetic priests that not only accepted the Franciscan rules of poverty but also mortification of the flesh. He ate only once a day and rarely any meat. He slept on boards and rested only 3 to 4 hours at night. He also celebrated mass everyday with intense fervor. His sermons quite often preached against frivolous fashions and amusements of time and against ladies’ great quantity of hair, perfumes, and superfluous fineries. Also cards, dice, and similar things abounding in idle society he railed against. He had made a great bonfire of all these useless and unworthy items and did this in many cities of Europe to demonstrate the uselessness of it all.

The Popes called upon Fr. John frequently for various commissions as a papal legate to Kingdoms throughout Europe. After Mahomet II captured Constantinople in 1453, he was so flushed with victory that he wanted to rule Christendom. He began an invasion of Hungary with his hordes. By this time many in Europe considered Fr. John a saint and Pope Calixtus III summoned him to raise a crusade against the Turks. The Turks were at the gates to Belgrade and its king fled. The governor of Hungary strongly urged Fr. John to come to his aid against Mahomet. Armed with only a crucifix and a banner with the initials of the Holy Name, I.H.S., Fr. John led a wing of the Christian army. His speech strongly persuaded the despairing army to conquer the enemy or die as martyrs. This so aroused his army over the superior forces that Mahomet’s hordes fled in wild confusion. “The Cross had triumphed over the Crescent.”

The stresses of his most active and austere life and the exhaustion of the war, weakened him and he was seized by a fever and other ailments. In his dying moments he lay on the bare floor and passed away in 1456 at the age of seventy-one. After the usual research on his past and miracles attributed to him he was canonized a Saint by Pope Benedict XIII in 1724.

An interesting praise by former Pope Pius II who knew him, wrote that “He was short of stature, already old, desiccated, thin, shrunken, having nothing but skin on his bones, he was always gay and indefatigable. Every day he preaches before twenty and even thirty thousand persons, clarifying the thorniest problems, pleasing the simple as much as the learned. He pronounces his discourses in Latin and an interpreter translates.”