A Brief History of Other

Mexican Ranchos in Saddleback Valley

Rancho Lomas de Santiago, granted to Teodosio Yorba in 1846, and Rancho San Joaquin granted to José Sepulveda in 1841. These two ranches were purchased by James Irvine in 1888 to become the Irvine Ranch. Today the Irvine Ranch of Orange County is probably the single most valuable piece of real estate in the world and the only remaining area in the county which still has significant agricultural production.

Rancho Niguel was granted to Don Juan Avila (El Rico) in 1842 and later became part of the holdings of Lewis Moulton as the huge Moulton Ranch in the 1890s.

Rancho Trabuco was first granted to Santiago Arguello in 1841 and then to English immigrant and naturalized Mexican citizen Don Juan Forster who was related to then governor of California, Pio Pico, through marriage to Pico's daughter.

Rancho Misión Vieja was granted to Agustín Olvera in 1845 and sold to Don Juan Forster in 1850. It became part of Forster's immense landholdings which included Rancho Trabuco, lands of the former Mission Rancho San Juan Capistrano covering the entire Capistrano Valley, and Rancho Santa Margarita (today's Camp Pendleton). Forster's holdings then stretched from Saddleback Valley to Oceanside.

Ranchos Misión Vieja and Trabuco were purchased in the 1880s by James Flood and Richard O'Neill Sr of San Francisco. They became part of the vast O'Neill Ranch, the second largest land holding in Orange County today.