The History of Judge Richard Egan, Part 2

Editor’s note: A third part in this series will be published next issue.

Richard Egan arrived in San Juan Capistrano in 1868 with his friend Major McCowen. Little is known of McCowen, except that together they purchased 160 acres of land near Trabuco Creek for $1.25 per acre. They farmed barley, which they sold to stage coach owners for 50 cents a bushel.

The two men had acquired gold coins from the mint in San Francisco before their arrival in San Juan Capistrano. After using the gold to purchase the land, they had enough money to build a ranch house and barns, to purchase furniture and equipment, and to live for a year or two before their crops came in.

They still had enough gold to take them back to Europe if they found life in San Juan Capistrano not to their liking. They made a bargain with each other that if either should want to leave San Juan Capistrano, he was to have the gold in exchange for a deed to the one who remained for all the land and improvements. Then they buried the gold.

After two years, McCowen could no longer take the isolation and lack of academic stimulation in the village, so he left and went back to Europe.

BY MYLES MELLOR

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

Egan was more personable, made friends easily, picked up on Spanish easily, and he was very well-liked. He had an old-world charm about him that the locals of San Juan Capistrano appreciated, and he was Catholic.

Modjeska, the famed Shakespearean actress of the day, “dubbed him King of Capistrano.” Egan took the joke further by “knighting” his friends. The Mendelsons who owned the hotel became the Duke and Duchess, and rancher H. G. Rosenbaum became an Earl.

The downstairs was divided into two sides, one for the residence. Another side became the courtroom, from where he could send people to jail across the street to where El Adobe is now. There used to be a tunnel that took prisoners from one side of the street to the other.

BY JAN SIEGEL

Local people began to trust him. He knew surveying from his career before the Civil War, and he was becoming familiar with Mexican, Spanish, and American law. In 1870, he was appointed one of two justices of the peace for San Juan Township.

Egan was also known for his Irish wit. During a round-up when he ran the chuck wagon, Pam Gibson writes in Two Hundred Years in San Juan Capistrano, “He dished out enough Irish charm along with the beans and tortillas so that during the next election, he won. From then on, he was known as Judge Egan, a title he held for life.”

His close friend, Madame Helena

This green-eyed beauty is Linda, a 2-year-old momma cat with a great personality. As any mother can attest, having hobbies is important, and Linda considers herself an avid birdwatcher. She is also a sociable cat who loves meeting new people and being brushed. After rearing six rambunctious kittens, Linda is ready for some “me time” and is looking for a home where she can finally be the center of attention.

If you are interested in adopting Linda, please visit petprojectfoundation.org/adoptions/ to download an adoption application form. Completed forms can be emailed to animalservices@scdpanimalshelter.org, and you will be contacted about making an interaction appointment. CD

Sudoku- medium- by Myles Mellor

Egan did not like living so far out of town, so he purchased 600 acres east of the Mission, which he also farmed and eventually built his two-story home, but even that was done in Egan fashion. He was friends with Don Juan Forster, who had lost the rights to the Mission property by President Lincoln in 1865 and had moved to their ranch on what is now Camp Pendleton.

Forster wanted to return to San Juan Capistrano and asked Egan to build a house on land that they owned in town. Egan built what would become known as Casa Grande and had enough bricks left over from that structure to build himself the two-story home that still stands today across from El Adobe.

Casa Grande was torn down in the 1960s. The second story of Egan’s home was one big dance floor, so parties could easily be held there.

But Egan was more than just a judge, farmer, surveyor, and charming host … Jan Siegel was a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano and now resides in the neighboring town of Rancho Mission Viejo. She served on the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for 13 years, has been a volunteer guide for the San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library’s architectural walking tour for 26 years and is currently the museum curator for the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. She was named Woman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Volunteer of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition in 2007. CD

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Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult.

The Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano held its annual charity golf tournament on June 16 at San Juan Hills Golf Club.

From left: Gerald Hill, Leighton Hill, Mary Hill, Hayden Hill, Corbin Hill, Dionne Hill, Bryan Hill, Alan Rich, and Aaron Rich. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club.