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Board Members

CHAC Board Members in action doing historical research with two historical family members. Standing, Missy Garcia, Babe Ramos (deceased), Left to right seated, Nollie Garcia, Helen Charles-McMullen (Matriarch of SJC), and Jerry Nieblas (CHAC President and Historian) Doing historical photo research. All these individuals have deep and rich historical ties to San Juan Capistrano and its history.

Gigi Nieblas and Jerry Nieblas walking on a portion of their ancient, ancestral land. Once the site of the sacred, pre-mission village of Putuidem. A section of this land will be developed into a cultural and educational Juaneno park that will be a living historical resource for visitors and school children.

Historical Images

Father Joseph "Joe" Scerbo was a true Spiritual Father, leader, advisor, and very close friend to our local San Juan Capistrano Native Juaneno/Ajachemen and Historical Families. He truly walked with us and for us whenever we needed or called on him – he was always there for us! This is a photo of a radiant Father Joe as he assisted at one of our annual Old Mission Historic Cemetery Mass Liturgies. He would always say that he "felt great peace and happiness when Celebrating Mass for us or sharing a traditional meal gathering with our historical families" – MANY considered him our personal chaplain! He is greatly missed!

As a gift to his wife, San Juan Capistrano's first Victorian-style home was built between 1870-1880. Jose Dolores Garcia traveled by horseback to northern Orange County seeking ideas because his wife, Maria Refugia Yorba Garcia, having been born in an Adobe on the great Rancho Yorba, had her sights set on something different..and it couldn't be found in San Juan Capistrano. Jose was the great-great grandson of Maria Bernarda Chigilia (a Juaneno woman from the ancient village of Putuidem.) Jose provided well for Maria. He was a merchant and saloon keeper in town. During their time in the home, you often found Jose & Maria sharing early California hospitality. From local musicians playing traditional early Californio music to meals that overflowed on the tables, many families gathered in the warmth that emulated from its walls. Tragically, on a warm summer evening in 1897, Jose Dolores Garcia was murdered with one shot from a Winchester rifle. The man who shot him was Jose Manuel "Mestizo" Fellows. Generations-old family stories say Mestizo was paid by three local land owners to assassinate Jose in order to get his vast land holdings - a local priest documented the term 'assassinado' in the death record at Mission San Juan Capistrano. In 1903, Maria sold their home to her brother Miguel and his wife, Theresa Pryor Yorba. Because of the generosity of many historical families, a plaque now hangs at the entrance of the home honoring their memory. It is recognized as the Garcia-Pryor home on the National Registry of Historical Buildings. With pride, Jose's great-great grandson, Jerry Nieblas, keeps Jose and Maria's memory alive for future generations.

Mission San Juan Capistrano showing the old Mission School Bell that would be rung each day to mark the start of the school day.

Take a walk back to a simpler St. Joseph's Swallows day with this book that you can purchase on Amazon.com.

Completion of another annual Moulton Ranch Cattle round up and branding with Felix Green, Anita Nieblas Martinez, Fred Nieblas, and Joe Nieblas.

Late 1800s photo of the town of San Juan Capistrano looking south.

Photo of Father James "Jimmy" Nieblas performing a formal blessing the newly restored Landmark Cross at our Old Mission Historic Cemetery in San Juan Capistrano. Father James is a member of our Juaneno Band of Mission Acjachemen Nation. He is the first Juaneno to be ordained to the Roman Catholic Priesthood. He is a member of the Salesians of Saint John Bosco and is currently serving as Rector of one of their schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Bishop Mora Salesian High School.

Historic San Juan Capistrano family members, Jerry Nieblas, Frances Rios and Gigi Arce Nieblas gather to "break bread" together and share many good and old SJC memories. We represent our Pre-Old Mission SJC and Early Californio Rancho families. Our ancestors include our 6x great grandparents from the ancient pre-Mission villages of Sagavit and Putuidem, Zodut and Zoget. Their daughter, Maria Bernarda Chigilia is our 5x great grandmother from the ancient village of Putuidem. Chigilia was 14 years and witnessed the establishment of Old Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776. She was removed from her village and brought into the "new boundaries" of the newly established Mission -- her life forever changed. 2 years later, in 1778, she was baptized, given the name Maria Bernarda and then several days later was married to a soldier, Jose Antonio de Cota, leather-jacket soldier with Portola. He was briefly assigned to the Mission. We also descend from the great Early Californio Rancho Yorba and Rios Families. We carry on with our traditions and heritage always honoring the great memories of our many ancestors!

Many of these families are the very descendants of those that built the Old Mission and contributed to the building up and vibrancy of the town of San Juan Capistrano. Pictured here are the generations old descendants of the pre-mission era, early Spanish California Rancho's and early European settlers to the San Juan Capistrano Valley. These families still make San Juan Capistrano their home. Families include: Arce, Rios, Avila, Nieblas, Garcia, Yorba, Hunn, Stanfield, Valenzuela, Manriquez, Oliveras, Ramos, Romero, Wattenburg, Jimenez, Etcheberria, Oyharzabal, Belardes, Charles-McMullen, Stoffel, Lobo, Rosenbaum, Forster, Velasquez, Aguilar, Sanchez, Labat, Oliveras-Herrera, and Father Joe Scerbo, S.A. (deceased)

San Juan Capistrano (Capo) Basketball team- planning to graduate 1940-41. Dad (Mel Pierce) third from left back row. Names by number: 1)Noriyoshi Adagio ‘41; 2) Isutomui Kawaratani ‘41; 3) M. B. Duanto ‘41; 4) Johnnie M. Mullen’41; 5)Gordon Mac Dougall ‘41; 6) Nickie Kishi ‘41; 7) James Nieblas ‘41; 8) William Mulligan ‘41; 9) Lester Wandell ‘41; 10) Carlos Romer ‘41; 11) Bob Keepers, Mgr. ‘40; 12) Carlos Loncono ‘40; 13) Hideo Kawaratani - Captain; 14) B. Reeder’40 ‘Flash’; 15) Raphael Martinez ‘41; Gilbert Strother and the last man in dark shorts standing near #3. That is Coach, Fred Hunn Sr.

Our Ancestors

George, Ditty and James Nieblas sitting on the front pond at Old Mission SJC - photo taken around 1929.

Fred Nieblas on his ranch and with some of the goats he raised. His bbq goats were very popular and graced many a dinner table at San Juan Capistrano family gatherings/bbq. Everyone in town liked Fred – he had a great personality! He also raised rabbits and chickens and sold them. He was known for raising quality stock. Notice the background in the photo. That is now all Casper's Regional Park area. His ranch bordered the west side of what is now Casper's. It was beautiful and full of wildlife of every kind.

Early photo of some of the founding members of the Capistrano Eagles Motorcycle club: Priscilla Avila-Tuck, Carl Tuck, Elizabeth "Quata" Nieblas, Rita Arce-Nieblas, George Nieblas.

Wedding picture of Eugene Arce and Vita Rios. Grandparents to Gigi, Toby and Dee Nieblas. One of Eugene's brothers, Ben Arce, married Aunt Clemencia Garcia Arce.

Luisa Martinez Rios. Mother of Vita Rios Arce, Grandmother to Rita Arce Nieblas and Great Grandmother to Gigi, Toby and Dee Nieblas.

Jose Angel Nieblas and Dona Francisca Sanchez Nieblas in front of their home on Los Rios Street. Parents of Grandpa Joe and Aunt Quata! This photo was taken of them on the day of their 50th. Wedding Anniversary. They celebrated with a Mass and then a large family gathering in Capistrano.

Water color painting of Tia Elizabeth "Quata" Sanchez Nieblas. She was one of the daughters of Jose Angel Nieblas and Dona (loving known as "big Nana" because she was so tall) Francisca Sanchez Nieblas. Tia Quata's whole life was San Juan Capistrano and she was loved by all of San Juan Capistrano's old families. She was known for her great smile, laugh and her famous and excellent home made Sonora style flour tortillas!

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