looked out to see what the place was like. He saw a band of vaqueros, all horseback; they had long whiskers and long hair that covered their ears and eyes and, as he says, looked like a band of goats. Big pistols were hanging at their sides and big knives in their belts. He was at first a little frightened but when he got outside and up closer he heard them talk Spanish and entered into conversation with them. They were half Mexicans and half Indians but all turned out to be good fellows. He lived eleven years in San Juan Capistrano among those people and found them square and reliable. After working two months for Chas. Landell he went to work for his cousin, Bernardo Erreca, and continued with him for seven years and six months. Bernardo Erreca had four partners, among them two Orroqui brothers; one of them is now dead, but the other, Juan Orroqui, is still living and was one of Miguel's first bosses; he now resides on Garnsey Street, Santa Ana, eighty-two years of age and totally blind--but Miguel still visits him and tries to bring him comfort and cheer in his unfortunate condition.
After working for Bernardo Erreca for over seven years, Miguel and his brother purchased a half interest and they continued together successfully. Two years later they bought more sheep from Erreca's old partners and leased all of the Trabuco ranch and ran 20,000 head of sheep. About two years later Miguel and his brother bought Bernardo's interest and ran the whole ranch and flocks. They did well and their flocks increased. There was no market for the sale of sheep to speak of in Southern California at that time, so once every two years they would drive two flocks of about 2,500 head each to San Francisco and dispose of them, the entire trip and return consuming about three months. Sheep at that time sold from $1.50 to $2.50 a head, including the wool. Later on Miguel bought his brother's interest and continued business alone with his headquarters on the Trabuco ranch of 26,000 acres.
It was the custom of the ranchers in those days to go to San Juan Capistrano to buy their supply of groceries. They would hitch their horses in front of the store and be all loaded up when they would go in to have a final smile and then they would keep on smiling till supper was announced, and after supper again had to have a few more rounds, and so the horses stood hitched outside until after midnight. They never found anything missing from the wagons in those days for they were all good, honest and reliable people. They would then start for their homes, arriving in the wee sma' hours of the next morning.
Mr. Erreca was offered the whole of the Trabuco ranch for $4.00 per acre and a banker in Los Angeles advised him to buy it and said he would furnish him the money and give him all the time he wanted, but Miguel was too conservative and would not risk it, but afterwards saw he had made the mistake of his life. A couple of years later Richard O'Neill bought the ranch and he, of course, lost the lease of it. Mr. Erreca then leased a part of the Irvine ranch, a tract 6,000 acres, which extended from Newport to Tustin; here he ran sheep for nine years and then sold out. Meantime, in 1883, he had purchased four acres on Hickey and Sixth streets, between Olive and Baker streets, Santa Ana, built a residence and made it his home. He then began farming on the James McFadden ranch and then leased land in various parts of Orange County. One year he had 3,700 acres in grain; one season he lost about $50,000, but he kept on and finally paid the debt one hundred cents on the dollar; he later farmed 1,700 acres on the Moulton ranch for seven years. In 1917 he quit farming and sold his outfit. He now makes his residence on his four-acre tract that he has set to Valencia oranges.
Mr. Erreca was married in Los Angeles, where he was united with Miss Marie Oronos, born in Bigorre, France, and estimable woman of a lovable disposition of whom he was bereaved on February 6, 1894. She left him two children; Juanita, a graduate of the Orange County Business College is now the wife of Lem Conkle, who resides with Mr. Erreca and she presides gracefully over her father's home and ministers devotedly to his comfort; Marcelina is the wife of Chas. Eckles of Santa Ana; Lem Conkle was in the U.S. Navy during the World War, serving overseas for eighteen months. Mr. Erreca is one of the oldest settlers of this section of California, is a highly respected man whose veracity and integrity have never been questioned. As a young man he was noted for his great strength, activity and endurance. In 1887 he made a trip back to his old home in France and had an enjoyable time but was glad to get back to the land of gold and sunshine. He is a member of the Catholic Church in Santa Ana and politically is a Republican.
