Bio
Don Juan Forster (1814–1882) was an English-born rancher and merchant who became a prominent California landowner. Born John Forster in Liverpool, England, he emigrated to Mexico at age 16 and later moved to California, then a Mexican province. He became a Mexican citizen in 1836 and married Ysidora Pico, the sister of future governor Pio Pico, which connected him to one of California’s most influential families.
Forster acquired vast landholdings, including Rancho Trabuco, Rancho Mission Viejo, and Rancho de la Nación, through his connections with the Pico family. His most significant acquisition came in 1864 when he purchased Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores from Pio Pico, creating a massive 212,000-acre ranch in Southern California. He made his home at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano until President Lincoln returned the property to the Catholic Church in 1864.
During the Mexican-American War, Forster maintained alliances with both Americans and Californios, helping Pio Pico escape to Mexico. After the war, Forster capitalized on the California Gold Rush by supplying cattle to Northern California, greatly increasing his wealth.
Despite his entrepreneurial efforts, including attempts to attract settlers and establish the town of Forster City, financial difficulties plagued his later years. Droughts and unsuccessful ventures drained his resources, and after his death in 1882, his family was forced to sell his land to financier James Clair Flood.
