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Flood was one of O'Neill's customers and they became good friends. The bar was across the street from the mining exchange. Flood invested in mining shares. In 1871 he invested in the Consolidated Virginia which became the richest mineral strike in the history of North America. He was also a partner in Nevada's legendary Comstock Lode. And, he owned some banking interests that became Wells Fargo Bank. Flood's bank foreclosed on a 100,000 acre California ranch and Flood talked O'Neill into running it. By 1880, O'Neill knew as much about the cattle business as anyone.
In 1882, on a hand shake, Flood put up $450,000 and O'Neill agreed to put in his labor and together they acquired 230,000 acres of land, including Rancho Mission Viejo.
When Flood died in 1907, his son, James Flood, Jr., carried out his father's promise and turned half of the land over to Richard O'Neill, Sr.
In 1910 O'Neill died. The two ranches were then run as one by Richard's son, Jerome, who reported to his good friend, James Flood, Jr. Like their fathers, Jerome and James, Jr. never had a serious argument.
In 1926, on his death bed, Jerome O'Neill insisted he had just seen his friend, James Flood, Jr., who was in San Francisco. Jerome laid back and died shortly thereafter. A few minutes later, the O'Neill's received a phone call from Northern California informing them of the death of James Flood, Jr. |  |
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Outgoing CA President, Ray Andersen. |
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Gill Aguirre and Buck Bean |
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Annual Trail Ride / 2003 Ride 
