They were born in Southern California. Now what we were always told was they were born to Sand Diego mission Indians on the mission, but one being my father's mother and he was born in 1917, I figured it would be the mid to late 1800s in which they were born. My eldest daughter contacted Mission San Diego and they said that they couldn't have been during the time frame she gave them. Because the mission was taken over by US Military and used as a base mid 1800s and the was turned into a school for indian Children in 1880. It is also hard to trace them because my father said that they changed their names to Olivas/Olivias as well as their first names to fit in with society at the time. They asked for more information on them and my daughter emailed them back but has yet to recieve a reply. So here is the information I have on the sisters.

My Grandmother is Elizabeth Olivas/Olivias, Marries a my grandfather who was said to be born on Mission San Gabriel. His birth name is Juan Bautista, but he too changed his name. Robert Santa Cruz is the name he changed to. I don't know birth or marriage years or death. They had six children, 2boys and 4girls. Carl, Robert (My father), Carmalita(Carmen), Margaret, Virginia, Elizabeth(Grace).



Nelly or Nellie Olivias/Olivas I am unsure who she was married to, but she had a son and a daughter her daughter Ramona died somewhere between 1970-1975. Her Son Juan Orozco last known address is somewhere in San Antonio, Tx. I am unsure but I think he married a woman named Catalina. They had two children that I know of a daughter named Sandra and a son named Johnny. Again unsure of any death dates or dates of birth.



Sally Olivias/Olivas she had two children. A son Manuel Dominic Badilla, he died on December 7, 1941. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor, his ship was the USS. Arizona. I found causalty records from WWII and it lists his mother Sally as Mrs. Sally Cush Johnson. I have no idea where this came in but I hope that will be one of the answers I find out. Her daughter was Margert Ann her nickname was sister. Again I am unsure on birth and death dates only one I know for sure would be my Great Cousin Manuel.


Lastly we have Malvina Olivias/Olivas her nickname was Lena. She married a polish man named George Jankowiak. He died sometime during WWII while he was enlisted. They had no children that I am aware of. I search enlistment records but could find nothing on my Great Uncle George. So again no birth or death dates. I even searched Ellis Island records wondering if maybe he was a polish immagrant but that search came up dry.


I am hoping someone out there can shed some like on the mystery of my family. I would like to know where I come from, but is hard with it seeming like my family has such a secretive mysterious past.