My entire life, I have heard my father’s family claim that we are descended from THE Manuel Nieto, the Spanish Army soldier who was part of the Gaspar de Portolà expedition of 1769 into Alta California, and who was awarded one of the largest Spanish land grants in Alta California. Every year I have to explain that as a historian and librarian, I cannot accept things as historical facts until I can verify through actual documented evidence. So I have decided that I am going to try to prove or disprove our connection to the famous Manuel Nieto. Join me on the Manuel Nieto Project!