An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 7

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 7

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The padre had an idea that finery led Indians to run away, for which reason he never gave either men or women any other clothing (in- cluding shirts and petticoats) than coarse frieze (æerga) made by themselves, which kept the poor wretches all the time diseased with the itch. If any handkerchiefs or cotton goods were

discovered among them the same were immedi- ately committed to the flames.

Ile was an inveterate enemy to drunkenness, and did all in his power to prevent it, but to no purpose. He never flogged, however, while the influence of the liquor lasted, but put them into the stocks, under care of the guard, until sober. Finding the lash alone was of no avail, he added warm water and salt to the dose, which was given until it ran ont of the month again! It was of no nse, the disease was as incurable as consumption.

Having found ont the game practiced in re- gard to destroying the children born by Indian women to whites, he put down all miscarriages to the same cause. Therefore, when a woman had the misfortune to bring forth a still-born child, she was punished. The penalty inflicted was shaving the head, flogging for fifteen sub- sequent days, iron on the feet for three months, and having to appear every Sunday in church, on the steps leading up to the altar, with a hide- ous painted wooden child in her arms!

He had no predilections for wizards, and gen- erally (as some one or other was always report- ing evil of them) kept them chained together in couples and well flogged. There were, at that period, no small number of old men rejoicing in the fame of witchcraft, so he made sawyers of them all, keeping them like honnds in couples; and so they worked, two above and two below, in the pit.

On a breach occurring between man and wife they were fastened together by the leg until they agreed to live again in harmony.

He was not only severe, but he was in his chastisements most cruel. So as not to make a revolting picture I shall bury acts of barbar- ity known to me through good authority, by merely saying that he must assuredly have con- sidered whipping as meat and drink to them, for they had it morning, noon and night.

Although so severe to the Indians he was kind in the extreme to travelers and others. There being so much beef, mutton, pork and poultry, with fruits, vegetables and wine, a

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

splendid public table was spread daily, at which he presided. Horses to ride were ever at their service, and a good bed to sleep on at night. Whenever ready to start, either up or down the coast, horses and a servant were at command to go as far as the next mission.

IIaving brought the establishment and every- thing connected with it to the climax of perfec- tion, he had still calenlated on doing inore. Ile purchased large quantities of iron, with the intention of railing in all the vineyards and gardens. But, alas! even Catholic societies are not proof against the " capital sins" they so strongly condemn. Envy and jealousy stepped in and prevailed. He was ordered by his supe- rior to the mission of San Juan Capistrano. The loss of his favorite hobby capsized his reason, and after lingering for many years in a disturbed religious state of mind he at length expired, regretted by all who knew his worth and gigantic intellect.

During his pastorate, Zalvadea also mastered the Indian language, and rednecd it to gram- n:atical rules, being the first padre in this sec- tion having either the ability or energy neces- sary for such a task. Ile translated the church service, and preached each Sabbath in the native tongue. His translation of the Lord's Prayer, commencing " Ayoinac," " Our Father," is said by Mr. Reid to be "a grand specimen of his eloquence and ability." He thus gave the natives an insight into the Catholic faith, but did not alter their own one iota. Those who came after him were too indolent to keep up the reforms he had inangurated. For a time ser- mons were translated sentence by sentence, to the congregation; but this was soon discon- tinned, probably to the great relief of the un- fortunate listeners.

Zalvadea was succeeded by Padre José Ber- nardo Sanchez, his former colleagueand assistant. Padre Sanchez is described as having been " of a cheerful disposition, and a frank and generous nature." Ile was also a great sportsman and capital shot. " In ecclesiastical affairs, solemn; in trade, formal; in government of the mission,

active, lively, and strict; in social intercourse, friendly, full of anecdote, and fond of jokes; even to those of a practical nature." Apropos of this last phase of his character, Mr. Reid relates the following as having actually occurred at one of the weekly picnic parties given by this mirth. loving priest :-

" Don J. M. M. (an old Spaniard, having ex- tensive commerical relations with the mission) had a negro servant named Francisco, who was exceedingly skillful in all matters of cookery. While preparing for one of the weekly picnics, (whether tempted of the devil or Momus, does not appear) M. and the good priest agreed to carry ont a rare joke at the expense of their guests. Procuring a fine fat little puppy, they had him stuffed and roasted by Francisco in a manner which would surely tempt the most fastidious epicure; and this was brought on as a last course under the name of lamb, along with an excellent salad to correspond.

" All present (with the exception of the two concerned in the joke) ate of it and praised it much. After concluding with a glass of wine, the old man inquired of his guests how they rel- ished dog ! No one would believe the assertion that this was what they had just eaten, until the negro made his appearance with the head and paws on a plate. Then a mixed scene ensned which caused the old priest to nearly kill himself with laughter. While the quiet portion of his guests quickly retired to ease themselves, and get rid of the detested food, those of more png- nacions disposition remained to fight M. first, intending to do the other afterward. The padre finally procured harmony, but for many a day after, roast lamb and salad were looked upon with suspicion by the former partakers of his cheer."

J. J. Warner furnishes the following, as set- ting forth the usnal dinner served daily at San Gabriel Mission during the years of its pros- perity :- First course: Caldo-Plain broth, in which meat and vegetables had been boiled; second course: La Olla-Meat boiled with vege- tables, and served separately ; third course:

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

Al Bondigas-Forced meat balls-in gravy; fourth course: Guisados-Stews, generally two; fifth course: Azado - Roast - beef, mutton, game, fowls; sixth course: Fruit and sweetmeat; seventh course: Tea, coffee, cigarritos. Pork was also eaten sparingly at every meal. Wine was served ad libitum. On Fridays, fish followed the caldo, and the meats were dispensed with.

It behooved the guests, however, who sat down to snch a dinner not to overeat, for medi- cal men were scarce in those days. Mr. Reid says :-

" It is strange no medical man was kept on the establishment, as the number of people was great and the stock of medicines very large. They were provided not by the pound, but by the quintal! Not in gallons, but in barrelfuls! Still all the dependence for medical aid (with the exception of midwives) was either on a casual foreigner passing, or on the stupidity of some foreigner employed on the premises. I know not why, but an Anglo-Saxon, in those days, was synonymous with an M. D. Many an ' Estrangero,' who never before possessed suf- ficient confidence in himself to administer even a dose of Epsom, after killing, God knows how many, has at length become a tolerable empiric. One thing in favor of the sick was, that after a lapse of years the greater part of the drugs lost their virtue."

The regulations enforced by his predecessor were still observed under Sanchez; bnt while the lash was still ever ready, yet other modes of punishment were generally adopted for minor offences. Nor was such leniency barren of good results, for many Indians who had formerly proved insubordinate from mere vindictiveness of spirit now refrained from the love and good- will which all bore toward their spiritual and temporal ruler.

Supplies for the mission were purchased in large quantities, frequently amounting to $30,- 000 at one time. These consisted of domestics (brown, bleached and printed), flannels, cloths, rebosos, silks, hosiery, sugar, panocha, rice, etc., etc. These articles were distributed in two

stores, from whence they were dealt out to the natives, or sold to the public. The people were now better dressed than formerly. The coarse frieze (zerga) of the women was used only as sweat-cloths for horses; and the native ladies appeared at church in full-blown glory of fancy petticoats, clean white chemises, variegated kerchiefs on their head, and rebosos around their shoulders. The men had pants, jackets, hats, and fancy silk sashes. Even the children plnmed themselves in gay colors, and sportel shirts and kerchiefs.

Married people were provided with sheets for their beds, and even curtains. The major-domo visited each house weekly to see that all was kept clean, and the priest mnade a similar round in person once a month. Rations, with wine and spirits (and occasionally a few dollars in money) were distributed once a week; but in addition to this, daily food was provided ready cooked, for the laborers. We quote further further from Mr. Reid's letters:

" The mission bell, on being rung, aronsed the Alcaldes from their slumbers, and these with loud voice soon set all the world agog. Mass was now heard, and again the bell rang to work. At eleven its notes proclaimed dinner, when in all flocked, basket in hand, to receive posale and a piece of beef. (Posale consisted of beans boiled with corn or wheat). At twelve o'clock they were again warned to their labors, which concluded a little before sundown, to afford them time to receive supper, which consisted of " atole' or mush. If a gang were at a distance, a copper kettle and attendant accompanied them and provided food on the spot.

" After twelve o'clock on Saturdays soap was distributed, and all the world went a washing of clothes and persons, to make a decent appear- ance at church on Sunday. Saturday night was devoted to playing peon, and, with few excep- tions, none slept; for whites and Indians, men, women and children, were all generally present.

" After service on Sunday, foot-ball and races took place, and in the afternoon a ganie called ' Shindy' by the Scotch, and ' Bandy' by thic

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

English, was played, with men and women on opposing sides. People flocked in from all parts to see the sport, and heavy bets were made. The priest took great interest in the game, and as the women seldom had less than half a dozen quarrels among them, in which hair flew by the handful, he was the more pleased. The game being concluded, all went to prayers and so ended the Sabbath."

MISCELLANEOUS.

The stone church that is now the admiration of visitors was half finished in 1794, and had not been completed in 1800, but was shortly after- ward. It was first built with an arched roof, in which cracks soon appeared. When these were repaired an earthquake re-opened them. The arched roof was then taken down, and a new roof of timbers and tiles was substituted in 1804, and this date is usually taken as the year in which the church was finished.

Francisco Dumetz, Serra's only surviving com- panion, died at the mission January 14, 1811. Ilis name was perpetuated by Vanconver, the English navigator, who applied it to the north point of Santa Monica Bay.

The first party of Americans to arrive in California overland was that one headed by Jedediah S. Smith, in 1826. Heleft Salt Lake in August, and came by way of the Virgin and Colorado rivers, and up the Mojave River, and through the Cajon Pass. The exact date of his arrival is unknown, but in December Smith had obtained from the Americans at San Diego a certificate that he was a good citizen, and was given supplies by the missionaries, and per- mission to depart from the country, which he did not do. He and his party of trappers were near San Bernardino as late as the next Feb- rnary, when Smith sent back to the mission one of his men who was sick. He subsequently went up north through the San Joaquin Valley, and crossing the Sierra Nevada returned to Salt Lake.

In December, 1830, the trial of Ilenry D. Fitch, of San Diego, took place at San Gabriel

before Friar Sanchez There does not appear to have been any written charge distinctly specifying a crime, any more than it was loosely alleged that Fitch had greatly scandalized tlic church (?) by running away with a señorita of San Diego. The facts of the case are as follows: The young lady, who had captured the affec- tions of the American sailor, was Josefa Car- rillo, a niece of Don Pio Pico. Her parents were willing, and Fitch himself was so anxious to have her that he joined the Catholic church, but during the marriage ceremony a message from Governor Echeandia stopped further pro- ceedings. His Excellency was a rejected suitor of the young lady! She thereupon counseled an elopement, which the parents approved, and Don Pio Pico himself carried her aboard a vessel. where Fitch was already waiting for her, and sailed for Chili, where they were married, and returned to California the next year with an addition to the family in the shape of a small boy. They were arrested at Monterey, and taken to San Gabriel. The offended dignitaries of the church could not evade the force of Fitch's marriage certificate, but " considering the great scandal Fitch had caused the province, he was condemned to give as penance a bell of at least fifty pounds weight for the church at Los Angeles," which he never did; at least there is no record to that effect.

The general statistics of the Mission of San Gabriel for the whole period of its existence of sixty-three years (from 1771 to 1834) are thus given by Bancroft: Total number of baptisms, 7,854, of which 4,355 were Indian adults, 2,459 Indian children, and 1 adult and 1,039 children of " gente de razon," which may mean the Span- iards and their mixed-blooded descendants. Total marriages, 1,955; of which 241 were “ gente de razon." Total deaths, 5,656; of which 2,896 were Indian adults, 2,363 Indian children, 211 adults and 186 children " de razon." Annual average, 88; annual average death rate, 7.61 per cent. of population. Largest population, 1,701, in 1817. There was a slight excess of males down to 1803, and a greater excess later.

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

The proportion of children varied from one- eighth per cent. at first to one-tenth per cent. at the last. Largest number of cattle, 26,300, in 1828; horses, 2,400, in 1827; mules, 205, in 1814; asses, 6, in 1794; sheep, 15,000, in 1829; goats, 1,380, in 1785; swine, 300, in 1802, 1803 and 1822; all kinds, 40,360 animals, in 1830. Total product of wheat, 225,942 bushels; yield,

16 fold. Barley (for only eleven years), 1,250 bushels; yield, 10 fold. Maize, 154,820 bush- els; yield, 145 fold. Beans, 14,467 bushels; yield, 28 fold. In the year 1834, at the time of secularization, there were 163,579 vines in four vineyards, and 2,333 fruit trees.

All statistics stop with the attempted secular- ization of the mission in 1834.

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

SAN FERNANDO MISSION.

CHAPTER V.

HE mission of San Fernando was the second to be established within the present limits of Los Angeles County, and was founded September 8, 1797, under the general plan for the establishment of missions in Alta California, by President Lasuen, assisted by Francisco Dumetz, at a site called by the natives Achois Comihavit, on the lands elaimed by a Spaniard named --- Reyes, who quarreled with the friars respecting the ownership of the land. The priests appropriated Reyes' ranch house for their dwelling. The mission was established with the usual religious ceremonies, in the presence of the troops and a great erowd of natives, and dedicated as required by in- strnetions from Mexico to San Fernando, King of Spain. St. Ferdinand was Fernando III., King of Spain, who reigned in 1217-'51, and under whose rule the crowns of Castile and Leon were united. He was the founder of the Spanish Inquisition, and was canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X. This mission was never so important as that of San Gabriel, and hence its history is necessarily much shorter.

Francisco Javier Uría was associate priest with Dninetz, and both served till the year 1800 and later. Ten children were baptized the first day, and thirteen adults had been added to the list early in October. In 1797 there were fifty-

five neophytes on the baptismal register; in 1800 there were 310, there having been to that date 352 baptismns and seventy deatlıs. The number of eattle (inelnding mules and horses) in 1800 was 526, and of sheep 600. In 1799 there were 1,200 bushels of wheat, corn and barley raised, and the total yield for the three years 1798-1800 was 4,700 bushels.

The adobe church with a tile roof, the ruins of which yet remain, was completed and con- secrated in December, 1806. Francisco Dumetz, one of the founders, left in 1802, but was back again in 1804-'05. Uría left the country in 1805. In that year Nicolás Lázaro and José María Zalvidea (the latter was the priest who subsequently acquired sneh fame at San Gabriel) arrived at the mission, and served as ministers until their transference to other places. In 1806 Zalvidea was transferred to San Gabriel, which he ruled with great success for twenty years, and Lázaro died at San Diego in August, 1807. In that year José Antonio Uría and Pedro Muñoz arrived at the mission as regular ministers. Uría retired in November, 180%, and was succeeded by Martin Landeata, who served until his death in 1810. José Antonio Urresti came in 1809. The number of neo- phytes in 1810 was 955, and the deaths amounted to a little over fifty per cent. of the baptismns.

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

In 1804 the mission friars were successful in protesting against the granting of Camulos Ranch to Francisco Avila.

In Angust, 1808, a gentile Indian from the region of Tulare Lake arrived at San Fernando, with a flag which the priests could not identify. He said it " came through a space of ten cap tains;" that is, through a chain of ten tribes by a captain, whose name he did not know, and who wanted to know if it were true that there were civilized people west of the Sierra. The flag was finally pronounced to be English; but of this there is no certainty.

Urresti died in 1812, and Pedro Muñoz left the country in 1817. The history of this priest is worthy of some attention. He was born in Spain in 1733, and came to America in 1803, arriving in California the next year (1804), and served at the mission of San Miguel until he came to San Fernando in 1807, where he served as minister for ten years. During this time he made several expeditions into the interior, the most important being with Moraga, in 1806, going as far north as the Tulare Valley. IIe left a diary of this trip. On account of an in- discretion committed on the way to California he excited the suspicion of his inferiors, and instructions came from the President that his condnet should be watched. A scandal con- cerning his relations with the wife of a certain major-domo gained some currency, which Muñoz sensibly denied, and left the statement that the charge was investigated by his superiors and proven false. He retired by reason of his ill health.

Marcos Antonio de Vitoria succeeded Muñoz, serving from 1818 to 1820, and Urresti was succeeded by Joaquin Pascual Nuez, who served from 1812-'14, and by Vincente Pascual Oliva, who served from 1812-'14. Roman Ullibarri came in Jannary, and Francisco Gonzales de Ybarra came in October, 1820. Vitoria appears to be the only minister from 1815 to 1820, a period of five years.

An earthquake occurred December 21, 1812, that did some slight damage to the church build-

ing, necessitating the introduction of thirty new beams to support the wall. In 1813 a neophyte was killed by the Indian alcalde, who threw a club at him from a distance of some sixty feet with a view to hasten his work. The killing was deemed accidental, and the penalty imposed was two months' imprisonment in the presidio. During 1816-'18 a large number of neophytes deserted, and before 1818 a new chapel was completed. The greatest population of this mission was 1,080, in 1819, and then began its decline. Ybarra was minister in 1821, in which year Ullibarri died, and was buried Santa Gabriel.

Captain de la Guerra, in 1821, applied for a grant of the Piru Rancho, which Father Ybarra was already using to some extent for the mis- sion herds. The controversy resulted in de la Guerra failing to obtain the rancho; but it was not secured for the mission. About this time complaint was made that the soldiers behaved badly, selling liquor to the Indians. The mis- sion was no longer prosperous in any respect, showing a decline in live-stock and agriculture. The amount of supplies furnished by this mis- sion to the soldiers in 1822-'27 was $21,203.

J. J. Warner tells the following interesting story :

"In the early part of the autumn of 1833, a little before midday, two American trappers, clothed in buckskin garments, the one feeble and emaciated by disease, the other his attent- ive assistant and companion, arrived at the mission upon jaded mules, coming thither by the mountain path leading from the San Fran- cisco Ranch. They dismounted, and the sick man, aided by his companion, laid himself down upon his blanket under the porch of the mission. The mules were unsaddled and pick- eted out to feed upon the grass. Neither of the two strange travelers had sufficient knowl- edge of the Spanish language to make them- selves understood by those they found at the mission, nor could they comprehend what was said to them. The travelers attempted to sup- ply this lack of intelligible words by signs which were understood to mean that they de-

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

sired to spend the remainder of the day and the succeeding night in that locality. By words, of which they did not understand the meaning, and by signs which were sufficiently plain to be understood by men who had spent years in the mountains among many tribes of Indians (with whom the usual means of intercourse was by signs), they were given to understand that they could not be permitted to remain at San Fer- nando over night; that the pueblo of Los An- geles was near at hand, where they must go to find a sleeping place.

" When it was intimated, by signs, to those of the mission that the siek man could not con- tinue his journey, but that he could sleep under any of the trees about the premises, an emphatic negative was given.

" Soon after the church bells had announced the culmination of the sun, pages carried a bountiful repast to the way-worn travelers. For the sick man was brought chicken broth and soups, and also a plentiful supply of excellent wine for both. A desert of fruits and a cup of tea for the invalid concluded the repast.

"As the day began to wear away and the priest had arisen from his after-dinner nap, a cup of chocolate and a small piece of sponge cake were taken to the siek man, neither he nor his companion having as yet manifested any in- tention of taking their departure. It was not long after the sending of the chocolate that the priest made his appearance in the portico of the building. Keeping himself at a safe distance from where the invalid was lying he talked and gesticulated in so excited a manner, accompanied with such emphatic signs, that the weary trav- elers concluded that their safety would be secured only by a prompt departure. When about mid- way across the plain, a man coming from the opposite direction, mounted upon a reeking horse, steered out from the path, and, passing the travelers at a respectable distance, sped on his way toward the mission. The two travelers immediately recognized the horseman as the one who had left the mission while they were preparing to depart therefrom. On their arrival

at Cahuenga Ranch, the travelers could not find a living soul about the premises, but unmistak- able signs of a recent utter and precipitate abandonment by the occupants were plainly to be seen. The fire in the kitchen (which was a shed or out house) had been but recently extin- guished with water, and not a stick of fire-wood was to be seen about the place. In short, it was evident that everything about the house that might have encouraged the travelers to remain there over night, instead of continuing their march on to Los Angeles, and which could be suddenly removed, had been carried away out of sight. The conclusion was that the horseman had been hurried away from the mission with orders from the priest to the occupants of the ranch to abandon the house and leave nothing to induce them to remain.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092