An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 113

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 113
USA > California > San Diego County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 113
USA > California > Orange County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 113
USA > California > San Bernardino County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 113

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Somera and Pedro Benito Cambon, chosen by President Serra for the San Gabriel mission, sailed for San Diego, whence, after some delays the party, comprising twenty persons, set out for San Gabriel. Instead of stopping at the Santa Ana (Rio Jesus de los Temblores), as at first intended, they went on twenty-five miles farther, to a spot near an Indian village called Sibag-na, whose inhabitants received them with most hostile demonstrations, which were pres- ently checked in what seemed to them a mirac- ulons manner. For no sooner did the Indians behold a banner on which was painted the Vir- gin Mary-a Dolorosa-than they threw down their weapons and ran to lay their ornaments at the feet of her whom they called a " beanti- ful queen," while the women brought nuts and seeds in offering to her. On September 8, 1771, the cross was raised, and the formal cere- monies performed which solemnly founded the mission of San Gabriel Arcangel. The Indians had willingly assisted in building the houses and stockades for the mission, being perfectly friend- ly and pacific in their behavior. But the out- rageons conduct of the soldiers, here as else- where, provoked the savages to retaliation, and brought on a conflict which kept the Indians aloof from the mission for a long time there- after. The first Indian child baptized here re- ceived the rite on November 27, being, strangely enongh, a son of the chief killed in the first combat. The first attempts at farming here were not successful, the first year's erop being drowned; but the second yielded heavily, and at the end of the second year this mission had also a very considerable increase of cattle. Abont 1775 the mission was removed to another site not far away, which was much more desirable. In 1797 the present stone church was begun, although it was not finished until after 1800. In 1774, and again in 1776, San Gabriel was visited by " the Spanish Pathfinder," Captain Juan Bautista Anza. The second time he brought with him over 200 immigrants for the northern district, who, with their stock, made sad inroads upon the resources of the mission.

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

In 1777 the abuses of the soldiery caused an uprising of the Indians, which, the fathers said, was subdued by a sight of the image of the Virgin. Here as elsewhere in the province, there was not a little friction caused by dis- agreements between the clergy and the military. In 1785 there was an Indian revolt, promoted by a woman, which was promptly subdued, how- ever. In 1806 there came to this mission from San Fernando Father Jose Maria Zalvidea, whose wise administration brought it to its highest degree of prosperity. He it was who planted large vineyards, orehards, and gardens; built a mill and a dam, a fence, and other mate- rial improvements. He remodeled, too, the sys tem of administration, and revised, so to speak, the code of morals. System, order, method,- sneh were the forces he brought to bear upon his flock : and he taught them various industries that added vastly to their comfort and the wealth of the mission. At this period San Gabriel had dependent ranchos at San Pasqual, Santa Anita, Azusa, San Francisquito, Cucamonga, San Anto- nio, San Bernardino, San Gorgonio, Yucaipa, Jurupa, Guapa, Rincon, Chino, San Jose, Ybar- ras, Puente, Mission Vieja, Serranos, Rosa Castillo, Coyotes, Jaboneria, Las Bolsas, Ala- mitos, and Cerritos. In 1830 occurred at San Gabriel the trial of Henry D. Fitch, of San Diego, for " seandalizing the church " Ły eloping with the Señorita Josefa Carrillo; this was a cause célébre, and the penanee imposed for the offense was that Fiteh should give a bell of at least fifty pounds weight to the church at Los Angeles.

In 1830 or 1831 the minister at San Gabriel bought a brig to trade with South America and Mexico; and in 1831 he encouraged five Amer- eans to build at San Pedro a schooner for the hunting of sea-otter. The general statistics of San Gabriel misssion for its period of existence, of sixty-three years, are as follows: Total num- ber of baptisms, 7,854, of which 4,355 were In- dian adults, 2,459 Indian ehildren, and 1 adult and 1,039 children of gente de razon, that is, Spaniards and their descendants. Total of marri- ages, 1,955 of which 241 were gente de razon.

Total deaths, 5,656, Indian adults being 2,896, Indian children 2,363, adults 211, and children 186, of gente de razon. The annual average was eighty-eight; the annual average death rate, 7.61 per cent of the population. The largest population was 1,701 in 1817. The males were in excess, notably after 1803. The proportion of children varied from one-eighth per cent. at first to one-tenth per cent at the last. The largest number of cattle was 26,300 in 1828; of 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; also in 1822; all kinds, 40,360 animals in 1830. The total produet of wheat was 225,942 bushels; yield, 16-fold; barley, for eleven years only, 1,250 bushels, yield, 10-fold; maize, 154,820, yield, 145-fold; beans, 14,467 bushels, yield, 28-fold. In the year 1834, at the time of secnlarization, there were 163,579 vines, in four vineyards, and 2,333 fruit trees. After the initiatory movement toward the secularization of this mission in 1834, there was no further keeping of statisties.

SAN FERNANDO MISSION.

The mission of San Fernando was the second established within the present limits of Los Angeles County. It was founded September 8, 1797, at a place called by the natives Aeliois Comihavit, on land elaimed as a private ranch. It was dedicated to San Fernando, King of Spain. The church, of adobes with a tile roof, was con- secrated in December, 1806. The earthquake of December, 1812, somewhat damaged the building. From 1816 to 1818 a large number of neophites deserted. The greatest population was 1,080 in 1819, after which it began to deeline. This mission was never nearly so im- portant as that of San Gabriel, and its history is therefore much shorter. San Fernando was seeularized in 1834, with other missions, when Lieutenant Antonio del Valle was commissioned to its charge. In 1840 there were still about 400 Indians in the ex-mission community. At one period of its history there were nearly one

729

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

and a half miles of buildings connected with this mission, in its varions branches of industry. The church building, whose ruins are still standing, measured 45 x 150 feet within its walls. The total number of baptisins at this mission was 2,839, 1,415 being Indian adults, 1,367 Indian children, 57 children de razon. The marriages were 849, 15 being de razon. Of 2,028 deaths, 1,036 were Indian adults, 965 Indian children, 12 white adults and 15 white children. The sexes were nearly equal; chil- dren from one-fourth to one-third. The largest number of cattle was 12,800 in 1819; horses, 1,320 in 1820; mules, 340 in 1812; sheep, 7,800 in 1819; goats, 600 in 1816; swine, 250 in

1814; all kinds, 21,745 in 1819. The total product of wheat was 119,000 bushels; yield, nineteen-fold; barley, for only six years, 3,070 bushels, fourteen-fold; maize, 27,070 busliels, eighty-three-fold; beans, 3,624 bushels, fourteen- fold. The mission had 32,000 vines and 1,600 fruit trees in the year 1835.

In 1846 the California Legislature anthorized Governor Pio Pico to sell at auction the secu- larized inission estates, devoting the proceeds to the maintenance of the priests, the expenses of public worship, and the surplus, if any, to distribution among the Indians. Before this decree was carried into effect, an order from Mexico arrived, suspending the sale of all mis- sion property. Of the several missions that had already been sold, the title of San Fernando, sold to Celis for $14,000, Was ultimately con- firmed by the United States Land Commission; but the Supreme Court decided, in the case of San Gabriel, after American occupation, that Pico had no right to make the sale.

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES,

FROM THE FOUNDING UNTIL THE MEXICAN WAR.

On August 26, 1781, Felipe de Neve, Gov- ernor of the Californias, acting on the regula- tions of 1779 for the government of that province, issned a proclamation containing instructions for the foundation of the pueblo of Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles, with additional partic- 46

ulars for the survey and the distribution of lots. The site selected was on the bench of land where now stands that portion of the city called " Sonoratown," overlooking the river Porcinn- cula, then changed to Los Angeles. Here, on September 4, 1781, with very little ceremony, was founded the pueblo of Los Angeles. The founders of the pueblo, who liad been enlisted in Sinaloa, were as follows: 1. José de Lara, a Spaniard, fifty years old; had an Indian wife and three children. 2. José Antonio Navarro, a meztizo, forty-two years old, with a mulatto wife and three children. 3. Basilio Rosas, an Indian, sixty-eight years old, with a mulatto wife and six children. 4. Antonio Mesa, a negro, thirty-eight years old, with a wite and two children. 5. Antonio Felix Villavicencio, a Spaniard, thirty years old, with a wife and one child. 6. José Vanegas, an Indian, twenty- eight years old, with an Indian wife and one child. 7. Alejandro Rosas, an Indian, nineteen years old, witli an Indian wife. 8. Pablo Rod- riguez, an Indian, twenty-five years old, with an Indian wife and one child. 9. Manuel Ca- inero, a mulatto, thirty years old, with a mulatto wife. 10. Luis Quintero, a negro, fifty-five years old, with a mulatto wife and five children. 11. José Moreno, a mulatto, twenty-two years old, with a mulatto wife. Thus the original founders of Los Angeles consisted of eleven families, comprising forty-four persons. Ex- clusive of their children, there were two Span- iards, nine Indians, on emeztizo, eight mnulattoes, and two negroes,-certainly a " rather mixed " community. Not one of thein could write, and only one had a trade; Navarro was a tailor. Poor in purse, poor in learning and poor in blood, they were from the very scum of Mexico. They had been engaged as colonists at $10 per month for ten years, with daily rations of one real (12} cents) per day for the same period. Two of the original recruits had deserted before reaching the country, and three of the "found- ers," Lara, Mesa and Quintero, were sent away in 1782 as "useless to the town and to them - selves." But the rest went to work pluckily

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

enough, and the Government soon had satisfac- tory reports of their progress. An irrigating diteli was constructed, and mud-roofed huts of palisades, which were shortly replaced by adobe houses; a few public buildings had been erected also, and an adobe church was in progress. The moving cause for the founding of Los Angeles was its intended nse as an agricultural colony, to help supply the northern establishments. From " An Historical Sketch of Los Angeles County," by Colonel J. J. Warner, is taken the following description of the place in 1831, the date of the author's arrival: "For the center of the town, a parallelogram, 100 varas (a vara is 33} inches) long and 75 varas wide, was laid out as a public square. Twelve house lots fronting on the square occupied three sides of it, and one-half of the remaining side of 75 varas was destined for public buildings, and the other half as a vacant space. The location of the public square would nearly correspond to the following lines: The southeast corner of Upper Main and Marchessault streets for the southern or southeastern corner; the east line of Upper Main street for the above-nained corner 100 varas in a northerly direction for the east line of the square; and the northern line of Mar- chessanlt street for the southern line of the square. The present plaza was first used for a cemetery. At a short distance from the public square, on the alluvial bottom of the river, easily irrigable, were laid out thirty fields of 40,000 square varas each, separated by narrow lanes."

The municipal government devised for these settlers was a compound of political and mil- itary power, the latter predominating largely. The municipal power was vested in an alcalde, appointed by the governor, or by the military commander of the district. The absence of municipal records for the first half century after the founding of Los Angeles warrants the presumption that the local officers exercised but little anthority during that time. The system adopted by the government for the formation of pueblos and the granting of build-

ing lots and farming lands within the limits of a pueblo did not require a record of the grant. After the allotment of house lots and fields to the original twelve settlers, only nine of whom received land grants, no record appears to have been kept of either house lots or farming lands until 1836. The settler who erected a house upon a lot, or cultivated and fenced a field, assigned to him, did not become vested with the title of ownership to either; but, if he left either species of property in a condition of abandonment, it became subject to denounce- ment and acquisition by another. In September, 1786, Ensign José Argüello, of the Spanish army, was commissioned by Governor Fages to survey the pueblo and put the settlers in pos- session of their lands. This formality was duly exercised with regard to nine of the settlers, none of whom could sign the documents with other signature than a cross. Being recruited from the soldiers who had served out their time, the pueblo grew quite rapidly in the next four years, increasing from nine to twenty-eight families, or a total of 141 souls. In 1790 the large stock numbered 2,980 head; the small stock 438; and that year's crop amounted to 4,500 bushels. Events were rare for the next ten years. In 1800 the white population was 315, chiefly increased by the maturity of chil- dren and the advent of retired soldiers. The horses and cattle now numbered 12,500; sheep, 1,700; the year's crop was 4,600 bushels, mostly maize. There is no record of any town official for the first nine years of the nineteenth cen- tury. In 1810 the population was 365, and moreover, some fifty people had been recruited from the town for soldiers for the presidios. Deliberate slaughter had diminished the large stock about one-half; the sheep were still less than 2,000; the crops of wheat and maize va- ried from 4,500 to 6,000 bushels. The increase of vices was becoming alarming. In 1810 there was a quarrel between the pueblo and the mis- sion of San Gabriel, chiefly caused by the water question. During the decade closing in 1820 the population varied as follows: 1811, 354; 1815,

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

478; 1818, 586; 1820, 650, including the out- lying ranchos. In 1817 there were 53,186 vines planted in the city. In August, 1814, was laid the corner-s one of the present church on the plaza, on which nothing further was done for seven years. The citizens contributed cattle toward the building fund, and the priests of the various missions gave seven barrels of brandy. By 1821 the church was built as high as the window arches, and it was completed and dedi- cated December 8, 1822.

There was a very destructive flood in April, 1815, in which month occurred the ratification by the Angeleños of the Federal Constitution of the Mexican Republic.

The first school here was kept by Maximo Piña, a retired soldier, who received $140 a year for his services.

In the year 1818, the "Year of the Insur- gents," there were captured from the force of the invading Bouchard, at a battle between his troop and the Spaniards, at Monterey, two pris- oners, one of whom, Joseph Chapman, was afterward the builder of the mill at the San Gabriel mission, and an assistant on the church at Los Angeles. During the great alarmı of Bouchard's appearance on the coast, Los An- geles raised a company of men who went to Santa Barbara, and took part in the action at Ortega's Ranch. From 1820 to 1830, the municipal authorities were making strenuous efforts to eradicate the vices which had strength- ened in the community, and they rigorously enforced the penalties for offences against law and order, and morality. There exists no com- plete list of the town officers for this decade.

In the autumn of 1827 Duhaut-Cilley, tlie first foreign visitor, came to Los Angeles. He found eighty-two houses, built of adobe, and roofed with asphaltum, in the midst of culti- vated gardens, on alluvial land. In his account lie noted the inability of the authorities to keep the peace and preserve order. It was during this year that Don Juan Bandini introduced in the provisional legislature a proposition to change the name of the town to Villa Victoria

de la Reina de Los Angeles, and make it a city and the capital of California. The matter was submitted to the national Government, but no action was thereby taken upon it. In 1829 the debt of the city council was $49. The tax on wine and brandy was $339, and on vines $158; the expenditures for the year amounted to $642. In 1830 the population was 1,000 white people, and 200 or 300 Indians.

In 1830 Manuel Victoria was appointed Gov- ernor to succeed Echeandia, and his arbitrary and illegal dispositions soon fomented a revo- Intion in Southern California, whose citizens now comprised many people of intelligence and culture, as well as of a free and independent spirit. The outbreak was headed by such men as Carrillo, Bandini, Stearns, and Pio Pico, whose brother, Andres Pico, was one of the citi- zens unlawfully imprisoned by Victoria. Is- suing a proclamation against the governor, they organized as a military body and set ont from San Diego northward to depose him. The An- geleños joined them with great enthusiasm, and some 150 revolutionists marched ont of Los Angeles on December 5. Meanwhile, Victoria had reached San Fernando with about thirty men, on his way to snbdue his refractory sub- jects, the full extent of whose insubordination was not known to him until late on December 4, so that it was with a very insufficient force he set out to meet them the next morning. The two bodies met at the Cahuenga Pass, some twelve miles west of the city, and an encounter ensued, in which Romualdo Pacheco, of the gov- ernor's party, and José Maria Ávila, of the revo- lutionists, were killed. Victoria was wounded and captured, and one or two soldiers wounded, in a struggle of not over three minutes' dura- tion. Four days later Victoria surrendered his office to Echeandia at San Gabriel, and soon after went to Mexico.

The legislature, which met at Los Angeles, January 1, 1832, chose Pio Pico as Governor, but the town council and Echeandia refused to recognize him, and Pico decided not to attempt to retain the office. On March 7, 1835, about

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

fifty Sonorans, who had lately come to Califor- nia, marched from Los Nietos to Los Angeles, took possession of the town hall, and cansed the alcalde to assemble the town council, to whom they proposed to remove Governor Figueroa, who, they claimed, had exceeded his powers- Pablo de la Portilla, who had commanded at the action of Cahuenga Pass, was proposed to succeed Figueroa, but it was understood that the ultimate purpose was to make Governor José Maria Híjar, who had brought these people to Los Angeles as colonists, under a commission from the vice-president to assume the gover- norship of California. This power President Santa Ana had revoked between Híjar's de- parture from Mexico and his arrival in Califor- nia. The town council replied that it had no authority to act in such a matter, and expressed disapproval of the revolution; whereupon, after deliberation, the leaders informed the council, that, in consequence of this disapprobation, they had decided to abandon the project, give over the instigators, and trust to the mercy of the authorities.

By a decree of the Mexican Congress dated May 23, 1835, Los Angeles was made a city, and the capital of California, as proclaimed by Governor Gutierrez, January, 1836. But the citizens did not provide even temporary build- ings for the occupancy of the government officials, and so the capital always remained at Monterey. As far back as this period and this year, the subject of State division was enter- tained, and also, in this year, the legislature at Monterey issued a decree tantamount to a dec- laration of independence from Mexico. The same legislature temporarily divided the State into two cantons, one including Monterey, San José, and San Francisco; and the other Los An- geles, San Diego, and Santa Bárbara. This ar- rangement was thwarted by opposition from the southern district. Extra sessions were held of the town councils at Los Angeles and San Diego, which rejected the project advanced at Mon- terey; and Santa Bárbara also forwarded expres- sions of disapproval, but later withdrew, de-

claring an intention to remain nentral, although her citizens gave Alvarado, the " Monterey Gov- ernor," welcome and support when he reached there late in the year with a small army. There was much resolving and counter-resolving, and interchange of messages, but at last Alvarado marched into Los Angeles on January 23, 1837, and fairly imposed terms upon the malcontents. Nevertheless, both here and at San Diego, op- position brooded, with frequent outbreaks, until finally news came from Mexico that California had been made a department, with Alvarado as Governor ad interim, by virtue of his position as first member of the legislature.

In February, 1831, arrived at Los Angeles the Wolfskill party, whose leader, William Wolfskill, and others of its members, had no small share in the occurrences of early days.

On December 5, 1831, arrived some mein bers of the Jedediah S. Smith party, among them that favorite pioneer and picturesque figure, J. J. Warner.

In April, 1832, came Ewing Young, with some seventy men, eight or ten of whom re- inained in Los Angeles.

At this period, 1835, there was much law- lessness in and abont Los Angeles, and the con- ditions in this respect led to the organization, on April 7, 1836, in direct consequence of an adulterous murder, of the first vigilance com- mittee in California.

In 1838 Ygnacio Coronel, the father of Don Antonio F. Coronel, aided by his wife and daughter, opened a primary school in Los An- geles.

In 1840 Los Angeles had a population of 1,100. There was an epidemic of sensational crimes this year, in which also occurred the arrest and exile, by order of Alvarado, of about fifty Americans. Isaac Graliam, who had been a loyal and most useful friend to the Governor, who owed to this man his present prominence, was among the Americans who were conducted in chains to Mexico and treated with cruel and shameful severity. After finally obtaining their release, owing to the intervention of the British

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

Government, some of whose subjects were among them, a number of these men found their way again to Los Angeles about a year later.

In the '40's, American immigration began to be quite extensive.

On October 19, 1842, Commodore Jones, of the United States Navy, who had heard that there was war between his own country and Mexico, captured thie fort at Monterey; but, learning his mistake, he hauled down the Am- erican flag two days later, and saluted the Mexi- can colors.

In the meanwhile, Micheltorena, the newly- arrived Governor of California, had hastened to fortify Los Angeles, on hearing of Jones' exploit. Three months later Jones visited Micheltorena at Los Angeles, and quite occupied the position of the guest " whom the king delighted to honor."

Remaining in Los Angeles the first half of 1843, Micheltorena became daily more nnpopu- lar, mainly on account of the misbehavior of his " convict battalion." The disaffection grew until open revolt began at Monterey, in Novem- ber, 1844, followed by a general uprising throughout California. Micheltorena, having secured the not disinterested support of about twenty Americans, marched toward Los Angeles where the American residents had organized a company for their own protection, under the captaincy of William Workman. The Califor- nians had a force of about 400 men. Ou Feb- rnary 20, 1845, the two armies came moderately close together, and bombarded each other all the afternoon with bloodless results. The next day Micheltorena was abandoned by his foreign allies, and he then surrendered, ceding the gov- ernorship to Pio Pico, and promising to return to Mexico. His captors looked to it that he promptly fulfilled his agreement.

With Pio Pico as Governor, and a majority of the legislature southern men, Los Angeles remained the capital of California during the year and a half that California was still under Mexican rule; and on March 2 the legislature

met in that city. There were still local disturb- ances, but of a nature to be adjusted without great difficulty.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038