Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 6

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366

USA > California > Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century > Part 6

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).

The first buildings at the Mission Vieja were all of wood. The church was 45x18 feet, built of logs and covered with tule thatch. The church and the other wooden buildings used by the padres stood within a square inclosed by pointed stakes. In 1776, five years after its

founding, the mission was moved from its first location to a new site about a league distant from the old. The old site was subject to overflow by the river. The adobe ruins pointed out to tourists as the foundations of the old mission are the debris of a building erected for a ranch house between fifty and sixty years ago. The buildings at the Mission Vieja were all of wood and no trace of them remains. A chapel was first built at the new site. It was replaced by a church built of adobes 108 feet long by 21 feet wide. The present stone church begun about 1794, and completed about 1806, is the fourth church erected.

The mission attained the acme of its impor- tance in 1817, when there were 1701 neophytes in the mission fold.

The largest grain crop raised at any mission was that harvested at San Gabriel in 1821, which amounted to 29,400 bushels. The num- ber of cattle belonging to the mission in 183C was 25,725. During the whole period of the mission's existence, i. e. from 1771 to 1834, ac- cording to statistics compiled by Bancroft from mission records, the total number of baptisms was 7,854: of which 4,355 were Indian adults and 2,459 were Indian children and the re- mainder gente de razon, or people of reason. The deaths were 5,656, of which 2,916 were In- dian adults and 2,363 Indian children. If all the Indian children born were baptized it would seem (if the statistics are correct) that but very few ever grew up to manhood and womanhood. In 1834, the year of its secularization, its neo- phyte population was 1,320.

The missionaries of San Gabriel established a station at old San Bernardino about 1820. It was not an asistencia like Pala but merely an agricultural station or ranch headquarters. The buildings were destroyed by the Indians in 1834.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.

The first attempt to found the Mission of San Juan Capistrano was made October 30, 1775. A cross was erected and a mass said in a hut constructed for the purpose. The revolt of the Indians at San Diego on the night of Nov- ember 5th, and the massacre of Father Jaume and others, news of which reached San Juan on the 7th, called away the soldiers. The bells which had been hung on the branch of a tree were taken down and buried and the soldiers and padres hastened to San Diego. November I, 1776, President Serra and Fathers Mugarte- gui and Amurro with an escort of soldiers re- established the mission. The bells were dug up and hung upon a tree. Their ringing assembled a number of the natives. Anenramada of bonghis was constructed and Father Serra said mass.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

The first location of the mission was several miles northeast of the present site, and at the foot of the mountain. The former location is still known as La Mission Vieja. Whether the change of location was made at the time of the re-establishment or later is not known. The erection of a stone church was begun in Febru- ary, 1797, and completed in 1806. A master builder had been brought from Mexico, and under his superintendence the neophytes did the mechanical labor. It was the largest and hand- somest church in California and was the pride of mission architecture. The year 1812 was known in California as el ano de los temblores -- the year of earthquakes. For months the seis- mic disturbance was almost continuous. On Sunday, December 8, 1812, a severe shock threw down the lofty church tower, which crashed through the vaulted roof on the congre- gation below. The padre who was celebrating mass escaped through the sacristy. Of the fifty persons present only five or six escaped. The church was never rebuilt. "There is not much doubt," says Bancroft, "that the disaster was due rather to faulty construction than to the violence of the temblor. The edifice was of the usual cruciform shape, about 90x180 feet on the ground, with very thick walls and arched dome-like roof all constructed of stones im- bedded in mortar or cement. The stones were not hewn but of irregular size and shape, a kind of structure evidently requiring great skill to ensure solidity." The mission reached its maximum in 1819; from that on till the date of its secularization there was a rapid decline in the numbers of its live stock and of its neo- phytes.

This was one of the missions in which Gov- ernor Figueroa tried his experiment of forming Indian pueblos of the neophytes. For a time the experiment was a partial success, but event- ually it went the way of all the other missions. Its lands were granted to private individuals and the neophytes scattered. Its picturesque ruins are a great attraction to tourists.

SAN BUENAVENTURA.

The founding of San Buenaventura had been long delayed. It was to have been among the first missions founded by Father Serra; it proved to be his last. On the 26th of March, 1782, Governor de Neve accompanied by Father Serra (who had come down afoot from San Carlos) and Father Cambon with a convoy of soldiers and a number of neophytes set out from San Gabriel to found the mission. At the first camping place, Governor de Neve was recalled to San Gabriel by a message from Col. Pedro

Fages informing him of the, orders of the coun- cil of war to proceed against the Yumas, who had the previous year destroyed the two mis- sions on the Colorado river and massacred the missionaries.

On the 29th the remainder of the company reached a place on the coast named by Portolá in 1769, Asuncion de Nuestra Señora, which had for some time been selected for a mission site. Near it was a large Indian rancheria.

On the 31st of March, which was Easter Sun- day, the mission was formally founded with the usual ceremonies and dedicated to San Buena- ventura, Giovanni di Fidanza of Tuscany, born in 1221. It is said that St. Francis of Assissi (founder of the Franciscan Order), meeting him one day and foreseeing his future greatness, ex- claimed, "O buona ventura!" and the name Buenaventura in Spanish clung to him .* He was also called the "Seraphic Doctor" from his knowledge of theology.

The progress of the mission was slow at first. Only two adults were baptized in 1782. The first building built of wood was destroyed by fire. The church still standing, built of brick and adobe, was completed and dedicated Sep- tember 9, 1809. The earthquake of December 8, 1812, damaged the church to such an extent that the tower and part of the facade had to be rebuilt. "The whole mission site appeared to settle and the fear of being engulfed by the sea drove all away to San Joaquin y Santa Ana where they remained until April, 1813."+

The mission reached its greatest prosperity in 1816, when it had a neophyte population of 1,330, and owned 23,400 cattle. Vancouver, the English explorer, who visited the mission in November, 1793, says, "The garden of Buena- ventura far exceeded anything I had before met in these regions, both in respect of the quantity, quality and variety of its excellent productions, not only indigenous to the country, but apper- taining to the temperate as well as torrid zone : not one species having yet been sown or planted that had not flourished. These have principally consisted of apples, pears, plums, figs, oranges, grapes, peaches and pomegranates, together with the plantain, banana, cocoanut, sugar cane, indigo and a great variety of the necessary and useful kitchen herbs, plants and roots. All these were flourishing in the greatest health and perfection, though separated from the seaside only by two or three fields of corn that were cultivated within a few yards of the surf." The mission was secu- larized in 1837. The church, greatly modern- ized, is still used for holding services.

*Bancroft, Vol. 1, 376.

+Franciscans in California.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

SANTA BARBARA.

Governor Felipe de Neve in his report of June, 1777, urged the establishing of three mis- sions and a central presidio on the Santa Bar- bara Channel. His report was approved by General Croix, and Rivera was sent to recruit settlers in Sinaloa and Sonora for the Channel establishments, and also for the pueblos of San José and Los Angeles. The pueblos were founded, but the founding of the missions and presidio from one cause or another had been delayed. After the founding of the mission of San Buenaventura, March 31, 1782, about the middle of the April following Governor de Neve, who had come up from San Gabriel, Father Serra, who was still at San Buenaven- tura, and a force of sixty soldiers with their officers, proceeded up the coast to found the presidio. After marching about nine leagues the Governor called a halt in a beautiful valley near the coast. Having found a suitable loca-

tion where wood and water could easily be pro- cured, the presidio of Santa Barbara was found- ed. Father Serra had hoped that the mission would be founded at the same time. Disap- pointed in this, he left for Monterey, where he expected to meet six new missionaries, who were reported coming by ship. In this, too, he was disappointed ; the missionaries did not come at that time.

The death of Serra in 1784 "still further de- layed the founding, and it was not till the latter part of 1786 that everything was in readiness for the establishing of the new mission. On the 22d of November, Father Lasuen, who had succeeded Father Serra as president of the Cal- ifornia missions, arrived in Santa Barbara, ac- companied by two missionaries recently arrived from Mexico. After a careful survey of differ- ent locations he selected a site about a mile distant from the presidio. The place was called by the Indians Tay-nay-an ("rocky hill"). It was selected by the padres on account of the abun- dance of stone for building and also for the plen- tiful supply of water for irrigation.

On the 15th of December, 1786, Father La- suen, in a hut of boughs, celebrated the first mass ; but December 4th, the day that the fiesta of Santa Barbara is commemorated, is consid- ered the date of its founding. Part of the serv- ices were held on that day. A chapel built of adobes and roofed with thatch was erected in 1787. Several other buildings of adobe werc erected the same year. In 1788 tile took the place of thatch. In 1789 a second church much larger than the first was built. A third church of adobe was commenced in 1793 and finished in 1794. A brick portico was added in 1795 and the walls plastered.

The great earthquake of December, 1812, demolished the Mission Church and destroyed nearly all the buildings. The years 1813 and 1814 were spent in removing the debris of the ruined buildings and in preparing for the erec- tion of new ones. The erection of the present Mission Church was begun in 1815. It was com- pleted and dedicated September 10, 1820.

Father Gaballeria, in his History of Santa Bar- bara, gives the dimensions of the church as fol- lows: "Length (including walls), 60 varas; width, 14 varas; height, Io varas (a vara is 34} inches)." The walls are of stone and rest on a foundation of rock and cement. They are six feet thick and are further strengthened by but- tresses. Notwithstanding the building has with- stood the storms of four score years, it is still in an excellent state of preservation. Its exterior has not been disfigured by attempts at modern- izing.

The highest neophyte population was reached at Santa Barbara in 1803, when it numbered 1,792. The largest number of cattle was 5,200, in 1809. In 1834, the year of secularization, the neophytes numbered 556, which was a decrease of 155 from the number in 1830. At such a rate of decrease it would not, even if mission rule had continued, have taken more than a dozen years to depopulate the mission.

LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION.

Two missions, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara, had been founded on the Santa Barbara Channel in accordance with Neve's re- port of 1777, in which he recommended the founding of three missions and a presidio in that district. It was the intention of General La Croix to conduct these on a different plan from that prevailing in the older missions. The natives were not to be gathered into a mission- ary establishment but were to remain in their rancherias which were to be converted into mission pueblos. The Indians were to receive instruction in religion, industrial arts and self- government while comparatively free from re- straint. The plan which no doubt originated with Governor de Neve was a good one the- oretically and possibly might have been prac- tically. The missionaries were bitterly opposed to it. Unfortunately it was tried first in the Colorado River Missions among the fierce and treacherous Yumas. The massacre of the padres and soldiers of these missions was at- tributed to this innovation.

In establishing the Channel Mission the mis- sionaries opposed the inauguration of this plan and by their persistence succeeded in setting it aside; and the old system was adopted, La Purisima Concepcion or the Immaculate Con-

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ception of the Blessed Virgin. The third of the Channel Missions was founded, December 8, 1787, by Father Lasuen at a place called by the natives Algsacupi. Its location is about twelve miles from the ocean on the Santa Inez River. Three years after its founding 300 converts had been baptized but not all of them lived at the mission. The first church was a temporary struc- ture. The second church, built of adobe and roofed with tile, was completed in 1802. Decem- ber 21, 1812, an earthquake demolished the church and also about one hundred adobe houses of the neophytes. A site across the river and about four miles distant from the

former one, was selected for new buildings. A temporary building for a church was erected then. A new church, built of adobes and roofed with tile, was completed and dedicated in 1818.

The Indians revolted in 1824 and damaged the building. They took possession of it and a battle lasting four hours was fought between 130 soldiers and 400 Indians. . The neophytes cut loop holes in the church and used two old rusty cannon and a few guns they possessed ; but, unused to firearms, they were routed with the loss of several killed. During the revolt which lasted several months, four white men and fifteen or twenty Indians were killed. The hostiles, most of whom fled to the Tulares, were finally subdued. The leaders were punished with imprisonment and the others returned to their missions.

This mission's population was largest in 1804, when it numbered 1,520; in 1834, there were but 407 neophytes connected with it. It was secularized in Feburary, 1835. During mission rule from 1787 to 1834 the total number of Indian children baptized was 1,492; died 902, which was a lower death rate than at most of the southern missions.

SAN FERNANDO REY DE ESPANA.

In the closing years of the century, explora- tions were made for new mission sites in Cali- fornia. These were to be located between mis- sions already founded. Among those selected at that time was the site of the Mission San Fernando on the Encino rancho, then occupied by Francisco Reyes. Reyes surrendered what- ever right he had to the land and the padres occupied his house for a dwelling while new buildings were in the course of erection.

September 8, 1797, with the usual ceremonies, the mission was founded by President Lasuen assisted by Father Dumetz. According to in- structions from Mexico it was dedicated to San Fernando Rey de España (Fernando III. King of Spain, 1217-1251). At the end of the year 1797, fifty-five converts had been gathered into

the mission fold and at the end of the century 352 had been baptized.

The adobe church, begun before the close of the century, was completed and dedicated in December, 1806. It had a tiled roof. It was but slightly injured by the great earthquakes of December, 1812, which were so destructive to the mission buildings at San Juan Capistrano, Santa Barbara, La Purisima and Santa Inez. This mission reached its greatest prosperity in 1819, when its neophyte population numbered 1,080. The largest number of cattle owned by it at one time was 12,800 in 1819.

Its decline was not so rapid as that of some of the other missions, but the death rate es- pecially among the children was fully as high. Of the 1,367 Indian children baptized at it dur- ing the existence of mission rule 965 or over seventy per cent died in childhood. It was not strange that the fearful death rate both of chil- dren and adults at the missions sometimes frightened the neophytes into running away.

San Fernando figured frequently in the Cali- fornia revolutions. It was a sort of a frontier post to both parties in the civil war of 1837 and 1838. Negotiations between Fremont and General Andres Pico which resulted in the treaty of Cahuenga were begun at the mission. June 17, 1846, Governor Pio Pico sold the ex- mission to Enlogio de Celis for $14,000. The money, or at least a part of it, was used by Pico in fitting out an army to suppress Castro who was supposed to be fomenting a revolution to overthrow Pico. The seizure of California by Commodore Sloat, July 7, 1846, put an end to Castro's revolution and to Pico's governorship as well.

Father Blas, the last of the Franciscan mis- sionaries of California, remained at the mission until May, 1847. He died at San Gabriel in 1850.

SAN LUIS REY DE FRANCIA.

Several explorations had been made for a mis- sion site between San Diego and San Juan Capistrano. There was quite a large Indian population that had not been brought into the folds of either mission. In October, 1797, a new exploration of this territory was ordered and a site was finally selected although the agri- cultural advantages were regarded as not satis- factory.

Governor Barica, February 28, 1798, issued orders to the comandante at San Diego to furnish a detail of soldiers to aid in erecting the necessary buildings. June 13, 1798, President Lasten, the successor of President Serra, as- sisted by Fathers Peyri and Santiago, with the tisttal services, founded the new mission. It was named San Luis Rey de Francia (St. Louis

-ta

SAN LUIS REY MISSION, FOUNDED IN 1798

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

King of France). Its location was near a river on which was bestowed the name of the mis- sion. The mission flourished from its very be- ginning. Its controlling · power was Padre Antonio Peyri. He remained in charge of it from its founding almost to its downfall, in all thirty-three years. He was a man of great ex- ecutive abilities and under his administration it became one of the largest and most prosperous missions in California. It reached its maximum in 1826, when its neophyte population numbered 2,869 the largest number at one time connected with any mission in the territory.

The Asistencia or Auxiliary Mission of San Antonio was established at Pala, seven leagues easterly from the parent mission. A chapel was erected here and regular services held. One of the padres connected with San Luis Rey was in charge of this station. Father Peyri left California in 1831, with the exiled Governor Victoria. He went to Mexico and from there to Spain and lastly to Rome where he died. The mission was converted into an Indian pueblo in 1834, but the pueblo was not a success. Most of the neophytes drifted to Los Angeles and San Gabriel. During the Mexican Conquest American troops were stationed at it. It has recently been partially repaired and is now used for a Franciscan school under charge of Father J. J. O'Keefe.

SANTA INEZ.

Santa Inez was the last mission founded in Southern California. It was established Septem- ber 17, 1804. Its location is about forty miles northwesterly from Santa Barbara on the east- erly side of the Santa Inez mountains and eight- een miles southeasterly from La Purisima. Father Tapis, president of the mission from 1803 to 1812, preached the sermon and was as- sisted in the ceremonies by Fathers Ciprés, Calzada and Gutierrez. Carrillo, the comman- dante at the presidio, was present, as were also a number of neophytes from Santa Barbara and La Purisima. Some of these were transferred to the new mission.

The earthquake of December, 1812, shook down a portion of the church and destroyed a number of the neophytes' houses. In 1815, the

erection of a new church was begun. It was built of adobes lined with brick and was com- pleted and dedicated July 4, 1817.

The Indian revolt of 1824, described in the sketch of La Purisima, broke out first at this mission. The neophytes took possession of the church. The mission guard defended them- selves and the padre. A portion of the mission buildings were burned. At the approach of troops from Santa Barbara the Indians fled to Purisima.

Stephen C. Foster, in one of his reminis- cences, gives the following version of the fight, which was told him by an old Californian : "The Indians were destitute of firearms, but their overwhelming numbers and showers of arrows they directed against the portholes had quite demoralized the garrison, when the priest appeared and took command (he had been a soldier before he became a priest). It must have been a singular scene. The burly friar, with shaven crown and sandaled feet, clad in the gray gown, girt with the cord of St. Francis, wielding carnal weapons; now encouraging the little garrison; now shouting defiance to the swarming assailants."

"Ho father," cried a young Indian acolyte, "is that the way to say mass?" "Yes, I am say- ing mass, my son. Here (holding up his cart- ridge box) is the chalice; here (holding up his carbine) is the crucifix, and here goes my benediction to you," as he leveled his carbine and laid the scoffer low. "A large force was finally collected from the different towns, the Indian converts were followed into the Tulare valley and captured; the ring-leaders were shot and the others brought back to their missions." The revolting Indians of Santa Inez and La Purisima had been joined by hindas or deserters from some of the other missions. The real cause of the revolt is unknown.

Santa Inez attained its maximum population, 770, 1816. In 1834 its population was 334. During its mission period, from 1804 to 1834, 757 Indian children were baptized and 519 died, leaving only 238 or about thirty per cent to grow up. This mission was not completely secularized until 1836.

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

CHAPTER VI. THE PRESIDIOS OF SAN DIEGO AND SANTA BARBARA.

SAN DIEGO.

T HE Roman præsidium and the Spanish presidio were similar in form and pur- pose. The præsidium was a fort or fortified square centrally located, where a gar- rison was stationed to protect the colonists and keep in subjection the aborigines. From it settlements radiated and around it usually in course of time a city was built. The presidio in Spanish colonization subserved the same pur- pose and became the nucleus of a town or city.

In the mission colonization of California there were four presidios founded, viz .: San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco and Santa Barbara. These furnished the mission guards for their in- dividual districts and after the founding of the pueblos of San José and Los Angeles supplied a small pueblo guard. The first presidio founded in California as well as the first mission was located at San Diego.

Rivera y Moncada, who was commander of the first land expedition for the colonization of Cali- fornia, arrived at San Diego on the 14th of May. The two vessels of the expedition, the San Carlos and San Antonio, with their scurvy- afflicted crews, had already arrived and had established a hospital on shore.

Bancroft says : "The old camp or pest house on the bay shore is probably within the limits of what is now the city of San Diego, locally known as New Town; but the day after his arrival Rivera, so say the chroniclers, although according to the instructions of Galvez, Fages was chief in command, selects a new site some miles north, at what is now Old, or North San Diego, at the foot of a hill on which are still to be seen the remains of the old presidio. Here camp is pitched and fortified, a corral for the animals and a few rude huts are built, and hither on the 17th are transported the sick and their tents. The immediate purpose is that the camp may be near the river which at this point flows into the north end of the bay."

The Indians of San Diego were a thievish and murderous lot of savages. Before the little settlement was three months old, they made an attack upon it in which they killed a Spanish youth and wounded Padre Viscaino, the black- smith, a soldier and a Lower California Indian.

It became necessary to surround the mission with a stockade to protect it from their depreda- tions. In 1782 the presidial force besides the commissioned officers "consisted of five cor- porals and forty-six soldiers. Six men were constantly on duty at each of the three missions of the district, San Diego, San Juan Capistrano and San Gabriel ; while four served at the pueblo of Los Angeles, thus leaving a sergeant, two corporals and about twenty-five men to garrison the fort, care for the horses and a small herd of cattle, and to carry the mails, which latter duty was the hardest connected with the presidio service in time of peace. There were a car- penter and blacksmith constantly employed, besides a few servants, mostly natives. The population of the district in 1790, not including Indians, was 220."*

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 6

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 1366

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366