History of California, Volume II, Part 56

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826

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5 Pattie, the trapper, was very kindly treated by Sergt. Pico, or Peaks, as he calls him, in 1828 as elsewhere related. Among the inválidos during these years was Juan Mariné y Salvat, a soldier retired as lieutenant de premio for long service. He lived at S. Gabriel and was the second husband of Eulalia Perez the centenarian. He was a Catalan, 60 years old in 1828, and had been 33 years in California. Dept. Rec., MS., v. 39; vi. 41; S. Diego, Lib. de Mis- ion, MS., 55; Perez, Recuerdos de una Vieja. MS.

544

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

substituted for that of Lopez. Zamorano was chosen as elector in 1827-8; and Juan María Osuna in 1830. Last and not least must be mentioned Padre Antonio Menendez, a Dominican who came up from the peninsula with Echeandía in 1825, and ministered spiritually to troops and citizens as chaplain and cura until 1829, at an irregular salary of fifteen dollars a month.

The presidial company of San Diego failed to keep its ranks quite full, and by 1830 had decreased to sixty men and fifteen invalids; there were seven artillery- men; Portilla's Mazatlan company dwindled from 55 to 35 men; and the total force with two or three mechanics was thus 120 men. A detachment of in- fantry came with Echeandía in 1825, but there is nothing to indicate whether or not any part of that body remained at San Diego. The mission escoltas required about half the presidial company; at least half of the inválidos lived at the pueblo; and the actual force at the presidio was about 100 men. The total population de razon in the district, which I have given as 450 in 1820, I put down at 520 in 1830.6 The increase of 70 seems small, but the error, if there is one, is more likely to be in the earlier than the later

6 See chapter xvi. this volume for population in 1820. There are reports making the population in 1821, 630; and in 1830, 439; and one, St. Pap. Miss., MS., v. 37, making the total, including S. Gabriel, 557 in 1830; but the estimate must be founded chiefly on reports which are extant for 1827-8. In Bandini, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 6, is an official report of the governor for 1827, cited also in Hayes' Emig. Notes, 477, in which the population of S. Diego is given as 769, or 273 men, 246 women, and 250 children; but this in- cludes Indians whose number varied in these years from 130 to 200, and deducting 160 say from 769, we have 609 as the white population, or 479 if 130 be deducted for S. Gabriel. Again a similar official table for 1828 was published in Wilkes' Nar., U. S. Expl. Exped., v. 555, making the number 608 of gente de razon, or 478 after the deduction for S. Gabriel. That these reports include in the presidio population all the whites at the missions is proved by the fact that their totals for the missions agree with the number of neophytes derived from other sources. Finally a report for 1828, in Prov. St. Pap. Pres., MS., i. 97-8, in which S. Gabriel is not included, gives the population de razon as 477. Thus the agreement of these three reports leaves but little doubt respecting the figures for 1828, though a report for 1828 in St. Pap. Miss., MS., v. S, makes the number at least 540 in that year. In Estudillo, Doc. Hist. C'al., MS., i. 170, 41 of 69 men in the presidial company are said to have had families in 1821. In Id., ii. 160, the distribution of men a few years later was 35 men to the presidio; 5 at the mission; 6 at S. Juan; 8

543

POPULATION AND STATISTICS.

figures. The population, always excluding San Ga- briel, was 475 in 1828 and the only element of uncer- tainty is respecting the increase of the last two years. The population at the presidio proper was about 400 white persons and 150 Indians. Only two or three foreigners lived in the district. The neophyte popu- lation remained at 5,200, San Luis having gained and San Juan having lost over a hundred.

There are no other presidial statistics extant except the usual fragmentary items of finance,7 from which it is impossible to draw any general conclusions of any value. The pay-roll of the military force was nomi- nally over $20,000 a year; the men really received at least what they ate and wore, contributed by the mis- sions and obtained from vessels as duties on imports. The reader may find in the general lists for each year in other chapters the names of vessels which touched at San Diego, though the record in this respect is far from being complete. The port was practically open to foreign trade throughout the decade, and legally so during a large part of the time, as there was a decree of 1822 formally opening it;8 the orders of 1826 to close it were not carried out; and in 1828-9 it was officially deemed to be open provisionally even

at S. Luis; and 11 at S. Gabriel. In 1828 the distribution of population was 403 at the presidio; 10 in ranchos; 12 at the mission; 17 at S. Juan; and 35 at S. Luis. The foreign residents were J. B. Mutrel, James Thompson, and James MeFerion.

7 Items of habilitado's accounts: 1823, S. Diego indebted to Monterey, $1,544. 1825, treasury owed officers and soldiers of the company $42,700; citizens and former soldiers, $32,700. Pay-roll for five months, $6,728. 1826, due company on pay-roll to August, $9,137; June to December, $4,981. Supplies to the Mazatlan company in 1826-7, $9,080. Company's pay in 1827, $1,300 per month. Estimate for expenses of 1828, $19,574. Pay of Mazatlan company per month in 1828, $924. Pay-roll of 1830, $14,639, and 82,523 for inválidos. Net yield of postal revenue about $30 per year. Muni- cipal funds in 1828: receipts, $424; expenditures, $330. 1829, receipts, 8358; expenditures, $311. Tax on cattle, 1828, 827. Tithes, 1821-5, 81,230. Liquor dues, 1826, $205 net; 1827, $144; 1828, $100. Sixty-five otter-skins sold in 1826, 8991. Revenue from customs in 1830, net, $19,346 (?). Comi- sario Bandini's account for Aug. 1829: Balance Aug. Ist, $25,362; supplies from missions, $443; import duties, $826; paid out, $3,370; balance Sept. Ist, $23,261.

8 Decree of soberana junta provisional gubernativa of Jan. 14, 1822, open- ing S. Diego to foreign vessels. Mexico, Mem. Hacienda, 1838, pt. i. 6. Sce also chapter v. of this volume.

HIST. CAL., VOL. II. 35

546

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

when San Francisco and Santa Barbara were closed. Yet Monterey, and not San Diego as has sometimes been claimed, was always the chief port of entry and site of the territorial custom-house.

The rancho del rey, now known as the rancho nacional, was still kept up in a manner, and furnished meat and horses for the troops; but we have no sta- tisties and no information save an occasional complaint that the cattle are almost exhausted and should be replenished from the missions. All tithes of cattle were added to this rancho.9 As before there is no definite record of agricultural or pastoral industry except in the missions; but there are indications, chiefly from the recollections of old Californians, that both soldiers and invalids now cultivated to a consid- crable extent fertile spots in the vicinity of the pre- sidio; that several retired soldiers and officers came down from Presidio Hill before 1830 to live in adobe houses standing about the site of what is in modern times old San Diego; and there is proof that several ranchos had been granted to private individuals by whom some of them were occupied.10

9 Arch. Arzob .. MS., iv. pt. i. 78; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 291; Guerra, Doc. Ilist. Cal., MS., vi. 60; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., liii. 89; liv. 8; lxiii. 13: Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Com. and Treas., MS., i. 40.

10 Soledad Valley was the tract chiefly cultivated by the military fariners. Romero, Memorias, MS., 4; Aguilar, in Hayes' Emig. Notes, 502-3; Ilayes' Miscellany, 78; Bancroft's Personal Obs., 85-6. Of the earliest houses at the foot of the hill Gunn gives an account from the recollections of old residents, in the S. Diego Union of July 20, 1876. He says there were 5 houses in 1821, the 'Fitch house,' and those of Capt. Ruiz, María Reyes Ibañez, Raf- aela Serrano, and Juan María Marron. Romero, Memorias, MS., 1-2, men- tions the same houses as existing in 1825, except the Fitch house not named. Gunn says the 6th house was built by a Pico in 1824; and that by 1830 there had been added 7 more, including those of Juan Rodriguez, José Antonio Es- tudillo, Juan Bandini, Tomasa Alvarado, Rosario Aguilar, the 'French bakery,' and part of the 'Seely house.' Judge Hayes' Memorabilia and other scrap-books contain much detailed information respecting these earliest houses, fields, and gardens; and photographs of many of them are given in his Emi- grant Notes. Naturally I have no space for these voluminous details, which though interesting are for the most part rather vaguely founded. There is a decided tendency to antedate the building of the older houses, and I have no faith in the exactness of the dates given. There were probably no houses on the bench in 1821, and few in 1825; but there is no reason to doubt that most of the dozen named in this note, if not many more, had been built by 1830. Capt. Ruiz probably did not come down from the hill to live before his retire- ment in 1827. J. A. Estudillo and Juan Bandini were granted house-lots, or

547

BUILDINGS.

In 1826 a commission composed of Captain Por- tilla, Domingo Carrillo, and Lieutenant Romualdo Pacheco reported the presidio buildings as in a "de- plorably ruinous condition," and requiring at least $40,000 for repairs. The fort at Point Guijarros was hardly in a better state, but might be repaired at a cost of $10,000. We do not learn that any such sums were forthcoming from territorial or national treasury; but in May 1828 the governor asked the padres for ten men, with tools and food, to be set to work on the battery, which a few months later was at least in con- dition to discharge several broadsides into Bradshaw's vessel.11 The barca plana, or flat-boat, which had been wont to ply between the presidio and the port, was wrecked at Los Adobes late in 1827, and a year later the governor directed that a small wharf should be built of the timbers. 12 Three foreign visitors, whose narratives were printed, have something to say

a lot 100 varas square in common, in 1827. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 8. As to the private ranchos, in a report of 1828 there are named, besides La Purísima or rancho nacional, where the presidio had 250 cattle and 25 horses, San An- tonio Abad with 300 cattle, SO horses, and 25 mules, producing also 143 fane- gas of grain; Sta María (de Penasquitos), with 50 cattle, 20 horses, and 8 mules; El Rosario, or Barracas, a sitio, with 25 head each of cattle, horses, and mules, producing 125 fan. of grain; and San Isidro, also a sitio. Each of these was inhabited by 2 or 3 men. Prov. St. Pap., Pres., MS., i. 97-8. The names of owners are not given; but we know that Penasquitos had been granted to Capt. Ruiz and Francisco M. Alvarado on June 15, 1823, against the protest of the padres. Arch. Arzob., MS., iv. pt. ii. 75; Hayes' Emiy. Notes, 492; Cal. Land Com., No. 452. In an official report of 1830, St. Pap. Miss., MS., v. 37, the same four ranchos are named and no more; yet we know that in Jan. or March 1829 Echeandía had granted one league at Otay to José Antonio Estudillo; another league at Otay (Janal?) to María Magda- lena Estudillo; and Tia Juana, across the line of Lower California. Dept. Rec., vii. 62; Register of Brands, 43-4; Hayes' Emig. Notes, 492; Cal. Land Com., No. 330. It is also stated by the padres in 1828 that the rancho of Temescal between S. Luis Rey and S. Juan Capistrano had been occupied by Leandro Serrano, majordomo at S. Juan. Register of Brands, MS., 41.

11 Report to Portilla, etc. Dept. St. Pap., MS., i. 188-9. Demand for laborers. Dept. Rec., MS., vi. 202. Armament of S. Diego in 1830: 13 can- nons, 8 of brass, and 5 of iron; 3 eight-pounders, 7 of 6 lbs., and 3 of 4 lbs. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., Ixii. 24. Romero, Memorias, MS., 23; Hayes' Emig. Notes, 494, describes the fort and powder magazines as of stone, and the barracks of brick, situated close under the high hill on what is now Bal- last Point. Machado, Tiempos Pasados de Cal., MS., 22, says that Echeandía made the troops construct a dam or reservoir of stone and mortar in a cañada near the fort. The water later broke the dam, but the ruins were yet visible in 1877.

12 Dept. Rec., MS., vi. 141; Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxvii. 9.

548

LOCAL ANNALS-SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

of San Diego in this decade. The first was Morrell in 1825, and his absurdly inaccurate description of the presidio is quoted elsewhere.13 Duhaut-Cilly came in 1827. He devotes more attention to a de- scription of the port, which he pronounces " without doubt the best in all California," safer even than San Francisco, and its natural surroundings than to artifi- cial improvements; but he says, "a sad place is the presidio of San Diego, the saddest of all that we had visited in California except San Pedro. It is built on the slope of an arid hill and has no regular form. It is a shapeless mass of houses, all the more gloomy because of the dark color of the bricks of which they are rudely constructed. Under the presidio on a sandy plain are seen thirty or forty scattered houses of poor appearance, and a few gardens badly culti- vated." 14 Finally the American trapper, Pattie, was confined here during the greater part of 1828. He describes nothing but his prison, situated just across the square from the governor's house, of which he says: "My prison was a cell eight or ten feet square, with walls and floor of stone. A door with iron bars an inch square like the bars of window sashes, and it grated on its iron hinges as it opened to receive me. Over the external front of this prison was inscribed in capital letters Destinacion de la Cattivo" !15

There was a primary school at the presidio during the last half of the decade if not before; it had eighteen scholars in 1829; Padre Menendez was for a time the teacher; and he received from fifteen to twenty dollars a month from the municipal funds.16 Justice was administered in a primitive and irregular way by the military authorities;17 but the criminal

13 See chapter i. of volume iii. Morrell's Narrative, 201.

1+ Duhaut-Cilly, Viaggio, ii. 14-25. 15 Pattie's Narrative, 176.

16 St. Pap., Miss., MS., vi. 1, 2; Leg. Rec., MS., i. 146; Dept. St .. Pap., MS., ii. 114; Id., Ben. Mil., Ixvi. 91.

17 In 1821 several cases of adultery and dissolute life are reported. In one the man was sentenced to imprisonment for two months and transfer to another presidio; while the woman had to stand with shaven head in church

549

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

annals of San Diego at this period include no causas célebres. Hostile gentiles caused less trouble on the southern frontier in this decade than in most others, Lieutenant Ibarra's fight at Santa Isabel on April 5, 1826, being the only exciting event of Indian war- fare. Ibarra lost three men of his Mazatlan squad- ron, but he killed twenty-eight of the foe and sent in twenty pairs of cars. One of the gentiles was cap- tured and publicly shot at San Diego the 23d of April. In a battle between the Indians of San Felipe Valley and gentiles from more distant ran- cherías, eighteen of the latter were killed and lost their ears. 18

where all could see her, and was shut up for six months in the mission mon- jería. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 286, 294; Id., Ben. Mil., xlvi. 23; lii. 11. In April 1826 the soldier Victor Linares killed the vecino Juan German. Argüello was prosecutor; Pio Pico, clerk; and Zamorano defended the ac- cused. The court-martial, composed of Echeandia, Rocha, Valle, Ibarra, Por- tilla, Pacheco, and Mata, each of whom gave a separate vote in writing, acquitted Linares, who had merely performed his duty as a sentry. Id., lix. 5-7. In December a neophyte was tried for killing another. The fiscal asked for only one year's imprisonment and hard work, in consideration of the man being a new convert. As usual the final decision is not known. Id., lxiii. 5. In October 1828 five soldiers, in the name of all, complained to Lieut. Argiie- llo of hunger and nakedness, asking for something on account of back pay. Argüello became angry and began to put them in irons, desisting at the demand of the troops. The five appealed to the general and were promised justice; but seem to have been scattered in other presidios as a punishment for their insubordination. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., Ixvi. 64-8. In Feb. 1821 an Indian was condemned to two years of public work for having killed his neophyte wife. St. Pap., Ben., MS., i. SI. In April a house of ill- fame is mentioned. Dept. Rec., MS., vii. 134; and a soldier was liberated after 21 months' confinement for stealing three cattle from the rancho nacional. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxiv. 13. In July a soldier was tried for perjury, a crime punishable by death, but was released after a few months in jail as the subject of the perjury was of little consequence. Id. Ixx. 1. In May 1830 a civilian cut a soldier with a knife, escaped from prison, and took refuge in the mission church. An interesting trial followed on the question of his right of church asylum. He was sentenced to eight years in the chain- gang. Id., lxxi. 35-58. In September a soldier lost a despatch, for which he seems to have received 25 blows and a month of extra sentry duty. Id. lxix. 4. In November there were 12 prisoners in custody. Id. Ixxii. 6. This year the majordomo, Hilario García, was tried for excessive cruelty in having flogged a party of gentile and neophyte captive cattle-thieves, one of whom was pulled about by the hair until he died. At the first trial the fiscal, Cadet Ignacio del Valle, insisted on 10 years in the chain-gang. Later Juan Ban- dini defended García, pronouncing the charges only lies of Indians. The asesor called for five years in the chain-gang, and Gov. Victoria thus ordered in April 1831. Id., Ixii. 11-15.

18 Ibarra in his report, Dept. St. Pap., Pref. y Juzg., MS., iii. SI-3, says lie lost one pagan and had 14 neophytes and one soldier wounded, so that the three soldiers killed on or about the same day, S. Diego, Lib. Mision, MS., 96,

550

LOCAL ANNALS -- SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

San Diego was not at this time in any proper sense the capital of California, as is sometimes claimed by those who have interested themselves in the local annals of the south. Monterey was officially recog- nized as the capital, but San Diego was the residence of Governor Echeandía, who preferred its climate, and, as it is more than hinted, its ladies; and who had a plausible excuse for remaining there in his lack of health and in the fact that the peninsula was also within the jurisdiction. The presence of the gefe político naturally did something toward enlivening the normal dulness of life at this presidio; and it tended to make San Diego more prominent than before in territorial history as recorded in chapters of the next volume. I have no space to repeat here so much of that general history as relates particularly to San Diego; but I have deemed it well to append a chrono- logical statement on the subject, in which I introduce some minor events, with details of others, not else- where recorded.19

were perhaps of another party. Report of the fight between Indians in Dept. St. Pap., i. 136-7. 1821, Indians in prison for having killed the soldier Lerma and a neophyte. Prov. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., xlvi. 22-3. Ma- chado, Tiempos Pasados, MS., 2-3, mentions an expedition made by her father about 1823 against horse-thieves, in which corporal Machado had a hand-to-hand fight with and killed the chief Agustin.

19 1821. In the autumn, according to the statement of Blas Aguilar, IJayes' Emig. Notes, 501-2; Id., Memorabilia, 133; S. Diego Union, Jan. 28, 1876; Sta Bárbara Press, Feb. 19, 1878, a flood came sweeping down the valley, the result of a cloud-burst in the mountains, probably, as there was no rain. It banked up the sand so as to turn the river into False Bay. The stream, according to Aguilar, had previously entered the bay by a channel farther west than that of modern times, and a small stream still continued to flow into the port, though the greater part of the water found its way into False Bay. Such an event as Aguilar describes may likely enough have oc- curred, though little reliance can be placed on the exact date. I suppose there may have been several changes in the channel since 1769; but it is not likely we shall ever know the dates. Juan Bandini said the river was turned from False Bay into the port in 1825. Hayes' Emig. Notes, 268-9; and it is true there was a great freshet that year. Guerra, Doc. Ilist., Cal., MS., v. 200-1. Pio Pico thought the change took place in 1828, and his statement is supported to a certain extent, as against that of Bandini, by the fact that Duhaut-Cilly found the river flowing into False Bay in April 1827. Viaggio, ii. 19. The stream is said to have been artificially turned into False Bay by Licut. Derby in 1853, the dam standing the freshet of 1854, but yielding to that of 1855.

1822. On April 20th, the oath of independence and allegiance to the impe- rial regency was taken; and in December the canónigo Fernandez, imperial commissioner, came to show the San Diegans what he knew about gambling.

551

MISSION SAN DIEGO.

Padres Fernando Martin and Pascual Oliva con- tinued to rule the destinies of San Diego mission dur- ing this decade. The former was one of the few who finally took the oath of allegiance to the republic; while the latter, like most of his companions, persisted in his refusal. In 1823 the friars had occasion to protest against the granting of the Peñasquitos ran-

chap. xxi, of this volume. A tendency on the part of Captain Portilla's company to desert this year and the next is noted. Dept. Rec., MS., i. 137-40; Vejar, Recuerdos, MS., 3.

1824. The padres of the missions refused to furnish supplies for the pre- sidios. chap. xxiii. this volume. On Oct. 30th an Indian was publicly exe- cuted in the presence of a great crowd; cause not stated. S. Diego, Lib. Mision, MS., 95.

1825. In February a pestilence which had been raging in Lower California broke out here, and in 24 hours carried off-the wife of a soldier ! Guerra, Doc. Ilist. Cal., MS., v. 201. Capt. Benjamin Morrell of the Tartar was at S. Diego April 11th-23d, and he had some exciting, but purely imaginary, adven- tures with Indians of the interior. Morrell's Narrative, 200-6. On or about April 30th the federal constitution of Mexico was ratified by officers, soldiers, and citizens. At the end of October Gov. Echeandia arrived, and received the office formally from Arguello in November. chap. i. of vol. iii. In December Jedediah Smith, the American trapper, came down from S. Gabriel to explain the motives of his arrival and to get certificates from Ameri- can sea captains. chap. vi. of vol. iii.

1827. In January a wild bull made an excitement by nearly killing a man, mounting the church and throwing tiles in all directions. So writes Gale to Cooper. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 104. Duhaut-Cilly, Viaggio, ii. 55-6, tells the same story. It was one of his men that was in danger of being killed-but it must be added that this author represents the incident as having occurred at S. Luis Rey in June. A territorial election for dipu- tacion and member of congress was held on Feb. 18th and 19th. Echeandia started north in March and was absent a year. Secret proceedings against Jose María Herrera were begun in April. chap. ii., iii. of vol. iii. The visit of the French captain, Duhaut-Cilly, and the Italian scientist, Botta, was on April 18th-30th, and they spent much of their time hunting on the peninsula where game was very abundant. Viaggio, ii. 14-25.

1828. James O. Pattie's captivity with that of his company of trappers lasted throughout this year from March. chap. vi. of vol. iii. The smuggling adventures of Capt. Bradshaw in the Franklin, of Capt. Lawlor in the Karimoko, and of Charles Lang, belong also to the annals of this year. chap. v. of vol. iii. A second territorial election was held at S. Diego on Oct. 6th; and in December Echeandía started on a second visit to the north. chap. ii. of vol. iii. I must not omit to mention the celebration of July 4th by the burning of much powder on board the American vessels in port. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 252.

1829. The Solis revolt gained no foothold at S. Diego. chap. iii. of vol. iii. A party of hide-salters from the Brooklyn raised the U. S. flag over their sta- tion on La Playa. chap. v. of vol. iii. Jan. Ist, the diputacion assembled here only to be dismissed. chap. ii. of vol. iii. In April occurred Capt. Fitch's elopement. chap. v. of vol. iii.

1830. On Aug. 22d a primary election is recorded, at which 13 electors were chosen to select an elector de partido to go to Monterey and vote fora mem- ber of congress. S. Diego, Arch., MS., 16-17. In December the new governor Victoria probably arrived by land from Loreto.

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History of California, Volume II, Part 56

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 826

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 826