USA > California > History of California, Volume II > Part 64
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1829. Alcalde, José Tiburcio Castro; regidores, Francisco Soria and Feli- ciano Soberanes; síndico, Santiago Moreno; secretary, José Antonio Gajiola. Municipal finances: receipts on wood, $17, on liquors, $1,379: expenses, $687 for síndico's 3%, and salaries of teacher, $15; secretary of diputacion, $25; and secretary of ayuntamiento, $20. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., v. 307-8. This year the ayuntamiento sent a petition to the supreme government in behalf of the Spanish friars in California. See chap. iv. of vol. iii. this bis- tory.
1830. Alcalde, Mariano Soberanes; regidores, José Espinosa and Antonio Castro; síndico, Marcelino Escobar; secretary, José Castro. Feliciano Sobe- ranes was at first elected Ist regidor, but claimed to be unable to read and write. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 512. In the sessions of July 23d,
613
SCHOOL AT THE CAPITAL.
A school was maintained at Monterey, but here as elsewhere educational records are exceedingly meagre. We know, however, that the teacher's salary was. raised in 1829 from fifteen to twenty dollars a month; that the alcalde received thanks from the governor for having taught awhile in the absence of a regular pedagogue; and that the school effects at the end of the decade consisted of a table, one arithmetic, and four copy-books.8 Events at the capital have for the most part been recorded elsewhere, having a bearing upon territorial rather than purely local annals; but I append as for the other presidios a chronological summary, into which I introduce a few items of the criminal record and other matters not elsewhere noticed.º
24th, 28th, 29th, the diputacion fixed the bounds of the ejidos or vacant suburbs, commons, and of the pueblo jurisdiction as follows, the distances and courses being estimates for want of skilled surveyors: Ejidos, from the mouth of the Rio de Monterey (Salinas), up that river southward to Los Pilar- citos, 6 leagues; thence westward to Laguna Seca on the main road to the presidio, 2.5 1 .; thence along the summit of the sierra to Cypress Point, 5 1 .; and along the coast, 10 1. (?) to the starting-point. Jurisdiction, from mouth of the Rio del Pájaro, up that stream, eastward, 5 1. to the sierra; thence southiward along the sierra, S 1., to a point between Chualar and Encinal; thence westward to the house of Sanjones, 2.5 1 .; thence north-castward (x. w. ? ) 2 1. along the summit to a point half a league south of Corral de Tierra; thence in same direction, 3 1., to Laguna Seca; and to Cypress Point, 5 1 .; and thence following the coast to the Pájaro, 11 1. Leg. Rec., MS., i. 145-51. Municipal accounts in Dept. St. Pap., MS., ii. 167-74. Electores de partido: José Aruz, May, 1822, and member of the diputacion in Novem- ber; Estévan Munrás in 1827; José T. Castro in 1828, and Juan Malarin in IS30. chap. xxi. and ii. of vol. iii.
8 Dept. St. Pap., Ben., MS., v. 308; Dept. Rec., MS., vii. 63. Rafael Pinto, Apuntaciones, MS., names Manuel Crespo and Antonio Buelna as teachers during this period.
9 1821. Heavy snow-storm on Jan. 18th followed by excessive cold, the like of which the oldest inhabitant had never seen. Holy water frozen at the mission. Estrada to Guerra, Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 185. In April an imprisoned artillery sergeant was so violent as to demolish three houses in which it was attempted to confine him. He was finally chained in the battery. St. Pap., Sac., MS., xi. 63-4. InJuly Capt. (of the ?) Kutusof vaccinated 54 persons. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., v. 1SS-9. An amusing incident illustrating the Spanish inability to distinguish 'b' from 'v.' Three good-for-nothing soldiers went to Tio Armenta's shop and sold four raquetas, or sides of sole-leather, getting some money and drinking large quantities of brandy. Armenta went to the barracks for his leather, and was offered by one of the men his baquetas, or drum-sticks; and by the others their baquetas, or ramrods. A fight eusued and all were put in the stocks; in fact there was almost a revolution until Gov. Sola stopped the trouble by paying Armenta the money out of which he had been tricked. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 266-72.
1822. The foreign commercial firm of McCulloch, Hartnell, and Co. was
614
MONTEREY DISTRICT.
There were in 1830 twelve or fourteen ranchos owned by private individuals in the Monterey district, with nearly four hundred inhabitants. Six of these ranchos came before the U. S. land commissioners in later years partially on the strength of grants made
cstablished at Monterey; and W. A. Gale in the Sachem began a direct trade between Boston and the Californian capital. chap. xxi. April 9th, junta held to acknowledge the imperial regency; oath taken on April 11th. May 21th, junta of electors met and chose Sola as diputado to congress. July 14th, first news of Iturbide's empire. Sept. 26th, arrival of the canónigo Fernandez. End of September, change of flag. Oct. Sth, informed junta on the govern- ment. Nov. 9th-11th first territorial diputacion met and elected a governor. Nov. 22d, Gov. Sola departed and Gov. Argüello took command. chap. xxi. passim. Vallejo, Hist. Cal., MS., i. 324-7, describes a foot-race between José Góngora and Gabriel Espinosa as part of the ceremonies attending the canónigo's reception. Góngora, the favorite, finding that he could not win, left the track and ran into a corral, insisting afterward with his friends that the rule 'a bolting horse makes a dead heat' applied to a foot-race as well. And this view was sustained by the judges because a majority had bet on Góngora. This ruling made trouble; but the canon took advantage of the opportunity to increase his popularity by paying the losses. There was this year a trial for homicide, one soldier having killed another in a quarrel. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., liii. 4-6; and also a very complicated case, in which a man was accused of incest with his daughters. Id., liii. 7-64.
1823. In April the diputacion was in session, and on April 2d the empire was formally proclaimed. The fall of Iturbide was announced in November. It was in the spring of this year that Capt. Cooper arrived from China and sold the schooner Rover to Capt. Argüello. chap. xxii. passim.
1824. In January a junta general deliberated on the political future of the province; and on Jan. Sth issued a plan de gobierno, or constitution. McCul- loch, Hartnell, and Co. began the business of salting beef for Peru. Pompo- nio, a famous outlaw, was shot in September. chap. xxiii. Alvarado, Hist. Cal., MS., ii. 40-6, tells us that the young men of the capital formed a kind of historical society, the aim being to preserve the records of their fathers' achievements. Only one meeting was held, at which unfortunately politics forced history to take a back seat.
1825. The federal constitution was received in January; the diputacion met to ratify it March 26th, held its last session April 7th, and was suspended in May. The Spanish men-of-war, Asia and Constante, surrendered in April. In July came Sub-Comisario Herrera, Capt. Gonzales, and a band of convicts, also the news of Echeandia's appointment as governor, Oct. 28th, Gov. Argüello started south to deliver the office. chap. i. vol iii. Capt. Morrell was at Monterey in May.
1826. A quiet year politically, the governor remaining in the south. There was, however, some trouble between Capt. Gonzales and the officers of the presidial company. The most exciting item in the criminal record was the theft of a barrel of brandy, for which both thief and Tia Boronda, the receiver, had to pay a fine of $40. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., lxiv. 1. Inventory of prison material. St. Pap., Sac., MS., viii. 18. In November a party from Beechey's ship at San Francisco came overland to Monterey.
1827. Gov. Echeandía came to the capital for the first time in May. His controversies with Capt. Gonzalez and with Lieut. Col. Herrera, with the sessions of the new diputacion from June to September, are the leading topics of the year. Hist. Cal., chap. i .- iv. vol. iii. this series. The town was illu- minated on the night of June 14th, after the swearing-in of the new assembly. Duhaut-Cilly anchored at Monterey in March; and Bcechey of the Blossom
615
PRIVATE RANCHOS.
between 1820 and 1830. Respecting the ownership of some of the others at this early period I know nothing. The fourteen ranchos were Alisal, Buena- vista, Llano de Buenavista, Escarpin, Moro Cojo, Potrero, Bolsa Nueva, Natividad, Pájaro, Pilarcitos, Salinas, San Cayetano, Sauzal, and El Tucho, though Tucho and Salinas were probably mission ranchos.10
in December. Joaquin Solis, of later fame, was charged with smuggling two bales of Virginia tobacco found on a cart in charge of an Indian. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., Ixiv. 10, 11.
1828. There was a revolt of the garrison; but the malcontents were per- suaded to return to their duty. chap. iii. vol. iii. this history. It was prob- ably in connection with this affair that two soldiers, Becerra and Felix, and two civilians, Vazquez and Escamilla, were sentenced to 8-12 years of work in the Vera Cruz navy-yard. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., Ixvi. 78-81.
1829. Great want among the troops in May. St. Pap., Sac., MS., x. 80. In June a plot of revolution was revealed, but there was no outbreak, and very little is known of the affair. In November the Solis revolt broke out, and Monterey fell into the hands of the revolted troops. chap. iii. vol. iii. this history.
1830. The capital was retaken and the legal authorities were restored in January; and on May 9th the prisoners were despatched for San Blas. May Ist, a meeting was held to protest against the sending of convicts to Cali- fornia. From July 10th to Oct. 7th the diputacion was in session. Capt. Fitch and his wife were under arrest from August to October. Sept. 16th, there was a fight between Californians and Mexicans at the national fiesta. Ang. 15th, nine municipal electors were chosen, Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., i. 6, and Oct. 3d Cárlos Carrillo was elected to congress. See chap. ii. vol. iii. this history. Dec. 15th, 40 persons in prison, including 12 Indians. Dept. St. Pap., Ben. Mil., MS., 1xxii. 2.
10 Reports of 1830 in Legislative Rec., MS., i. 149; St. Pap., Miss., MS., vi. 6-7. The latter unites Potrero and La Nueva with Moro Cojo; both unite the two Buenavistas in one; and the former mentions also the Rancho Nacional and another where the company kept its horses as distinct. Buenavista and Llano de Buenavista, two sitios each of 2 sq. 1. forming one rancho, were granted to Santiago and Mariano Estrada on May 28, 1822, and June 10, 1823. Cal. Land Com., Nos. 153, 518; Hoffman's Repts Land Cases; Register of Brands, 21. The Bolsa del Potrero, 2 sq. 1. was granted on June 22, 1822, to José Joaquin de la Torre; and the Bolsa del Moro Cojo, 2 sq. 1., adjoining the Potrero, on Feb. 14, 1825, probably to Sinicon Castro. Cal. Land Com., Nos. 138, 606. The Potrero, also called La Familia Sagrada, was sold by Torre to Capt. Cooper in Oct. 1829, at which time the adjoining ranchos Moro Cojo and Bolsa Nueva were owned by Simeon Castro and Francisco Soto respectively. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 428. The rancho de la Vega del Pájaro had been granted to A. M. Castro in 1820. Chap. xvii. Cal. Land Com., No. 279. The Bolsa de San Cayetano, 2 sq. l., is said to have been granted to J. J. Vallejo on Oct. 25, 1824; and a claim founded on a grant to Ignacio Vallejo and Dolores Pico was rejected. Cal. Land Com., Nos. 85, GS9; Hoffman's Repts Land Cases. I have an original petition of J. J. Vallejo, dated Oct. 27, 1826, in which he asks for two sitios at S. Cayetano, stating that his father had put cattle there 11 years before, and that four years later Don Ignacio and Dolores Pico had asked for the grant and obtained it; but Pico by failing to fulfil the conditions imposed had forfeited his rights, while the petitioner had use for the whole traet. Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 161. On Sept. 30, 1830, the diputacion confirmed the grant to Ignacio
616
MONTEREY DISTRICT.
At San Carlos Mission Ramon Abella served as minister throughout the decade, with Prefect Sarria as an associate until 1829, the latter being under arrest for some years as a recalcitrant Spaniard. Morrell, Duhaut-Cilly, Beechey, and Pattie visited the mission successively; but none of their narratives contain information of value or interest respecting this establishment, unless it may be Beechey's mention of crosses standing along the road from the presidio, each with its special history, not related, and of the paint- ing of La Perouse's landing, which the English navi- gator tried in vain to obtain from the padre. San Carlos, though declining rapidly, no longer stood at the foot of the list in population, as it had ten more neophytes than San Francisco. Its decline in live- stock and agriculture was less marked than in many other missions.11
Vallejo, and, for a small tract, to Pico, in accordance with the regulations of 1828. Leg. Rec., MS., i. 169. In 1828 the ranchos of Alisal and Sauzal in the Cañada de Natividad are mentioned as belonging to Butron and Alviso. Reg- ister of Brands, MS., 14: but in Id., 22, the Sauzal is said to have been granted in 1823 to Soberanes; and it appears to have been re-granted in 1834 to José T. Castro. Cal. Land Com., No. 557; while Natividad was granted in 1837 to Butron and Alviso. Id., No. 565; and Alisal in 1834 to Hartnell. Id., No. 264. I suppose the name Alisal, and perhaps Sauzal also, may have been ap- plied to two different tracts, which causes this confusion. Espinosa's rancho in 1828 is called San Miguel. Register of Brands, MS., 14. This may have been another name for Escarpin or Salinas, since these ranchos were granted or re-granted to an Espinosa in 1837 and 1836 respectively. Cal. Land Com., Nos. 355, 370. The others of the 14, Pilarcitos and Tucho, were granted, the former to Miramontes in 1841, and the latter in 1841-4 to Castro, Gomez, and Coal. Hoffman's Repts Land Cases. It is also stated that Joaquin Solis and J. A. Botiller got possession of the rancho de S. Antonio in 1829 from Echeandía, having before Argüello's permit; Dept. Rec., MS., vi, 146-7. And there was made in 1827 an agreement between Wm. Welsh and Capt. Cooper about Los Corralitos, implying that this rancho also had been granted. Val- lejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxix. 110. Moreover, Corralitos was in later years granted to José Amesti. Cal. Land Com., No. 174; and in 1828 Amesti's ran- cho was mentioned as a boundary of Branciforte. Register of Brands, MS., 20.
11 Statistics: Decrease in population, 381 to 229; baptisms, 217; largest number, 50 in 1828; smallest, 12 in 1822; deaths, 301; largest number, 62 in 1828; smallest, 16 in 1829. Loss in large stock, 3,438 to 2,600; horses and mules, 438 to 450; sheep, 4,032 to 3,800. Largest crop, 2,757 bushels in 1830; smallest, 705 in 1829; average, 1,905, of which 570 wheat, yield 5 fold; 603 barley, 13 fold; 31 corn, 28 fold; 246 beans, 22 fold. A statement has been current that S. Carlos had in 1825, 87,600 cattle, 1,800 horses, 365 yoke of oxen, 7,500 sheep, etc .! In 1823 the padres received from Sta Bárbara $1.802 which had been due since 1804. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iii. 45. Members of the Indian ayuntamiento of 1823 and 1826. Arch. Arzob., MS.,
617
MAP OF CENTRAL REGION.
Autos
Corralitos
Saisipuedes-
R.Pajuro
S.Isidro
Pájaro
Animas
Pta.Pinoy>
S. JUAN BAUTISTA
Pta.Cipreses:
B. Carmelo
MONTEREY
Natividad
S. CARLOS
Rancho del Rey
Salinas
Alisul-
Ca
Pilarcitos
Chualar
Pła.SurS
R. Monterey
SOLEDAD
o
50%
Salinas
CIS:Martin
S Miguelito
S.Benito
S. ANTONIO
Joion
Picito
S.Simeon
R: NacimienPajaro
Sta. Isabel
S.Antonio
Paso Robles
Asuncion
Morro
Sta. Margarita
Buchon
Los Osos
Monterey
S. LUIS OBISPO
S.Antonio
Pta.S.Luis
MONTEREY DISTRICT, 1830.
Los Tulures
S. MIGUEL
Los Tulures
Gavilan
on
618
MONTEREY DISTRICT.
At San Luis Obispo Luis Martinez served as min- ister, generally alone, until he was banished in the spring of 1830,12 Padre Rodriguez having left the mission in 1821. Martinez was succeeded by Luis Gil y Taboada, though it is said that Padre Jimeno
iv. pt. ii. (668); v. pt. i. (2). In 1822 the mission lands were 2.5 1. wide at the mouth of the Rio Carmelo, gradually narrowing as they extend 6 1. up the river. As the only good land was in the valley and in the little tracts of Francisquito and Tularcitos, the governor in 1801 had given the mission also a cattle rancho 2x2.25 1. at S. Bernardino, or Sanjones, or Ensen, between the rancho del rey and Soledad. At Salinas, south of the river, a sheep rancho 1.5x.75 1. had been established in 1798. Misiones, Cuad. de Estados, MS., 296-301. According to the report of 1828, places up the river were Laureles, Chupines, Tularcitos, and Corral de Padilla. The fields were in front of the mission extending to S. Francisquito; the oxen and tame cattle on the hills toward S. Clemente. The rancho of S. Bernardino was 6 1. east, between the Soledad lands and Buenavista. Sheep rancho at Las Salinas, called by the natives Tucho, 1.5x.75 1. No irrigation. Springs at S. Fran- cisquito, but frost prevents cultivation. Register of Brands, MS., 11-13.
12 Luis Antonio Martinez was born on Jan. 17, 1771, at Briebes in Asturias, Spain, became a Franciscan at Madrid in 1785, sailed from Cádiz for America in May 1795, and was assigned at S. Fernando to the California missions, arriving at Sta Bárbara May 9, 1798. He served at San Luis Obispo from June 1798 until the time of his arrest in February 1830. On his arrest and banishment sce chap. iv. vol. iii. this history. In July 1830 he was at Lima; and in October had arrived at Madrid, where he was still living in 1833. Martinez was always highly spoken of by his superiors, but rather for his zeal and skill as a business manager than for his excellence as a missionary proper. He was, however, familiar with the language of the San Luis Indians and kept them in order. He took great pride in the prosperity of his mission. It was his ambition that the cattle, horses, and especially the mules of his 'San Luisito' should be nowhere excelled, and that no other mission should set a better table or treat visitors with greater hospitality. He always wore the plain habit of his order, but in all other respects was fond of display. It is related that he took great pleasure in entering Monterey with a load of mission produce drawn by sleek mules, with gayly decked Indian drivers, himself in a cart at the head of the procession. He was always liberal and sometimes recklessly so in furnishing supplies to the presidio. At the time of the Bouchard invasion he showed great courage and zeal in preparing for defence and in aiding to repair damages; for which services he was thanked by Gov. Sola and also by the viceroy in the king's name. His shrewdness as a man of business was known throughout the province, and the belief was general that he was largely engaged in smuggling; but though Gov. Sola shared this belief and a strong friendship between the two was broken up by a quarrel on the subject, it must be admitted that Martinez if not innocent was very careful, since there is no record that his contraband operations were detected in any particular instance. Of his troubles as a Spanish friar with Gov. Echeandía enough is said elsewhere. His position was like that of most of his associates, but he was somewhat less cautious than they in the expres- sion of his views. That he was directly interested in the Solis revolt, or had any intention of a revolution in the interest of Spain, the offence for which he was exiled, there is much reason to doubt. In person Martinez was of medium height, but thick-set, with dark complexion, and a very prominent nose which had been permanently twisted to one side by a fall from a carriage. He was hasty in temper, and addicted to the use of very plain language when offended. A few of the Californians speak of him as haughty and affected,
619
SAN LUIS OBISPO.
made an effort to get the place. San Luis, like the other way ports, was open to foreign vessels during a part of this decade, and many traders touched there with or without the governor's permit. Notwith- standing the proverbial shrewdness of Father Martinez in matters of trade, the mission seems to have been badly swindled in two instances. As late as 1841 an effort was being made to ascertain the whereabouts of one Antonio Arana who had failed to account for a consignment of produce worth $12,000 sent to him twenty years before, and in 1836 no settlement had been effected for another cargo worth $9,400, shipped to Sanchez of Mazatlan by the Santa Apolonia in 1826.13 Events at the mission were neither numerous nor exciting; the buildings are described by Alfred Robinson as having been already in a state of decay with marks of neglect in every direction in 1830; and the statistics show a marked decline in every branch of mission industry, it being noticeable that the num- ber of baptisms was smaller and the death-rate larger here than at any other establishment.14
but there is abundant evidence to show that he was kind and benevolent to inferiors. With his intimate friends, chief among whom was Capt. José Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega, he adopted a jocose tone. He was more richly endowed with the qualities of a popular man and jovial companion than with those of a Franciscan friar; yet he never scandalized his order by irregular or immoral conduct. In his letters from Spain to Capt. de la Guerra he showed a deep interest in California, and no bitterness against those who had driven him away. Autobiog. Autog. de los PP., MS., 401; Sarria, In- forme sobre Frailes, 1817, MS., 55-6; Arch. Sta B., MS., iii. 130; Arch. Arzob., MS., i. 47; iv. pt. i. 21-2; Guerra, Doc. IFist. Cal., MS., iii. 5-17; iv. 21; Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 562-3; Vallejo, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., xxxvi. 288; Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 61; Id., Ben. Mil., MS., xlix. 34; Prov. Rec., MS., vi. 51; 113-14; vii. 32; Ord, Ocurrencias, MS., 31-6; Pico, Acontecimientos, MS., 16-17; Torre, Reminiscencias, MS., 188-92.
13 On the Arana affair. Doc. Ilist. Cal., MS., iv. 1105. Long record with much correspondence on the Sanchez matter in S. Luis Obispo, Arch., MS., i. 17. Sanchez, who appears to have been a scoundrel, claimed that the cargo, with $6,000 in money, was part of $50,000 sent out of the country by Mar- tinez on his own account. On San Luis as a port see commercial annals in chap. v. of vol. iii. this history. Sept. 1821, a foreign ship was seen ap- proaching S. Luis, but seeing a Spanish ship in the harbor was frightened away. Prov. St. Pap., MS., xx. 295. On the danger of Indian revolt, Sergt. Vallejo's visit, and the quarrel of the padre with the soldier Avila, in 1824, see chap. xxiii, this vol. In 1830 a mate of the María Ester is said to have been drowned in the harbor, which seems to have borne the name of Puerto Real. Carrillo (J. ), Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 32.
14 Statistics: Decrease of population, 504 to 283. Baptisms, 86; largest
620
MONTEREY DISTRICT.
At San Miguel Juan Martin continued in his long ministry until his death in 1824, when his place was taken by Juan Cabot. The mission had but one minister save in 1821-2, when Tomás Esténega and after him Blas Ordaz were here, as was Uría 1824.15 San Miguel was but slightly more prosperous than its neighbor San Luis; its herds and flocks dwindled rapidly, death largely exceeded baptisms, soil was reported as poor and pasture limited, though vines flourished and timber was abundant.16
number, 24 in 1823; smallest, 4 in several years. Deaths, 309; largest num- ber, 43 in 1825; smallest, 20 in 1828. Decrease in large stock, 8,971 to 3,700; increase in horses and mules, 1,279 to 1,560; decrease in sheep, 6,800 to 1,022. Largest crop, 5,220 bushels in 1821; smallest, 186 in 1829; average, 2,152, of which 1,992 wheat, 9 barley, and 103 corn. The crop of 1826, except wheat and barley, was destroyed by ratones. Arch. Arzob., MS., v. pt. ii. 105. In 1821 80 horses, 80 saddles, and 50 blankets were sent to the troops as a gift. Acknowledged by Gov. Sola. St. Pap. Sac., MS., xxiii. 40; noticed in the Gaceta de Mex., xliv. 591-2; and thanks from guardian of S. Fernando. Arch. Sta B., MS., xi. 343. Condition in 1830. Robinson's Life in Cal., 84-5. Padre Gil says the mission has become very poor since the removal of Mar- tinez. Guerra, Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., vii. 10. In 1822 the mission lands are described as lying in a cañada 1 1. wide and 14 1. long, bounded by ranges of mts. on E. and w. Two ranchos, Sta Margarita. 4 1. away on the Mon- terey road, where wheat is raised; and the other for corn and beans 3 1. away. Horses are kept beyond the canada. Locusts and squirrels very troublesome. Misiones, Cuad. de Estados, MS., 244, 286-9.
15 Juan Martin was born at Villastar, in Aragon, Spain, Jan. 12, 1770, took the Franciscan robes at Zaragoza Jan. 16, 1787, studied theology at Teruel, sailed from Cádiz June 11, 1793, arriving at S. Fernando college in September, and he came to California early in 1794. He served at S. Gabriel as supernumerary from March 1794 to July 1796, at Purísima until August 1797, and at S. Miguel until his death, which occurred on Aug. 29, 1824, after a painful illness resulting from a dropsical disease of the chest. He was buried in the church on Aug. 20th, on the gospel side of the main altar, by the side of Padre Ciprés. Martin may be regarded as the ministro fundador of S. Miguel to the advancement of whose interests he gave all his energy. He acquired a thorough knowledge of the native language, and was regarded by his prelates always as the right man in the right place. He has left a diary of his vist to the gentiles Tularenos in 1804; and in 1818 and again in 1821 lie accompanied the prefect as secretary on a tour of inspection to the different missions. Padre Uría, who records his death, certifies to his exemplary devotion and conformity to the divine will in his last days and hours. S. Miguel, Lib. Mision, MS., 12: Autobiog. Autog. de los PP., MS., 400; Sarria, Informe sobre Frailes, 1817, MS., 57-8; Areh. Sta B., MS., iii. 131.
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