USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 7
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" Is he a Christian or a heretie ? "
"I neither know nor eare. He is a man and a prisoner in my charge. and I have given the word of a Spaniard and a soldier to my old coul- mandante for his sale keeping and his good treatmeut. I have brought him fifty leagues ou the crupper behind me, for he can't ride without something to hold to. He knows no more about a horse thau i do
about a ship, and he sure you give him the softest bed. He has the face of an honest man, if we did catch him among a set of thieves, and he is a likely-looking young fellow. If he behaves himself, we will look him up a wife among our pretty girls, and then, as to his religion. the good l'adre will settle all that. And now, good wife. I have told you all I know, for you women must know everything; but we have had nothing to eat since morning, so hurry up and give ns the best you have."
Lugo's judgment turned out to be correct, and a few days afterwards the Yankee privateersman might have heen seen in the mountains, in what is known among Californians as the "Church Canon." ax in hand, helping Lugo to get ont timhers for the construction of the church, a work which the excitement caused by his arrival had interrupted. The church was not finished till four years afterwards, for they did not build in Los Angeles, in those days, as fast as now. Chapman con- ducted himself well, always ready and willing to turn his hand to anything, and a year afterward he had learned enough Spanish to make himself understood and could ride a horse without the risk of tumbling off, and he guessed he liked the country and the people well enough to settle down and look around for a wife. So he and Lugo started off to Santa Barbara on a matrimonial expedition. Why they went to Santa Barbara for that purpose, I do not know, but this much I do know, that in former times the Angelenos always yielded the point that the Barbarenos had the largest porportion of pretty women.
In those days the courtship was always done by the elders, and the only privilege of the fair one, was the choice of saying "yes" or "no." Lugo exerted himself. vouched for the good character of the suitor, and soou succeeded in making a match. The wedding came off in due time, and Lugo gave the bride away, and as soon as the feast was over, the three started back to Los Angeles. One fashion of riding in those days was the following: A heavy silk sash, then worn by the men, was looped over the pommel of the saddle, so as to form a stirrup, and the lady rode in the saddle, while her escort mounted behind, the stirrups beiug shifted haek. to suit his new position, and in this style Chapman once more set out on the long road from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, for the second time, again a prisouer. But now in the saddle before him, instead of the griun old soldier, armed with targe and lance, rode the new-made bride, armed with bright eyes and raven tresses; for the Senorita Guadalupe Ortega, daughter of old Sergeant Ortega, the girl who one short year before had fled in terror from the wild rovers of the sea, as, pistol and cutlass in hand, they rushed on her father's house, and who had first seen her husband a pinioned prisoner. had hravely dared to vow to love, honor and obey the fair grupo. And years after. when the country was opened to foreign intercourse. on the establish- ment of Mexican Independence in 1822, and the first American adventurers, trappers and mariner». found their way to California. they found Jose Chapman at the Mission of San Gabriel, fair-haired children playing around bim, carpenter, mill. wright and general facto- tum of good old Father Sanchez: and among the vaqueros of old Lugo they also found Tom Fisher swinging his riata among the wild cattle. as he once swung his eutlass when he fought the Spanish lancers on the beach at the Ortega ranch.
Chapman died about the year 1849, and his descendants now live in the neighboring county of Ventura. I saw Fisher in September. 1845. when I met him in the Monte. The news of gold had just reached here and he was on his way to the placers to make his fortuue, aud he has never been heard frour since.
To my readers of Castilian descent. I would say that I have not used the prefix of Don, for I preferred to designate them hy the rank that stands opposite to their forefather's names on the old muster roles of their companies, now in the Spanish archives of Californis.
And in conclusion of my humble contribution to the ('entennial his. tory of Los Angeles. I have only to say, which I do without fear of contradiction, that the first American pioneer- of Los Angeles, and, as far as history and tradition goes, of all California, were Just . Inga Juseph, the Englishmau, alias Joe Chapman, a native of New England. and El Negro Fiser, alias Tom Fisher. S.C.F
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25
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. CALIFORNIA.
CHAPTER VILL.
MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE.
(1810 182%.)
A Young " Fourth of July "- Hilalgo's Insortertinh - Repuldir Estaldished -Indian Civil Service Reform lasurentions at Ober Mations The Sol- dire Priest of San Y'nez.
On the fifteenth day of September in each year, the streets of Los Angeles echo and re-echo to the ery of " VIVE MEIco :" Throughout the day much aguardiente is consumed, and a great deal of powder is wasted. It is, to all outward appear- nuce, simply & young " Fourth of July," attire in Mexican garb. This is, in feet, the anniversary of the Priest Hidalgo's insurrection against Spanish rule, and the origin of the cek- bration is explained by a writer in " La Cronica," under date of September, 1878, which we translate as follows :-
Vor three hundred years the power of Spain had dominated Mexico; and during that long period no man had arisen possessed of the neces- sury fortitude tu comhat and reform the misgovernment of the Euro. penn tyrants. Alone, withont friends, resources, or arms, depending solely on the grandeur of his enterprise, and taking advantage of the unguarded scenrity of the oppressors, the Priest Hidalgo struck the first blew for independence, on the litteenth day of September, 1810, und in a few months found himself at the head of'n numerous and well- discijdined army. It was, however, his fate to die in the cause. lle was taken prisener, and ascended the scallold -- to him a throne of glory-und cheerfully surrendered his life for the regeneration of his witry. The war which he had inaugurated-cruel, fratricidal, hor- rible, continued for eleven years. The snered blood uf Hidalgo was the fertilizer which braught forward a band of heroic martyrs-Morclas, Allende, Guerrero, Bravo. Abasolo, Minn, Guleanar, Matamoras, and Rayon; all id' whom odfered up in a grund holocaust their lives on the snered allar of Liberty. These sanctified and completed the work begun by Hidalgo.
It was not, however, until the year 1822, that the independ- onee of Mexico was formally recognized. Two years later a Republican Constitution was adopted, under which California ranked as a territory.
A propos of Mexican Independence, a laughable ancedote is related key Father Boscana, indicative of the religions condition of the Indians at this time, at the oldest mission in California, and their methods of effecting changes of rulers. Upon hearing that the viceroy had been deposed, and Vturbide proclaimed Emperor of Mexico, the Indians of' San Diego made a grand least, und invited the whole neighborhood to attend their fes- tivities. These were commenced by burning their chief alive! After this they elected another, and at the end of eight days of reveling dispersed.
When the missionaries heard what had happened, they administered n sharp rebuke to those of their converts who shared in the entertainment. But not one whit abashed, the gentle aborigines replied with gravity: " Have you not done the same in Mexico ? You say your king was not good, and you killed him. Well, our captain was not good, and we burned him : If the new one should prove bad, we will burn
him also!" Who shall say that the ~ simple children of natun. had not hit upon the true secret of " Civil Service Reform "?
The year of Mexican Independence was marked by insurrec- tions among the Indians of La Purissima ail San Ynez For the following anredote, illustrative of the class of men em- ployed as missionaries in California at that time, we are again indebted to the able pen of Stephen C. Foster, Exp .: -
The sight of the old missiou of San Yuez recalled to my mind an incident that occurred there at the time of the ont-break. When the Indians roce there were two spanish priests in the mission. One of them fell into the hands of the Indians, and was put to death under circumstances of the most atrocions cruelty. The other, a powerink man, succeeded in breaking away, aud escaped to the guard-house, where, as in all the missions, a guard of four soldiers, commanded by a corporal, was always kept as a sort of police force. The Indians were destitute of fire-arms, but their overwhelming numbers and the show- ers of arrows they directed against the port-holes had quite demural- ixed the garrison, when the priest appeared and took command. It must have been a singular scene. The burly Friar, with shaven crown and sandaled Teet, 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,
" llo, father," cried a young Indiau acolyte, " is that the way to say mass! "
" Yes, I am saying mass, my son. llere cholding up his cartridge- hoxy is the chalice; here (holling up his carbine) is the crucifix, and here goes my benedictinu to you, yon -, nsing one of the foulest epithets the Spanish language could supply, as be leveled his carbine nud 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. aud the others had been brought back to their missions, when my informant had ucension to go to Monterey, and on his way, calling at the mission of San Luis Obispo, found there the hero uf San Ynez.
" Welcome, countryman," was his greeting.
" The same to you, father," was the reply. " But, father, they tell me yon are in trouble."
"Yes, my son. the President of the Missions has suspended me from the exercise of clerical functions for one year. on account of the unclerical language I used in that affair at San Ynez. The old fool! He knew I was a soldier before I became a priest, and when those accorsed Indians drove me back to my old trade, how could 1 help using my old language?" Then, taking out a couple of decanters from a cupboard, he continued, " llere, countryman, help yourself. Here is wine; here is aguadiente. The old fool thinks he is punishing me. Behold, I have no mass to say for a year, and nothing whatsoever to do but to eat, driuk, and sleep.“
CHAPTER IX. PROSPERITY OF THE MISSIONS. (1822-1833.)
Effect of the Change of Government-Character of the Early Friars-the First Live Stock-Increase-Taxation-A Pious Fraud-Erroneous Estimates- l'opulation-The First Vineyard-Fruits-Later Vineyards-Amusements -An Old Library-Its nature-Hindas-Jose Maria Salvadlea-A Clerical Napoleon-The Maximum of Prosperity-Hugo Heid's Description of Salvadea's Reign-Indian Language Translated-Sermons in the Indian Tongue-The Lord's Prayer-Death of Salvadea-Jose Bernardo Sanchez -A Practical Joke-Early Medical Practice-Better times-Goof Clothes -Kind Treatment-Daily Routine-Washing Day-Saturday Night- Sunday Games -- Death of Sanchez-lucident at San Fernan to.
The government had been changed. Official oaths were
now alministered under authority of the Mexican Republic, instead of, as formerly, under that of the king of Spain. There had lxen no war, no bloodshed; and to the casual observer, in fact to the people themselves, in this matter of " swearing in " was the only change discernible. The missions continued as before, and the mission fathers pursued the even tenor of their way wholly unmindful of "the hand writing on the wall!" As before, they ate and drank of the best .; slept soundly, and rose at carly dawn to mumlde over a sleepy mass, thinking regretfully the while of the warm hals they had just forsaken.
They planted vineyards and orchards; they increased hoth in stomach and in purse; they ruled their appetites with silken strings, and their people with ruds of iron, caring naught for present political events, and recognizing not the fact-until tou Inte that Republicanism is ever the inveterate foe of church dominance in secular affairs.
When Junipero Serra and his band of missionaries entered Upper C'alifornia from the lower territory, they brought with them a number of horses, mules, and cattle, wherewith tu stock the proposed missions. These were duly distributed, and in time asses, sheep, goats, and swine were added. Favored by an nhnost limitless range of pasturage and a geninl climate, these creatures all multiplied with marvelons rapidity. Even favored Israel, in the laml of promise, had not more reason to arrogate themselves " the chosen people of God," assigning as proof their rapid increase in material wealth, and the decadence of neighboring tribes, than hnd this handful of san- deled, gowned, and corded Friars, who, like Israel, had invaded the land of a free people, and now heki it and them in suljee- tion, " under divine authority," by a free use of the musket. and the lash.
The missions were taxed for the support of the presidium according to the property owned by cach; and to this end the padres in charge of the several establishments were required by law to make ammal returns of all mission property to the goverment officers. This being the case, it was naturally to the priests' advantage always to underestimate their wealth; and being firm believers in the doctrine that " Church is para- mount to State, and Church property not rightfully subject to State taxation," they found no difficulty in accommodating their consciences to a regular system of false returns, by which their missions were constantly enriched, and the State tren-ury kept constantly empty.
As the time approached for making out these statements, hundreds of Indian vaqueros were employed to drive the major portion of all mission stock into the mountainous and inore remote regions of the territory. The bulk of their wealth being thus removed from the prying eyes of tax col- lectors; and being "out of sight, out of mind" as to them-
26
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
selves, these pious rogues quietly estimated the few scattered herds that remained, and returned these as " the whole property of the mission."
All, or nearly all of the published estimates respecting the property owned by the Californian missions in those carly days, have been founded on these statements of the priests. In the light of what has been sail, it will be readily seen how erroneous such must be, and how far short of the mark they all probably fall. The following are some of these estimates as to the establishments in Los Angeles county :-
ALEXANDER FORBES' ESTIMATE .* (1831.) GRAIN (BUSHELS).
Wheat.
Corn.
Frixol. Beans.
Total.
San Fernando Mission
500
625
100
16212
1,38712
San Gabriel Mission
3,500
1,000
3213
0213
4,595
San Juan Cap. Mission
1,125
1,56216
75
1212
2.775
Town of los Angeles
345
4,395
44715
5,18712
Totals
5,470
7,5821g
655
23712
Grand Total
13,945
CURRENT VALUES.
Wheat. 5, 170 bushels @@ 80c.
$4,376
Corn and other grains, 8,475 bushels @ 60c.
5,085
Total value of crops
$9,461 00
(1831.) DOMESTIC CATTLE.
Cattle.
Horses.
Mules.
Asscs
Sheep.
Goats. Swine.
Sau Fernando ..
6,000
300
60
3
3.000
San Gabriel
20,500
1,700
120
1
13,544
76
98
San Inan Cap. .
10,900
290
30
5
1,800
50
40
Los Angeles .
38,024
5,208
520
Totals
70,024
17.498
730
12
21.344
126
138
CURRENT VALUES.
Oxen, each
$ 5.00
Mules, each
$10.00
Cows,
5.00
Mares,
5.00
Horses,
10.00
Sheep,
2.00
'compiled from table's in Forbes' " California " ( London, 1839).
tlu addition to the horses here enmmerutel, Mr. Forbes says :- " There are a grint num- lær running wild, particularly mares, which they hunt and kill, to prevent their cating up the pasture from the useful cattle."
REV. WALTER COLTON'S ESTIMATE .*
(1829.) DOMESTIC CATTLE.
San Gabriel
70,000 | 1,200 | 3,000
400
-
2.10
| 54,000
." Three years in P'alifornia," (New York, 1550). Mr. Colton says further, that at that time (1829) Kan Gabriel Mission made annually 400 10 Um0 barrels of wine, producing an income uf wer @12,000.
COLONEL J. J. WARNER'S ESTIMATE .* (1831). DOMESTIC CATTLE.
Cattle. | Horses. | Mules. | Swine.
20,000
5,000
100,000
4,000
1,000
1,000
rearhed Los Angeles
According to Mr. Forbes, the population of Los Angeles county in the year 1831 was about as follows :---
PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES AND AGES.+
Men.
Women. |
Boys. 1 Girls.
Total.
San Fernando.
249
226
177
181
833
San Gabriel ..
574
*440
*158
*144
*1.316
San Juau Cap.
461
*342
*123
*116
*1,045
Los Angeles
552
421
213
202
1,388
Grand Total
4,582
+Exclusive of wild Indians.
. The numbers marked thus (') are estimated from the totals in Mr. Forbes' tables, not being there given separately.
The first vineyard planted at San Gabriel, contained 3,000 vines. It was named " Fino Madre,"-" Mother Vineyard," and from it sprang the numerous vineyards now existing throughout the State. Orchards were also planted, but these later; for though the padres loved fruit, wine was to them a necessity. In time, San Gabriel Mission had both tropical and northern fruits in abundance; and her vineyards are said to have contained 150,000 vines.
For amusement, the fathers had their little expeditions of conversion, before referred to; but in bad weather, or when studiously inclined, they had also a rubbishy collection of okl books, wberewith to while away the time. These they had brought from Mexico, and embraced a motley collection of ancient treatises upon Natural History, Geography, Law, and Theology. Those of the first and second classes were composed principally of vulgar errors, long since exploded; the third of most reverend precedents, justifying injustice; and the fourth of " bogey stories," and grossly superstitious humbugs, now generally obsolete. But it mattered little what they contained, for with but few exceptions, these early padres appear to have been a profoundly ignorant, if not indeed an absolutely vicious, race of men.
Occasionally Indians deserted and fled to the mountains. These were termed "hindas," or runaways, and if canght, were flogged unmercifully. They preyed upon the mission herds, and even took life at times; but at best they had but a hard time of it, being treated as wild beasts by the sokliers.
It was under the Padre Jose Maria Salvadca, that the mis- sion of San Gabriel attained its maximum of prosperity. He is described as having been "a man of powerful mind, ambi- tious as powerful, and cruel as ambitious." When he arrived, the mission already owned an abundance of cattle, horses, mares, sheep, and hogs; but in his opinion, only a beginning had been made. According to Hugo Reid :-
He it was who, planted the large vineyards, intersected with fine walks, shaded by fruit trees of every description, and rendered still more lovely hy shrubs interspersed between ; who laid out the orauge garden, fruit and olive orchards ; built the mill and dam ; made fences
of tunas (cactus opuntia) round the fields ; made hedges of rose bushes ; planted trees in the mission square, with a llower garden and honr-dial in the center ; brought water from long distances, etc. Hle also com- pletely remodeled the existent system of government. Every article must henceforth be in place, and every man at his station. Ererything under kim was organized and that organization kept up with the lash!
The people were now divided into classes and vocations. These included vaqueros, soap-makers, tanners, shoemakers, carpenters, black. smiths, bakers, cooks, general servants, pages, fishermen, agriculturiste, horticulturists, brick and tile makers, musiciaus, singers, tallow melters, vignerons, carters, cart-makers, shepherds, poultry-keepers, pigeon- tenders, weavers, spinners, saddle-makers, store and key-kecpers. deer hunters, deer aud sheep-skiu dressmakers, masons, plasterers, people of all work-everything but coopers, these were foreign; all the rest were native Indians.
Large soap works were erected, tanning yards established, tallow works, bakcry, cooper, blacksmith, carpenter, and other shops. Large spinning rooms, where might be seen 50 or 60 women turning their spindles merrily, and looms for weaving wool. flas, and cotton. Then large store-rooms were allotted to the various articles, which were kept separate. For instance, wheat, barley, peas, bean-, lentils, chick-peas. butter and cheese, soap, candles. wool, leather, flour, lime, salt, horse- hair, wine and spirits, fruit stores, etc., etc. Sugar-cane, flax, and hemp were added to the other articles cultivated, but cotton wool was imported.
The principal ranchos belonging at that time to San Gabriel were Sau Pasqual, Santa Anita, Azusa, San Francisquito, C'ucumongo, can Antonio, San Bernardino, San Gorgonio, Yucaipa. Jurupa, Guapa, Rincon, Chino, San Jose, Ybarras, Puente, Mission Vieja, Serranos, Rosa Castilla, Coyotes, Jaboneria, Las Bolsas, Alamitos, and Serritos.
A principal head (Major-domo) commanded and superintended over all. Claudio Lopez was the famed one during Padre Salvadlea's admin- istration, and although only executing the priest's plans. in the minds of the people lic is the real hero. Ask any one who made this, or who did that, aud the answer on all sides is the same, " El difunto Claudio." and great credit is due to him for carrying out without flogging the numerous works entrusted to him. There were a great many other major-domos under him, for all kinds of work, from tending of horses down to those superintending crops, and in charge of vineyards and gardens.
Indian alcaldes were appointed annually by the padre, and chosen from among the very laziest of the community. he being of the opinion that they took more pleasure in making the others work than would industrious ones, and from my own observation this is correct. They carried a wand to denote their authority, and, what was more terrible. an immense scourge of raw-hide, ahout ten feet iu length, plaited to the thickness of an ordinary man's wrist! They did a great deal of chastisemeut, both by and without orders. One of them always acted as overseer ou work done iu gangs. and accompanied carts when ou service.
The unmarried women and young girls were kept as nuns, under the supervision of an abbess, who slept with them in a large room. Their ocenpations were various ; sometimes they sewed or spun, at others they cleaned weeds ont of the gardens with hoes, worked at the ditches, or gathered in the crops. In fact, they were jack- or jennie- of no trade in particular.
The best looking youths were kept as pages to attend at table, aud those of most musical talent were reserved for church service. The number of hogs was great; they were principally used for munking soap. The Indians with some few exceptions refuse to cat pork, alleging the whole family to be transformed Spaniards! I lind this belief current through every nation of Indians in Mexico, Why should they. without being aware of it, have each selected the hog more than any other ani- mal to fix a stigma upon? It probably may be from its tilthy habits or ean something appertaining to the Jews be innate in themi?, Near the mission at San Francisquito were kept the turkeys, of which they had a large quantity. The dove-cote was along side of the snap works, in an upper story, affording plenty of dung to enre leather sud skius with.
The padre had an idea that fiucry led Indiaus to run away, for which reason he never gave either men or women any other clothing (including shirts and petticoats) than coarse frieze ( xerga ) made by themselves, which kept the poor wretches all the time diseased
C'attle. | Hors s. | Mares. | Mules. | Oxen. | Sheep.
-
San Fernando. San Gabriel
Made to the writer from memory. 1-31 was the year in which L'olonel Warner first
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