USA > California > Los Angeles County > Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542-1908 > Part 4
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At this new mission Fathers Serra and Crespi began the study of the SAN CARLOS BORREMEO DE MONTEREY. Indian language. Rev. Father Juan Crespi was a native of Spain, being sixty-one years of age at the time of his decease, January Ist, 1783. He was buried near the main altar. It was here that Serra two years later passed away after a lingering illness, and his remains were laid beside those of Father Crespi.
It was not until July 7th, 1793, that the first stone of the new church was laid. It was built of soft, straw-colored stone, quarried near by, laid in lime made from sea-shells, gathered along the sea-beach, the roof being of red tiles. The church was dedicated in 1797, and the remains of this building, restored through the efforts of the Rev. Father Cassanova, pastor of Monterey, are to be seen today. On July 3rd, 1882, Father Cassanova opened the tombs. This was evidently done to reassure the world of the recorded fact that the sacred remains of those true disciples of Christ and pioneers of California, founders of the Missions, were there. At the services, the following entries from the parish records were read :
"Rev. Fr. Juan Crespi ; born in Spain ; died Jany. Ist, A. D. 1782, 61 years old, buried near the main altar, gospel side." "Rev. Fr. Junipero Serra, D. D., President of all the Missions; born in Majorca, Spain; died on the 28th of August, A. D. 1784, at the age of 71 years, buried in the Sanctuary, fronting the altar of Our Lady of Seven Dolores, on the gospel side." "Rev. Fr. Julian Lopez, born in Spain; died here on the 15th of July, A. D. 1797, aged 35 years ; buried in the Sanctuary, on the gospel side, in the tomb near the wall on the
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left." "Rev. Fr. Francisco Lasuen, Vic. for Second President of the Missions, born in Spain, died here, and is buried in the Sanctuary, on the gospel side, in a stone tomb, near the main altar, June 28th, 1803."
The heavy stone slabs having been removed before the ceremony began, the coffin in each tomb was left visible. The lids of each was then raised and the people then viewed the remains of which only the clothing and the skeletons were seen. The tombs were then covered as before with the stone slabs. The coffins were of unplaned redwood boards, and all but that of Father Lasuen in a good state of preservation.
When the restoration of the old mission church was commenced in 1882, the tile roof had fallen in, the walls were crumbled, and grass had grown upon the tiled floor. The resting place of the founder of the California missions was completely obliterated.
Through the untiring efforts of Father Cassanova, and his band of sympathizers, the tomb of Serra and his beloved co-worker, Father Crespi, are in fairly good repair. Services are held here once a month by the resident priest of Monterey, and upon each occasion the old mission bell is rung.
SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA.
The Mission San Antonio de Padua (Saint Anthony of Padua), now a mass of ruins, was founded by Father Junipero Serra, July 14, 1771, under most auspicious circumstances. The ringing of bells attracted an Indian, and instead of hiding in fear, he remained to witness the ceremony of dedication, and later brought his companions in large numbers to meet the missionaries.
This mission is located in a beauti- fully oak-studded glen, in the Santa Lucia Mountains, and near the Sa- linas River, in Monterey County. Father Serra named the valley Los Robles. The present ruins are those of the second church, which was built in the year 1809 or 1810, and was extended by adobe structures several times. The Indians assisted Fathers Buenaventura, Sitjar and SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA. Miguel Pieras in erecting the first temporary structure, which was unusual.
San Antonio became famous for its piety, prosperity and its splendid horses. In 1805 it had a population of 1261 neophytes. An inventory of property made in 1835, when the mission was secularized, showed the valuation of buildings and vineyards to be $90,000.00, but in 1845 it was invoiced at only
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$8,000.00, and the membership had declined to ten men and five women. Mrs. Forbes writes in 1904 that, "At present the roof of the mission building has fallen in and the last room is ready to collapse. The relics have all been stolen or removed to other places, with the exception of one iron kettle used by the Fathers in cooking soup for the Indians. Only one family of the original Indians of the Valley remain, and they live many miles from the mission. The tree upon which Father Serra hung the bell when the first chapel was founded still stands beside the road, leading up to the mission. Near by the mission flows Mission creek, a branch of the San Antonio river. In mission days the Padres constructed a dam across the river, and its water was diverted to irrigate the mission lands. At one time San Antonio rivalled San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Rey and Santa Barbara in prosperity and importance. The buildings were extensive. Long cloisters, arches and broken walls and tiled roofs now remain to tell the story of architectural grandeur."
SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL.
The Mission San Gabriel Archangel was founded September 8th, 1771, by Fathers Angel Somera and Pedro Benito Cambon. The first mission site was located about five miles south of the present mission on the bank of the San Gabriel (then San Miguel) river. The first chapel was of logs cut to length, the desired height of the building, then split in two and set upright in a trench or ditch. The roof was made of tules and adobe mud. The dwellings of the priests and attendants were enclosed with a stockade of similar construction which, however, was soon replaced with an adobe wall. Not a vestige of this first mission of San Gabriel remains, and it is even quite uncertain as to its exact location.
By reason of danger from floods, from the river's overflow, low-land frosts and poor drainage, the mission was moved to its present site, then as now, a most charming location, in the midst of a belt of live oak, on warm and responsive soil. The date of removal to the new site is unknown, but it must have been about 1775, since Junipero Serra in his second annual report of 1774 indicates his intention to move San Gabriel Mission a short distance and states that for that reason no permanent improvements had been made on the old site.
The stone church which is now the admiration of visitors was half finished in 1794, and had not been completed in 1800. It was first built with an arched roof, in which cracks soon appeared. When these were repaired an earthquake reopened them. The arched roof was then removed and a new roof of timbers and tiles substituted in 1804. The valley was fertile and Indians were numerous but were seemingly slow to embrace the religion of the Friars, since
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only seventy-three baptisms were recorded the first two years. Up to the year 1800, there were, however, 1078 neophytes attached to the mission. There had been 1953 baptisms, 869 burials and 396 marriages performed. Once established on the new mission site affairs seemed to take on new life and enterprise and set the pace for those missions already established and those to be.
In 1806 Jose Marie Zalvidea, a man of great energy and executive ability, was transferred from San Fernando to San Gabriel. According to Hugo Reid :
"He it was, who planted the large vineyards, intersected with fine walks, shaded fruit trees of every description, and rendered still more lovely by shrubs interspersed between ; who laid out the orange garden, fruit and olive orchards ; built the mill and dam; made fences of tunas (cactus) round the fields ; made hedges of rose bushes ; planted trees in the mission square, with a flower garden and hour-dial in the center ; brought water from long distances, etc. He also remodeled the existent system of government. Every article must henceforth be in place, and every man at his station. Everything under him was organized and kept up with a were now di- es and vocationlo. vaqueros, soap- shoemakers, car- smiths, bakers. servants, pages, culturists, brick musicians, sing- ers, vignerons, SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL.
that organization lash! The people vided into class- These included makers, tanners, penters, black- cooks, general fishermen, agri- and tile makers, ers, tallow melt- carters, cart- makers, shepherds, poultry-keepers, pigeon-tenders, weavers, spinners, saddle- makers, store and key-keepers, deer hunters, deer and sheep-skin dressers, 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, · bakery, cooper, blacksmith, carpenter and other shops. Large spinning rooms, where might be seen fifty or sixty women turning their spindles merrily, and looms for weaving wool, flax and cotton. Then large store rooms were allotted to the various articles, which were kept separate. For instance, wheat, barley, peas, beans, lentels, 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.
" At an early period in the history of San Gabriel, a water-power mill, for grinding wheat, was constructed and put in operation in front of and near the
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mission building. At a later period, a new grist mill was built by the mission, and placed about two miles west of the mission proper. This was also operated by water-power. The building in which was placed the mill is still standing and is known as El Molino, the Spanish words for "The Mill." It is now the property of H. E. Huntington. A water-power saw-mill was also built by this mission, and was located near the last-mentioned grist-mill. These were the only mills made or used in California, either for grinding or sawing, in which water was the motive power, or in which a wheel was used, for more than half a century after the founding of the first mission. In these two grist- mills the revolving mill stone was upon the upper end of the vertical shaft, and the water-wheel upon the lower end, so that the revolution of the stone was no more frequent than that of the water-wheel. They did no grading or separating of the flour in these mills. This process, if done at all, was done with hand sieves."
" The principal ranchos belonging at that time to San Gabriel were San Pasqual, Santa Anita, Azusa, San Francisquito, Cucamonga, San Antonio, San Gorgonio, Yucaipa, Jurupa, Guapa, Rincon, Chino, San Jose, Ybarras, Puente, Mission Vieja, Serranos, Rosa Castillo, Coyotes, Jaboneria, Las Bolsas, Alamitos and Serritos.
" The principal head (Major-domo) commanded and superintended over all. Claudio Lopez was the famed one during Padre Zalvidea's administration, and although only executing the priest's plans, in the minds of the people he is the real hero Ask any one who made this, or who did that, and the answer on all sides is the same : 'El difunto Claudio!' Great credit is due him for carrying out without flogging the numerous works intrusted to him. There were a great many other major-domos under him for all kinds of work, from tending of horses down to those of superintending crops, and in charge of vineyards and gardens.
"Indian alcaldes were appointed annually by the padre, and chosen from among the very laziest in 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 an immense scourge of rawhide about ten feet in length, plaited to the size of an ordinary man's wrist. They did a great deal of chastisement.
" The unmarried women and girls were kept as nuns, under the supervision of an abbess, who slept with them in a large room. Their occupations: some- times they served, at others they cleaned weeds from out of the gardens with hoes, worked at the ditches or gathered in the crops. The best looking youths were kept as pages to attend at the tables and those of most musical talent were reserved for church service.
"The number of hogs was great. They were principally used for making soap. (The Indians, with a few exceptions, refused to eat pork.) Near the
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mission at San Francisquito (San Fernando Mission) were kept the turkeys of which they had large numbers. The dove-cote was alongside of the soap works, in an upper story, affording plenty of dung to cure leather and skins with.
" The padre had an idea that finery led Indians to run away, for which reason he never gave either men or women any other clothing (including skirts and petticoats) than coarse frieze (xerga) made by themselves, which kept the poor wretches all the time diseased with the itch. If any handkerchiefs or cotton goods were discovered among them the same were immediately committed to the flames. He was an inveterate enemy to drunkenness, and did all in his power to prevent it, but to no purpose. He never flogged, however, while the influence of liquor lasted, but put them into stocks, under the care of a guard until sober. Finding the lash, alone, was of no avail, he added warm water and salt to the dose, which was given as a drink until it ran out of the mouth again. It was no use. The disease was as incurable as consumption.
" Having found out the game practiced in regard to destroying the children borne by Indian women to white men, he put down all miscarriages to the same cause. Therefore, when a woman had the misfortune to bring forth a still-born child, she was punished. The penalty inflicted was shaving the head, flogging for fifteen subsequent days, iron on the feet for three months, and having to appear every Sunday in church on the steps leading up to the altar, with a hideous painted wooden child in her arms. He had no predilections for wizards, and generally (as some one or other was always reporting evil of them) kept them chained together in couples and well flogged. There were, at that period, no small number of old men rejoicing in the fame of witchcraft, so he made sawyers of them all, keeping them like hounds in couples and so they worked, two above and two below in the sawpit. On a breach occurring between man and wife, they were fastened together by the leg until they agreed to live in harmony. He was not only severe, but he was in his chastisements most cruel. So as not to make a revolting picture, I shall bury acts of barbarity, known to me through good authority, by merely saying that he must assuredly have considered whipping as meat and drink to them, for they had it morning, noon and night. Although so severe to the Indians, he was kind, in the extreme, to travelers and others. There being so much beef, mutton, pork and poultry, with fruits, vegetables and wine, a splendid public table was spread daily, at which he presided."
J. J. Warner, in 1889, furnished the writer the following, as setting forth the usual dinner served daily at San Gabriel Mission during the years of its prosperity: First course: Caldo (plain broth in which meat and vegetables had been boiled). Second course: La Olla (meat boiled with vegetables and served separately). Third course: El Bondigas (forced meat balls in gravy). Fourth course : Guisados (stews, generally two). Fifth course: Azado (roasts-beef.
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mutton, game, fowls). Sixth course: Fruit and sweetmeat. Seventh course : Tea, coffee, cigarritos. Pork was also eaten sparingly at every meal. Wine was served ad libitum. On Friday, fish followed the caldo, and the meats were dispensed with. Horses to ride were ever at their service, and a good bed to sleep on at night. Whenever ready to start, either up or down the coast, horses and a servant were ever at their command to go as far as the next mission."
Having brought the establishment and everything connected with it to the climax of perfection, Zalvidea had still calculated on doing more. He purchased large quantities of iron, with the intention of railing in all vineyards and gardens. But, alas! even Catholic societies are not proof against the " capital sins " they so strongly condemn. Envy and jealousy stepped in and prevailed. He was ordered by his superior to the mission of San Juan Capistrano. The loss of his favorite hobby capsized his reason, and after lingering for many years in a disturbed religious state of mind he at length expired, regretted by all who knew his worth and gigantic intellect.
During his pastorate, Zalvidea also mastered the Indian language, and reduced it to grammatical rules, being the first padre in this section having either the ability or energy necessary for such a task. He translated the church service, and preached each Sabbath in the native tongue. His translation of the Lord's Prayer, commencing " Ayoinac," "Our Father," is said by Mr. Reid to be a "a grand specimen of his eloquence and ability." He thus gave the natives an insight into the Catholic faith, but did not alter their own one iota. Those who came after him were too indolent to keep up the reforms he had inaugurated. For a time sermons were translated sentence by sentence, to the congregation ; but this was soon discontinued, probably to the great relief of the unfortunate listeners.
Zalvidea was succeeded by Padre José Bernardo Sanchez, his former colleague and assistant, who is described as having been " of a cheeerful disposi- tion, and a frank and generous nature." He was also a great sportsman and capital shot. "In ecclesiastical affairs, solemn ; in trade, formal ; in government of the mission, active, lively, and strict ; in social intercourse, friendly, full of anecdote, and fond of jokes ; even to those of a practical nature."
"The regulations enforced by his predecessor were still observed under Sanchez, but while the lash was still ready, other modes of punishment were adopted for minor offenses. Nor was such leniency barren of good results, for many Indians who had formerly proven insubordinate from mere vindictiveness of spirit, now refrained because of the love and good will which all bore toward their spiritual and temporal ruler.
"Supplies for the mission were purchased in large quantities, frequently amounting to $30,000 at one time. These purchases consisted of domestics
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(brown, bleached and printed), flannels, cloths, ribbons, silks, hosiery, sugar, panoche, rice, etc., etc. These articles were distributed in two stores, from whence they were dealt out to the natives, or sold to the public. The people were now better dressed than formerly. The coarse frieze (xerga) of the women was used only as sweat-cloths for horses; and all the native ladies appeared at church in full-blown glory of fancy petticoats, clean white chemises, variegated kerchiefs on their head, and rebosos around their shoulders. The men had pants, jackets, hats, and fancy silk sashes. Even the children plumed themselves in gay colors, and sported shirts and kerchiefs.
Married people were provided with sheets for their beds, and even curtains. The major-domo visited each house weekly to see that all was kept clean, and the priest made a similar round in person once a month. Rations, with wine and spirits (and occasionally a few dollars in money) were distributed once a week ; but in addition to this, daily food was provided ready cooked, for the laborers. We quote further from Mr. Reid's letters:
"The mission bell, on being rung, aroused the alcaldes from their slumbers, and these with loud voices soon set all the world agog. Mass was now heard, and again the bell rang to work. At eleven its notes proclaimed dinner, when in all flocked, basket in hand, to receive posale and a piece of beef. (Posale consisted of beans boiled with corn or wheat.) At twelve o'clock they were again warned to their labors, which concluded a little before sundown, to afford them time to receive supper, which consisted of 'atole ' or mush. If a gang were at a distance, a copper kettle and attendant accompanied them and provided food on the spot.
" After twelve o'clock on Saturdays soap was distributed, and all the world went a washing of clothes and persons, to make a decent appearance at church on Sunday. Saturday night was devoted to playing peon, and, with few excep- tions, none slept ; for whites and Indians, men, women and children, were all generally present.
" After service on Sunday, foot-ball and races took place, and in the after- noon a game called 'Shindy ' by the Scotch, and ' Bandy ' by the English, was played, with men and women on opposite sides. People flocked in from all parts to see the sport and heavy bets were made. The priest took great interest in the game and, as the women seldom had less than half a dozen quarrels among them, in which hair flew by the handfuls, he was the more pleased. The game being concluded, all went to prayers and so ended the Sabbath."
The general statistics of the Mission of San Gabriel for the whole period of its existence of sixty-three years ( from 1771 to 1834) are thus given by Bancroft : Total number of baptisms, 7,854, of which 4,355 were Indian adults, 2,459 Indian children, and I adult and 1,039 children of “gente de razon,"
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which may mean the Spaniards and their mixed-blooded descendants. Total marriages, 1,955; of which 241 were "gente de razon." Total deaths, 5,656; of which 2,896 were Indian adults, 2,363 Indian children, 211 adults and 186 children " de razon." Annual average, 88; annual average death rate, 7.61 per cent. of population. Largest population, 1,701, in 1817. There was a slight excess of males down to 1803, and a greater excess later. The proportion of children varied from one-eighth per cent. at first to one-tenth per cent. at the last. Largest number of cattle, 26,300, in 1828; horses, 2,400, in 1827; mules, 205, in 1814; asses, 6 in 1794; sleep, 15,000, in 1829; goats, 1,380 in 1785; swine, 300, in 1802, 1803 and 1822 ; all kinds, 40,360 animals, in 1830. Total product of wheat, 225,942 bushels; yield, 16 fold. Barley (for only eleven years), 1,250 bushels ; yield, 10 fold. Maize, 154,820 bushels; yield, 145 fold. Beans, 14,467 bushels ; yield, 28 fold. In the year 1834, at the time of seculariza- tion, there were 163,579 vines in four vineyards, and 2,333 fruit trees.
All statistics stop with the attempted secularization of the mission in 1834.
In 1832, Governor Echandia sent an envoy to San Gabriel Mission, demand- ing a loan, which was refused. The store house was broken open and the money in gold coin forcibly taken and never returned. Secularization soon followed, and the mission, with upwards of 42,000 liead of live stock and gold in sacks passed into the control of the Mexican government, and like all the other missions suffered temporal and spiritual destruction.
In June, 1846, the mission estate was sold by Governor Pico to Reid and Workman. The title was not, however, confirmed, and the property returned to the church. In 1847 Father Blas Ordaz took charge of the mission and ministered to the few Indians then remaining, until his death, 1850. It is since secularization, a parish church only, and is now presided over by a parish priest, who holds regular services.
SAN LUIS OBISPO DE TOLOSO.
On the first of September, 1772, Fathers Junipero Serra and Cavaller founded San Luis Obispo, the fifth mission in California, in honor of St. Louis, Bishop of Toulouse. The history of this mission is a remarkable evidence of the energy and religious zeal of these men of God. Father Serra departed the second day, leaving Father Cavaller, two Lower California Indians, and five soldiers, to commence the work of establishing a mission. Their supplies con- sisted of fifty pounds of flour, three pecks of wheat and a barrel of brown sugar-the sugar to be used in bartering with the native Indians for further supplies. The Indians proved friendly, supplied the missionary with venison, seeds and wild berries, and in many ways helped the Padres. A little chapel and dwelling were soon erected. But Father Cavaller remained alone at his post
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for one year. Then four immigrant families and a few unmarried Christians came to San Luis Obispo to make it their home. In November, 1776, the buildings, except the chapel and granary, were destroyed by fire, the Indians having thrown burning arrows upon the tule roofs. Twice again in ten years the buildings were on fire from the same cause. For this reason tiles were adopted for roofing, at all the missions, instead of the dangerous but economical tules. The adobe church was finished in 1793 ; other spacious buildings such as barracks, a missionary's house, work- house, guardhouse, granary, etc., were added the following year. Huts for the natives were comfortable and well built. A trained blacksmith, a carpen- ter and a millwright were sent to San Luis Obispo to instruct the Indians.
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