USA > California > Los Angeles County > San Gabriel > The old San Gabriel mission : historical notes taken from old manuscripts and records : with mention of the other California Franciscan missions and their founders > Part 4
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THE CEMETERY.
The original cementery was located immediately adjoin- ing the church .. It was entered by a door of the church through which the dead were borne to their graves. Many of these were vaults above the surface of the ground.
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Others were beneath it, but marked by ancient stone or other kinds of monuments. They have vanished, however, through the extreme ignorance of a secular person who deemed them unsightly and removed them, thus obliter- ating all evidence of the location of the graves in which some very prominent persons were buried.
The priests were buried in the church, and the location of their graves can be determined by the records that indicate their location. Among these the first was Father Miguel Sanchez. He died July 28, 1803. Time of service, twenty-eight years. He was buried by Father Juan Jose de Santiago, under the steps of the main altar on the Epistle side.
Next was Father Antonio Cruzado, who died on Octo- ber 12, 1804. Time of service, thirty-three years. Buried by Father Francisco Dumetz.
Father Francisco Dumetz, died January 15, 1811. Time of service, six years. Buried by Father Jose Maria de Zalvidea.
Fråncisco Roman Fernandez de Ullibarri. Died June 16, 1821. Buried by Father Jose Maria de Zalvidea.
Joaquin Pascual Nuez. Died December 31, 1821. Time of service, seven years. Buried by Father Vicente Pascual Oliva.
Jeronimo Boscana. Died July 6, 1831. Time of service, five years. Buried by Father Jose Sanchez on St. Joseph's side of the presbytery, near the remains of Padre Nuez.
Jose Bernardo Sanchez. Died January 16, 1833. Buried by Father Vicente P. Oliva at the foot of the altar, in the presbytery. He is said by Mofras to have died of grief over the ruins of the Mission through seculariza- tion.
Blas Ordaz. Died November 11, 1850. Time of service, three years. Buried by Father Jose Joaquin Jimeno.
Antonio Maria Jimenez del Recio, a secular priest. Died 1853.
Father Andres Moreno, C. M. F. Buried in the center of the cemetery in the Priests' Plot, February 27, 1911.
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There still survives Father Jeronimo Boscana, a man 90 years old, who was baptized by him and whose name is Jeronimo Lopez, now living in San Fernando, California, near the Mission there, but whose former home was at San Gabriel.
The old cemetery was abandoned and parked. The new one which was substituted for it is located practically adjacent to the old one about 100 yards north of the church. It is a beautiful spot and is admirably taken care of by a regular sexton.
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CHAPTER V.
The Soldiers Who Guarded the Missions. The Troubles They Caused. Their Gambling Propensities and Other Im- moralities. The Massacre of Rivera and His Companions. Battle of San Gabriel.
Other Military Matters.
A LL of the California Missions had military forces stationed in them. While San Gabriel was no exception to the rule, this Mission was not a reg- ular presidio or military fort and the guard or escolta, consisted of a very small squad of soldiers. The first force was only and truly a corporal's guard, the rank of corporal being that of the non-commissioned officer in command of it.
These soldiers, all of whom, at first, were Spaniards, were a profligate set. Having but little to do and few military duties they often got into mischief, and caused the missionary Fathers no little care and concern. Deser- tions among them were frequent, and it was with great difficulty that the deserters could be induced to return. They were a source of almost constant annoyance and . uneasiness to the Fathers. Their misconduct retarded the growth of the Missions, and San Gabriel in particular.
Not long after this Mission was first founded one of them committed an act that came near causing all of the community of San Gabriel to be assassinated. It injured the Mission in the estimation of the savages and brought it under their ill will for quite a period. The soldier who caused this unfortunate state of affairs was one who in- curred the displeasure of an Indian woman, the wife of one of the chiefs of the tribe. The angered woman per- suaded her husband to avenge the insult. Consequently this chief summoned his companions and awaited an op- portunity, which came one day when the guilty soldier and his associates were guarding the horses of the Mis- sion. The Indians attacked the party with arrows and were repulsed by the superior weapons of the soldiers.
EXTERIOR VIEW OF OLD MISSION, NEW CHAPEL AND FATHERS' RESIDENCE
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In this combat the chief whose wife was the complainant, was slain and the attacking Indians were dispersed. What renders this affair particularly interesting was the fact that the child of this chief and his squaw was the first Indian infant who was baptized at this Mission.
Up to that time when the Indians and soldiers fought, the affairs of the Mission had progressed favorably and prosperously. All the Indians had been perfectly content, so this distressing affair was the cause of a considerable period of unrest and distrust among the savages.
To avoid further trouble it was necessary to transfer this objectionable soldier to Monterey. For greater secur- ity the number of troops was increased to sixteen under command of a sergeant. At the same time the number of the Fathers on duty here was doubled, there being four instead of two. These two additional Fathers soon became the regular Fathers in charge, the founders, Fathers Cam- bon and Somera, having been compelled by reason of serious illness to retire.
In addition to their bows and arrows, the Indians had for weapons long spears headed, or tipped, with flint. Before the coming of the Franciscans or any other Mis- sionaries to California these natives were persons about whose morals, according to Father Engelhardt: "It is inexpedient to describe. They were naked, dissolute and even for long after the advent of the Friars gambled at various games of hazard. In fact nothing was too sacred for them to wager with from a deer skin to a human life."
One game generally very popular with them was that of guessing which hand contained a small bit of wood, or bone. It was a favorite because it required no effort or exertion. Nothing, however, seemed to give them grea; ter satisfaction than to lie stretched out for hours upon the ground with their faces down, doing absolutely nothing.
Both men and women smoked and danced, but as a rule the Indian men and women did not dance together, nor was their dancing anything like the dances now in vogue. It was a swaying of their bodies, an alternation of lifting
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first one and then another limb. The men usually danced unclad, while their heads were adorned with feathers. Their faces were painted with glaring colors in grotesque patterns. The dancing was accompanied by chanting, clap- ping of hands and blowing of hornpipes, beating of skin covered drums and rattling of tortoise shells filled with pebbles. Such horried discord was intended to serve for marking the cadence of time.
The civil government was headed by a governor. The first one was Gaspar de Portola, who was appointed by Carlos III, King of Spain, the reigning Spanish sovereign of that period. This king gave orders that the natives were to have an alcalde, or mayor, which functionary was chosen by the Indians from among their own tribal mem- bership. With considerable ceremony these functionaries were inducted into their offices, which lasted for a period of just one year. They exercised the duties both of mayor and magistrate, or justice of the peace. This furnished the Indians measurably a species of self-government. There were two alcaldes, a first and a second. They each had a baton, or emblem of authority, and wore coats of a pecul- iar and distinctive long cut and singular shape. They were inaugurated on the first day of each year, were exempt from punishment and were proud of their brief authority which they not infrequently abused.
The soldiers were brought out from Spain for the pur- pose of guarding the civil, religious, and military proper- ties, particularly the Missions, the missionary Fathers and the charges of the latter. The kings had issued orders to secure the country for the dominion of the Spanish crown which was the purpose of the secular conquest of California, as it was the purpose of making the conquest of Mexico. Always the strength of the guard, or escolta, was proportionate to the size of the settlement, population and importance of the Mission at which it was placed.
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THE YUMA RIVERA MASSACRE.
One of the most notable instances of bloodshed by the savages was that of the massacre by Yuma Indians of a party of Spanish soldiers under Rivera de Moncada in the vicinity of the Gila, Colorado Missions while en route to Los Angeles on July 18, 1781. Rivera had brought a company of forty recruits and their families out with him, but most fortunately had left the greater majority of the families behind in Sonora, seeming to scent danger for them. He also sent on the main body of his troops ahead to San Gabriel and he crossed the Colorado with but a dozen men and camped near its eastern bank to rest his cattle and recuperate his men.
The Yuma Indians attacked and utterly annihilated this small force and retired into the mountain fastnesses. They also massacred a number of people in the Pueblos along the Gila and Colorado Rivers at or near various Missions in their vicinity.
Almost immediately after this merciless massacre an expedition, to punish these savages and avenge the slaugh- ter of their companions, was organized by Lieutenant Col- onel Fages and Governor Felipe de Neve who also determ- ined to avenge the killing of the Colorado Pueblo settlers. These Yuma savages had killed the Friars, not even spar- ing the universally beloved Father Francisco Garces, who was the first one to visit the Indian tribes of the Gila in 1768. He was the first to urge the Viceroy and College of Santa Cruz to found those Missions in that region. He was the first, also, to insist on the Viceroy Bucareli, acting also on the advice of Father Serra, to direct Cap- tain Juan Bautista de Anza to open communications be- tween Sonora and Monterey overland in California. De Anza was the first to blaze the way and cross the desert, previous explorers having gone by sea. He also stopped at San Gabriel on several occasions.
These Yumas set fire to the buildings and carried away women and children. This, punitive expedition was organ-
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ized at San Gabriel and went forth from there in pursuit of the miscreants.
BATTLE NEAR SAN GABRIEL.
The most memorable battle that occurred in the imme- diate vicinity of San Gabriel was one that took place on January 8, 1847. It occurred not far from the original site of this Mission. The Californians who were led by the Governor and comprised their military forces that had spent ten days in their marches against the American forces, finally came near to the San Gabriel River just north of the place where the Santa Fe railway to Orange spans that stream. The Americans were commanded by General Stephen W. Kearny. Colonel Philip Stockton was second in command. The Californians had gathered all of their forces consisting of 500 mounted men with four pieces of artillery. They took the most advantageous position on high ground about a quarter of a mile from the river. The Americans sent forward their artillery and were about to cross the river. The Californians fought bravely and for some time successfully prevented the crossing, but finally retreated. This action lasted but an hour and a half, resulting in two killed and eight wounded on the American side and about a similar loss among the Californians.
This battle put an end to the season of strife and tur- moil that had existed for the short period during the life of the California, or "Bear Flag" Republic.
PRIESTS SUCCEEDING FRANCISCANS.
After the Franciscans retired the Missions were in charge of these seculars, the first of whom was Father H. T. Lempfrit who took charge in 1851. The following year he was succeeded by Father Pablo Jordan, who in 1855 was succeeded by Father Pedro Bagaria. The same year this priest was succeeded by Father Jayme Vila. In 1856 Benito Capdevila was the priest in charge and in 1857 J. Rogal, following whom in 1858 came Domingo
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Serrano. In 1859 Juan Basso took charge and gave way in 1860 to Angel Molino. Angel Delfino Casanova and Sebastian Ignacio Gallo both served in 1861 as also did M. Duran. In 1862 Cipriano Rubio was in charge of this Mission. In 1863 Pedro Verdaguer and Joseph Mut had charge. Father Verdaguer afterwards attained the rank of Bishop and was stationed in the Texas See of Browns- ville. In 1864 Pedro Sastre took charge and remained there until 1869, in which latter year Thomas O'Donohoe took charge and was relieved in 1870 by Joaquin Bot. In 1871 P. Farrelly was in charge and remained so until 1875 when Joseph McNamee came in succession. B. Smith took charge in 1887 and in 1988 was succeeded by C. Scan- nell, who had charge of the Mission for two years. Joaquin Bot, the regular incumbent, returned and gave place in 1903 to Henry O'Reilly, who had charge for three years, giving way in 1906 to P. M. Bannon. The latter was the last secular priest until the Missionary Sons of the Im- maculate Heart of Mary took charge in 1908.
Father Cipriano Rubio was one of the best known sec- ular priests who did service at San Gabriel. He was chap- lain at the Immaculate Heart Convent at Los Angeles at the time of his death. He was a man of superior intellect- uality as well as great spirituality, wise in counsel and most patient in service.
Father Joaquin Bot was noted for his generosity in the support he gave the Mission parish and also for his genial nature and exceptionally long pastorate.
The last of these seculiar priests, Father P. M. Bannon, died in Los Angeles in 1907.
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NEW CHAPEL
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CHAPTER VI.
Administration of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They Have Taken Up and are Carrying on the Unfinished Work of the Franciscans, Preserving their
Traditions. They are Restoring San Gabriel to its Original Condition, Developing and Im- proving this Venerable Landmark. Other California Missions.
I T WAS in February, 1908, that the late Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Conaty, D. D., Bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles, called Father Ramon Prat, C. M. F., then Provincial of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to take charge of Mission San Gabriel. The Most Rev. Martin Alsina, C. M. F., Superior General, accepted the offer.
Father Prat was followed by the Very Rev. Felix A. Cepeda, C. M. F., now General Consultor. Father Cepeda was succeeded by the present incumbent, the Very Rev. D. Zaldivar, C. M. F., formerly Rector of the Old Plaza Church, Los Angeles, California. -
San Gabriel Mission was placed in the charge of the Reverend Father Felix Zumarraga, C. M. F. He was suc- ceeded by the Reverend Andrew Resa, C. M. F., who was followed by Father Miguel Oñate, C. M. F., whose suc- cessor was the Reverend Father Eustace Flamenco, C. M. F. Father Flamenco was followed by the Reverend Leon Monasterio, C. M. F., who later on was succeeded by the present incumbent, the Reverend Father Raphael Serrano, C. M. F.
The congregation of which these missionaries are memebrs was founded in Spain by the Venerable Father Anthony M. Claret, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and confessor of Her Majesty, Isabella II, Queen of Spain, on July 16, 1849. This institution was approved by Pope Pius 1X, on the occasion of the Ecumenical Council of the Vatican at which the founder assisted.
This splendid congregation, like a wonderful tree, has grown and spread its broad and salutary branches over
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Europe, America and parts of Africa. On its glorious roll are noted faithful laborers, confessors of the faith, and even martyrs. It comprises different provinces, novitiates, vicariates and prefectures apostolic, minor or preparatory and superior colleges.
The illustrious founder of this congregation has been given the title of Venerable and will soon be beatified, being highly esteemed by all his clients and admirers. An earnest endeavor is being made to bring to an end the apostolic process concerning his miracles, which will point to the nearby and happy day of the saintly Father Claret's glorification. He was acclaimed the Apostle of the 19th century. He belonged to the Latin American hierarchy. was the soul and life of all the religious movements of his day and was also called : "The Angel of the Apocalypse." His wonderful life shows him to have been a giant who rejoiced to run his way. He won a martyr's crown; yet the culminating marvel of all of his works was the found- ing of the congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He was unjustly and in- humanly persecuted and exiled by the ruthless Spanish revolution of 1868. After he had been driven to foreign lands he was received in a poor monastery of Cistercian Monks at Fontfroide, France. Fortified by all the com- forts of the Holy Church, surrounded by the hospitable monks and amidst tenderly touching sentiments and feel- ings of love and resignation, while in the arms of some of his exiled children, his pure soul left this vale of tears and took its flight Heavenward, October 24, 1870, the Feast of the Archangel St. Raphael. His plain obsequies were attended by wonders. A strange bird of mysterious appearance was seen flying around the catafalque, alter- nating with the monks in their solemn singing of the office of the dead.
A priest was unaccountably prevented from intoning the verse found in the office: "From the gate of hell, deliver his soul, O! Lord!"
On his tomb was carved this inscription, the words of
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the great champion of the rights of the Catholic Church, Gregory VII: "I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile."
The missionaries of this religious institute, while con- stantly engaged in the improvement and betterment of this precious grand old landmark, are continually mindful of the intellectual and moral upbuilding of this community which has been confided to their pastoral care. In this way they have followed closely in the footsteps of their selfsacrificing pioneer Padre predecessors, who so faith- fully and constantly labored among these people in this marvel of usefulness, the pride of her sisters, the San Gabriel Mission.
The first accomplishment was the restoration of the Mission Church and of the old monastery, which latter has been converted into a museum. They next built a commodious abode where they exult in sweet memories of the past. It is a mixture of Moorish and Mission arch- itecture. This residence was finished during the admin- istration of the Reverend Felix Zumarraga.
The parochial school is an institution which was planned and promoted by Father Resa, but his ideas did not materialize until 1912. In the summer of that year his successor, Father Michael Oñate, finished the building, at the cost of $15,000. This school is conducted by the Dominican Sisters. Its average attendance is about 300 children daily. Father Flamenco enlarged the school. It is a "free" school in every particular, the tuition, the books, and even the luncheons of the pupils being furn- ished them gratuitously.
The cemetery originally lacked systematic arrange- ment. The dead had been buried indiscriminately without any regard to any formed plat, or plan, under the adminis- tration of the Franciscans. Since the present administra- tion of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the cemetery has been laid off in an admirably ar- ranged form. The graves are placed in lines. It has been
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beautified by the planting of trees, shrubbery and many flowers.
These missionaries now in charge of the sacred and venerable institution, the old San Gabriel Mission, are doing splendid and effective work in saving the souls, benefitting the bodies and minds of the natives and others of their vicinity and, at the same time, are showing visit- ing strangers the many attractive features the splendid Mission possesses.
During the incumbency of the Reverend Leon Monas- terio, C. M. F., a life-sized marble statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, standing on a granite pedestal, was erected in the geographical center of the old Mission cemetery. The present Rector of the Mission, the Reverend Raphael Serrano, C. M. F., has installed a five-thousand-pipe organ in the old Mission Church.
OTHER CALIFORNIA MISSIONS.
While San Gabriel stands alone and unique in its su- perior excellence above all of its sister Missions, it is but fair to give the reader a list of the latter and many of the tourists coming to San Gabriel inquire where and when the other California Missions were founded.
There were twenty-one of them and they were strewn all along the Camino Real, or the old King's Highway, which extended for a distance of approximately 700 miles from San Diego to Sonoma's Valley of the Seven Moons. Their foundation dates from 1769 to 1823. Father Juni- pero Serra was the founder of nine of them, planting the first Christian Mission and settlement when he and his companions reached San Diego. This was on Sunday, July 16, 1769, the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Car- mel, this same day being the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. Father Serra was assisted by Father Fer- nando Parron. The first governor of California, Gaspar de Portola, was present. The beautiful city of San Diego it about this Mission.
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The second Mission to be established was founded Sun- day, June 3, 1770, by Father Serra at San Carlos, or Car- mel of the Sea, on Pentecost Sunday, when Father Juan Crespi was present. This was the Mission that Father Junipero called his own.
The third was the Mission named San Antonio de Padua which was founded on July 14, 1771, on the Feast of the Seraphic Doctor St. Bonaventure, its founders having been Fathers Serra, Miguel Pieras, and Buenaventura Sitjar. It is twenty-six miles from King's City.
San Gabriel, previously fully described, was the fourth Mission.
San Luis Obispo, or the Bishop of Tolosa, was the fifth. It was founded on September 1, 1772, by the Presidente, Father Junipero Serra, and Father José Cavaller. It was established at the site of the present city of the same name.
The sixth was that of St. Francis of Assisi, located at San Francisco. It was established October 8, 1776, by Father Francisco Palou.
The seventh was that of San Juan Capistrano, founded on All Saints' Day, or November 1, 1776, by Father Juni- pero Serra, assisted by Fathers Pablo Mugartegui and Gregorio Amurrio. This was located at the place where the town of that name is.
The eighth was the Santa Clara, January 12, 1777, and founded by Fathers Tomas de la Peña and José Murguia. Its location is at Santa Clara, California.
The ninth was that of San Buenaventura, established March 31, 1782, on Easter Sunday on the site called by the explorers the "Asuncion de Nuestra Señora." This was the first of what was known as the "Channel" Missions. Its founders were Fathers Serra and Cambon. It is near the city of Ventura.
The tenth was the Santa Barbara, located at the place where the city of that name now is. It was established December 4, 1786, on the Feast Day of St. Barbara, virgin and martyr. This was the second of the "Channel" Mis- sions.
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The eleventh was La Purisima Concepcion, founded Saturday, December 8, 1787, on the Feast Day of the Im- maculate Conception, by Father Fermin Lasuen, president of the California Missions, and Fathers Vicente Fuster and Jose Arroita. It is located in the city of Lompoc and is the third and last of the "Channel" Missions.
The twelfth was Santa Cruz, founded August 28, 1791, by Father Fermin Lasuen and Fathers Isidro Alonzo Salazar and Baldomero Lopez, located at Santa Cruz.
The thirteenth is Nuestra Señora Dolorosisima, com- monly called La Soledad, founded October 9, 1791, near Soledad, by Father Fermin Lasuen and Fathers Diego Garcia and Mariano Rubi.
The fourteenth was San Jose founded on Trinity Sun- day, June 11, 1797, near Irvington, by Father Fermin Lasuen and Fathers Ysidoro Barcenilla and Agustin Merino.
The fifteenth was San Juan Bautista, on the San Benito River, near Hollister, founded June 24, 1797, by Father Fermin Lasuen and Fathers Jose Martiarena and Pedro Adriano Martinez, on the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
The sixteenth was San Miguel Arcangel, near San Miguel, founded July 25, 1797, by Fathers Fermin Lasuen. Buenaventura Sitjar, and Antonio de la Concepcion, at Las Pozas.
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