V<M
/9ft —
INGERSOLUS FURY HISTORY
BAY
INGERSOLUS
CENTURY HISTORY
SANTA MONICA BAY CITIES
[BEING BOOK NUMBER TWO OF INGERSOLL S CENTURY SERIES OF CALIFORNIA LOCAL HISTORY ANNALS]
PREFACED WITH
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA A CONDENSED HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
1542 TO 1908
SUPPLEMENTED WITH AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LOCAL BIOGRAPHY
EMBELLISHED WITH VIEWS OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND PORTRAITS OF REPRESENTATIVE PEOPLE
LUTHER A. INGERSOLL
LOS ANGELES
19O8
To the memory of the late WILLIAMSON D. VAWTER Foremost pioneer citizen in promoting the civic, industrial and moral welfare of Santa Monica, and whose life was an inspiration to noble deeds, this vol ume of local history is dedicated by The Author.
LJbmy
PREFACE
HE publication of this book is in no degree an accident, but rather the partial fulfillment of a long-cherished plan to sometime put in permanent and fitting form the annals of some of the more historic and romantic cities and towns of Southern California. This ambition dates back to the winter season of 1888-9, when the writer arrived in the " Golden State ", became im pressed with the transcendent richness of its past history and its abundant promise of future growth and history-making. What might have been regarded, at the time, a fancy, or inspiration, has, with the rapid passing of two decades, devel oped into a vivid reality. Obscure hamlets have become prosperous cities ; where then were open stock ranges and broad fields of grain, have sprung up marts of trade and commerce, environed by progressive and prosperous com munities. Enough time has elapsed for these cities and communities to have acquired a history, still not enough for any considerable portion of that history to be lost. A few years hence, conditions in this latter respect will have entirely changed.
The region of country of which this story treats lies within the original confines of four Spanish-Mexican land grants bordering the bay of Santa Monica and has hitherto received scant attention from historical writers. When the good works of Hubert Howe Bancroft and Judge Theodore H. Hittell were written the wonderful developments of the past twenty years had not transpired and the work of n:ore recent writers has been of so superficial a nature as not to be of special historical value.
The writing of history is not the thought or work of a day, but rather the diligent pursuance of a fixed and determined purpose. The writer of fiction may work from an inspiration based upon fertile imagination ; the newspaper writer is the chronicler of current events ; the descriptive writer of travel pictures that which he then and there observes ; but the historian makes a truthful record of the past, stating only that which has actually transpired. He indulges in no ideals, must be keen in discrimination, never self-opinionated or self-assertive, must be untiring in research, a faithful, patient, plodding gleaner of facts and an inherent lover of the truth. Lacking these virtues he is without his calling.
The brief history of California and Los Angeles county is herewith given as a preface to the local history in order that the reader may have a connected story from the date of the discovery of the country. The state chapters are, with the exception of some changes and additions, reprinted from my " Century Annals of San Bernardino County, California (1904.)" The sketches of each of the twenty-one Franciscan missions of Alta California are adapted from
PREFACE
•' Missions and Landmarks ", a meritorious booklet written and in 1903 published by Mrs. Armitage S. C. Forbes, a zealous student and authoritative writer upon California missions and kindred subjects.
The information utilized in the production of the history of Los Angeles county and the Santa Monica Bay Cities has been gleaned from numerous sources, prolific of which have been the works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Theodore H. Hittell, History of Los Angeles County, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, Resources of California, by the lamented Charles Nordhoff ; Reminiscences of A. Ranger, by Major Horace Bell ; California Blue Books, old maps and numerous old legal documents. Acknowledgments are due Editor D. G. Holt for the loan of complete files of his Santa Monica Outlook. Old files of the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Herald and the Evening Express have all reflected light upon scenes and events of earlier days. Archives of the city of Santa Monica, of the city and the countv of Los Angeles, have been freely drawn upon. Files of old legal documents and old court records have been a great aid in shaping and verifying the histories of land grants.
Uniform courtesy and kindness have been accorded me by many people in my quest for historical data, for which I am under special and lasting obligations to Judge J. J. Carrillo, E. J. Vawter, Hon. John P. Jones, W. S. Vawter, R. R. Tanner, Esq.. Judge Geo. H. Hutton, Abbot Kinney, Robert F. Jones, L. T. Fisher, Miss Jennie C. Vawter, Miss Emma Vawter, Dr. John A. Stanwood, Miss Elfie Moss'e, Col. G. Wiley Wells. Mrs. E. K. Chapin, Rev. J. D. H. Browne, Mrs. Laura E. Hubbell, W. I. Hull, Mrs. May K. Rindge, J. B. Procter, S. W. Odell, Rev. Stephen H. Taft, Mrs. Sarah L. Shively and W. B. B. Taylor. It affords me pleasure to here make due acknowledgment of the valuable literary service rendered me almost from the inception of this work by Miss Rose L. Ellerbe. Her mental training and already wide experience in the field of letters have eminently qualified her for historical labors and I deem it fortunate that, in this work, I have been able to command her splendid abilities.
The biographical matter with which the general historical chapters are sup plemented will prove a valuable feature of this work. It permanently records so much of the personal experience of those who have contributed to the devel opment of this country and have borne an honorable part in the direction of its public affairs as to constitute a fairly comprehensive encyclopedia of local bio graphical reference. Much careful labor has been bestowed upon the com piling of these sketches. The information has been gathered from published books, magazines and newspapers, by personal interviews with the subjects thereof, and relatives of those who have passed away.
A somewhat rigid system of submitting these articles to persons from whom original information was obtained, has been pursued, for the purpose of assuring accuracy. In doing this, use was made of the U. S. mail. In some instances these sketches have not been returned to me corrected and in such cases errors may appear, for which I must disclaim responsibility. The printing of these
PREFACE
sketches has not in any instance been made contingent upon the payment .of money or in any other form, the support of my enterprise. Neither have they been written for the purpose of gratifying a desire of any person to appear con spicuously in print. I have studiously refrained from writing eulogies upon the lives of living people. Such form of alleged biography invades the field of commercialism to such an extent as to render it worthless as history. The histories of churches and fraternal organizations is by no means as complete as I desire, because the necessary data was not obtainable. It would have been impossible to illustrate this volume so liberally only for the public spirit of people who have in many instances shared with me the burden of expense. The labor and money expended in the production of this book has been a secondary con sideration, and to place in the hands of a reading public a reliable and dignified historical story has been paramount in the author's mind.
LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Santa Monica, California. Dec. 1st, 1908.
Ingersoll's Century Series of California
LOCAL HISTORY ANNALS
PREHISTORIC. ABORIGINAL, SPANISH. MEXICAN. AMERICAN
Century Annals of San Bernardino Co., Calif.
Century History of Santa Monica Bay Cities, Calif. Century Annals City of Monrovia and its Environs.
L. A. INGERSOLL
Los Angeles
"No community can claim to be highly en- lig'itened which is content to remain ignorant of its antecedents, or, in other words, ignorant of the prime causes that have made it what it is." — H. D. Barrows.
Contents.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA.
CHATTER. TAGE.
I. Discovery 3-7
II. Colonization. Presidios and Pueblos 8-13
ITT. The Mission Establishments 14-45
IV. From Monarchy to Republicanism 46-49
V. Revolutions and Secularization of Missions 49~54
VI. Free State of Alta California 54'57
VII. Closing Years of Mexican Era 58-66
VIII. Conquest of California 66-77
IX. Transition from Territory to State 77-82
X. Vigilance Committees, Growth and Prosperity 82-90
Governors of California 91
Land Grants in Los Angeles County 92-93
CONDENSED HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
I. Organization 95~99
II. Stock Raising and Agriculture 101-104
III. Mining and Manufacturing 104-107
IV. Transportation and Commerce 107-1 1 1
V. The Day of the Trolley 112-114
VI. Cities and Towns 114-119
HISTORY OF SANTA MONICA BAY CITIES.
I. Santa Monica Bay Region 121-139
II. Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880 141-165
III. From Town to City. 1880-1890 167-183
IV. Growth. . 1890-1900 185-209
V. Expansion. 1900-1908 211-243
VI. South Santa Monica and Ocean Park 244-263
VII. Public Institutions 265-287
VIII. Churches and Societies 288-303
IX. Miscellaneous 3°5-3I5
X. The City of Ocean Park 317-325
XI. Venice of America and Its Founder 327-337
XII. Pacific Branch National Home for Disabled Veterans 338-343
XIII. Sawtelle. Palms 345-355
General Index.
Academy of the Holy Names 219
Admission of California 81, 82
Alarcon, Hernando de 4
Alfalfa 104
Alvarado, Pedro de 5
Alvarado, Juan B 53, 55, 56, 57
Anaheim, settled 102
Anzu's route to California 10, u
Arcadia Hotel 168
Arguello. Luis A., governor 46
Artesian Water Co 226, 228
Artesian well, first 103
A. & P. Ry 89. no, 187, 223
Atlantic squadron 243
Annual Assessments Santa Monica... 243
Ballona Junction 310
Ballona Port 168
Ballona Harbor Co 335, 336
Ballona & S. M. Ry 171
Baker, Robert S 142
Bandini. Juan 101
Bank, First National of S. M..I73, 175, 188
Banning, Phineas 107, 109, 1 18
Baptist Church 297
Barrett Villa 347
Battle, of Plains, 74 1 of Dominguez rancho, 69; San Juan, 71; San Pas-
qual, 72 ; El Paso de Bartola 73
Beach front dispute 152
Beach Land Co 336, 337
Bean culture 233
"Bear Flag" 64, 66
Board of Trade 175, 202, 283
Boca de Santa Monica, grant 136, 170
Boom no, in, 169, 246
Bouchard, privateer 13
Brentwood Park 240
Bulletin, S. F 83
Cable line 112
Cabrillo, Juan Roderiguez 5, 6, 7, 122
Cahuenga, treaty of 61, 75
California, name 4
Capitals, state 86, 87
Carrillo, A. Carlos 55, 56, 181
Carrillo, Jose A 54, 61, 62
Carrillo. Juan J 174. 180, 186, 191
Carrillo, Pedro C 181
Carriage, first in California 106
Casino 306
Castro, General. .54, 56, 59, 61, 62, 65,' 67, 68 Catalina Island 5, 7
Catholic Church 292
Cattle Raising, in California, 88; in
Los Angeles County 101
Chamber of Commerce, Palms, 355 ;
Santa Monica. 283 ; Venice 334
Census, Los Angeles County, 98, 99 :
Santa Monica 287
Chapman, Joseph 13, 47
Charter, Santa Monica. ...216, 220, 238, 239
Chico, Mariano, governor 52, 53
Chinese massacre 99
City hall. Santa Monica.. 215. 217, 219, 225
City Officials 286, 287
City Water Co 251
Civil War, in California 87
Clay products, Los Angeles County. 105, 106
Colton Hall 79
Constitutional Convention 79- 80
Coronado 4, 5
Coronel, Antonio 96, 98
Cortes 3, 4
Court house, Los Angeles 98
Crespi, Father Juan 18
Cricket Club 307
Discovery and Exploration, Santa
Monica region 122
Division of town, Santa Monica
213, 227, 255
Dolgeville 107
Downey, John G 96, 101, 118
Downey, settled 101
Drake, Sir Francis 6
Drought, '57. 101 ; '62-3 lot
Dudley, T. H 253. 257
Earthquake, 1812 29, 33
Echandia, J. M., governor 49, 50, 132
Eckert, (Bob.) 216
Education, in California, 89; in Los
Angeles County 98
Election, first state, 80; first county.. 96
Electric lines 113, 114
El Monte, settled 101
Episcopal Church, Santa Monica 295
Expedition, first to California 8, 9
Ferrelo. Bartolome 6, 7
Filibustering 85
Figueroa. Jose, 50 ; death 52
First Baptist Church, Sawtelle 352
First N. Y. Infantry 76
Fisher, L. T 169, 201, 281. 315
GENERAL INDEX.
Floral Festival 291
Flour mills 106
Foreigners, arrival, 47. 48; fighting,
54; exiled, 56; residents 62
Franciscan order 7
Freighting 109
Fremont. John C.. entry into Califor nia. 62. 63 ; dispatches. 63 ; at So noma, 64, 65; raises flag. 66; major, 67; lieutenant-colone!, 71; in south, 74, 75 ; governor 76
Galvez. Jose 8
Carey. T. A 103. 1 16
Oillispie. Captain 68, 69
Gilroy. John 47
Gold,' discovery 77- 78. 97
Good Government League 216. 220
Government, territorial 78, 79
Governors, list of, 94; from Southern
California 97
Grand Army of Republic 302
Gulf of California 4, 5. 8
Gwin, Wm. M 79, 80
Harbor question 190. 201
Hartnell. W. E. P 48, 79
Hawe. Father Patrick 292
Herald. S. F 83
Hijar and Padres party 50. 51
Holt. D. G 282
"Hook" franchise 223, 224
Horse Racing 134, 135
Horticultural production, Los Angeles
County 104
Hotchkiss. A. B 245
Hull, W. 1 225
Incorporated towns 115. 119
Incorporation. Ocean Park, 318; Santa
Monica, 169; Sawtelle 350
Indians .122, 123, 125
Irrigation systems, Los Angeles County 102 Investment Co., Santa Monica 232
Jaynie, Father Luis 16
Jimenez Fortuna 3. 4
Jesuits 8
Jones. J. P 144. 152, 157, 173, 175
Juez de Campo 96
Kearney. Stephen W 72, 73. 75, 76
Keller. Mathew 102, 128
Kinney, A
170, 173. 197, 248, 257, 259, 273, 327
King, James 83
La Ballona. grant 137, 139
Land grants, list of 92, 93
Land grants. Los Angeles County 96
Larkin, Thomas O 71
Lasuen, Father Francisco 19
Lawn Tennis Club 305
Library 186, 271
Library Site Fund, Contributors to... 276
Long Beach 1 16
Los Angeles County, created, 96 ;
boundaries 96
Los Angeles, pueblo, u, 12; the cap ital, 61 ; capture 68
L. A. Co. Ry 174, 175, 187. 307
Los Angeles & Independence Ry.. or ganized, 144; built, 151; sold, 153;
history 308
L. A.-R Ry
113, 114, 192, 193, 194, 197, 221, 255
Lucas, Nancy A 244, 248
Machado, Augustin. 137; Ygnacio, 137,
138 ; Antonio 138, 139
Mails, in Los Angeles County 108
Malibu rancho 124, 129, 130
Manufactured products, Los Angeles
County 107
Marquez, Francisco 132, 136, 137
Martinez. Father Luis 27
Mason, Gov 78
Mendocino, Cape 6
Methodist Church. Santa Monica 288
Militia Company. Santa Monica 196
Military camps, Ballona, 139; Wilming ton 118
Mining, in California, 88; in Los An geles County 104
Mission establishments, description. . 14, 6t
Moncada. Rivera y 9, 10
Monrovia 117
Monterey Bay 5, 6, 7, 9
Monterey, capture of 57
Mormon Battalion 76
Mooney Mansion 244
Neve, Felipe de 10, n, 12
Newspapers 279
North Beach Bath house 190, 210
Ocean Park 254
Ocean Park District, 1898, 252; 1899. 253; 1900, 254; 1901, 255; 1902, 257;
1903 259
Ocean Park 227, 236. 249, 250. 252, 317
Ocean Park, incorporation. 318; census, 318; election, 319; Improvement Co., 319; growth, 321; sewage, 321; li censes. 322 ; values, 323 ; bonds, 324 ;
postoffice. 324 ; City hall 325
Oi'ed Streets 240
Orange County 96
Orange growing 103
Ostrich Farm, Santa Monica 246
Outdoor pastimes 305
Outlook, Santa Monica 147, 280
Pacific Branch National Home for
Disabled Veterans 338
Pacific Electric 113, 114
GENERAL INDEX.
Pacific Land Co 347
Palisades tract 231
Palms 171, 352
Pasadena 1 1 5
Pentecostal Church of Nazarene 299
Peyri. Father 42. 43
Petroleum, in Los Angeles County. . .104-5
Petroleum production 105
Philippines, trade with 5- 7
Pico, Andres 72. 75, 135
Pico. Pio, governor 60. 61, 67, 68. 117
Pious Fund 51
Playa del Rev 334
Police department 193
Point Dume 121
Polo Club 307
Pomona 101, 103, 116
Population, state, 82, 83; Los Ange'es County, 112, 114; city, 115; Santa Monica, 167, 185, 220. 287; Ocean
Park 3'8
Port Los Angeles 198
Port, of San Pedro 107. 108
Portala, Caspar de, first governor of
California 9, 10, 123
Postoffice. 186; Ocean Park 263, 282
Presbyterian Church, Santa Monica... 290
Presidio, description 10
Prudhomme, Leon V 126, 127
Pueblo, Spanish 10, 1 1
Purisima Concepcion, mission 34
Quivera 5
Railroads, in California 88. 89
Rate war no, 168, 169, 170
Raymond Hotel 115
Reminiscences . 312
Redondo 119
Reyes. Ysidro 132, 136, 137
Rindge. F. H 128, 21 1, 216, 231
Rowland. Col. J. G 341
Rose, L. J 102, 103, ii 5
Russians, in California 47
Ryan, Francis G 248, 253
Salt Lake line Hi
Saloon question 195. 211, 216
San Antonio de Padua 19
San Bernardino County, 96; settle ment no
San Buenaventura, mission 31
San Carlos, mission 9, 17
Sanchez, Padre Jose B 24
San Diego Bay 5. 7, 9
San Diego, Mission 9, 15
San Fernando Rev de Espana 40
San Francisco Bay 9
San Francisco de Asis 27
San Francisco de Solano 45
San Francisco, presidio 1 1
San Gabriel Arcangel 20
San Jose, mission 36
San Jose, pueb'o n
San Juan Bautista 37
San Juan Capistrano 28
San Miguel Arcangel 39
San Luis Obispo de Toloso 26
San Luis Rev de Francia 42
San Pedro, bay, 5, 7; port, 107, 108;
town iicS
San Rafael, mission 45
San Vicente y Santa Monica, grant.
132; sale 142
Santa Barbara, presidio and mission..
n, 12. 32
Santa Clara, mission 29
Santa Cruz, mission, 34; town 35
Santa Fe RV....IIO. 168, 187, 223, 248, 309
Santa Monica Bay 121
Santa Monica Canyon 141, 143
Santa Monica Fire Dept.. 278
Santa Monica. History, 1885, 167; 1886, 168; 1887. 169; 1888. 173; 1889. 175; 1890. 185; 1891. 187; 1892, 187; 1893, 188; 1894. 189; 1895. 190; 1896, 193; 1897. 194; 1898, 195; 1899, 197; 1900, 21 1 ; 1901, 216; 1902, 230; 1903, 224; 1904, 226; 1905, 229; 1906, 240;
1907 241
Santa Monica Hotel 175
Santa Monica Incorporation 169
Santa Monica Lodge No. 906, B. P.
O. E 303
Santa Monica, name. 123; legend, 123;
settlement 124
Santa Monica, street cars
171, 176, 185, 194, 197, 309
Santa Monica, townsite, 145 ; first sale, 145, 146; first building, 146; first
train 149
Santa Monica Water Co 194
Santa Monica Wharf & Ry. Terminal
Co ". 179, 180
Santa Ynez, Virgin y Martyr 44
Sawtelle, history 345
Sawtelle, W. E 349
School, first in state, 90; in Los Ange les County 98
Schools, Ocean Park, 322; Sawtelle,
346, 348; South Santa Monica 247
Schools, Santa Monica, bonds. 237 ; enrollment, 270; history, 265; prin cipals, 270; trustees 263
Seal, state tb
Sewer bonds
189, 192, 195, 196, 221, 235, 236. 241
Secularization, decree, 51; plan, 51, 52;
result 61
Sepulveda, Francisco, 132; Jose, 133;
Fernando 135
Serra. Junipero 8, 15
Serra Vista 231
Serria, Father Vicente de 47
Sisters of Holy Name 198, 219
Slaverv in California 81, 79, 80
INDEX TO VIEWS.
Sloat. John D., raises flag 65, 66
Smuggling 127
Sola, Governor 46
Soldiers in Los Angeles County 99
Soldiers' Home 171
Sutton, Florence 306
Solcdad, mission 3<5
South Santa Monica 219. 245
South Santa Monica, history, 1874, 244; 1875. 245; 1876. 245; 1887-8, 246; 1889, 247; 1890. 248; 1892, 248; 1893. 249; 1895. 250; 1896, 250; 1897,
251; 1904-7 261
So. Pac. R
...88, 89, 109, 144, 154, 187, 197, 203. 309
Stage routes 108, 109
State division 97
State Forestry Station 311
Steamer, first 107
Stearns, Abel 96
Street car line, first in Los Angeles... 112 Stockton, R. F.. arrives, 67; at San Pe dro. 70; San Diego, 70; Battle of
Plains, 74 ; superseded 75
Sugar beets 104
Sutler, John A 60, 61
Taft, Rev. S. H 345
Tapia, Jose B., 126; Tiburcio 126-7, 128
Tell's Lookout 334
Tennis Tournaments 3o5
Territorial government 78, 79
Terry, David S 84, 85
Topanga Malibu 125
Topography. Santa Monica region.... 121 Trade, with Boston, 48; Philippines. . .5, 7
Traction Co 223
Transportation 308
Treaty. Cahuenga. 61, 75; Guadalupe Hidalgo 76
Treichel, Col. Charles 339
Truxton "scheme" 143
Ulloa. Francisco de 4
U. S. Senators 07
Upham, Major F. K 342
Vallejo, M. G 58
Values, Santa Monica, 1880, 167; 1890,
185, 228, 234, 239, 258
Vawter family 146, 159, 245
Vawter, Edwin James 164. 250, 254
Vawter, Williamson Dunn... 159, 188, 292
Vawter, William S 162, 188, 221, 250
Venice 229
Venice of America, 330; plans, 331; growth, 332; Assembly. 332; break water, 332; Chamber of Commerce.. 334
Victoria, Manuel, governor 49
Viglantes, Los Angeles, 53; San Fran cisco 82, 83, 84, 85
Viscaino, Sebastian 7, 123
Warner, J. J 96, 97
Water Co., Sawtelle 349
Wells Fargo 108
Westgate 229
Wharf, first. 145: abandoned. 155;
Bernard, 156; fight 177, 196, 248
Wheat raising, Los Angeles County. . . 102
Whittier 117
Wilson, B. D 96, 102, 103, 115, 118, 119
Wilmington 107, 1 18
Wine making 102, 128
Wolfskill. William 103
W. C. T. U 186, 243, 272, 299
Woman's Club, Santa Monica 301
Y. M. C. A. of Southern California.. 249 Zalvidea, Father Jose M 21
INDEX TO VIEWS.
Admission of California into Union. ... 82
Arch Rock 122
Brentwood 232
Brentwood Park 240
Brice. J. L., Residence 320
Church of Our Lady of the Angels. ... 95
City Hall, Ocean Park 323
City Hall. Santa Monica 217
Creating Venice 330
Colton Hall, Monterey, First State
Capitol ". 79
Court House, Los Angeles Co 94
First Methodist Church 288
Fire House, Dept. No. i 278
Hotel. Santa Monica 176
La Purisima Concepcion, Mission of . . . 34
La Soledad, Mission of 36
Library, Carnegie Public 271
Mexican Custom House S?
North Third Street. Santa Monica.... 188 "Old" Court House, Los Angeles County 98
Port Los Angeles 207
Saddle, military, Don Andres Pico. . . . 108 San Antonio de Padua. Mission of. . . 19
San Buenaventura. Mission of 31
San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey,
Mission of 18
San Diego de Alcala, Mission of 16
San Fernando Rey de Espana, Mis sion of 41
San Francisco de Asis, Mission of. ... 28 San Francisco de Solano. Mission of.. 45
INDEX TO PORTRAITS.
San Gabriel Arcangel, Mission of 21
San Jose, Mission of 36
San Juan Bautista, Mission of 37
San Juan Capistrano, Mission of 29
San Luis Obispo de Toloso, Mission of 27
San Luis Rey de Francia, Mission of.. 43
San Miguel Arcangel. Mission of 40
San Rafa"el, Mission of 45
San Vicente Ranch House 133
Santa Barbara, Mission of 32
Santa Clara, Mission of 30
Santa Cruz, Mission of 35
Santa Monica Beach, 1878 143
Santa Monica, First Church 151
Santa Monica, First House 136
Santa Ynez, Mission of 44
Sawtelle, First House 346
Sawtelle Public School 348
Sixth Street School 268
Soldiers' Home 342
State Capitol. Benicia 86
State Capitol, Sacramento 87
Timm's Landing 1 18
Topanga Canyon 126
Venice Lake 333
INDEX TO PORTRAITS.
Armstrong, R. W 210
Archer. A. N 399
Bane, Ralph 238
Banning, Gen. Phineas 107
Barrows, Henry D 391
Blanchard, J. D 264
Browne, J. D. H. 296
Burnett, Peter H 81
Carpenter, Stephen 477
Carrillo, Jose Antonio 54
Carrillo, J. J 166
Chapman. W. R 472
Clark. J. H 274
Coffman. H. L 210
Corey. G. W., M.D 465
Coronel. Antonio F 99
Council. City S. M 210
Crum, Rev. J. D 148
Dales, E. V 264
Davis, Orin 39=;
Dike. E. W 356
Dobbings. J. H 452
Dollard, Robert 302
Dow, Roscoe H 210
Downey, John G 97
Eakins," II. B 316
Engelbrecht. H. J 264
Foster, G. W 316
Fremont. John C 2 and 62
Gillis, W. T 234
Gird. E. C 420
Goetz, H. X 225
Griffith. Hester T 423
Griffith, E 316
Gwin, Wm. M 80
Hamilton. N. H., M.D 218
Hawe, Rev. Patrick 294
Hemingway, J. C 222
Holt, D. G 264 and 280
Hull, W. 1 172
Hutton, Geo. H 214
Ingersoll, L. A Frontispiece
Jewett, O. W 354
Johnston. A. F 242
Jones, Hon. John P 120
Keller, Don Mateo 128
Kimball, Myron H 371
Kinney, Abbot ._ 326
Larkin, Thomas 0 71
Lawton, Frank D 304
Machado. J. D 494
Mackinnon, J. D 316
Mayer, H. C 316
Miles, J. Euclid 210
Mil'er, R. M 264
Mitchell, H. L 488
Morris, Alf 210
Nellis, Clarence J 431
Odell, S. W 381
Palmer, W. M 447
Petsch, Adolph 457
Pico, Andres 75
Pico, Pio 100
Pierce, Grace Adele 439
Putnam, R. G 482
Quinn. Bernard 407
Rebok, H. M 264
Reel, Abe S 210
Rile, H. F 443
Rindge, Frederick H 129
Sepulveda, Jose Dolores 132
Serra, Junipero 15
Shive'y. Daniel 414
Shively. Sarah L 415
Sloat, John D 65
Smith, N. R., D.D.S 433
Smith, P. H 495
Snyder, Gco. D 210
Snyder, W. P 264
Stearns, Don Abel 106
Stockton. Robert F 67
Taft, Fred H 376
Taft, Stephen H 344
Tanner, R. R 230
Taylor, Rev. and Mrs. George 411
Taylor, W. B. B 404
INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES.
Towner, Charles E 154
Trustees, City of Ocean Park 316
Tullis, O. G 385
Turner, Daniel 492
Vallejo. Gen. M. G 58
Vawter, E. J - • 160
Vawter, E. J., Jr 262
Vawter, W. D 140
Vawter, W. S 184
Wells, G. Wiley 134
Wyant. A. H 351
INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES.
Alton, Daniel 397
Archer. A. N 399
Armstrong. R. W 481
Badillo. P. M 509
Baida. N. G 462
Raker. Robert S 142
Baker, E. H 481
Bandini, Juan 463
Bane. Ralph 441
Barrows, H. D 391
Berkley. S. L. 408
Bishop. B. R 481
Blanchard. J. D 412
Boehme, Geo. C 455
Boehme, Geo 402
Bontty, E. F 441
Bouck, C. A 432
Brice, J. L 428
Brickner. John 462
Brooks, F. W 442
Browne, J. D. H 434
Bundy, F. E 383
Bundy. Nathan 431
Busier, A 382
Calkins. A. H 419
Carrillo, J. J 180
Carpenter, Stephen 477
Case, L. H., M.D 437
Chapin, E. K 495
Chapman. W. R 472
Cheney, C. C 512
Clark. Joseph H 359
Collins, Mrs. Catharine 461
Connelly, T. J 454
Corey, Geo. W., M.D 465
Crane, H. M 489
Dales, C. S 453
Dales, E. V 470
1 )ales, John B 454
Davis. J. J 450
Davis. Orin, M.D 395
Devore, W. E 471
Dike, E. W 357
Dobbings. J. H 453
Dobson. R. C 460
Dollard. Robert 417
Dow, R. H 429
Dudley, T. H 427
Kakins, H. B 430
Edinger, C. L 491
Finch, F. J 492
Foster, G. W 448
French. J. G 509
Gillis, W. T 381
Gird. E. C 421
Griffith, Elijah 423
Griffith, Hester T 423
Grigsby. Tas. H 475
Grimes, R. R 413
Goodrich, L. B 493
Goetz, H. X 401
Gtiidinger. A. M 471
Guntrup. John 455
Hamilton, N. H.. M.D 369
Hammond, 'H. N 421
Hancock. A. K 473
Hawe, Rev. P 362
Hemingway, J. C 394
Hodgson. J. 0 418
Ho'lwedel. H. C 49O
Holt, D. G 479
Hudson. M. L 425
Hull, W. 1 367
Hunt, J. S., M.D 476
Hunter, Benj. S 4'6
Houston, H. E 467
Hntton. George H 361
Tngersoll. L. G 468
Ingersoll. L. . A 446
Jackson, Arthur E 459
Jackson, William 365
Jewett, O. W 385
Jones. John Percival 157
Tohnston. A. F 360
Keener, J. P 487
Kendall. W. M., M.D 510
Kennedy. J. W 510
Kimball, Mvron H 37'
Kinney, Abbott 327
Kirkelie. O. A 490
Langdon, F. C 389
Lawton, Frank 435
Le Bas, Charles 375
Limit. J 478
London, J. A 486
Lowe, Thomas R 435
Machado. J. D 494
Mayer, H. C 469
McClellan, R. F 409
Meloy, Daniel 400
INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES.
Meloy, H. T 461
Metcalf, John 403
Miles, Elam C 438
Miles, J. Euclid 374
Mitchell, H. L 4^8
Montgomery, A. M 384
Morris, Alf 451
Mundell, Walter 449
Nellis, C. J 431
O'Callasrhan, Rev. J. A 456
Odell, S. W 381
Palmer, W. M 447
Parrish, I. E 413
Parrish, W. F 410
Petsch, Ado'ph 457
Pevcler, J. J 511
Phillips. R. A 511
Pierce, Grace A 439
Procter. J. B 483
Pruess, E. A 443
Putnam, R. G 482
Qninn. Bernard 407
Rile. H. F 443
Rindge. Frederick Hastings 128
Rogers. C. W 445
Sawtelle, W. E 364
Sepnlveda. Jose Dolores 512
Seymour, J. J 387
Schofield. Tom 440
Schnltz, Henry 488
Sclnitte. G. W 464
Sibley, Mrs. Geo 474
Simpson, J. D 458
Shiveley, Daniel 414
Smale, J. B. E 456
Smith, W. S., M.D 511
Smith, J. L 466
Smith. N. R., D.D.S 433
Smith, P. H 495
Snyder, W. P 467
Snyder, Geo. D 366
Sonnesyn, P. H 485
Stanwood, John A 377
Smnmerfield, K. B 390
Taft. Fred H 376
Taft, S. H 496
Talkington, S. N 438
Talkington, J. S 406
Tanner, R. R 373
Taylor, W. B. B 405
Taylor. Rev. George 411
Todd, J. W 388
Towner, C. C 493
Towner, C. E 363
Tttllis, O. G 385
Turner, Daniel 492
Vache, A 475
Valenzuela, Jose 478
Van Tress, B. F 422
Vawter, Aramatha Charlotte. 162; Charles Knowlton, .165; Edwin James, 164; Edwin James, Jr., 165; Emma Knowlton. 164; Jane Cra ven, 162; May, 162; Mary Ellen, 161 ; Williamson Dunn, 169; Wil liam S 162
Watkeys, L. C 482
Wells, G. Wiley 378
Westover, O. S 484
Wilber, H. P 48s
Woodruff, W. W 476
Wyant, A. H 426
GLOSSARY.
Ahadcsa. Abbess.
Abajenos. Inhabitants of Southern Cali fornia.
Acequia. Ditch, canal. A.'Dois. Good bye, (God be with you). Adobe. Black adhesive soil. Adobes. Suhdried bricks of adobe. Agua. Water. Aguardiente. Brandy. Alameda. Walk under trees. Alabado. Hymn in praise of the sacrament. Alcalde mayor. Magistrate of a district. Aliso. Alder tree. Alta. Upper, above. Amo. Master, owner. Arroyo. A small stream. Ayuntamiento. Municipal council. Rahia. Bay. Rando. Edict. Baja. Below, lower. Ridarka. Skin boat. Bienes. Property. Blanco. White. Boca. Mouth. Bonita. Pretty.
Rrazo de mar. Arm of the sea. Rrea. Pitch.
Rronco. Unbroken horse. Bin-no. Good.
Buenos dias. Good morning. Caba'lo. Horse. Cabo. Cape. Caion. Box. chest. Calle. Street. Camino. Way. Campana. Bell. Campanula. Small bell. Campo. Field.
Canada. Glen or dale between mountains. Campo santo. Graveyard. Canon. A tube, deep ravine. Capilla. Chapel. Carreta. Cart. C'arta. Letter, chart. Casa Grande. Large house. Castillo. Castle, fort. Catalina. Catherine. Cienega. A marsh. Cigarritos. Cigarets. Ciiulad. City. Comandante. Commander. Compadre. Friend, comrade, godfather. Comisario. Commisary, a treasury official. Concepcion. Conception.
Coyote. A small California wolf.
Corbata. Cravat.
Corral. A pen for live stock, or for poultry.
Cuero. Hide of cattle or horses.
Dehesas. Pasture lands.
Dias. Days.
Diablo. Devil.
Dinero. Money.
Diego. James.
Diputacion. Deputy, committee.
Dolores. Sorrows.
Don. Mr.
Dona. Mistress.
Embarcadero. Place of embarkation.
Enchiladas. Cornmeal cakes in chile sauce.
Enfermo. Sick.
Encino. Oak.
Engano. Deceit, mistake, fraud.
Ensenada. Creek, small bay.
Espanol. Spanish.
Entrada. Entrance, invasion, incursion.
Escoltas. Mission guard.
Escondido. Hidden.
Escrito. Writing or written.
Estado. State.
Fandango. Dance.
Fierro. Branding iron.
Fiesta. Feast Day.
Frey. Father of a religious order.
Frijoles. Beans.
Fuego. Fire.
F'imos. Smoky.
Galeria. Galley.
Canado. Live stock, cattle.
Gefepolitico. Political chief.
Gente de Razon. Spaniards and Mexicans —
distinguished from Indians. Gobenador. Governor. Gracias. Favors, thanks, eraces. Hacienda. Country home. Hambre. Hunger. Hermano. Brother. Hermoso. Handsome. Herrar. To brand. Hidalgo. One of gentle birth. Hija. Daughter. Hijos del pais. Native sons. Sons of the
country. Hombre. Man Isla. Isle.
Juez del campo. Judge of the plains. Tugador. Gambler. Junta. Assembly.
GLOSSARY.
Juramento. Oath.
Lagnna. Small lake.
Legua. League.
Libros. Books.
Llano. Plain.
Llavero. Keeper of the keys. In the mis sions, the store keeper.
Lomeras. Ridges of hills, or mountains.
Maclre. Mother.
Maestro. Master.
Mai. Evil, complaint.
Mariana. Morning, tomorrow.
Manteca. Tallow.
Mantilla. Head cover for women.
Mariposa. Butterfly.
Maromeros. Rope dancers.
Matanza. Slaughter-yard.
Major-domo. Steward, overseer.
Mecate. Mexican for rope.
Medio real. Half a real, or 6}/j cents.
Memorias. Memoranda.
Metate. A curved grinding stone.
Mejicano. Mexican.
Mezcal. A liquor made from the maguey plant.
Molino. Mi'l.
Morro. Steep cliff.
Mesa. Table land.
Milpas. Indian corn-fields.
Muchacho. Boy.
Negro. Black.
Xeolita. A converted Indian.
Xoclie. Night.
Nuestra Senor. Our Lord.
Xnestra Sefiora. Our Lady.
Nuestra Senora d" Los Angeles. Our Lady of the Angels.
Nuevo. New.
Ojo. Eye.
Oleo. The sacred oil.
Olla. A round earthen pot.
Orden. Order, command.
Ordenanza. Ordinances.
Orejano. Wild. Res orejano de fierro. Cattle marked on the ears.
Oso. Bear.
Oro. Gold.
Padre. Father.
Pais. Country.
Palacio. Palace.
Pasajes. Valleys.
Patio. Court.
Peon. A game at dice.
Pinole. Drink of cornmeal, water and sugar.
Pinos. Pine.
Playa. Sea beach. Plaza. Square, market place. Pobladores. Settlers, founders of a town. Poco. Little.
"Pozole. Beans boiled with corn or wheat. Potrero. Pasture. Pozo. Spring.
Presidio. Garrison.
Primo. First.
Pronunciamento. Proclamation.
Propriedad. Proprietorship, etc.
Pueb'o. City.
Publica. Public.
Puerto. Port, harbor.
Rnmada. A bush house, or shed.
Rancheria. An Indian village.
R-Michita. Small ranch.
Rancho. Farm, range.
Realistas. Royalists.
Real. Spanish coin worth T2'/> cents.
Reata. A rope of rawhide for lassoing
cattle.
Rebosa. Shawl. Worn over the head. Rcglemento. Regulation. Realengo. Royal, kingly. Rcgidor. Alderman. Director. Revolucionario. Revolutionist. Roble. Oak tree. Rio. River.
Rodeo. Rounding up of cattle. Salinas. Salt marshes. Seco. Dry.
Scguridad. Safety, securely. Sierra Nevada. Ridge of mountains covered
with snow.
Sierra. Ridge of mountains. Silla. Chair, or saddle. Silla vaquera. Saddle used by vaquero. Sitio. Small stock range. Soherano. Sovereign, supreme. Sobrante. Residue, left over. Soldado. Soldier. Sombrero. Hat. Suertes. Fields. Surefios. Southerners. Tamale. Indian meal dumpling stuffed with
minced meat, chicken, etc. Tasajo. Jerked beef.
Tecolcro. Master of ceremonies at a ball. Tecolotc. Species of owl. Temblor. Shake. Temblor de tierra. Earthquake. Terreno. Ground. Testigo. Witness. Tonto. Stupid, foolish. Tortillas. Little cakes, pancakes. Trabaj adores. Laborers. Tule. Reed, native grown. Tuna. Cactus plant. Vaquero. Cow herder. Vara. Rod, staff, yard measure. Venta. Sale mark of cattle. Violincito. A small fiddle. Vinero. One who cares for vines. Vocal. Voting member of a corporation. Vino. Wine.
Visitador. Visiter, surveyor. Yerba. Herb. Zanja. Irrigating ditch. Zanjero. One in charge of a zanja.
JOHN C. FREMONT.
Brief History of California.
CHAPT>-
his
.
'•.<• the iskmd
• . •
•Fiimanded 1>\
-hore at Jalisco. The •
h
'-land and landed Vnmvn as
iierc iiniiitcz and twenty CM' his followers were
of the il!-f;ii: <iavi-
n they rt.-porte'l tlie disc' -land
Brief History of California.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY.
R
OMANCE enters into the story of California with its very beginning. When Gondalez de Sandoval, in 1 524, gave to Cortes an account of a wonderful island ten days to the westward from the Pacific Coast of Mexico, inhabited by women only and exceedingly rich in pearls and gold, he no doubt derived his information from Montalvo's romance, " Sergas de Esplandian." Cortes seems to have given credence to his lieutenant's story and to have kept in view the discovery of this wonderful island, Cali fornia. The discovery of what is now known as the peninsula of Lower California, but which was then supposed to be an island, by Fortuna Jiminez, in 153-1, no doubt confirmed in Cortes' mind the truth of Sandoval's story, told him a decade before. For did not the island of Jiminez, like the island of Montalvo's fiction, lie on the right hand of the Indies, or where the Indies were then supposed to be ? Pearls . were found on it and gold and the Amazons must be there, too.
Fortuna Jiminez, the discoverer of Lower California, was chief pilot on one of the ships which Cortes, in 1533, fitted out to explore the northwest coast of Mexico. A mutiny broke out on the ship commanded by Becerro de Men- doza. He was killed and his friends forced to go on shore at Jalisco. The muti neers, commanded by Jiminez, sailed westerly away from the coast of the main land. After several days of sailing out of sight of the main land, they discov ered what they supposed to be an island and landed at what is now known as La Paz. in Lower California. There Jiminez and twenty of his followers were killed by the Indians ; the few survivors of the ill-fated crew managed to navi gate the vessel back to Jalisco, where they reported the discovery of an island rich in pearls.
4 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
Cortes, hearing the report and probably believing the island to be the Cali fornia of the story, fitted out an expedition to colonize it. With three ships and a number of soldiers and settlers, he landed in May, 1535, at the place where Jiminez was killed, which he named Santa Cruz ; but instead of an island peo pled with women who lived after the manner of Amazons and whose arms and trappings were made of gold, he found a sterile country inhabited by the most abject and degraded of beings. Disaster after disaster fell upon the unfortu nate colony. Some of the ships sent to bring supplies were wrecked and others driven out of their course. Some of the colonists died from starvation before the supplies reached them and others from over-eating afterwards. After two •"ears of struggling against misfortune, Cortes abandoned the attempt and the wretched colonists were brought back to Mexico. Thus ended the first effort to colonize California.
Some time between 1535 and 1537 the name California was applied to the land still supposed to be an island ; but whether Cortes applied it in the hope of encouraging his colonists or whether the country was so named in derision, is not known. The name was subsequently applied to all the land along the Pa cific Coast northward to 42 degrees, the limit of the Spanish possessions.
The vast unexplored regions to the northward of that portion of Mexico which he had conquered had a fascination for Cortes. He dreamed of finding in them empires vaster and richer than those he had already subdued. For years he fitted out expeditions by sea and by land to explore this terra incognita ; but failure after failure wrecked his hopes and impoverished his purse. The last of the parties was the one commanded by Francisco de Ulloa, who in 1539 sailed up the Gulf of California on the Sonora side to its head, and then down the inner coast of Lower California to the cape at its extremity, which he doubled and sailed thence northward to Cabo de Engano (Cape of Deceit.) Here the two vessels of the expedition, after being tossed and buffeted by head winds, parted company in a storm. The smaller returned to Santiago. Of the other which was directly under Ulloa's command, nothing is definitely known — nor of Ulloa's fate. The only thing accomplished by this voyage was to demon strate that California was a peninsula, although even this fact was not fully accepted for two centuries after this. Cortes returned to Spain in 1540, where after vainly trying to obtain from the King some recognition of his services and some recompense for his outlay, he died — a disappointed and impoverished man.
The next voyage which had anything to do with the discovery and explora tion of California was that of Hernando de Alarcon. With two ships he sailed from Acapulco, May 9, 1540, up the Gulf of California. His object was to co operate with Coronado. The latter, with an army of 400 men, had marched from Culiscan, April 22, 1540, to discover and conquer the "Seven Cities of Cibola," which the romancing friar, Marcos de Niza, "led by the Holy Ghost"
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 5
and blessed with a fertile imagination, claimed to have seen somewhere in the wilds of what is now Arizona. Alarcon, at the head of the gulf, discovered the mouth of a great river. Up this stream, which he named Buena Guia — now the Colorado — he claimed to have sailed eighty-five leagues. He was probably the first white man to set foot in the territory now included in the State of California.
While Coronado was still absent in search of the Seven Cities, and of Quivera, a country rich in gold, lying somewhere in the interior of the continent, the successor of Cortes entered into a compact with Pedro de Alvarado, Gov ernor of Guatemala, who had a fleet of ships lying at anchor in the harbor of Natividad, Mexico, to unite their forces in an extensive scheme of exploration and conquest. An insurrection broke out among the Indians of Jalisco and in trying to suppress it Alvarado was killed. The return of Coronado dispelled the myths of Cibola and Quivera and put an end, for the time, to further ex ploration of the interior regions to the north of Mexico.
On the death of Alvarado, his successor, Mendoza, placed five ships under the command of Ruy Lopez de Villalobas and sent them to the Islas de Poniente (Isles of the Setting Sun — now Philippines) to establish trade. Two ships of the fleet, under the command of Juan Roderiguez Cabrillo, were sent to explore the northwest coast of the Pacific. He sailed from Natividad June 27, 1542; on August 3ofh they reached Cabo de Engano, the most northern point of Ulloa's exploration. Continuing his voyage along the coast, he discovered a number of bays and islands. On Sept. 23, 1542, Cabrillo entered a fine bay called by him San Miguel, now San Diego Bay. After three days further sailing he sighted the islands which he named San Salvador and Vitoria, after his vessels, now Catalina and San Clemente. From these islands he crossed to the main land on Oct. 8th and entered a bay which he named Bahia de los Fumos (Bay of Smokes), now San Pedro Bay. After entering a bight, supposed to have been Santa Monica, he continued northwestward, passed through the Santa Bar bara channel and discovered the islands of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel. Going on up the coast, he found a long narrow point of land extend ing into the sea, which from its resemblance to a galley boat, he called Cabo de la Galeria, now Point Conception. November i7th he doubled Point of Pines and entered Monterey Bay, which he called Bahia de los Pinos (Bay of Pines.) Finding it impossible to land on account of the heavy seas, he proceeded north ward until he reached 40 degrees, north latitude, as he estimated. On account of cold weather and storms he turned back and ran down to San Miguel, where he decided to winter. Here, from the effects of a fall, he died Jan. 3, 1543, and was buried on the island. His companions renamed the island Juan Roderiguez, after their brave commander; but he did not retain even this small honor. The discoverer of California sleeps in an unknown grave.
6 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
The command devolved on the chief pilot, Bartolome Ferrelo, who prose cuted the voyage with a courage and daring equal to that shown by Cabrillo. On Feb. 28th he discovered a point of land which he named Cape Mendocino in honor of the Viceroy. Passing this cape, he encountered a furious storm, which drove him violently to the northeast and greatly endangered his ships. On March 1st the fogs lifted and he saw Cape Blanco in the southern part of what is now Oregon. The weather continuing stormy and the cold increasing, Ferrelo was compelled to turn. back. Off the coast of San Clemente the ships were driven apart and did not come together again until they reached the Cerros Islands. In sore distress for provisions they arrived at Natividad, April 18, 1543.
The next navigator who visited California was Sir Francis Drake, an Eng lishman. He was not so much seeking new lands as trying to find a way of escape from capture by the Spanish. Francis Drake, the sea-king of Devon and one of the bravest of men, sailed from Plymouth Dec. 13, 1577, in com mand of a fleet of five small vessels on a privateering expedition against the Spanish settlements of the Pacific Coast. When he sailed out of the Straits of Magellan into the South Sea, he had but one ship left, all the others had been lost or had turned back. With this small vessel he began a career of plunder ing among the Spanish settlements that for boldness, daring and success has had no equal in the world's history. The quaint chronicler of the voyage sums up the proceeds of his raids at "eight hundred and sixty-five thousand pesos of silver, a hundred thousand pounds of gold and other things of great worth." Plundering as he moved, he reached the port of Guatulco on the coast of Oaxaca. Surfeited with spoils and with his ship laden to her fullest capacity, it became a necessity for him to find a new way home. In the language of the chronicler, "He thought it was not good to return by the straits, lest the Span iards should attend for him in great numbers." So he sailed away to the north ward to find the Straits of Anian, which were supposed to connect the North Pacific with the Atlantic. For two hundred years after the discovery of Amer ica, navigators searched for that mythical passage. Drake, keeping well out to sea, sailed northward for two months. The cold, the head winds and the leaky condition of his craft compelled him to turn back and he sailed clown the coast until he found a safe harbor under the lee of a promontory, now Point Reyes. Here he repaired his ship, took formal possession of the country in the name of his sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, and named it New Albion, from a fancied re semblance to his homeland. He had his chaplain, Parson Fletcher, preach a sermon to the natives ; this did not greatly impress them, we are told, but they took delight in the psalm singing. After a stay of thirty-six days, on July 23d, 1579, Drake sailed for England and after nearly three years of absence, during which he had circumnavigated the globe, he reached home safely and was knighted bv Elizabeth.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
Sixty years passed after Cabrillo's voyage before another Spanish explorer visited California. The chief object of Sebastian Viscaino's voyage was to find a harbor of refuge for the Philippine galleons. These vessels on their return voy age sailed northward until they struck the Japan current, which they followed across the ocean until they reached the vicinity of Cape Mendocino, then sailed along the coast to Acapulco. Viscaino started from Acapulco May 5, 1602, with three ships and 160 men. Following substantially the course that Cabrillo had taken, he anchored in Cabrillo's Bay of San Miguel, which he called San Diego, in honor of his flagship. He remained there ten days, then proceeded up the coast and on the 26th anchored in a bay which he called Ensenada de San Andreas, now San Pedro. He visited Cabrillo's San Salvador, to which he gave the present name of Santa Catalina and changed the name of Vitoria to San Clemente. He gave the name of Santa Barbara to that channel and visited the channel islands. He saw many towns on the mainland and the natives came off in their canoes and visited the vessels. On Dec. i6th Viscaino entered Monterey Bay, as he named it in honor of the Viceroy who had fitted out- the expedition. The scurvy had broken out on ship and sixteen men were already dead. The San Tomas was sent back to Acapulco with the sick; with his two remaining vessels Viscaino continued his voyage northward, reaching Cape Blanco. But at this point he, too, was compelled to turn backward. The scurvy had made fearful inroads on his crews and after eleven months' absence, Vis caino reached Mazlatan, having lost nearly half of his crew. He wrote the King a glowing account of the Bay of Monterey and the surrounding country, which he pictured as almost a terrestrial paradise. His object was to induce the King to establish a settlement on Monterey Bay. In this he was doomed to disap pointment ; delay followed delay until hope vanished. Finally, in 1606, orders came from Philip III to the Viceroy to fit out immediately an expedition for the occupation and settlement of Monterey, of which Viscaino was to be the com mander. In the midst of his preparations for carrying out the dearest object of his life, Viscaino died and the expedition was abandoned. Had it not been for the untimely death of this explorer, a colonv would have been planted upon the Pacific coast of California, a year before the first settlement was made on the Atlantic coast of North America.
Two hundred and twenty-seven years had passed since the ships of Cabrillo had first cut the waters that lap the shores of Alta California and yet through all these years the interior of the vast country whose seacoast he had visited remained unknown. For more than two centuries the Manila galleons had sailed down the coast on their return voyage from the islands; yet after the death of Viscaino no other attempt had been made to find a refuge on the Cali fornia coast for the storm tossed and scurvy afflicted mariners of the Philippine trade.
CHAPTER II.
COLONIZATION.
THE Jesuits began their work among the degraded inhabitants of Lower California in 1697. Under their devoted leaders, Salvatierra, Kino, Ugarte, Piccolo, and their successors, they had founded sixteen missions upon the peninsula. Father Kino, besides his missionary labors, had made, be tween 1697 and 1702, explorations around the head of the Gulf of California and up the Colorado to the mouth of the Gila, which had clearly demonstrated that the peninsula was a part of the mainland instead of an island as at first believed. Father Kino formed the design of establishing a chain of missions around the head of the gulf and down the inner coast to Cape San Lucas; but did not live to complete his ambitious project. The Jesuit missions of Raja California never grew rich in flocks and herds. The country was barren and the few fertile val leys around the missions gave the padres and neophytes, at best, but a frugal return for their labors.
For years there had been growing up in Spain a strong hostility to the Jesuits which finally resulted in the issuance of a decree by Carlos III, in 1767, banishing the order from that country and from its American possessions. With out previous warning, the monks in Lower California were compelled to aban don their missions and were hurried from the country. At the head of the Fran ciscan order, to whom the abandoned missions were turned over, came Father Junipero Serra, a man of indomitable will and energy. Don Jose Galvez, vis- itaclor-general of New Spain, had been sent to the peninsula to regulate affairs — both secular and ecclesiastical, which had been thrown into disorder by the sud den expulsion of the Jesuits. He also received orders to advance the scheme for the occupation of San Diego and Monterey harbors and the colonization of "Nueva California." Galvez, as soon as he had somewhat systematized matters on the peninsula, set vigorously to work to further the project of occupying the northern territory. Father Serra entered heartily into his plans and church and state worked together harmoniously.
Galvez decided to fit out four expeditions — two by sea and two by land. These were to start at different dates, but were all to unite at San Diego Bay and after occupying that territory, pass on to the harbor of Monterey. On Jan. 9, 1769, the San Carlos sailed from La Paz with sixty-five persons on board, twenty- five of whom were soldiers under Lieutenant Pages. She carried supplies for eight months. On the I5th of February, the San Antonio sailed from Cape S. Lucas, with two friars and a few mechanics on board. The first land expedition
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 9
/
started from Yelicata, the most northern settlement in Lower California, March 24th. It was commanded by Rivera y Moncada and consisted of twenty-five sol diers, forty-two natives, with Padres Crespi and Canizar^s. The last expedi tion, which was under the immediate command of Caspar ue Portala, Governor of the Californias, left Velicata May I5th. It consisted of ten soldiers, with a band of Lower Californians, and was accompanied by Father Serra.
The San Antonio, although the last to sail, was the first to arrive at its des tination, casting anchor in San Diego Bay, April 11, 1769. The San Carlos, after a most disastrous voyage, drifted into the bay on April 29th. The crew were prostrated with scurvy and it was with difficulty that a boat was manned to go ashore. The sick were landed, but when the scourge had run its course, few were left. Moncada's land expedition, after an uneventful march, reached San Diego May I4th. On the first day of July Portala's command arrived and the four divisions, aggregating 126 persons who were expected to remain in the country, were united. The ravages of scurvy had so depleted the crews of the two vessels that only enough men remained to man one vessel. The San Antonio was sent back to San Bias for supplies and another crew for the San Carlos. A third vessel, the San Jose, had been fitted out by Galvez and loaded with supplies for the missionaries ; but she was never heard from after the day of sailing.
On July 1 6th, Father Serra formally founded the first mission in Nueva California, which was dedicated to San Diego de Alcala — St. James of Alcala — a Franciscan friar who died in 1463 and was canonized in 1588. On July I4th Governor Portala, with Padres Crespi and Gomez and a force made up of sol diers and Indians of Lower California, numbering in all sixty-five persons, set out from San Diego to go overland to Monterey Bay and there found the intended mission and settlement. The route of the expedition was mainly along the coast, with an occasional divergence inland. On August 2nd they camped on the future site of Los Angeles. Along the coast of Santa Barbara channel they found pop ulous Indian villages and were everywhere welcomed by the natives of the coun try. The explorers passed by Monterey Bay without recognizing it from the description of Viscaino, and traveled along the coast to the north. On Nov. 2nd some of the hunters of the party climbed a hill and saw an "arm of the sea." This was the body of water we now know as San Francisco Bay. Their pro visions were exhausted and many were sick. In consequence it was decided to turn back and the party reached San Diego again in January, 1770. Portala's expedition had failed in its object to found a mission on the bay of Monterey, but it had accomplished a far greater feat — it had discovered San Francisco Bay.
In April, 1770, Portala again set out for Monterey, with a force of twenty- five soldiers and natives. At the same time Father Serra sailed on the San An tonio for the bay. On June 3, 1770, the mission of San Carlos Borremeo de Monterey was formally established on the beach, with solemn ceremonies, ac-
10 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
companied by the ringing of bells and the crack of musketry and roar of cannon. Father Serra conducted the services and Governor Portala took possession of the country in the name of the King of Spain, Carlos III. A presidio or fort of palisades was erected and a few huts built. Portala, having formed the nucleus of a settlement, turned over the command of the territory to Pages and sailed to Lower California on the San Antonio. This was the end of his term as Gov ernor.
PRESIDIOS AND PUEBLOS.
For the protection of the missions and to prevent foreigners from entering California, military posts, called presidios, were established at San Diego, Monte rey, Santa Barbara and San Francisco. These enclosures were in the form of a square and were surrounded by adobe walls ten or twelve feet high. Within were the officers' quarters, the barracks for the soldiers, a guard house, chapel, granaries, and storehouses. A military force, usually consisting of one cor pany, was stationed at each post under the command of a colonel or lieutenant. The largest force was kept at Monterey, the capital of the territory. The Gov ernor, or commandante-general who, under Spanish rule was always an army officer, was commander-in-chief of the troops in the territory. The principal service of the soldiers was to keep in check the neophytes, to protect the mis sions from the incursions of the "gentiles," as the wild Indians were known, and to capture neophytes who had escaped to their unconverted relatives.
The mission fathers were opposed to the colonization of the country by white people. They well knew that the bringing of a superior race of people into contact with the lower would result in the demoralization of the inferior race. As rapidly as they could found missions, they arrogated to themselves all tlv choice lands within the vicinity of each establishment. A settler could not ob tain a grant of land from the public domain if the padres of the nearest mission opposed the action. The difficulty of obtaining supplies from Mexico for the soldiers of the presidios, necessitated the founding of agricultural colonies. Pre vious to 1776 the Governor of "Las Californias" as the country from Cape San Lucas to the most northern point of the Spanish possessions was known, re sided at Loreto, in Lower California. In that year the territory was divided into two districts and a governor appointed for each. Felipe de Neve was made Governor of Nueva California, of which Monterey was designated as the capital, and Rivera y Moncada was appointed Governor of Lower California to reside at Loreto.
Hitherto all expeditions to Nueva California had come either by the coast route, up the peninsula, or by sea. In 1774 Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, commander of the Tubac presidio of Sonora, was ordered to explore a route by way of the Gila and Colorado rivers overland to Monterey. With a party of
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 11
thirty-four men, he made the Jornada, crossing the desert, entering the San Ber nardino Valley through the San Gorgonio Pass and reaching San Gabriel. On his return to Sonora, he recruited a second expedition composed of soldiers, set tlers and their families — in all over three hundred persons, who were designed to found a mission and a presidio on San Francisco Bay. After a long and toil some journey this party reached California in 1776. On the I7th of Septembc 1776, the presidio of San Francisco was formally established and on October gth the mission, christened for the founder of the Franciscan order, was founded.
Governor de Neve, on his journey overland in 1777 from Loreto to Monte rey, was instructed to examine the country from San Diego northward and se lect locations for agricultural settlements. He chose two colony sites, one on the Ric de Porciuncula, where Portala's expedition had camped in 1769 and to which he had given the name of "Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles," and the other on the Rio de Guadalupe in the northern section of the territory. Here, Nov. 29, 1777, Governor de Xeve founded the Pueblo de San Jose. The col onists were nine soldiers from the presidios of Monterey and San Francisco and five settlers of Anza's expedition. These, with their families, made a total of sixty-six. The site of the pueblo was about a mile north of the present city of San Jose. Each settler was given a tract of irrigable land, a soldier's rations and ten dollars per month. Each head of a family received a yoke of oxen, two horses, two cows, a mule, two sheep and two goats, a few farming implements and seed for the first sowing. The colonists were to reimburse the royal treas ury for all the articles furnished them except their rations and monthly pay, the payments to be made in installments from the products of their industry.
The Spanish government had an elaborate code of laws governing the es tablishment and management of pueblos. These were applied with small mod ification to all new pueblos, whatever their location and conditions. Each pueblo must contain four square leagues of land, which was divided into planting fields, allotted to the colonists : lands retained by the municipality for renting ; a com mon pasture for the use of all, and a portion of land reserved for the state, used for raising revenues. Wood and water were communal property. The pueblo was governed by a semi-civil, semi-military official known as the comisionaclo. There was also an alcalde, who was a mayor and petty judge. A guard of sol diers were kept at the guard house, partly for protection against the Indians and partly to preserve the peace in the pueblo.
In 1779 Rivera y Moncada, the Governor of Lower California, was instructed to recruit in Sonora and Sinaloa settlers for the founding of a pueblo on the Rio Porciuncula and soldiers for the founding of a presidio and mission on the Santa Barbara channel. The settlers were to receive each $106.50 for two years and $60 for the next three years, the payment to be in clothing and other neces sary articles at cost price ; also live stock, farming implements and seeds. These
12 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
liberal offers secured but few recruits and those of poor quality. After a year Rivera had obtained but fourteen settlers. Two of these deserted before the company left Sonora and one was left behind at Loreto when, in April, 1781, the expedition began to march up the peninsula. The colonists under command of Lieut. Zuniga arrived at San Gabriel, August i8th, where they remained until Sept. 4th. The eleven settlers and their families — forty-four persons in all, es corted by Gov. de Neve and a small guard of soldiers and accompanied by the priests of San Gabriel Mission, on Sept. 4, 1781, proceeded to the site previously selected for the pueblo. This was on the right bank of the Rio Porciuncula near the spot where Portala's explorers had celebrated the feast of Nuesta Seiiora de Los Angeles de Porciuncula, from which circumstances was derived the name of the pueblo and the river. A plaza, seventy-five by one hundred varas was laid off on the mesa above the river as the center of the settlement. A mass was said by the priests of the mission, a procession was formed and marched around the plaza, the soldiers bearing the imperial standard of Spain and the women the image of "Our Lady of the Angels." The priests blessed the plaza and the house lots. The services over, the Governor and his escort took their departure and the colonists were left to work out their destiny. Another pueblo called Branciforte was founded in 1797 near Santa Cruz, but never prospered. The settlers were discharged soldiers, unused to labor and averse to acquiring indus trious habits.
A few grants of land were made to private citizens, but substantially, during the Spanish era, all the land outside of the pueblos used for grazing or for culti vation was held by the missions. The commerce of California at this period was limited to the ships of the missions which usually came twice a year from San Bias with supplies for the missions and presidios and took away the few commer cial products of the country, such as otter skins, hides and tallow of cattle. About 1800 the American smugglers began to come to the coast. The vessels engaged in this trade were principally from Boston and were fast sailing craft. They exchanged Yankee notions for otter skins. The authorities tried to suppress this illicit traffic, but were not often successful, as the vessels were heavily armed and when not able to escape the revenue officers, by speed or strategem, were not averse to fighting their way out.
Of the long and bloody struggle for Mexican independence, beginning with the insurrection led by the patriot priest, Hidalgo, in 1810, and continuing under various leaders for eleven years, but little was known in California. The men who filled the office of territorial governor during the years of the fratricidal struggle — Arrilliga, Argiiella and Sola, were royalists and so were the mission padres, nearly all of whom were Spanish born. The soldiers and the common people knew but little about what was going on in the world beyond and cared less.
The one event that disturbed the placidity of life during the closing years
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 13
of the Spanish rule was the appearance on the coast of Bouchard, the privateer, with two frigates heavily armed. Bouchard was a Frenchman cruising under letters of Marque from the insurgent government of Buenos Ayres, against the Spanish. He entered the harbor of Monterey, Nov. 21, 1818, probably to ob tain supplies, but being coldly received, he fired upon the fort. The Californians made a brave resistance, but were finally overpowered. Bouchard sacked and burned the town. He next appeared at Ortega's Rancho, where he burned the buildings. Here the Californians captured three prisoners, who were exchanged next day when Bouchard anchored off Santa Barbara for one Californian whom the insurgents had captured at Monterey. Bouchard next visited San Juan Cap- istrano, where his "pirates" drank the padres' wine, then he took his departure from California. Four of Bouchard's men were left and became permanent resi dents — Joseph Chapman, an American, and Fisher, a negro, who were captured at Monterey ; and John Ross, a Scotchman, and Jose Pascual, a negro, who de serted at San Juan. Chapman was the first American resident of Southern Cali fornia. He married Guadalupe Ortega, a daughter of the owner of the Refugio Rancho which was plundered by the insurgents, and settled at the mission San Gabriel. He built there the first flour mill erected in California.
The war of Mexican Independence caused hard times in California. The soldiers received no pay and the mission supply ships came at long intervals. Money was almost an unknown quantity. There were prodvcts to sell, but no one to sell them to except an occasional smuggler, or a tallow ship from Peru.
CHAPTER III.
THE MISSION ESTABLISHMENTS.
IT WAS not the intention of the Spanish government that the mission establishments should continue permanently as missions. According to the law, at the end of ten years from its founding each mission was to be converted into a municipal organization, known as a pueblo, or town ; and the property of the mission, both personal and real, was to be sub-divided among the neophytes of the establishment. But the training which the natives received did not fit them for self-government. They were forced to labor and were instructed in many branches of industry, as well as in the religious ceremonials ; but they received no intellectual training and they made little progress toward self-control. The padres persistently urged that the neophytes were incompetent to use and manage property, and during the time that Cali fornia was subject to Spain no attempt was made to carry out the law and secularize the missions.
In form, the different missions resembled one another. Col. J. J. Warner, thus describes the general form: "A large pile of buildings in the form of a quadrangle, composed partly of burnt brick, but chiefly of sun-dried ones, was erected around a spacious court. A large and capacious church, usually occupying one corner of the quadrangle, was a conspicuous part of the pile. In these buildings, which were covered with red tile, was the habitation of the friars, rooms for guests and for the major-domos and their families, hospital wards, storehouses and granaries."
A guard of four or five soldiers was kept at each mission to control the neophytes. Each establishment held possession of large tracts of land, con tiguous to its buildings. These were divided into ranches, over which roamed large herds and flocks under the charge of Indian vaqueros. The neophytes for the most part were docile and easily managed, and some of the brighter ones were taught mechanical trades and became fairly good blacksmiths, weavers, tanners, shoemakers, saddlers, brick-makers, etc. They certainly accomplished a large amount of labor under the padres and proved themselves capable, with proper supervision, of supporting themselves — and producing a large surplus for the benefit of the church.
The history and present condition of each mission is here presented.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 15
JUNIPERO SERRA.
" The first Apostle of California," Father Junipero Serra, was a humble friar of the Franciscan order when, in 1767, he was appointed presidente general of the missions of the Californias, in charge of the missions of Lower California, and with orders to establish new missions in Upper California. Filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, he prepared with great rejoicing and ^^^^_^^_^_^^^^^__ with excellent good sense, as well, to enter new
territory. For sixteen years he labored inces santly, travelling up and down the coast and visiting the City of Mexico, although he was afflicted with an incurable disease and so lame that he could not move without suffering. He founded nine missions before his death, at which five thousand natives had been baptized.
Less than a year before he died, he made his last journey from San Diego to Monterey, visiting
Jl'XIPERO SERRA.
each of the missions, journeying on foot, sleeping
on the ground, although he was so ill that no one believed he would live to complete the trip. He was most ascetic in his habits, never eating meat ; sleeping upon rough boards, and spending most of the night in prayer ; Palou relates that four days before his death an old Indian woman came to visit the holy father and with his own hand he gave her a blanket. After his death they found that it was half of his own blanket that he had given.
Father Serra was born on the Island of Majorca in 1713: he died at San Carlos Mission, August 29, 1784. and was buried in the church to which he had given so much of his love and thought.
To Junipero Serra and his noble band of assistants California owes the existence of her mission ruins ; but she also owes to these simple, hard-working friars, the beginnings of her industries, the nomenclature of her geography, the distinctiveness of her architecture and the civilization of her savages.
SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA.
The Mission San Diego cle Alcala (Saint James of Alcala), was founded July 16, 1769, by Father Junipero Serra, on an eminence overlooking the Bay of San Diego. A temporary altar was erected beneath the branches of a tree from which bells were swung and loudly rung. Water was blessed, the cross raised, high mass was sung by Father Junipero. The services were attended by the officers and soldiers from the ships and the land forces ; the royal standard was unfurled and the country was formally occupied in the name of Carlos III.
16
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
Several huts were erected, one of which was used as a chapel. The Indians at no time very friendly, became hostile, and on August 15, 1769, made an attack upon the mission, but were repulsed, and a stockade was immediately erected around the camp.
In 1771 Fathers Luis Jayme and Francisco Dumetz came from Mexico and were placed in charge of the mission. In 1774 the location was changed to a point about seven miles up the Valley of the San Diego river. A wooden church was constructed, 18x57 feet in size, roofed with tules, three small adobe buildings used for a store, a blacksmith shop and a dwelling. In 1775 new buildings were erected and a well dug. A ferocious attack was made upon the settlement by the Indians on the night of November 4th, 1775, all the buildings being destroyed and Father Jayme murdered. His body was found naked with twenty arrow wounds in the breast. Jose Manuel Arroyo, the black smith, and the carpenter Ursulino were also killed. All three were buried in the chapel at the Presidio. Fathers de la Pena and Fuster resumed the mission
work, holding services at the
Presidio. Anew lrf ,, , \MM£1 church, strength-
pine timbers and proved was com- A report on the Diego Mission Lasuen, in 1783, church, 9OXI7X 75x161/2 feet; a house for sick for sick men ;
A new ened with heavy otherwise im- pleted in 1 780. condition of San given by Father is as follows : "A 17; a granary, store-house; a
SAX DIEGO DE ALCAI.A.
women ; a house
sheds for wood and oxen ; two horses for the fathers ; a larder ; a guests' room and a kitchen." All were of adobe and with the soldiers' barracks these buildings formed three sides of a quadrangle of 165 feet. The fourth side consisted of an adobe wall fifteen feet high. There was a vat for use in tanning hides, two adobe corrals for sheep and one for cows. These were outside the regular mission enclosure. The cabins of the neophytes were of wood and grass. At this time there were seven hundred and forty neophytes, under missionary care.
In 1793, a substantial granary of adobe, 96x24 feet, was built, and in 1795, the vineyard was surrounded with an adobe wall five hundred yards in length. This year saw also the commencement of an extensive system of irrigating ditches, remains of which can still be seen and constitute a valuable object lesson in ditch construction. About three miles of San Diego river was dammed back with a solid stone clam thirteen feet in thickness and coated with cement that
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 17
became as solid as rock and remains so to this day. In the center of this dam was a gateway from which a stream of water, 12x24 inches, was carried through an aqueduct of tile and resting on a base of cobblestones and cement. This aqueduct for the major portion of the way was laid along the sides of a precipitous gorge and frequently crossed gulches from 15 to 20 feet wide, and as many feet deep.
On May 25th, 1803, an earthquake occurred which damaged the church. In 1804, a new church was begun. It was completed and dedicated November I2th, 1813. It is the ruins of this building that we see today. The remains of Fathers Jayme, Figuer and Mariner were transferred from their old resting place and buried in one grave, though in separate coffins, between the altars of the church, Father Jayme resting nearest the altar of the Blessed Virgin.
From the time of the establishment of San Diego in 1769 to 1834, the date of its secularization, there were 6638 persons baptized, 1879 marriages performed, and 4428 burials. In 1831, the mission owned 8822 head of cattle, 1192 horses and 16,661 head of sheep. There were 1506 Indians on the roll of the mission January 6th, 1846, when an inventory of the mission property was taken. In June of the same year the mission lands were sold to Santiago Argiiello for past services to the United States government. His title was not, however, sustained and in accordance with a decision of the United States Land Commissioners, in 1856, based on the old Spanish law, that divided church property into two classes, sacred and ecclesiastical, and whereby sacred property could not be sold, San Diego Mission was returned to the church. " Sacred property" is defined as that which has been formally consecrated to God, such as churches, church buildings, vessels and vestments. The priests' houses and their gardens were thus included. According to this decision all church property that had been sold by Governor Pio Pico reverted to the church, while the ecclesiastic or mission lands were government property.
San Diego Mission has been in part restored by the Auxiliary to the Land marks Club. The ruins of the old dam, the irrigating system and garden walls are to be seen. Many of the original trees of the olive orchard are still standing and productive. The old olive press is also there. Down at the old town of San Diego may be seen the ruins of the first Presidio buildings, relics of the century past. Two old mission bells hung suspended from a beam outside of one of the origiml buildings.
SAN CARLOS BORREMEO DE MONTEREY.
Mission San Carlos Borremeo de Monterey was founded June 3rd, 1770, on the inner shore of Monterey Bay, where the city of Monterey now stands, 2
18 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
the exact location being marked with the statue of Junipero Serra, erected by the late Mrs. Jane Lathrop Stanford. Near the bay shore stands a cross, indicating the landing place of Fathers Serra and Crespi and near by is the old oak tree upon a branch of which they hung the bell, and under which the christening services were held. The Indians of that locality were more timorous than those of the South, and progress in gaining their confidence was somewhat slow, but within about three years, one hundred and seventy-five had been gathered into the church. The situation and surroundings were not
satisfactory, however, and a few months later the mission was removed about five miles to the mouth of El Carmel river, on the beautiful Bay of Carmel, and while the mission was thereafter known as San Carlos el Carmello, it officially retained its original title.
At this new mission Fathers Serra
and Crespi began the study of the
SAN CARLOS BORREMEO DE MONTEREY. j^j^ ]anguage Rey p^ 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 1 5th of July, A. D. 1 797, aged 35 years ; buried in the Sanctuary, on the gospel side, in the tomb near the wall on the
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
19
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 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 '* was invoiced at only
SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA.
20 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
$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 beer, 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 Rev 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. Xot 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
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
21
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, \vas 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 = that organization
kept up with a lash ! The people
were now di- vided into class-
culturists, brick and tile makers,
musicians, sing- ^— ' ers. tallow melt-
ers, vignerons, SAX GABRIEI, AROANGEU 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 jvere 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
22 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
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 ranches 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
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 23
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.
24 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
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, Zalviclea 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 Jose 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
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 25
(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 ' atolc ' 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 \vomen 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 cle razon,"
26 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
which may mean the Spaniards and their mixed-blooded descendants. Total marriages, 1,955; °f 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; sheep, 15,000, in 1829; goats, 1,380 in 1/85; 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 head 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 Bias 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 Cavalier 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 Cavalier, 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 Cavalier remained alone at his post
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
27
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. Father Luis Martinez labored long and earnestly for the welfare of this mission. He learned the Indian language and gave assistance, both to the troops and to other missions. Squirrels and locusts were extremely troublesome, and one crop was entirely eaten up by mice. In the inventory taken 1836, an item is made of the library and musical instruments, $519, and the total valuation was given at $70,779. On September loth, 1842, Governor Alvarado ordered the lands divided among the neophytes ; and two years later the mission was formed into a pueblo. It was sold the following year (1845) to Scott, Wilson & MrKierey for $510. However, Governor Mason ordered the property returned to the Catholic church.
The mission church is located near the business center of San Luis Obispo, county of the same name, and it is in a good state of repair, being used, as it is, as the parish church.
SA\ I.riS or.ISPO DB TOLOSO.
SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS.
Mission San Francisco de Asis, better known as Mission Dolores, is the sixth mission founded in Alta California, and was formally dedicated October 9th, 1776, by Fathers Palou, Cambon, Nocedal and Pena. Officers and soldiers of the Presidio were present. High mass was sung by Father Palou, the image St. Francis was exhibited, bells were rung, volleys of musketry rent the air, cannons and rockets from the good ship San Carlos, lying in the bay, were fired. The building was a comfortable house of wood, roofed with tules and plastered with clay. It measure'd about 54x30x15 feet. The first chapel blessed was at the presidio, on the I7th of September, on the Feast of Stigmata of St. Francis,
28
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS.
the patron saint of the port and missions, while the mission was named for the patron saint of the Franciscan order.
The name Dolores (sorrow) in this instance signifies the name of a stream or lagoon, a place known as " the willows " by those who came in 1849. This swamp was later filled in and graded, forming the tract that lies between Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Valencia and Howard streets. The corner-stone for
the present church was laid 1782, and by 1795 adobe buildings with tile roofs, forming two sides of a square were completed ; also a ditch protecting the potrero or cattle farm and fields, had been dug.
Weaving looms were constructed by the Indians and a substantial though coarse kind of blanketing, was woven as clothing for the neophytes. Vancouver describes it as " cloth not to be despised, had it received the advantage of fulling." The products made and produced at Dolores Mission were soap, salt, wool, hides, wine, tallow and butter. The garden was not notable for its produce, the reason given being high winds and weather unfavorable to horti culture. The climate proved detrimental to the Indians, and after a fierce epidemic of measles, a new mission known as the " hospital mission " was founded at San Rafael, across the bay, and 590 of the Indians were transferred to this place for a change of climate. Later 322 neophytes were sent to Solano, and it was thought best at one time to discontinue the mission at San Francisco altogether; but the idea met stout opposition from Father President Sarria. Consequently a new mission, known as New San Francisco or Solano, was founded, and the old San Francisco, known as Dolores, was not abandoned. Dolores was not a prosperous mission, and rapidly declined after secularisation. The Fathers baptized 6883 persons and buried 2089. The little church-yard at the side of the mission is small and sad. Few monuments mark the resting places of any of the 2000 and over, who lie sleeping in that small space. A tall shaft marks the grave of the first Mexican governor, Don Luis Antonio Arguello.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO.
The founding of the Mission San Juan Capistrano was accomplished under many discouragements. The first attempt was made by Fathers Lasuen and Amurrio on the igth or the 3Oth of October, 1775. Dates given by Palou and Ortega differ. The first service was held in a hut of branches. A large cross
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
29
SAX JUAN CAPISTRANO.
was erected and blessed, but nothing further was done at that time. The bells of Capistrano were taken down from the tree and buried.
( hi November 1st, 17/6, a second attempt was made by Father Serra. A new altar was erected, mass was celebrated, and the seventh mission of California was founded, upon the site known by the Indians as Sajirit. Capistrano became prosperous, but did not excel either in number of converts or in wealth. In
February, 1797, work was begun on the stone chapel, the ruins of which are standing today. It proved to be one of the grandest church buildings in California. It measured 159x30 feet, was surmounted by a lofty tower, and all was of stone and mortar. The stones were not hewn, but were fitted together in the rough. The church was built with nave and transept with thick walls, and an arched, dome-like roof. Here and there remain evidence of decoration. Ten years ago there still were wooden figures to be seen in many small niches and the carving showing ability and taste. It is to be regretted that these relics were carried away and not placed in the room used as the chapel. The stone church of San Juan Capistrano was dedicated September 7th. 1806. The cere mony lasted three days, and visiting Padnes and Indians came long distances, even as far as from Santa Barbara, to witness the ceremony. But the magnificent building Was doomed to short service, for on the morning of December 8th, 1812. a terrible earthquake shook it to its very foundation, causing the lofty tower to crash down upon the vaulted roof, precipitating the mass of stone and mortar down upon the worshipping congregation — for it was on Sunday morning. About fifty persons were present, and only ten escaped. Excavation for the recovery of the crushed and mangled bodies began at once, but nothing has ever been done toward restoring the building to its former grandeur. Capistrano was secularized in 1833, ar|d even after the loss of the mission church the inventory placed the valuation of the mission at about $55,000; with debts of only $1410. In December, 1845, tne mission buildings were sold to McKinley and Forster for $710.00. Juan Forster was in possession for twenty years, but after extended litigation, the Catholic church regained possession of the property.
SANTA CLARA.
The Mission of Santa Clara was founded January 12th, 1777. by Father Tomas de la Pena, O. S. F. The site was the present Laurel Wood Farm of
30
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
SANTA CLARA.
Peter J. Donahue. The floods of 1778-9, however, obliged the Fathers to look for higher and safer grounds. They selected the " Valley of the Oaks," a location some 150 yards to the southwest of the present Union depot of the town of Santa Clara. At the ceremony of the removal of the Santa Clara Mission to the second location, Father Serra was himself present, and officiated. The structures there were begun November I9th, 1781, and the second
church and buildings were blessed and dedicated on May I5th, 1784. The earthquake of 1812 cracked the walls of the church and the more severe " temblores " of 1818 completed the destruction. A third church was erected upon the present site of the mission church, and was dedicated on August nth, 1822, the eve of Santa Clara. This third church was the work of Father Jose Viader, assisted by Don Ignacio Alviso, as foreman. The original adobe walls of this church were replaced in 1885 by wooden ones. The single belfry, and the facade was replaced in 1862 by the present towers, and the present facades. But the interior, the ornamentations and furnishings are almost intact. These latter include the life-size crucifix, the original holy-water fonts, the pulpits of those early days, the copy of the miraculous and historic painting of " Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe," the identical reredos or background of the main altar, the tabernacle and candelabra-shelves, the wings of the latter itself ; the accompany ing statues in wood of Saints Joachin and Ann, parents of Our Lady ; and like statues of Saints Juan Capistran and Colette. The reredos contain other statues and medallions. The church has the identical frescoed ceiling of the chancel. The paintings of the walls and ceilings of the interior are reproductions : also the statue in wood of St. Francis of Asisi, with sacred stigmata on the hands and feet; also that of St. Anthony of Padua, with the Infant Jesus in his arms. In the right hand belfry are the three old bells donated to the Santa Clara Mission by the King of Spain. Two bear the original dates, 1798 and 1799, and the third, which was recast in 1864, bears the double dates 1805-64. In the college library may be seen the historic paintings of " Alameda," the " Beautiful Way," " Santa Clara Mission in 1851 " and the grand old choral of those early days, with cover in bronze and wood.
At the time of Vancouver's visit to Santa Clara, many of the Indians were engaged in building adobe houses for themselves. In 1794, twenty-three of these dwellings with thatched roofs were completed, and in 1798, nearly all of
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
31
the married neophytes were thus accommodated. Today not a mission Indian is to be found in or about Santa Clara. Here as at all other missions, seculari zation with one blow ruined fifty years of faithful and patient work of the Padres.
SAN BUENAVENTURA.
The Mission of San Buenaventura Doctor Sarafico (Saint Bonaventura, Serafic Doctor) was founded Easter Sunday, March 3Oth, 1783, by Father Serra. It was the last mission that Father Serra founded, and he had intended it to be one of the first. The delay was a trial to the good man, but he com forted himself with the saying, " the more slowly the more solemnly." The place chosen was the head of the Santa Barbara channel and the home of a large tribe of Indians. The Indians were friendly and even assisted in building a chapel, a house for Father Cambon, who was left in charge, and barracks for the soldiers. The group of buildings was, for greater safety, surrounded by a palisade. Within ten years San Buenaventura had become one of the
most flourishing settlements in
California. Van- couver, who vis
ited the mission in 1793, speaks
of the wonderful _**^±_ 1 gardens, the
plums, figs, or- anges, grapes, pomegranates, cocoanut, sugar cane, bananas, plantain and even indigo ; besides all of the ordinary
. . , SAN BUENAVENTURA.
kitchen vege- tables, roots and
herbs. A disastrous fire compelled the missionaries to erect all new buildings. The new church was built of stone and brick, and it is the one standing today. But the tile roof is gone. The earthquake of 1812 damaged the church and many buildings. The tower and much of the facade were rebuilt. The whole site of Buenaventura settled, and the fear of all sinking into the sea frightened the inhabitants away. They fled to San Joaquin y Santa Ana, where they remained for a year. Here the Priests erected a cajal, or Indian hut, to be used as a chapel. Upon their return to Ventura, the neophytes, under the direction of the Fathers, restored the buildings to a better condition than they were originally. In 1820 the government of Mexico owed to San Buenaventura ^S-1?0- There is no record that it was ever paid. They had purchased sup plies from the mission, a cargo of hemp, and were in arrears in stipends to the Fathers for $6,200. In 1822 the Indians had individual gardens along the banks of the river, where they raised vegetables for sale. They labored and might
32
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
have become self-supporting, for the mission establishments sold great quantities of produce and supplies to the home government as well as supplying their own demands at the missions.
Secularization came in 1837. The mission estate was first rented for $1,630.00 per annum, and then sold to Jose Arnaz for $12,000, in June, 1846. His title was not recognized by the United States government. The records of San Buenaventura are interesting old documents. They show 3,857 baptisms, 1,086 marriages, 3,098 deaths. In 1831 there were 7,240 head of live stock. Today the old mission is the parish church of Ventura.
SANTA BARBARA.
Santa Barbara, (Virgin and Martyr) was founded December 4th, 1/86, by Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, who had been made President of the Missions the previous year to succeed the lamented Junipero Serra. The site selected was called Tavnayam by the natives, and El Pedragoso by the Spaniards. It was about one mile distant from the preside, which had been established in 1782 by Father Serra. The location of Santa Barbara is the most beautiful of all the missions. Back from the water's edge nearly two miles, it is situated in the foothills of the Santa Ynez mountains. It was from the hills of San Marcos that the great oak- beams were carried by oxen (or more likely by faithful Indian neophytes) and used in the construction of the mission buildings. Chief Yanonalit, ruler of the thirteen neighboring rancherias, proved friendly and contributed Indians to assist in work, their labor to be paid for in articles of clothing and food. This was especially .the arrangement for work on the presidio. The first chapel con structed was of boughs.
In the following year, 1787. a church building 15x42 feet, was made of adobe and thatched with straw. Six other buildings of the same kind were erected, and in 1788 tiles were manu- ,^^_^____^^_^^__^_____
factured and all the buildings were
covered with them. In 1789 the
chapel had become too small, and
another was built. Again in 1793 a
larger one was constructed, a fact
which is evidence of prosperity. As
the Indian population was gradually
increasing, it became necessary to
form a village and build a separate
house for each family ; in consequence,
nineteen houses were built of adobe in 1798. Also a piece of land was
enclosed by an adobe wall nine feet high, and 3600 feet in extent ; to be used
SANTA BARBARA.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 33
as a garden, orchard and vineyard. The wall was capped with tiles to protect it from the rain. In 1800 the village was laid out in streets and cross- streets, and there were over fifty houses. The neophytes were taught to weave blankets, to make soap, clothing, implements and many other necessary articles. By 1807 the town of Santa Barbara had 252 dwellings besides the store houses, and other necessary buildings, all enclosed on three sides by a high wall.
In this year Santa Barbara dedicated a mission church at the station of Sagshpileel, a large rancheria near a laguna. This was known as San Miguel. Again in 1804 Santa Inez was formed because of the great number of susceptible Indians in this district. The number thus withdrawn from Santa Barbara Mission was over one hundred.
The earthquake of 1812 badly damaged the mission building at Santa Barbara, so much so that the chapel building was torn down and replaced by a new stone edifice — the present structure. This new edifice was dedicated on September loth, 1820. The walls of the church, which is still used by the Fathers, are six feet in thickness and were made of hewn stone, strengthened by solid stone buttresses. The building is the most substantial of any of the missions in California. In June, 1846, the mission was sold to Richard S. Den for $7500, but the title was invalid. In 1852, a petition to establish a Franciscan convent or college, with a novitiate for the education of young men, was sent to Rome and was granted by the authorities. Santa Barbara Mission was selected for the purpose. Bishop Thaddeus Amat removed from the mission to the parish church, thus leaving the Fathers in possession. By this arrangement they will have perpetual use of the buildings, gardens, vineyard and two orchards. The inner garden of the Mission is the private park or retreat for the priests, and is closed to the public. With two notable exceptions, woman has never entered this garden. They were Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, wife of the then President of the United States, and Princess Louise Marchioness of Lome. The East garden, comprizing about one acre of land, is a part of the old burying ground and contains over four hundred bodies, one buried upon another. It is a beautiful spot, covered with roses, geraniums, rare plants and trees.
The most valued treasure of Santa Barbara is a portion of the true cross brought from the Holy Land. The Mission archives are of inestimable value to California history. The library contains massive books of parch ment, illuminated, and rare old manuscripts, descriptive of life and scenes of early days in this country. When the missions secularized, books, manu scripts and most valuable records were sent to Santa Barbara Mission for safe keeping and many still remain there. Huge chests are filled with gorgeous robes and vestments, many of them made of richest brocades.
34 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION.
December 8th, 1/87, Father Lasuen founded the Mission of La Purisima Concepcion in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin. It is situated on the Santa Ynez river. The first church building was replaced _ __ ^__^_ by a new one of adobe with tile
roof in 1795. Father Payeras, with the aid of interpreters, completed in MBjM^^^^^^^ 1810, a catechism and manual of
-^ .safc..- .„ confession in the Indian language.
Bl This was of greatest advantage to the neophytes in the study of religion. However, there remained at this time • -- no more Indians nearer than twenty-
LA PURISIMA co.N-cEPciox. five or fa^y leagues away, to
be converted. In 1815 Father Payeras became president of the California missions, but he continued to reside at Purisima, instead of repairing to San Carlos del Carmelo.
Early on the morning of December I2th, 1812, a violent earthquake shook the church walls out of plumb, a second shock about n o'clock destroyed the chapel completely, and nearly all of the mission buildings, besides about 100 of the neophyte houses. Rents in the earth from which black sand and water oozed, added to the peril. Huts of wood and grass were erected for tem porary use. Later the mission was moved to a position farther up the river, The first church building erected here was destroyed by fire and another one erected and dedicated October 4th, 1825, the remains of which are to be seen today. It is a long, low structure, and had twenty-one rooms. There were twelve smaller buildings about it. The church ornaments were valued in 1834 at nearly $5000; the library at $655; there were five bells, worth $1000. In fact, the mission property, live-stock and ranches were valued at over $60,000. In 1845 it was s°ld by the Governor to John Temple for $1,110; and La Purisima was abandoned by its rightful owners, the Indians, and the Padres.
The location is about three miles from the town of Lompoc, in Santa Barbara county.
SANTA CRUZ.
Santa Cruz, the Mission of the Holy Cross, was formally established by Don Hermenegildo Sal, on Sunday, September 25, 1791. The site had been selected and blessed by Father Lasuen, August 28, on the day of San Augustin. Near
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
35
by was a fine stream in the Arroyo cie Pedro Regalado, which is now known as Rio San Lorenzo. Huts were built by the Indians, land was prepared, and wheat sown. The founding of the mission was most favorable, as many of the Indians came and offered to help with the work, while their chief, Sugert, presented him self, with a few of his' followers, and promised to become the first Christian of his tribe, and Sal agreed to be godfather. In the history of the founding of the mis sion, it is an interesting fact that frequently everything wherewith to establish a new mission was contributed as a loan by the other missions. In this instance Santa Clara contributed 64 head of cattle, 22 horses, 77 fanegas of grain, and 26 loaves of bread. San Francisco gave five yoke of oxen, 70 sheep and two bushels of barley. San Carlos gave eight horses and seven mules. The vestments and sacred vessels were loaned by other missions, also tools and implements, until those intended for Santa Cruz should arrive from Mexico. The mission was beautifully situated, near the waters of the I!ay of Monterey, and as a background there was a dense forest. Although the founding was auspicious, the mission never became an important or even flourishing establishment, because of the close proximity of the penal sta tion of Branci- forte, which later became the town of Santa Cruz. At the present ^«^ ' ' MlM^. date, however,
all of the un- 77T-~TTT .T" , , , pleasant associa-
l -J^^»— ^^^«___
tions of the con- vict hie have dis
appeared as whol- •~i*Mir'^ii*^fcl«.1^?"r ''' as ^ave ^e
old mission build- ^^8IB|HP m£s> an^ tne
Santa Cruz of to- ' • — * day is one of Cal-
fornia's charm- ing resorts. The
corner-stone of the mission church was laid February 27, 1793. The building was 120x30 feet. The walls were of stone to the height of three feet, the front was of masonrv. and the rest of adobe. In 1812 Father Andres Quintana was brutally murdered by nine or ten of the Mission Indians. Though sick himself, he left his room at night to call upon a man said to be dying. On the way home he was murdered. It was two years before the murderers were apprehended and pun ished. Their defense was that of cruelty on the part of the father ; but the fact that he had left his sick bed to minister to a dying man belied the accusation, and the murderers were condemned to work in chains from two to ten years. Only one survived the punishment. When Santa Cruz was secularized, in 1835, ten thousand dollars of the church money was divided among the neophytes. In 1839 Hartnell found but seventy of the Indians remaining, and all of the money gone. Of the mission itself there is now hardly a trace. The portion of a tile-covered shed in 'the rear of the present church is all that remains. A few relics, among them two mission books used by the Indians, may be seen in the church.
36
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA LA SOLEDAD.
The Mission of "Our Lady of Solitude" ("Soledad"), was founded October gth, 1791, by Father Lasuen. The sites for Soledad and Santa Cruz were selected upon the same trip. Governor Portola named this lonely spot Soledad in 1769, but it was not until 1797 that the adobe structure with its
roof of straw, which was known as the chapel of Soledad, was com pleted. Later a tiled roof and corri dors were added. Soledad became a flourishing Christian settlement, but after the secularization in 1835, so great was the devastation and ruin that the venerable Father Vincente Sarria, who had labored for the mis- LA SOLEDAD. s|on £or thirty years, and who refused
to leave his post of duty or the remaining Indians, died here in 1835. the year of the secularization, of starvation and want. June 4th, 1846, Soledad Mis sion was sold to Feliciano Soberanes for $800, yet the inventory of '35 had shown a valuation of $36,000, besides the church property.
A heap of ruins standing alone in an open field, used for the growing of grain, is all that today remains of Soledad Mission. The Indians called the place Chuttusgelis, but the Spaniards called it Solitude.
SAN JOSE.
Mission San Jose was founded June 11, 1797, Trinity Sunday. By an order from the College of Fernando, Mexico, the new mission was dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster-father of Our Lord. A wooden structure with grass roof was quickly constructed, and Father Barcenilla was left in charge. San Jose was founded by Father Lasuen. The northern missions contributed very generously toward the establishment of the new one. They sent 12 mules, 12 yoke of oxen, 39 horses, 242 sheep and 60 pigs. The Indians from the adjacent hills proved to be treach erous and cruel. Father Cueva after having labored five years among them. was cruelly attacked, wounded and almost killed. He had been called a long distance from the mission, about
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
37
fifteen miles, to attend to some sick neophytes. Upon arriving at the rancheria, the natives attacked him and his guard with arrows, killing the guard, a soldier and three neophytes and wounding Father Cueva. On account of the treachery of the Indians, and their having made several attempts to do injury to the padres and to the buildings, the houses were soon reconstructed, and made of brick from the excellent brick-earth near by. There are chalk hills near San Jose, and everywhere the soil is rich and fertile. The establishment was never extensive nor imposing, yet at one time Mission San Jose had a greater number of neo phytes than any other mission in California, with the single exception of San Luis Rev. The illustration shows the mission as it was years ago, and gives some idea of the plan of the establishment. San Jose was never wealthy, but still they could order a bell weighing 1000 pounds, and that was considered a luxury. At the time of the secularization the church property was valued at $155,000 over and above the debts. On May 5th, 1846, San Jose Mission was sold to Andres Pico and J. B. Alvarado, for $12,000, by Governor Pio Pico.
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA.
The Mission of San Juan Bautista was built on the edge of a mesa, over looking a fertile valley, of what is now San Benito county, in San Juan Valley, about seven miles from Hollister, the county seat. It was 200x70 feet on the ground and height of walls was forty-five feet, being higher than most of the mission churches. Each of the walls were supported by four buttresses. Those on the northeast are still
standing: one re- back ; while the west is covered lumber, to sup- tect it from the The church was and transepts, divided by seven which have been s u m ! a b 1 y to building. There
~
SAX JfAN HAITTISTA.
mains at the entire wall on the with redwood port and to pro- elements, built with a nave The nave is sub- arches, five of walled in, pre- strengthen the is a choir loft
over the door entrance at the front. The church is lighted with eight quaint little windows, with glass of small panes about five inches square.
The baptismal font, carved from sandstone, stands about three feet high, and is three feet in diameter, and over it hangs an ancient picture of the baptism .it Christ. The principal altar is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and is very gaudily frescoed and painted. Statues of redwood, one life-size of St. John,
38 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
and four smaller ones, are executed with rare talent and artistic effect. That they are of our native woods proves that the padres, Indians, or perchance a Mexican, who dwelt at the mission, was more than ordinarily gifted in carving.
In the mission gardens are pear trees, planted a century ago. The cemetery, one acre in size, is full to the limit. In many graves are said to be buried six bodies, one above the other. In all, 4,557 bodies are there interred. An old sun dial in the garden is an object of interest, carved from sandstone long be fore the day of clocks in this country. It was originally intended for San Felipe and is therefore one second slow for San Juan Bautista.
The site of San Juan, was selected as early as 1786, but the church of San Juan Bautista was not established until June 24, 1797, the day dedicated to the patron saint, John the Baptist. Work upon the chapel and the various build ings was begun immediately. It took hundreds of workers fifteen years to complete the task, and the chapel was dedicated by Father President Esteban Tapis, June 25, 1812. The establishment was so constructed as to form a court 200 feet square with buildings on three sides of it, and a high wall on the fourth. The material used was adobe (sun-dried brick) and ladiello, a kind of brick that was frequently used for flooring, and was made in a subterranean kiln. Adobes are made of certain mud mixed with straw or tough grass. Being thoroughly kneaded by hand or trodden by foot it is molded in the desired shape and dimensions and dried in the sun. Size, 16x30x4 inches and weight about 50 pounds. The ladellos were 8x12x2 inches, and after baking in a kiln were very hard. The old floor at this mission is more than a century old, and is in fair condition. The buildings were originally roofed with tile, a portion of which has given place to shingles until such a time as the tile can be restored. The walls of San Juan have been allowed to retain the delicate tint of the cinnabar that colored the mortar, and left an effect that no after-tinting can successfully imitate.
The fine music of San Juan was a feature of the mission and a reason of its success. A chime of nine bells once called to worship. Only one of these now remains. A second one was cast from two of the originals in 1874, but lacks the sweet tone of the old ones. The other six bells have been given to other churches. An interesting and ingenious attachment to the original chime of bells is an old wooden wheel, with hollow arms, about two inches square, hung on an axle. Between each two arms is hung a wooden clapper, and as the wheel revolves, these clappers successively rap on the hollow arms. This wheel was used to call the people to worship upon occasions when the Catholic church rings no bells and could be heard at a great distance.
The Padres placed a small organ (the first brought to California), on an elevation overlooking the valley, and swiftly turned the crank, and when the Indians first heard the strange sounds, they fell upon their faces in fear ; but as
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 39
the music continued their fear left them and they began to enjoy the sweet sounds. Finally they slowly approached the hill and gradually gathered about the Padre and the wonderful singing box and listened with delight. After play ing for an hour or more, he offered them sweets and told them that he had come to live among them, and the good man received a hearty welcome. The box is a hand organ standing about 4^ feet high. It has tin pipes and was built by Benjamin Dodson, 22 Swan Street, London, England, in 1735. It was brought to San Juan in 1797. It became disabled, and was removed to the storehouse of the mission, where it remained for many years, when a wandering tinker stopped at the mission for something to eat and repaired it. Father Tapis, the priest of San Juan, composed a great deal of music for the California missions. Three large volumes of his work remain at this mission alone. Much of the music is on parchment, and in bold, clear characters.
The chapel of San Juan Bautista could accommodate one thousand or more worshippers, and in prosperous days the capacity was frequently taxed to its fullest. The mission possessed extensive lands and great herds. Between the years 1797 and 1835, 4,100 persons were baptized. When the crash of secularization came, the inventory showed a valuation of $147,413. In 1846, San Juan was sold for debt. There are many choice mementoes at San Juan church — ancient candlesticks of curious pattern, the old bass viol, the rude music stand, a violin past all music, the old organ, vestments, robes and sheet music, torn and faded, but dear to the devout and interesting to the historian. Today it is an impoverished parish church — but nevertheless one of the most interesting and artistic relics of the mission period.
SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL.
The Mission of San Miguel (St. Michael, the Arcangel), "the most glorious prince of the heavenly militia," was founded on July 25, 1797, by Father Lasuen, assisted by Father Buenaventura Sitjar. The site chosen was a beautiful spot on the Salinas River called by the Indians Vahia, or Vatica, and by the Spaniards Las Pozas. Father Lasuen says that a great multitude of Indians gathered about with pleased expression, while he held the first service that founded the Mission of San Miguel. The chapel consisted of the wide-spreading branches of an old oak tree. A wooden church with mud roof, was soon erected, and it was not replaced with the present structure until 1800. In 1801, three Indians attempted to poison Fathers Martin and Carnicer. Father Pujol, who came from San Carlos to attend the sick missionaries, was also poisoned, and died, while the two whom he came to minister unto recovered. In 1806, a fire occurred, which destroyed all the implements belonging to the mission, all of the raw material, large quantities of wool, hides, cloth, and 6000 bushels of wheat ; besides doing great damage to the building. The other missions contributed
40 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
to the relief of the burned San Miguel. The largest enrollment at this mis sion was in 1814, when there were 1076. Total number of baptisms was 2588, and the largest number of cattle owned at one time was 10,558, in 1822. All this bespeaks the prosperity of the establishment. In 1819 Father Cabot made a safe journey into the valley of the Tulares, a thing quite unusual, and a proof of the safety of the country at that period. When the Indians of San Miguel were consulted re garding the scheme of secularization, they expressed themselves as de cidedly in favor of the missionary fathers and their system. Their pref erence was of no avail, and the mis sion was confiscated in 1836, with a valuation of $82,000. By 1845 a^ property had disappeared, except the
SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL. buildings, valued at $S8OO, which
were ordered sold by Governor Pico.
The sale was made July 4th, 1846, P. Rios and William Reed being the pur chasers. Later the title was declared invalid, and the buildings restored to the church.
The mission buildings consist of a chapel and a long row of low adobe buildings. The corridor is a feature of the main edifice, the interior of which is to many most interesting, since it remains in its original condition, showing its ancient decorations and fixtures. The altar, very effective in color and design, is a valuable piece of decorative art. It is crowned with a statue of St. Michael, the patron saint. The floors are of burnt brick laid in alternating rows of oblongs and squares. The chapel is in use and there is a resident priest.
SAN FERNANDO REY DE ESPANA.
The mission of San Fernando was the second to be established within the present limits of Los Angeles county, and was founded September 8, 1797, by President Lasuen, assisted by Francisco Dumetz, at a site called by the natives Achois Comihavit, on the lands claimed by Francisco Reyes, who quarreled with the friars respecting the ownership of the land. The priests appropriated Reyes' ranch house for their dwelling. The mission was established with the usual religious ceremonies, in the presence of the troops and a great crowd of natives, and dedicated as required by instructions from Mexico to San Fernando, King of Spain. St. Ferdinand was Fernando III., who reigned in I2i7-'5i, and under whose rule the crowns of Castile and Leon were united. He was the founder of the Spanish Inquisition, and was canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
41
Francisco Javier Uria was associate priest with Dumetz. Ten children were baptized the first day, and thirteen adults had been added to the list early in Oc tober. In 1/97 there were fifty-five neophytes on the baptismal register; in 1800 there were 310, there having been to that date 352 baptisms and seventy deaths. The number of cattle (including mules and horses) in 1800 was 526, and of sheep 600. In 1799 there were 1,200 bushels of wheat, corn and barley raised, and the total yield for the three years 1798-1800 was 4,700 bushels.
The adobe church with a tile roof, the ruins of which yet remain, was com pleted and consecrated in December, 1806. An earthquake occurred December 21, 1812, that did some slight damage to the church building, necessitating the introduction of thirty new beams to support the wall. In 1813 a neophyte was killed by the Indian alcalde, who threw a club at him from a distance of some sixty feet with a view to hasten his work. The killing was deemed accidental, and the penalty imposed was two months' imprisonment in the presidio. During i8i6-'i8 a large number of neophytes deserted; before 1818 a new chapel was completed The ____^ greatest popula
tion of this mis- in 1819, and then Captain de la applied for a Rancho, which was already using for the mission troversy resulted failing to obtain it was not se-
SAN FERNANDO KEY DE ESPANA.
sion was i ,080, began its decline. Guerra, in 1821, grant of the Pirn Father Ybarra to some extent herds. The con- in de la Guerra the rancho ; but
cured for the
mission. About this time complaint was made that the soldiers behaved badly, selling liquor to the Indians. The mission was no longer prosperous in any respect, showing a decline in live stock and agriculture. The amount of supplies furnished by this mission to the soldiers in 1822-27 was $21,203.
In 1834, with others, the Mission San Fernando was secularized, with Lieu tenant Del Valle as the commissioner in charge. Yharre continued his ministry until the middle of the year 1835, when he temporarily retired to Mexico.
Del Valle became major-domo the next year, which position he held until the year 1837, when he was succeeded by Anastasio Carrillo. Captain Jose M. Villavicencio served as administrator from the middle of the year 1838. In 1840 there were still about 400 Indians in the ex-mission community.
At one period of its history there were nearly one and a half miles of build ings connected with this mission, these including residences, workshops, schools and storehouses, all of which are now in ruins. The edifice erected especially as an abode for the padres and reputed to be the finest of its kind in Alta California,
42 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
is, however, still standing in a fair state of preservation. It is principally inter esting as having been the abode of the Mexican General, Andres Pico, and was his headquarters during the war of occupation. It is two-story, nearly 300 feet in length by eighty feet in width, inside measurements ; and the walls — of brick and adobe — are four feet thick, The rafters, after being cut in the mountain forests many miles away, were dragged here by Indians and oxen, each log being occasionally turned upon the way, " that all sides might be planed alike." They are as smooth as though really planed. The long corridor of this building is paved with brick, and the heavy tile roof is supported by arches and columns of masonry. Many of the windows are protected by iron bars, giving it a some what prison-like appearance.
The church is 40x60 varas. tile roofed, board ceiling, brick floor, adobe walls, three doors, seven windows with wooden bars ; sacristy, eight varas square, with one door and window.
The general statistics of the San Fernando Mission from the date of its foundation till its secularization in 1834, are as follows : Total number of bap tisms 2,839, °f which 1,415 were Indian adults, 1,367 Indian children, 57 children de razon. Total marriages, 849, of which 15 were gente de razon. Deaths, 2,028; 1,036 were Indian adults, 965 Indian children, 12 white adults and 15 white children. The largest population was 1,080 in 1819. The sexes were nearly equal; children from one-fourth to one-third. Largest number of cattle, 12,800 in 1819; horses, 1,320 in 1820; mules, 340 in 1812; sheep, 7,800 in 1819; goats, 600 in 1816; swine, 250 in 1814; all kinds, 21,745 animals in 1819. Total product of wheat, 119,000 bushels, yield nineteen fold; barley, (only raised six years) 3,070 bushels, fourteen fold ; maize, 27,750 bushels, eighty-three fold ; beans, 3,624 bushels, fourteen fold.
It has been in part restored by the Landmarks Club.
SAN LUIS REY DE FRANCIA.
The Mission of San Luis Rev de Francia (Saint Louis IX, King of France, member of the Franciscans) was founded by Frs. Lasuen, Santiago and Peyri, on June 3, 1798. The ceremony of dedication was supplemented by the baptism of fifty-four children. Within a week Father Peyri, who was left in charge, had bap tized seventy-seven more. By July I he had 6,000 adobe bricks ready to begin the erection of the mission buildings. It was due to Father Peyri's energy, zeal and executive ability that San Luis Rey, the grandest mission building of Alta California, was erected. It was completed in 1802. During the first decade this mission made larger gains in number of neophyte population and had a lower death rate than any other establishment. Father Peyri was beloved bv all. He ministered personally to the needs of his charges, and likewise superintended the agricultural pursuits. In 1818 San Luis Rey was the most prosperous mission in
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
43
SAN l.riS KEY DE FRANCIA.
California, and this in spite of the fact that so many of its sheep died that it was necessary for the padres to go as far north as San Juan Bautista to obtain wool enough for clothing.
Father Peyri early established a hospital and taught the Indians the rudi ments of healthful living. The highest number of neophytes enrolled at one time \\as j,8(,(), in 1826. In 1828 there was a white population of thirty-five at San
Luis Rey. Father Peyri, unlike most of the Franciscans in California, was a strong supporter of the Mexican republic and his surprise and disap pointment at the expulsion of the ( )rder in 1829 knew no bounds. The pathetic romance of his being spirited away at night and taken on board a vessel lying in the Bay of San Diego, is one well known to those inter ested in the missions. When the neo phytes learned that Father Peyri was gone, many of them mounted their ponies and rode in the gray dawn of the morning in a wild chase to the sea, in order to rescue their padre and bring him back to the mission. As they appeared on the shore the ship weighed anchor and slowly sailed out to sea. It is said that two venturesome boys swam after the ship and were taken on board and carried to Spain with the Father.
San Luis Rev is the only mission that progressed after secularization ; but it, too, declined after a few years, and was finally sold, on May 18, 1846, to Jose A. Cot and Jose A. Pico for $2,437; ^ut their agent was dispossessed by General Fremont, and they failed to regain possession. Later it was decided that the governor had had no power to sell the mission. San Luis Rey was used as a military post by our troops during the Mexican war, and at the close of the war the government caused an estimate to be made of the cost of repairing and restoring it to its former condition. The figures were $2,000,000.
An inventory taken August 22nd, 1835, gives a fair idea of the importance and wealth of the mission. Valuation, $203,737.00; debts, $93,000.00; the church, of adobe, tile roof, clay floor, board ceilings, nine doors, eighteen windows, four adjoining rooms, value $30,000.00, was included in the total amount, as was also the six ranches, valued at $40,437.00. These were Pala, Santa Margarita. San Jacinto, Santa Ysabel, Temecula and one other.
In the day of its glory and wealth, San Luis Rey was the pride of all the missions. It owned and pastured upon its lands an annual average of 20,000 head of cattle, and nearly as many sheep. It kept 3,000 Indians to perform the various kinds of service. In 1834 the mission had 3,500 neophytes to support. In
44
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
the zenith of its prosperity, it raised and harvested annually more than 60,000 bushels of grain, and 250 barrels of wine were produced from the vineyards.
The church is an imposing structure, 50x160 feet, and walls sixty feet in height, by four feet in thickness. The tower at one corner contained eight bells. The ornaments and vestments of the church, in gold and silver, were very rich and beautiful. On one side of the mission building extended a corridor of two hundred and fifty arches. In the rear was a large square enclosed by buildings on each side. The front and rear sides formed corridors, with beautiful arches. In this square was a well-kept garden, with a stone fountain, the favorite retreat of the padres.
In 1892, steps were taken by Father O'Keefe, who for so many years was well known at Santa Barbara Mission, to restore San Luis Rev to a condition of usefulness, and the good father had succeeded so admirably that May I2th, 1894, the mission was rededicated and title passed to the Franciscan order of the Catholic church. A school for the training of priests of the order is now maintained there.
SANTA YNEZ, VIRGIN Y MARTYR.
The Mission Santa Ynez was founded September ijth, 1804. The work of the Mission Fathers was there begun by the baptizing of twenty-seven children. The present buildings were not commenced until after the destruc tive earthquake of September 2ist, 1812, when a corner of the old church and many of the best houses were destroyed. It was at Santa Ynez that the serious and wide-spread Indian revolt of 1824 started. After destroying many of the buildings they fled to Purisima and set fire to that establishment.
At the time of secularization, Santa Ynez was valued at $56,000. In 1844, the Mission had sufficient en ergy, enterprise and wealth to estab lish a seminary of learning. The Fathers, through the efforts of Bishop Garcia, received a liberal grant of land from the government for this institution, beside an endowment of $500 per annum, on condition that all Californians in search of higher education be admitted thereto. There were about 270 Indians at Santa Ynez at this time. By order of Governor Pico, in 1836, the entire estate was rented to Jose Covarrubias and Joaquin Carrillo for $580 per annum. The mission was finally sold to the lessees in 1846, for $7,000, but the title was declared invalid. Santa Ynez remained a religious institution until 1850, when it was abandoned, and the Fathers went to Santa Barbara.
SANTA YNEH. VIRGIN Y MARTYR.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
45
SAN RAFAEL.
The mission of San Rafael, the first one located north of San Francisco, was established December i8th, 1817. The Fathers and the Government of California had a double purpose in fixing the site of this establishment. It
was intended to head off the Russian
encroachment from the north, and also as a refuge for the neophytes of San Francisco de Asis, of which it was a branch. A scourge had be come epidemic at Mission Dolores and many of its occupants were trans ferred to the new site, which was supposed to be in a healthier region. This establishment was never verv
SAN RAFAEL.
populous or influential. It reached
its zenith in 1828 when a membership of 1,140 neophytes was reported. After this date it steadily declined and at the time of its secularization only about 500 Indians remained. During its existence, 1873 converts were baptized.
SAN FRANCISCO DE SOLANO.
On the 4th of July, 1823, a cross was blessed, Holy Mass was offered ap, sacred songs were sung, and the Mission of San Francisco de Solano was founded. It was called New San Francisco. It was not until April 4th, 1824, that the mission church was formally dedicated, by Father Altimira, to the patron saint of the Indies. This structure was of wood, and the one of adobe, the remains of which are seen today, was erected the same year, many articles being donated by the Russians, then living in that region of country. The walls of the new church were about completed, when a terrific downpour of rain, last ing several days, did great injury and changed the original plan. At the close of the year, 1824, the mission numbered 639 neophytes, many of whom had come from San Francisco, San Jose, and San Rafael. At the time of secularization the movable property was distributed to the Indians. After 1840, Solano had no existence as a mission community. During its entire history, 1,315 persons were there baptized. Its greatest population was in 1832, when there were 996 persons enrolled.
SAX KUAN' 'IS
CHAPTER IV.
FROM MONARCHY TO REPUBLICANISM.
PABLO VICENTE DE SOLA was governor of California when Mexico attained independence from Spain. He was of Spanish birth and was bitterly opposed to the Revolution, even going so far as to threaten death to any one who should speak in favor of it. Although the rule of Spain in Mexico was overthrown in September, 1821, it was not until March, 1822, that official dis patches reached Sola informing him of the change. The " plan of Iguala " under which Iturbide finally overthrew the Spanish power contemplated the placing of Fernando VII on the throne of the Mexican Empire, or, if he would not accept, then some scion of the royal family of Spain. Such a termination to the revolu tion did not affect Sola's loyalist sympathies. He called a junta to meet at Monte rey and on the nth of April the oath was taken to the new government.
But Sola's royalist sympathies received a rude shock a few months later when news reached California that Iturbide had seized the government for him self and been proclaimed Emperor with the imposing title of '' Augustin I, by Divine Providence and by the Congress of the Nation, first Constitutional Emperor of Mexico." In September, 1822, the flag of Spain that for half a century had waved over the palacio of the governor at Monterey, was lowered and the imperial banner of Mexico took its place. California, from the dependency of a kingdom, had become a province of an empire. Scarce half a year after the flag of the empire floated on the breeze had passed when the emperor was dethroned and forced into exile. The downfall of the empire was followed by the establishment of a republic fashioned after that of the United States. The country over which the viceroys of Spain had ruled for three hundred years was divided into nineteen states and four territories. Only the states were allowed representatives in the the senate ; the territories, of which Alta California was one, were to be governed by a governor appointed by the president and a diputacion, or territorial assem bly, elected by the people. Each territory was entitled to send a diputado, or dele gate, to the Mexican congress.
Luis Antonio Argiiello succeeded Sola as governor, or gefe poltico (political chief), as the office was later styled under the republic. He was elected, Novem ber 9, 1822, president of the provincial diputacion and by virtue of his office be came temporary governor instead of Sola, who had been elected delegate to the imperial congress. Argiiello was a native Californian, having been born at the presidio of San Francisco in 1784. He was a man of limited education, but made good use of what he had. Like Sola he had been a pronounced royalist during the revolution, but with the downfall of Spanish domination he had submitted gracefully to the inevitable.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 47
The success of the revolution was most bitterly disappointing to the mission padres. Through the long years of strife between Mexico and the mother coun try they had hoped and prayed for the triumph of Spain. In the downfall of Spanish domination and the rise of Republicanism, they read the doom of their feudal institutions, the missions. On the promulgation of the Federal Constitu tion of October, 1824, in California, Father Vicente de Serria, the president of the missions — a Spaniard and a royalist — not only refused to take the oath of allegiance to it, but also declined to perform religious services in favor of it. An order was issued by the Supreme Government for his arrest ; but before it reached California he had been superseded in the presidency by Father Narciso Duran of San Jose. A number of the padres were hostile to the Republic and evaded taking the oath of allegiance on the ground of obedience to the orders of their Superior. Their unfriendly attitude to the Republic was one of the causes that led to the secularization of the missions a few years later.
The Mexican government, shortly after its inauguration, removed most of the restrictions imposed by Spain against foreigners settling in California and the colonization law of 1824 was liberal. The state religion was the Roman Catholic and all foreigners who settled in the country were required to embrace it. During Spanish domination not more than half a dozen foreigners had been allowed to become permanent residents. The earliest English settler was John Gilroy. who was left by his vessel at Monterey in 1814. He married a daughter of Ignacio Ortega and at one time owned a large body of land, but died poor. Joseph Chap man, the first American settler, was one of Bouchard's men, captured at Monterey in 1818.
Beginning with Baron Rezanof's visit to San Francisco, in 1806, for the purpose of buying grain for the starving Russian colony at Sitka, the Russians made frequent visits to the coast, partly to obtain supplies, but more for the pur pose of hunting seal and sea otter. Their Aleut fur hunters in their bidarkas, or skin canoes, killed otter in San Francisco bay and the Spaniards, destitute of boats or ships, were powerless to prevent them. In 1812 they built a village and fort about 18 miles north of Bodega bay, which they named Rbss, and which mounted ten cannon. They also maintained a port on Bodega bay, and a small station on Russian river. The Spanish protested against this invasion of terri tory and threatened to drive out the Russians, but nothing came of either their protests or threats. The Russian ships came for supplies and were welcomed by the people and the padres, if not by the government officials. The Russian colony was not a success, and after the decline of fur hunting the settlement became unprofitable, and in 1841, the building and stock were sold by the Russian gov ernor to Captain John A. Sutler for $30,000. The settlement was abandoned and the fort and town have long since fallen into ruins.
Among the foreigners who came to California soon after the establishment of Mexican independence and became prominent in affairs may be named, W. E. P. Hartnell, Captain John R. Cooper, William A. Richardson, Daniel A. Hill
48 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
and William A. Gale. William Edward Petty Hartnell came from Lima as a member of the firm of McCullock, Hartnell & Co., engaged in the hide and tallow trade. Hartnell was an Englishman by birth, well educated and highly respected. He married Maria Teresa de la Gucrra and twenty-five children were born to them. He died at Monterey in 1859. William A. Gale came in 1810 as a Bos ton fur trader. He returned to the territory in 1822 on the ship Sachem, the pioneer Boston hide drogher. It brought to the coast a number of Americans who became permanent residents of the country. California on account of its long distance from the centers of trade had but few products for exchange that would bear the cost of transportation. Its chief commodities for barter, during the Mexican era, were hides and tallow. The vast range of country adapted to cattle raising made that its most profitable industry. After the removal of the restrictions on commerce with foreigners by the Mexican government, a profitable trade grew up between the New England ship owners and the California ranch- eros. Vessels were fitted out in Boston with a cargo of assorted goods suitable for the trade. Voyaging around Cape Horn and stopping at the various points along the coast they exchanged their stock of goods and Yankee "notions" for hides and tallow. It took from two to three years to make the voyage out from Boston and return, but the profits on the goods sold and on the hides received in exchange were so large that these ventures paid handsomely. Cattle raising, up to the time of the discovery of gold in 1848, continued to be the principal industry of the country.
During the first decade of republican rule, there was but little change in polit ical conditions or in the views of the people concerning the government. Mission rule was still dominant and the people were subservient to the governors appointed over them. But with the increase of foreigners and the advent of ex-revolution ists from Mexico, the old-time native California Loyalists gradually became im bued with a kind of republicanism that transformed them into malcontents, whose protests against the sins of governmental officials took the form of pronuncia- mentos and revolutions.
The first of the numerous revolts against the rule of the governors appointed by the Mexican government occurred in November, 1829. The soldiers at the presidios for years had received but a small part of their pay and were but poorly clothed and provisioned. The garrison at Monterey rebelled and seized and im prisoned their officers. That at San Francisco followed their example. Under the leadership of Joaquin Solis, an ex-revolutionist of Mexico who had been ban ished from that country, they marched southward to meet Governor Echandia, who was moving northward with a force of about one hundred men from San Diego, where he had established his capital. The two forces met at Dos Pueblos, near Santa Barbara, and a bloodless battle ensued. The rebellious "escoltas" (militia) were pardoned and returned to duty. Herrara, the deposed commissary- general ; Solis, and several other leaders were arrested and sent to Mexico to be
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 49
tried, for high crimes and misdemeanor. On their arrival in that land of revolu tions, they were turned loose and eventually returned to California.
The principal cause of the California disturbances was the jealousy and dis like of the " hijos del pais " (native sons) to the Mexican-born officers who were appointed by the superior government to fill the offices. Many of these were ad venturers who came to the country to improve, their fortunes and were not scrupu lous as to methods or means, so that the end was accomplished.
CHAPTER V.
REVOLUTIONS AND SECULARIZATION.
MAXL'EL VICTORIA succeeded Echandia as gefe politico of Alta Cali fornia in January 1831. Victoria was a soldier, arbitrary and tyrannical, and refused to convoke the diputacion, or territorial assembly. From the outset he was involved in quarrels with the leading men of the territory. Exile, imprisonment and banishment were meted out to small offences and some times for none at all. At length Jose Antonio Carrillo and Don Abel Stearns, who had been exiled to Lower California with Juan Bandini and Pio Pico, residents of San Diego, formulated a plot for the overthrow of Victoria, and issued a pronunciamento arraigning him for misdeeds and petty tyrannies. The soldiers at the presidio, with their Captain, Portilla, joined the revolt, and with the leading conspirators and fifty men marched northward. At Los Angeles they released the prisoners from the jail and chained up instead, Alcalde Sanchez, the petty despot of the pueblo who had been very ready to carry out the arbitrary decrees of Victoria.
The San Diego army, augmented by the liberated prisoners and volunteers from Los Angeles, to the number of 150 men, marched out to meet Victoria, who with a small force was moving southward to suppress the rebellion. The two armies met west of Los Angeles in the Cahuenga valley. In the fight that ensued Jose Maria Avila, who had been imprisoned by Victoria's orders in the pueblo jail, charged single-handed upon Victoria. He killed Captain Pacheco, of Vic toria's staff and dangerously wounded the governor himself. Avila was killed by one of Victoria's men. Victoria's army retired with the wounded governor to San Gabriel mission and the revolutionists retired to Los Angeles. Next day, the governor, who supposed himself mortally wounded, abdicated ; later he was de ported to Mexico. Pio Pico, senior vocal of the diputacion, was elected gefe- politico by that body, but Echandia on account of his military rank, claimed the office and Pico, for the sake of peace, did not insist upon his rights.
Echandia did not long enjoy in peace the office obtained by threats. Captain Augustin V. Zamorano, late secretary of the deposed Victoria, raised an army of
50 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
about one hundred men, some of whom were cholos, or convicts, which under the command of Captain Ibarra marched southward and met no opposition until it reached El Paso de Bartolo, on the San Gabriel river. Here Captain Barrosa, of Echandia's force, with fourteen men and a piece of artillery stopped the onward march of the invaders. Echandia had gathered an army of neophytes, said to have been a thousand strong. On the approach of this body, Ibarra's men re treated to Santa Barbara. The diputacion, which was really the only legal authority in the country, finally effected a compromise between the two rivals. Echandia was to be recognized as military chief for the country south of San Gabriel, and Zamorano for all territory north of San Fernando, while Pico, who by virtue of his rank as senior-vocal, was the lawful governor was left without jurisdiction. After this adjustment there was peace.
On January I4th, 1833, Jose Figueroa, "gobernador proprietario" of Alta California by appointment of the Supreme government of Mexico, arrived at Monterey. Zamorano at once turned over to him whatever authority he had and Echandia did the same. Figueroa was Mexican born, of Aztec descent, and is regarded as one of the ablest and most efficient of our Mexican governors. He instituted a policy of conciliation and became very popular with the people. He inaugurated a number of reforms, especially in the treatment of the neophytes and in his attention to the conditions of secularization, which took place during his term of office. Another important event of this time was the arrival of the Hijar colonists.
In 1833, Jose Maria Hijar, a Mexican gentleman of considerable property, •aided by Jose Maria Padres, set about organizing a scheme for the founding •of an extensive colony in California. Each settler was promised a ranch and was to receive rations to the amount of four reales per day with a certain amount •of live stock and tools. All to be repaid later from the products of the faflm. A corporation known as the "Compania Cosmopolitana" was organized for the purpose of buying vessels and carrying on a shipping business between Mexico ;and California. About 250 colonists were recruited and left the City of Mexico for San Bias where they were to be given free passage. One of the vessels bringing them landed at San Diego, September ist, 1834, and the other reached Monterey September 25th.
Hijar had succeeded in securing an appointment as gefe-politico ; but after his departure for California, President Santa Anna countermanded the order and sent a courier overland by the way of Sonora with an order to Figueroa not to give up the governor-ship. By one of the most remarkable rides in his tory, this courier reached Monterey before Hijar, and delivered his message to Governor Figueroa. Hijar, on his arrival at the capital found himself shorn of all authority. Part of the scheme of Hijar and Padres was the sub-division of the mission property among themselves and their colonists. But the revoca-
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 51
tion of his commission deprived him of his power to enforce his plans. An attempt was made to form a settlement at San Francisco Solano, but was not successful and many of the colonists returned to Mexico, while the remainder were scattered throughout the territory. Hijar and Padres were accused of insti gating a plot to overthrow Figueroa and seize the mission property. They were shipped out of the country and thus ended in disaster to the promoters the first California colonization scheme.
The missions had been founded by Spain for the purpose of converting the Indians to the "holy faith" and transforming them into citizens. The natives residing becween the Coast Range and the ocean from San Diego to San Fran cisco had been gathered into the different mission establishments, each of which held in possession, in trust, for its neophyte retainers, large areas of the most fertile lands in the territory. This absorbtion of the public domain by the missions prevented the colonization of the country by white settlers.
The first decree of secularization was passed by the Spanish Cortes in 1813; but Spain was then engaged in a death struggle with her American colonies and she had neither power nor opportunity to enforce it. In July, 1830, the territorial diputacion adopted a plan of secularization formulated by Echandia in 1828; but before it could be carried out, he was superseded by Victoria who was a friend of the padres and strongly opposed to secularization. Governor Figueroa was instructed to examine into the condition of the neophytes and re port upon the best method of bringing about a gradual emancipation of the Indians from missionary rule. He visited some of the older missions himself and. after careful study, was convinced that any general measure of seculariza tion would be disastrous to the neophytes. A few might be given their liberty and entrusted with property ; but the great mass of them were incapable of self- government or self support.
In the meantime, the Mexican Congress, without waiting for information from Figueroa as to the advisability of the step, ordered the immediate emancipa tion of the neophytes. August I7th. 1833, a decree was passed ordering the secularization of all the missions. It was provided that each mission should constitute a parish, served by a priest, or curate, who should be paid a salary. The Franciscans and Dominicans who had taken the oath of allegiance to the republic were to return to their colleges or monasteries ; while those who refused to take the oath of allegiance were to quit the country. The expense of putting the decree into operation was to be paid out of the "Pious Fund." The Pious Fund of California was made up of contributions for the founding and main tenance of missions in the Californias. It was begun for the benefit of the missions of Lower California, in 1697, and increased until it amounted to one and a half million dollars, in 1842. It was confiscated by the Mexican govern ment ; but after long litigation the money was finally awarded to the Catholic church of California by the Hague Tribunal in 1902.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
Figueroa and the territorial diputacion, under instructions from the Su preme Government, June 31, 1834, adopted a plan for the secularization of the missions and the colonization of the neophytes into pueblos. Each head of a 'family was to receive from the mission lands a lot not more than 500 nor less than looo varas square. One half of the cattle and one half of the farming- implements and seed grains were to be divided pro rata among those receiving lands for cultivation. Out of the proceeds of the remaining property which was to be placed under a major domo, the salaries of the administrator and the priest in charge of the church were to be paid. No one could sell or incumber his land nor slaughter cattle — except for subsistence. The government of the Indian pueblo was to be administered the same as that of the other pueblos in the territory. Before the plan of the diputacion had been promulgated, Figueroa had experimented with the neophytes of the San Juan Capistrano mission and a pueblo had been organized there. For a time it promised to be a success but ended in a failure.
For years the threat of secularization had hung over the missions, but here tofore something had always occurred to avert it. When it became evident that the blow would fall, the missionaries determined to save something for them selves. There were, on the various mission ranges, in 1833, nearly half a million head of cattle. San Gabriel, the richest of the .missions, had over fifty thousand head. Thousands of these were slaughtered on shares for their hides alone and the carcasses left on the ground to rot. So terrible was the stench arising that the ayuntamiento of Los Angeles, in 1834. passed an ordinance compelling every one slaughtering cattle for the hides to cremate the carcasses. The diputacion finally issued a reglamento prohibiting the wholesale destruction of the mission cattle. What remained of the mission property was inventoried by commissioners appointed by the governor and a certain portion distributed to the Indians of the pueblo into which the missions had been converted. The property was soon wasted; for the Indian wns improvident and indolent and took no thought for the morrow. His property soon passed out of his hands and he became virtually the slave of the white man.
Governor Figueroa died at San Juan Bautista, September 29, 1835 and was buried in the mission church at Santa Barbara, with much ceremony. He was called the "Benefactor of California." Before his death, he had resigned his political command to Jose Castro, primer-vocal of the diputacion. who held the office for four months. By order of the Supreme Government, he delivered it over to Col. Nicholas Guiterrez, who held the military command of the terri tory, until the arrival in May, 1836, of Mariano Chico, the regularly appointed "gobernador proprietario." Chico was a man of inordinate self-conceit and of but little common sense. He very soon secured the ill-will of the Californians. Shortly before his arrival a vigilance committee, or as it was called by its or ganizers, " Junta Defensora de la Seguridad Publica," the first ever formed
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
53
in the territory, had taken from the legal authorities at Los Angeles, two criminals, under arrest for the murder of the woman's husband, and had executed them by shooting them to death. This violation of law greatly enraged Governor Chico and one of his first acts on taking office was to send Col. Guiterrez with troops to Los Angeles to punish the vigilantes. Victor Prudon, the president of the Junta Defensora, Manuel Argaza, the secretary, and Francisco Aranjo, the military officer who had commanded the members of the Junta, were arrested and committed to prison until such time as the governor could come to Los Angeles and try them. He came in June and after heaping abuse and threats upon them, finally pardoned the three leaders of the "Defenders of Public Security." Then he quarreled with Manuel Requena, the alcalde of Los Angeles, who had opposed the vigilantes, and threatened to imprison him. He returned to Monterey where he was soon afterward involved in a disgraceful scandal which ended in his placing the alcalde of that town under arrest. The people, disgusted with him. arose en masse assuming a threatening attitude. Alarmed for his safety, Chico took passage for Mexico and California was rid of him, after three months of his rule. Before his departure he turned over the political and military command of the territory to Col. Gutierrez.
Gutierrez, like Chico, was a man of violent tem per. It was not long be fore he was involved in a quarrel that eventually put an end to his official career. In his investiga tion of governmental af fairs at Monterey, he charged fraud against Angel Ramirez, the ad ministrator, and Juan Bautista Alvarado, the auditor, of the custom house. Volleys of words were fired by both sides
and Gutierrez threatened to put the two officials in irons. This was an insult that Alvarado, young, proud and hot-blooded, could not endure in silence. He left the capital and with Jose Castro, at San Juan, began preparations for a revolt against the governor. His quarrel with Gutierrez w?s not the sole cause of his fomenting a revolution. He was president of the diputacion and the governor had treated that body with disrespect, or at least, the members, of whom Castro was one, so claimed. General Vallejo was invited to take command of the revolutionary movement but, while he sympathized with the cause, he did not enlist in it.
MEXICAN CUSTOM HOUSE, MONTEREY.
54
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
News of the projected uprising spread rapidly. Castro and Alvarado with out much effort soon collected an army of seventy-five Californians. They also secured the services of an auxiliary force of twenty-five Americans — hunters and trappers — under the command of Graham, a backwoodsman from Tennessee. With this force they marched to Monterey, and by a strategetic movement cap tured the Castillo. The revolutionists demanded the surrender of the presidio and the arms. Upon the refusal of the governor a shot from the cannon of the Castillo crashed through the roof of the comandante's house and scattered Gutierrez and his staff. This — and the desertion of most of his soldiers — brought the governor to terms. November 5, 1836, he surrendered the presidio and re signed his office. With about seventy of his adherents, he was placed on board a vessel in the harbor and a few days later departed for Mexico.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FREE STATE OF AI/TA CALIFORNIA.
THE Mexican governor having been expelled, the diputacion, which was composed of hijos del pais, was called together and a plan for the independence of California was formulated. This plan declared that " California is erected into a free and sovereign state, establishing a congress which shall pass all special laws of the country, also assume the other necessary i supreme powers." The diputacion issued a de
claration of independence which arraigned the mother country, Mexico, for sins of commission and omission ; and Castro promulgated a pro- nunciamento ending with a '' Viva for El Estado Libre y Soberano de Alta California." (The Free and Sovereign State of Alta California.) Amid the vivas and the pronunciamentos, with the beating of drums and the roar of cannon, the state of Alta California was launched on the political ;-ea. The revolutionists soon found that it was easy enough to declare the state free; but quite another matter to make it free.
For years there had been a growing jealousy between northern and southern California. Los Angeles, through the efforts of Jose Antonio
Carrillo had, by the decree of the Mexican congress in May, 1835, been raised to the dignity of a city and made the capital of the territory. In the movement
JOSE ANTONIO CARRILLO.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 55
to make California a free and independent state, the Angelenos recognized an attempt to deprive their city of its honor. Although as bitterly opposed to Mexican governors and as actively engaged in fomenting revolutions against them as the people of Monterey, they chose at this time to profess loyalty to the mother country. They opposed the Monterey plan of government and formulated one of their own, in which they declared that California was not free and that they would obey the laws of the Supreme government only.
Alvarado had been made governor by the diputacion and Castro comandante general of the army of the Free State. They determined to sup press the recalcitrant surenos (southerners). They collected an army of eighty natives, obtained the assistance of Graham with his American riflemen, and marched southward. The ayuntamiento of Los Angeles had organized an army of 270, partly neophytes, which was stationed at the Mission San Fernando. Before the northern troops reached the mission, commissioners from Los Angeles met them and a treaty of peace was patched up. Alvarado with his troops arrived in Los Angeles January 23rd, 1837, and was received with expressions of friendship. An extraordinary meeting of the ayuntamiento was called ; Pio Pico expressed the great pleasure it gave him to see a " hijo del pais " in office and Antonio Osio, one of the most belligerent of the south erners, declared that, " sooner than again submit to a Mexican governor, or dictator, he would flee to the forest and be devoured by wild beasts." Alvarado made a conciliatory speech and an agreement was entered into to support the " .Monterey plan," with Alvarado as governor pro tempore, until the Supreme government should decide the question. Quiet reigned in the south for a few months. Then San Diego formulated a plan of government and the standard of revolt was again raised. The San Diego " plan " restored California to allegiance to the Supreme government and the officials at San Diego and Los Angeles took the oath to obey the constitution of 1836; this, in their opinion, absolved them from obedience to Juan Bautista Alvarado and his " Free State."
In October came the news that Carlos Carrillo of Santa Barbara had been appointed governor by the Supreme government. Then consternation seized the " Free State " men of the north and the surenos of Los Angeles went wild with joy. They invited Carrillo to make Los Angeles his capital — an invitation which he accepted. December 6th was set for his inuaguration and great preparations were made for the event. Cards of invitation were issued asking the people to come to the inauguration " dressed as decent as possible." A grand ball was held in the governor's palacio — the house of widow Josefa Alvarado, the finest in the city. Cannon boomed on the old plaza, bonfires blazed in the streets and the city was illuminated for three nights. Los Angeles was at last a real capital and had a governor all to herself.
Alvarado and Castro, with an army, came down from the north determined
56 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
to subjugate the troublesome southerners. A battle was fought at San Buena ventura. For two days cannon volleyed and thundered — at intervals. One man was killed and several mustangs died for their country. The " surenos " were defeated and their leaders captured and sent as prisoners of state to Vallejos' bastile at Sonoma. Los Angeles, Carrillo's capital, was captured by Alvarado. Carrillo rallied his demoralized army at Las Flores. Another battle was fought — or rather a few shots were fired at long range — which hurt no one. Carillo surrendered and was sent home to his wife at Santa Barbara — who became surety for his future good behavior. Alvarado was now the acknowledged governor of El Estado Libre de Alta California ; but the " Free State " had ceased to exist. Months before Alvarado had made his peace with the Supreme government by taking the oath of allegiance to Mexico, thus restoring California to the rule of the mother country. In November, 1838, Alvarado received his formal appointment as " gobernador interino " of California, or rather of the Californias; for under the new constitution creating twenty- four departments instead of states, the two Californias constituted one department.
In the internecine wars and in their revolts against the ' Mexican gov ernors, the Californias invoked the aid of a power that would not down at their bidding — that was the assistance of the foreigners. Zamorano in his contest with Echandia was the first to enlist the foreign contingent. Next Alvarado secured the offices of Graham and his riflemen to help in the expulsion of Gutierrez. In his invasion of the south he and Castro again called in the foreign element headed by Graham and Coppinger. Indeed the fear of the American riflemen, who made up the larger part of Graham's force, was the most potent . factor in bringing the south to terms. These hunters and trappers, with their long Kentucky rifles, shot to kill and any battle in which they took part would not be a bloodless affair.
After Alvarado had been confirmed in his office, he would gladly have rid himself of his allies. But they would not be shaken off and were importunate in their demands for the recognition of their services. There were rumors that the foreigners were plotting to overthrow the government and revolutionize California, as had already been clone in Texas. Alvarado issued secret orders to arrest a number of foreigners whom he had reason to fear. About one hundred were arrested during the month of April, 7840. and forty-seven were sent as prisoners in irons to San Bias. The others were released. The prisoners, who were about equally divided in nationality between Americans and Englishmen, were confined in prison at Tepic. Here the British consul, Barren, was instrumental in securing their release — the American consul being absent. The Mexican government paid them damages for their imprisonment and fur nished those who had a legal right to residence in California with transpor-
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
57
tation to Monterey, where they landed in July, 1841, better dressed and with more money than when they were sent away.
An important event during Alvarado's rule was the capture of Monterey, October igth, 1842, by Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commander of the United States forces of the Pacific. Jones, who was cruising in the south Pacific, learning that Admiral Thomas, in command of the English squad ron of the Pacific, had sailed out of Callao under sealed orders, suspected that the Admiral's orders were to seize California. Knowing that war was imminent between Mexico and the United States, Jones determined to take possession of California for the United States, if he could reach it before the English admiral did. Crowding on all sail, he arrived at Monterey October igth and immediately demanded the surrender of California, both Upper and Lower, to the United States government. He gave Governor Alvarado until nine o'clock on the morning of the 2Oth to decide on his course. Alvarado had been already superseded by Micheltorena, who was then somewhere in the neighborhood of Los Angeles, and at first decided to shirk the responsibility of surrender by leaving the town ; but he was dissuaded from this step. The terms were agreed upon and at ten o'clock the next morning 150 sailors and marines disembarked, took possession of the fort, lowered the Mexican flag and raised the American colors. The officers and soldiers of the California government were discharged and their guns and arms taken into possession by the United States troops, and carried into the fort. On the 2ist, at four p. m., the flags again changed places — the fort and arms were restored to their former claimants. Commodore Jones had learned from some Mexican newspapers found in the captured fort that war did not yet exist between the two republics.
IP* •••^^^Miefiasjs
'•£K~- •v,,-"'
CHAPTER VII.
CLOSING YEARS' OF MEXICAN ERA.
FOR some time ill feeling had been growing between Governor Alvarado- and the comandante general, M. G. Vallejo. Each had sent commis sions to the Supreme government to present his side of the quarrel. The Supreme government finally decided to combine the civil and military offices in the person of a Mexican officer, and on January 22nd, 1842, Manuel
Micheltorena, who had seen service with the Santa Anna in Texas, was appointed to this office. He was to be provided with a sufficient number of troops to prevent the intrusion of foreigners — parti cularly Americans — into California. The large force promised him finally dwindled down to 300 convicts, known as cholos, who were released from Mexican prisons on condition that they serve in the army.
Governor Micheltorena had landed with his ragged cholos at San Diego, in August, and was leisurely marching northward to the capital. On the night of October 24th, he had arrived at a point twenty miles north of San Fernando when news reached him of the capture of Monterey by Commodore Jones. The valiant commander and his cholos retreated to San Fernando where they
remained until they learned of the restoration of Monterey to the Californians. Then they fell back to Los Angeles. Here, January 2Oth, 1843, Commodore Jones had a conference with the governor who made some exorbitant demands, among others that the United States government should pay $15,000 to Mexico for the expense incurred in the general alarm and for a set of musical instru ments lost in the retreat, and also replace 1,500 uniforms ruined in the violent march. Commodore Jones did not deign an answer to these ridiculous demands ; and Micheltorena did not insist upon them. The conference closed with a grand ball — and all parties were pacified.
Micheltorena took the oath of office at Los Angeles, December 3ist, 1842. Speeches were made, salutes were fired and the city was illuminated for three nights. With his Falstaffian army, the governor remained at Los Angeles until mid-summer. The Angelerios had, for years, contended with the people of Monterey for the capital and had gone to war to gain it. Now that they had
OEX. M. G. VALL.EJO.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 59
the coveted prize, they would gladly have parted with it if, by so doing, they could rid themselves of Micheltorena's thieving soldiers. The men were not altogether to blame, as their pay was long in arrears and they received but scant supplies of clothing or rations. It was a case of steal, or starve — and they stole.
In August Micheltorena and his cholo contingent reached Monterey. The Californians did not welcome the Mexican governor very heartily.
While indolent and vacillating, he was a man of considerable ability, and began his rule with the intention of improving conditions in California. Education had been sadly neglected both under Spanish and Mexican domina tion. One of his first attempts was to establish a public school system. Five hundred dollars was apportioned from the public funds for the maintenance of schools in each of the larger towns and arrangements were made for the opening of several schools for girls. Heretofore the public schools had been open only to boys. What was left of the mission estates was restored to the Padres and an earnest effort was made to reconcile sectional animosity, but with all of his efforts to be just and better the condition of California, there was still an undercurrent of hostility to him. Part of this was due to the thieving of his convict soldiers ; but a more potent cause was the ambition of certain " hijos del pais " to rule the territory. They blamed the governor for retaining his cholos in the country, claiming that they were kept for the purpose of subjugat ing, or terrorizing, the natives.
The appointment of Micheltorena to fill both the civil and military offices was a bitter disappointment to Alvarado and Vallejo. They were not long in discovering that much as they hated each other, they hated the Mexican worse. They buried the hatchet and combined with Castro to do what the trio had done before — drive the Mexican governor out of the country. The depredations of the cholos had so embittered the people that they were ready to join the standard of anyone who would head a revolution. On November I5th, 1844, a meeting of the leaders of the dissatisfied was held at Alvarado's Rancho de Aliso, and a pronunciamento against Micheltorena was issued.
Alvarado and Castro headed a body of revolutionists, numbering about thirty, who moved northward to San Jose, where they were largely reinforced. Micheltorena set out in pursuit of them ; after some maneuvering, a treaty was finally effected between the belligerents. Micheltorena pledged his word of honor to send back to Mexico, within three months, his vicious soldiers and officers; while Alvarado and Castro, on their part, agreed to go into winter quarters at San Jose, with their troops, who were to constitute the military force of the territory after the departure of the convict soldiers. Micheltorena returned to Monterey, but the censure of his officers for the surrender caused him to break his word and secretly plot for the capture of the insurgents. He
60 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
secured the aid of Captain John A. Sutter, a Swiss gentleman, who had an establishment at New Helvcetia, now Sacramento, and a company of Indians drilled in military maneuvers and the use of arms. Beside his Indians, Sutter secured for Micheltorena the services of a number of foreigners, mostly Amer icans. Alvarado and Castro learned of the perfidy of Micheltorena through the capture of one of his messengers with a letter to Sutter. Not being prepared to sustain an attack from the combined forces of Micheltorena and Sutter, they hurriedly broke camp at San Jose and with a portion of their force marched to Los Angeles where they arrived, January 21 st, 1845. They endeavored to fire the southern heart against the governor, but the old animosity was as strong as ever and the southerners regarded with suspicion the friendly advances of their old enemies. The Pico brothers were finally won over and Pio Pico, who was primer-vocal, of the " junta departmental " or assembly, called that body together, to meet at Los Angeles, on January 28th. It declared Micheltorena a traitor to the country who must be deposed.
Sutter with his force numbering about two hundred men, one hundred of whom were Indians, joined Micheltorena at Salinas early in January. The combined forces — about four hundred — began a leisurely march to the south. The fear of a raid by Micheltorena's cholos and Slitter's Indians had stimulated recruiting in the south, and Castro and Pico soon found themselves at the head of about four hundred men. A commission from Los Angeles met the governor at Santa Barbara on Feburary 7th with propositions for a settlement of the difficulty. He treated the commission with scant respect and offered but one condition — unconditional surrender of the rebels.
A week later the departmental assembly met at Los Angeles and passed resolutions deposing Micheltorena and appointing Pio Pico temporary governor. In the meantime, disgusted with Micheltorena's slow movements, about half of the foreigners in his army deserted. Micheltorena's army moving clown by way of Encinas, and Castro's forces advancing from Los Angeles, met on the Cahuenga plain. Artillery firing began at long range and thus continued all day. The foreigners in the respective armies got together in a ravine during the fight and agreed to let the Mexicans and Californians settle their dispute in their own way.
Toward evening, Micheltorena undertook to make a flank movement and marched his troops to the eastward, evidently intending to follow the river down to the city. Castro and Alvarado moved back through the Cahuenga Pass and again encountered the opposing force at the Yerdugo rancho. A few cannon shots were fired when Micheltorena displayed a white flag in token of surrender. Terms of capitulation were drawn up by which he and his convict army were to be sent back to Mexico. Pio Pico was recognized as temporary governor and Castro was made comandante general of the miltary force. As
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 61
a sedative to his military pride, Micheltorena was granted permission to march his army to San Pedro with all the honors of war, taking with them their three pieces of artillery, but the guns were to be given up at the embarcadero. The governor and his soldiers were sent to Monterey and there, joined by the garrison that had been stationed at the capital, all were sent to San Bias, Mexico. Captain Sutter was taken prisoner during the battle and was held under arrest for some time after the departure of Micheltorena. He was at length released and allowed to return, with his Indians, by way of Tejon Pass and the Tulares, to New Helvetia.
Pio Pico, by virtue of his position as senior vocal of the assembly, became governor, and Castro, in accordance with the treaty of Cahuenga, was comand- ante general. Alvarado was made administrator of the custom house in Monte rey. Thus the " hijos del pais " were once more a power and the factional fight between the " uppers " and the " lowers " was once more declared off. Pico established his government at Los Angeles and that " ciudad," ten years after the Mexican congress had decreed it the capital, became the seat of governmnet. Castro established his military headquarters at Monterey and Jose Antonio Carrillo, one of the leaders of the " lowers," was made comandante of the military in the south. Pico began his rule with a desire to benefit the territory. He might have succeeded, had he been able to control the discordant factions.
As has been previously stated, Micheltorena restored, as far as possible, the mission property to the Padres ; but it was impossible to establish the old order — even on a small scale. The few Indians remaining at the missions were unmanageable. Through the neglect or incompetency of the administra- dors, debts had been incurred and creditors were importunate. The Padres in charge were mostly old men, unable to cope with the difficulties that beset them on every side. Pico, with the concurrence of the junta, decided to make a change in the mission policy. In June, 1845, ne issued a decree, warning the Indians at San Rafael, Soledacl, San Miguel and Purisima to return to their respective missions. Failing to do so, they were to be declared vagrants and punished as such. At Carmel, San Juan Bautista, San Juan Capistrano anfl Solano, where pueblos had been established, the church and the curate's home were to be reserved and the balance of the property sold at auction to pay the debts of the missions. The abctndoned missions and the mission pueblos before mentioned were sold in December, 1845, and ten of the missions were rented for a term of nine years. The proceeds of the sale were to be used for the benefit of the Indians and the support of the Padres. In those rented, the Indians were at liberty to remain in the service of the lessees. A portion of the proceeds were to be used for the support of religious services. The change brought no improvement in the condition of the neophytes. They sank still lower in degradation, while the mis-
62
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
sions, deprived of income and of power, ceased to exist. Notwithstanding Pico's efforts to conciliate the discordant elements, it soon became evident that the old spirit of turbulence was still dominant. The first insurrectionary move ment originated with Jose Antonio Carillo, Pico's own brother-in-law. This was suppressed and Carillo and Vareles, one of his auxiliaries, were shipped to Mexico for trial; but were released and returned to California. Castro ignored Pico in milittary affairs and soon a bitter quarrel was on between the gefe politico and the comandante general.
For a number of years there had been a steady influx of foreigners — mostly Americans. Many of them had married into prominent families and had become by naturalization, Mexican citizens. In 1841, the first train of immigrants arrived in California overland. The immigration over the plains contin ued to increase after this. The leading Californians saw that it was their manifest destiny to become a territory of the United States. Texas had been wrested from Mexico by the same foreign element that was now invading California. Early in 1846, Castro called a junta of his officers at Monterey. This council issued a pronunciamento declaring hos tility to the United States and the members pledged themselves to defend the honor of the Mexican na tion against the perfidious attacks of its rivals — the North Americans. In this council. Pico had been ignored and the hostile feelings between the political and military chiefs grew more bitter. Pico had been appointed constitutional governor by President Her- rera and, April i8th, 1846, in the presence of the territorial assembly and a large concourse of people gathered at Los Angeles, he took the oath of office.
Castro and his associates were soon to be given an opportunity to test their courage in the defence of Mexican honor against the attacks of the perfidious North Americans. Lieutenant John C. Fremont, who had previously led two expeditions through the Rocky mountains, Oregon and California, in January, 1846, arrived in California. His company numbered sixty-two men, scientists, guides and servants. These he left encamped in the Tulare county, east of the coast range, while he repaired to Monterey to secure some needed supplies and to explain his presence. As the expedition was scientific in its object and Fre mont expressed his intention of proceeding to Oregon as soon as his men were rested and recruited, Castro made no objection to his remaining in California during the winter. But when, a few weeks later, the whole force of men marched into the Salinas valley, thev were ordered to leave the country at once.
LIEUT. JOHN C. FREMONT.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA 63
Instead of leaving, Fremont marched his men to Gabilan Peak, about thirty miles from Monterey, where he raised the stars and stripes and proceeded to fortify his camp. Castro marshalled his force on the plains below out of range of Fremont's men. After holding the fort on Gabilan Peak two days, Fremont, on the night of March gth, abandoned it and leisurely proceeded northward by way of the San Joaquin valley to Sutler's Fort and from there, after a short stop, to Lassen's Rancho on Deer Creek, where he remained until April I4th. He then resumed his march toward the Oregon line.
On May 5th, he was encamped near Klamath Lake when Samuel Neal and William Sigler, two settlers of the Sacramento valley, rode into his camp and informed him that a LTnited States officer, bearing dispatches, was endeav oring to overtake him. The officer had but a small escort and the Indians being hostile, he was in great danger. Fremont took nine of his men and the two mes sengers and hurried to the relief of the officer. The parties met and encamped on the bank of a creek. About midnight the Indians attacked the camp, killing three of Fremont's men and losing their own chief. The dispatch bearer proved to be Lieut. Archibald H. Gillespie, of the U. S. Navy. He had left Washington in November, 1845, with instructions from the government; had crossed Mex ico, disguised as a merchant, and from San Bias had taken passage to Hono lulu and thence reached Monterey, April I7th. Fremont, with his entire force, after punishing the Klamath Indians for their treachery, returned to Slitter's Fort, where Lieut. Gillespie, who had gone ahead, met them with supplies pro cured from San Francisco through Captain Montgomery of the Portsmouth. The substance of the dispatches sent to Fremont from Secretary of State Buchanan was to prevent the occupation of California by any European power and in the event of war with Mexico to take possession of the country for the United States. It was well known that England had designs on California and it was partly to circumvent these and partly to warn Fremont that war with Mexico was pending that the dispatches had been sent. The report that a large immigration was on its way to California from the United States was, no doubt, the cause of the hostility of the authorities to Fremont and to the recently arrived immigrants. There were rumors that Castro was organizing a force to drive the foreign settlers out of the country. Many Americans were in Cali fornia without authority under the Mexican laws.
Believing themselves in danger and regarding Fremont as their protector, a number of the settlers repaired to his camp. Their first aggressive act was the capture of 250 horses that were being moved by Lieut, de Arce and four teen men, from the north side of the bay to Castro's camp at Santa Clara. A party of twelve Americans, under Ezekiel Merritt, captured the horses and made prisoners of the escort, who were brought into Fremont's camp and there released. Hostilities having been begun, it became necessary for the settlers to
64 BRIEF HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA
widen the breach so as to provoke retaliation on the part of the Californians rather than be punished as horse thieves. The next move was to seize the mil itary post and the principal men of Sonoma. On the morning of June nth, twenty men under command of Merritt, armed with pistols and rifles, and mounted on fresh horses, set out from Fremont's camp on Bear Creek for Sonoma. On the way their number was recruited to thirty-two. On the morn ing of the I4th, about daybreak, they surrounded the town and took Gen. M. G. Vallejo, Captain Salvador Yallejo, and Lieut. Col. Victor Prudon, prisoners. There seem to have been no private soldiers at Sonoma — all officers. The cas- tillo, or fort, contained about a dozen rusty old cannon and two hundred and fifty muskets. Gen. Vallejo and his officers, as prisoners of war, gave their word of honor not to take up arms against the revolutionists, on a guarantee from their captain to respect the lives and property of the prisoners, their fam ilies and the residents of the jurisdiction. This guarantee, signed by Merritt, Semple, Fallon and Kelsey, was given in writing. The prisoners, although given their parole, were taken to Sutler's Fort, by a guard. Twenty-four men remained at the fort. The leaders of the party having gone with the prisoners, W. B. Ide, who had come to the front on account of a speech he made advocat ing a movement to make the country independent, was chosen commander.
Ide immediately set about formulating a declaration of independence, and William Todd, one of his men, having procured a piece of manta, or coarse cot ton cloth about two yards long, set to work to fashion a flag for the new repub lic. Todd, assisted by some others, painted a star in the upper coiner and in the center a figure supposed to represent a bear, but which the natives called a " cochina " (pig). Below these figures he painted in large letters, "Califor nia Republic.'.' Along the lower edge of the flag was stitched a strip of red woolen cloth said to have been a part of a red woolen petticoat. When com pleted the famous " Bear Flag " of California was run up on the flagstaff where the Mexican colors had formerly floated. The cannon and muskets were loaded, guards posted, military discipline established, and the California Republic duly inaugurated. On June i8th, the same day that Ide issued his proclamation, Thomas Cowie and George Fowler, two of Ide's men, volunteered to go to Fitch's ranch to procure a keg of powder from Mose Carson. On the way they were captured by a band of Californians under Juan Padilla and brutally mur dered. The news of this outrage reached Sonoma and later a report that Todd, who had been sent to Bodega with a message, had been captured. Captain W. L. Ford, with a force of twenty-three men, hastily