Monterey County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter V Founding Of The First Missions 1893
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 2, 2006, 6:28 pm

Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of The Coast Counties Of Central California.

CHAPTER V.
FOUNDING OF THE FIRST MISSIONS.

IT will only be possible, within the limits of this work, to note in the
briefest manner the annals of Monterey during the mission era.

  Soon after the founding of the mission of San Carlos, Governor Portola turned
over the government of the new establishments of Monterey and San Diego to
Captain Pedro Fages, as military commandant, and returned to Mexico. Fathers
Junipero and Crespi entered with zeal on their work. Provision had been made in
Mexico, on receipt of the news of the occupation of Alta California, for the
founding of six new missions; these were San Buenaventura, San Gabriel, San Luis
Obispo, San Antonio, Santa Clara and San Francisco. In July, 1871, Father
Junipero, with two other priests, and a small force of soldiers and neophytes,
proceeded south to the Canada de los Robles, where with due ceremonies they
founded the mission of San Antonio. The Indians were induced to assist in
building a church or capilla, and other necessary houses, for the two priests
and their guard of six soldiers.

  In the meantime, work was going on in the erection, on a larger scale, of
mission buildings in the Carmelo valley, whither President Serra had determined
to remove the Monterey establishment, and where he intended, thereafter, to make
the headquarters of all the missions of California. At first the buildings were
constructed of timber, which was abundant in the vicinity; the present stone
church, having been erected at a later period, the date of which is unknown. It
is believed, however, that the present structure occupies the same spot as the
original wooden structure, under which four Fathers, Crespi and Serra, Lopez and
Lasuen, were buried. In fact their graves were formally located by proper
excavations, which Father Casanova, present pastor of Monterey, caused to be
made, in the presence of many witnesses, on July 3, 1882. However, the present
edifice is much larger than that which it displaced, being 165 feet in length,
inside measurements, by twenty-nine feet in width, and sixty-two feet from the
floor to the top of the arched roof; whereas the former building, according to
the record of Father Palon, was only thirty varas in length, or something over
eighty feet. In the cemetery near by are buried other priests and two governors,
and besides, it is said, more than 2,700 Indians.

  The buildings of most of the missions were constructed, as nearly as possible,
on a general, uniform plan, the church being built in the center, of stone or
adobe and roofed with tile. Near by were the residences of the priests, the
storehouses for the storage of grain, wine and oil, and shops for the
blacksmiths and for the soap-makers, and at some of the establishments for wine
and oil presses, etc. In the larger missions, like those of Sari Gabriel, San
Fernando, etc., where eventually large vineyards and olive orchards were
planted, and where the neophytes were very numerous, the missions were laid out
on an extensive scale. At night the men and women were locked up separately; and
the discipline, though at all times was very strict, was paternal and kind
toward those Indians who were docile and industrious; but sentimental
considerations were not permitted to stand in the way of the rigorous treatment
of those who did not behave themselves, or who were in any wise obstreperous.

  A little distance away from the central buildings were large corrals for the
cattle, horses or sheep; and not far off was the "rancheria," or Indian camp.
Also, close by, there was usually a building provided as quarters for a few
soldiers. Most of the missions had gardens, and small orchards of pear, peach,
fig, pomegranate, and other fruit trees, Each mission was under the control of a
priest, who was responsible to the resident president of the Franciscan order in
California, who, in turn, was subject to the orders of the College of San
Fernando, in the city of Mexico. The heads of some of these missions were not
only zealous in spiritual matters, but they were also wise managers of the
temporalities placed under their charge, and as a consequence the establishments
under their rule prospered exceedingly.

  The presidios, which were generally some distance away from the missions,
consisted of barracks for the officers and men, warehouses, and a church or
chapel, etc., inclosed by high adobe walls in an area several yards square. They
were supposed to be garrisoned by seventy soldiers, but in fact they did not
often reach that number. The military authority of each commandante extended
over a certain section of the territory, and he represented the viceroy
throughout that district; and he might be, and often was, a sort of independent
despot, in his way. He was required to protect the missions, but not to
interfere with their internal management. The treatment of the Indians by the
commandantes was not always in accord with that of the missionaries, the former
being sometimes harsh and brutal, whilst the latter was gentle, as a rule.

  The differences between the military and religious authorities became finally
so serious that President Serra felt impelled to make a trip to the city of
Mexico in 1772 -73, in order to have those differences composed, and to obtain a
clearer definition of the mutual relations between the differing parties. In
this he was successful, and on his return matters moved on more smoothly. He
also fully reported to the viceroy the condition and wants of the missions under
his jurisdiction.

  The commandantes of presidios, under Spanish laws, were authorized to grant
building lots or solares to soldiers and others, under certain restrictions; and
the first grant made was by Rivera y Moncada to Manuel Bruton, a soldier of the
presidio at Monterey, who had married an Indian neophyte. The grant contained
140 varas square.

  In the spring of 1772, Fages, with Friar Crespi, and a dozen soldiers, in
pursuance of orders from the viceroy, set out by land on an exploring expedition
to the port of San Francisco, for the purpose of establishing a mission and
presidio there in order to prevent the occupation of that important harbor by
any foreign power.

  In 1773, Fages, while searching for deserters in the mountains southeast of
the Salinas valley, saw the Tulare plains. This year the first annual report of
the condition of the missions was made to the viceroy. At San Carlos and San
Antonio, at the end of 1773, there had been 165 and 158 baptisms, respectively.
At both these missions the gentile Indians were becoming more friendly; they
could not resist the kindness of the missionaries, nor the food which was
offered them.

  The expedition of Fages and Crespi in 1772 to the bay of San Francisco, passed
along the east side of the bay, and, being unable to cross over to the entrance
of the harbor, returned without selecting a site for a mission; but, in the
latter part of 1774, another expedition, under Commandante Rivera y Moncada and
Father Palou, set out from Monterey, and following up the west side of San
Francisco bay they at last came in sight of the Golden Gate.

  Father Palou found suitable sites on this expedition for several missions,
including those whereon San Juan Bautista, Santa Cruz and Dolores were afterward
established.

  Governor Felipe de Neve, who had been residing at Loreto, Baja California,
exercising his functions as governor of both the Califomias, was directed by the
king in a royal order, issued in 1775, to reside at Monterey, which was to be
the capital of the Californias, Rivera y Moncada was required to reside at
Loreto, and act as lieutenant-governor. This change was due to the influence and
sagacity of Jose de Galvez, who was now Minister of State for the Indies.
Governor Neve, who was an enlightened ruler, soon after his arrival at Monterey,
inaugurated a movement for the establishment of pueblos, for the double purpose
of encouraging settlers, and furnishing grain and other produce to the
presidios. Under his fostering care, San Jose and Los Angeles were founded, and
they prospered from the start. President Serra was not pleased with the policy,
and insisted that the missions could have furnished the presidios with needed
supplies. But, as Neve said, " This would not people the land with Spanish
subjects."

  A new and comprehensive system of military government for the Californias was
devised by Governor Neve, at the request of the king, and was duly submitted for
royal approval. This important document was issued June 1, 1779, without
modification, as recommended by Neve, and was to go into effect in 1781.

  Bancroft gives the details, which he claims were never before published, of a
quarrel between Governor Neve and President Serra, in regard to the
administration of the rite of confirmation. It was the old fight, in which the
prerogatives of the State were pitted against the prerogatives of the church.

  Governor Neve received an order from the king in 1777, not to permit Captain
Cook, the commander of two English vessels sailing in the south seas, to enter
any ports of California. In 1779, the first Spanish galleon from Manila, the San
Jose, Captain Jose Imparan, arrived off Monterey, but did not anchor, although
some of her officers came on shore.

  This year neophyte alcaldes and regidores were elected at San Carlos and San
Antonio, and other missions.

  On the 10th of September, 1782, Neve turned over the office of governor of the
province to Fages, the former having been promoted to the position of Inspector
General of Provincias Internas; and he also had conferred on him by the king,
the Cross of the Order of San Carlos; while Fages was appointed by the viceroy
successor of Neve as governor of California. Fages took up his residence at
Monterey, the capital, in the latter part of this year, and filled the office
till 1790.

  In 1785 the social life of Monterey was enlivened by a quarrel between Fages
and his wife, "la Senora gobernadora " as she was known, a lady of gentle birth,
and a native of Catalonia, but who apparently had a will of her own. After a
year's residence she tired of provincial life, and desired to leave California.
Out of a temporary separation, a scandal developed, which disturbed not only the
peace of society at the capital, but of both the military and ecclesiastical
authorities. After a time, however, the bitterness of the quarrel between the
governor and his wife exhausted itself, and, through the intercession of friends
and of the padres at San Carlos, they became reconciled. As Fages, like Neve,
was a capable as well as a conscientious servant of the State, and as the
president of of [sic] missions, Lasuen, like Serra, was both a zealous and an
able servant of the church, it is not very strange that the contest of
prerogatives engendered between Serra and Neve should have continued between
Lasuen and Fages. In fact the contest was perennial, and never altogether ceased
till the final secularization of the missions in 1883.

  The distinguished navigator, La Perouse, in his voyage of scientific discovery
around the world anchored "among the whales" in Monterey bay for ten days in the
month of September, 1786, and he and his officers and scientific corps were very
cordially entertained by Governor Fages, and by the padres of San Carlos.
Necessary supplies were obtained, for which payment was reluctantly received.
The gallant Frenchman asked leave to make certain presents to the soldiers and
to the missions; and in his account of his visit he makes mention of this
incident. "Our gardener gave to the missionaries some potatoes from Chili,
perfectly sound; I believe this is not one of the least of our gifts, and that
this root will succeed perfectly around Monterey." He also mentions that a
handmill for grinding grain was presented to the mission whereby four neophyte
women could do the work of a hundred by their primitive methods. La Perouse's
observations concerning California, or so much of it as he saw and learned of
it, in his brief visit to Monterey, are wonderfully accurate.

  Governor Fages issued an order to Commandante Jose Arguello, of San Francisco,
in May, 1789, warning him to be watchful of "a ship named Columbia, which they
say belongs to General Washington of the American States," and directing him to
secure the vessel and all the people on board if she should enter the port of
San Francisco, which she never did, though she was in Pacific waters.

  About fifty men, under a lieutenant and ensign (alferez), belonged to the
presidio of Monterey at this period. Besides there were a surgeon and one or
more mechanics. A force of half a dozen soldiers was stationed at San Carlos and
San Antonio. The herds, large and small, mayor y menor, of the presidio in 1790,
amounted to about 4,000 head. At San Antonio there were over 1,000 neophytes and
of large animals upward of 2,200 head, and of small, nearly 2,000.

  Governor Fages' resignation was accepted by the viceroy in May, 1890, and he
was succeeded by Jose Antonio Romeu, who did not, however, assume the duties of
the office till April, 1791. A close study of the characters of the early
governors of California will convince any candid student of history of the truth
of Bancroft's dictum, that they were by no means the colorless "nonentities that
modern writers have painted them, and that among them all there is no more
original and attractive character than the bluff Catalan soldier, Pedro Fages."

  During Romeu's term, two missions were founded, namely: Santa Cruz, September
25, and La Soledad, October 9, both in the year 1791. In September of this year,
Monterey was visited by another scientific exploring expedition that sent out by
Spain under Malaspina, which stayed in port some twelve days. It is said that
the first American who ever came to California was a John Groem, or Graham, of
Boston, who had shipped as gunner of this expedition at Cadiz. He remained here,
and was buried at his death at San Carlos.

  On the death of Governor Romeu, April 9, 1792, Captain Jose J. de Arrillaga,
commandante at Loreto, and lieutenant-governor of the Californias, became
governor ad interim, serving till 1794. He arrived at the capital soon after the
death of Romeu, and entered at once on a task, which had occupied his
predecessor, namely, the adjustment of the presidial accounts, which had fallen
into great confusion. In the latter part of 1792, Vancouver, in command of an
English exploring expedition around the world, and De la Bodega y Cuadra,
Spanish commissioner, visited Monterey and remained some time, or till the
middle of January, 1793, when the three Spanish and two English vessels sailed
south simultaneously. As the officers of both fleets were cordially received by
the authorities, civil and clerical, on shore, the visit was a very pleasant one
for all parties. Astronomical observations had been taken on shore by
Vancouver's scientific corps, and many social courtesies were exchanged, all of
which made the reception, which Vancouver met on his visit a year later, seem
the more chilling by contrast. Arrillaga, who was at Loreto at the time of
Vancouver's first visit, feared that the object of the latter was to make
observations concerning the condition of the country, and having arrived at
Monterey he was disposed to facilitate such observations as little as possible.
However, on a third visit, in 1794, Vancouver was very cordially received by
Alva, and by Arguello, and later by the new governor, Borica, on his arrival in
November.

  Vancouver's record of what he saw in California is historically interesting
and valuable.

  Governor de Borica was naturally delighted with Monterey. In letters to his
friends he wrote: "This is a great country; climate healthful, between cold and
temperate, good bread, excellent meat, tolerable fish, and bon humeur which is
worth all the rest. Plenty to eat, but the most astounding is the general
fecundity, both of rationals and irrationals. The climate is so good that all
are getting to look like Englishmen. This is the most peaceful and quiet country
in the world; one lives better here than in the most cultured court of Europe."
He was not far wrong as all eclectic people will say, even to this day. Borica,
who served as governor of the province till 1800, proved to be an intelligent,
tactful and faithful executive. He lived in peace with the padres, and general
quietness and prosperity prevailed during his rule. In the year 1797-'98, five
missions and one pueblo were founded. The condition of Alta California in 1800
may be summarized in a few words: Eighteen missions, four presidios and three
pueblos or towns had been established, each one of which was entitled to four
leagues of land for the benefit of its inhabitants, there were also a few
persons occupying public lands engaged in stock-raising.

  Estimates from records and reports of the missions for this period, show that
there were nearly 200,000 head of animals, large and small; of this number,
150,000 belonged to the missions; 18,000 to 20,000 to the presidios; and 15,000
or 16,000 to the pueblos. The king's rancho, near Monterey (located at or near
the present site of Salinas city), with branches near San Francisco and San
Diego, furnished most of the meat as well as the cavalry horses needed at the
presidios.

  By means of rude looms coarse blankets and other cloths were woven from wool
and hemp, by the neophytes at the missions; hides were tanned, and shoes, etc.,
were made in rough fashion; soap and coarse pottery were also manufactured.

  The beginning of this century found the venerable Father Lasuen as president
of the missions, with headquarters still at San Carlos, where he died June 26,
1803, universally respected by all, natives and foreign visitors.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."—Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/monterey/history/1893/memorial/chapterv168gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 19.2 Kb