and many gentiles, Presidente Lasuen performing the ceremonies, aided by
Padres Peyri and Santiago. Fifty-four children were baptized at the same
time, and from the very start the Mission was prosperous. No other
missionary has left such a record as Padre Peyri. He was zealous,
sensible, and energetic. He knew what he wanted and how to secure it.
The Indians worked willingly for him, and by the 1st of July six
thousand adobes were made for the church. By the end of 1800 there were
237 neophytes, 617 larger stock, and 1600 sheep.

The new church was completed in 1801-1802, but Peyri was too energetic
to stop at this. Buildings of all kinds were erected, and neophytes
gathered in so that by 1810 its population was 1519, with the smallest
death rate of any Mission. In 1811 Peyri petitioned the governor to
allow him to build a new and better church of adobes and bricks; but as
consent was not forthcoming, he went out to Pala, and in 1816
established a branch establishment, built a church, and the picturesque
campanile now known all over the world, and soon had a thousand converts
tilling the soil and attending the services of the church.

In 1826 San Luis Rey reached its maximum in population with 2869
neophytes. From now on began its decline, though in material prosperity
it was far ahead of any other Mission. In 1828 it had 28,900 sheep, and
the cattle were also rapidly increasing. The average crop of grain was
12,660 bushels.

San Luis Rey was one of the Missions where a large number of cattle were
slaughtered on account of the secularization decree. It is said that
some 20,000 head were killed at the San Jacinto Rancho alone. The
Indians were much stirred up over the granting of the ranches, which
they claimed were their own lands. Indeed they formed a plot to capture
the governor on one of his southern trips in order to protest to him
against the granting of the Temécula Rancho.

[Illustration: HOUSE OF MEXICAN, MADE FROM RUINED WALL AND HILLS OF
MISSION SAN FERNANDO REY.]

[Illustration: THE RUINED ALTAR, MORTUARY CHAPEL, SAN LUIS REY.]

[Illustration: ILLUMINATED CHOIR MISSALS, ETC., AT MISSION SAN LUIS
REY.]

The final secularization took place in November, 1834, with Captain
Portilla as comisionado and Pio Pico as majordomo and administrator
until 1840. There was trouble in apportioning the lands among the
Indians, for Portilla called for fifteen or twenty men to aid him in
quelling disturbances; and at Pala the majordomo was knocked down and
left for dead by an Indian. The inventory showed property (including the
church, valued at $30,000) worth $203,707, with debts of $93,000. The
six ranches were included as worth $40,437, the three most valuable
being Pala, Santa Margarita, and San Jacinto.

Micheltorena's decree of 1843 restored San Luis Rey to priestly control,
but by that time its spoliation was nearly complete. Padre Zalvidea was
in his dotage, and the four hundred Indians had scarcely anything left
to them. Two years later the majordomo, appointed by Zalvidea to act for
him, turned over the property to his successor, and the inventory shows
the frightful wreckage. Of all the vast herds and flocks, only 279
horses, 20 mules, 61 asses, 196 cattle, 27 yoke oxen, 700 sheep, and a
few valueless implements remained. All the ranches had passed into
private ownership.

May 18, 1846, all that remained of the former king of Missions was sold
by Pio Pico to Cot and José Pico for $2437. Frémont dispossessed their
agent and they failed to gain repossession, the courts deciding that
Pico had no right to sell. In 1847 the celebrated Mormon battalion,
which Parkman so vividly describes in his _Oregon Trail_, were
stationed at San Luis Rey for two months, and later on, a re-enlisted
company was sent to take charge of it for a short time. On their
departure Captain Hunter, as sub-Indian agent, took charge and found a
large number of Indians, amenable to discipline and good workers.

The general statistics from the founding in 1798 to 1834 show 5591
baptisms, 1425 marriages, 2859 deaths. In 1832 there were 27,500 cattle,
2226 horses in 1828, 345 mules in the same year, 28,913 sheep in 1828,
and 1300 goats in 1832.

In 1892 Father J.J. O'Keefe, who had done excellent work at Santa
Barbara, was sent to San Luis Rey to repair the church and make it
suitable for a missionary college of the Franciscan Order. May 12, 1893,
the rededication ceremonies of the restored building took place, the
bishop of the diocese, the vicar-general of the Franciscan Order and
other dignitaries being present and aiding in the solemnities. Three old
Indian women were also there who heard the mass said at the original
dedication of the church in 1802. Since that time Father O'Keefe has
raised and expended thousands of dollars in repairing, always keeping in
mind the original plans. He also rebuilt the monastery.

San Luis Rey is now a college for the training of missionaries for the
field, and its work is in charge of Father Peter Wallischeck, who was
for so many years identified with the College of the Franciscans at
Santa Barbara.

Immediately on entering the church one observes doorways to the right
and left--the one on the right bricked up. It is the door that used to
lead to the stairway of the bell-tower. In 1913 the doorway was opened.
The whole tower was found to be filled with adobe earth, why, no one
really knows, though it is supposed it may have been to preserve the
structure from falling in case of an earthquake.

A semicircular arch spans the whole church from side to side, about
thirty feet, on which the original decorations still remain. These are
in rude imitation of marble, as at Santa Barbara, in black and red, with
bluish green lines. The wall colorings below are in imitation of
black marble.

The choir gallery is over the main entrance, and there a great revolving
music-stand is still in use, with several of the large and interesting
illuminated manuscript singing-books of the early days. In Mission days
it was generally the custom to have two chanters, who took care of the
singing and the books. These, with all the other singers, stood around
the revolving music-stand, on which the large manuscript chorals
were placed.

The old Byzantine pulpit still occupies its original position at San
Luis Rey, but the sounding-board is gone--no one knows whither. This is
of a type commonly found in Continental churches, the corbel with its
conical sides harmonizing with the ten panels and base-mouldings of the
box proper. It is fastened to the pilaster which supports the
arch above.

The original paint--a little of it--still remains. It appears to have
been white on the panels, lined in red and blue.

The pulpit was entered from the side altar, through a doorway pierced
through the wall. The steps leading up to it are of red burnt brick.
Evidently it was a home product, and was possibly made by one of Padre
Peyri's Indian carpenters, who was rapidly nearing graduation into the
ranks of the skilled cabinet-makers.

The Mortuary Chapel is perhaps as fine a piece of work as any in the
whole Mission chain. It is beautiful even now in its sad dilapidation.
It was crowned with a domed roof of heavy cement. The entrance was by
the door in the church to the right of the main entrance. The room is
octagonal, with the altar in a recess, over which is a dome of brick,
with a small lantern. At each point of the octagon there is an engaged
column, built of circular-fronted brick which run to a point at the rear
and are thus built into the wall. A three-membered cornice crowns each
column, which supports arches that reach from one column to another.
There are two windows, one to the southeast, the other northwest. The
altar is at the northeast. There are two doorways, with stairways which
lead to a small outlook over the altar and the whole interior. These
were for the watchers of the dead, so that at a glance they might see
that nothing was disturbed.

[Illustration: BELFRY WINDOW, MISSION SAN FERNANDO REY.]

[Illustration: GRAVEYARD, RUINS OF MORTUARY CHAPEL AND TOWER, MISSION
SAN LUIS REY.]

[Illustration: SIDE OF MISSION SAN LUIS REY.]

[Illustration: THE CAMPANILE AT PALA.]

The altar and its recess are most interesting, the rear wall of the
former being decorated in classic design.

This chapel is of the third order of St. Francis, the founder of the
Franciscan Order. In the oval space over the arch which spans the
entrance to the altar are the "arms" of the third order, consisting of
the Cross and the five wounds (the stigmata) of Christ, which were
conferred upon St. Francis as a special sign of divine favor.

Father Wallischeck is now (1913) arranging for the complete restoration
of this beautiful little chapel and appeals for funds to aid in
the work.



CHAPTER XXVIII

SANTA INÉS

"Beautiful for situation" was the spot selected for the only Mission
founded during the first decade of the nineteenth century,--Santa Inés.

Governor Borica, who called California "the most peaceful and quiet
country on earth," and under whose orders Padre Lasuen had established
the five Missions of 1796-1797, had himself made explorations in the
scenic mountainous regions of the coast, and recommended the location
afterwards determined upon, called by the Indians _Alajulapu_, meaning
_rincon_, or corner.

The native population was reported to number over a thousand, and the
fact that they were frequently engaged in petty hostilities among
themselves rendered it necessary to employ unusual care in initiating
the new enterprise. Presidente Tapis therefore asked the governor for a
larger guard than was generally assigned for protecting the Missions,
and a sergeant and nine men were ordered for that purpose.

The distance from Santa Barbara was about thirty-five miles, over a
rough road, hardly more than a trail, winding in and out among the
foothills, and gradually climbing up into the mountains in the midst of
most charming and romantic scenery. The quaint procession, consisting of
Padre Presidente Tapis and three other priests, Commandant Carrillo, and
the soldiers, and a large number of neophytes from Santa Barbara, slowly
marched over this mountainous road, into the woody recesses where
nestled the future home of the Mission of Santa Inés, and where the
usual ceremonies of foundation took place September 17, 1804. Padres
Calzada, Gutierrez, and Ciprès assisted Presidente Tapis, and the two
former remained as the missionaries in charge.

The first result of the founding of this Mission was the immediate
baptism of twenty-seven children, a scene worthy of the canvas of a
genius, could any modern painter conceive of the real picture,--the
group of dusky little ones with somber, wondering eyes, and the
long-gowned priests, with the soldiers on guard and the watchful Indians
in native costume in the background,--all in the temple of
nature's creating.

The first church erected was not elaborate, but it was roofed with
tiles, and was ample in size for all needful purposes. In 1812 an
earthquake caused a partial collapse of this structure. The corner of
the church fell, roofs were ruined, walls cracked, and many buildings
near the Mission were destroyed. This was a serious calamity, but the
padres never seemed daunted by adverse circumstances. They held the
usual services in a granary, temporarily, and in 1817 completed the
building of a new church constructed of brick and adobe, which still
remains. In 1829 the Mission property was said to resemble that at Santa
Barbara. On one side were gardens and orchards, on the other houses and
Indian huts, and in front was a large enclosure, built of brick and used
for bathing and washing purposes.

When Governor Chico came up to assume his office in 1835 he claimed to
have been insulted by a poor reception from Padre Jimeno at Santa Inés.
The padre said he had had no notice of the governor's coming, and
therefore did the best he could. But Presidente Duran took the bold
position of informing the governor, in reply to a query, that the
government had no claim whatever upon the hospitality of unsecularized
Missions. Chico reported the whole matter to the assembly, who sided
with the governor, rebuked the presidente and the padres, and confirmed
an order issued for the immediate secularization of Santa Inés and San
Buenaventura (Duran's own Mission). J.M. Ramirez was appointed
comisionado at Santa Inés. At this time the Mission was prosperous. The
inventory showed property valued at $46,186, besides the church and its
equipment. The general statistics from the foundation, 1804 to 1834,
show 1372 baptisms, 409 marriages, and 1271 deaths. The largest number
of cattle was 7300 in 1831, 800 horses in 1816, and 6000 sheep in 1821.
After secularization horses were taken for the troops, and while, for a
time, the cattle increased, it was not long before decline set in.

In 1843 the management of the Mission was restored to the friars, but
the former conditions of prosperity had passed away never to return. Two
years later the estate was rented for $580 per year, and was finally
sold in 1846 for $1700, although in later times the title was declared
invalid. In the meantime an ecclesiastical college was opened at Santa
Inés in 1844. A grant of land had been obtained from the government, and
an assignment of $500 per year to the seminary on the condition that no
Californian in search of a higher education should ever be excluded from
its doors; but the project met with only a temporary success, and was
abandoned after a brief existence of six years.

In 1844 Presidente Duran reported 264 neophytes at Santa Inés, with
sufficient resources for their support. When Pico's order of 1845 was
issued, the Mission was valued at $20,288. This did not include the
church, the curate's house or rooms, and the rooms needed for the
court-house. This inventory was taken without the co-operation of the
padre, who refused to sign it. He--the padre--remained in charge until
1850, when the Mission was most probably abandoned.

At Santa Inés there were several workers in leather and silver whose
reputation still remains. In various parts of the State are specimens of
the saddles they made and carved and then inlaid in silver that are
worthy a place in any noteworthy collection of artistic work.

Only ten arches remain at Santa Inés of the long line of corridor arches
that once graced this building. In the distance is a pillar of one still
standing alone. Between it and the last of the ten, eight others used to
be, and beyond it there are the clear traces of three or four more.

The church floor is of red tiles. All the window arches are plain
semicircles. Plain, rounded, heavy mouldings about three feet from the
floor, and the same distance from the ceiling, extend around the inside
of the church, making a simple and effective structural ornament.

The original altar is not now used. It is hidden behind the more
pretentious modern one. It is of cement, or plastered adobe, built out,
like a huge statue bracket, from the rear wall. The old tabernacle,
ornate and florid, is still in use, though showing its century of
service. There are also several interesting candlesticks, two of which
are pictured in the chapter on woodwork.

Almost opposite the church entrance is a large reservoir, built of
brick, twenty-one feet long and eight feet wide. It is at the bottom of
a walled-in pit, with a sloping entrance to the reservoir proper, walls
and slope being of burnt brick. This "sunk enclosure" is about sixty
feet long and thirty feet across at the lower end, and about six feet
below the level to the edge of the reservoir. Connected with this by
a cement pipe or tunnel laid underground, over 660 feet long, is another
reservoir over forty feet long, and eight feet wide, and nearly six feet
deep. This was the reservoir which supplied the Indian village with
water. The upper reservoir was for the use of the padres and also for
bathing purposes.

[Illustration: MISSION SANTA INÉS.]

[Illustration: MISSION SAN RAFAEL ARCÁNGEL. From an old painting.]

[Illustration: MISSION SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO, AT SONOMA.]

The water supply was brought from the mountains several miles distant,
flumed where necessary, and then conveyed underground in cement pipes
made and laid by the Indians under the direction of the padres. The
water-right is now lost to the Mission, being owned by private parties.

The earthquake of 1906 caused considerable damage at Santa Inés, and it
has not yet been completely repaired, funds for the purpose not having
been forthcoming.



CHAPTER XXIX

SAN RAFAEL, ARCÁNGEL

The Mission of the Archangel, San Rafael, was founded to give a health
resort to a number of neophytes who were sick in San Francisco. The
native name for the site was _Nanaguani_. The date of founding was
December 14, 1817. There were about 140 neophytes transferred at first,
and by the end of 1820 the number had increased to 590. In 1818 a
composite building, including church, priest's house, and all the
apartments required, was erected. It was of adobe, 87 feet long, 42 feet
wide, and 18 feet high, and had a corridor of tules. In 1818, when
Presidente Payeras visited the Mission, he was not very pleased with the
site, and after making a somewhat careful survey of the country around
recommended several other sites as preferable.

In 1824 a determined effort was made to capture a renegade neophyte of
San Francisco, a native of the San Rafael region, named Pomponio, who
for several years had terrorized the country at intervals as far south
as Santa Cruz. He would rob, outrage, and murder, confining most of his
attacks, however, upon the Indians. He had slain one soldier, Manuel
Varela, and therefore a determined effort was made for his capture.
Lieutenant Martinez, a corporal, and two men found him in the Canyada de
Novato, above San Rafael. He was sent to Monterey, tried by a
court-martial on the 6th of February, and finally shot the following
September. This same Martinez also had some conflicts about the same
time with chieftains of hostile tribes, north of the bay, named Marin
and Quentin, both of whom have left names, one to a county and the other
to a point on the bay.

When San Francisco Solano was founded, 92 neophytes were sent there from
San Rafael. In spite of this, the population of San Rafael increased
until it numbered 1140 in 1828.

In 1824 Kotzebue visited the Mission and spoke enthusiastically of its
natural advantages, though he made but brief reference to its
improvements. On his way to Sonoma, Duhaut-Cilly did not deem it of
sufficient importance to more than mention. Yet it was a position of
great importance. Governor Echeandía became alarmed about the activity
of the Russians at Fort Ross, and accused them of bad faith, claiming
that they enticed neophytes away from San Rafael, etc. The Mexican
government, in replying to his fears, urged the foundation of a fort,
but nothing was done, owing to the political complications at the time,
which made no man's tenure of office certain.

The secularization decree ordered that San Rafael should become a
parish of the first class, which class paid its curates $1500, as
against $1000 to those of the second class.

In 1837 it was reported that the Indians were not using their liberty
well; so, owing to the political troubles at the time, General Vallejo
was authorized to collect everything and care for it under a promise to
redistribute when conditions were better. In 1840 the Indians insisted
upon this promise being kept, and in spite of the governor's opposition
Vallejo succeeded in obtaining an order for the distribution of the
live-stock.

In 1845 Pico's order, demanding the return within one month of the
Indians to the lands of San Rafael or they would be sold, was published,
and the inventory taken thereupon showed a value of $17,000 in
buildings, lands, and live-stock. In 1846 the sale was made to Antonio
Suñol and A.M. Pico for $8000. The purchasers did not obtain possession,
and their title was afterwards declared invalid.

In the distribution of the Mission stock Vallejo reserved a small band
of horses for the purposes of national defense, and it was this band
that was seized by the "Bear Flag" revolutionists at the opening of
hostilities between the Americans and Mexicans. This act was followed
almost immediately by the joining of the insurgents by Frémont, and the
latter's marching to meet the Mexican forces, which were supposed to be
at San Rafael. No force, however, was found there, so Frémont took
possession of the Mission on June 26, 1846, and remained there for about
a week, leaving there to chase up Torre, who had gone to join Castro.
When he finally left the region he took with him a number of cattle and
horses, went to Sonoma, and on the 5th of July assumed active command of
all the insurgent forces, which ultimated in the conquest of the State.

From this time the ex-Mission had no history. The buildings doubtless
suffered much from Frémont's occupancy, and never being very elaborate,
easily fell a prey to the elements.

There is not a remnant of them now left, and the site is occupied by a
modern, hideous, wooden building, used as an armory.



CHAPTER XXX

SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO

Fifty-four years after the founding of the first Franciscan Mission in
California, the site was chosen for the twenty-first and last, San
Francisco Solano. This Mission was established at Sonoma under
conditions already narrated. The first ceremonies took place July 4,
1823, and nine months later the Mission church was dedicated. This
structure was built of boards, but by the end of 1824 a large building
had been completed, made of adobe with tiled roof and corridor, also a
granary and eight houses for the use of the padres and soldiers. Thus in
a year and a half from the time the location was selected the necessary
Mission buildings had been erected, and a large number of fruit trees
and vines were already growing. The neophytes numbered 693, but many of
these were sent from San Francisco, San José and San Rafael. The Indians
at this Mission represented thirty-five different tribes, according to
the record, yet they worked together harmoniously, and in 1830 their
possessions included more than 8000 cattle, sheep, and horses. Their
crops averaged nearly 2000 bushels of grain per year.

The number of baptisms recorded during the twelve years before
secularization was over 1300. Ten years later only about 200 Indians
were left in that vicinity.

In 1834 the Mission was secularized by M.G. Vallejo, who appointed
Ortega as majordomo. Vallejo quarreled with Padre Quijas, who at once
left and went to reside at San Rafael. The movable property was
distributed to the Indians, and they were allowed to live on their old
rancherías, though there is no record that they were formally allotted
to them. By and by the gentile Indians so harassed the Mission Indians
that the latter placed all their stock under the charge of General
Vallejo, asking him to care for it on their behalf. The herds increased
under his control, the Indians had implicit confidence in him, and he
seems to have acted fairly and honestly by them.

The pueblo of Sonoma was organized as a part of the secularization of
San Francisco Solano, and also to afford homes for the colonists brought
to the country by Hijar and Padrés. In this same year the soldiers of
the presidio of San Francisco de Asis were transferred to Sonoma, to act
as a protection of the frontier, to overawe the Russians, and check the
incoming of Americans. This meant the virtual abandonment of the post by
the shores of the bay. Vallejo supported the presidial company, mainly
at his own expense, and made friends with the native chief, Solano, who
aided him materially in keeping the Indians peaceful.

The general statistics of the Mission for the eleven years of its
existence, 1823-34, are as follows: baptisms 1315, marriages 278, deaths
651. The largest population was 996 in 1832. The largest number of
cattle was 4849 in 1833, 1148 horses and 7114 sheep in the same year.

In 1845, when Pico's plan for selling and renting the Missions was
formulated, Solano was declared without value, the secularization having
been completely carried out, although there is an imperfect inventory of
buildings, utensils, and church property. It was ignored in the final
order. Of the capture of Sonoma by the Bear Flag revolutionists and the
operations of Frémont, it is impossible here to treat. They are to be
found in every good history of California.

In 1880 Bishop Alemany sold the Mission and grounds of San Francisco
Solano to a German named Schocken for $3000. With that money a modern
church was erected for the parish, which is still being used. For six
months after the sale divine services were still held in the old
Mission, and then Schocken used it as a place for storing wine and hay.
In September, 1903, it was sold to the Hon. W.R. Hearst for $5000. The
ground plot was 166 by 150 feet. It is said that the tower was built by
General Vallejo in 1835 or thereabouts. The deeds have been transferred
to the State of California and accepted by the Legislature. The
intention is to preserve the Mission as a valuable historic landmark.



CHAPTER XXXI

THE MISSION CHAPELS OR ASISTENCIAS

The Mission padres were the first circuit riders or pastors. It is
generally supposed that the circuit rider is a device of the Methodist
church, but history clearly reveals that long prior to the time of the
sainted Wesley, and the denomination he founded, the padres were "riding
the circuit," or walking, visiting the various rancherías which had no
settled pastor.

Where buildings for worship were erected at these places they were
called chapels, or asistencias. Some of these chapels still remain in
use and the ruins of others are to be seen. The Mission of San Gabriel
had four such chapels, viz., Los Angeles, Puente, San Antonio de Santa
Ana, and San Bernardino. Of the first and the last we have
considerable history.

LOS ANGELES CHAPEL

As I have elsewhere shown, it was the plan of the Spanish Crown not only
to Christianize and civilize the Indians of California, but also to
colonize the country. In accordance with this plan the pueblo of San
José was founded on the 29th of November, 1776. The second was that of
Los Angeles in 1781. Rivera was sent to secure colonists in Sonora and
Sinaloa for the new pueblo, and also for the establishments it was
intended to found on the channel of Santa Barbara.

In due time colonists were secured, and a more mongrel lot it would be
hard to conceive: Indian, Spanish, Negro, Indian and Spanish, and Indian
and Negro bloods were represented, 42 souls in all. The blood which
makes the better Spanish classes in Los Angeles to-day so proud
represents those who came in much later.

There was nothing accidental in the founding of any Spanish colony.
Everything was planned beforehand. The colonist obeyed orders as rigidly
executed as if they were military commands. According to
Professor Guinn:

"The area of a pueblo, under Spanish rule, was four square
leagues, or about 17,770 acres. The pueblo lands were divided
into _solares_ (house lots), _suertes_[5] (fields for
planting), _dehesas_ (outside pasture lands), _ejidos_
(commons), _propios_ (lands rented or leased), _realengas_
(royal lands)."

[5] _Suerte_. This is colloquial, it really means "chance" or
"haphazard." In other words, it was the piece of ground that fell to the
settler by "lot."

On the arrival of the colonists in San Gabriel from Loreto on the 18th
of August, 1781, Governor Neve issued instructions for founding Los
Angeles on the 26th. The first requirement was to select a site for a
dam, to provide water for domestic and irrigation purposes. Then to
locate the plaza and the homes and fields of the colonists. Says
Professor Guinn:

"The old plaza was a parallelogram too varas[6] in length by
75 in breadth. It was laid out with its corners facing the
cardinal points of the compass, and with its streets running
at right angles to each of its four sides, so that no street
would be swept by the wind. Two streets, each 10 varas wide,
opened out on the longer sides, and three on each of the
shorter sides. Upon three sides of the plaza were the house
lots, 20 by 40 varas each, fronting on the square. One-half
the remaining side was reserved for a guard-house, a
town-house, and a public granary. Around the embryo town, a
few years later, was built an adobe wall--not so much,
perhaps, for protection from foreign invasion as from
domestic intrusion. It was easier to wall in the town than to
fence the cattle and goats that pastured outside."

[6] A vara is the Spanish yard of 33 inches.

The government supplied each colonist with a pair each of oxen, mules,
mares, sheep, goats, and cows, one calf, a burro, a horse, and the
branding-irons which distinguished his animals from those of the other
settlers. There were also certain tools furnished for the colony as
a whole.

On the 14th of September of the same year the plaza was solemnly
dedicated. A father from the San Gabriel Mission recited mass, a
procession circled the plaza, bearing the cross, the standard of Spain,
and an image of "Our Lady," after which salvos of musketry were fired
and general rejoicings indulged in. Of course the plaza was blessed, and
we are even told that Governor Neve made a speech.

As to when the first church was built in Los Angeles there seems to be
some doubt. In 1811 authority was gained for the erection of a new
chapel, but nowhere is there any account of a prior building. Doubtless
some temporary structure had been used. There was no regular priest
settled here, for in 1810 the citizens complained that the San Gabriel
padres did not pay enough attention to their sick. In August of 1814 the
corner-stone of the new chapel was laid by Padre Gil of San Gabriel, but
nothing more than laying the foundation was done for four years. Then
Governor Sola ordered that a higher site be chosen. The citizens
subscribed five hundred cattle towards the fund, and Prefect Payeras
made an appeal to the various friars which resulted in donations of
seven barrels of brandy, worth $575. With these funds the work was done,
José Antonio Ramirez being the architect, and his workers neophytes from
San Gabriel and San Luis Rey, who were paid a real (twelve and a half
cents) per day. Before 1821 the walls were raised to the window arches.
The citizens, however, showed so little interest in the matter that it
was not until Payeras made another appeal to his friars that _they_
contributed enough to complete the work. Governor Sola gave a little,
and the citizens a trifle. It is interesting to note what the
contributions of the friars were. San Miguel offered 500 cattle, San
Luis Obispo 200 cattle, Santa Barbara a barrel of brandy, San Diego two
barrels of white wine, Purísima six mules and 200 cattle, San Fernando
one barrel brandy, San Gabriel two barrels brandy, San Buenaventura said
it would try to make up deficits or supply church furniture, etc. Thus
Payeras's zeal and the willingness of the Los Angeleños to pay for wine
and brandy, which they doubtless drank "to the success of the church,"
completed the structure, and December 8, 1822, it was formally
dedicated. Auguste Wey writes:

"The oldest church in Los Angeles is known in local American
parlance as 'The Plaza Church,' 'Our Lady,' 'Our Lady of
Angels,' 'Church of Our Lady,' 'Church of the Angels,'
'Father Liébana's Church,' and 'The Adobe Church.' It is
formally the church of Nuestra Señora, Reina de los
Angeles--Our Lady, Queen of the Angels--from whom Los Angeles
gets its name."

That is, the city gets its name from Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels,
not from the church, as the pueblo was named long before the church was
even suggested.

The plaza was formally moved to its present site in 1835, May 23, when
the government was changed from that of a pueblo to a city.

Concerning the name of the pueblo and river Rev. Joachin Adam, vicar
general of the diocese, in a paper read before the Historical Society of
Southern California several years ago, said:

"The name Los Angeles is probably derived from the fact that
the expedition by land, in search of the harbor of Monterey,
passed through this place on the 2d of August, 1769, a day
when the Franciscan missionaries celebrate the feast of
Nuestra Señora de los Angeles--Our Lady of the Angels. This
expedition left San Diego July 14, 1769, and reached here on
the first of August, when they killed for the first time some
_berrendos_, or antelope. On the second, they saw a large
stream with much good land, which they called Porciúncula on
account of commencing on that day the jubilee called
Porciúncula, granted to St. Francis while praying in the
little church of Our Lady of the Angels, near Assisi, in
Italy, commonly called Della Porciúncula from a hamlet of
that name near by. This was the original name of the Los
Angeles River."

The last two recorded burials within the walls of the Los Angeles chapel
are those of the young wife of Nathaniel M. Pryor, "buried on the
left-hand side facing the altar," and of Doña Eustaquia, mother of the
Dons Andrés, Jesus, and Pio Pico, all intimately connected with the
history of the later days of Mexican rule.



CHAPEL OF SAN BERNARDINO

It must not be forgotten that one of the early methods of reaching
California was inland. Travelers came from Mexico, by way of Sonora,
then crossed the Colorado River and reached San Gabriel and Monterey in
the north, over practically the same route as that followed to-day by
the Southern Pacific Railway, viz., crossing the river at Yuma, over the
Colorado Desert, by way of the San Gorgonio Pass, and through the San
Bernardino and San Gabriel valleys. It was in 1774 that Captain Juan
Bautista de Anza, of the presidio of Tubac in Arizona, was detailed by
the Viceroy of New Spain to open this road. He made quite an expedition
of it,--240 men, women, and Indian scouts, and 1050 animals. They named
the San Gorgonio Pass the Puerto de San Carlos, and the San Bernardino
Valley the Valle de San José. Cucamonga they called the Arroyo de los
Osos (Bear Ravine or Gulch).

As this road became frequented San Gabriel was the first stopping-place
where supplies could be obtained after crossing the desert. This was
soon found to be too far away, and for years it was desired that a
station nearer to the desert be established, but not until 1810 was the
decisive step taken. Then Padre Dumetz of San Gabriel, with a band of
soldiers and Indian neophytes, set out, early in May, to find a location
and establish such a station. They found a populous Indian ranchería,
in a region well watered and luxuriant, and which bore a name
significant of its desirability. The valley was _Guachama_, "the place
of abundance of food and water," and the Indians had the same name. A
station was established near the place now known as Bunker Hill, between
Urbita Springs and Colton, and a "capilla," built, dedicated to San
Bernardino, because it was on May 20, San Bernardino's feast-day, that
Padre Dumetz entered the valley. The trustworthiness of the Indians will
be understood when it is recalled that this chapel, station, and the
large quantity of supplies were left in their charge, under the command
of one of their number named Hipolito. Soon the station became known,
after this Indian, as Politana.

The destruction of Politana in 1810 by savage and hostile Indians, aided
by earthquakes, was a source of great distress to the padres at San
Gabriel, and they longed to rebuild. But the success of the attack of
the unconverted Indians had reawakened the never long dormant predatory
instincts of the desert Indians, and, for several years, these made
frequent incursions into the valley, killing not only the whites, but
such Indians as seemed to prefer the new faith to the old. But in 1819
the Guachamas sent a delegation to San Gabriel, requesting the padres to
come again, rebuild the Mission chapel, and re-establish the supply
station, and giving assurances of protection and good behavior. The
padres gladly acceded to the requests made, and in 1820 solemn chants
and earnest exhortations again resounded in the ears of the Guachamas in
a new and larger building of adobe erected some eight miles
from Politana.

There are a few ruined walls still standing of the chapel of San
Bernardino at this time, and had it not been for the care recently
bestowed upon them, there would soon have been no remnant of this once
prosperous and useful asistencia of the Mission of San Gabriel.



CHAPEL OF SAN MIGUEL

In 1803 a chapel was built at a ranchería called by the Indians
_Mescaltitlan_, and the Spaniards San Miguel, six miles from Santa
Barbara. It was of adobes, twenty-seven by sixty-six feet. In 1807
eighteen adobe dwellings were erected at the same place.