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History of San
Antonio de Padua Mission
San Antonio de Padua. The third Franciscan mission established in
California. The place was chosen by Father Junípero
Serra in the well-wooded valley of the stream now known as San Antonio River,
about 6 miles from the present town of Jolon, Monterey County. The native name
of the place was Texhaya, or Teshaya. Here the mission was founded by Serra with
great enthusiasm on July 14, 1771, though only one native was present. The
Indians, however, proved friendly; they brought food and helped in the work of
constructing the church and other necessary buildings. The first native was
baptized a month later, and by the end of 1772, 158 baptisms were reported. In
1780 the neophytes numbered 585, while by 1790 they had reached 1,076, making it
the largest mission community at that time in California. By 1800 there was a
slight increase to 1,118, while the greatest number in the history of the
mission, 1,124, was reached in 1805. The wealth of the mission was not so great
as that of some others. The land was reported as rather sterile and difficult to
irrigate, although the average crop for the decade ending 1810 was 3,780
bushels. In the year last named there were 3,700 cattle, 700 horses, and more
than 8,000 sheep. Though the number of the neophytes gradually decreased,
reaching 878 in 1820 and 681 in 1830, the mission live stock continued to
multiply and the crops were nearly as good as before. In 1830 Robinson (Life in
California, 81, 1846) reported that everything at the mission was in the most
perfect order, and the Indians cleanly and well dressed. Beyond an attack on the
mission converts by some outside natives in 1774, in which one Indian only was
wounded, there does not seem to have been any trouble with the natives in this
region. By 1830 there were said to be no more gentiles within 75 m. Up to 1834
the total number of Indians baptized was 4,348, of whom 2,587 were children. The
earlier buildings of the mission were of adobe, but a new and larger church with
arched corridors and a brick front was begun about 1809, and completed within
the next ten years. The mission was formally secularized in 1835, and during the
next few years declined rapidly, losing a large part of its stock. There was
much friction between Padre Mercado and the civil administrator, and many of the
Indians deserted because of bad treatment. As with the other missions, the
control was restored to the padres in 1843, but too late to accomplish much
good. There seems to be no record of the sale of the mission. Padre Doroteo
Ambris remained there for several years, and at his death the mission was
deserted, except for an occasional service by a visiting priest from San Miguel.
The place remained in ruins until 1904, when the Landmarks Club of California
undertook its preservation. The Indians in the neighborhood of the San Antonio
mission belonged to the Salinan linguistic stock, but the mission also had
neophytes from the San Joaquin valley, probably Yokuts.
The following names of
villages have been taken from the old mission books (Taylor, Cal. Farmer, Apr.
27, 1860): Atnel, Chacomex; Chitama, Cholucyte, Chunapatama, Chuquilin (San
Miguelita ), Chuzach, Cinnisel, Ejmal, Ginace, Iolon, Lamaca, Lima, Quina (Quinada),
Sapaywis, Seama, Steloglamo, Subazama, Tecolom, Teshaya, Tetachoya (Ojitos),
Texja, Tsilacomap, Zassalete, Zumblito. The rancherias, it is said, were
generally named after their chiefs.
Additional Mission
Resources
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Indian
Missions of the United StatesFree
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