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History of San
Buenaventura Mission
San Buenaventura. The ninth Franciscan mission founded in California, and
the last by Father Junípero Serra. The site
was chosen within the limits of the present Ventura, Ventura County, near the
beach and adjoining one of the native villages, and the usual founding
ceremonies took place Mar. 31, 1782. The natives seemed pleased with the
prospect and readily aided in the construction of the new buildings. The
increase in the number of neophytes was not so rapid as at some of the missions.
In 1790 there were 385; in 1800, 715; in 1810, 1,297; while the highest number,
1,328, was reached in 1816. In other respects the mission was very successful;
it had more cattle (10,013 head) and raised more grain (9,400 bushels) in 1800
than any other place in California. Vancouver visited the mission in Nov. 1793,
and remarked on the quantity, variety, and general excellence of its vegetables
and fruits. The buildings also were excellent, though the new stone church was
not completed and dedicated until 1809. During the first decade of the 19th
century the mission continued the most prosperous in California. In 1810 there
were 21,221 cattle, 3,276 horses and mules, and 8,543 small stock, with an
average crop for the decade of 6,400 bushels. Though losing some what by 1820,
the mission still retained first place. The earthquake of 1812, which destroyed
the church at San Juan Capistrano, also severely injured the new church of San
Buenaventura, and it was feared that the whole mission site was settling into
the sea, so that all the inhabitants removed to higher ground for three months.
After 1820 the mission declined rapidly, both in converts and in material
prosperity. In 1830 there were 726 neophytes, and 626 in 1834. Up to that time
the total number of natives baptized was 3,805, of whom 1,909 were children,
Secularization does not seem to have been carried out here until 1837. Bancroft
estimates that in 1840 there were about 250 Indians in the community and as many
more scattered in the district. In 1844 the mission was reported as still fairly
prosperous; in 1846 the lands were sold for $12,000. The buildings remained in
the possession of the Catholic Church, and since 1843 the mission has been the
regular parish church of Ventura, which in garbled form was named from the
mission. In 1893 the old church was so renovated as to lose much of its historic
interest. The Indians among whom San Buenaventura mission was established
belonged to the Chumashan linguistic family, which probably furnished the major
portion of the neophytes.
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
Genealogy |
Indian Genealogy
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California Missions |
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