While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
San Juan Capistrano. A Franciscan mission established by Fr. Junfpero
Serra, Nov. 10, 1776, at a place called in the native tongue Sajirit, or
Quanis-Savit, at the present San Juan, Orange county, Cal. As soon as Franciscan
missionaries, who were superseded by Dominicans in Lower California, arrived in
San Diego, the ardent apostle to Alta California sent two friars to institute a
mission at a roadstead 26 leagues north of San Diego. They raised a cross on Oct.
30, 1775, but hastily returned when they learned that in the absence of the
soldiers the natives had burned San Diego mission. No sooner was it rebuilt than
Fr. Junípero proceeded to inaugurate the
projected second mission, then hurried to San Gabriel and brought down the
requisite stock of cattle escorted by a single soldier, and when a band of
yelling, painted Indians threatened his life he won their confidence and
friendship. The natives of this coast, well supplied by prolific nature, were not covetous of food or gifts, but remarkably eager
for baptism. The inhabitants of the valley came from the other side of the Santa
Ana Mountains, where they had a large rancheria called Sejat. About 2 miles from the
mission they had one called Putuidem, and in its immediate vicinity they
settled at Acagchemem (Geronimo Boscana in Cal. Farmer, Oct. 11, 1861). The
fruitful plain soon yielded an exchangeable surplus of wheat, corn, and legumes.
Juicy grasses nourished herds and flocks that doubled each year. The vine was
first planted there and it grew wonderfully, and pomegranates, quinces,
peaches, nectarines, and other fruits of Old Spain throve as well. By 1783 there
were 383 converts; in 1790 there were 741, and the mission herds had increased
to 2,473 head, the small stock to 5,500, the grain crop to upward of 3,000
bushels. Houses for 40 neophyte families were constructed in 1794, some of them
roofed with tiles. The weaving industry was introduced in 1797, and woolen
blankets and cloth of native dye were produced, while the wool clip was abundant
enough to supply other missions also. A stone church, the finest in California,
that was nine years in building, was completed in 1806. It had a high tower and
five interior arches of stone, all the work of the neophytes. Illegal sales of
provisions to American
and Russian trading vessels filled the coffers of the mission. The number of
neophytes increased to 1,138 in 1810, the average crop to 5,570 bushels,
and the large stock to 10,213 head, while the number of sheep, though
still the largest among the missions, decreased in ten years from 17,030
to 11,500, but at the end of the following decade there were 15,000, with
11,500 cattle and nearly 1,000 horses, while the neophyte population,
after reaching 1,361 in 1812, declined to 1,064. On Dec. 8, 1812, the new
church was destroyed by an earthquake, and
nearly 50 natives who were attending early mass were buried beneath the ruins.
In 1830 the number of neophytes had declined to 926, cattle to 10,978, sheep to
5,000. Torrents gullied the fertile soil and weeds choked the crops, while the
affairs of the mission were mismanaged. The missionary quarreled with the
captain of the guard, and the neophytes grew lazy and insolent. In 1833 the
earlier scheme of secularization was carried out at this mission as an
experiment. The neophytes, of whom there were 861, were all released from
mission restriction, provided with farms and farm stock, and constituted into a
pueblo. In the following year their new liberties were abrogated and they were
placed on a footing with the people of other missions. From the founding of the
mission till 1834 the number of natives baptized was 4,317, 1689 adults and
2,628 children. The number of deaths was 3,153. The civilian administrator was
avaricious, and the neophytes deserted until only 80 were found at the mission
in 1839. They clamored to be formed again into a pueblo, and the Government
acceded to their desire on the condition (if their working faithfully during a
period of probation under the direction of the padre, but he was unwilling to
take charge unless citizens were allowed to come in and the Indian alcaldes
were held in control. During the next few years most of the Indians left for Los
Angeles or elsewhere. In 1841 the Indians were fully emancipated and land was
assigned to those who desired it in the newly founded pueblo of San Juan, but
not more than 20 to 30 seem to have settled there. What remained of the mission
grounds was sold in 1845 for $710. The ruins of the old stone church still
remain as when overthrown. The Landmarks Club of California has secured a lease
of the buildings and grounds, placed a roof, with the original tiles, on the old
adobe church, supposed to have been built by Serra, besides making other
repairs to preserve the buildings from further decay. The Indians in the
neighborhood of this mission belong to the Shoshonean linguistic stock and are
known as Juanefios, though it is probable that the mission included
neophytes from more distant groups.
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