F 861 F74g A A FORBES GOLDEN WEST i 7 NOIE 8 o !\L LIBRARY 2 4 FACILITY WV*"*.?'.** •?• •' ■?/.'•'': *r« v^".".;"'. 1 ?* • 6 Pi:.\ Wl ' ' He is the son of the well known pioneer, James A. Forbes, who during his lifetime was esteemed and respected by all who had social and business relations with him. J. A. Forbes, Jr. was educated in Santa Clara Col- and, being a master of several Languages, obtained the position of official translator of the laws of California during the years 1867, L868, L869 and L870. 11*' has the reputation of being the most accurate translator and fluent interpreter in the state." A true copy of the biography of Mr. James Alexander Forbes as it appears in Davis' Sixty Fears in California, page 603. I Signed I Evbeett R. Pebbi . Librarian Los Angeles Public Library. Extracl taken from the History of the Bay of San Francisco, Vol. 1. page 574, Biography of James Alexander Forbes: ".I. Alexander Forbes, government trans- lator and keeper of government archives, was born in Santa Clara county, this State, March 17. L838, and is a descendant of one of the old and influential families of this State. His lather was J. Alexander Forbes, and was a native of Scotland. "He married Miss Ana Maria Galindo, daughter of Don Juan C. Galindo, a wealthy and highly respected citizen of Santa Clara Mission. Mr. Forbes, Jr., was reared in the above named county. Mis early education The Golden West 7 was received at home from a private in- structor. Later he became a pupil in Santa Clara College, being one of the first to com- plete his collegiate course in 1857. Following this he became interested in mining in the southern part of the State, and also took charge of the public schools of Santa Barbara for a year. "In 1867 he came to San Francisco and taught in the Catholic Schools there, also in Martinez, Contra Costa county. He then went to Sacramento where he obtained a po- sition translating the Statutes of 1867-8 for the Government, also the official reports and government affidavits of 1869-70. He next established an office in San Francisco and be- came official court interpreter until 1878 when he took his present position. By those in a position to judge, Mr. Forbes is said to be the best Spanish scholar and most accurate interpreter on the Coast." (A true copy of the Biography of J. Alex- ander Forbes which appears in the History of the Bav of San Francisco, Vol. 1, page 574.) (Signed) Everett R. Perry, Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library. Note: After the publication of the above named histories, Mr. J. Alexander Forbes was appointed by President Harrison, to the position of United States Consul for Ghiay- Tin; ( lOLDEN Wl mas, Sonora, Mexico, on the 23rd day of August, L892, and his name as such must ap- pear in the Consular Register for Baid year in the State Department at Washington, D l . ••\- a teacher of languages he lias no equal. .Mr. Forbes lias a system of his own to teach the English and the Spanish lan- guages ami i< considered t<> be the best teacher of these languages that has ever been known in the State <>f Jalisco. Mexico." Guadalajara. January 17. l!»14. Carlos F. Michel. Calif ornia Etymology of the name of California ac- cording to a Jesuit writer, Don Jose Campoi : We are informed by the Spanish historian, Bernal del Castillo, that when Hernan Cortez discovered his new-found country he gave it the name of the bay in which he landed in 1536. Don Jose Campoi states that the said bay was San Lucas, which in Spanish is called "Cala" (open roadstead) and that in the south end of said roadstead is an immense arch through which large schooners can pass even to this day. This arch in Latin is called "Forniax" and Cortez called his country as that of "Cala" aud Arch "Forniax." Or Cala (Eoadstead) i (and) Forniax (Arch) making the entire name CALIFORNIAX. By constant use and for the sake of euphony the "X" was suppressed and an "S" used instead, the same as in the words, "Mejico" for "Mexico," "Jalisco" for "Ja- lixco," "Tlascala" for "Tlaxcala," etc. In the ancient Spanish archives the coun- try was always called " Calif ornias" and never "California" unless it was to distin- 10 The Gulden West guish the south Prom the northern portion. The Mexican Governmenl lias always desig- nated the country as the Department of Cali- fornias and nol ( lalifornia. In Bupport of the above theory the Bay of San Lucas still exists as well as the im- mense arch through which ships can sail with perfect safety up to the presenl time, thus corroborating the assertion of the historian (jinit<'(| above. California has grown to be a great and glorious Stale by nature, and no other in the American Union can boasl of having a wider variotj of scenery in land, ocean, mountains, bays, rivers or valleys. All seems to have been previously arranged by some mysterious hand on a grand and impressive plan. In geological history the Pacific slope is younger than the Atlantic, yel is equally interesting in every way, and California, although but a young State, already has a sublime history of its own thai each one of its citizens should and ought to duly appreciate. It is the name thai was assigned to the new-found country l»y the followers of I Ionian Cortez when he discovered it in the year 1536, and is sup- posed to he the great Cipnngo of Marco Polo, or the Terrestrial Paradise of Yao Fohi men- tioned in the famous novel of Amadis Di Cfaula " Sergaa De Esplandian," which every- bodj seemed to be anxious to go even across the ocean to see. The Golden West 11 For a period of more than 100 years the Spanish Government had not been able to accomplish anything. Missionaries of the Jesuit Order and Franciscan Friars accom- panied the Spanish conquerors in Mexico, North America, and in Peru, South America, as well as the French explorers in the great and extensive valley of the Mississippi in the United States of America. As the Spanish Viceroy of New Spain had failed in his at- tempts to colonize the new country he con- sented to grant the charter of colonizing the same to priests of the Jesuit Order and rec- ommended to the king the granting of said privilege to two Jesuits named Kino (Kuhn) and Salvatierra, who were to have command of the monastic government of the country in order to convert the inhabitants thereof to Christianity. In this arduous task they founded twenty- eight missions from Cape San Lucas in the extreme South to the Bay of Santa Maria in the North. The country seemed to be in a flourishing and prosperous condition, and the conversion of the native tribes of the Coras, Pericius and Cochimis seemed to be complete. Every mission contained thousands of Neo- phytes and Catechumens. The Jesuits had accomplished a gigantic undertaking in which they had been aided very materially by a pious group of people in Mexico City who had created a fund with which to pay all the 12 The Golden West enses of the Jesuit missionaries in the foundation of their establishments. The said fund was known by the name of the Pious Fund ( fondo piadoso >. It was in the year 1767, however, when by royal decree all de-nits were expelled from tlif Spanish dominion and the Franciscans took their place. Spain had great commercial relations with the East Indies and needed to have a good harbor on Its Pacific coast in North America aa a stopping place for her navigators where they could get supplies and make repairs. This, together with the zeal of the Franciscan Friars for the conversion of the natives to Christianity, led to the ultimate occupation of my glorious country California FIRST SETTLEMENT. In the year L769 several expeditions were sent to find the port of San Diego. Two ex- peditions came by sea and two more by land. The expeditions by sea were under Immediate command of (Jaspar de Portala, who had been appointed Governor of the Province; the land expeditions were under the immediate com- mand, of the Reverend Friar Junipero Serra and of one. ( lanizares. This expedition started from the port of Chametla on the coast of Sinaloa to cross the > 1774 < ( 1782 Pedro Fajes, < < 1782 i I 1790 Jose Antonio Romeu, " 1790 i I 1792 Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga, i . 1792 i I 1794 Diego de Borica, 1 1 1794 i i ISO!) Jose de Arrillaga, 1800 < i 1814 Jose I >ario Argiiello, 1814 i I 1815 Pablo Vicente de Sola, . i 1*1.-) i i 1822 The plan of the Franciscan Friars to con- vert the Indians t«, < Ihristianity was the same thai had been adopted by the Jesuil Order. The Golden West 15 The building of churches, around which the Fathers lived, instructing the neophytes in the faith and requiring them to work and live in the ways of civilization. These es- tablishments were called or given the name of missions and were the chief feature of the colonization of California. The mission padres were earnest, devout and energetic men, who dedicated their entire lives to their work which they all superintended volun- tarily with a singleness of purpose that in- sured absolute success. In 1780 sixteen mis- sionary priests were the spiritual rulers of more than 3000 native converts and by the end of the century they had founded eighteen missions with forty padres and a neophyte population of 13,500. With reference to agriculture, they had raised crops of from 30,000 to 75,000 bushels per year, their harvests being the only ones raised in the territory. They likewise had, according to the report of the Father Presi- dent, 70,000 head of horses and cattle with more than as many more head of sheep and goats. The value of their improvements in churches and other buildings was estimated to be worth more than one million dollars or pesos. The plan of the Spanish government in colonizing California included not only the religious establishments to be known as mis- sions, but also the foundation of pueblos 16 Tin. < k>LDEN West (towns) as business and military centers. The military quarters were named presidios. There were four of these military stations in ( lalifornia : — San Diego, Santa Barbara, Mon- terey and San Francisco. Bere follows a minute description of all the missions of California together with a picture of their appearance at the date or alter the date of the American occupation of the country July, 1847. THE MISSIONS OF CALIFORNIA The Golden West 19 SAN DIEGO de ALCALA (No. 1) This mission was founded June 16, 1769, latitude 33. It was the first one founded, and is lo- cated in the small valley known as the Canada of San Diego, at the termination of which is the ancient presidio of the same name. The place selected has a very pictur- esque appearance. It is only a few miles dis- tant from the bay. The old mission buildings have all gone to ruin. The Golden West 21 SAN CARLOS. EL-CARMELO (No. 2) This mission was founded June 30, 1770, in latitude 36:44. It is located in the Carmelo valley on the coast, west of the presidio of Monterey; and was the second one that was founded by Father Junipero Serra. The edifice has al- ways been noted for its fine type of archi- tecture. The Golden West 23 SAN ANTONIO de PADUA (No. 3) This mission was founded July 14, 1771, in latitude 36:30. The San Antonio mission is located in the beautiful valley of Las Milpitas; that ex- tends southwest to the Santa Lucia range of mountains that run along the coast and is in Monterey county. The old mission buildings are in a good state of preservation, owing to the fact that Mr. James Alonzo Forbes, one of the leading citizens of Monterey county, with residence at Jolon, undertook the job of making some substantial repairs on the old walls that were left after the death of the old Mexican parish priest, Ambriz, who had been there in charge for more than forty-five years. Mr. Forbes performed a gigantic task in making the renovation and left the former ruins that were crumbling to pieces in the con- dition that they appear in the picture. = O The Golden West 25 SAN CAELOS CHAPEL Situated at Monterey; built in the year 1770. This chapel is not properly a mission, but was the first church erected in the presidio of Monterey which in after years became the capital of the province. o The Golden West 27 SAN GABRIEL (No. 4) This mission was founded in September 8, 1771, in latitude 34:10. At the time of its foundation it was dedi- cated to the Archangel Gabriel. It is in Los Angeles county, and the buildings are in a good state of preservation. It is located in the eastern entrance to the valley of Los An- geles, distant only a few miles from the most beautiful city in California, known all over the world as the true "City of the Angels," (City of Los Angeles). The mission proper is surrounded by many other thriving cities and towns, like Pasadena. It can be reached by electric railway lines that traverse in all directions from and to Los Angeles. The Golden West 29 CHURCH IN LOS ANGELES Chapel on the old Plaza of the ancient pueblo of the actual city of Los Angeles. Its foundation was laid immediately after the establishment of the pueblo (town) by order of the Viceroy of new Spain. It was built when the entire population did not reach the number of 1000, and was consecrated and given the name of "Church of Our Lady of Queen of the Angels." (Templo de Nuestra Senora Reina de Los Angeles). It was one of the four branch churches (asistencias) to the Mission of San Gabriel. Dedicated in the month of December, 1822. The Golden West 31 SAN LUIS OBISPO (No. 5) This mission was founded by Junipero Serra on September 1, 1772, in latitude 35 :36. This mission was founded by Junipero Serra and has always been in a good state of pres- ervation ; on account of the fact that after its secularization in 1834 it became an Indian pueblo (town) with its ejidos (community lands) to the extent of 8876' acres, to which it was entitled by Royal Regulation. Relig- ious services have been celebrated inside of the church daily up to the present time. The Golden West 33 SAN FRANCISCO de ASIS (No. 6) This mission was founded on October 9th, 1776, in latitude 37:40. It was called Mis- sion Dolores (Our Lady of Pains). It was founded by the exploring party at the time that the entrance of the Port of San Francisco was discovered. The foundation was made on the 9th of October because it was the day of San Francisco, the patron saint of the Order. On the same day the bay was given its actual name of San Francisco. The dedication was made with great pomp and solemnity, as described in "Forbes Cali- fornia." The mission proper is situated in what now is the heart of the populous and thriving city of San Francisco. The Golden West 35 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO (No. 7) This mission was founded at first on the 30th of October, 1775, by Father Fermin de Lazuen, on the feast day of its patron saint. The mission proper stands today between two streams — on that of the Trabnco and on the south that of the San Juan, which comes down from the ravine called Mission Vieja (old mission), with the best of agricultural land in its surroundings. Father Lazuen was the founder of the first establishment that only lasted one year, on account of its destruction by the Indians of that vicinity. After that came Father Junipero Serra, Father Mugar- tegui and some soldiers from San Diego, and resumed the work of the foundation. San Juan, in primitive times, was considered as one of the most beautiful structures in the entire country, but was only used six years and three months, as it was destroyed by a terrible earthquake on December 8th, 1812. It is reported that at the time of the catastrophe the entire congregation perished with the ex- ception of one woman and child. This mis- sion was never rebuilt, and represents today the same appearance that it did fifty years ago, with the exception of the most valuable and useful improvements that are being con- stantly made by its actual worthy and ener- getic parish priest Father John 0. Sullivan. The Golden West 37 SANTA CLARA (No. 8) This mission was founded on January 18th, 1777, in latitude 37 :20. It was located at first on the banks of the river named Guadalupe. Next it was located close to the railroad depot at Santa Clara, where stands today a large cross in memory of the second foundation which was destroyed by an earthquake in the year 1813. For the benefit of my readers I will explain why Col. Don Juan Bautista de Anza in the year 1774, while on his journey from the presidio of Tubac in Sonora, to found the presidio of San Francisco, gave the above name to the said river. His entire party had been for nearly two days without water ; when he arrived at the willow grove that still exists in the suburbs of the actual city of San Jose. There they camped and found the above mentioned river and had all the water that they needed. Anza gave the river the name of Guadalupe, in honor of the Virgin Mary, who was the Patron Saint of the en- tire party — Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) who is said to have apjjeared corporeally in the Sixteenth Century on the moun- tain of Tepeyac on the valley of Mexico to the Indian Juan Diego. The picture shows the mission as it was after it was secularized in the year 1834 and converted into an Indian pueblo with its parish priest and ejidos (commons or townlands) to the extent of two square leagues around the old church building. Santa Clara has been ever since the flourishing and thriving City of Santa Clara in the fertile county of the same name. The Golden West 39 SAN BUENAVENTURA (No. 9) This mission was founded March 31, 1782, in latitude 34 :36. This mission is situated in the beautiful district of country south of Santa Barbara county, and is the county seat of the county of the same name. The valley upon which it is located is or was known in former times as the Santa Clara valley of southern California in San Buenaventura county. The mission building is in a good state of preservation and religious services are held daily in the said temple as in days gone by. The church is highly decorated inside. The Golden West 41 SANTA BARBARA (No. 10) This mission was founded December 4th, 1786, in latitude 34:40. It was one of the most conspicuous in Cali- fornia on account of the fact that it was a military post (presidio) of the same name, as well as the place where was established the celebrated college of the Order of the Fran- ciscans. Santa Barbara mission was one of the primitive monastic establishments created in California, for the ordaining of new priests of this religious order. The Golden West 43 PUEISIMA CONCEPCION (No. 11) This mission was founded December 8th, 1787, and was in existence only a few years when it was extinguished to give place to that of Santa Inez, which seemed to be of greater importance. It was situated about thirty miles west of Santa Barbara and located in the Lompoc valley. K tjpB &;•, '1 SfeV MS V ■ ■HHHKvlH m k ' HHSir I * ^ErajljHS The Golden West 45 SANTA CRUZ. (No. 12) This mission was founded in August 28, 1791, in latitude 37 :00. It is situated on the seashore, near the en- trance to the bay of Monterey in Santa Cruz county. It was founded in the same year as the mission of La Soledad in the Salinas val- ley in Monterey county. In January, 1840, an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed the buildings very materially. The final disaster occurred in 1851, when the church walls fell in. The mission of Santa Cruz has now en- tirely disappeared. The Golden West 47 NUESTRA SEnORA de la SOLEDAD (No. 13) This mission was founded on October 9th, 1791, in latitude 36:38. The name of this mission was Nnestra Senora de la Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude). It is perhaps one of the most historical in California as it was the residence of one of the most notable governors of California dur- ing the Spanish regime. It was the place where Don Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga died on the 25th of November, 1 814. It was also the place where in the year 1818 Governor D. Pablo Vicente de Sola transferred all the records and all articles of value, from the capital of the province which was Monterey, when the pirates attacked and robbed the pueblo and destroyed the presidio. Governor de Sola transported everything of value beforehand so that when the pirates anchored in Monterey bay the governor could not be found because he was in La Soledad with all that belonged to the government and to him. The Golden West 49 SAN JOSfi (No. 14) This mission was founded June 11, 1797, in latitude 37 :30. It was built for the purpose of having an adjunct establishment to that of Santa Clara.' It is situated in the great and fertile valley of Santa Clara and in the neighbor- hood of the "Garden City" of Santa Clara county and about fifty miles distant from the city of San Francisco. Nearly all of the mis- sion buildings are in ruins. The only build- ing that remains is the ancient monastery thereof. The Golden West 51 SAN JUAN BAUTISTA (No. 15) This mission was founded on June 24, 1797, in latitude 36:58. It is located in Monterey county and about seven miles from the Pajaro river. It was the residence of the prefecture of the district which embraced all of the counties north of Monterey. It was there that the last Mexican prefect exercised the functions of prefect, who was Manuel Castro. The mission build- ings have disappeared. The Golden West 53 SAN MIGUEL (No. 16) This mission was founded on July 25th, 1797, in latitude 35:43. This mission is situated in the immediate vicinity of Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo county; Paso Robles is especially noted for its hot springs and sulphur mud baths whose healthful and curative virtues are enjoyed by thousands of persons who visit the locality. The mission proper has been for many years partially abandoned, but for the past eight years has been improving wonderfully. The ancient San Miguel mission will soon become a thriving and important business center of San Luis Obispo county. The Golden West 55 SAN FERNANDO KEY (No. 17) This mission was founded on September 8, 1797, in latitude 34:16, and dedicated to Ferdinand III, King of Spain. The mission buildings were made in a very substantial manner, but were partially abandoned in the year 1806, and suffered severely during an earthquake several years later. The mission proper is located in the fertile valley of San Fernando. It was granted to Andres Pico, and Eulogio de Celts by the Mexican gover- nor Don Pio Pico, in the year 1845. The Golden "West 57 SAN LUIS REY (No. 18) This mission was founded on June 13, 1798, in latitude 33 :03. It was the last mission founded in the eighteenth century. It is known as the grandest and richest of the California missions and was located in a most picturesque section of San Diego county, near what today is known by the name of Ocean- side, some fifty miles from San Diego. The Golden West 59 SANTA INEZ (No. 19) This mission was founded on November 17, 1804, in latitude 34:32. It is in Santa Barbara county, and is con- sidered to be of great importance because it had a college for the instruction of the grow- ing generation. In proof of this, I will say that during the Mexican regime, a grant of land was made to the catholic church for the support and maintenance of the said college. The name of the rancho or grant was Canada de los Peaos or "College rancho." College rancho, six square leagues in Santa Barbara county, patented to archbishop of California, confirmed March 16, 1857, for 35,499.37 acres. The Golden West 61 SAN EAFAEL ARCANGEL (No. 20) This mission was founded on October 14, 1817, in latitude 38:00. This was the first mission established north of San Francisco. It is in Marin coun- ty, and never had any considerable number of neophytes, and during the time that it lasted as a mission proper was not prosper- ous. The Golden West 63 SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO (No. 21) This was the last mission founded in Cali- fornia. It was dedicated on July 4th, 1823. It never flourished as a mission and was con- verted into a military garrison immediately after its secularization, and Mariano Guada- lupe Vallejo assumed the ownership thereof without having any right to do so. The said mission is in the present town of Sonoma. 64 The Golden West c S £ K o I— I 72 5 s ft • o >> to o> c jG o «-• 0,nf5' | 0«t u i0iO0OMnNni» !< '»0'O«5 n-tOiOMOrtCHvoioMoonnoooo-r^ONooov \0 *r *t l>» eg f> "^ ~- co Cvj og -"fr eg <0 ro CsJ °0 >© VO »-i *"> o « «j n*ooo^oOM — oi^ti-^tf i V v ^ • ■ ■ ,\ ■ . J >.>.J " U vl • " .J . kV « r3" c c c d d c c' C/5C/3C/3t/)C/3C/3CfiC/5CL,t/3C/3C/3C/2C/3ty3t/)C/)C/)C/3C/3( ti o O bo . 0> -^ N a 3 o a w — M cd 4J 72 O 0) c g a ■- o Z 5 K ■a «- C/2 CM >» tn a ■° s 02 o c Hj a TO H O T3 a* Pi o d a TO " o ^-^ C *J "O cd >h CD a d* w — - ' 72 TO CO o 01 o^ 3 u o ^ a cd 02 G> t- Obh 3 cd 00 cd cd e — TO C cd 3 C/2 t-i bfl 10 CD O *""* TO 00 (3 J CM O C M TO 0) CO ca a "3 3 M) CD as it was supposed thai within said period the neophytes thereof would be sufficiently in- structed to govern themselves in separate and independent communities. Second, that any mission which did not prosper should be extinguished an 1 its neo phytes and catechumens transferred to the nearesl prosperous establishment of the same kind. Third, that ten years after the foundation of any mission it had to be secularized and such communities as were capable of govern ing themselves were declared to he [ndian pueblos (towns) with their respective civil authorities mid their parish pries! entitled to The Golden West 67 receive two square leagues of land around the mission buildings as townlands (ejidos). After the date of the Mexican Indepen- dence and when the first Mexican Congress met at Chilparecingo in the State of Guerrero in the year 1824, all of the missions of Cali- fornia were ordered to be secularized. Noth- ing, however, was done until the year 1828 when the government appointed Don Jose Maria de Echeandia, governor of this terri- tory, with orders to make the secularization of the mentioned pious establishments. Mr. Echeandia came and did nothing. After him came Guadalupe Victoria, who likewise failed to do anything in that matter and the priests continued as before in their arduous labors. Next came General Don Jose Figueroa with special instructions to carry out the above mentioned decree of secularization of the said establishments, which he did in the year 1834, causing thereby the total ruin and desolation of the entire country. He ap- pointed a majordomo (overseer) in each mis- sion who took possession of all the properties that the priests possessed in mission build- ings and other improvements, together with all the cattle, horses and sheep that in some of the missions like San Gabriel and San Luis Bey reached to the hundreds of thousands. These majordomos shamefully appropriated to themselves the said estates to satisfy their 68 The Golden West inordinate greed and ambition, Ignoring ab- solutely the rights of the priests as well as those of the Indians themselves. As the coun- try continued in 1835, 1836, 1837 and 1838 in constant revolution, the majordomos never rendered any account to the governor of their administration. Nearly all of the missions of California were either granted to private individuals for debts that the mission priests had contracted or were granted as cattle ranches (farms). The few that remained as separate com- munities were not declared to be Indian pue- blos in conformity with the above mentioned regulation but remained simply as villages or towns and did not receive the quantity of town lands as mentioned above, and because the governors of the department continued making grants to individuals up to and ad- joining, and even including in many instances, the mission buildings themselves. The following is a list of the tracts of land granted to private persons in the vicinity of said establishments' Sax Diego Nearly all of the mission lands granted to Santiago Argiiello in May 10, 1845, without including the lands of the present city of San Diego, because those belonged to the ancient town that was founded with the old presidio (military garrison) in the year 1769. The Golden West 69 The National Ranch, where National City now stands, granted to John Poster in Decem- ber 11, 1835. Melijo Rancho granted to Santiago E. Argiiello on May 17, 1834. Guejito granted to Jose M. Orosco Sep- tember 20, 1845. The island or peninsula that forms the Bay of San Diego, and upon which the Coro- nado Hotel now stands, granted to Pedro C. Carrillo on the 15th of May, 1846. El Cajon granted to Miguel de Pedrorena on the 23rd of December, 1845. San Jacinto granted to Mrs. Pedrorena on the 9th of May, 1846. La Soledad granted to Rafael Serrano on the 7th of May, 1836. Cuvamaca granted to Agustin Olvera on the 11th of August, 1845. San Jacinto Nuevo granted to M. del Rosario Estudillo de Aguirre on the 14th of January, 1846. Tolla granted to Pablo and Jose Apis on the 7th of November, 1845. San Luis Rey Buenavista granted to Felipe Indian of said mission on the 8th of July, 1845. Guajome granted to Andres and Jose Manuel (Indians) on the 19th of July, 1845. W The Golden West Santa Rosa granted to .Juan Moreno on the 30th of June, 1846. Cuca granted to Juana Maria on the 15th of May, 1845. Agua Bedionda granted to J. M. Marron on the 10th of Angust, 1842. Santa Margarita and Los Flores granted to Pio Pieo and Andres on the 10th of May, 1841. Los Encinitos granted to Andres Ybarra on the 23rd of January, 1846. Los Encinos granted to Tomas Gutierres on the 11th of December, 1833. San Alejo granted to Juan M. Osuma September 15, 1836. Las Milpitas granted to Silvestre Marron on the 11th of February, 1845. Buenavista patented to Jesus Machado on the 3rd of October, L856. San Juan Capistbano La Paz and the mission Yioja (old mis- sion) granted to Agustin Olvera on the 14th of April, 1845. Potrero of lli<' Sierra with the warm springs (Agua ( 'alieiitr ) granted to John Foster on the 5th of April, L845. El Trabuco granted to Santiago and Ra- mon Argiiello on the 3ls1 of July L841, but patented to John Foster together with nearly all of the lands surrounding the said mission The Golden West 71 building, which were afterwards recovered by the archbishop of California, Joseph Sadoe Alemany, in the fifties by decree of the United States District Court. San Gabriel Three square leagues granted to Julian Williams on the 1st of April, 1843. Close to the dam of the mission one square league granted to Joaquin as magistrate (Alcalde) and to forty Indians more around the mission buildings on the 3rd of May, 1843. Azusa granted to Henry Dalton for a mis- sion debt on the 26th of May, 1845. Cucamonga granted to Y. Coronel on the 15th of June^ 1846. La Puente granted to Perfecto Hugo Reid and W. Workman on the 22nd of July, 1845. La Puente granted to John Rowland on the 14th of January, 1842. Santa Anita granted to P. Hugo Reid on the 31st of March, 1845. 500 varas sq. to Simeon, a mission Indian, on the 1st of June, 1846. 1000 varas sq. granted to Serafina de Jesus on the 3rd of May, 1843. 500 varas sq. granted to Don Manuel de Silvera on the 18th of May, 1843. 200 varas sq. granted to Arno Maerbe on the 20th of May, 1843. 200 varas sq. granted to Santiago Silva on the same date. 72 The Golden West An extension of 500 varas sq. granted to Serafina de Jesus on the 31st of December, 1845. San Fernando All of the valley with the mission build- ings granted to Andres Pico and Eulogio de Celis and patented by the United States Dis- trict Court for 115,000 acres of land, except the mission buildings. The date of the grant was January 8, 1845. This mission was ex- tinguished at the date of its secularization. El Encino granted to Francisco and Roque, mission Indians, in July 8, 1845, but patented to Vicente de la Osa. El Escorpion granted to Urbano Odon and Manuel, also Indians, on the 7th of April, L845. San Buenaventura San Miguelito granted to Ramon Rodri- guez, on May 21, 1846. Mission lands granted to Jose Gabriel and Juan de Jesus on tin- 22nd of July, 1845. The rest of the mission Lands granted to Camarillo and Poll on June 12, 1846. Mission lands to Serro Maria, September 23rd, 1845. Santa Barbara This mission remained as a pueblo (town) because it had been recognized as such since the primitive foundation of the place by the Spaniards of the province as one of the four The Golden West 73 royal presidios (military garrisons) of Cali- fornia. The mission buildings were dedicated as a convent or monastery for the Franciscan friars who inhabit the mentioned locality up to the present time. Nearly all of the surrounding tracts of land were granted as follows : Dos Pueblos to Nicholas Den on the 18th of April, 1842. La Goleta granted to Daniel Hill on the 10th of June, 1846. Huasana to Isaac J. Sparks on December 8, 1843. PlJKISIMA CoNCEPCION This mission was extinguished and granted to Anastacio Carrillo with buildings and all on May 18, 1837. Santa Ynez Eight square leagues granted to the bishop of California for the foundation of a college or seminary. La Laguna granted to Oeiaviano Gutier- rez November 14, 1845. La Carpinteria granted to Cosme Vanegas on the 18th of January, 1834. Los Alamos granted to Jose de la Guerra on the 8th of March, 1839. Los Alamos and Agua Caliente to Pedro C. Carrillo on the 14th of October, 1843. 74 The Golden West San Luis Obispo This mission was also converted into a thriving town, but all of the surrounding tracts were granted to private persons as follows : Santa Margarita granted to Joaquin Es- trada on the 18th of September, 1841. Asuncion to Pedro Estrada on the 10th of April, 1844. Canada de los Osos to Scott and Wilson on the 24th of September, 1845. San Miguelito to Miguel Avila on the 10th of May, 1842. Arrovo Grande to Seferino Castro on the 25th of April, 1841. San Miguel This mission discontinued after its secu- larization and its lands were granted like the others. Paso Robles to Pedro Narvaes and Pe- tronilo Bios on May 24, 1844. El Nacimiento to Mauricio Gonzalez on the 10th of February, 1842. Ill Ploito to Antonio Chavez on the 18th of July, 1845. San Antonio Tin' Milpita- u ranted to Ygnacio Pastor - [ndian) on t lie 10th of April, 1846. Los ( >jitos to Mariano Soberanes on April 5, 1843. The Golden West 75 La Soled ad This mission was granted to Panfilo So- beranes with mission buildings that were all in ruins and the adjoining tract of Los Coches to Josefa Soberanes on the 14th of June, 1841. Santa Ckuz This mission was destroyed by an earth- quake but continued as a town of some im- portance, being the county seat of Santa Cruz county. Some of the tracts that were granted to private individuals were the following: To Pedro Sansevain, El Rincon, on the 25th of April, 1846. To Jose A. Bolcof, San Agustin, on the 7th of September, 1841. 1000 varas sq. to Nicolas Lucero on the 18th of March, 1844. San Juan Bautista This mission remained as a town and was the seat of the first prefecture of the depart- ment up to the date of the American occupa- tion of the country in the year 1847. Santa Claea The mission buildings in part were granted to J. Alexander Forbes, together with the adjoining tract of El Potrero (en- closed tract) known today as the Stockton Ranch between the mission and the city of 76 The Goldex West San Jose. Santa Clara is now the thriving city close to the Garden City of the State which is no other thai) the ancient pueblo founded by order of the Spanish government in the year L780 ander the same regulation as that of Los Angeles, original name San Jose de Gnadalnpe. San Jose This mission was extinguished as it was only a branch of Santa ( llara. S\n Pbanctsco db Asis (Los Dolores Pains) It was claimed that this mission had been granted by the governor to its parish priesl Santillan, lmt the Land commissioner re jected the claim and the mission remained simply as a town and was the place where all the civil authorities resided as they could uol be established in the small settlement of 5Terba Buena with only a few bouses (less than 23). The grants made were to Jose de Jesus Noe, San Miguel on December 26, L845. La- guna de la Merced to B. Galindo January 7. L842. Visitacion and Rodeo to Jacob P. Leese on the 31st of .Inly. L841. s.w Rafael | In Marin < lounty) This remained as a town and is the county seat. Ii was claimed to have been -ranted to Timothy Murphy lmt the claim was re- The Golden West 77 jected by the land commissioner. San Rafael is now a nourishing city, distant only four miles from the State penitentiary at Point San Quentin. San Feancisco Solano (Alias Sonoma) This was the last mission founded in 1823 and was extinguished and converted into a military garrison and claimed and confirmed to General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo in the fifties. The Archbishup of California, Joseph Sadoc Alemany, presented a claim to the land commissioner for all of the mission buildings and land that had been granted as above set fourth. His claim was rejected as to the out- side lands but confirmed for the mission buildings and a small number of acres around the mission church. We are assured that the missionary fathers, as soon as the decree of seculariza- tion was issued, lost all hope and ambition and commenced to slaughter their cattle by the thousands for the meat, which they cut up and dried in the sun and made into bales, saving also the best horns, hides and tallow, which they sold to the several merchants who frequented the coast every six months. In this way the mission padres proved that they did not intend to lose all the wealth that they had accumulated after many years of toil and labor. 78 The Golden West We arc also assured in Forbes California that tli<' richest missions wore those of San Gabriel and San Luis Rey and that these pos- sessed as many as two hundred thousand head of cattle, over five hundred head of horses, and over forty thousand head of sheep, and San Gabriel about one hundred and fifty thousand grapevines. Although Washington Irving qualified the San Gabriel valley as an immense lava bed with dustlike smoke, his mistake was only the result of his utter ignorance of the facts rela- tive thereto. The original settlers of San Bernardino county were Jose Antonio and Jose Maria Lugo, Vicente Lugo and Diego Sepulvada, who received a granl of seven square Leagues each from the Mexican government on the 21s1 of June, L842. Jose del Carmen Sepul- veda was also one of the grantees and after the dale of the American occupation in 1847 a Mormon colony came and settled there until the Mexican granl was confirmed by the United Stale- I >istric1 ( lourt. Primitive Life op the Native Californians The entire while population of California in L846 may have reached 1000, chiefly com- posed of Spanish families who had come from different parts of Mexico in the several ex- peditions thai had arrived to colonize the The Golden West 79 country. Many of them were of pure Span- ish blood. The leading business and occupation of the people was cattle raising for their hide and tallow, which they sold to American and other traders along the coast. The universal price fixed on hides was two (2) pesos each for which the merchants would pay in goods. Land was held in large tracts that had been given to them gratis by the government, Spanish as well as Mexican, and the tracts were called ranchos and their owners ranch- eros, who lived an easy unprogressive life. Pio Pico 80 The Golden West Their general mode of travel was on horse- back. They were all skilled riders, natural mnsicians and graceful dancers. The above picture represents the last Mexican governor of the territory of Upper California immediately prior to the . Kearny, in 1847. Colonel Richard B. Mason, in 1847-1849. General lieimH Kih-y. in 1N4!>. Without any regular <-iviI governmenl and a disagreement between the military chiefs of the aewly conquered country, each "lie I IINKTT The above picture represents the first American Governor of the State of Cali- fornia. It was mi the firsl day of the month of September, 1 849, when the firsl ( '(institutional Convention met or assembled at Monterey, tin- majority of the menil.ers being persons who had been residents of Calif ornia previous to 1 he gold discovery. Eere follows a list of all the American Governors thai served in said capacity from the year L850 to L887: The Golden West 93 Peter H. Burnett 1849 to 1851 John McDougall 1851 " 1852 JohnBigler 1852 " 1856 J. Neely Johnson 1856 " 1858 JohnB. Weller 1858 " 1860 Milton S. Latham 1860 " 1860 John G. Downey 1860 " 1862 Leland Stanford 1862 " 1863 Frederick F. Low 1863 " 1867 Henry H. Haight 1867 " 1871 Newton Booth 1871 " 1875 Romnaldo Pacheco 1875 " 1875 William Irwin 1875 " 1880 George C. Perkins 1880 " 1883 George Stoneman 1883 " 1887 Washington Bartlett 1887 " Robert W. Waterman 1887 '. ' 1895 H. H. Markham 1895 ' < 1899 James H. Budd 1899 " 1903 Henry T. Gage 1903 " 1907 George C. Pardee 1907 " 1911 James N. Gillett 1911 " 1915 Hiram Johnson 1915 " 1918 - William D. Stephens 1918 " 1922 The above picture represents the founder of the well known institution at Palo Alto, in Santa Clara County, and is known by the name of The Leland Stanford, Jr., Uni- versity. 94 The Golden West Lklai The election of buildings for the most richly endowed university in the world by a single gifl is dow in 1888 going on. The gift was made in 1 S85 by one of California's for- mer worthy Governors, Leland Stanford, and big wife, .lane Latlin»|> Stanford, in memory of their only son, Leland Stanford, Junior, who died on March L3th, 1884. The endow- ment consists of 83,200 acres of highly im- proved land, valued al $20,000,000, and the managemenl ie rested In a hoard of twenty- four trustees. The university is to be open to young men and to young women alike. The Golden West 95 The City of Los Angeles The flourishing center of trade with a population of more than half a million is the same place where the original Spanish Pueblo was founded on the 5th of September, 1781, by order of the Spanish Governor Don Felipe de Neve on the same site where the ancient Indian village of Yang-na stood in primitive ages. In conformity with the requirements of the Royal Regulation issued by the King of Spain for founding new missionary establish- ments and pueblos of white people (gente de razon) Governor de Neve issued a proclama- tion on the 20th of August, 1781, at the mis- sion of San Gabriel (de los Temblores) of the earthquakes setting apart a tract of land about eight miles west of said mission and on the banks of a stream known by the name of Porciuncula, which is the actual river of Los Angeles. The waters of said river were for the use of the following retired soldiers and their families, to-wit: Villavicencio, Rodriquez, with their families ; Quintero, Camero, Moreno and Rosas, each of them with their respective families; Navarro, Mesa, Vanegas and Lara. These twelve soldiers with their respective families, which in all numbered forty-six (46) persons, were given formal possession of the same locality where the present City of The Golden West 97 Los Angeles now stands, they being the original founders of the primitive pueblo of white people (gente de razon), whereby they became entitled to four square leagues of land around the town itself as commons (ejidos), as required by the mentioned Eegulations. Of the twelve soldiers only two were natives of Spain, one was a native of China and nine were natives of some of the Spanish prov- inces which afterwards became States of Mexico. Perhaps it would be proper to mention the fact that only three pueblos were founded in conformity with the said regulation in the internal provinces of the West, which were Sonora, Sinaloa and California. In Sonora was founded that of Pitis, which today is Hermosillo, the capital of that state, and in California two, that of San Jose in Santa Clara County and that of Our Lady of the Angels (Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles) which is the present city. The Governor gave to each of the soldiers 1 yoke of oxen, two mules, two mares, two head of sheep, two goats and one jackass, with all the necessary tools with which to build their houses and cultivate their land. The small settlement was made around the same small square that is known today as the ancient Plaza in the city. The number of adobe houses built on three sides of the said square were twelve. 98 'I' i ie Golden West The size of the plaza was one hundred \ar;i- long by seventy-five varas wide. The settlers wen- only allowed to build on three sides, reserving the fourth for a church and other public buildings. The church was built on the said plaza in the same year, but was dedicated as an addition to the Mission of San Gabriel in the month of December, 1822. There wore thirty holds or tracts of land measured out, 200 varas square each, called suertes, and two given to each soldier, who knew very little about farming, according to tl pinion of Don Jose de la Guerra y Nori- ega, who was the commissioner for the said pueblo in the year 1S1 \ and in his report to the governor be says that the pueblo has not prospered very much, although it had already been in existence 35 years. The following is an extract from his re- pori : ■- With only !»4 inhabitants who compose all of the people in said pueblo, as shown in the foregoing list, the greater number of their tracts are cultivated by them in a very poor way. Their plantations arc very small and they change about Prom one to another to suil their fancy. Such tracts as are marked herein as vineyards arc so in reality, but such as are designated as some have not even one frail tree. 'The inhabitants of the pueblo The Golden West 99 spend most of the time in the neighboring mission of San Gabriel. Santa Barbara, April 2, 1816. (Signed) Jose de la Guerra y Noriega. The original settlers did not prove to be good farmers and they did not make any ef- fort to do anything for their own good, although the Governor had selected for them the most beautiful location for them to have perpetual and abundant crops. They spent- most of their time in fiestas (feasts) and bull rights. It was in the fifties when I first visited the above ancient pueblo. I came overland and on horseback and was on the road as many as sixteen days, from San Jose in Santa Clara county by way of the Pacheco Moun- tains in San Benito county, having passed over by what was then no more than a desert and now contains the flourishing cities of Ma- dera, Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, etc. Upon niy arrival in Los Angeles I don't believe that the population of the town was as many as one thousand persons. After California became a State by act of the legislature a law was passed creating the county of Los Angeles, which embraced all of San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange coun- ties of today with a large part of the Mohave desert and the greatest portion of Kern county. 100 The Golden W] e boundaries of Los Angeles county were changed Beveral times and many segregations were made. The largest land grants were those made in Los Angeles county by Governor Don Pedro Fajes in the year M$/ to retired sol- diers for meritorious services. Santa Gei trudis (alias) So be in, to Manuel Perez Nie- tolly with tin' following boundaries: In the Los Angeles valley and bounded »>n the north by the small range of hills of San Gabriel, on the south by the Pacific ocean, on the east by tin- San Gabriel river to its mouth and <>n the west by the Santa Ana river to its month, ag gating when confirmed as many as L90 - of Land. The -rant was afterwards par titioned off to the Beveral heirs of Nfieto by ernor Don Jose Figueroa in the year I - ! came the well known San P Rancho granted to Juan Jose and < Jhristobal Dominquez, which embraced the rest of the valley between the San Gabriel river and the pueblo lands reaching up to and aear the low range <»!* hills between the valley proper and the port of Wilmington. This -rant was dmately for twenty Beven Leagues or ll v . Santa Ana. -rallied on the 12th <>f OctO- 17-1. lo .1,,.,. Antonio Xorba and to Pablo alva for more than fifteen square Leagues of land or 66,970 acres. The land- of the ex mission of San Fei The Golden West 101 nando were granted to Andres Pico and to Eulogio de Celis, a Spanish merchant to whom the mission padres owed a large sum of money for supplies to the mission during the date of its existence. First Gold Discovery in California Gold was first discovered in Los Angeles County in 1843 and not in Coloma by Mar- shall in 1848 as has been generally supposed. The discovery was made by one of the many vaqueros (rough-riders) of the Rancho de Piru that belonged to Don Carlos Antonio Carrillo of Santa Barbara and adjoined the Rancho of Don Ygnacio del Valle of Los An- geles. It seems that said vaquero, whose name was Francisco Lopez, was looking for some stray horses of the rancho and while silting at noon under the shade of a tree com- menced to pull up some wild onions (caco- mites) to take to his house on the rancho, found some particles of gold in the roots 1 hereof. He was greatly surprised and com menced to gather all he could find. He went to Santa Barbara and informed the owner, Mr. Carrillo, who immediately came to the place with several of his friends and found some gold also. The news of the discover) spread like wildfire even in the pueblos of Los Angeles and Don STgnacio del Valle went to the gold fields also, together with many others of his friends from this city and in a 102 The Golden West few weeks there were many hundreds of peo- ple engaged in washing the entire surface of the newly discovered auriferous ground. Don Santiago Arguello in San Diego, who was Prefect of the First District of the Terri- tory, was notified of the new discovery and came to this city and appointed the necessary local authorities for the ahove named mining camp. All of the above facts appear of record in tli«' Mexican Archives of the country in Book of Prefections, Vol. Ill, during the year is4::. The work of explorations for gold in this locality continued for a long time and even until the year 1848, when the great bonanza of the precious metal was found by Mr. Mar- shall at Coloma in the northern pari of tins state. .1. J. Warner tells us that he was sent to the said gold fields of Southern California in the month of March, L843, by the well known pioneer of Los Angeles Don A-bel Stearns to buy some of the Pirn gold and succeeded in getting as much as 1" ounces, which Mr. Stearns senl to the U. S. Mini al Philadelphia where it was round to be of the besl quality of placer gold according to the following memoranda : Memorandum of gold bullion deposited on the 8th of July, L843, in the Qnited States Mini by Granl & Stone, as agents, in Phila- The Golden West 103 delphia. Receipt and value of the placer gold was as follows: Before melting 18.34 ounces After melting 18.01 " Fineness 926. 1000 Value $344.75 Deducting expenses in sending to Phila- delphia and agency $4.02. Net value of the gold after melting $340.73, which Mr. Alfred Robinson sent to the brother of Mr. Stearns as per his instructions according to a letter sent to Mr. Stearns from New York on the 6th of August, 1843. The original deposit of said placer gold exists now among the records of the Society of California Pioneers in San Francisco. After the great discovery of Marshall all or nearly all of the gambucinos of El P(ru abandoned their camps and left for Sacra- mento and Sutter counties, where they could gather the gold by the shovel full and where, as they were informed, the precious metal was plentiful. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This hook is DIE on the last date stamped below. M APR 1 «C0 LD-UHt JS JUL 3 IPflR JUL11 41584 3 1158 00849 9831