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82-747: After Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, the Mexican Congress passed a Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of the Californias on August 17, 1833, in an effort to prevent the influence of the formerly Spanish system in the California territories, allow secular use of the rich and valuable mission lands, and to legislate the emancipation of the indigenous mission wards . Governor José Figueroa officially secularized

164-435: A Tataviam man, petitioned for and was granted a 1,000 vara tract of land northwest of the mission complex. Pedro Joaquín and thirty eight others were granted a large square league tract south of Samuel's tract. A partnership of three Tongva men, Tiburcio Cayo, Román, and Francisco Papabubaba, were granted Rancho Los Encinos . José Miguel Triunfo was granted a quarter square league parcel called Rancho Cahuenga , southeast of

246-511: A San Francisco shoe manufacturer, and his cousin Benjamin F. Porter. The Porters land was west of present-day Sepulveda Boulevard , and the Maclay land was east of Sepulveda Boulevard. 34°13′48″N 118°28′48″W  /  34.230°N 118.480°W  / 34.230; -118.480 Mexican secularization act of 1833 The Mexican Secularization Act of 1833 , officially called

328-458: A family and to all over 20 years old, will be given from the Mission lands a lot not over 400 nor less than 100 varas square" (28 to 7 acres), plus "6.... pro rata ...one-half of the livestock" and "7.... half or less of the existing chattels, tools, and seed". The Act also provided for the colonization of both Alta California and Baja California , the expenses of this latter move to be borne by

410-430: A length of over 1200 miles. Between 1683 and 1834, Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries established a series of religious outposts from today's Baja California and Baja California Sur into present-day California . José María de Echeandía , the first Mexican-born, elected Governor of Alta California issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation" (or " Prevenciónes de Emancipacion ") on July 25, 1826. All Indians within

492-555: A plague of locusts, stripping the countryside bare.” This enraged the Californians and led to widespread hatred of Micheltorena. Women were not considered safe from the depredations of Micheltorena’s army. Juan Bautista Alvarado , the governor who had been forcibly replaced by Micheltorena, organized a revolt against Micheltorena. Upon learning of the impending revolt, Micheltorena appointed John Sutter to lead troops in opposition. Sutter came to John Marsh , who had one of

574-591: A second time, and Pío Pico . The last non-Californian governor, Manuel Micheltorena , was driven out after another rebellion in 1845. Micheltorena was replaced by Pío Pico, last Mexican governor of California, who served until 1846. It was not until the California Mexican era (1821–1846) that the titles to the plots of land were granted to individuals. California, now under the control of the Mexican government, opened up petitions for land grants. By 1828,

656-534: A successful request to claim Rancho Tujunga , east of the mission lands, some time between late 1840 and early 1841. In 1840, the mission property had an inventory of 4,130 cattle, 2,647 horses, 2,500 sheep, 60 mules, 33 donkeys, and 30 hogs. As part of the mandated secularization of the missions and the emancipation of their indigenous wards, those who obtained Mexican citizenship were able to, singly or in partnerships, petition to acquire land grants of ex-mission land, and several Fernandeño natives did. In 1843, Samuel,

738-562: Is now a local history museum, operated by the Costa Mesa Historical Society. Las Flores Estancia was sold to Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores . All original buildings are gone after years of neglect. The current Las Flores Adobe was built in 1865 by Marco Forster. Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles Asistencia was a sub-mission opened by the San Gabriel Mission to serve the new settlers in

820-1010: The Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of California , was an act passed by the Congress of the Union of the First Mexican Republic which secularized the Californian missions . The act nationalized the missions, transferring their ownership from the Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church to the Mexican authorities. The act was passed twelve years after Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. Mexico feared Spain would continue to have influence and power in California because most of

902-553: The Jesuits ., The Jesuits founded a college there, which became Santa Clara University . Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo land was sold off in 1834. The padres had to buy a small strip of land back in order to avoid trespassing when entering the church. But later all the buildings were abandoned and became ruined. Mission ruins and 9 acres were returned to the Catholic Church in 1859. Mission San Antonio de Padua

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984-613: The Mexican–American War , the Pico government sold the secularized lands from the Mission San Fernando to Eulogio de Celis on June 17, 1846, for $ 14,000. Eulogio de Celis, was a native of Spain , who had settled in California in 1836; he operated a hide trading business with Henry D. Fitch , Jonathan Temple and Abel Stearns , and was married to Josefa Argüello, daughter of ex-governor Luís Antonio Argüello . De Celis

1066-586: The San Fernando Rey de España Mission in 1834, appointing Lieutenant Antonio del Valle as comisionado in October to conduct its secularization and administer the mission property. Lieutenant Del Valle was the descendant of a wealthy Jalisco family who had served under the Spanish army in colonial Alta California. As comisionado, Lieutenant Del Valle took charge of the mission estate by inventory from

1148-530: The San Fernando Valley , north of Los Angeles , California . Native Californios successfully challenged Mexican forces regarding autonomy of Alta California . Alta California , originally a province of New Spain , had been a territory under Mexican rule since 1822. As the native-born Californio population reached adulthood, many of them became impatient that the government of Mexico continued to choose non-native born governors . Following

1230-750: The Santa Susana Mountains , on the west by the Simi Hills , on the east by Rancho Tujunga , and on the south by the Montañas de Portesuelo ( Santa Monica Mountains ). When the Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando grant was patented in 1873, it was surveyed at nearly twenty six square leagues, the single largest land grant in California. Before the De Celis grant, Andrés Pico , brother of Governor Pío Pico, had leased

1312-692: The Spanish missions in California remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church in Spain . As the new Mexican republic matured, calls for the secularization (" disestablishment ") of the missions increased. Once fully implemented, the secularization act took away much of the California Mission land and sold it or gave it away in large grants called ranchos . Secularization also emancipated Indigenous peoples of California from

1394-720: The Treaty of Cahuenga signed on January 13, 1847. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , ending the war, was signed February 2, 1848, and California became a territory of the United States. The treaty gave residents one year to choose whether they wanted American or Mexican citizenship; over 90% chose American citizenship, which included full US voting rights. The other 10% returned to Mexico (where they received land), or in some cases in New Mexico were allowed to remain in place as Mexican citizens. Between 1847 and 1849, California

1476-571: The padres , however, doubted the capabilities of their charges in this regard. In 1831, the number of Indians under missionary control in all of Upper-Alta California was about 18,683, while garrison soldiers, free settlers, and "other classes" totaled 4,342. New immigration, of both Mexican and foreign origins, increased pressure on the Alta California government to seize the Church-controlled mission properties and dispossess

1558-469: The 1840s, but all were lost by the 1850s. The United States (US) declared war against Mexico on May 13, 1846. Military action in California began with the Bear Flag Revolt on June 15, 1846. On July 7, 1846, US forces took possession of Monterey , the capital of California, and terminated the authority and jurisdiction of Mexican officials that day. Armed resistance ended in California with

1640-514: The 1880s, the San Fernando Farm Homestead Association was succeeded by the "Los Angeles Farm & Milling Company". After De Celis died in 1869, his son, Eulogio F. de Celis, returned from Spain to Los Angeles. In 1874, the heirs of Eulogio de Celis sold their northern half of Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando to northern Californians, California State Senator Charles Maclay and his partners George K. Porter,

1722-526: The 21 main missions, there were "sub-missions" to serve as a rest stop for those travelling the El Camino Real road connecting the missions. These small sub-missions were also lost: Santa Ysabel Asistencia was turned into Rancho Santa Ysabel (Ortega) . The church turned into ruins. Three acres of the original compound was returned to the Church. The cornerstone for a new, Mission Revival Style chapel

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1804-399: The California missions. Mission Santa Cruz land was sold or given away in 1834, all 32 building looted, and the church left in ruin. President Buchanan , in 1859, returned Mission Santa Cruz and 17 acres to the Church. La Purisima Mission : in 1845 all land and buildings were sold. The church turned to ruins over time. The ruins were returned to the Church in 1874. Mission San José

1886-653: The Californio Juan Bautista Alvarado , the central government in 1842 appointed the Oaxaca -born Manuel Micheltorena as governor, who proved very unpopular. By 1844, a revolt against him arose, culminating in the Battle of Providencia. Micheltorena had been sent to California from Mexico, along with an army that had been recruited out of Mexico’s worst jails. He had no money to feed his army, which then spread out to people’s homes and farms “like

1968-553: The College of Our Lady of Refuge, the first college in California. In 1846 the college moved to a new site and the land was sold. The college was abandoned in 1881 and by then the Mission buildings were disintegrating. Some of the Mission property was returned to the Church in 1862. Mission San Rafael Arcángel was looted by Governor Mariano Vallejo, the commandant of the San Francisco Presidio. Vallejo took much of

2050-413: The Mission buildings and 75 acres of land were returned. The buildings were disintegrating, as beams, tiles and nails were taken from the church by settlers. The buildings had been leased to a number of businesses, and the premises served as a hog farm. San Fernando's church did not become a working church again till 1923. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was sold in 1834 to private owners. But in 1846 it

2132-587: The Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando in 1845. In 1853, Andrés Pico acquired an undivided half interest, and Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando was split in half, along present-day Roscoe Boulevard, between Andrés Pico (who had the southern half of the ranch to the Santa Monica Mountains) and Eulogio de Celis (who had the northern half of the ranch to the Santa Susana Mountains). In debt, Andrés Pico had sold his southern half-interest in

2214-615: The Rancho ex-Mission San Fernando to his brother Pío Pico in 1862. Pio Pico sold his half share of the Ex-San Fernando Mission land to Isaac Lankershim (operating as the "San Fernando Farm Homestead Association") in 1869. In 1873, Isaac Lankershim's son, James Boon Lankershim , and future son-in-law, Isaac Newton Van Nuys , moved to the San Fernando Valley and took over management of the property. During

2296-669: The Santa Margarita Ranch. San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia was sold to Rancho San Pedro (Sanchez) ; today, little remains. There is a plaque in Sanchez Adobe Park that shows the former Asistencia's floor plan. San Bernardino de Sena Estancia , sold to Rancho San Bernardino , is today called "Asistencia" and operated as a branch of the San Bernardino County Museum. Diego Sepúlveda Adobe , sold to Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana ,

2378-545: The Spanish concessions were subsequently patented under Mexican law – frequently to local "friends" of the governor. A commissioner would oversee the mission's crops and herds, while the land was divided up as communal pasture, a town plot, and individual plots for each Indian family. Without the control enforced by the Franciscan friars and the troops preventing them from leaving, the Mission Indians soon abandoned

2460-538: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, this Act placed the burden of proof of title on landholders. In many cases, the land grants had been made without clearly defining the exact boundaries. Even in cases where the boundaries were more specific, many markers had been destroyed before accurate surveys could be made. Aside from indefinite survey lines, the Land Commission had to determine whether the grantees had fulfilled

2542-500: The US Public Land Commission to have the Church get back some of its land and building ownership. Alemany asked for the return of the church chapel, clergy residence, cemetery , orchard , and vineyard to the Catholic Church. After reading a letter from Alemany, President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation on March 18, 1865, just three weeks before Lincoln's assassination, that restored ownership of some of

Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-542: The appointed California governors sent from distant Mexico City, who came with little knowledge of local conditions and concerns. The friction came to a head in 1836, when Monterey-born Juan Bautista Alvarado led a revolt and seized the governorship from Nicolás Gutiérrez . Alvarado's actions began a period of de facto home rule, in which the weak and fractious central government was forced to allow more autonomy in its most distant department. Other local governors followed, including Carlos Antonio Carrillo , Alvarado himself for

2706-570: The average crop was 1,530, 940 of which were wheat, 470 corn, and 45 beans. The indigenous population of the mission had decreased to 541. Del Valle had an interest in owning the mission land. In 1833, he made a request to claim Rancho San Francisco , which had been an estancia of the San Fernando Mission in the Santa Clarita Valley ; the missionaries opposed the claim and they filed a protest which successfully kept

2788-442: The buildings became ruined. In 1859, the buildings' ruins and 42 acres of land were returned to the Church. Restoration began only in 1954. In 1838, Mission San Juan Capistrano property was auctioned off under questionable circumstances for $ 710 worth of tallow and hides, (equivalent to $ 15,000 in 2004 U.S. dollars) to Englishman John (Don Juan) Forster (Governor Pío Pico 's brother-in-law, whose family would take up residence in

2870-566: The church and put them on his own house. Now in very poor shape, the Mission church was torn down. In need of a church for the town he made, in 1841 Vallejo had a small chapel built where the original parish church had been. On June 14, 1846, the town of Sonoma was taken over by American settlers who declared a " California Republic ." General Vallejo was taken prisoner and the Bear Flag was raised. The Bear Flag flew over Sonoma until July 9, 1846, when California became part of USA. In addition to

2952-472: The church for use as gardens. In some missions, all of the other buildings were lost, and some mission buildings were divided, with a physical wall added into the mission buildings. With the loss of all support from the surrounding land and support buildings – like livestock , orchards , barns , tanning , blacksmithing , candle making, vineyards , winery , water rights , loom , Beehive ovens , carpenter shop , soap making, grain silo , in some cases

3034-540: The church ruins. In 1869 the land was purchased back and a new gothic architecture church was built on the site. Mission San Francisco Solano , the last and northernmost mission, was also the only one built after Mexican independence. The Governor wanted a Mexican presence north of the San Francisco Bay to keep out the Russians who had established Fort Ross . In July 1835 Mission San Francisco Solano

3116-496: The convento building to house the mayordomo. Del Valle conducted an inventory of the mission on July 26, 1835. The 1835 inventory showed a valuation of $ 41,714; buildings other than the church and sacristy were valued at $ 15,511, its 32,000 grapevines were worth $ 16,000, its 1,600 fruit trees were valued at $ 2,400, the mission's library of 191 volumes was worth $ 417, and the estate had credits worth $ 5,736. There were 6,000 head of large stock, 520 horses and mules, and 3,000 head of sheep;

3198-421: The court system. In many cases, they had to sell their land to pay for defense fees or gave attorneys land in lieu of payment. Land from titles not confirmed became part of the public domain and available for homesteaders who could claim up to 160-acre (0.65 km ) plots in accordance with federal homestead law . Rejected land claims resulted in claimants, squatters, and settlers pressing Congress to change

3280-431: The death of Father Josef Barona in 1831). The first secular priest to take charge of the Mission, Reverend José Maria Rosáles, arrived on October 8, 1843; Father Vicente Pascual Oliva , the last resident missionary, died on January 2, 1848. The Mission's ruins and 44.40 acres were returned to the Church in 1865. Mission San Diego de Alcalá and some other missions were offered for sale to citizens, and some Mission land

3362-522: The direction of American journalist, historian, and photographer Charles Fletcher Lummis , purchased Pala Mission. The following year, the Club returned ownership to the Catholic Church and "saved the Chapel and a few rooms from complete ruin with a timely work of partial restoration." Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia was sold to Rancho Santa Margarita ; a few ruins are still on the private property of

Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-409: The eastern part of La Mesa. It also contained the 28-acre (0.11 km ) Rancho Cañada de Los Coches grant. Maria Estudillo was the wife of Don Miguel Pedrorena (1808–1850), a native of Madrid, Spain, who had come to California from Peru in 1838 to operate a trading business. In 1862 the 22 acres and mission ruins were returned to the Church by the U.S. government. Mission San Buenaventura in 1845

3526-460: The expulsion of all Spaniards younger than 60 years of age from Mexican territories. Spaniards could pose a threat to Mexico because Spain did not recognize Mexican independence and attempted to regain control over its former colony. Governor Echeandía nevertheless intervened on behalf of some Franciscans to prevent their deportation once the law took effect in California. Governor José Figueroa , who took office in 1833, initially attempted to keep

3608-508: The fields (even if granted) and joined other interior tribes, or sought work on the new ranchos and expanding pueblos . The number of Mexican land grants greatly increased after the secularization of the missions in 1834. Although the original intent of the secularization legislation was to have the property divided among former surviving Mission Indians , most of the grants were made to local Californios (See: List of Ranchos of California ). A small number of Indians did receive land grants in

3690-433: The friars' quarters for the next 20 years) and his partner James McKinley. More families would subsequently take up residence in other portions of the Mission buildings. Father José María Zalvidea left San Juan Capistrano around November 25, 1842, when Mission San Luis Rey de Francia 's Father Ibarra died, leaving the Mission without a resident priest for the first time (Zalvidea had been the Mission's sole priest ever since

3772-498: The headquarters of the Alta California Mission System to Mission Santa Bárbara , where it remained until 1846. Governor Figueroa issued a regulation ( Reglamento Provisional para la secularizacion de las Misiones ) on August 9, 1834, outlining the requirements for the distribution of property (land, cattle, and equipment) to each mission's neophytes. Among the provisions were that "5. To each head of

3854-564: The land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim was filed with the United States Public Land Commission in 1852 and the land grant was patented to Eulogio de Celis in 1873. De Celis, with his wife and family, went back to Spain in 1854, where he died in 1869. The grant, which was supposed to contain fourteen square leagues, was bounded on the north by Rancho San Francisco and

3936-542: The land out of Del Valle's hands. After having been mayordomo in San Fernando, he made a second request for Rancho San Francisco to governor Juan Bautista Alvarado , with whom he had ties, and it was approved by the governor on January 22, 1839. Del Valle was followed by Anastasio Carrillo who succeeded him as mayordomo on January 3, 1837, though Del Valle is reported to have held his position until March 1837. Another mayordomo, Pedro López, and his brother Francisco made

4018-594: The largest ranchos in California, hoping he would join. Marsh wanted no part of it, but Sutter forced him to join his army against his will. The two forces met in Cahuenga Pass , near Los Angeles, and fought the Battle of Providencia (also known as the Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass). In spite of an extensive artillery barrage battle casualties were similarly slight as in the first Battle of Cahuenga Pass , being limited to one horse and one mule. On

4100-417: The livestock, equipment and supplies, and some of the fruit trees, to his ranch in nearby Sonoma. The Mission had been abandoned by 1844. The empty buildings were sold for $ 8,000 in 1846. The empty Mission was used shortly by John C. Fremont as his headquarters. Six-and-a-half acres of land were returned in 1855, all in ruins. Rather than rebuild, in 1861 the Mission ruins were sold to a carpenter, who demolished

4182-598: The local Native Americans . The missions were part of the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific Coast region, the most northern and western parts of Spain's North American land claims. The settlers introduced European fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses, ranching and technology into the Alta California region and to the Mission Indians . The El Camino Real (Royal Road) connected missions from Loreto , Mexico to Mission San Francisco Solano , in Sonoma ,

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4264-498: The long march to the battle Marsh had taken every opportunity to dissuade the other soldiers from Micheltorena’s cause. Ignoring Sutter, Marsh seized an opportunity during the battle to signal the other side for a parley. Many of the soldiers on each side were settlers from the United States. Marsh convinced them that they had no reason to be fighting each other. At Marsh’s urging, these soldiers on both sides united, abandoned Micheltorena’s cause, and even captured Sutter. Micheltorena

4346-431: The military districts of San Diego , Santa Barbara , and Monterey who were found qualified were freed from missionary rule and made eligible to become Mexican citizens. Those who wished to remain under mission tutelage (guardianship) were exempted from most forms of corporal punishment . By 1830 even those new to California appeared confident in their own abilities to operate the mission ranches and farms independently;

4428-475: The mission courtyard and more – the Franciscans had no means of support for themselves or the natives. The Franciscans soon thereafter abandoned most of the missions, taking with them almost everything of value, after which the locals typically plundered the mission buildings for construction materials, as the four to six soldiers assigned to guard each Mission were dismissed. Mission San Juan Capistrano

4510-530: The mission property to the Roman Catholic Church . Patents for each mission were issued to Archbishop J.S. Alemany based on his claim filed with the Public Land Commission on February 19, 1853. In all 1,051.44 acres (4.2550 km ) of mission land was returned. Battle of Providencia The Battle of Providencia (also called the "Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass") took place in Cahuenga Pass in early 1845 on Rancho Providencia in

4592-676: The mission system intact, but after the Mexican Congress passed its Decree for the Secularization of the Missions of the Californias on August 17, 1833, he took action to start secularization enactment. In 1833, Figueroa replaced the Spanish-born Franciscan padres at all of the settlements north of Mission San Antonio de Padua with Mexican-born Franciscan priests from the College of Guadalupe de Zacatecas . In response, Father-Presidente Narciso Durán transferred

4674-448: The mission, in May 1843. In 1845, another partnership of three Fernandeños, Urbano Chari, José Odón, and Manuel, were granted Rancho El Escorpión , a little over a half square league in the west of the mission lands. In March 1843, governor Manuel Micheltorena issued a decree which ordered the return of Franciscan administration over the missions. Fray Blas Ordaz managed the estate after it

4756-536: The missions and closed the monjeríos , although only a minority of Indigenous peoples were distributed land grants, which left many of them landless to work the ranchos. The Spanish missions in Alta California were a series of 21 religious and military outposts; established by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order between 1769 and 1823 for the purpose of spreading Christianity among

4838-545: The natives in accordance with Echeandía's directive. Despite the fact that Echeandía's emancipation plan was met with little encouragement from the newcomers who populated the southern missions, he was nonetheless determined to test the scheme on a large scale at Mission San Juan Capistrano . To that end, he appointed a number of comisionados (commissioners) to oversee the emancipation of the Indians. The Mexican government passed legislation on December 20, 1827, that mandated

4920-490: The new El Pueblo de Nuesta Señora Reina de los Ángeles . As the town grew it built its own parish church which is today known as the Old Plaza Church, then called La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles . With Mexican secularization, the Ángeles Asistencia came in disuse and neglect. There is little physical record of the Ángeles Asistencia remaining today. The local populations increasingly resented

5002-426: The proceeds gained from the sale of the mission land and some buildings to private parties; many started ranches. The ranches made of former mission pasture lands were divided into large land grants, thus greatly increasing the number of private landholdings in Alta California. This meant that the missions would hold title only to the worship chapel, the residences of the priests, and a small amount of land surrounding

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5084-661: The provincial records of the Spanish and Mexican governments in Monterey. In 1851 the United States Congress passed "An Act to Ascertain and Settle Private Land Claims in the State of California", sponsored by California Senator William M. Gwin ,. The Act required all holders of Spanish and Mexican land grants to present their titles for confirmation before the Board of California Land Commissioners . Contrary to

5166-551: The remaining buildings and 55 acres of land were given back. Mission San Miguel Arcángel had its land sold off. The William Reed family lived in the buildings until 1848. Then the Mission was closed and began to decay. In 1859 the Mission ruins were returned, but no priest was sent to the ruins. In 1878 the Catholic Church sent priests and restoration started. Mission San Fernando Rey de España had its land sold off in 1834. Mission buildings were used as military headquarters , including Governor Pico and John C. Frémont . In 1861

5248-490: The requirements of the Mexican colonization laws. While the Land Commission confirmed 604 of the 813 claims it reviewed, most decisions were appealed to US District Court and some to the Supreme Court . The confirmation process required lawyers, translators, and surveyors, and took an average of 17 years (with American Civil War , 1861–1865) to resolve. It proved expensive for landholders to defend their titles through

5330-499: The rules for establishing land grants were codified in the Mexican Reglamento (Regulation). The acts broke the large landholding of the missions and paved the way for attracting more settlers to California by making land grants easier to obtain. The procedure included a diseño – a hand-drawn topological map – to define the area. The Mexican governors of Alta California gained the power to grant state lands, and many of

5412-529: The rules. Under the Preemption Act of 1841, owners were able to "preempt" their portions of the grant, and acquire title for $ 1.25 an acre up to a maximum of 160 acres (0.65 km ). Beginning with Rancho Suscol in 1863, special acts of Congress were passed that allowed certain claimants to preempt their land without regard to acreage. By 1866 this privilege was extended to all owners of rejected claims. In 1853, Bishop Joseph Alemany began petitioning

5494-405: The stationed missionary, Fray Francisco González de Ibarra, who delivered $ 20,000 in hides, tallow, and other products, and $ 5,000 in coins. At this time, the mission population had decreased to 792. On May 29, 1835, the government appointed Lieutenant Del Valle as mayordomo , despite opposition from Fray Ibarra. Around this time, a two-room adobe and tile-roofed house was built at the east end of

5576-711: The territory in February 1845 and installing Pío Pico as governor. The new governor Pico appropriated the mission land from Fray Ordaz and leased it, without an official grant deed or title, to his brother Andrés Pico and a business partner, Juan Manso, in December 1845 for an annual rent of $ 1,120. The parcels belonging to the Fernandeños Samuel and Pedro Joaquín were aggregated into the Rancho Ex-Mission de San Fernando. To raise war funds during

5658-505: The vast holdings of the Roman Catholic missions. In 1845, California Governor Pio Pico confiscated the lands of Mission San Diego de Alcalá . He granted eleven square leagues (about 48,800 acres, 197 km ) of the El Cajon Valley to Dona Maria Antonio Estudillo, daughter of José Antonio Estudillo , alcalde of San Diego, to repay a $ 500 government obligation. The grant was originally called Rancho Santa Monica and encompassed present-day El Cajon, Bostonia, Santee, Lakeside, Flinn Springs, and

5740-448: Was bound by the provisions of the sale to continue supporting the mission's functions by providing necessary resources for worship and allowing the indigenous former mission wards use of the lands they occupied during their lifetimes. Fray Ordaz continued as the stationed missionary until May 1847. With the cession of California to the United States following the Mexican–American War , the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that

5822-447: Was given to ex-military officers who had fought in the War of Independence. On June 8, 1846, Mission San Diego de Alcalá was given to Santiago Argüello by Governor Pío Pico " ...f or services rendered to the government." After the United States annexed California , the Mission was used by the military from 1846 to 1862. Most of the grants were made to rich " Californios " of Spanish background who had long been casting envious eyes on

5904-551: Was laid on September 14, 1924. San Antonio de Pala Asistencia and Las Flores Estancia Pico sold off all of the holdings to Antonio J. Cot and José A. Pico on May 18, 1846. The church remained open. But on Christmas Day 1899, the San Jacinto Earthquake shook the Pala Valley , causing the roof over the church sanctuary to collapse. In 1902, a group named the "Landmarks Club of Southern California", under

5986-519: Was occupied by U.S. Army troops under Captain Frémont. Some Mission buildings in poor shape and 65 acres of land were returned in 1865. Mission Santa Inés land was sold off in 1836, with some buildings rented out by the government. The Mission had been divided with priests living in part and maintaining a chapel. Late in 1843, the Governor gave 350,000 acres to Bishop Francisco García Diego to start

6068-461: Was put up for sale, with no bids. But with the fear of being sold, the Mission started to fall into neglect. Father Doroteo Ambris, a young priest from Mexico, started to live at the Mission with a few natives in 1851. On 31 May 1863, the Mission was returned to the Church with 33 acres by an order signed by Abraham Lincoln. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was sold to American settlers, and the funds were used to pay off Governor Pico's debt. The Mission

6150-473: Was rented to Don Jose Arnaz and Narciso Botello and was later sold to Arnaz. The church, clergy residence, cemetery, orchard, and vineyard were returned to the Church in 1862, and major changes done in 1893. Mission Santa Clara de Asís in 1836: the Mission land was sold off, but most buildings continued to be used as a parish church. In 1851 the running of the church transferred from the Franciscans to

6232-473: Was restored to the religious order; during his tenure, Ordaz managed to pay off the estate's debt, purchased 120 head of livestock, and made improvements to the mission; the indigenous mission population at this time was of about 300 people. Micheltorena's decree, along with other actions by the governor, were repudiated by the Californios; they eventually rebelled against Micheltorena , forcing him to leave

6314-404: Was returned to the Franciscans in 1843. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was sold in 1845 by Pico. Everything except the church chapel was sold for a total of $ 510 (valued at $ 70,000 in 1845). The Mission was returned in 1859. Mission San Francisco de Asís had the Mission lands sold off in 1845. The Mission quadrangle buildings and courtyard were sold or leased to businesses. The Mission

6396-640: Was run by the U.S. military. A constitutional convention met in Monterey in September 1849, and set up a state government. It operated for 10 months before California was admitted to the Union as the 31st State by Congress as part of the Compromise of 1850 , enacted on September 9, 1850. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provided that the Mexican land grants would be honored. In order to investigate and confirm titles in California, American officials acquired

6478-480: Was sold to private interests in 1845 for $ 12,000. All buildings decayed and the land was not put to use. Native people who were to get the land had fled and found themselves unable to readjust to their former way of life. In 1858 the Mission ruins and 28 acres of land were returned. Mission San Juan Bautista : the land was sold off, but the nearby town of San Juan supported the Church, so it did not fall into decay. Thus services continued without interruption. In 1859

6560-514: Was taken over by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, the commissioner of the lands, at the age of 27. At first he gave some of the lands to the native mission workers as ordered. But later he transferred all the land and buildings to his own Rancho Petaluma Adobe of 44,000 acres in the Petaluma Valley. Vallejo laid out the town of Sonoma in 1835. He had a large plaza made in front of the old Mission chapel. But he then took roof tiles from

6642-466: Was the very first mission to have its land taken away; on August 9, 1834, Governor Figueroa issued his "Decree of Confiscation." Nine other settlements quickly followed, with six more in 1835; San Buenaventura and Mission San Francisco de Asís were among the last to have their land taken away, in June and December 1836, respectively. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad land was sold and over time all

6724-443: Was thus maintained, and in 1857 returned. Mission Santa Barbara in 1835: all the land was sold or given away, but the Mission buildings remained under the control of the Catholic Church and became a parish church. Thus on August 17, 1833, Father Presidente Narciso Durán transferred the Missions' headquarters to Santa Barbara, making Mission Santa Barbara the repository of some 3,000 original documents that had been scattered throughout

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