David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
DOMINICANS AT BAJA CALIFORNIA MISSIONS 1773-1855
* NOTE, a new version of the following list with a much larger listing of Dominican padres who performed a service at the missions is in the works...
stay tuned! (See the edited list in following post)
For over seventy years, from 1697 to 1768, the Jesuit Order of the Catholic Church had near-autonomy in the occupation and Christianization of the
California Peninsula. They had founded 17 missions, in all directions from the first permanent headquarters, at Loreto. In the 1750’s they had begun
to move northward in order to encircle the Gulf of California with their missions, once it was clear that California was not an island. That advance
was halted with a political decision that forever changed the direction of the California missions.
The Franciscans were already chosen to replace the Jesuits in California, but the Dominicans had pleaded for some responsibility on the peninsula.
Years of negotiations and revisions would transpire before the Dominican priests actually began serving the Baja California missions. The doorway to
California mission service for the Dominicans opened once the 1767 Royal order of expulsion was delivered to the Jesuits missionaries. The Jesuits
were forcibly removed from all their missions throughout the New World and sailed away from the coast of Baja California in February, 1768. The
Franciscans were soon charged with occupying the ports of San Diego and Monterey, far to the north. An opportunity for other Catholic Orders to have a
hand in the mission field was now available. The following is a summary of some of the events leading to the Dominicans arrival in Antigua (Old)
California, later called Baja California:
July 24, 1768: A request for the administration of some of the Jesuit founded missions of Baja California was made by Dominican Fray Juan Pedro de
Iriarte y Laurnaga. Iriarte was Procurator General for the Province of Santiago de Mexico, residing at the Royal Court of Madrid. He asked especially
for those missions between the twenty-fifth and twenty-eighth degrees of north latitude.
December 17, 1769: The King (Carlos III) decided that ten Dominican fathers, destined for the nearest former Jesuit missions, should go there, but
left the exact posts unspecified.
January 17, 1770: the Procurator-General, Fray Juan de Dios de Cordoba, recommended that Iriarte's petition be granted, that the requested territory
of Baja California be allocated, since there was urgent need tor the conquest of Nueva (New) California as a check against foreign encroachments.
June 15, 1770: Juan Pedro de Iriarte and Juan de Dios de Cordova asked the King for a grant of twenty four missionaries, at royal expense, for the
missions of Baja California.
July 10, 1770: Iriarte issued a circular to the convents of the three Spanish Provinces of the Dominican order, announcing that the King had granted
them a mission field in Baja California, and calling for volunteers.
April 30, 1772: The division of California was settled and the Dominicans accepted all of Baja California and the Franciscans had Nueva California,
later called Alta California, as far north “as they can extend their spiritual conquests”. This arrangement was approved by the Council of the Indies
on May 11, 1775.
September, 1772: Two boats were used to bring the Dominicans to California sailing from San Blas. Storms separated the boats and disaster would fall
upon one. The storm, disease, and bad food forced one boat back to shore at Mazatlán. On board the doomed boat was their leader, Padre Iriarte. After
arriving at Mazatlán he was taken to San Sebastián, where he died.
October 14, 1772: The successful boat with nine Dominican priests and one laybrother arrived at Loreto. Ten days later one of the priests died. Nearly
six months would pass before news of the other boat carrying Dominicans had wrecked, and their leader, Padre Iriarte (and two other priests) had died.
May 12, 1773: Two boats brought the eighteen Dominicans who survived the shipwreck, arrived at Loreto. Three days later the padres were given their
mission burroignments (see list below). Now with 26 Dominicans in California, each of the missions would be burroigned two, except for the far north
missions of Santa María and San Fernando, which shared the same two priests. The Indians of Mission Santa María were transferred to Mission San
Fernando the following year.
September 21, 1773: Padre Luis Sales arrived in Loreto after being delayed by his illness from the disastrous events of a year earlier. Sales was
burroigned to Mission Guadalupe.
ASSIGNMENTS OF THE 26 DOMINICANS AT THE 14 BAJA CALIFORNIA MISSIONS
May 15, 1773:
Loreto: Vicente Mora, Martín Zavaleta
San José de Comondú: Cristóbal de Vera, Andrés Souto
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: José Santolárria, Nicolás Muñóz
Purísima Concepción: Francisco Galistéo, Juan Antonio Formoso
San Francisco Javier: Manuel Pérez, Domingo Ginés
San José del Cabo: Gerónimo Soldevilla, José Lafuente
Todos Santos: José Fernández Salcedo, José Armésto
Santiago: Antonio Salas, José Estévez
San Ignacio: Juan Crisóstomo Gómez, José García Villatoro
Santa Rosalia (de Mulegé): Joaquín Valero, Antonio Luésma
Santa Gertrudis: Manuel Rodríguez, José Díez Bustamante
San Francisco de Borja: Manuel García, José Aivár
Santa María, San Fernando: Miguel Hidalgo, Pedro Gandiága
Next we will examine surviving mission documents and letters to discover what Dominican priests served at each mission, after the initial
burroignments of May 15, 1773. In some cases the missionary may have only been visiting and was not the resident priest. He also may have been at the
mission other years than those listed or served at more than one mission the same year.
[EDIT: SEE REVISED LIST of missions/padres BELOW]
Mexico and Spain were at war from 1810 to 1821. In 1822, the two Californias pledged their allegiance to Mexico. The Spanish Mission Era was over, but
the need for instruction and expanding civilization necessitated the missions to remain in operation. Many Dominicans retired from service in Baja
California in 1822. Those that remained after 1822, or arrived during the Mexican mission period include:
Félix Caballero (to 1840)
Gabriel Gonzáles (to 1855)
Domingo Luna (to 1832)
Tomás Mansilla (to 1855)
José Martínez (to 1836)
Juan Martínez (to 1840)
Antonio Menéndez (to 1825)
José Morquecho (to 1841)
José Miguel de Pineda (to 1826)
Ignacio Ramírez (to 1849)
José de Santa Cruz (to 1844)
Assisting the Dominicans in Baja California were three Mercedarians, who arrived in 1836:
Amado Aldana (to 1841)
Vicente Sotomayor (to 1851)
Ascenscio Torres (to 1845)
[EDIT: See list below...]
The stories and details of the mission period in Baja California continue to entertain and enlighten us as to happenings in this harsh and rugged
land, so many years ago.
References
‘The Dominican Mission Foundations in Baja California, 1769-1822’ by Albert Nieser, 1960
‘The Missions and Missionaries of California’ (Vol. 1, Lower California) by Zephyrin Engelhardt, 1929
‘The Dominican Mission Frontier of Lower California’ by Peveril Meigs, 1935
‘Observations on California, 1772-1790’ by Luis Sales, translated by Charles Rudkin, 1956
‘Historical Notes on Lower California’ by Manuel Rojo 1879, translated by Philip Gericke, 1972
‘The Peninsular California Missions, 1808-1880’ by Francis Weber, 1979
'The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California 1697-1834' by Kurillo, Tuttle, & Kier, 2012
=========================================================
Sharing this article to inspire discussion, discovery and adventure!
I hope to add the missing years and/or missing padre's names to this list. Finding the names and places the Dominicans were was quite an effort.
However, I could not find it anywhere else so it had to be done, I believed!
I will make a list of what needs to be yet found... 
SEE BELOW for the newer, expanded list of Dominicans...
[Edited on 12-27-2014 by David K]
|
|
|
güéribo
Nomad
Posts: 239
Registered: 10-17-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
Great post. Thanks!
|
|
|
güéribo
Nomad
Posts: 239
Registered: 10-17-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have a little tidbit to add. At Santa Rosalía de Mulegé, . . . Fr. Tomás de Ahumada was there at least until 1821, because he received a letter
there from Guaymas.
It's documented in the de la Guerra collection of letters in the Santa Barbara Mission archives. José de la Guerra y Noriega became the Comandante of
the Santa Barbara Presidio and he's a name you see frequently in the history of Alta California.
These little summaries of early CA correspondence are really interesting to read. Fr. Ahumada is mentioned several times. Once, de la Guerra sent
him some thread to mend his robe.
de la Guerra letters summary
Aug. 29, 1821. Guaymas.
Pedro de Leiva to Fray Tomás de Ahumada, O. P., on the ships anchored at Guaymas, La Preciosa from Spain, Santa Rita and El Ruperto from Manila, and
El Señoriano from San Blas; is willing to stop at Mulegé to take on whatever he may wish to send; on the defeat of [Agustín] Iturbide; a report from
Durango; the departure of Viceroy [Juan] O'Donojú; mentions Negrete, Quintanar and Bustamante; Spanish troops still in Mexico; asks him to communicate
the news to the other missionaries; Ahumada adds that Fray Domingo Luna; O. P., of Mission Santo Tomás, will write and from that mission the
Franciscans in Upper California will be contacted.
Spanish. 4 pp.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Brilliant!
| Quote: | Originally posted by güéribo
I have a little tidbit to add. At Santa Rosalía de Mulegé, . . . Fr. Tomás de Ahumada was there at least until 1821, because he received a letter
there from Guaymas.
It's documented in the de la Guerra collection of letters in the Santa Barbara Mission archives. José de la Guerra y Noriega became the Comandante of
the Santa Barbara Presidio and he's a name you see frequently in the history of Alta California.
These little summaries of early CA correspondence are really interesting to read. Fr. Ahumada is mentioned several times. Once, de la Guerra sent
him some thread to mend his robe.
de la Guerra letters summary
Aug. 29, 1821. Guaymas.
Pedro de Leiva to Fray Tomás de Ahumada, O. P., on the ships anchored at Guaymas, La Preciosa from Spain, Santa Rita and El Ruperto from Manila, and
El Señoriano from San Blas; is willing to stop at Mulegé to take on whatever he may wish to send; on the defeat of [Agustín] Iturbide; a report from
Durango; the departure of Viceroy [Juan] O'Donojú; mentions Negrete, Quintanar and Bustamante; Spanish troops still in Mexico; asks him to communicate
the news to the other missionaries; Ahumada adds that Fray Domingo Luna; O. P., of Mission Santo Tomás, will write and from that mission the
Franciscans in Upper California will be contacted.
Spanish. 4 pp. |
Exactly what I hopped posting these articles would do: increase the base of knowledge and make 'new' discoveries from the past. Thank you güéribo very
much! I will edit thanks to your documented findings.
|
|
|
güéribo
Nomad
Posts: 239
Registered: 10-17-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
And in the same 1821 letter, Fray Domingo Luna is mentioned at Mission Santo Tomás. Looks like he was resident in the area, as he's also mentioned at
San Miguel and Santo Domingo. I'm sure priests did visit one another and stay for a time, especially in those latter years.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Yes they did, Luna was the resident at Santo Domingo from 1819-1822. He reported from down at La Purisima in 1826... then back in La Frontera at San
Miguel in 1829 & 1833.
Seeing these old letters help us place the padres locations... as Dominican records are mostly lost or non-existent. Much was stored in San Francisco
and was destroyed by the earthquake and fire of 1906.
|
|
|
güéribo
Nomad
Posts: 239
Registered: 10-17-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
David . . . did you notice this letter from San Borja? Lots of letters to and from Baja in the summaries.
Febr. 20, 1815. San Borja.
Tomás de Ahumada, O. P., to José de la Guerra concerning the desire of Fray José Martínez, 0.P., of finishing a church, establishing ranches, and
doing "all things new." He asks de la Guerra to send the moulds used in painting the church at San Diego and three hundred heifers, to be paid for
with brandy and mescal or by a bill of exchange via Loreto. The cattle are to be sent to Santo Tomás. He also asks for tallow and blankets. Sends
greetings to the family. Spanish. 2 pp.
And the many letters from José Darío Argüello, who was governor of Baja CA from 1815-1822. He apparently hated the job and complained quite a bit.
Apr. [20?] 1815.
Argüello to José de la Guerra answering his letter congratulating him on his new position about which however he is not too happy because of his
health, advanced age, climate and diminished salary.
Spanish. 2 pp.
Febr. 9, 1820. Loreto.
Argüello to de la Guerra on his desire to retire; is in poor health; cannot live in Loreto; wishes to be buried at the monastery of Nuestra Señora del
Pueblito (near Querétaro); much misery in Lower California; only one ship available. Spanish. 3 pp.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Please add anything you think is interesting! I sometimes burn out and take a rest on researching, so I appreciate it when you or any other Nomad
finds some history on Baja!
I will be doing a paper on The Jesuits in Baja to complete the three Orders (you did see my Franciscan paper?) eventually...
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
It is just amazing how many Dominicans served in Baja California during their 82 years of administration! As I continue digging into records and
documents, I now have eliminated any missing years for San Fernando, El Rosario, and Santo Domingo missions. Also, only one year (1807) do I not have
a confirmed Dominican named serving at San Vicente... so far!
Primary sources of data are Engelhardt (who copied directly from mission documents stored in San Francisco before the earthquake and fire of 1906
destroyed them all). The other main source is Nieser, who found so many documents that were unknown or unpublished before 1960 naming the padres in
Baja California.
Both of these authors were passed over by some more modern writers and much mis-information was simply duplicated. The real story about Descanso being
one. Another from Jesuit times has been mis-written about (Calamajué).
Still plenty of history to be discovered in Baja!
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
I think I am done with this list... unless more data is found! It is quite surprising how many Dominican priests served on the peninsula during their
82 years of service.
Here is the list with the latest data of what years the priests were at the various missions.
First, the original assignments:
May 15, 1773:
Loreto: Vicente Mora (to 1800), Martín Zavaleta
San José de Comondú: Cristóbal de Vera, Andrés Souto
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: José Santolárria, Nicolás Muñóz
Purísima Concepción: Francisco Galistéo (1773 only), Juan Antonio Formoso
San Francisco Javier: Manuel Pérez (to 1794), Domingo Ginés
San José del Cabo: Gerónimo Soldevilla, José Lafuente
Todos Santos: José Fernández Salcedo, José Armésto
Santiago: Antonio Salas, José Estévez (to 1775)
San Ignacio: Juan Crisóstomo Gómez, José García Villatoro
Santa Rosalia (de Mulegé): Joaquín Valero (to 1800), Antonio Luésma
Santa Gertrudis: Manuel Rodríguez, José Díez Bustamante (to 1777)
San Francisco de Borja: Manuel García (to 1775), José Aivár (to 1776)
Santa María: Miguel Hidalgo (to 1774), Pedro Gandiága (to 1774)
San Fernando: Miguel Hidalgo (to 1777), Pedro Gandiága (to 1790)
Now, the list for the missions following the original assignment of 1773:
Loreto
Francisco Galistéo 1779-1789
Nicolás Muñóz 1779
Miguel Hidalgo 1781
José Armésto 1790
Antonio Berraguerro 1793
José Herrera 1793-1794
Caietano Pallás 1794-1798
Pedro de Acebedo 1795
Miguel Gallégo 1795, 1810
Pablo María de Zárate 1796
Plácido Sanz 1798, 1804
Vicente Belda 1798-1802
Rafaél Arviña 1802-1804
Antonio Lázaro 1806
Ramón López 1812-1816
San Javier
Gerónimo Soldevilla 1784-1810
Mariano Yóldi 1791-1792
Miguel Gallégo 1794
Romantino de la Cruz 1812
Santa Rosalia (de Mulegé)
José Naranjo 1783
José Herrera 1783-1794
Miguel Gallégo 1795-1798
Rafaél Arviña 1796-1797
Domingo Timón 1798-1800
Vicente Belda 1802-1805
José Portela 1812
Tomás de Ahumada 1815-1821
San José de Comondú
Pedro de Acebedo 1790-1793
José Estévez 1790-1791
José Aivár 1792
Ricardo Texéyro 1794-1796
Jorge Coéllo 1797-1798
Plácido Sanz 1803-1810
José Antonio Sánchez 1812
Tomás Mansilla 1825-1826
La Purísima
José Estévez 1775-1782
Martín Zavaleta 1783
José Antonio Sánchez 1793-1822
Domingo Luna 1822-1826
Guadalupe
Luis Sáles 1773-1778
Joaquín Valero 1783
Rafaél Arviña 1792-1795
Santiago
Manuel García 1776-1780
Francisco Hontiyuélo 1790-1794
San Ignacio
Joaquín Cálvo 1794-1795
Domingo Timón 1795-1798
José Loriénte 1796
Rafaél Arviña 1799-1802, 1804-1805
José Espín 1805
Pedro Juan González 1806, 1812-1822
Félix Caballero 1840
San José del Cabo
Francisco Hontiyuélo 1794
Rafael Arviña 1795-1796
Eudaldo Surroca 1797-1798
Pablo María de Zárate 1798-1821
Ignacio Ramírez 1835-1841
José de Santa Cruz 1841-1844
Gabriel Gonzáles 1846-1848
Todos Santos
Mariano Fernández 1790-1811
Jacinto Tiól 1812-1820
José Duro 1822
Gabriel Gonzáles 1825-1840, 1850-1855
Santa Gertrudis
Juan Antonio Formoso 1783
Joaquín Valero 1788
José Espín 1794-1798
Segismundo Foncubierta 1812
San Borja
Luis Sáles 1778-1781
Antonio Caballero, Rafaél Caballero 1792-1794
Martín Zavaleta 1793
Mélchor Pons 1794, 1797-1798, 1803
Juan María Salgado 1795-1796
Antonio Lázaro 1797-1798, 1802
Tomás de Ahumada 1805-1809
Ramón de Santos 1812
José Martín 1812-1816
San Fernando
Miguel Hidalgo 1773-1777
Pedro Gandiága 1773-1790
Francisco Galistéo 1773-1774
Manuel Garcia 1775
Manuel Pérez 1775, 1778, 1780, 1782
José Díez Bustamante 1778
Antonio Luésma 1782-1783
Juan Antonio Formoso 1785-1788
Pedro de Acebedo (Azevedo) 1788-1789
Miguel Abad 1789
Tomás Marín 1789
Jórge Coéllo 1790-1795
Mariano Apolinário 1795
Rafaél Arviña 1796-1799
Vicente Belda 1797-1798
José Caulas 1797-1798
Jaime Codina 1798
Antonio Lázaro 1799-1804
Segismundo Fontcubierta 1800, 1802
Pedro Gonzalez 1804
José Portela 1804
Manuel de Aguila 1804-1806
José Duro 1807-1808
Ramón de Santos 1808-1813
Bernardo Solá 1811-1814
Tomás de Ahumada 1815
Antonio Menéndez 1815, 1822-1825 (from San Vicente)
José Martín 1816-1818
Francisco Troncoso 1819-1822 (from El Rosario)
The Dominican Founded California Missions:
El Rosario (July 24, 1774)
Francisco Galistéo 1774-1779
Miguel Hidalgo 1774, 1780
Manuel Garcia 1775
Manuel Pérez 1775-1788
José Aivár 1775-1783
Luis Sales 1778
Antonio Luésma 1781-1783
Juan Antonio Formoso 1783-1788
José Estévez 1785-1787
Pedro de Acebedo 1787-1788
Pedro Gandiága 1788-1791
Miguel Abád 1789-1791
Tomás Marín 1790-1793
Jorge Coéllo 1790-1791
Ricardo Texéyro 1791-1792
Vicente Belda 1792-1798
Juan María Salgado 1794-1795
Ramón López 1797
Juan Ríbas 1797-1803
Antonio Lázaro 1799
Segismundo Fontcubierta 1800-1801
Raymundo Escolá 1802-1807
José Caulas 1799, 1806-1814
Antonio Menéndez 1814-1815, 1823
José Jimeno Viéytez 1817
José Martín 1817-1818
José Duro 1818-1819
Francisco Troncoso 1819-1822 (last resident missionary)
Antonio Menéndez 1822-1825 (from San Vicente)
Tomás Mansilla 1829, 1844 (from Santo Tomás)
Santo Domingo (Aug. 30, 1775)
Manuel García 1775-1776
Miguel Hidalgo 1775, 1777-1780
José Aivár 1775-1792
Domingo Ginés 1778
Luis Sales 1778-1779
José Díez Bustamante 1780
Manuel Pérez 1781
José Estévez 1782-1785, 1788
Juan Antonio Formoso 1785-1787
Jórge Cóello 1789
Miguel Abád 1791-1804
Tomás Valdellón 1793-1801
Tomás Cavallero 1794
Jáime Codina 1794-1797
Miguel López 1795
Mariano Yóldi 1796
Juan Ribas 1799
José Caulas 1799-1803
Antonio Lázaro 1800
José Miguel de Pineda 1804-1809
Manuel de Águila 1807
Ramón de Santos 1809
Bernardo Solá 1809-1811
Róque Varela 1811-1812
José Duro 1812-1819
Domingo Luna 1819-1822 (last resident missionary)
Francisco Troncoso 1821
Antonio Menéndez 1822-1825 (from San Vicente)
Félix Caballero 1822, 1827, 1829, 1832-1834 (from San Miguel)
Tomás Mansilla 1829-1850 (from Santo Tomás)
San Vicente (Aug. 27, 1780)
Miguel Hidalgo 1780-1781
Joaquín Valero 1780-1783
Luis Sáles 1781-1787
José Estévez 1785-1789
Juan Antonio Formoso 1789
José Loriénte 1790-1791, 1794-1795
Miguel Gallégo 1789-1794, 1803
Miguel Abád 1793
Tomás Valdellón 1793-1797, 1801-1803
Ramón López 1797-1806
Segismundo Fontcubierta 1797, 1799
Pedro González 1808
José Duro 1808-1811
Antonio Fernández 1811-1822
José Martinez 1817
Antonio Menéndez 1817-1825
Félix Caballero 1814, 1822-1829
Tomás Mansilla 1829 (from Santo Tomás)
San Miguel (Mar. 28, 1787)
Luis Sáles 1787-1789
Caietano Pallás 1790-1791
Juan Salgado 1792-1793
Mariano Yóldi 1793-1804
Mariano Apolinário 1794-1796
Raymundo Escolá 1797-1800
Miguel Abád 1799
Tomás de Ahumada 1809-1815
Félix Caballero 1815-1834
José Martínez 1819-1822 (last resident missionary)
Domingo Luna 1829, 1833
Santo Tomás (Apr. 24, 1791)
José Loriénte 1791-1798
Miguel López 1793-1803
Segismundo Fontcubierta 1798
Eudaldo Surroca 1802-1803
Juan Ríbas 1806
José Miguel de Pineda 1812-1826
Tomás Mansilla 1826-1849
San Pedro Martir (Apr. 27, 1794)
Caietano Pallás, Pablo Grijálva, José Loriénte 1794
Rafaél Caballero 1794-1797
Antonio Caballero 1794-1797
Juan Ríbas 1797
Mariano Apolinário 1797-1798
José Caulas, Miguel López, José Loriénte 1798
Eudaldo Surroca 1803
Juan Ríbas, Ramón de Santos, José Portela 1806
Santa Catalina (Nov. 12, 1797)
José Loriénte, 1797-1798
Tomás Valdellón 1797-1804
Jacinto Fiol 1804-1807
Manuel de Aguila 1807-1809
Antonio Fernández 1809-1810, and 1815-1817 (from San Vicente)
José Duro 1810-1811
Manuel Saiz 1811-1812
Félix Caballero 1819-1839
Two Mexican Missions:
El Descanso (San Miguel la Nueva) was established as a new location for Mission San Miguel in late 1809 or early 1810 by Padre Tomás de
Ahumada, because of disastrous floods. Ahumada wrote that he moved the San Miguel mission to Descanso shortly after he arrived at San Miguel (June 19,
1809). Ahumada returned to the former site (San Miguel la Vieja), but Descanso likely remained active as a mission farm.
In 1830, Padre Félix Caballero re-established the site with a new church and other buildings constructed at El Descanso. Again, activity continued at
both San Miguel locations, but they were both served by a single priest. Letters of the period use the word ‘mission’ to describe Descanso after 1830.
That it was the San Miguel mission at a new site was made clear by the continuous referral to it as ‘New San Miguel’ and the previous location as ‘Old
San Miguel’.
Guadalupe (June 25, 1834) was founded by Padre Félix Caballero and was made the administrative center for the northern Baja
California missions. Caballero was assigned to Mission San Miguel in 1815 and it was his decision to move to Guadalupe and build there. Caballero
named the mission at this new location in honor of Mexico’s patron saint.
While he would call it a mission, some historians considered it more of a way Caballero could attract mainland Mexicans to settle in the rich valley,
and it was his own personal endeavor. It provided the services of a mission, but it was unable to attract Indians to stay there. Padre Caballero had
to force baptism upon the native women and that angered the native Indian men to such a degree that in less than 6 years after it was founded, they
destroyed the mission and wanted to kill Caballero. Caballero fled south to San Ignacio and died mysteriously a few months later, after drinking his
morning chocolate.
Afterword
The Dominicans operated the missions of Baja California for 82 years through a period of growth, dramatic changes, and disappointments. To some
historians they were harsh and unbending to the needs of the native Indians they hoped to Christianize and convert to modern living. What is clear is
that the Dominicans constructed many missions, including the cut stone churches at San Ignacio, Santa Gertrudis and San Borja. The Dominicans
inherited a land that was already in decline, yet performed vaccinations to try and save the lives of those infected by European diseases. They
endured years of neglect during the two wars (1810-1821 & 1846-1848), and a change of government in Mexico that attempted to secularize their
missions. Still, they remained on the peninsula the longest of the three Orders assigned to mission duties in California. The last Dominican that came
to Baja California to serve the missions was José de Santa Cruz, in 1841. The last Dominicans missionaries on the peninsula were Tomás Mansilla and
Gabriel Gonzáles who left Baja California together from La Paz on or about Feb. 5, 1855.
The stories and details of the mission period in Baja California continue to entertain and enlighten us as to happenings in this harsh and rugged
land, so many years ago.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[I wanted to get this online before some computer virus from North Korea attacked it, or whatever!! LOL
If anyone has addition data to fill in any of the gaps in the years (there are still some), I would appreciate your assistance in making this list
more complete. I hope it inspires more exploration and research into the events on the fantastic peninsula of Baja California! Thank you, David]
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Dominicans listed by name
* until Doug fixes the issue with this new server, all accent marks and the n with the 'snake' over it have been altered to standard English letters.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the following list, one can see when and where each Dominican served in Baja California. This list will be an ongoing project due to the time
required to compile the data. Please return as I will be editing to add names, alphabetically. Today, I will do the 'A' name padres...
A
Miguel Abad: 1789 San Fernando, 1789-1791 El Rosario, 1791-1804 Santo Domingo, 1793 San Vicente, 1799 San Miguel
Manuel de Aguila: 1804-1806 San Fernando, 1807 Santo Domingo, 1807-1809 Santa Catalina
Pedro de Acebedo: 1787-1788 El Rosario, 1788-1789 San Fernando, 1795 Loreto
Tomas de Ahumada 1805-1809 San Borja, 1809-1815 San Miguel, 1815 San Fernando, 1815-1821 Santa Rosalia
Jose Aivar: 1773-1776 San Borja
Mariano Apolinario: 1794-1796 San Miguel, 1795 San Fernando, 1797-1798 San Pedro Martir
Jose Armesto: 1773 Todos Santos, 1790 Loreto
Rafael Arvina: 1792-1795 Guadalupe, 1795-1796 San Jose del Cabo, 1796-1797 Santa Rosalia, 1796-1799 San Fernando, 1799-1802, 1804-1805 San Ignacio,
1802-1804 Loreto
B
Vicente Belda 1792-1798 El Rosario, 1797-1798 San Fernando, 1798-1802 Loreto, 1802-1805 Santa Rosalia
Antonio Berraguerro 1793 Loreto
Jose Diez Bustamante 1773-1777 Santa Gertrudis, 1778 San Fernando, 1780 Santo Domingo
C
Antonio Caballero & Rafael Caballero 1792-1794 San Borja, 1794-1797 San Pedro Martir
Felix Caballero 1814 & 1822-1829 San Vicente, 1815-1834 San Miguel, 1819-1839 Santa Catalina, 1822 & 1827 & 1829 & 1832-1834 Santo
Domingo, 1840 San Ignacio
Joaquin Calvo 1794-1795 San Ignacio
Jose Caulas 1797-1798 San Fernando, 1798 San Pedro Martir, 1799-1803 Santo Domingo, 1799 & 1806-1814 El Rosario
Tomas Cavallero 1794 Santo Domingo
Jaime Codina 1794-1797 Santo Domingo, 1798 San Fernando
Jorge Coello 1789 Santo Domingo, 1790-1791 El Rosario, 1790-1795 San Fernando, 1797-1798 San Jose de Comondu
Romantino de la Cruz 1812 San Javier
Jose de Santa Cruz 1841-1844 San Jose del Cabo
[Edited on 12-28-2014 by David K]
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
D
Jose Duro 1807-1808 San Fernando, 1808-1811 San Vicente, 1810-1811 Santa Catalina, 1812-1819 Santo Domingo, 1818-1819 El Rosario, 1822 Todos Santos
E
Raymundo Escola 1797-1800 San Miguel, 1802-1807 El Rosario
Jose Espin 1794-1798 Santa Gertrudis, 1805 San Ignacio,
Jose Estevez 1773-1775 Santiago, 1775-1782 La Purisima, 1782-1785 & 1788 Santo Domingo, 1785-1789 San Vicente, 1785-1787 El Rosario, 1790-1791 San
Jose de Comondu
F
Antonio Fernandez 1809-1810 Santa Catalina, 1811-1822 San Vicente
Mariano Fernandez 1790-1811 Todos Santos
Jacinto Fiol 1804-1807 Santa Catalina
Segismundo Foncubierta 1797 & 1799 San Vicente, 1798 Santo Tomas, 1800-1801 El Rosario, 1800 & 1802 San Fernando, 1812 Santa Gertrudis
Juan Antonio Formoso 1773 La Purisima, 1783 Santa Gertrudis, 1783-1788 El Rosario, 1785-1787 Santo Domingo, 1785-1788 San Fernando, 1789 San Vicente
|
|
|
capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sling time!
|
|
I've always appreciated the quality roll of a well trained Dominican.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
From Cigars back to Missionaries
[all accents and tildes removed to post on the 'updated' Nomad forum]
G
Francisco Galisteo 1773 La Purisima, 1773-1774 San Fernando, 1774-1779 El Rosario, 1779-1789 Loreto
Miguel Gallego 1789-1794, 1803 San Vicente, 1794 San Javier, 1795-1798 Santa Rosalia, 1795 & 1810 Loreto
Pedro Gandiaga 1773-1774 Santa Maria, 1773-1790 San Fernando, 1788-1791 El Rosario
Manuel Garcia 1773-1775 San Borja, 1775 San Fernando, 1775 El Rosario, 1775-1776 Santo Domingo, 1776-1780 Santiago
Domingo Gines 1773 San Javier, 1778 Santo Domingo
Juan Crisostomo Gomez 1773 San Ignacio
Gabriel Gonzales 1825-1840 & 1850-1855 Todos Santos, 1846-1848 San Jose del Cabo
Pedro Juan Gonzalez 1806 & 1812-1822 San Ignacio
Pedro Gonzalez 1804 San Fernando, 1808 San Vicente
Pablo Grijalva 1794 San Pedro Martir
H
Jose Herrera 1783-1794 Santa Rosalia, 1793-1794 Loreto
Miguel Hidalgo 1773-1774 Santa Maria, 1773-1777 San Fernando, 1774 & 1780 El Rosario, 1775 & 1777-1780 Santo Domingo, 1780-1781 San Vicente,
1781 Loreto
Francisco Hontiyuelo 1790-1794 Santiago, 1794 San Jose del Cabo
L
Jose Lafuente 1773 San Jose del Cabo
Antonio Lazaro 1797-1798 & 1802 San Borja, 1799 El Rosario, 1799-1804
San Fernando, 1800 Santo Domingo, 1806 Loreto
Miguel Lopez 1793-1803 Santo Tomas, 1795 Santo Domingo
Ramon Lopez 1797 El Rosario, 1797-1806 San Vicente, 1798 San Pedro Martir, 1812-1816 Loreto
Jose Loriente 1790-1791 & 1794-1795 San Vicente, 1791-1798 Santo Tomas, 1794 & 1798 San Pedro Martir, 1796 San Ignacio, 1797-1798 Santa
Catalina
Antonio Luesma 1773 Santa Rosalia, 1781-1783 El Rosario, 1782-1783 San Fernando
Domingo Luna 1819-1822 Santo Domingo, 1822-1826 La Purisima, 1829 & 1833 San Miguel
M
Tomas Mansilla 1825-1826 San Jose de Comondu, 1826-1849 Santo Tomas, 1829 & 1844 El Rosario, 1829-1850 Santo Domingo, 1829 San Vicente
Tomas Marin 1789 San Fernando, 1790-1793 El Rosario
Jose Martin 1812-1816 San Borja, 1816-1818 San Fernando, 1817-1818 El Rosario
Jose Martinez 1817 San Vicente, 1819-1822 San Miguel
Antonio Menendez 1814-1815 & 1822-1825 El Rosario, 1815 & 1822-1825 San Fernando, 1817-1825 San Vicente, 1822-1825 Santo Domingo,
Vicente Mora 1773-1800 Loreto
Nicolas Munoz 1773 Guadalupe, 1779 Loreto
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
OK amigos, I finished the list through Z. I may wait to post however, as the moving of accent marks is tedious and unnecessary once Doug fixes the
software glitch here. If anyone is interested in seeing the entire Dominican list A-Z, I have posted it on a history forum where accent marks and
tildes over the letter n are no problem. Thank you for your interest. I will be adding more data as it become available.
|
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
