Missions

History of San Juan Capistrano Mission

A Franciscan mission established by Fr. Junfpero Serra, Nov. 10, 1776, at a place called in the native tongue Sajirit, or Quanis-Savit, at the present San Juan, Orange County, Cal. As soon as Franciscan missionaries, who were superseded by Dominicans in Lower California, arrived in San Diego, the ardent apostle to Alta California sent two friars to institute a mission at a roadstead 26 leagues north of San Diego. They raised a cross on Oct. 30, 1775, but hastily returned when they learned that in the absence of the soldiers the natives had burned San Diego mission. No sooner was … Read more

History of San Gabriel Arcangel Mission

The fourth Franciscan mission established in California. It was founded Sept. 8, 1771, at a place called by the natives Sibagna , a fertile and well-wooded spot on a stream afterward known as San Gabriel River, in Los Angeles County. The party with supplies had been sent up from San Diego, and included 10 soldiers for the protection of the new mission. The natives were at first friendly, and assisted in bringing timber and in helping to construct the buildings and stockade. Friction soon arose with the Indians, however, probably due to the outrages of the soldiers, and one native … Read more

History of San Jose Mission

(Saint Joseph), The fourteenth Franciscan mission founded in California, and the first one of the five new missions established by Fr. Lasuen in 1797-98 to fill the gaps between the older ones. The site chosen was about 15 miles north of Santa Clara, and about 3 miles from the present town of Irvington, Alameda County. The native name of the site was Oroysom. The formal ceremonies of foundation were performed by Fr. Lasuen on June 11,1797, and by the end of that year there were 33 baptisms, and 286 by 1800. In 1810 there were 545, but 1,104 deaths were … Read more

History of San Carlos Mission

(Saint Charles). The second Franciscan mission founded in California. Even before the founding of San Diego an expedition started north under Portolá, in 1769, to explore the country and find the port of Monterey, previously described by Vizcaino (1602), where it was intended to establish the next mission . They reached the port, but did not recognize it, and returned, after setting up a cross on the shore of the bay. The following spring two expeditions started, one by land and one by sea. Both expeditions arrived safely, and the port was this time recognized beyond a doubt. The cross … Read more

History of San Diego de Alaclá Mission

(Saint James). The first mission established within the present state of California. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, the Spanish authorities determined to found a number of military and missionary establishments in California. The mission work was placed in the hands of the Franciscans, and Father Junípero Serra, who was already president of the missions of Lower California, took charge. Two vessels and two land expeditions were dispatched northward from the settlements in Lower California, and reached the harbor of San Diego, named and described in 1602 by Vizcaino, in the early summer of 1760. Serra arrived with … Read more

History of San Fernando Mission

(Saint Ferdinand). A Franciscan mission, founded Sept. 8, 1797, in Los Angeles co., Cal. The site chosen is said to have been that of a native rancheria called Pasecgna, but the place had already been occupied as a private ranch, with a house which the missionaries appropriated for their dwelling. Bancroft says that the name of the site was Achois Comihavit. The new mission was dedicated by Father Lasuen to San Fernando, Rev de España, the ceremonies being witnessed by a large gathering of natives. On the first day 10 children were baptized. By the close of the year there … Read more

History of San Francisco Solano

The last Franciscan mission established in California. The removal of the sick Indians to San Rafael had proved so beneficial that the proposal was made to move the San Francisco (Dolores) mission to some more favored spot on the north shore of the bay. The country was explored and the Sonoma valley favorably reported. The cross was first planted July 4, 1823, but work did not begin until Aug. 25, when a party arrived from San Francisco. Objections were raised to the transfer, however, and it was finally compromised by founding a new mission, the old ones not being disturbed. … Read more

Indian Missions of New Mexico and Arizona

The earliest exploration of the territory west of the Rio Grande was made by the Franciscan friar, Marcos de Niza, in 1539, and it was through his representations that the famous exploration of Coronado was undertaken a year later.

History of San Buenaventura Mission

San Buenaventura Mission is the ninth Franciscan mission founded in California, and the last by Father Junípero Serra. The site was chosen within the limits of the present Ventura, Ventura County, near the beach and adjoining one of the native villages, and the usual founding ceremonies took place Mar. 31, 1782. The natives seemed pleased with the prospect and readily aided in the construction of the new buildings. The increase in the number of neophytes was not so rapid as at some of the missions. In 1790 there were 385; in 1800, 715; in 1810, 1,297; while the highest number, … Read more

Indian Missions of New England

The earliest New England mission was attempted by the French Jesuit Father Peter Biard among the Abnaki on Mt Desert Island, Maine, in 1613, in connection with a French post, but both were destroyed by an English fleet almost before the buildings were completed. In the next 70 years other Jesuits, chief among whom was Father Gabriel Druillettes (1646-57), spent much time in the Abnaki villages and drew off so many converts to the Algonkin mission of Sillery as to make it practically an Abnaki mission. In 1683 the mission of St Francis de Sales was founded at the Falls … Read more

History of San Antonio de Padua Mission

The third Franciscan mission established in California. The place was chosen by Father Junípero Serra in the well-wooded valley of the stream now known as San Antonio River, about 6 miles from the present town of Jolon, Monterey County. The native name of the place was Texhaya, or Teshaya. Here the mission was founded by Serra with great enthusiasm on July 14, 1771, though only one native was present. The Indians, however, proved friendly; they brought food and helped in the work of constructing the church and other necessary buildings. The first native was baptized a month later, and by … Read more

Indian Missions of the Interior States

The whole interior region of the United States, stretching from the English seaboard colonies to the main divide of the Rocky Mountains, was included under the French rule in the two provinces of Canada and Louisiana, and with one or two exceptions the mission was in charge of French Jesuits from the first occupancy up into the American period. The very first mission worker, however, within this great region was the heroic Spanish Franciscan, Father Juan de Padilla, who gave up his life for souls on the Kansas prairies, as narrated elsewhere, nearly as early as 1542 (see New Mexico, … Read more

Indian Missions of the Middle Atlantic States

The earliest mission establishment within this territory was that founded by a company of 8 Spanish Jesuits and lay brothers with a number of educated Indian boys, under Father Juan Bautista Segura, at “Axacan,” in Virginia, in 1570. The exact location is uncertain, but. it seems to have been on or near the lower James or Pamunkey River. It was of brief existence. Hardly had the bark chapel been erected when the party was attacked by the Indians, led by a treacherous native interpreter, and the entire company massacred, with the exception of a single boy. The massacre was avenged … Read more

History of Dolores Mission

A Spanish Franciscan mission established in California within the site of the city of San Francisco on Oct. 9, 1776. When Gov. Portola, in searching for Monterey, came to the bay of San Francisco, that had remained hidden to all previous explorers, Father Junipero Serra regarded it as a miraculous discovery, for the visitador-general in naming the missions to be established at the havens of the coast had said to the mission president, who was disappointed because the name of the founder of the order was omitted, that if St Francis de sired a mission he must show his port. … Read more

History of Indian Missions in the United States

From the very discovery of America the spiritual welfare of the native tribes was a subject of concern to the various colonizing nations, particularly Spain and France, with whom the Christianization and civilization of the Indians were made a regular part of the governmental scheme, and the missionary was frequently the pioneer explorer and diplomatic ambassador. In the English colonization, on the other hand, the work was usually left to the zeal of the individual philanthropist or of voluntary organizations. First in chronological order, historic importance, number of establishments, and population come the Catholic missions, conducted in the earlier period … Read more

California Indian Missions

As in other parts of Spanish America, the Catholics were the sole mission workers in California until within a very recent period. The most noted of all the Spanish missions were the Franciscan missions of California, whose story is so closely interwoven with the history and romance of the Pacific coast, and whose ruins still stand as the most picturesque landmarks of the region. Their story has been told so often that we need not here go into details. The first one was established in 1769 at San Diego, near the south boundary, by Father Junípero Serra (to whose memory … Read more

Indian Missions of the Columbia Region

Through the influence of Catholic Caughnawaga and of some of the employees of the Hudson’s Bay Co., many individuals among the tribes of the Columbia River, particularly Flatheads and Nez Percé, had adopted the principles and ceremonials of the Christian religion as early as 1820, leading later to the request for missionaries, as already noted. The first mission of the Columbia region was established in 1834 by a party tinder Rev. Jason Lee, for the Methodists, on the east side of the Willamette at French Prairie, about the present Oregon City, Oregon. In 1840 it was removed to Chemeketa, 10 … Read more

Indian Missions of Alaska

Alaska was discovered by the Russians in 1741 and remained a possession of Russia until transferred to the United States in 1867. In 1794 regular missionary work was begun among the Aleut on Kodiak Island by monks of the Greek Catholic (Russian orthodox) church, under the Archimandrite Joassaf, with marked success among the islanders, lint with smaller result among the more warlike tribes of the mainland. Within a few years the savage A lent were transformed to civilized Christians, many of whom were able to read, write, and speak the Russian language. Among the pioneer workers were Fathers Juvenal, murdered … Read more