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Educational Methods of the Franciscans in Spanish California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

Daniel D. Mcgarry
Daniel D. Mcgarry*
Affiliation:
University of Indiana
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Extract

The Mission, so fundamental in the transformation of colonial Hispanic America, has been characterized as the “kingpin” in Spain’s New World frontier system. The culminating stage in the evolution of the mission system, as well as the final fling of Spain’s “aggressive-defensive” in America, is to be found in Alta California. For the missionary sons of St. Francis, the achievements of their Fernandinos on our present Southwest Pacific slope constituted a fitting installment in a long series of “spiritual and temporal conquests.” During the sixty-five years between 1769 and 1834, over 80,000 Indians appear to have been baptized by the Franciscans in California. These savages were not only converted to Christianity, but also, in greater or lesser degree, habituated to Christian practices and morality, civilized, agriculturalized, industrialized and Hispanicized. This despite the fact that the California natives were described as a heterogeneous lot of culturally destitute, peripheral peoples, among the most backward and abject of American red men. For the Franciscans, the Gospel and whatsoever might be necessary thereto must be taught to every human creature. The distinguished lineage of mission methods in California may be traced back to the Sierra Gorda and southern Texas, to the plains of Paraguay and the jungles of Brazil, and—still further—to the labors of missionary monks among the rude barbarians of early medieval Europe.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , January 1950 , pp. 335 - 358
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1950

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References

1 Bolton, H. E., “The Mission as a Frontier Institution in the Spanish-American Colonies,” American Historical Review, XXIII (1917), 46–47, and 61 Google Scholar; Caughey, J. W., California (New York, 1940), 85–87.Google Scholar

2 According to Chapman, the so-called period of the “Aggressive-Defensive” extended to the Nootka Sound Controversy in 1790. Charles E. Chapman, Colonial Hispanic America (New York, 1938), 92–93. The first mission in Upper California (herein referred to simply as “California”) was founded in 1769.

3 Palóu, Francisco, Historical Memoirs of New California, trans, by Bolton, H. E. (Berkeley, Calif., 1926), III, 121; IV, 162 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Palóu, Hist. Mem.).

4 According to the official Baptismal Registers of the missions, as cited by Engelhardt, Zephyrin, The Missions and Missionaries of California (Santa Barbara, Calif., vol. I, 1929; vol. II, 1930; vol. III, 1913; vol. IV, 1915), III, 653 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Engelhardt, Mis. Cal.).

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10 Probably Bartolomé Castaño, according to Bolton, Font, Diary, IV, 181, note 1.

11 Font, Diary, IV, 181.

12 Cf., v. g., reports cited in this paper.

13 Coronel, quoted by Bancroft, H. H., California Pastoral, 1769–1848 (San Francisco, 1888), 237 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Cal. Past.).

14 Vide infra.

15 Obviously with the support of the Father Guardian and the Discretory of the College of San Fernando.

16 “Correspondencia entre Virey y Guardián sobre padres destinados para las nuevas Misiones del Canal, 1781,” in Archivo de la Misión de Santa Bárbara, MS. (Bancroft transcript), I, 245–246 (hereafter cited as Arch. Sta. Barb.). This MS. is to be found in the H. H. Bancroft Library.

17 Ibid., 237–242.

18 pueblos.

19 bajo de campana.

20 Palóu, Serra, 257.

21 reducidos a Poblaciones.

22 Palóu, Serra, 257; compare Recopilación de leyes de los reynos de las Indias…, 4 vols. (Madrid, 1681), II, 198–198r (hereafter cited as Recop.).

23 Palóu, Serra, 241. The whole Channel Missions controversy is well summed up by H. H. Bancroft, History of California, 1542–1890, 7 vols. (San Francisco, 1884–1890), I, 379–398 (hereafter cited as Bancroft, Hist. Cal.) and by Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 348–448, passim.

24 Those of Caucasoid blood: literally “the reasonable people.”

25 Juan de Solórzano Pereira, Política Indiana (Madrid, 1648), 222 (hereafter cited as Pol. Ind.).

26 Palóu, Hist. Mem., III, 33.

27 Ibid., IV, 326–327.

28 These missions are cited merely as examples, without attempting to present a complete census of all the missions.

29 Palóu, Hist. Mem., II, 268, 296, 362; IV, 161; Fages, Pedro, A Historical, Political, and Natural Description of California, trans, by Priestly, H. I. (Berkeley, 1937), 44 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Fages, Hist. Descr.); Santa Barbara Mission, Bautismos de Indios [1786–1858], MS., 2.

30 Palóu, Serra, 85, and Hist. Mem., II, 268.

31 Fermín F. de Lasuén, “Informe … al Ugarte y Loyola,” Feb. 28, 1791, [p. 1], in Santa Barbara Mission Archives (which Archives are hereafter referred to as S. B. M. A.); Lasuén, “Noticia de las Misiones,” 1795 [p. 3], in S. B. M. A.; Juan Sancho, “Informe al Conde de Gálvez,” Aug. 20, 1785 fpp. 2–3], in “Documentos para la historia de México,” MSS., No. 17, Bancroft Library; Thomas de Pangua, “Informe del estado Espiritual de las missiones de la Nueva California,” Aug. 28, 1793, p. 5, typewritten transcript in H. H. Bancroft Library from Provincias Internas, 5, Archivo General, 1793, no. 11; Francisco Suñer and Antonio Peyri, “Respuesta a la Circular de Padre Presidente…Señan,” Dec. 12, 1814 [p. 1], in S. B. M. A.; and José Señán, “Contestación al interrogatorio…por Carvajal…,” Aug. 11, 1815, hereafter cited as Señán, “Contest.,” 1815, Arch. Sta. Barb. (Bancroft), VIL 125–128; Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 275.

32 Vancouver, George, A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean (London, 1798), III, 18 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Vancouver, Voy.).

33 Salazar, Isidoro A., “Condición actual de California…,” May 11, 1796 [pp. 1–3]Google Scholar, in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Salazar, “Condición,” 1796).

34 García Diego to Minister Joaquin de Iturbide, June 27, 1836, in S. B. M. A. [p. 1], (hereafter cited as Garcia Diego to Iturbide, 1836).

35 de Mofras, Eugene Duflot, Exploration…de l’Oregon, des Californies…, 2 vols. (Paris, 1844), I, 262–263 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Duflot de Mofras, Explor.).

36 The fathers thus employed, in essence, the Lancasterian or Monitorial system.

37 Palóu, Serra, 137–138, 173–174.

38 Beechey, Frederick W., Narrative of a Voyage to the Pacific and Beerings [sic] Strait…, 2 vols. (London, 1831), II, 17–18 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Beechey, Voy.).

39 Palóu, Serra, 155.

40 Palóu, Hist. Mem., IV, 319–321.

41 Ibid., III, 20–21.

42 Ibid.

43 Font, Diary, 181–182.

44 Tapis, Estevan and Cortés, Juan, “Réplica de los Ministros de Santa Bárbara a la Respuesta que dio el Comandante Goycoechea…,” Oct. 30, 1800 [p. 13], in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800).Google Scholar

45 Cf.Tapis, and Cortés, , “Réplica,” 1800 [p. 8]; and Arch. Sta. Barb., II, 96–97, 129, 137–138.Google Scholar

46 Palóu, Hist. Mem., III, 24–25, 52–53, and 56.

47 Palóu, Serra, 179.

48 Pedro Fages, “Nota de los individuos artesanos que de cada oficio se consideran necesarios ….,” Feb. 10, 1790, in Archivo de California, MS. (Bancroft transcript) (hereafter cited as Arch. Cal., State Papers, Missions, I, i, 82). This MS. is to be found in H. H. Bancroft Library.

49 See, v. g., Arch. Cal., Provincial State Papers, VI, x, 137; VII, xii, 124; xiii, 36–42, 56–60, 106–112; XI, xviii, 51–57; Arch. Cal., State Papers, Sacramento, I, ii, 4–9; II, ix, 62–67; Arch. Cal., Provincial Records, III, vi, 153, 155, 163–167; Arch. Cal., State Papers, Missions, I, ii, 100–101; Archivo del Arzobispado de San Francisco, MS. (Bancroft transcript) (hereafter cited as Arch. Arzob.), I, i, 30–33, 38; Arch. Sta. Barb., IX, 16–17c; XI, 120: all in the H. H. Bancroft Library.

50 Borica, Governor, “Estado de las Misiones…,” 1797, in Arch. Cal., State Papers, Missions, I, ii, 100–101 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Borica, “Estado,” 1797).

51 de Lasuén, Fermín F. to Arrillaga, Governor, Dec. 21, 1792; and Lasuén to the Governor, Apr. 20, 1793: both in Arch. Arzob., I, i, 30–33.Google Scholar

52 Fermín F. de Lasuén to Viceroy Branciforte, Apr. 26, 1797, in Arch. Sta. Barb., IX, 16–17C

53 Borica, “Estado,” 1797, 101. Borica here apparently means that two are in the blacksmith’s shop and two in the tannery.

54 Palóu, Serra, 33.

55 Salazar, “Condición,” 1796 [p. 2].

56 Some missions continued to use members of the gente de razón, others used Indians.

57 Rivas, Domingo, “Parecer formado en repulsa del informe dado a S. M,” in Archivo y biblioteca de la Secretaria de hacienda. Colección de documentos históricos. II (Mexico, 1914), 175 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Rivas, “Parecer” and A. B. S. H., C. D. H.).

58 Pattie, James O., Personal Narrative…During Journeyings of Six Years (Cincinnati, 1831), 276 Google Scholar (hereafter cited as Pattie, , Pers. Nar.)Google Scholar; Robinson, Alfred, Life in California (San Francisco, 1891), 37 Google ScholarPubMed (hereafter cited as Robinson, L. in C); Duflot de Mofras, Explor., I, 262.

59 Bolton, H. E. in American Historical Review, XXIII (1917), 60–61.Google Scholar

60 Recop., II, Book vi, Title 3, Law 15, p. 200.

61 Ibid., II, Book vi, Title 3, Law 16; Solórzano, Pol. Ind., 222–227.

62 As related by Serra in his letter to Lasuén, March 22, 1779, in S. B. M. A. See also Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 358–370.

63 Compare: Serra to Lasuén, Aug. 16, 1779, in Arch. Sta. Barb., I, 184–185; Serra to Neve, Jan. 7, 1780, ibid., X, 94–104; Lasuén, “Informe y satisfacción al Sr. Comte. Gral.…,” Oct. 25, 1787, in Arch. Sta. Barb., VIII, 65–66 (hereafter Lasuén, “Inf. y Sat.,” 1787).

64 Serra to Lasuén, March 22, 1779, in S. B. M. A.; Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 360–362.

65 Jean-Francois Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse, Le Voyage de Lapérouse sur les côtes de l’Alaska et de la California (1786), ed. Gilbert Chinard (Baltimore, 1937), 211–212 (hereafter cited as La Perouse, Voy.).

66 Borica, Governor, “Circular sobre elección de Alcaldes,” Sept. 22, 1796, in Arch. Cal., Prov. Rec, III, vi, 173.Google Scholar

67 Thus cf. Reports in Arch. Arzop., I, i, 44, 54; ii, 73, 82, 88, 102; iii, 12; Taylor, Alexander S., Chronological Index to the Five Volumes…of the Mss. Letters of the Catholic Missionaries of California from 1112 to 1849 (Monterey, Calif., 1859–1860)Google Scholar, MS., in H. H. Bancroft Library, pp. 22, 29, 45, 48, 50, 52, 56, 83; Arch. Cal., Prov. Rec, VI, 180–183.

68 Señán, “Contest.,” 1815, in Arch. Sta. Barb., VII, 204.

69 Patrie, Vers. Nar., 276.

70 Engelhardt, Mis. Cal, II, III, and IV, passim; Bancroft, Hist. Cal., I, 118, 214–215; II, 217–219, 252, 405–406; III, 20–21; Cal. Past., 172, 227, 240–241; Garcia Diego to Iturbide, 1836 [p. 1–2]; Gerald J. Geary, The Secularization of the California Missions (Washington, D. G, 1934), 72–190 (hereafter cited as Geary, Sec); Caughey, Cal., 193.

71 Junípero Serra to Viceroy Bucareli, Sept. 9, 1774, tr. and ed. by G. B. Green, in Publications of the Historical Society of Southern California, II, i, (Los Angeles, 1891), 79.

72 Palóu, Serra, 294–295.

73 Palóu, Hist. Mem., Ill, 68.

74 Pedro José de Parras, Gobierno de los regulares de la América, 2 vols. (Madrid, 1783), II, 126 (hereafter cited as Parras, Gob.).

75 Juan Sancho, “Informe al Conde de Gálvez,” Aug. 20, 1785, in “Documentos para la historia de México,” MSS., No. 17 [pp. 3–4], in H. H. Bancroft Library (hereafter cited as Sancho, “Informe,” 1785).

76 Gregorio Fernández, “Respuesta de los P. P. Ministros de la Misión de la Purísima Concepción ….,” Nov. 11, 1800, 96, Geiger Transcript in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Fernández, “Resp.,” 1800).

77 Fermín F. de Lasuén, “Respuesta a los puntos representados…por P. Fr. Antonio de la Concepción [Horra],” June 19, 1801, Point 19 [p. 7], in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Lasuén, “Resp.” 1801).

78 José Señán and Vicente de Santa María, “Respuesta de los P. P. Ministros de la Misión de San Buenaventura…,” Oct. 21, 1800, 105, Geiger Transcript in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Señán and Santa María, “Resp.,” 1800).

79 Señan, “Contest.,” 1815, 145.

80 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 7].

81 Ibid.

82 Cf. v. g., Sancho, “Informe,” 1785 [p. 2]; Fernández, “Resp.,” 1800, 96; Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800 [p. 1]; Señán and Santa María, “Resp.,” 1800 [p. 1]; Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 7]; Fermín F. de Lasuén, “Biennial Report,” Feb. 21, 1803 [p. 2], in S. B. M. A.; Mariano Payeras, “Biennial Report,” May 2, 1817 [p. 2], in S. B. M. A.; Juan Calzada, “Respuesta al Virrey…,” Aug. 7, 1818, in A. B. S. H., C. D. H., II, 214.

83 Many such circulars of Franciscan superiors in California and Mexico, addressed to the California friars, are to be found in the S. B. M. A.

84 Pedro Fages, “Transmisión de la Instrucción que ha de gobernar al comandante del Presidio de S. Bàrbara…,” to José de Ortega, Oct. 1, 1782, in Arch. Cal., Provincial State Papers, II, iii, 34–53.

85 Vide supra.

86 Vide supra.

87 Cf., v. g., Font, Diary, 181, 279; Señán and Santa María, “Resp.,” 1800, 104; Ramón Olbes and Fr. Amestoy, “Respuesta … al interrogatorio,” Dec. 31, 1813 [p. 2], in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Olbes and Amestoy, “Resp.,” 1813); Fernando Martin and José Sánchez, “Respuesta al Interrogatorio de 1811 de…Carvajal…,” Dec. 23, 1814 [p. 4], in S. B. M. A. (hereafter cited as Martín and Sánchez, “Resp.,” 1814); Señán, “Contest.,” 1815, 161.

88 Cf. references in footnote 82, supra, with exception of Sancho.

89 Solórzano, Pol. Ind., 631–632, 664; Parras, Gob., II, 125–127.

90 Thus, cf. Vancouver, Voy., IV, 410; G. H. von Langsdorff, Voyages and Travels… 1803–1807, 2 vols. (London, 1813–1814), II, 167–168 (hereafter cited as Langsdorff, Voy.).

91 Antonio F. Coronel, “Cosas de California,” MS. (1877), 215, in the H. H. Bancroft Library.

92 Vancouver, Voy., III, 20.

93 Langsdorff, Voy., II, 167–168.

94 Alexander Forbes, California (London, 1839), 226–227 (hereafter cited as Forbes, California).

95 Palóu, Serra, 139.

96 Parras, Gob., II, 125–126.

97 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 20].

98 Matt. 18:22.

99 Parras, loc. cit.

100 See Lasuén, loc. supra cit.; Vancouver, Voy., III, 41.

101 Parras, Gob., II, 125–127.

102 Langsdorff, Voy., II, 170–171.

103 Quoted in Bancroft, Cal. Past., 226.

104 Palóu, Serra, 31–32.

105 Vancouver, Voy., III, 36–38.

106 Señán, “Contest.,” 1815, 197.

107 Vide supra.

108 Recop., I, 76 (Book I, Title 15, Law 5).

109 Solórzano, Pol. Ind., 632.

110 Cf., v. g., Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [pp. 6–7]; Vicente F. de Sarria, “Circular,” July 2, 1813, in “Libro de Patentes, Misión de Santa Bárbara,” ad annum, in S. B. M. A.; Vicente F. de Sarria, “Circular,” Jan. 25, 1817 [pp. 6–7], also in S. B. M. A.

111 Vide supra.

112 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801.

113 La Perouse, Voy., I, 208–211; Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800 [p. 5]; Duflot de Mofras, Explor., I, 265.

114 Forbes, Cal., 111.

115 See references above, footnotes 112–114.

116 La Perouse, Voy., I, 213.

117 Langsdorff, Voy., II, 170–171.

118 Forbes, Cal, 245.

119 La Perouse, Voy., I, 215–216.

120 Beechey, Voy., II, 52.

121 Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800 [p. 7]; La Perouse, Voy., I, 215–216.

122 Beechey, Voy., II, 21, 34 and 52.

123 Cf. Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800 [p. 7]; Beechey, Voy., II, 34; Forbes, Cal, 222–223; Engelhardt, Mis. Cal, II, 581–582.

124 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 15].

125 Cf., v. g., Olbes and Amestoy, “Resp.,” 1813 [p. 4]; Martín and Sánchez, “Resp.,” 1814 [p. 6]; Señán, “Contest.,” 1815, 210–212; A. Bernard du Hautcilly, Voyage autour du monde, 2 vols. (Paris, 1834–1835), I, 396–397 (hereafter cited as Hautcilly, Voy.).

126 Langsdorif, Voy., II, 170–171, 192; Forbes, Cal, 243–245; Duflot de Mofras, Explor., I, 265.

127 Recop., I, 4.

128 Otto A. von Kotzebue, “Extract from Kotzebue’s Report,” in A. C. Mahr, The Visit of the “Rurik” to San Francisco in 1816 (Stanford University, 1932), 61.

129 Langsdorif, Voy., II, 192.

130 Ibid., 170–171.

131 Tapis and Cortés, “Resp.,” 1800 [p. 7].

132 Font, Diary, 180.

133 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 16].

134 Kotzebue, op. cit., 61.

135 Cf. Palóu, Serra, 239, 245, 247; Hautcilly, Voy., I, 334; Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 71; Mariano Payeras, “Biennial Report,” May 2, 1817, in S. B. M. A.

136 Vide supra.

137 Suñer and Peyri, “Resp.,” 1814.

138 Vide supra, and Beechey, Voy., II, 22.

139 Compare Bancroft, Hist. Cal., I, 593–594; Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 297.

140 La Perouse, Voy., I, 208.

141 Beechey, Voy., II, 21.

142 Señán and Santa Maria, “Resp.,” 1800, 118; Tapis and Cortés, “Réplica,” 1800; Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 17].

143 Señán and Santa Maria, “Resp.,” 1800, 118.

144 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 20], Points 77 and 78.

145 Beechey, Voy., II, 47.

146 Arch. Cal., St. Pap., Mis., VII, 375–376; X, 437–441: quoted by Theodore Hittell, History of California, 4 vols. (San Francisco, 1897), II, 299.

147 Quoted by Bancroft, Hist. Cal, I, 593–594.

148 Langsdorff, Voy., II, 158.

149 Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 285–286.

150 Langsdorff, Voy., II, 171.

151 La Perouse, Voy., I, 208–209; Otto A. von Kotzebue, “Extract from Kotzebue’s Report,” and Louis Choris, “Description of San Francisco,” in August C. Mahr, The Visit of the “Rurik” to San Francisco in 1816…, 83 and 61 respectively; Forbes, Cal, 221.

152 Choris in Mahr, Visit, ut supra, 97; Beechey, Voy., II, 32; Robinson, Cal., 39; T. J. Farnham, The Early Days of California (Philadelphia, 1860), 351.

153 Cf. “Regula primitiva S. Francisci,” in J. R. Moorman, The Sources for the Life of St. Francis of Assisi (Manchester, Eng., 1940), 51–52; Father Cuthbert, Life of St. Francis of Assisi (London, 1916), 57; R. M. Huber, A Documented History of the Franciscan Order…1182–1511 (Milwaukee, 1944), 57–66; John 13:35.

154 Matt. 10:7–10; Cuthbert, op. cit., 56–57.

155 Palóu, Serra, 232–247.

156 Cf. C. S. Braden, Religious Aspects of the Conquest of Mexico (Durham, 1930), 130–141.

157 Cf. Serra’s correspondence in S. B. M. A. and the H. H. Bancroft Library; Palóu’s Serra and Historical Memoirs; the circular letters of Franciscan superiors to the California friars; etc.

158 La Perouse, Voy., I, 203.

159 Forbes, Cal, 226, 235.

160 Matt. 10:16.

161 Cf. Matt. 22:21.

162 Vide supra.

163 Junípero Serra to Lasuén, Tuesday in Holy Week, March 22, 1779, in S. B. M. A., quoted by Engelhardt, Mis. Cal., II, 360–362, as Monday in Holy Week.

164 Serra’s “Representation to Viceroy Bucareli,” Mar. 13, 1773, and the “Decision of the Royal Council of War and Exchequer,” May 6, 1773, both given in Palóu, Hist. Mem., Ill, 15, 50.

165 Lasuén, “Resp.,” 1801 [p. 20]..

166 Duflot de Mofras, Explor., I, 278.