The population of the district, not including neophyte and gentile natives, has been given as 520 in 1830.[1] There are absolutely no statistics for this decade. There was probably a small decrease in the first half, and subsequently a very large one, caused by the scattering of the military force and by the depredations of Indians at the ranchos. Bandini, without giving figures, states that the depopulation was very rapid after 1836.[2] As an estimate, I put the population in 1840 at 150, the smallest figure for more than half a century. The number of foreigners was nine in 1836, and ten in 1840, three of them having families.[3] The neophyte population of the three missions, 5,200 in 1830, had decreased to 5,000 in 1834. After the secularization there are no definite statistics, but there are indications that in 1840 the ex-neophytes whose whereabouts were known, at the missions, in the pueblos, and in private service, may have been 2,250. Of gentiles and fugitives, as in other periods, the number cannot be given. I append a note on the ranchos occupied by private citizens during this period.[4] Most of them had to be abandoned at
- ↑ See vol. ii., p. 544 of this work.
- ↑ Bandini, Hist. Cal., MS., 8. In 1839 the number of votes cast for electors was 31. S. D. Index, MS., 53.
- ↑ St. Pap., Sac., MS., xii. 15; Dept. St. Pap., Ang., MS., iii. 39.
- ↑ San Diego ranchos in 1831-40, according to land commission and district court lists in Hoffman's Reports, list for 1836 in S. D. Arch., MS., 110, and other authorities. Those marked with a * were finally rejected by the L. C. or U. S. courts. Agua Caliente, granted in 1840 to José A. Pico; claimant under a later grant, J. J. Warner. Cueros de Venado, owned by J. M. Marron in 1836; not presented to the L. C. under this name. Jamacha, granted in 1840 to Apolinaria Lorenzana, who had asked for it and obtained the necessary certificates from the padres in 1833-4. Cayetano Gaitan was in charge 1836. Lorenzana claimant before L. C. *Jamul, granted to Pio Pico in 1831. Andrés Pico in charge 1836. Pio Pico claimant before L. C. Jeus,
in the plaza at Old Town, with inscription, El Jupiter. Violati fulmina regis. Carolus tertius, etc. Manila. Año de 1783, in Hayes' Em. Notes, 550-2. Reports on the castillo and guns in 1839. Vallejo, Doc., MS., vi. 269; viii. 21, 264; xxv. 204. April 1839, alcalde says he has never received any munitions or artillery, but will have a search made. S. D. Arch., MS., 221. Sale of the castillo to Machado. Hayes' Em. Notes, 494; Id. Doc., 115. Aug. 1835, mention of a contribution, plans, etc., for building a church and casa consistorial. S. D. Arch., MS., 56. May 1837, Padre Duran authorizes the alcalde to select a building for a chapel and to fence in a campo santo. Hayes' Miss. B., 411. Douglas, Journal, MS., 88, describes S. D. as a town of 50 houses in 1840; estimated exports, $10,000.
