Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/638

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LOCAL ANNALS OF SAN DIEGO DISTRICT.

leading topic of mission annals; but at San Diego only slight additions can be made to what has been given in the general narrative. After a certain amount of theorizing and agitation by Echeandía in 1829-83, followed by an experimental emancipation of chosen neophytes by Figueroa in 1833-4, Alférez Ramirez and Captain Argüello being successively comisionados, the mission was finally secularized in 1835, and was put in charge of José Joaquin Ortega, who kept the place of majordomo or administrator until replaced by Juan M. Osuna in 1840.[1] After secularization, affairs are said to have continued very much as before. The Indians had never been so closely confined to the mission routine here as farther


    Isabel has 560 souls. S. D. Index, MS., 135. 1839 (?), Sta Isabel 344 inhab., Sta Monica 116, mission 320, total 780, also 16 de razon. St. Pap. Miss., MS., vii. 2. June, 1840, debts of the mission to J. A. Aguirre $446, W. E. Hartnell $350, Ant. Cot $69, Joaq. Ortega $1,748, Rosario Aguilar $54; total $2,668. Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxiii. 12; Pico, Pap. Miss., MS., 47-51.

  1. On secularization in general, see chap. xi.-xii. this vol., and chap. ii. vol. iv. 1831, acc. to Echeandía's decree of Jan. 6th, comisarios, etc., were to be chosen, but no immediate change made. This vol., 306. Blas Aguilar was the majordomo this year. 1832, Echeandía's efforts in the south; views of P. Martin and others. Id., 316. 1833, Echeandía's regl. of Jan., José M. Ramirez appointed comisionado. Figueroa's experimental plan. Sant. Argüello comisionado and his efforts in July-Sept. Id., 326-32. 1834. Ind. pueblos. Id., 339. No record of progress this year. Id., 346. Nov. 22d, Juan José Rocha acknowl. receipt of the decree of secularization for S. D. Dept. St. Pap., B. M., MS., lxxxviii. 18. 1835, actual secularization, Joaquin Ortega in charge from April as majordomo at $50 per mo.; no details. This vol., 353. June, the alcalde is informed by gov. that respecting punishment of Ind. he is to consult the asesor. S. D. Arch., MS., 50. 1836, Jan., alcalde at the town summons the majordomo to appear before him to propose candidates for mission alcalde and regidores — though the mission ayunt. was to have control of petty local matters, not of admin. of justice. Id., 71; Mont. Arch., MS., ix. 2. Several doc. vaguely indicating a controversy between Alcalde Argüello and Ortega. Hayes' Miss. B., 316-17. 1837, Ortega as majordomo, generally called administrator, at a salary of $600. The padre takes O.'s place during his absence. Id., 318. Jan., mission ayunt. chosen. S. D. Arch., MS., 167. Belcher, Narr., i. 327, describes the mission Ind. as armed with bows and arrows. 1838, Rosario Aguilar named a majordomo under Ortega. St. Pap. Miss., MS. v. 55. 1839, Feb., administrator has trouble in causing the gentile chiefs to respect his authority. Id., xi. 35, May 7th, P. Oliva claims that Sta Isabel is not a 'sitio valdio' as claimed. but a mission with 580 Ind. Hayes' Miss. B., 329. June, alcalde ordered by prefect to aid Inspector Hartnell in restoring fugitive ex-neophytes to the missions. Hayes' Miss. B., 332. June 24th, Hartnell reports the mission Ind. in a very naked condition and clamorous for the removal of the administrator in favor of the padre. St. Pap. Miss., MS., xi. 24-5. 1840, under Alvarado's regulations Ortega was removed, and Juan Maria Osuna was made majordomo in July by Hartnell. Arch. Misiones, MS., ii. 1077; S. D. Index, MS., 135-6. Ortega not permitted to go to Sta Isabel.