Page 10 - robinson_storyofvalencia_1967

1834

·s e C u 1 a l' i 7, cl t i O n C O r:l e s t O Ni s s i On s an
San Fernando: Lieutenant Antonio dcl
Va-11 e i s a s k e d t o t a k e ch ~ r g__~_s,_L~~i
Mission estates and, in the following
year, is named as mayo!domo or admin-
istrator.

The movement to ie~ularize California missions -- that

is, to transfer them from Churc~ ~o lay ~drninistration had been

long under way. It reached San Fernando in Oct~ber of 1834c

Anton-io del Valle had come to California in 1819 as a

soldier and continued to carry on both a military and controversial

political career. He went to Los Angeles in 1832 and to.San

Fernando upon secularization. As mayordomo of the Mission, at an

annunl salary of $8p0, he served three years. He inve,ntoried the

Mission's property. He enu~erated the Mission's Indian p9pulation

in 1835 as 541 iersons, a large decrease. He also became well
·, ..,.. .
f
acquainted with Rancho San Francisco, for in the year of the

inventory he wrote to Governor Figueroa that, to prevent the

ste~ling of cattle and horses bi Christian Indians, it would be

necessary to install a corporal in Rancho San Francisco. Mean-

w l, i 1 e , F a r th c r I b a r r a , d i s a t i s f i e_ d w i th 1 i f e a t a s e c u 1 a r i z e d

mission, left for Sonora.

!_.
8