p. 31, San Buenaventura, p. 31, 1908a, 1908d
p. 31] San Buenaventura
The Mission of San Buenaventura Doctor Sarafico (Saint Bonaventura, Serafic Doctor) was founded Easter Sunday, March 30th, 1783, by Father Serra. It was the last mission that Father Serra founded, and he had intended it to be one of the first. The delay was a trial to the good man, but he comforted himself with the saying, "the more slowly the more solemnly." The place chosen was the head of the Santa Barbara channel and the home of a large tribe of Indians. The Indians were friendly and even assisted in building a chapel, a house for Father Cambon, who was left in charge, and barracks for the soldiers. The group of buildings was, for greater safety, surrounded by a palisade. Within ten years San Buenaventura had become one of the most flourishing settlements in California. Vancouver, who visited the mission in 1793, speaks of the wonderful gardens, the fruits and vegetables. He mentions apples, peaches, pears, plums, figs, oranges, grapes, pomegranates, cocoanut, sugarcane, bananas, plantain, and even indigo; besides all of the ordinary kitchen vegetables, roots and herbs. A disastrous fire compelled the missionaries to erect all new buildings. The new church was built of stone and brick, and it is the one standing today. But the tile roof is gone. The earthquake of 1812 damaged the church and many buildings. The tower and much of the facade were rebuilt. The whole site of Buenaventura settled, and the fear of all sinking into the sea frightened the inhabitants away. They fled to San Joaquin y Santa Ana, where they remained for a year. Here the Priests erected a cajal, or Indian hut, to be used as a chapel. Upon their return to Ventura, the neophytes, under the direction of the Fathers, restored the buildings to a better condition than they were originally. In 1820 the government of Mexico owed to San Buenaventura $35,170. There is no record that it was ever paid. They had purchased supplies form the mission, a cargo of hemp, and were in arrears in stipends to the Fathers for $6,200. In 1822 the Indians had individual gardens along the banks of the river, where they raised vegetables for sale. They labored and might [p. 32] have become self-supporting, for the mission establishments sold great quantities of produce and supplies to the home government as well as supplying their own demands at the missions.
Secularization came in 1837. The mission estate was first rented for $1,630.00 per annum, and then sold to José Arnaz for $12,000, in June, 1846. His title was not recognized by the United States government. The records of San Buenaventura are interesting old documents. They show 3,857 baptisms, 1,086 marriages, 3,098 deaths. In 1831 there were 7,240 head of live stock. Today the old mission is the parish church of Ventura.