Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/699

Rh year Padre Ramon Abella came down from the north to take his place, remaining throughout the decade. Padre Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta was Abella's associate in 1833-5. The statistical record of San Luis is comparatively complete, and shows that down to 1834 the establishment lost but slightly in population, having 264 neophytes in that year; gained somewhat in live-stock, especially in sheep; but had little success in agricultural operations. After the Luis Gil y Taboada was one of the few Mexican Fernandinos, though of Spanish parentage and himself intensely Spanish in feeling. He was born at Guanajuato, May 1, 1773, becoming a Franciscan at Pueblito de Querétaro in 1792, joining the S. Fernando college in 1800, and being sent to Cal. in 1801. He served as a missionary at S. Francisco in 1801-2, 1804-5, 1819-20; at S. José in 1802-4, Sta Inés in 1806-10, Sta Bárbara in 1810-12, S. Gabriel in 1813-14, Purísima in 1815-17, S. Rafael in 1817-19, Sta Cruz in 1820-30, and S. Luis Obispo in 1820, 1830-3. His superiors gave him credit for more than average merit, noting the fact that he saved many souls by the Cæsarean operation, but he was often in bad health. ''Autobiog. Autog. de los Padres, MS.; Sarría, Inf. sobre Frailes, 1817, MS., 54-5; Payeras Inf. de 1820,'' MS., p. 137-8. In 1814 he blessed the corner-stone of the Los Angeles church; in 1816 he asked leave to retire, having more than fulfilled his contract with the king in 16 years of service, 'que le han parecido otros tantos siglos'; in 1817 was the founder of S. Rafael, being thus the first to introduce christianity north of the bay; in 1821 he was asked to become pastor of Los Angeles, declining on account of ill health; again in 1825 and 1830 he tried hard to get a license for departure; and in 1833, while recognizing his destiny to die in the country, he declared that he was tired of mission affairs. It was at his own request and against the wishes of P. Jimeno that he was given charge of S. Luis. He was a man of much nervous energy and considerable executive ability, with a certain skill in medicine and surgery, and a knowledge of several Indian languages. To his neophytes he was indulgent and was well liked by them, being very free and familiar in his relations with them – somewhat too much so in the case of the women it is said, and it is charged that his infirmities of body were aggravated by syphilitic complications. In 1821 he was accused of improper intimacy with a married woman who often visited his room and was found in his bed by the husband under circumstances hardly explained by the padre's plea of services as amateur physician; but his superiors were inclined to regard him as innocent, though imprudent. ''Arch. Arzob.,'' MS., xii. 360-1. In Dec. 1833, at the rancho of Sta Margarita where he had gone to say mass for the Ind. occupied in planting, he was attacked by dysentery and vomiting of blood, and died on the 15th. He was buried next day in the mission church on the gospel side near the presbytery, by P. Juan Cabot. Guerra, Doc., MS., i. 246-7.