Father Estevan Tapis founded Santa Ines Mission on September 17, 1804, naming it for Saint Agnes. Two hundred Chumash Indians attended the first mass, and 23 were baptized. Because other missions were nearby, the mission's first buildings were completed before the dedication.
Early Years of Santa Ines Mission
The first priests were Father Jose Rumualdo Gutierrez and Jose Antonio Calzada. By the end of 1804, they reported 112 converts, and there was constant construction in the early years.Santa Ines Mission 1800-1820
By 1812, the complex was well built. Then, on December 21, 1812, two earthquakes struck. It took over four years to repair the damage, and by the time the new church was completed in 1817, the inventory included 6,000 cattle; 5,000 sheep; 120 goats; 150 pigs; 120 pack mules and 70 horses. In the same year, the mission produced 4,160 bushels of wheat; 4,330 bushels of corn and 300 bushels of beans. Records listed 1,030 converts; 287 marriages and 611 deaths and it had reached its largest population of 920Father Uria was in charge into the early 1820s, and building continued into early 1820s, when the church murals were painted.
Mission Santa Ines in the 1820s-1830s
When Mexico won independence from Spain, they had little money to support the missions. Soldiers were forced to get their supplies from the missions and pay with IOUs. They got no salary, and became frustrated until their anger came out toward the Indians. In 1824, a Spanish guard beat a Purisima Indian and set off a revolt that spread to all the Santa Barbara area missions. At Santa Ines, two Indians were killed, buildings were burned, and the priests taken hostage. The Indians burned the soldiers' quarters, but their quarrel was with the soldiers not the Fathers, and when the fire threatened the church, they stopped fighting and helped the Fathers put the fire out.
Secularization
After secularization in 1834, the Fathers kept the mission running for a while by selling its cattle, tallow, hides and grain. Eventually, the Indians lost interest and drifted away.In 1843, Governor Manuel Micheltorena granted part of the land to Francisco Garcia Diego y Moreno, first Bishop of California, who used it to create first seminary in California, College of Our Lady of Refuge. The college later moved near Santa Ynez, where it stayed open until 1881.
The next Mexican Governor, Pio Pico, illegally sold Santa Ines Mission to Jose M. Covarrubias and Jose Joaquin Carrillo for $7,000 just weeks before United State took California over from Mexico. The United States revoked this sale in 1851, and returned the mission to the church.
Santa Ines Mission in the 20th Century
While the place was never entirely abandoned, the buildings fell into disrepair. Finally, in July, 1904, Father Alexander Buckler was put in charge. He and his niece Mary Goulet spent 20 years restoring it and preserving its art work and fabrics.When Father Buckler retired in 1924, the church was offered back to the Franciscans, and Franciscan Capuchin fathers from Ireland took over. They modernized the buildings to make them livable, and a full restoration began in 1947, returning the buildings to the way they were before the 1812 earthquake.
In 1989, a multi-million dollar project reconstructed eight of the nineteen arches on the eastern facade and restored the east wing.
Santa Ines Mission is now an active parish church with regular services.
