On December 14, 1817, four priests - Father Narciso Duran from San Jose, Father Abella from San Francisco, Father Gil y Taboada and Father Serria, the President of the Missions, raised a cross and performed the founding ceremony. The asistencia was named for the angel of healing, San Rafael Archangel.
Father Luis Gil, who knew some medicine and spoke many native American languages, was put in charge of the tiny outpost. The Fathers wrapped the sick in blankets, put them in boats and took them across the bay to recover.
Early Years of Mission San Rafael Archangel
Father Gil was a good doctor. By the end of the first year, Mission San Rafael Archangel population grew to 300, transfers from San Francisco and some local converts. Father Gil served two years then turned it over to Father Juan Amoros.
Father Amoros was an energetic priest who went out looking for converts. One by one, he found them and built Mission San Rafael Archangel up. He was the only priest there, and by himself he also grew the businesses - farming, ranching, sandal-making, blacksmithing, harness-making, carpentry and boat building (Mission San Rafael Archangel was one of only a few missions to build ships). By 1822, Father Amoros converted so many of the local Miwok Indians that Mission San Rafael Archangel got full status on September 19, 1822. Mission San Rafael Archangel in the 1820s-1830s
The next year, a controversy broke out over whether to close Mission San Rafael Archangel and build a new one at Sonoma. It looked like the history of Mission San Rafael Archangel would be short, but eventually the church decided to have two missions north of San Francisco, and Mission San Rafael Archangel was saved. It grew to 1,140 converts by 1828.
Local Indians Chief Marin and his friend Quintin, who were converts that left, caused a lot of trouble. They attacked Mission San Rafael Archangel in 1829, but the converts protected Father Amoros,forming a human shield. They hid him in the marsh until the fighting was over. The buildings were damaged, but quickly rebuilt. Later, both Chief Marin and Quintin returned to the as converts, and both are buried in the Mission San Rafael Archangel cemetery. Today, Marin County and nearby San Quentin prison are named for these two natives.
Father Amoros died 1832. An inventory taken after his death lists 5,508 animals, and a harvest that year of 17,905 bushels of wheat and 1,360 bushels of beans. Pears were grown here were highly desired in the area.
After Father Amoros' death and two years before secularization, control was transferred to Zapatecan (Mexican) Franciscans. Father Jose Maria Mercado took over. Hasty and short-tempered, Mercado caused a lot of trouble. There are many versions of exactly what happened, but all agree that 21 innocent Indians were killed because of his actions. Some say he saw unknown natives approaching, thought they were going to attack, and ordered his people to attack them first. Others say he armed his neophytes and sent them out against a group who had scorned him. Yet another account says he accused some innocent Indians of stealing, then armed his converts to keep them from coming back for revenge, and wrongly attacked some innocent visitors, thinking they were were the ones he feared. Whatever the truth is, Mercado was sent away and punished.
Secularization
Mission San Rafael Archangel was first secularized shortly after Father Mercado left. General Vallejo (who was in charge of the Presidio in San Francisco) became the administrator. In the 17 short years since it was founded, Mission San Rafael Archangel converted 1,873 Indians, and raised 2,210 cattle; 4,000 sheep and 454 horses. In 1834, it was valued at $15,025, mostly for its land.
General Vallejo transferred the livestock to his ranch and even dug up grapevines and pear trees and replanted them on his estate. By 1840, there were only 150 Indians left.
General Fremont used the buildings as his headquarters for a while when he was taking over California for the United States. The site was abandoned 1844, and what was left was sold for $8,000, a sale declared illegal a few months later when U. S. took over. A priest returned in 1847, and the United States returned 6.5 acres of land to the church in 1855, but by then the building was in ruins. A new church was built next to the ruins in 1861, and in 1870, the rest of the buildings were torn down to make room for the growing town. Eventually, all that was left was a single pear tree from the orchard.
Mission San Rafael Archangel in the 20th Century
In 1949, Monsignor Thomas Kennedy rebuilt a chapel on the site of original hospital.
