The last Act of Secularization in 1835 fell very heavily on this lovely
Mission of which scarcely a trace remains today. This mission was noted
for its fine stock and luxuriant pastures.
On Christmas day of 1791 was founded the Mission of Santa Cruz. This
Mission never rivaled the other missions in wealth, but in later years
it was honored with a martyr. Here is the authentic story of Father
Quintana, whose martyr's death occurred here as late as 1817. Father
Quintana was a holy and zealous priest of this mission, who had carried
on the work of the conversion of the Indians most of whom were already
christian, but a small portion still remained heathen, and these were
very hostile. As was later discovered, while the good priest was reading
his breviary in his office, some of these hostile Indians entered, and
most cruelly murdered him, then taking his body into the mission orchard
placed it against a capulin tree (a tree much resembling the cherry tree
in fruit and form). On thus discovering the corpse the other Fathers
immediately sent a message to the surgeon of the Royal Presidio of
Monterey, who at the time was Don Manuel Quixano (step-father of the
writer's great grandmother).
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