The Frontier Era
1846-1890
Content
Timeline
Threshold of Frontier Era
Events and Legislation Impacting California Tribes
Events Leading to the Establishment of the Episcopal Church in California
Overview of A Synoptic History of Regional Tribes and the Episcopal Church
Parishes of the now Diocese of El Camino Real Congregations
Established in the Frontier Era
Timeline
John Drake Sloat (1781-1867) was a commodore of the United States Navy, who, in 1846, entered Monterey Bay, landed and claimed California for the United States.
See: https://monterey.californiadar.org/index.php/about-us/chapter-history
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on February 2, 1848, ended the war between the United States and Mexico. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including the present-day states California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
[See https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/guadalupe-hidalgo]
From the stand point of the Indigenous tribes the conquest of the Mexican Province of Alta California would continue to spoil the land and be horribly destructive to Native People. When the United States took control of more than half of Mexico in 1848, it declared a new frontier for white settlers. During this period the Mexican land grants would all but disappear, new towns would disappear, the Episcopal Church would start to be established starting with Trinity Church, now Cathedral, in 1861. Links to those parish records can be accessed by clicking on the crosses on the map. In Resources you will find several collections of events of the tidal wave of Manifest Destiny that impacted Native People, shaped the Frontier Era and formed the roots of the Episcopal Church’s mission and ministry, its Origin Story.
Events and Legislation Impacting Tribes in California
Events Leading to the Establishment of the Episcopal Church in California
[Events and legislation added here]
Trinity Church, San Francisco Founded 1848
1852 - The House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church elects the Rev. William Ingrahm Kip Missionary Bishop to California
1857 - Organizing Convention to form the Diocese of California
Bishop Kip elected first Bishop of California serving until his death in 1893
Go to: https://www.diocal.org/about/history/
The Homestead Act of I862
For more information go to: Impact on Tribal Land
Executive Summary:
A Synoptic Historic View of Regional Tribes and the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real
1848-Present
For full text go to: Resources
The Synoptic History attempts to give a brief, comprehensive historical account, exploring the intertwined histories of regional tribes and the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real from 1848 to the present. The narrative provides a “truth-telling” approach, juxtaposing the Episcopal Church’s evolution with the displacement and struggles of Indigenous tribes whose ancestral lands were affected by the church’s establishment in California.
The synoptic view begins by highlighting the long history of Indigenous peoples in California, predating the arrival of the Episcopal Church. It frames the church’s entry into the region as part of a larger context of colonization, marked by Spanish, Mexican, and later American expansion. Key events, such as California statehood in 1850 and the resulting systematic displacement of tribes, are explored alongside the establishment of Episcopal congregations, which began in the mid-19th century. The Diocese of El Camino Real was officially formed in 1979, though its history in the state dates back much further.
An audit of the church's relationship with Indigenous peoples reveals a significant absence of partnership or acknowledgment of Native populations until the 1960s. The audits notes that the church has had minimal engagement with Indigenous peoples, with only sporadic ministries emerging in the past half-century. This absence is highlighted in the diaries of early Episcopal clergy and the records of the Diocese of California, which omit references to Indigenous interactions during the period of colonization and genocide.
The narrative shifts to the 20th century, documenting the effects of land loss, cultural suppression, and the eventual resurgence of tribal activism. The establishment of Indigenous ministries in two diocesan parishes, particularly in the 1960s and 70s, marked the beginning of a more active engagement. Key figures like Rev. Jerry Drino, Ethan Dupris and the Lakota Student Opportunity Program, and the Rev. Hank LeBeau, founder of the First Nations Ministry at St. Philip’s, play pivotal roles in fostering relationships with Indigenous communities.
Looking ahead, regional tribal concerns emphasize ongoing efforts in cultural preservation, land reclamation, and environmental advocacy. The Diocese’s recent initiatives, including the Truth-Telling Task Force and partnerships with local tribes and educational institutions, reflect a growing recognition of the need for reparative actions and intercultural collaboration.
In conclusion, the report calls for continued engagement, emphasizing the potential for shared goals in areas like sustainability, cultural preservation, and social justice, creating opportunities for the Diocese to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities.
Episcopal Congregations Founded in the Frontier Era
of the Diocese of California
(now) Diocese of El Camino Real
Many congregations were the first non-Roman Catholic parishes in their area
Monterey - Bishop Kip held services at Colton Hall in 1854 but St. James was not officially formed until 1876 by the Rev. James McGowan
https://saintjamesmonterey.org/our-story/
Ancestral Lands of Costanon-Rumsen
Trinity Church (now Cathedral) 1861 San Jose
https://trinitysj.org/
Ancestral lands of the Tamien Peoples
St. Philip's Academy and Colored Mission, San Jose 1863, Pheonixonian Hall (High School) 1866
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenixonian_Institute
The Rev. Peter Williams Cassy, (1823-1917) the first Episcopal clergy person of color ordained a deacon at Trinity Church, 1866. He and his wife, Annie Bessant Cassy are commemorated in "Lesser Feasts and Fasts," April 16,
https://prayer.forwardmovement.org/calendar/peter-williams-cassey
Calvary, Santa Cruz 1864
https:www.calvarysantacruz.org/history/
Ancestral lands of the Uypi of the Awaswas tribes
St. Stephen's, San Luis Obispo 1867 - church built 1873
https://ststephensslo.org/history/
Ancestral Lands of the Northern Chumash
https://saintstephensgilroy.org/
Ancestral Lands of the Amah Mutsum
St. Paul's, Salinas 1875
https://www.stpauls-salinas.org/our-history/history
Ancestral Lands of the Chalon Peoples
St. Luke's Jolon 1878
https://plaskett.family/parishioners-labor-has-built-st-lukes/
Ancestral Lands of the Xolon Salinian https://www.xolonsalinantribe.org/
St. Luke's, Los Gatos 1883
https://stlukeslg.org/history/
Ancestral lands of the Tamien Peoples
Christ Church Mission, San Ardo 1885
Ancestral Lands of the Xolon Salinian https://www.xolonsalinantribe.org/
St. John the Baptist (Capitola), Aptos 1889
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_the_Baptist_Church_(Capitola,_California)
Ancestral Lands of the Aptos/Cajastaca Awaswas
The Frontier was declared over in the 1890 Census - determined by the end of the Indian Wars and the Massacre of Wounded Knee - December 29, 1890
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/native-american/disaster-at-wounded-knee/