(pictured in 1880). With the arrival of Spanish soldiers and missionaries in the region, several villagers who were born in the early 18th century were brought to and baptized at
Mission San Fernando. The villagers joined a burgeoning Native American population at the mission, which peaked in 1819 at 1,080 people. However, by the time of
secularization in 1833, although 1,367 Native children were baptized at the mission, 965 had died in that same period (or over 70% of the children). Historian James Miller Guinn noted in 1907, that "it was not strange that the fearful death rate both of children and adults at the missions sometimes frightened the neophytes into running away." == Mid to late 19th century ==