A mission was largely—but not completely —a community of friars and neophytes. The other people who either lived at the missions or had frequent contact there were known as gente de razón. The term gente de razón means people of reason or intelligence and included the descendants of anyone born in Spain or Mexico, or more accurately, everyone except the indigenous California population.

Many of the gente de razón were soldiers and their families. Others were explorers, government representatives, skilled artisans, and other people from the Spanish colonies. Some came to California temporarily, others settled permanently.

Many Faces

Gente de razón included people of many different origins. Some were full-blooded Indians who grew up in Mexico and...