Juan de Ugarte facts for kids
Juan de Ugarte (1662–1730) was a Jesuit missionary and explorer. He worked in Baja California Sur, which was part of New Spain (today's Mexico). He took over from Juan María de Salvatierra as the leader of the missions there.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Missionary
Juan de Ugarte was born in 1662 in Tegucigalpa. This city is now in Honduras, but back then it was part of the Kingdom of Guatemala in New Spain. In 1679, he traveled to Mexico to join the Society of Jesus, a religious group. His younger brother, Pedro de Ugarte, also became a Jesuit missionary in Baja California.
After becoming a priest, Juan de Ugarte taught philosophy. He worked at the Colegio Máximo de San Pedro y San Pablo in Mexico City. There, he met two other Jesuits, Salvatierra and Eusebio Kino. They were going to work in faraway missions. Talking with them inspired Ugarte to dedicate his life to these missions too.
Helping the Missions from Mexico City
From 1697 to 1700, Ugarte had an important job. He was the "procurator" for the new missions in California. This meant he stayed in Mexico City. His job was to manage the Pious Fund of the Californias. This fund held money donated by people to support the missions. He also made sure the missions received all the supplies they needed.
A Missionary in Baja California
In 1701, Ugarte finally went to the Baja California peninsula. He was the third missionary to arrive there. He followed in the footsteps of Salvatierra and Francisco María Piccolo. First, he stopped at Mission Loreto.
Then, he moved on to Mission San Francisco Javier. This mission had been left empty because of threats from the local people. Ugarte arrived there in 1702. He made this mission his home for the rest of his life. He lived among the Cochimí people.
Ugarte was a strong and active leader. He helped the mission system grow and develop. He also served as a "visitador" for the missions. This meant he visited and checked on them when Salvatierra was away or after Salvatierra passed away in 1717.
Exploring and Building a Ship
Ugarte led several trips to explore the land around San Javier. He wanted to find good places for new missions or small settlements.
Even more amazing, he managed the building of a ship. It was called "El Triunfo de la Cruz" (The Triumph of the Cross). The ship was made from local wood found in the La Giganta mountains. In September 1720, Ugarte sailed his new ship from Loreto to La Paz. He helped start a new mission there.
The next year, he sailed to the top of the Gulf of California. He was trying to solve a big question. For a long time, people wondered if California was an island or connected to the mainland. His journey helped answer this question.
Later Life
Juan de Ugarte passed away at Mission San Francisco Javier in 1730.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Ugarte para niños
