Painting by Alexander Harmer. Most of the original church was destroyed on December 21, in an earthquake centered near Santa Barbara that damaged or destroyed several California missions. The quake also severely damaged other mission buildings, but the complex was not abandoned.
A new church, constructed with 5-tofoot-thick 1. A water-powered grist mill was built in , about half a mile from the church. In , a fulling mill was added, designed by newly arrived American immigrant Joseph John Chapman.
The mill he built near San Gabriel is now a museum. Chapman was baptized at San Buenaventura in , and that same year married Guadalupe Ortega of Santa Barbara, with whom he had five children.
In , Chapman bought land in Los Angeles and developed a vineyard, but still continued to perform odd jobs at the missions. On February 21, a soldier beat a young Chumash Native. The page was found out by the priests after having alerted the Natives, and his tongue and feet were cut off before he was burned to death.
Upon learning of this news, the Natives sought the help of the other Santa Barbara Channel Mission Natives and a week later the Chumash Revolt of was sparked. Many of the Indians left to join other tribes in the mountains; only a few Natives remained at the mission.
