Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-21
INDIAN GABRIEL" DEAD.
His Age GiTeR at 15I Years.-A
Remarkable Character.

\ brief notice OF sold Gabriers.i
death appeared a few days since in
sur telegraphic dispatches. The
San Francisco Chronicle Of the 18th
instant contains the following:
The Indian known Throughout
This portion Of the State as sold
Gabriel" died March I6, at the
county hospital, Salinas. Cal, Of old
sSc. Authentic records fix his age
At Isl years.
Old Gabriel was one Of the most
remarkable characters on the coast.
So far as can be learned by tradition
ne was born about IF4O, though
there Is no record Of his birth. and
even in the early DAYS when Cali.
fOrnia was sill the rowing ground
Of the Mission Indians, around
WheBl so many rOmsnces have been
A'ilt, Gabriel was too aged for the
old men Of the time 10 remember
his childhood. AS 2 venerable chief.
who died few years ago at the ace
Of ll5, put il, ''Gabriel was an Old
man when the Indians Of his age
were still bovs.n
The story Of the old fellows life
sinieresting, chiefly on account of
she length Of years it covered, and
not 10y reason Of valorOus deeds or
relentless warfare. He was on the
whole a peIceable creature, iEno-
rant AMI faithful. Sickness was IN
Known b him and the magic
charms Of the medicine man he
never needed. He seldom iniulgeI
IN excuses, and never within ms
recollection had he tasted liqug- or
sc52cao. lie Was viTtuous, too, and
though seven times married re-
meined faithful to each wife as lcng
as she lived Children and rrlnd-
children he had by the score. bat
he 0utlivei them all, he has no di-
rect descendants, and 50 far as
known no living Indian can now
claim kinship with him.
The story Of his life has been
handed down among the Franciscan
missionaries, who came into Cali
fOrnia more than a century ago, and
when Father Junipero arrived in
Monterey in 1853. Gabriel, then n
father, was among the little band
who received him. The missionary
6sOk an interest in the man. who
was at the time strapping fellow Of
six FEET, and not long afterward hap
tied him and guided him into Tie
Catholic faith. He wofkesi for the
church, cOuscientiousiy continuing
his devOtions until a few years since,
and one OF the few things which
during his last days brought back
che old light in Gabriel's dim eyes
yss the mention Of Father Jcni-
i.erO's name.
Ii drew out from him in broken
Spanish the story OF Father
JUnipero,s first mass under a tree,
AMI the building Of the Carmeia
mission of adobe, its Obliterstion and
ats reconstruction in stone, much of
which was cut by old Gabriel's own
hands. His services Were alsO de-
manded during the building OF the
S0ledad aud san Antonio missions
an 1871.
FROM that time on his life seems to
have been unusually quiet, and
though Father Sorrentine made n
search OF the records and gathered
together all the current stories
OF the remarkable fellow, little
OF sensational nature ever
came 70 light, though his great
age was clearly established. Gabriel
lived IN Monterey for years, but to-
wFCd the close Of his career he was
a familiar figure on the streets of
Salinas, well known for his love Of
brightcolOrs, with which his clothes
were patched from shoulder 10 shoe.
His personal habits were worthy
\ cultured white man, and to them
no doubt was partially due his long
life. His food was Of the simplest
character and his practices a
model Of regularity. He paid PAR
ucular attention 10 bathing. and,
IS old age and circumstances
Sleptved him Of the means Of at
{cadlng 10 this custom, in lieu OF his
oath he scraped his skin with an old
knife, thus keeping the porrs open.
There are some old residents of the
county who well remember the
sweathouse that old Gabriel had on
tie bank Of creek where hs lived
many years ago and the persistency
With which il was used.
Ills memory up TO about five or
xix years ago was good and was
equal to what it had been for the
1iity years preceding; but since
then, and more particularly during
the last two years, it gradually
failed, as dit his speech.
The Indians all attribute Gabriel's
longevity to his having been the
sirst to submit to the priests hap
u>h: They looked upon him with |
great reverence, and even to white |
men ne was a remarkable character.
TOT ha'd tfeorge Washington lived
NC would have been scarcely older.
ana IN an modern history them are
rev suCh cases As that Of tho OH |
irnOrauE ATiSu;S,,, -. NAS uius