Background
Ducrue, Francis Bennon was born on June 10, 1721 in Munich, Bavaria.
Ducrue, Francis Bennon was born on June 10, 1721 in Munich, Bavaria.
When that untoward event took place, Ducrue was the superior of all the California missions. He submitted uncomplainingly to the decree of expulsion and even cooperated with the royal commission in enforcing its provisions. The Jesuits withdrew, taking with them only their clothes and a few books
This was all the wealth they carried away from California after seventy years of work in its missions.
Ducrue eventually returned to his native land. He wrote in Latin A Journey from California through the district of Mexico to Europe in the year 1767 which was translated into German for the Nachrichten von verschiedenen Ländern des spaniscvhen Amerika of Christoph von Murr (volXII, p 217-276), and was translated into French and published by French
Carayon in his Documents Inédits (Paris, 1876). Murr also gives some interesting specimens of the language of California, which were communicated to him by Ducrue.