CAGenWeb Monterey County Genealogy

[monterey]

Monsignor Ramon M. Mestres passed away Wednesday, August 6, 1930. Through a term of thirty-seven years as administrative of the San Carlos Catholic parish of Monterey, Monsignor Mestres served his parishioners, and attained national recognition through his work in restoring the historic Carmel Mission.

His name became familiar nationally during the Hoover-Smith Presidential campaign, when it became known that it was Father Mestres who married Miss Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover at Monterey in 1899. Monsignor Mestres was born in Barcelona, Spain, October 19, 1865, of a prominent Spanish family. His father was Colonel Ramon Mestres of the Spanish army.

The young man, who was trained for the priesthood at the Jesuit university at Barcelona, first came to Los Angeles at the age of twenty-four. He was ordained at that time for the priesthood. After serving in the southern city and later at Santa Cruz, the priest was placed in charge of Monterey in 1893.

In 1915 King Alfonso XIII of Spain, in recognition of Monsignor Mestres' work in the restoring of the missions, bestowed upon him the decoration of the Royal Order of Isabella.

TO FATHER MESTRES
(By Esther B. Kiley, Monterey, 1930)
San Carlos mourns thee, Father Mestres,
San Carlos mourns today,
A well-beloved and faithful pastor
For thou hast passed away.

Oh, lofty soul, now flitting yonder—
No longer to earth bound—
Already in holy communion
With saintly spirits found.

Through years of living earthly service
With Jesus thou did toil
And many weary burdens lightened
On Monterey's fair soil.

And now, thy earthly work accomplished,
Thy Master called thee home,
To sit with him in royal splendor,
No more from Him to roam.

Farewell to thee, dear Father Mestres,
For thou hast gone above—
A light upon the golden stairway,
A beacon is thy love.

Farewell to thee, Dear Father Mestres,
San Carlos mourns today,
But thou wilt never be forgotten,
'Till time has passed away.