Tumacácori National Historical Park - Pedro Font (U.S. National Park Service)

Chunky Padre Font was a Catalán from Gerona, Spain, born in 1737. Being Catalán he was actually "Pere" Font, and had a brother, Pau Font , who was also a Franciscan. He crossed the Atlantic on the Júpiter. He was of medium height but blocky. His face was round and his black hair receding. He was musical and artistic. At the College of Querétaro he sang in the choir and drew great iluminated choir books. He came to the Sonora mission field in 1773 and was first assigned to San José de Pimas. He left Fray Joachín Belarde in charge of his mission at San José de Pimas while he went as chaplain on the 1775-76 expedition with Juan Bautista de Anza. When he returned in June of 1776 he went to Ures and completed his short diary. Since San José de los Pimas had been ceded to the Jaliscans, he was assigned briefly to Ímuris where he suffered through the Indian uprising of November 1776. He went to Átil and Magdalena, and then Tubutama where he finsihed his long diary of the Expedition in May of 1777. He was at Caborca after 1780 and died at its visita of Pitiquito sometime after September 8, 1781.

To learn more about Padre Font go to Mission 2000 by clicking (here) and following the blue ID numbers. To return to Franciscan Missionaries, click (here).