Junípero Serra (1713–1784) 
Born in Mallorca, Spain, Serra joined the Franciscans and went to the New World as a missionary in 1750. After many years in Mexico, he traveled to Baja California to take charge of the missions being vacated by the Jesuits. He established the first mission in Alta California (in the future United States) at San Diego, and founded eight more California missions before his death.
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