▁San ▁Antonio ▁de ▁Pad ua ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁Mission ▁to ▁be ▁founded . ▁Father ▁Juni per o ▁Ser ra ▁claimed ▁the ▁site ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 7 7 1 , ▁and ▁dedicated ▁the ▁Mission ▁to ▁Saint ▁Anthony ▁of ▁Pad ua . ▁Saint ▁Anthony ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 1 9 5 ▁in ▁Lis bon , ▁Portugal ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁patron ▁saint ▁of ▁the ▁poor . ▁Father ▁Ser ra ▁left ▁F athers ▁Miguel ▁Pier as ▁and ▁Buen av ent ura ▁Sit jar ▁behind ▁to ▁continue ▁the ▁building ▁efforts , ▁though ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁proper ▁did ▁not ▁actually ▁begin ▁until ▁ 1 8 1 0 . ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 7 8 ▁Native ▁Americans ▁living ▁at ▁the ▁Mission , ▁mostly ▁Northern ▁Sal in an ▁( Ant on iano ) ▁but ▁also ▁some ▁Y ok uts ▁and ▁Ess elen . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 0 5 , ▁the ▁number ▁had ▁increased ▁to ▁ 1 , 3 0 0 , ▁but ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 4 , ▁after ▁the ▁sec ular ization ▁laws ▁went ▁into ▁effect , ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁Mission ▁Indians ▁at ▁the ▁Mission ▁San ▁Antonio ▁was ▁only ▁ 1 5 0 . ▁No ▁town ▁grew ▁up ▁around ▁the ▁Mission , ▁as ▁many ▁did ▁at ▁other ▁install ations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁Mexican ▁Governor ▁P ío ▁P ico ▁declared ▁all ▁mission ▁buildings ▁in ▁Al ta ▁California ▁for ▁sale , ▁but ▁no ▁one ▁bid ▁for ▁Mission ▁San ▁Antonio .