Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Book Review: Sam Brannan and the California Mormons Paul Bailey, Westernlore Press, Los Angeles, CA 1943

This book is a good read to someone fascinated with California Mormon history.  My only complaint is the author ascribes emotions to Brannan he may not have had.  It tells the life of Brannan, the Mormon Battalion and the founding of San Bernardino.  In this section I talk about Sam Brannan.
 
Sam Brannan and his story are intermingled with the history of California.  He was the state’s first promoter, first millionaire, first defendant in a civil case.  He was also much more, building cities in Sacramento and san Francisco.  Within this book are more stories than just the story of Sam Brannan, but also other early California Mormons.
Sam Brannan and the Brooklyn.  Because Brannan was convinced he was pioneering the way for a large Mormon community, into the hold of the Brooklyn went “agricultural and mechanical implements for eight hundred men; scythes, plows, hoes, forks, shovels, plow-irons, glass; blacksmith, carpenter and millwright tools; equipment for three grain mills; turning lathes and sawmill irons; printing equipment and two years’ supply of paper.  There were such staples as brass, copper, tin and crockery ware, dry goods, and an immense supply of school books and slates.  Two milch cows, forty pigs, and crates of fowls were loaded aboard to make certain Zion had an agricultural start.” (P 58)  Other interesting items on board was a case or two of smooth bore muskets.  The voyage carried 238 passengers, 70 men, 68 women and 100 children.  The ship was captained by Captain Richardson.  “To prepare meals a Negro cook and Negro steward had been hired.
All was not easy sailing for this vessel.  The hit storm conditions shortly after leaving New York, which storm took them almost to Africa and the Cape Verde islands.  Brannon dealt with the fear and nervousness by telling the Saints to sing.  They sand “The Spirit of God” and “We are going to California.”  The captain gave up hope at one point, telling the passengers to prepare for the worst.  “He was astonished and shamed by their show of composure in the face of danger.  And then, when death and watery grave seem most imminent, the wind suddenly shifted, and died to sailing breeze.”  (p 60)  They rounded the Cape Horn, and tried to resupply at Valparaiso.  A storm prevented this, so they stopped at Juan Fernandez Island, where they were able to get fresh water, and fresh meat (wild pigs and goats, and fish) without price. 
Their next stop was The Sandwich Islands or Hawaii.  They had to unload cargo there.  Commodore Stockton was there, and had a private meeting with Brannan.  He encouraged him to go to San Francisco (there goal all along) so as to Easternize and conquer the area for the United States.  While in Hawaii the passengers of course learned of the Mexican War and that the United States was fighting to take over California.  150 stands of military arms were placed on board the Brooklyn at Hawaii. 
Sam Brannan and Company was organized as a United Order, and signed by the Saints while on board the Brooklyn.  This gave Brannan considerable control of the assets of the group.  Among other things they would give the proceeds of their labor to fund for six years; the fund was controlled by Brannan. 
The men drilled with the muskets for part of the voyage.  They also had uniforms made.  Brannan was hoping to take California for the United States.  Captain Richardson prevented such drilling after they left Hawaii.  He was a peaceful man and his ship was a merchant vessel. 
When the Brooklyn arrived in San Francisco, the sloop Portsmouth had preceded them, and conquered Yerba Buena for the United States.  Brannan’s chance for military glory and conquest was foiled, but most of the settlers were relieved.
One of the first activities was to pay the debt to Captain Richardson.  They did this by harvesting redwoods from the Marin Peninsula.  Another item of business was to construct a house for Brannan and his family.  A house where most Mormons were not welcome as Brannan gained financial success and status. 
 
The first jury trial took place in Yerba Buena (shortly to be renamed San Francisco after the bay)  was many of the Mormons suing Sam Brannan for the strict nature of the Sam Brannan and Company agreement.  The civil mayor ruled in favor of Brannan.
With the Company resources, Brannan purchased the ship Comet, and sent it up the Sacramento, and San Joaquin rivers with 20 men, to where he had heard of fertile fields.  The New Hope group found the fertile soil, on the banks of the Stanislaus River just before it empties into the San Joaquin.  They planted the first wheat in the valley.  However they could not overcome their grievances towards each other.  William Stout, who was the leader of the small group, declared that the first home and farm built would be his.  He was following the pattern he had seen with Sam Brannan.  All were upset.  When Brannan visited, he declared the first house would be for the apostles.  He then headed east to present Brigham Young with the idea of moving the body of the Saints to California.
He traveled through the Sierra’s in early Spring.  This had been the year of the Donner Party.  He did not stop to bury the dead but left this to others.  He found Young in Wyoming, still far from the Great Basin.  Try as he might, Young was insistent that the Saints were not going to California.  The Lord had other plans.  He returned with a Captain of the Mormon Battalion, the invalid company who was coming to California as payee for the other invalid members who had traveled to Pueblo and then met with the Saints in Wyoming, to request the discharge pay for the members.  (This discharge pay would purchase Fort Goodyear which would become Ogden.)  The Battalion Captain was also entrusted with letters for the Saints. 
Brannan became upset, and left the Captain behind on the return trip.  He reported to the Brooklyn Saints that Young was not coming to California.  A few days later they received word from Young that the Saints were gathering in the Great Basin, and they could either come there or get jobs in California for now.  The majority traveled to the Great Basin, but some remained in the area, including the Battalion members who helped in the discovery of gold.
More than anything Brannan was a Californiac.  He published the California Star, and prepared a paper to sent east describing the positive aspects of California.  Just before this paper was published, Brannan heard of gold on the American River and included a paragraph.  Brannan made preparations, buying all available stock and setting up a store in Sacramento.  It was also Brannan, who when he was prepared, emptied San Francisco by getting some gold in a medicine vial, and going through San Francisco with “Gold, gold, there is gold on the American River.”  San Francisco basically emptied.   
Sam Brannan built and empire.  He is California’s first millionaire.  Another think should be told about Brannan’s start.  Who would visit the gold fields and collect tithing from the Mormons, usually at a rate of 20 percent.  This collection never reached the church.  It became the seed money for Brannan’s endeavors.  All efforts by the church to get this money were fruitless.  Brannan said he would require a note from God to deliver the money.  Brannan became bitter towards the church.  Brigham Young had written to Brannan, “But should you withhold, when the Lord says give, , your hopes and pleasing prospects will be blasted in an hour you think not of—and no arm can save.” (P 174, Journal history April, 5, 1849)
Brannan prospered for some time.  His wife and children all went to Europe.  His children went to school there.  However san Francisco had a period of lawlessness and problems.  There were four or five arson fires in succession, which were used as times to gather the property of others.  Brannan was instrumental in organizing a vigilance committee.  The local law enforcement were enmeshed with the outlaw community.  The committee hanged some of the criminals, and some they sent back to Australia.
In addition to San Francisco and Sacramento, Brannan became interested in developing Calistoga.  However the people there were not as interested in have someone from San Francisco buying up properties.  He was shot visiting Calistoga, and walked with a limp after this.
Brannan and his wife Eliza grew more and more apart.  She, like her husband stopped affiliating with the church.  Finally Eliza petitioned for divorce.  She wanted half of everything, but she didn’t want property, she wanted cash.  Brannan had to sell off many properties, and less than they were worth to pay off his wife for over just under a million dollars.  This was the beginning of the end of Brannan’s empire.  Lack of funds after selling so much to pay his wife, left him on a down ward spiral.  He had donated money many places, but there was no one to stop his own personal crash. 
He had given money and raised troops for Mexico to oust the French, and was able to finagle this into a land grant.  He hoped to set up a community of North Americans paying high properties for his real estate.  This did not happen.  In poor health he returned to the United States, San Diego area.  He passed away destitute.  His body laid in a vault for over a year before his nephew came and buried him.  No one attended his funeral, and there was no head stone until many years after his burial. 
His wife also lost all her money.  She squandered it in bad investments and gambling.  Her children were also left without the financial resources they once had.  Brannan in his will left each of his children $1.  He said this was because his wife took all his money, and then turned the children against him.  He was a bitter man even to the end.
 

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