Comments about ‘Historians note early LDS role in California’

The reason the Mormons in Utah are not remembered in California is that most of them left shortly after arriving. What do you expect? They left the beautiful green state with beaches to go to the mountains and inversion. I gave a talk on the Brooklyn in my ward in the Bay Area.

Wow imagine the home of the Mormon church being Santa Barbara...

Seems like an effort to bash Brigham and sanctify Sam (Brannan). At least they've given us a historical perspective on why so many people in Utah hate the Lakers...

"Historical amnesia." Nice to hear the LDS acknowledge they have a problem with that.

Seems that the modern LDS has "historical amnesia" about many things.

Just like many other "churches" selective memory is common.

I guess they could see into the future and the road that California would travel and got the "heck out Dodge" the second they could.

Brigham Young was right - he was the Lord's prophet. There were those who disobeyed his council, and refused to help sustain the impoverished saints and build Zion in Utah, and instead went to California to chase the Gold-rush. I admire Brigham Young, who'se only objective was to build up Zion as he had been commanded. His only interest in wealth was to sustain the progress of the church and bless the poor. He told the California bound members they wouldn't spiritually survive, and essentially that they were rejecting the poor and their responsibilities to sustain the saints. And he was right. They didn't spiritually survive, and they kicked themselves out of the church and apostatized.

At that period, building the kingdom meant gathering to Utah as defined by the prophet.
In time, it would be time to build the church abroad, and for members to stay and build the Stakes of Zion locally.

What a man of great character, obedience and leadership was Brigham Young.

I have done some research in this area and it is a fascinating story. Brigham Young stated on October 6th, 1863 that he had wanted to take the pioneers all the way to Coloma California to join Sam Brannan and the British Saints but "...our prospective calculations fell through, otherwise we should have gone into California and settled it. Many of you were not aware of this. (Journal of Discourses 10:255)

The reason was that the funding for the trip was being made by the pay to the Mormon Battalion. The proposal the Brigham Young had made was for 2,000 soldiers but the government was only willing to hire 500. (James K. Polk, Diary of James K. Polk, edited by Milo Milton Quaife, 4vols. (Chicago: A. C. McClurg, 1910):June 5, 1846.)

Coloma of course was the site of Sutter's Mill. It was a Mormon named Henry Bigler who writes the first account of the discovery of gold in his journal which I have a photocopy of.

It would be interesting to see this film of this forgotten piece of history.

This Californian born in Utah thanks BY. He kept the Mormon Culture in Utah distant from by refuge from it. We have enough people living here enjoying the climate.

Any California conservatives. Utah is a red state. Move to Utah. Be with conservative minded Utahans. Utah is the place for you to retire. Rush Limbaugh is worshiped in Utah.

Utah is a regular paradise for conservatives. Most Utah Mormons are republicans. Utah will stay republican no matter what.

While you're in Utah, take time to talk to Mormons. They will gladly share their beliefs with you can invited you to attend church.

"'Brigham Young had nothing good to say about California' and decreed marshal law that brought overland travel to a standstill through the Utah Territory in 1857, effectively cutting the nation in half."

This makes it sound as if Young instituted marshal law because of California and the Gold Rush. While in reality, marshal law was due to the Utah War when one-half of the US army was sent out to put down the rumored--but nonexistent--Mormon Rebellion.

The Mormon conflict that was created in the 1957 by the Sending of US army to Utah under the order of Pres. Buchannon to put down the fear of territory of Dessert separating from the US and also to replace the Brigham Young as territorial governor.

No communication was send to to BY concerning this only a Army which was viewed as hostile to the area. Marshal law was instituted to all Mormon settlement, because of fear of what might happen to them.

Mormons would be worst off if they controlled California, earth's fifth largest economy. Because of BY Utah have months to enjoy the greatest snow on earth instead of trying to keep your beach towel free of sand while you cover your skin with sun screen fending off skin cancer.

You are right about Rush Limbaugh, though I have been thoroughly disgusted by people here in the Bay Area as well. You are not exempt from the narrow-minded version of conservatisim found mainstream in Utah here in Cali. I was actually riding to a ward campout in the Sierras with a member of my ward who was listening to Rush. It got to the point where I had to say, "Can you please change the station, this is making me uncomfortable."

Throughout this election, I have been given funny looks and judgements from every angle at church whenever my support for Obama is ever brought up. This is in the Bay Area!! I have pro-bama friends in Utah that are actually supported by ward members when I am judged here in the "most tolorant place on Earth."

If I didn't have the standards I do, I would have renounced my Obama suppport by now to "fit in" with my Bay Area ward "family." I plan to return to Utah, and I look forward to it! My advice to Californian Mormons is to become more accepting and less polarized!! The rest of Californians have figured it out, get with the program!

Hey guys, Bringham Young sent Gold Missionaries to California later on. You really need to check out the whole history. President Hunter was from L.A. Parley P. Pratt was also sent to California for a Pacific Mission. Lots to read and study. Try it you might like it D).

Mr Owen is not very well informed. Either he is not LDS or does not understand that Zion was to be established in the "tops of the Mountains" as Isaiah prophesied. Brigham Young is known as the colonizer. Mr Owen should know and realize that he sent companies of Saints to settle, Southern Utah, Las Vegas,
Cache Valley, Bear River Valley, Idaho, Arizona, San Bernardino, Wyoming and many other area of the West. Mr Owen is very uninformed. Sam Brannon was told to come to Utah, but declined and ultimately let the Church.

Why is it that if you disagree with some "highly enlighted" people, you are judged as being narrow minded?
Maybe we here in Utah just have different values than most of you do in San Fran. or L.A.! Maybe we simply have different priorities in life than you? Maybe we have made a well thought out, conscious choice to pursue a different life than you! Could it be possible that it is you that is being narrow minded? Been to California and seen the "enlighted crowd" and could not wait to separate myself from them! Happy to live here among you "narrow minded" ones here in good old conserative, family oriented and God fearing (mostly) Utah!

I don't think I will ever be able to understand ANY lds supporting Obama except that they don't know what he stands for. To LDS obamaites, how do you support a man that is 100% for partial birth abortion? What enlightened knowledge do you posses that allows you to either "overlook" it or accept it? Enjoy your "enlightenment". I prefer to study and pray for wisdom and not rely on those around me to provide me with their sophistry.

Re: Amen Most my LDS friends from high school in Sacramento have left the church. One friend's whole family left the church.

Being a native Utahan from a LDS family that walked to Utah taking the scenic tour in 1847, I've been guilty of wondering how they might of due if they had come to California. There has been much more wealth created here in California. My grandfather grew beets. There farmer grow high value crops like almonds.

You do point to a fact about California. If you call it the Left Coast you have stated you don't know California.

The Utah I loved is gone. It was covered in asphalt and track homes. Next time you return try an experiment. Try to find a mountain in Utah that isn't carved up.

I was born and raised in Central California, near Fresno.
Dirt poor and non-LDS.
great conservative people.
I moved my family and I in 1987, age 39, to Orygun. WAAAAAAYYYYY too liberal on the west side.
I could never move back to California now...I would have to turn over 11 guns to the proper police group.
If a guvminf don't trust me with a gun, I sure don't trust it without na gun.
Arizona is for me. I love it here.

My friend used to tell me there are, by total numbers, actually more mormons in California than in Utah. He said that they are just denser in Utah.