First Mormons in Stockton

At the intersection of I-5 and Hwy 120 is a Historical Marker. It indicates the location of the Ship Comet, the first to sail into the great valley of California.

The ship carried a party of 20 Mormon pioneers in 1846. They established the Community called 'New Hope'. The colony was later known as Stanislaus City. See #436-#437

When we were in California in 2006, we were invited to Duane's home in Modesto. I insisted we drive down I-5, by the Mossdale Y. This is the intersection of Hwy 120 and I-5. The intersection also crosses the San Joaquin River. While driving by this location I mentioned this is the spot where the Mormons first landed in California and started a community of their own. John was pre-occupied and did not hear my full expaination. So I am attempting to enhance the history of Stockton here.

Stockton was founded by a man named Charles Weber, and he named it after a friend he had, Commodore Stockton, from the Bear Flag revolt.

Sam Brannon has quite a history also. Sam Brannon sailed on the ship 'Brooklin'. A ship that brought passengers into California. He was an opportunist. Some could describe him as a con man. He communicated with Brigham Young several times. But in the end, he stayed in California and died a poor man. He did a great deal to establish California on the Map. The first store in the area was established by Sam Brannon near the Sacramento River, taking advantage of the convenient waterfront location and another settlement sprang up called Sacramento. So while everyone was panning for gold Sam Brannon opened up a store and cashed in on all the money. He also started newspapers in San Fransicco.

Samuel Brannan started the city's first newspaper the California Star.

Samuel was also on he way back to Sacrament when he met men from the Mormon Batallion. He instructed Azaria Smith and Henry Bigler, Israel Evans, and others that they were to stay another year before returning to Salt Lake City. These young men were with John Marshal when gold was discovered. They found jobs building a saw mill up the south fork of the American River. It was Azaria that recored in his journal that gold was discovered on January 24, 1948. Samual Brannon was the one that announced this in San Fransico. It is reported that Azaria did not care about the gold he just wanted to get back to his family in Salt Lake.

It is also interesting to note that the young men were never paid for there work on the saw mill, and that they brought about $30,000 worth of gold back to Salt Lake. Sam Brannon was also collecting tithing from all the California Mormons. Sam Brannan refused to send back a cut of his riches. He is reported to have told emissaries from Salt Lake that he would "turn over tithing money if they showed him a receipt from God."

In the 1850's Brannan became a major business force in San Francisco, establishing banks, a railroad and a telegraph company, and accumulating much land. He did much to advance education. Brannan was always "aggressive but liberal in his views, showing no signs of sectarianism" according to the historian Hubert Hugh Bancroft who asserts that he "probably did more for San Francisco... than was effected by the combined efforts of scores of better men." Bancroft describes Brannan as "shrewd in his dealings, as famous for his acts of charity and open-handed liberality as for his enterprise, giving also frequent proofs of personal bravery." Sam did not do well in his later years.

Also in stockton is a significan landmark called "Mormon Slough". It is a river way that pulls most of the water from the Calaveras River and dumps it into the Stockton Channel. It was used to stop a great deal of flooding that accured in the area. It begins on the Calaveras River near Bellota, travels westerly near Linden and Copperopolis, and finaly crosses under Hwy 99 near Hwy 4 before it empties into Stockton Channel at Weber Avenue and Hunter Street. See 'The Spring Floods'. The best map of Mormon Slough I found is here.

Another interesting item about Stockton is the scriptures that were given to Charles Weber for land. When we visited the muesum at Mickey's Grove, we saw a display of Charles Weber the founder of Stockton. There under glass was a book with the title "The Holy Scriptures compiled by Joseph Smith". Now what is the history of this event? What land did the mormons want to obtain in trade for a book of scriptures? I have not been able to learn much about this book and the gift to Charles Weber.

John wanted to be introduced to Stockon, the place where I was raised. But there is a great deal to learn about Stockton that I never knew when I lived there.