Samuel Brannan
Encyclopedia
Samuel Brannan was an American settler, businessman, and journalist, who founded the "California Star" newspaper in San Francisco, California
. He is considered the first publicist of the California Gold Rush
and was its first millionaire
.
Brannan was a colorful, energetic figure in the mid-19th century history of California
and especially of San Francisco.
. When he was 14 years old, his family moved to Ohio
, where Brannan learned the printer's trade. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Brannan moved to New York City in 1844, and began printing The Prophet
(later The New-York Messenger), a Latter Day Saint newspaper
.
After the murder of church leader Joseph Smith, Jr., in June 1844, the Latter Day Saints decided to relocate their center from Nauvoo
, Illinois
. Several possible destinations were discussed, including the Mexican territory of Alta California
. In February 1846, with the approval of church leaders, Brannan and about 240 other Latter Day Saints from New York set sail aboard the ship Brooklyn for upper California via Cape Horn
. Brannan had an antiquated printing press
and a complete flour mill on board. After a stop in Honolulu, they landed on July 31, 1846 at the Mexican port town of Yerba Buena
, present day San Francisco
, tripling the population of the pueblo. Brannan was appointed as the first mission president
of the California LDS Mission
.
as the first newspaper in San Francisco. It was the second paper in Alta California, following "The Californian"
founded in Monterey
and first published on August 15, 1846. The two joined to become The Daily Alta California
in 1848. He also established the first school in San Francisco. In 1847, he opened a store at Sutter's Fort
, near present day Sacramento
.
In June 1847, Brannan traveled overland to Green River, Wyoming
, to meet with Brigham Young
, the head of the LDS Church, who was leading the first contingent of Mormon pioneers across the plains to the Great Basin
region. Brannan urged Young to bring the Mormon pioneers to California
but Young rejected the proposal in favor of settling in what is today Utah
, and Brannan returned to northern California.
paid for goods in his store with gold they had found at Sutter's Mill
, near Coloma, California
. Brannan went to the mill and, as a representative of the LDS Church, he received the tithe
s of the LDS workers there from the gold they had found in their spare time. Brannan then purchased every shovel in San Francisco and ran through the streets yelling, "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River
!" His "California Star" paper couldn't publish the news as the staff had already left for the gold fields.
have found this is likely just legend. Brannan was elected to the first town council of San Francisco in the new U.S. territory. After a series of sensational crimes in the area, he helped organize the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance
, which functioned as a de facto
police force. A squatter was murdered by the vigilante group and, although Brannan may not have pulled the trigger, he was considered the instigator and was subsequently disfellowshipped from the LDS Church for the vigilante
violence.
In 1851, Brannan visited Hawaii
, and purchased large amounts of land in Honolulu
. In 1853 Samuel Brannan was elected as a Senator to the California State Senate
in the new state's capital of Sacramento. He was involved in developing trade with China
and financial agreements with Mexico
, founding the Society of California Pioneers
, and developing banks, railroads and telegraph companies in California. Brannan built the first incarnation of the famous Cliff House
, in 1858 on the Pacific Ocean
in undeveloped western San Francisco.
s in the upper Napa Valley in 1859, Brannan planned a new resort for there. He bought land containing the springs in the northern portion of the Rancho Carne Humana
, and founded the town of Calistoga
, said to be a combination of the words 'California' and then fashionable 'Saratoga
' Springs in New York. Brannan also founded the Napa Valley Railroad Company there in 1864 in order to provide tourists with an easier way to reach Calistoga from the San Francisco Bay ferry boats
that docked in the lower Napa Valley—-San Francisco Bay
at Vallejo
. The railroad was later sold at a foreclosure sale, in Napa County in 1869.
In 1868 Brannan became one of the principal investors in the Robinson Trust, that purchased and initiated development of the major coastal Los Angeles County
land holdings of Californio
Abel Stearns, near the San Pedro Bay
in Southern California
.
In 1872 Anna Eliza Corwin divorced Brannan. He lost much of his personal fortune after his divorce, as it was ruled that his wife was entitled to half of their holdings, payable in cash. Because the vast majority of Brannan's holdings were in real estate, he had to liquidate the properties to pay the full divorce settlement.
, then developed a problem with alcohol. Forsaking the city he helped develop into San Francisco, he drifted to San Diego
, remarried and set up a small ranch near the Mexican border, where he engaged in land speculation with the Mexican
government in the state of Sonora, Mexico. In 1888, at the age of sixty-nine, he was paid the sum of forty-nine thousand dollars in interest from the government of Mexico. He quit drinking, paid all his debts, and died without leaving enough money to pay his own funeral.
Samuel Brannan died at the age of 70 in Escondido, California
, on May 14, 1889. He is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery
, San Diego, California
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He is considered the first publicist of the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
and was its first millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
.
Brannan was a colorful, energetic figure in the mid-19th century history of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and especially of San Francisco.
- "He probably did more for [San Francisco] and for other places than was effected by the combined efforts of scores of better men; and indeed, in many respects he was not a bad man, being as a rule straightforward as well as shrewd in his dealings, as famous for his acts of charity and open-handed liberality as for in enterprise, giving also frequent proofs of personal bravery."
Early career
Samuel Brannan was born in Saco, MaineSaco, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
. When he was 14 years old, his family moved to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where Brannan learned the printer's trade. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Brannan moved to New York City in 1844, and began printing The Prophet
The Prophet (newspaper)
The Prophet was a local Latter Day Saint newspaper in New York City, New York, USA. The first editor of the paper was William Smith, and the periodical was printed from 1844 to 1845....
(later The New-York Messenger), a Latter Day Saint newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
.
After the murder of church leader Joseph Smith, Jr., in June 1844, the Latter Day Saints decided to relocate their center from Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Several possible destinations were discussed, including the Mexican territory of Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
. In February 1846, with the approval of church leaders, Brannan and about 240 other Latter Day Saints from New York set sail aboard the ship Brooklyn for upper California via Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
. Brannan had an antiquated printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
and a complete flour mill on board. After a stop in Honolulu, they landed on July 31, 1846 at the Mexican port town of Yerba Buena
Yerba Buena (town)
Yerba Buena was the original name of San Francisco when in the Spanish Las Californias Province of New Spain, and then after 1822 in the Mexican territory of Alta California, until the Mexican American War ended with the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, when California became a territory of the...
, present day San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, tripling the population of the pueblo. Brannan was appointed as the first mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the California LDS Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
.
California career
Brannan used his press to establish the California StarThe Daily Alta California
The Alta California or Daily Alta California was a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper...
as the first newspaper in San Francisco. It was the second paper in Alta California, following "The Californian"
The Californian (1840s newspaper)
The Californian was the first California newspaper.The Californian was first published in Monterey, California on August 15, 1846, by Alcalde Walter Colton and his friend Robert B. Semple, from a well-used Ramage printing press that Agustín V. Zamorano brought from Hawaii to Monterey in 1834....
founded in Monterey
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
and first published on August 15, 1846. The two joined to become The Daily Alta California
The Daily Alta California
The Alta California or Daily Alta California was a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper...
in 1848. He also established the first school in San Francisco. In 1847, he opened a store at Sutter's Fort
Sutter's Fort
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park is a state-protected park in Sacramento, California which includes Sutter's Fort and the California State Indian Museum. Begun in 1839 and originally called "New Helvetia" by its builder, John Sutter, the fort was a 19th century agricultural and trade colony in...
, near present day Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
In June 1847, Brannan traveled overland to Green River, Wyoming
Green River, Wyoming
Green River is a city in and the county seat of Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 11,808 at the 2000 census....
, to meet with Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, the head of the LDS Church, who was leading the first contingent of Mormon pioneers across the plains to the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
region. Brannan urged Young to bring the Mormon pioneers to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
but Young rejected the proposal in favor of settling in what is today Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and Brannan returned to northern California.
California Gold Rush
Early in 1848, employees of John SutterJohn Sutter
Johann Augus Sutter was a Swiss pioneer of California known for his association with the California Gold Rush by the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall and the mill making team at Sutter's Mill, and for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area that would eventually become Sacramento, the...
paid for goods in his store with gold they had found at Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Sutter in partnership with James W. Marshall. It was located in Coloma, California, at the bank of the South Fork American River...
, near Coloma, California
Coloma, California
Coloma is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall first discovered gold in California, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California...
. Brannan went to the mill and, as a representative of the LDS Church, he received the tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s of the LDS workers there from the gold they had found in their spare time. Brannan then purchased every shovel in San Francisco and ran through the streets yelling, "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River
American River
The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
!" His "California Star" paper couldn't publish the news as the staff had already left for the gold fields.
San Francisco
Brannan had opened more stores to sell goods to the miners (his Sutter Fort store sold US$150,000 a month in 1849), and began buying land in San Francisco. At about this time, Brannan was accused of diverting church money, including collected tithes, to fund his private ventures. An LDS envoy was sent to Brannan and reportedly told them, "You go back and tell Brigham Young that I'll give up the Lord's money when he sends me a receipt signed by the Lord.", although historians, such as Will BagleyWill Bagley
Will Bagley is a historian specializing in the history of western United States. Bagley has written about the fur trade, overland emigration, American Indians, military history, frontier violence, railroads, mining, and Utah and the Mormons....
have found this is likely just legend. Brannan was elected to the first town council of San Francisco in the new U.S. territory. After a series of sensational crimes in the area, he helped organize the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance
San Francisco Vigilance Movement
The San Francisco Committee of Vigilance was a popular ad hoc organization formed in 1851 and revived in 1856. Their purpose was to rein in rampant crime and government corruption. They were among the most successful organizations in the vigilante tradition of the American Old West.These militias...
, which functioned as a de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
police force. A squatter was murdered by the vigilante group and, although Brannan may not have pulled the trigger, he was considered the instigator and was subsequently disfellowshipped from the LDS Church for the vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
violence.
In 1851, Brannan visited Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and purchased large amounts of land in Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. In 1853 Samuel Brannan was elected as a Senator to the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
in the new state's capital of Sacramento. He was involved in developing trade with China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and financial agreements with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, founding the Society of California Pioneers
Society of California Pioneers
The Society of California Pioneers and its members are listed in the Annals of San Francisco of 1855. The key stipulation seems to be that they arrived in California prior to December 31, 1849. Since this was a membership organization, it lists only a portion of the pioneers that came to...
, and developing banks, railroads and telegraph companies in California. Brannan built the first incarnation of the famous Cliff House
Cliff House
Cliff House may refer to:* Cliff House, the official residence of Chief Minister of Indian State of Kerala*Cliff House , a restaurant*The Cliff House , a condominium complex developed by the father of 47th U.S...
, in 1858 on the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
in undeveloped western San Francisco.
Calistoga
After Brannan visited the hot springHot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s in the upper Napa Valley in 1859, Brannan planned a new resort for there. He bought land containing the springs in the northern portion of the Rancho Carne Humana
Rancho Carne Humana
Rancho Carne Humana was a Mexican land grant in present day Napa County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Edward Turner Bale. The name means "human flesh" in Spanish. There is speculation as to why the name was chosen. The grant was originally called "Huilic Noma" and also...
, and founded the town of Calistoga
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
, said to be a combination of the words 'California' and then fashionable 'Saratoga
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
' Springs in New York. Brannan also founded the Napa Valley Railroad Company there in 1864 in order to provide tourists with an easier way to reach Calistoga from the San Francisco Bay ferry boats
Ferries of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay in California has been served by ferries of all types for over 150 years. Although the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge led to the decline in the importance of most ferries, some are still in use today for both commuters and...
that docked in the lower Napa Valley—-San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
at Vallejo
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
. The railroad was later sold at a foreclosure sale, in Napa County in 1869.
In 1868 Brannan became one of the principal investors in the Robinson Trust, that purchased and initiated development of the major coastal Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
land holdings of Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
Abel Stearns, near the San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (California)
San Pedro Bay is an inlet on the Pacific Ocean coast of southern California, United States. It is the site of the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which together form the fifth-busiest port facility in the world and easily the busiest in the Western Hemisphere...
in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
In 1872 Anna Eliza Corwin divorced Brannan. He lost much of his personal fortune after his divorce, as it was ruled that his wife was entitled to half of their holdings, payable in cash. Because the vast majority of Brannan's holdings were in real estate, he had to liquidate the properties to pay the full divorce settlement.
Southern California
Following the divorce, he became a brewerBrewer
Brewer may refer to:*Brewer, someone who makes beer by brewing*Brewer , a disambiguation page that lists people with the surname Brewer*Brewer, Maine, a city in southern Penobscot County, Maine, United States, near the city of Bangor...
, then developed a problem with alcohol. Forsaking the city he helped develop into San Francisco, he drifted to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, remarried and set up a small ranch near the Mexican border, where he engaged in land speculation with the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
government in the state of Sonora, Mexico. In 1888, at the age of sixty-nine, he was paid the sum of forty-nine thousand dollars in interest from the government of Mexico. He quit drinking, paid all his debts, and died without leaving enough money to pay his own funeral.
Samuel Brannan died at the age of 70 in Escondido, California
Escondido, California
Escondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
, on May 14, 1889. He is interred in Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery, San Diego
Mount Hope Cemetery is a municipal cemetery located at 3751 Market Street, San Diego, California, and gives its name to the neighborhood of Mount Hope. The cemetery is adjacent to Greenwood Memorial Park....
, San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Legacy
- Many locations in California are named after Samuel Brannan, including: Brannan Street in San Francisco, Brannan IslandBrannan Island State Recreation AreaBrannan Island State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, USA preserving a maze of waterways in the delta of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River. The recreation area is located in Sacramento County between Rio Vista and Isleton...
, Brannan Bluff—Table Bluff, Brannan Creek, Brannan Mountain, Brannan Springs, and Brannon River; there is also a Sam Brannan Middle School in Sacramento. - California cities that claim Sam Brannan as their founder include CalistogaCalistogaCalistoga may refer to:* Calistoga, California* Calistoga AVA, an American Viticultural Area that partly overlaps the town of Calistoga* Calistoga Water Company, bottled water brand sourced in Calistoga, California...
, and Yuba City. - In partnership with John Augustus Sutter, Jr.John Augustus Sutter, Jr.John Augustus Sutter, Jr. was the founder and planner of the City of Sacramento, California, a U.S. Consul in Acapulco, Mexico and the son of Swiss born American pioneer, John Augustus Sutter, Sr.-Biography:...
and with William Tecumseh ShermanWilliam Tecumseh ShermanWilliam Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
and Edward OrdEdward OrdEdward Otho Cresap Ord was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War. He commanded an army during the final days of the Civil War, and was instrumental in forcing the surrender of Confederate...
as surveyors, Brannan laid out the unofficial subdivisions that became the city of SacramentoSacramentoSacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
.
See also
- History of San Francisco
- Etymologies of place names in San Francisco
- Napa Valley Wine TrainNapa Valley Wine TrainThe Napa Valley Wine Train is operated by the Napa Valley Railroad . The train is a privately operated excursion train that runs between Napa and St. Helena, California. Much of the rail line parallels State Route 29 after leaving the City of Napa and passes the towns of Yountville, Rutherford and...
External links
- PBS - The West - Samuel Brannan
- based on a San Diego Union article, republished in Sacamento Bee
- California Gold Rush Profile - 1st millionaire dies broke
- California Newspaper Hall of Fame - Sam Brannan
- Historynet.com/ Latter Day Scoundrel
- Register of the Samuel Brannan Papers at Brigham Young University