Item Detail
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3541
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2
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0
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English
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Sutter's Mormon Workmen at Natoma and Coloma in 1848
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California Historical Society Quarterly
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September 1935
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14
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269-82
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Emphasis on Shadrach Holdaway and Henry W. Bigler; gold discovery in California. From Bigler's diary: July 19, 1847 to June 27, 1848. While in California, Henry Bigler and other Mormon Battalion members learn the Saints have settled by the Great Salt Lake. Samuel Brannon visits members of the Battalion. Bigler and others are hired by Sutter to build a sawmill. He describes in detail the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall, an employee of Sutter. Marshal leads Bigler and other employees in planting additional gold dust in the tail race when Sutter comes to inspect their gold find. Sutter leases land from the Natung Indians. Samuel Brannon is told about the mine and plans to make it Church property. He publicizes the find in the California Star, the local LDS newspaper. Bigler and other battalion members start for Salt Lake. They, find the bodies of Azrah H. Allen, Henderson Cox and Daniel Browett at Tragedy Springs.