Sam Brannan

When the ship bearing Sam Brannan and the flock of Latter-Day Saints arrived in San Francisco, they were surprised to find it occupied by the Americans. "There's that damned flag again," Brannan is supposed to have said. Brannan and his followers planned to travel overland to Utah where they would meet Brigham Young. The allure of San Francisco proved too much and Brannan, with many others, remained. When Brigham Young sent word that Brannan should forward the community's tithes to him, Brannan replied that the Lord was welcome to come collect in person. Brannan soon broke with the church.

Brannan assumed a leading role in San Francisco affairs, announcing the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (after he'd taken care to open a general store in Sacramento) and organizing the First Committee of Vigilance. He became one of California's richest men during the 1850s. Brannan, however, loved drink and made some bad decisions. He bought up Napa Valley land where he hoped to build a resort. "Saratoga" was the name he'd planned to give it, but he showed up drunk on dedication day and announced that hereafter the place would be known as "Calistoga, Sarafornia!" The mineral springs and town are still known as Calistoga.

Brannan lost it all after his wife divorced him. She took all his San Francisco properties and let him keep Calistoga. Brannan soon mismanaged his resort into bankruptcy and disappeared from the public eye. He died a pauper in Escondido, California.