▁newsp apers , ▁the ▁California ▁Star , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 4 6 . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁sain ts , ▁Ang eline ▁Lov ett , ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁old ▁Francis can ▁Dol ores ▁Mission , ▁the ▁first ▁English - language ▁school ▁in ▁California . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁Bran nan ▁led ▁ 2 0 ▁men ▁to ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley ▁where ▁they ▁founded ▁a ▁M orm on ▁far ming ▁village ▁named ▁New ▁Hope ▁Col ony . ▁ ▁It ▁soon ▁failed ▁as ▁heavy ▁season al ▁storm s ▁flo oded ▁the ▁valley , ▁destroy ing ▁their ▁cro ps . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁sain ts ▁left ▁California ▁for ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁ ▁M orm on ▁Battalion ▁and ▁California ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁the ▁M orm on ▁Battalion ▁arrived ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁having ▁constructed ▁the ▁first ▁w agon ▁road ▁across ▁the ▁south west ▁into ▁Southern ▁California . ▁ ▁Battalion ▁M embers ▁helped ▁construct ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁building ▁and ▁public ▁works ▁in ▁San ▁Diego . ▁ ▁They ▁then ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁where ▁they ▁built ▁a ▁fort ▁and ▁raised ▁the ▁American ▁flag . ▁ ▁Six ▁dis charg ed ▁batt alion ▁members ▁were ▁at ▁S utter ' s ▁Mill ▁in ▁northern ▁California ▁when ▁gold ▁was ▁discovered ▁there ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁