Show THE FIRST discoverer OF californian GOLD SOME of jhb prominent magazines have lately been reviving an interest in the subject of the first discovery of gold in california the NEWS also recently contained an article on that subject among the gentlemen who have been prominently mentioned in this connection to is the respected veteran henry W bigler of st george who is credited with being I 1 in a possession of the most exact and reliable information on the subject received an interesting letter from him of which the following is the substance in the interest of truthful history I 1 feel it incumbent as a duty to speak although at a very late date it h his ts been said and told to my fuse face there was no use of talking for marshall was not the man who first found gold in california it may be remembered by mant maar of your readers that several years ago perhaps thirty or more goorge george A smith advertised for all al jour nals kept by members of the mormon battalion to be brought to the historians office for the purpose of culling matter for church church histo teh bishop hess of farmington carried my journal to the office when the historian came to that part of my diary which gives the account of the discovery of gold I 1 was immediately sent for ephraim green and james 8 brown of your city were also called tog to appear at the office and questioned as to who made the discovery these men backed up my statement by saying henry n myself is right james marshall was the first who found the gold I 1 write these statements because there were others credited with being the first discoverers cover ers and to this day these statements statement may be believed by a large portion of astor day saints in utah and out of it |