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Show Manufacturers of all kinds are wanted!"1 declared Brigham Young from Great Salt Lake City to Latter-day Saints throughout the world. And they came-car-penters, coopers, potters, blacksmiths, tinsmiths, millwrights, weavers, tanners, and shoemakers. In 1850, three years after the first Mormons arrived in Utah, the population had grown to 11,380. By 1870, when the railroad joined Utah with the rest of the nation, the total had increased to 86,786.2 They came, full of faith and confidence, to establish in the desert a society equal or superior to the ones they had left. The Mormon Zion, as envisioned by Brigham Young, was to become the literal "kingdom of God" on earth. In the isolation of the Great Basin, the Saints hoped to be free from "gentile" interference-free to pursue their special destiny. In his dual role as Church Prophet and President and territorial governor, Brigham Young naturally concerned himself with to all areas of pioneer life, including economic matters. Crucial to his plan for economic development was the home manufacture of consumer goods. When new settlements were planned, various craftsmen were "called" to join them. Some of the settlements were established as "missions" to produce needed raw materials such as iron or cotton. Cooperative organizations of craftsmen were formed by Church leaders to stimulate home industry and promote economic self-sufficiency. Such help was needed, for the pioneering craftsmen discovered unforeseen challenges in their new mountain home. Having exhausted nearly all their financial resources simply getting to Utah, many had no capital with which to start a business. Raw materials, power for machinery, and cash-all were scarce. Yet craftsmen found a market eager for their products, and those who persisted in experimenting and were able to improvise and adapt their skills were successful. With satisfaction Brigham Young was able to write in 1855, Much more cloth than heretofore is being made in the various settlements, also leather, hats, cordage, brushes, soap, paper, combs, crockery, iron and various other useful and self-sustaining articles are being organized from the native elements in flattering abundances Furniture was one of the things most urgently needed by the people after food and shelter were secured. There was little room in pioneer wagons for furniture other than storage chests and perhaps a well-used rocking chair. The chests were often pressed into service as tables and chairs and crude beds built into the corners of cabins until cabinetmakers were able to provide real furniture for pioneer homes. Opportunities were seized by enterprising young men such as Matthew Dalton. Traveling alone from Wisconsin to the California gold fields, he arrived in Ogden in 62 |