Did the Mormons move to California in search of freedom of religion?

Answer 1

California was never meant to be the "final" destination of the church during the nineteenth century. The Salt Lake basin at the foot of the Rocky Mountains was always the destination that had been revealed to both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. However, California did factor into the emigration of the Saints.

The federal government had asked for volunteers from the Saints to assist in the war with Mexico. The so-called "Mormon Battalion" marched from Iowa to San Diego, helping to create trails that would later serve other emigrants to the California territory. Once they were mustered out in San Diego, many members of the Battalion made the trek to Salt Lake as directly as they could. Some, however, stayed in California and helped build up the small village of San Diego. Some also went north to Sacramento and were present when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. Other emigrants arrived in California, having sailed from New York to San Francisco.

Some tried to convince Brigham Young that California was a land rich in resources that would be a place where the church could grow and prosper. Brigham, however, had already recognized that Salt Lake was where the Lord wanted to establish His people. In the decades that followed, President Young did send teams of colonizers to different parts of the southwest, including California where Mormons helped found and build the town of San Bernardino, among others.

Today California is home to one of the largest populations of Latter-day Saints outside of Utah in the world.