I sailed on the ship Emerald Isle from Liverpool, England May 1868 for New York City. I came on the railroad to somewhere about Laramie City, Wyoming or there-abouts -- I came the rest of the way by ox teams to Sa1t Lake City, Utah, which is about 400 miles.
This was the year teamsters were drowned in the Green River ; one was from Fairview, Utah. There were no railroads in Utah at that time and no telephones. I walked all the way from the end of the railroad. Father was sick the entire trip. Mother and I had to take care of him. He died out on the border line of Wyoming and Utah, somewhere near what was called Devil’s Gate. It was about half a days drive to the first settlement in Utah. I arrived there on September 19, 1868. I believe the town was called Eden.
I was about nine weeks on the ocean. About one hundred persons died on the trip. I arrived in Salt Lake City, September 21, 1868. I went to work for a farmer for $10.00 per month. I worked about two years for those wages. I saved most of the money and bought cattle for it. I started cattle raising on a small scale and that was the beginning of the Clinton Ranch.
By Ole Lasson Jr.
The Emerald Isle passenger list showed my ancestors names as:
LARSON, Ola (born 1804), Lissa (1811), Ola (1855), Morten ? (1848), Lissa (1849), Pernilla (1861), and Nils (1862).
| Ship register | Larson, Ola, born 1804 | Lissa, 1811 | Ola, 1855 |
| Correct Info. | Lasson, Ole, born 1803 | Sissa, 1821 | Ole, 1854 |
Morten, 1848 | Lissa, 1849 | Pernilla, 1861 | Nils, 1862 |
?likely, Morten Larsen, not related | Sissa, 1849 | Pernilla (Nellie), 1858 | Nils, 1860 |
History of the Emerald Isle Sailing Ship
Ship: 1736 tons: 215' x 42' x 21'
Built: 1853 by Trufant & Drummond at Bath, Maine
A famous clipper packet, the full-rigged Emerald Isle carried a total of 1280 Mormons in three voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Described by her owners, Tapscott's Line, as a half clipper in model and a packet clipper in rig, the Emerald Isle hailed out of New York and was the largest vessel built at Bath, Maine, until the 1860s. She was somewhat full bodied, sharp, and heavily sparred. She was a three-decker but also had a forecastle deck with two large houses for a galley, storerooms, and crew's quarters and a small cabin abaft the main hatch. The first lower deck contained a steerage cabin with a double tier of staterooms on each side running forward to the main hatch. Each of these staterooms had eight berths. This graceful ship had a figurehead of a dog in the act of leaping. Her stern was half round with a carved molding which had the Harp of Erin in the center, an American Eagle on the right, and a dog on the left. Underneath were written the mottoes on the Irish and American coat of arms-Erin-go-Bragh and E Pluribus Unum. The Emerald Isle was among the first vessels to have standing rigging of wire. In 1885 she was sailing under the Dutch flag and renamed Berendina Oriria out of Batavia.
The first passage began on 30 November 1855 at Liverpool with 350 Saints on board. Elder Philemon C. Merrill and his counselors, Elders Joseph France and Thomas B. H. Stenhouse, presided over the emigrant company. Captain George B. Cornish, a veteran mariner, commanded the vessel. In 1848 he was listed as master of the 895-ton ship Sheridan. The crossing was marked by some damage caused by high winds and heavy seas, the deaths of two children, and three marriages. After a relatively fast crossing of twenty-nine days the ship arrived on 29 December at New York harbor.
Almost four years later, on 20 August 1859, the Emerald Isle again skippered by Captain Cornish sailed out of Liverpool with fifty-four Saints aboard-fifty from Switzerland and Italy and four from England. Elder Henry Hug was in charge of the company. After a forty-two-day passage, of which there are no details, the vessel arrived on 1 October at New York.
This same ship began her third voyage with Mormon emigrants on 20 June 1868 at Liverpool. There were 876 Saints in the company, of which 627 were from Scandinavia and the rest from the British Isles. Elder Hans Jensen Hals presided over the company. His counselors were Elders James Smith and John Fagerberg. On this crossing the ship was commanded by a Captain Gillespie. After six days the square-rigger put into Queenstown harbor to take on fresh water, since the equipment to distill sea water for culinary use had broken down. On 29 June the voyage resumed, but life on shipboard became increasingly unpleasant. The officers and crew treated the Saints harshly, and Elder Hals protested to the captain and reminded him of the contractual and legal rights of the passengers. On one occasion a mate attacked a Sister Saunders, and a "Brother Jensen" pulled the mate away and chastised him. Soon a group of sailors threatened violence but were subdued after the master reprimanded the offender. According to the Church Emigration record, no other emigrating company was known to have received such bad treatment. "Fortunately this is the last company of Scandinavian Saints which crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a sailing vessel." However, it was not just the treatment from the ship's officers and crew that created unpleasantness, but the water became stagnant and unfit for use, causing much sickness among the emigrants. No less than thirty-seven deaths occurred. Although many children died of measles, it was felt that the drinking water contributed to the high death rate. During the three days of quarantine in the New York harbor thirty-eight sick emigrants were taken ashore. On 14 August, after a fifty-five-day passage, the Saints landed at Castle Garden.
Journal Histories of Immigrating Saints Aboard the "Emerald Isle"
The following named returning missionaries were in the company: -- Elders Hans Jensen Hals, John Fagerberg, and Peter Hansen, from the Scandinavian Mission; and James Smith and Henry Barlow, from the British Mission; also Samuel Southwick, James Stuart, Andrew Simmons, and Elisha Peck, native elders, who have been travelling in the ministry. Elder Hans Jensen Hals was appointed president of the company, and Elders James Smith and John Fagergerg his counselors. Previous to sailing, a meeting was held on deck, when the Saints were addressed by Elder Carl Widerborg in Danish, and Elder Charles W. Penrose in English. Everyone was in good spirits, and was thankful to the God of Israel for deliverance from Babylon. . . . "
". . . About 630 emigrants left Copenhagen by the steamer 'Hansia,' June 13, 1868. On the departure the brethren had considerable trouble with the police authorities in Copenhagen. After a successful voyage across the North Sea, the company arrived in Hull, England, on Tuesday, June 16th, and in the evening of the same day they went by train to Liverpool. Here they found accommodations in seven different hotels, where they, with the exception of one place, received anything but decent treatment; and when they on the 19th went on board the ship 'Emerald Isle,' they were insulted in most every imaginable way. On the 20th the ship sailed from Liverpool, carrying a company of emigrants consisting of 877 souls, of whom 627 were Scandinavians, all in charge of Elders Hans Jensen (Hals) as president with James Smith and John Fagerberg as assistants. Elder Peter Hansen was appointed commissary for the Scandinavians, and Elder Mons Pedersen, who had labored faithfully for four years in the mission office in Copenhagen, was chosen as secretary. Eighteen other Scandinavian emigrants sailed this year by other ships, some of them from Hamburg and some from Norway. .
(journal of Hans Jorgenson):
The 13th of June, 1868, President C. Widerborg came up to [--] and emigrants called to order, whereupon he gave suitable instructions for our journey. 5 o'clock in the afternoon we all went on board the steamer [-] (Captain Beck of Hamburg) and after the Saints from Malmo, Sweden led by John Faferburg, had come on board, we started for England 7 ½ o'clock in the evening in a beautiful weather. On the 16th, 2 ½ o'clock in the afternoon we landed in Hull, England and started off by rail same afternoon and arrived in Liverpool 1 ½ o'clock in the night. Next day we were all quartered at Hotel Columbia [p.78] owned by David Full, a Jew.
On the 19th we were all sent on board the packet ship Emerald Isle, Captain Gillespie of New York. While in Liverpool, I saw the greatest steamer in the world, “The Great Eastern” which laid outside of Liverpool.
On the 20th of June, 1868, we started our long and weary journey to America, being pulled out by a tug steamer. Same evening a seaman belonging to the crew fell overboard but was rescued by a good swimmer. Then a safety boat fell from the ship and all on board was called for help [to] pull it up. The company of emigrants consisted of 876 souls of which six hundred and twenty seven were from Scandinavia and we had for [our] leader Hans Jensen Hals of Manti, Sanpete County; John Faferburg of Fort Ephraim; and James Smith from Provo, his counselors. Henry Barlow also returning elder from Utah. The treatment we had on board said vessel was anything but human. The captain and crew showed themselves as rough and mean towards us (especially Danish) as they could and the provisions did not by any means come up to the bargain. The shortest I can say about it is that this treatment was something like the Danish prisoners received in the 1807-1814. I for my part can [p.81] never think on the deadly Emerald Isle but with the greatest disgust and hatred.
About daybreak on the 11th of August, 1868, we to our great joy saw the land for which we so long a time had been longing. Having now been on the deadly ship 7 weeks and 3 days, we all felt to thank God our deliverer that he had spared our lives and permitted us to see the land of which we had so great hopes and anticipations. We were quarantined 3 days outside of New York and on the 14th we were permitted to put our feet on American soil.
Saturday, 20--President Franklin D. Richards and Elders William B. Preston and Charles W. Penrose, from the Liverpool office, came on board and a meeting was held, on which occasion the vessel was blessed and dedicated to bring the Saints safely across the mighty deep. President Richards gave me instructions as the leader of the company, and James Smith was chosen as my first and John Fagerberg as my second counselors. Elders Peter Hansen of Hyrum, and a Brother Parks were called to act as stewards and Hans Petersen [Hans Pederson] appointed clerk of the company. The visiting brethren then addressed the Saints under the influence of the Spirit of God and every heart was touched by the words uttered and the pleasant influence which pervaded the assembly. As the brethren left us to go ashore, we gave them several ringing cheers. Soon afterwards the anchor was weighed and a small steamer tugged us out into the open sea. I was very busy assisting the Saints in finding their baggage, which was scattered all over the ship, and showing the Saints their berths and getting [p.8] them settled down. Thus I succeeded in bringing some little order out of chaos. I also appointed guards to protect the Saints against the sailors, who seemed to take delight in annoying and insulting us in every way possible. . . . Thursday, 25--The experiment was made with the distilling machine which should change the salt sea water into fresh water, but the trial proved unsuccessful, as the man who had been assigned the task of running the machine was incapable. Consequently, Elder Smith consulted with the captain, and it was decided that the ship should touch at Queenstown, Ireland, to take fresh water on board. Sunday, 28--More water was brought on board, and we held a meeting on the after deck, at which Elder Smith spoke English, Elder Fagerberg Swedish, and I both Danish and English. Later we held four meetings on the lower decks and administered the sacrament. Soon after that, anchor was weighed and a tug boat hauled us out into the open sea; this gave me an opportunity to write a few lines to President Franklin D. Richards, informing him that the English steward had left us, and also three of the crew, namely, the third mate, the boatswain and a sailor. Monday 29--I accompanied the doctor visiting the sick, who were given medicine. We administered to a number of sick persons, and commenced to organize choirs, both among the English and Scandinavians. We also started schools in which the English were to teach the Scandinavians to read and speak the English language.
Diary of Annie E. Bertelsen:
On June 26th the 'Emerald Isle' sailed into the harbor of Queenstown to take fresh water on board, as a certain machine on the vessel used to distill seawater for culinary purposes was out of commission and could not speedily be repaired. While the ship waited at Queenstown Elders Hans Jensen (Hals) and James Smith had an excellent opportunity to accompany the captain on a railway trip to Cork. On the 29th the ship left Queenstown, but the voyage after that was anything but pleasant. The emigrants received very rough and harsh treatment, both from officers and crew, and only by the strong protest of Elder Hans Jensen (Hals) in their behalf did they succeed in getting a part of their rights according to the contract made. On one occasion, when one of the ship's mates attacked a sister by the name of Sander, Brother Jensen took hold of the mate and pulled him away, while sharply reproving him for his conduct. Soon a lot of sailors came up ready for a fight, but the incident ended when the offender got a severe reprimand from the captain, whom Brother Jensen reminded of the promises made. No other company of emigrating Saints from Scandinavia are known to have met with such bad treatment as this on board any ship in crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately it was the last company of Scandinavian Saints which crossed the Atlantic in a sailing vessel. From that time on only steamers were employed in the transportation of the Saints. It was not alone the rough treatment which the emigrants received from the ship's crew that made the voyage so unpleasant, but the water taken on board at Queenstown soon became stagnant and unfit for use, causing much sickness among the passengers, and no less than 37 deaths occurred on the voyage. Many of these, however, were caused by measles among the children, but the stagnant water, which all the passengers had to use, was undoubtedly the real cause of the heavy death rate. I remember very well the first death on board the ship, which was a two year old little girl, she was a very pretty child, and they built a large casket for her, twice her size, and the partitioned [UNCLEAR] it off in the middle placing coal in the one end so that it would be sure and sink when she was lowered in the ocean. When they placed her down into the water, it did not sink, it just floated away, and as we sailed along, we could still see this casket still floating in the ocean. Our ship sailing one way and the casket still floating in another. The parents were almost grief stricken. After this the dead were placed on long boards with weights on each end so that it was sure that they sunk and went to the bottom. It was a wonder that any of us lived to tell the tale. I later heard that the ship on its return voyage back [p.31] sank with all its crew. (Bertelsen, Annie E., Diary, (Typescript) Utah Pioneer Biographies vol. 5, pp. 31-32 (FHL))
Journal of Elder Hans Jensen Hals:
Tuesday, 30--We again distributed provisions among the emigrants, which this time was more expeditiously done than before. Quite a number of the passengers suffered with stomach disorders, and about a dozen children were down with the measles. Friday, 3--Conversed freely with captain about the rights and privileges of the passengers, as both the sailors and officers treated the emigrants roughly and uncivil. It came to harsh words between us, as I stood up for the rights of the people, exhibited my papers, and demanded that our people should be humanely treated and also have the portion of the water due them. I succeeded in getting some concessions, though the captain was hard to move. Monday, 6--A Swedish child died with measles early in the morning; the parents were overcome with grief, as it was their only child. We had three barrels of English beer brought up from the hold, which was distributed among the sick. A number of the bottles were broken, owing to the fomentation and strength of the beer.
Tuesday, 7 July--We held funeral services over the remains of the dead child, Elder Fagerberg officiated and preached the funeral sermon. The wind blew heavily from the northwest and many of the Saints were seasick. Monday, 13--This was our washday, and the first mate acted ugly and brutal towards our people. He cut the strings and threw the clothes down on the deck. And just as I was passing with the doctor he (the mate) grabbed Sister Sanders (from Grenaa, Denmark,) in the breast which caused her to scream. I seized him and pulled him away from her with main force and upbraided him for his brutality. While held the mate a number of the sailors and many of our people gathered around; also the captain. I reminded the captain of his promises to me in Liverpool to the effect that he would permit me to settle any difficulty that might arise between the crew and the emigrants and that the sailors should not be permitted to abuse the Saints. Incidentally I also remarked that if the ship’s officers and crew did not treat the emigrants right and humanely there were experienced sailors enough among them to manipulated the ship and bring it [p.12] safely to New York. The captain then called the mate into the cabin and gave him a tongue lashing; he afterwards kept him three days in confinement. It rained hard during the day.
Sunday, 26--The storm continued, though scarcely so severe as on the first day, but the sea was very rough; the wind tore one of the larger sails, blowing portions of it into the sea. We buried two Danish children who had died the previous night; one belonged to Brother Jens [Carl] Osterman [Ostermann], from Grenaa, and the other to a widow from Sjaelland, Denmark. Still another Danish child died the same day.
Monday, 27 July--Rain and contrary wind. We buried the dead child. The doctor and captain insisted on amputating Brother Christiansen’s broken limb, but I objected, and so it was bandaged instead. We distributed special food and drink among the people, in order to alleviate their [p.14] sufferings and cheer them, but a great number of the Saints felt downhearted and discouraged, and some fainted through weakness. During the violent heaving of the vessel a number of beds or berths fell down with people, boxes and valises that were in them, and everything of a moveable nature that could possibly get loose, was tossed about in the ship.
Tuesday, 28--I was taken sick with fever, diarrhea, and severe pains in the stomach. The doctor and captain made another attempt to amputate Brother Christiansen’s broken limb, but he protested so earnestly that they gave it up.
Thursday, 13 August--I went to the bank with drafts and drew $26,777.25 in greenbacks and $1,000 in gold, after which I took passage on a steamer back to the quarantine landing, whence a boat took me to the Emerald Isle. Soon after I came on board anchor was lifted and a tug boat took the vessel in to the city wharf. Here I landed together with the captain and the doctor and put up at the Stevens Hotel.
Friday, 14--I went to Castle Garden and received the emigrants who were landed from the Emerald Isle. After passing through the general routine at the landing offices, we boarded two steamboats which took us a couple of miles up the river to a large shed by the railway station, where we commenced to weigh the baggage and make other preparations for the overland journey.
Life History of William James Kimber:
. . . I left England starting from Liverpool the 20th of June, 1868 on a sailing boat named Emerald Isle. We sailed for eight weeks before landing at Castle Garden in New York, August 14, 1868. Much sickness and some deaths occurred on the vessel due to drinking bad water.
The members of my family which came with me were: Father and Mother, Charles and Elizabeth. We left New York for the west, going by train to Council Bluffs which was located on the Missouri River. We crossed over the river in a ferry boat in a rainstorm. Here we remained for a few days. We then loaded into cattle cars and traveled to Fort Benton which is about four miles from North Platte. This was then the end of the railroad. The time was August 25, 1868. Men who had teams and wagons met us there. The captain of the company was James Rathall from Grantsville. The teamsters names were: James Kirk of Tooele, Utah; Armis Bates of Tooele, Utah; John Rydalsh, Grantsville; and Lou Hales from Grantsville, Utah. We had mule teams. There were about 800 people came when I did. I don’t remember much of our trip across the plains. At Devil’s Gate a fish was caught and it was cooked for my mother’s breakfast.
We got to Salt Lake City, Utah about the 25th of September 1868.
New York, then Onward
On August 11th the ship arrived at the entrance of New York harbor and 30 of the sick were taken ashore on Staten Island. The following day (August 12th) eight other sick people were landed, and finally, after being held in quarantine three days, the rest of the emigrants were landed at Castle Garden, August 14th. On the same day a steamer conveyed the emigrants a few miles up the Hudson River, where they found shelter in a warehouse for a couple of days, while their baggage was being weighed. While staying there a boy belonging to the company died. On the 17th the journey was resumed by railway from New York and the emigrants traveled via Niagara, Detroit and Chicago to Council Bluffs, where they arrived on the 21st. The following day (August 22nd) they were taken across the Missouri River by a steamboat and thence they traveled by the Union Pacific Railroad to Benton, seven hundred miles west of Omaha, arriving there in the morning of August 25th. Here the Church teams met the emigrants and took them to their camp on the Platte River, about six miles from Benton, where they remained till August 31st, when the Scandinavian Saints took up the journey across the mountains by ox train led by Captain John G. Holman, while the English emigrants about the same time left by mule teams. Elder Hiram B. Clawson acted this year as emigration agent for the Church. The English Saints traveling with mule teams could ride, while the Scandinavians traveling with slow ox teams, walked most of the way to Salt Lake City. Sickness continuing to rage among the Scandinavian emigrants, about thirty died between New York and Salt Lake City, where the surviving part of this, the 28th, company of emigrating Saints from Scandinavia arrived on the 25th of September, 1868. . . ."
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