"DEPARTURE. -- The ship Siddons, Captain Taylor, sailed for Philadelphia Feb. 27, having on board 430 souls of the Saints, of whom 197 intended going through to the Valley this season, 97 being P. [Perpetual] E. [Emigration] Fund emigrants, the whole under the presidency of Elders John S. Fullmer, late pastor; and Isaac Alfed and James Pace, late presidents of conferences. In addition to these elders the following ex-presidents of conferences and travelling elder were on board -- Osman M. Deuel, Andrew Ferguson, and John Dalling. We have appointed elder Fullmer agent and managing conductor of the emigration by the P. [Perpetual] E. [Emigration] Fund hence to Utah this season.
This is the first shipload of Saints that have been sent out to Philadelphia, and we feel a deep interest in their favorable reception at that port, as well as their safe and prosperous journey across the country to Utah. In thus sending home the wheat to the thrashing floor of the Lord, it is with the utmost satisfaction, knowing that such as cannot go immediately through will be received and garnered by such men as
Elder Taylor and assistants in the Atlantic cities, Elders Pratt and Spencer in Cincinnati, and Erastus Snow in St. Louis, in whose counsels the Saints will always find life and salvation, while the poor of God's people will be enabled yearly to progress from one to another of these places, increasing their faith, hope, and charity, until they arrive at the central place in the floor, where Joseph's sheaf stands erect, around which all the sheaves of his brethren bow. God will bless and protect with the right arm of his power those who go in faith to build up Zion."
MS, 17:11 (March 17, 1855), pp. 171-72
"EIGHTY-FOURTH COMPANY. -- Siddons, 430 souls. February 27th, 1855, the ship, Siddons, Captain Taylor, sailed from Liverpool, England, for Philadelphia, having on board four hundred and thirty Saints, of whom one hundred and ninety-seven intended going through to the Valley that season, ninety-seven being P. [Perpetual] E. [Emigration] Fund emigrants. The company was placed under the presidency of Elder John S. Fullmer, assisted by Isaac Allred and James Pace. With the exception of the few Germans who sailed in the Isaac Jeans, this was the first shipload of Saints which was sent out by the presidency at Liverpool, via Philadelphia. The names of all the passengers were published in the Deseret News of June 20th, 1855. After a safe voyage the company arrived in Philadelphia, on the twentieth of April, and from that city the emigrants traveled by rail to Pittsburg, where arrangements were made for their transportation by steamboat down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to St. Louis, Missouri. The river passage coast three dollars for each adult passenger, children half-price; thirty-five cents was paid for every one hundred pounds of extra luggage.
The company arrived in St. Louis May 7th, after a pleasant passage. An infant which was born on board the Siddons died on the river journey. On the day of arrival in
St. Louis, most of the luggage belonging to the company was reshipped on the Polar Star, and on the eighth, one hundred and fifty of the company embarked on that steamer for Atchison, under the presidency of Elders Parson and Ferguson. On Thursday, June 21st, 1855, John S. Fullmer left St. Louis with another company, on board the steamer F. X. Aubry. (Millennial Star, Vol. XVII, pp.171, 201, 378, 458, 490; Desert News of June 20th and August 8th, 1855.)"
Cont., 13:12 (Oct. 1892), p.545-46
"Tues. 27. [Feb. 1855] . . . The ship Siddons sailed from Liverpool, England, with 430 Saints, under the direction of John S. Fullmer. It arrived at Philadelphia April 20th, from which place the company went by rail to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, thence on steamboats down the Ohio river to St. Louis and up the Missouri River to Atchison, Kansas."
CC, p.53
(source abbreviations)