Williamsburg, July 31, 1856.

President John Taylor: Dear Brother: Having read in the "Mormon" that you had not received any account of our passage from the old country; we beg to give you a few items of our voyage from Liverpool to Boston.

We sailed from Liverpool on the second day of June, and arrived in Boston on the 10th of July, 1856, in good health and spirits.

On Sunday, the 18th of June, Elder Thomas Williams, came on board with a letter from President Franklin D. Richards, stating that Elder John Aubrey from Birmingham, was appointed to preside over the Saints on board the ship Wellfleet. The Saints unanimously acknowledge the appointment, Elders Ephraim Tollitson and Peter McCain were nominated as counselors. The Saints on board were divided into 7 Wards, and a president appointed over each--namely, Elders George Reed, Stephen Stanford, Robert McKendrick, Samuel Lindsay, Henry Normon, Charles. Wilkinson, John Nash. [p.1]

10 July 1856

We had a very comfortable voyage, and little sickness; the government officers said that they had not seen a more healthy ship load of emigrants come into Boston for a long time back. In consequence of a majority of the passengers on board not being Saints, we were obliged to appoint brethren, one upon each side of the ship, to stand as watchman, 4 hours in turn. The wards were cleaned up every morning, before the Saints rose from their berths, prayer meetings were held at 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. in all the wards. At the request of Captain Westcott we had preaching on deck twice and he attended in company with another captain who was on board. Captain Westcott had the deck washed up ready for our meeting; we had also one prayer meeting on the forecastle about 9 o'clock on the evening of June 20th.

We are glad to say that we had a very pleasant voyage and very calm weather with the exception of about four days.

The Saints were very highly eulogized for their cleanliness, both by the captain, Westcott, steward and doctor. The captain was kind to the Saints and very often had them upon the deck either singing or dancing in an evening when the weather was favorable so that we enjoyed ourselves innocently and time passed on comfortably. Before leaving the ship, testimonial were presented by the Saints to President Aubrey and counselors. President Aubrey seems to be a first rate man; a man of God, and the blessing of Israel's God will attend him where ever he goes.[p. 2]

BIB: Tillotson, Ephraim and Eli Smith, [Letter], IN Journal History, July 10, 1856, pp. 1-2. (CHL)
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