Rasmus Nielsen and family left Denmark for Utah 19 Dec.1853 by ferry from Frederica to Strebe. From there in two wagons through Odense to Nyberg. Then by train to Copenhagen; Christmas day 1853 took steamer to Lybeck. From Lybeck, 14 miles by rail stopped 3 days; saw many large and fine buildings some six and eight stories high which was new to us. Bought many small things which were cheap, then took train to Jiuskstad. Here we found our company of 400 quartered in large hall until 7 January, 1854, because harbor was covered with ice. We were nearly all sea sick due to the fact that we were on the water 58 hours. We landed at Hull, England after sailing 150 miles. One child died. The same evening we went by train to Liverpool 10 January. We had to sleep on the floor on straw. Had many trials and many were sick. We ate our first white bread. We bought factory thread and small things. We lay in Liverpool 15 days and went aboard 22 January on a large 3 mast ship with Benjamin Adams. We had good beds and white bread, tea, sugar and 3 gallons of water.
We can now have meeting, sing and pray. We were visited by English missionaries, but could not converse. We bought $1,000 canvas for tents and held conference. We were divided into five companies, 400 Saints and 150 Irish Catholics. We are waiting for wind to sail. We fasted and prayed for good wind. The Lord heard our prayer. [p.121]
On February 2 the steamer towed us from England 76 miles. May our Heavenly Father give us good luck, health and wind to get to America.
Sunday we held meeting and seven couples were married, in the afternoon a child was born.
On February 9 a big storm arose and we could see rough water go over deck.
On February 11 we had good wind and we sailed 12 miles. Two died from Lolland.
February 17 stormed waves over deck, many were sick.
February 20 no wind, weather warm, saw large ship. We are sailing fine, we are sewing our tents for the plains.
February 23, two died, heavy poor wind.
February 26 held meeting and two were married.
February 29, one died.
On March 1, we have our tents ready.
March 2, sailing good, saw whales, shark and flying fish. Sailing 60 miles a day, one died.
March 6, we saw land, about 200 Danish miles to America. We saw land, a high mountain 2 miles south of us.
March 8, we saw Cuba north of us.
March 9, held counsel meeting some are weak in the faith, some low in means to take them through, some have little, some have none. All must help so none are left in New Orleans.
March 17, we are drifting back 200 miles to America. Poor conditions, long journey, many sick and down hearted, going backward and forward for 8 days.
March 20, big steam ship came to us which gladdened our hearts. It was grand to see U.S.A. land and trees with oranges on.
March 22, we landed in New Orleans Harbor, found steamboat passage 23, bought things for the journey. Two o'clock we went aboard the steamboat, the blacks carried our baggage.
March 25, we went aboard to sail up the river to Kansas City, saw beautiful trees and meadows and buildings. In the evening, the ship went [p.122] aground and had to be helped to get off by daylight.
This evening my wife took sick with cramps in hands and feet which caused her to vomit. March 26 was dark and cold, she could not stand to have clothes on, medicine did not help her, she could not speak and she suffered tremendously. March 26, at two o'clock she died.
March 27, our boat went aground again but came loose. There are three dead early this morning. This is the last Rasmus Nielsen wrote.
The next day he died, March 28. This account was recorded by C. E. Nielsen, his son. My youngest sister is sick, at 5 o'clock she died. Next day Christnis died. The deaths in this family in three days: Father, Mother, three sisters, two brothers. On March 28, at 8 o'clock father and sister were buried in the same grave.
The next we continued our journey to Kansas City. Stopped at Westfort a month, got outfit ready to cross plains, measles broke out. I, C. E. Nielsen, came nearly dying for want of care and was sick all the way to Salt Lake City. Father's journal records 46 deaths before his death, about half died that started. Leaving Denmark on 19 Dec.1853, we landed at Salt Lake Valley 5 Oct. 1854. [p.123]
BIB: Nielsen, Rasmus. [Reminiscences], Utah Pioneer Biographies, vol. 32, pp. 121-23. (FHL)
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