Wednesday 22 went to the office and got at ticket which entitled me to a berth on board of the Clara Wheeler.
Thursday we near river out of the dock. The Saints all seem to be in good spirits and we sang several hymns appropriate to the circumstance. [p.36]
Friday 24 We were organized into wards I was put to preside over a district.
Saturday 25 We under went a general inspection.
Sunday 26 We had three meetings and the Saints felt to rejoice that they are began [beginning] their journey.
Monday 27 We set sail at past 2 o'clock. The steam packet took us down the river and then left us, but the wind was not in our favor, but to the contrary and we were blown about until Wednesday morning and made but little progress when a pilot boat came along side ours and informed the captain that it was not safe to stop where we were as the sea was heaving very high and the wind was blowing very strong and nearly all of the passengers on board suffered more or less from seasickness. As for myself I was very ill up [to] the time that we started all the time that they cast anchor which we did on Wednesday morning as our vessel was brought back in safety to Liverpool nothing of any importance took place up to Friday, the 3 of December, when Brother F. [Franklin] D. Richards came on board and his presence seemed to [p.37] cheer the Saints a great deal. He also informed us that he had heard that there had been two or three deaths on board but it was not so, as there had not been anyone dead. On his taking leave of us he stood on the bulwarks and took off his hat and blessed us and told us that we should yet have a good voyage. The kind manner in which he spoke broke brought many tears to the eyes of many of the Saints.
Saturday 2 The wind still. Remained in the same quarter.
Sunday 3 We had good meetings during the day. Brother Parsons [John Parson] delivered a very interesting discourse in our ward. In the evening we heard that a vessel that left the port the same day as us suffered shipwreck and all the passengers and crew lost not far from the place where we turned back. It made me feel that the hand of the Lord was over us for good and it is my faith with all the rest of my brothers and sisters that we shall have a good passage.
Wednesday 6 We had a fast day in order that the Lord might cause the wind to change as we felt that we had been lying in the river long enough. We had three meetings during the day.
Thursday 7 The wind became calm and we set sail at 2 o'clock. The pilot remains with us until Sunday morning. During the day [p.38] that is Sunday, we had a good view of Ireland. It was a very fine day. I wrote the last letter home on that day and we had two meetings. There was a infant [which] died in the evening and was buried in the sea.
Tuesday 12 There was another death.
Wednesday 13 In the evening there was another ship past us and was very nearly running into ours.
Thursday 14 There was another death.
Friday 15 There was an English ship passed us. It came along side and asked us where we were going. There was a child dead that day.
Saturday 16 There was a French ship passed us in the morning.
Thursday 21 This morning Brother Charles Ockey's [Oakey's] child died. Up to this time there has been 8 deaths, 6 of them are small children. The weather has been very mild and fine this last few days. We also [had] a fast day yesterday and in our meeting outdoors the weather is very warm. We begin to put on our summer clothes. The passengers do lie about on the deck as the children do in the month of May in England. We see fish sometimes the size of pigs jump out of the water. They call them porpoises. [p.39]
Sunday 24 We held a meeting on deck. It was very fine and up to this time the sun shine nearly twelve hours.
Monday, being Christmas day, it was very fine, the warmest that I ever knew. We had a pork pie and some dumpling for our dinner and I felt to enjoy it much.
1855 Monday, January 1. Yesterday we held our meeting out on the main deck. Today Brother Ockey [Oakey] had another child die. Henry was his name.
Saturday 6 There has been 20 deaths up to this time Brother Ockey's [Oakey's] youngest child died on the 2 of this month. It was very wet on Thursday last. It rained nearly all day. The wind is blowing very hard this morning. I have been on deck with expecting to see land but am disappointed yet but I expect to see it today or tomorrow.
Thurs. We saw land at seven o'clock in the morning to our great joy. After inquiring we found it to be the Island of Abaco and the Hole in the Rock lighthouse. In the afternoon we saw the Island of Berry [ISLANDS IN THE BAHAMAS]. We lay to all night as it was not safe to go on there is so many rocks in that place. [p.40]
Saturday We saw the island of Bemim and the lighthouse and a great many ships along the coast. Monday we saw the island of Flornea [POSSIBLY, Florida] and the by west Lighthouse [UNCLEAR] and Sunday we were in Providence Channel and Gulf Stream. Monday we were in the Gulf of Flornea. Today we are in the Gulf of Mexico.
Wednesday morning 10. At 10 o'clock we came in sight of the mouth of the Mississippi River and the steam packet came and took [-] of the ship. But it was not strong enough to pull us and we got fast in the mud and was obliged to have another to pull us off. We soon got into the river and the steamer took us and two more up the river.
Thursday 11 It was a very fine morning and it was a fine sight to see the nice little cottages alongside of the river. Arrived in New Orleans at 3 o'clock. Went on shore and bought some provisions. Returned to the ship in the evening.
Friday 12 Went on shore in the morning and went to the market with some of the Saints to get some things. Took breakfast in the market. At 2 o'clock the steamboat came alongside and after having our boxes [p.41] inspected we put them on board of the steamboat. Started at 6 o'clock on our way up the Mississippi River & stopped at 50 miles up on account of the fog. Many of us went on shore and had some talk with the Negroes and they give us some things.
Saturday 13 Went on shore when the boat stopped and bought some butter and milk of the natives.
Tuesday 14 Past the city Natchez. There was a brother that was likely to be left ashore. They took in a number of mules and one of them got loose and knocked a man overboard and they stopped to pick him up. The poor man was most exhausted by the time the mate reached him.
Monday 15 There was a man missing and it was supposed that he had fallen overboard. Past Pittsburgh at 10 o'clock in the morning.
Tuesday 16 Went on shore at Columbia.
Thursday evening 18 Arrived at Memphis. A woman died.
Sunday 21 Stopped at shore in the wood. A number of us went on shore and made a large fire in the wood. It was very cold. [p.42]
Monday 22 We arrived at St. Louis at 5 o'clock in the evening but we had to break through a great deal of ice Brother Snow and Andruse [POSSIBLY, Andrews] came on board the same evening.
Tuesday 23 We removed to the basement of the church.
Wednesday 24 Went in search of employment but got none.
Friday 26 Moved to a room along with Brother Hockey.
Sunday 28 Attended the meetings all day.
Monday 29 Went to work a getting ice and remained at it three days.
Friday February 2 Got a view of a opportunity to go up the country.
Sunday 4 Attended church all day.
Thursday 8 Worked for one Mr. Washburn
Friday 9 Met in the basement of the church to have my name put down to go up the country.
Sunday Attended the church all day. [p.43]
Saturday 17 Left St. Louis on board of "Igaulden Steal" [NAME OF STEAMBOAT IS UNCLEAR] for St. Joseph.
. . .Started to cross the plains the 5th of June 1855. Arrived in Salt Lake the 15th of Aug. 1855. . . .[p.47]
BIB: Thatcher, George. Reminiscences and journal. (Ms 8273) pp. 36-43, 47. (A)
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