Journal of 1851, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, I spent in Liverpool in assisting and preparing the Saints and getting their luggage aboard the ship Ellen and laying off the berths with Elders [James W.] Cummings, L. Robbins. I lodged with Elder G. Rodger at Number 5 Moor Place, London Road till the 6th.
Sunday I took dinner with Brother Collinson, at 6 o'clock evening attended the meeting at the music hall. In Bold St. Elder Rodger opened by prayer. Elder Cummings made a few remarks and bore testimony to the fullness of the gospel followed by [-] and myself, I.D. Roofs, W. Gibson, Brother J. Marsden and President O. [Orson] Pratt. We had a good meeting.
Monday the 6 we went aboard of the vessel Ellen about 12 o'clock. Left the Brunswick Basin, [p . 1] with 470 Saints bound for New Orleans. We left the dock with singing some of the songs of Scotland. She was towed out in the River Mersey by the steam tugboat and cast anchor and lay there till the 8th. About 6 o'clock in the morning the steam tug towed us out about 25 miles. After she left us we had a fair wind and making good progress till about 12 o'clock. A schooner run afoul of us and took off our jib boom and main and foreyard arms which gave the ship a sudden shock but no other damage to the ship. This added a little more to the pleasant sensation of seasickness and the most of the Saints were sick. And a fine sensation it was to those that could enjoy the sea to stand and be all around him the articles so well employed, [p. 2] and I assure you that I had my hands full. After the captain had succeeded in lashing up one of the arms, he run the ship in Cardigan Bay, Studdwell Roads, Pwllheli Harbor, on the Welsh Coast 7 miles from Pwllheli. We cast anchor about 4 o'clock on the 9th and lay there till the 23rd.
10&11. The days were spent in cleaning and organizing, counseling & c. We organized the steerage in 12 companies of 10 berths each and a president over each whose duty it was to see to order and cleanliness, cooking & no evil speaking or hardness, &c. We also appointed Elder H. J. Hudson & Elder John Varnham to superintend the cooking and to see that prayers was attended to both night & morning. We also appointed a commissary of 8 to deal out the ship allowance, and gave the Saints some instructions. [p. 3]
Sunday - at 12 o'clock We called all that could get up on deck and held a meeting. Elder J. [James] W. Cumming [Cummings] opened by prayer, and gave them some instructions on the organization of the ship, and Elder J. [Jonathan] Grimshaw read the appointment of Elder Cummings to preside over the company and myself & William Moss, his counselors. The appointment on the mo [UNCLEAR POSSIBLY, motion of] Grimshaw & Lees was unanimous. Also his counselors after President Cummings had made a few remarks on order. I followed him and gave them other instruction for the benefit of their health, union and love that the blessings of heaven might be with us, &c. I closed at 4 o'clock. Elder [Samuel] Lees preached followed by myself and closed. It was a fine day.
13. Monday - We gave out one weeks provisions. It was a wittish [UNCLEAR POSSIBLY, wettish] rough day.
14. The day was rough & rainy. At 8 o'clock in the evening we called [p. 4] the presidents of the different departments together and had a prayer meeting to ask the Lord to prosper us on our journey and turn the wind to our favor and cause the destroyer to pass by us and give us power over the disease that might prey in our midst and to prosper us in this our lawful undertaking in keeping the commandments. We had a joyful time and the Lord heard and answered our prayers.
15. Wednesday - It was a wettish day and at 2 o'clock in the morning of 16th, the child of Hannah Hemingray five weeks old died.
16. It was a very rough day. We made a coffin for it and on the [-] sent it [-]. In the evening I gave the Saints in the steerage some counsel on the order of cooking and exhorted them [p. 5] to be patient and endure the inconvenience of cooking and strive to make each other happy and administer to the wants of the sick, and endure the little difficulties with joy. Looking forward to the day of reward and desired the blessings of God to be with us in all our journeyings and deliver us with those that had already got safe to the mountains of Israel and rejoice with them in the fat valleys of Ephraim.
17. - It was a rough wet day. In the evening we held a prayer meeting.
18. - It was a fine day, but head wind.
19. - Sunday at 12 o'clock Elder Cummings preach in the steerage and at 2 o'clock he followed Elder Moss who spoke a short time in the cabin. At 8 o'clock I preach in the cabin. There were a good number of the [p. 6] crew, first & second mates and carpenter. I spoke on the fall and redemption of man and the coming forth of the gospel, the gathering, gifts & blessings &c followed by Elder Cummings.
20. I went ashore for water and bread. It was a wet day. I got wet through.
21. - The provisions were given out and at 8 o'clock the first cheers [UNCLEAR] were given out. (It was a fine day) we also got two tons of coal on our own expense -- cost 1-16-0. I collected it.
22. It was a fair day, wind northwest. I spent the day in writing and in the evening we held a meeting. Elder Cummings opened by prayer and made a few remarks. I followed and said if we stayed here much longer, I feared they would not like to leave. Therefore I [p. 7] felt to say we should leave on the morrow and if you wish to go to say amen to it and the Saints resounded to it with a hearty amen. We had a good meeting.
23. We weighed anchor at 11 a.m. with the wind against us, and had to tack ship 4 times to gain 10 miles, We had a fine day and a fine breeze of wind but not in our favor. The ship rolled about, all day & night. And on the 24 it was fair but wind not fair. George Morris' little child, Sarah Morris, died about 9 o'clock, twelve weeks old one of three twins, all wrapped in canvas and put weight to its feet and dropped it in the water feet first about 8 o'clock.
25. It was rainy and rough all [p. 8] day, and at night the wind stopped and the ship rolled a good deal.
26. Sunday - It was not fit to hold meeting on deck on the account of the wet. At 8 o'clock I spoke to a few of the Saints in the steerage. We had a rough night.
27. It was a little better till at 4 o'clock we had a rough sea, high winds and a calm and a rough night. The pans flew in all directions.
28. A wet forenoon and rough heavy sea. A meeting at night in the cabin. It continued rough.
29. It was a rough day. At night I preached in the steerage. [p. 9]
30. I was baking - fixing the guard round the hatchway &c.
31 - We had not cleared the sounding of the channel. It was a continuation of head wind for the last nine days. The wind change in our favor a little. About 8 o'clock Jemima Ward died, 7 years, 11 weeks, 84 days old. She was buried in the sea about 11 o'clock at night.
February, the first. The wind was in the stern. Sea rough. Sailed 9 to 10 knots an hour.
2. Sunday - It was a fair day. Elder Joseph Taylor preach on deck followed by Elder Kirk, myself, & Elder Cummings. The most of the Saints was on deck. At 7 o'clock Elder Kirk preach a spirited discourse in the steerage followed by Elder John Wheeler.
3. It was a fine, day wind not high.
4. Tud. [UNCLEAR POSSIBLY, Tuesday] - It was a fine day. At 10 a.m. we were stopped by a vessel from Dimerari. [UNCLEAR POSSIBLY, Dimelari] She had lost her rudder. Our captain [p. 10] could do nothing for them. We had fine wind and good nights rest. The Saints that had suffered by seasickness are upon deck getting a little fresh air and enjoying themselves in the sun. At night we called a meeting in the steerage and organized the Priesthood. Elder S. [Samuel] J. Lees was chosen to preside & Elders William Stones & Edward [W.] Clark his counselors of the elders. Priest - William Laken, president & Henry Sanders [Saunders] & John Elliott & Henry Green. President of teachers - John Winter & John Given and gave them some instruction &c.
5. - It was a fine day.
6. - It was a fine day.
7. - It was a fine day and we had all the Saints on deck and cleaned out below or in the steerage and smoke the same with tar, and sprinkled on the floor a dilution of mixture to prevent [p. 11] disease.
8. - A fine day.
S. 9. - Sunday the 9 [SIC] We held a fast day at half past 10 a.m. Elder John Wheeler preach on the poop deck on the first principles of the gospel, followed by Elder Cummings & myself. At 2 o'clock we partook of the sacrament. It was a day of rejoicing to the Saints. At 5 o'clock Elder H. [ Henry] Kirk preached followed by Elder Joseph E. Taylor.
10. It was a fine day.
11. It was the finest morning that we had received since we left L-pool, [Liverpool] the wind had been very steady from the eastward for the last 11 days ( we run from 3 to 9 miles an hour).
12. It was a fine day.
13. It was raining and a little rough all night. Brother James Wright was taken unwell. On the 8 proceeded from a cold he was up till [p. 12] the 12. On the 11 Captain Phillips gave him two bilious pills. He sat in one of the little boats under the sail and went to sleep. He caught more cold and it settled in the glands of his throat. There being a small portion of calimun [UNCLEAR POSSIBLY, calomel] in the pills it through him in a dry salivation which made its appearance on the 14th. On the 12 we took him in the first cabin and attended on him and administered to him several times. We could get nothing to operate on him. On the 14 - 25 min past ten o'clock he died. He was not quite 18 years of age. I assisted in laying him out and sewing him up and tying a sufficient weight of rock salt to his feet in a sack and laid him on the lee side of the vessel and gave out hymn on the 1 Page. [THE JOURNAL OF JONATHAN GRIMSHAW (p.10) INDICATES THIS WAS PAGE 184] The services was led by Elder J. [Jonathan] Grimshaw and Elder [p. 13] [Death of J. Wricht [Wright] IS WRITTEN AT TOP OF PAGE 14] J. [James] W. Cummings engage in prayer. Samuel Patterson [Paterson] & Jacob Pochin [Pochen] raised up the board, I clasped my hand on his head and pushed him in the sea at six minutes before one o'clock in latitude 24-28 north, longitude 31 - 20 West. There was many of the Saints on the deck to witness the solemn scene and pay their last respects to our much esteemed and departed Brother until the first resurrection. In the evening we held a fellowship meeting in our cabin.
15. It was a fine day, the sea smooth.
16. Sunday at 10 o'clock a.m. Elder Cummings preached a short but interesting discourse on the death of James Wright on the deck. I followed him. At 2 the sacrament was administered. [p. 14] At 6 I spoke a short time on the gathering. The wind was so high I had to stop.
17. - A fine day. We run from 12 o'clock the 16 to 12 o'clock on the 17. 240 miles.
18. - A fine day.
19. - Fine day, meeting on the poop deck. Elder S. [Samuel] J. Lees preach on the rest promised for the righteous.
20. - A fine day - the measles had abated, the Saints were all well.
21. - Friday the wind ceased in a measure and contained so till the [-] we run about 3 miles an hour.
22. A fine day.
23. Sunday at 11 o'clock a.m. Elder H. [Henry] Kirk preach or lectured on the reception of the Bible or the manner in which it was received and the way it come forth, and the objections that were raised by the [p. 15] councils and bishops &c. At 2 o'clock the sacrament was administered. At 6 o'clock Elder Cummings preach on the principle of predestination. I spent the evening with Captain Phillips. Annett [Annette] Grace died 15 months old.
24. It was warm and much wind.
25. It was warm.
26. Harriett Eliza Allen, the wife of William W. Allen of Birmingham died about 3 o'clock in the morning. (She had the fever.) The wind was stronger, we passed Seret [Montserrat] Island.
27. Had a good wind.
28. The wind continued good. Levi W. Allen the son of the [-] age [-] (died) on the 28 of Feb.1851 - born on the 20 of Jan. 50 March the first. The wind was favorable.
2. - Sunday - Ophelea [Ophelia] Jane Lees, daughter of Sam & Abigail [p. 16] Lees born in the parish of Sheffield Yorkshire on the 23 of July 1850, died on the 2 of March 1851. Had meeting on the deck at 11 & 6 o'clock. The following week was warm and part of the time a calm. On the 8th William Morris, son of George & Anne Morris died.
9. - Sunday - at 11 o'clock the elders had a meeting on deck and a vote of thanks was given to the commissary. The presidents of the divisions, president of Elders Quorum, President Cummings & his counselors, Elder S. J. Lees presented to Elder Cummings a gold albert guard and to his counselors a bowie knife each as a token of respect, for the good order & counsel they had given &c. (Had head wind on the 9&10).
10. Monday - had a fine day.
11. A fine day.
12. Fair wind and fair day. At night Elders James Orwin was cut off for rebelling against counsel & manifesting a bad spirit and the meeting of elders adjourned from the house to the poop deck and his case was laid before the Saints and approved. Also a vote of thanks was given to the Captain Phillips for his kindness to us.
13. A fine day at 10 a.m. the steamtug, "Congress", hitched on us and at 18 minutes past 11 we crossed the bar and the Mississippi tugboat towed us [p. 18] and the Brigg, "George L. Abbott" from Charleston, and one schooner from [-] to New Orleans.
14. Little rainy. We cast anchor a [-] Point at 11 o'clock and lay there till 10 o'clock on the [-].
15. We then was towed in to port and landed about 11 o'clock. Elder Cummings and myself went into the town and chartered the steamboat "Alex Scott" to carry us to St. Louis for $2.50 per head adults and $1.25 for children from 3 years old to 12 years.
16. Sunday - spent on board (Sarah Wall, infant of Frederick and Sarah Wall died) and the ship was moved to the upper landing.
17. The [-] spirit [-] bore [-] Elders. [p. 19]
18. We had our goods taken from the ship to the steamer and several of the boxes got broke, at 8 o'clock we left for [St. Louis].
19. St. Louis 19-20 & 21
20. It was fair weather. Lydia & Mary Hay was sick-
22. At or near 11 o'clock evening Eliza Geeson, daughter of Richard & Eliza Geeson, died "disease affects of the measles,"
23. Sunday. At 9 o'clock evening. Elder Cummings preach in the cabin by request of the passengers, I followed. The hearers seemed well satisfied.
24. - The corpse of Eliza Geeson was interred on the banks of the river on [-] Point 12 miles below New Madrid in Missouri. At one o'clock we passed the vessel of "Ohio River".
25. We landed at St. Louis about 11 o'clock. The number of Saints was 448. We had 13 deaths between Liverpool and St. Louis.
The majority of the Saints got their luggage off and got houses to go to the same day, and many of those that wished for employment got it in and at the same time. I got in with Brother (Elder) Thomas Wrigley, Market Street between 9 and 10. No- Also Elder J.W. Cummings & Elder Brewerton & Hans Topham.
We spent the remainder of the week with the Saints and was received with the warmest of feelings both on landing and calling to see them. We found Elder William Cutler [p. 21] in a poor state of health.
Sunday the 30th met with the Saints in Concert Hall, Market Street at 10 a.m. I made a few remarks followed by Elder T. Margetts and others, took dinner at Brother Hindley's at 2 met at the above place. Elders Robbinson, [Robinson] Wrigley, Cummings & Gibson occupied the time. Each one given a short but spirited exhortation. Met at 7 again - Elder Wrigley who had been chosen president of the St. Louis Branch on the resignation of President Robbinson [Robinson] gave a short exhortation and counsel to those that purposed to stop at St. Louis followed by Elders Robbinson, [Robinson] Cummings, myself, Gibson & others.
31. I met Elder Cummings at one Wale & Scott to see if we could charter a boat to take us to Council Bluffs, could not the water being low. We wrote a letter [p. 22] to Elder Hyde, F. [Franklin] D. Richards at Liverpool and one to Elder Rodger .
April the first, spent the week in the town. We called a meeting at Elder T. Wrigley's. At 6 o'clock and appointed a committee to inquire the prices of groceries, flour &c for our fit out to the Valley, they met on the 3, Thursday and gave in their report at T. Wrigley's
Sunday the 6th at 11 Elder T. Margetts preach. At 2 Elder Cummings and myself occupied the time.
The 7, 8, & 9 we spent the time in purchasing our outfit. On the 10 we chartered the steamboat "Sacramento" to take us to the Bluffs, fare $5 an adult and one dollar per hundred. We were allowed one hundred to [-] [p. 23] adult fare. We got aboard to the 12. Number of passengers 225, 175 adults at $5.00 a head we agreed for 150 adults [WRITTEN ON LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE: Wednesday the 16 Henry, the son of William Thorne, fell over board and was drowned). We left on the 13 Sunday morning, had fine weather during the week, and stayed at Sybley on the 19th. Left on Sunday morning the 20th. We had fine weather during the following week till Friday the 25, it was a little rainy. Saturday the 26th a fine day.
Sunday the 20 at 11 o'clock, I preached in the cabin by the request of the cabin passengers on the gospel. At 6 Elder Cummings preach.
Sunday the 27 - we made 8 miles headway and at 4 o'clock [p. 24] got on a sandbar and lay there till the 30, about 100 miles below Kanesville. On the 30, Elizabeth Bladen, the daughter of Thomas & Mary Bladen, died of the inflammation in the bowels. She was taken to Kanesville and buried where we landed on Friday evening, the 2 of May.
May the 31st. We got our things off, it was a very windy day. My brother Harry came down to the boat and took me and wife to my father's house who live 10 miles from Kanesville on Keg Creek. We arrived there about 10 o'clock, found them well. The following week I went to Kanesville and returned home and was sick the [p. 25] remainder of the week.
Sunday the 11. Attended the meeting and saw Elder [-] Snow who was appointed to travel in Pottawatamie County and organized branches. After considerable had been said and several spirits had manifested themselves, and a good deal of opposition. I was appointed to preside & Samuel Smith and Elisha Davis was chosen my counselors. I had the faith and confidence of the Saints of the Keg Creek Branch while we remained there. I spent my time in helping my father on the farm. My health was not very good during the summer. In the winter spent some of the time in hunting deer with [p. 26] my youngest brother John. We were very lucky in killing deer. Nothing of much importance transpired to me while in Pottawatamie, for the winter of 51 &52. Elder E. Benson spent his time in Pottawatamie in visiting & counseling the Saints to go to the Valley and in the Spring of 52 the majority of the Saints left for Salt Lake Valley.
1852 I left Keg Creek on the 9 of June with my father, mother, John, & Sarah, & Edward Milward, Henry Conklin for Salt Lake. On the 23rd crossed the Missouri River and on the 24 continued our journey with no accident worthy of note. We arrived in Salt Lake City on the eight of Sept. . . . [p. 27]
BIB: Dunn, Crandell. 1817-1898. Journals, 1842-1880. [LDS Church Archives, Ms 1561, fd. 3, vol 3, pp.1-16,18-19,21-27; Acc. #19057] (CHL
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