Two hundred ninety-four Saints (including children) joined President Forsgren as he left Copenhagen to come to Utah after filling his mission. A great multitude, comprised of the Saints and the curious, were at the wharf on December 20, 1852, to see the company sail on the steamship "Obotrit" for Kiel. And the curious were blasphemous at seeing "that Swedish Mormon Priest" (meaning President Forsgren) take so many of their countrymen with him. However, no violence resulted.

There were storms encountered on the way to Kiel, and after a railroad trip to Hamburg, the Saints boarded the steamship "Lion" which sailed for Hull, England, on Christmas Day. A severe storm was raging on the North Sea, a storm which claimed about one hundred fifty ships, and the people of Hull were greatly surprised when the "Lion" appeared on the horizon.

After a train ride to Liverpool, the emigrating Saints went aboard the packet ship Forest Monarch, which was hauled out of the dock and anchored in the River Mersey on the last day of the year. Here the ship lay at anchor for two weeks awaiting favorable winds. In this interval three of the company died, two babies were born, and three fellow-passengers aboard ship embraced the gospel. One night the ship became entangled with another ship, and sustained some damage. A few days later, during a heavy storm, the Forest Monarch got adrift, pulling up both anchors, and at just the right moment was saved by two tugboats from running aground. One emigrant had been bitten by a dog, and was counseled to return to shore and wait for the next [p.48] company. So, when the sails were actually hoisted, January 16, 1853, the company under President Forsgren's direction numbered 297.

The Atlantic crossing was tedious. The provisions were poor and the supply of fresh water was inadequate to reach New Orleans where they arrived March 16th. Four deaths and three births occurred.

The company tarried in St. Louis for about a month. Here six of the emigrants died and two couples were married. They sailed up the Mississippi again to Keokuk, Iowa, and it was here that they had their first experience out on the American Plains.

Now they received their oxen and wagons for the journey to Zion. Some of the Scandinavians, disliking the American way of driving oxen in yokes, hitched up these beasts of burden in regular Danish fashion. But they had forgotten one little thing-that the oxen were American. The oxen were half-frightened-to-death, and started out in a wild run. A council meeting was called at which it was decided that it would be easier for the emigrants to learn American ways than it would for the oxen to learn to work with the Danish harnesses.

Many of the oxen, too, had never hitched up before, and this, coupled by many inexperienced drivers, soon added up to many upset wagons in the gulleys and ditches. With thirty-four wagons and about 130 oxen, the company rolled out from the camping grounds near Keokuk on May 21st. In the overland journey, a number of the emigrants died, and many children were born, and a few of the company lost the faith and dropped by the wayside. Finally, on September 30, 1853, the company arrived safely in Great Salt Lake City. . . . [p.49]

BIB: Zobell, Albert L. Jr. Under the Midnight Sun: Centennial History of Scandinavian Missions. 1950. pp. 48-49
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