. . . We remained in Yorkshire when at conference time we all met together to attend conference at Sheffield. I was nearly 14 years of age at this time; sang in the church choir, and was getting pretty well acquainted with the young people in the church.

At this time polygamy was taught in all their churches. And of course, with such zealous parents, I thought it was the only church. I taught a class in Sunday School at that tender age.

At the conference a great many leading ministers were there and among the rest was a Joseph Young, a son of Brigham Young, and also Chancy G. Webb. Both of them were sent from Salt Lake as missionaries. I remember distinctly them spending the evening at one of the Saints houses, as they were called at that time.

I conversed with Joseph Young. He asked me if I would like to go to Zion. Why, it was the height of my ambition. I told him not only would I be delighted to go, but that all of the Saints in Great Britain would be glad to go. I did not have the least idea that I would go or would have any opportunity.

Oh, how the people would flock to hear these missionaries and they were so very eloquent in their discourse. But because they came from Zion, they had quite a series of meetings and as father and mother and I were walking to the conference house where all the ministers and families were cared for during conference, father says, "Daughter, I have good news for you. We are going to Zion this year and will have to get ready, [p.5] as the last ship of the year that will carry Saints will start near the last of May 1856." Oh, how happy we all felt. We were to be with the faithful that were to be gathered to the tops of the mountains to escape the judgement of God that was to be poured out among the nations. That we would be safely anchored there under the teachings of the Prophet Brigham Young. . . . I will continue to relate my trip upon the ocean from my native land to the United States. I started on the ship Horizon, a new emigrant vessel manned by an American crew and captain who had crossed the Atlantic many times.

The last Sunday we met to worship as we were a company of Latter-day Saints, the captain made a short speech as a farewell to his passengers, thanking us for the good conduct of the people and their happiness and pleasure. He enjoyed the order and their religious views in associating with such lovely order that was maintained on the journey form Liverpool, Old England to Boston, Massachusetts, where the captain's family resided, which came on the pilot's steamer tug that took us to the harbor till our turn would arrive to land at their pier.

On the journey, he would invite me on the quarter-deck to witness the passing vessels, as we journeyed, through his glasses for he thought I would enjoy them. There were 50 young men and 75 young ladies in number and 900 emigrants, all Latter-day Saints intending to go to Salt Lake Valley that year. Set sail on May 25, 1856. Arrived in there in November 29 of the same year.

The extreme of the railway west was Iowa City. 2miles from the city was the camp of those Latter-day Saints or Mormons, as you please to call them, in tents and were preparing their outfits to cross the plains with wagons and mules and horses and also ox teams and I think 3 trains of companies of handcarts for humans to draw weekly supplies like a regiment of soldiers. . . . [p.6]

. . . I was 14 years old in the year 1856 as we arrived in there [SALT LAKE CITY]. . . . [p.7]

BIB: Goodaker, Lydia Franklin. Autobiography (formerly in Msd 2050), pp. 5-7. (CHL).
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