1855-09-05-Cynosure
A Compilation of General Voyage Notes
Source: BMR, Book #1040, pp. 204-214 (FHL #025,690); Customs (FHL #175,512)
This ship left the dock at Liverpool, July 28th, 1855, and sailed the following day for New York, where she arrived, after a pretty fair voyage, on the morning of September 5th, at Castle Garden, they being one of the first companies of Latter-day Saints which were accommodated in that historic building, which had opened for emigration purposes a short time previous. This was a very agreeable surprise to the emigrants, as it gave them time to make their arrangements, etc., while those who wished to go further could do so without incurring expenses for lodging. In New York, the emigrants were received by Apostle John Taylor and his assistants, N. H. Felt and Elder Robbins, and by the active exertions of W. H. Miles and Charles Davey, were soon comfortably housed; and before long most of the men found employment. There were several miners from Wales, who went to Pennsylvania and there located, while some went to other localities. Most of them subsequently came to Utah."
Autobiography of Samuel Handy
Source: Handy, Samuel. Autobiography (Special Collections, File MS #92) pp. 11-14 (Utah State University)
We were nearly 6 weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and landed in New York, at Castle Garden with about $15.00 in cash in my pocket. Stayed at Castle Garden about 3 days. Then went to Williamsburg where we stayed till about Christmas.
My sons, William and Joseph, were both baptized at Castle Garden on the 7th day of September 1855 by Ebenezer Bunten [Bunting]. Mary was baptized also at the same time by Brother Bunten.
Joseph was sick on board ship and after his baptism was confirmed by W. Rogers on the 14th of Sept., he died on the 18th and was buried on the [p.12] 20th of September 1855 at Flatbush, New York.
At Williamsburg, we suffered for food. I was searching for employment for about 2 months, and finally obtained employment at Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey, where I lived two winters and one summer. I was chopping cord wood through the winter, and worked loading schooners & other kinds of employment in the summer. I saved money enough at this place to take me to Iowa City, & my employers loaned me $20.00 to help me on my way. The employer that loaned me the money was named Edward Ivins his wife was a good Latter-day Saint. The part of New Jersey were we lived was swampy & well timbered--we lived close by the seashore; we could get plenty of fish cheap, and lived much better than we did in England.
When we left Toms River in the spring of the year 1857 we sailed on a schooner to New York City, and took the ferry boat for Jersey City, where we got aboard the railway for Iowa City in the state of Iowa.
Nearly all the money we had we spent in railroad fare. There was one more family left New York when we did and traveled with us to the terminus of the railroad.
Diary of William John Silver
Source: Silver, William John, Diary, (Ms 2199-CHL) Acc. #33004 pp. 2-4
5. Came in sight of New York and soon landed at Castle Garden. Several brothers from the Mormon office came to see us.
6. President John Taylor came to see us and we was into lodgings in Brooklyn.
