1866-07-16-Kenilworth

A Compilation of General Voyage Notes

… Eleven or twelve persons died during the voyage. Among these was a man who wilfully jumped overboard on July 15th, just as land was in sight. A boat was launched in an endeavor to save him, but without success. The following night the ship anchored off Staten Island, and on the 17th of July the emigrants were landed at Castle Garden, the weather being exceedingly hot. Elder Thomas Taylor, who again acted as emigration agent for the Church in 1866, had experienced much trouble in making the necessary arrangements for transporting the emigrants from New York to Wyoming, Nebraska. The railroad companies, whose lines went out from New York, had apparently planned to speculate at the expense of the 'Mormons,' and hence asked an unusual high price for conveying the emigrants westward. At length, after making a trip to Boston, Elder Taylor succeeded in closing a satisfactory contract for their conveyance, by an entirely new route, which was several hundred miles longer, but much cheaper than the more direct route used to be. On the evening of the same day that the passengers of the 'Kenilworth' were landed at Castle Garden, the emigrants proceeded on their journey on a large freight steamer to New Haven, Connecticut, where they arrived on the morning of July 18th. After staying there a few hours, the journey northward by train was begun, passing through the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to Montreal in Canada. …

Autobiography of Andrew Jenson

Jenson, Andrew, Autobiography of Andrew Jenson (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938) pp. 14-21,26.

…

On Sunday, July 15th, which was a beautiful sunny day, a number of coast vessels were seen in all directions and joy and animation prevailed among the emigrants. A meeting was held at 8:00 o'clock a.m., at which timely instructions were given the emigrants as to how they should act when they landed in New York. About noon some of the officers, looking through their spy glasses, said that land was visible to the northwest, but it was not until 6:00 o'clock p.m. that one of our brethren, looking through his glass, called out with a loud voice, "Land, Land" and soon the green shores of Long Island were observed on our right by everybody. Perhaps only those who for weeks and months have been tossed about on the stormy face of the ocean can appreciate the pleasure of seeing terra firma again. The emigrants who for about two months had been confined to the decks and berths of old Kenilworth appreciated to the fullest extent the change of vision that they enjoyed on this memorable day. The drooping spirits of all were revived and the desire to live in hope of a happy future was manifested universally among the passengers. The men shaved, cut their hair and cleaned up on general principles, while the women began to look for their best dresses in which to attire themselves when the happy privilege of landing should be enjoyed by them. To us, Latter-day Saints, the first sight of America had more than usual significance, as this was the "land of promise," the land of Joseph; about which we had spoken, dreamed, and sung for many years before beholding it.

About the time we began to see land one of the passengers, a young and foolish man, willfully jumped overboard and was drowned. The ship hurriedly turned around, a boat lowered, and a number of sailors manning it, endeavored to save the man, but did not succeed; he sank in the billows to rise no more. It was stated by his friends that he had been induced to emigrate contrary to his wishes and had repeatedly declared that he would never see America, so, when the rest of us began to look so eagerly for land, he, consistent with his resolution, committed suicide by jumping overboard. We passed Sandy Hook after dark, and about midnight anchor was cast off Staten Island, at the entrance of the harbor of New York.

The next morning (July 16) most of the passengers rose early to look at the country. "How beautiful," nearly all exclaimed when we emerged from our quarters on the lower decks and saw the green hills of Staten Island and the tall steeples and magnificent buildings of the cities of New York and Brooklyn in the distance. The pleasant morning breeze wafted the odor of vegetation and flowers from the shore out to us. About 11:00 a.m. the doctor came on board to find that there were no contagious diseases among the emigrants and nothing in the shape of disorder or sickness which would prevent us from landing. Consequently, the anchor was lifted and we sailed into the bay or harbor and anchored a short distance off the city of New York, almost opposite Castle Gardens. As the sun rose higher, the day became very hot and several of the passengers were severely affected by the excessive heat. Elders Thomas Taylor and William H. Folsom (emigration agents for the Church) came on board to arrange for our landing on the morrow.

Shortly before noon on July 17th we took leave of the Kenilworth and boarded a small steamer which took us to Castle Garden. While taking this short trip the heat was very oppressive and one of our number died. Others were so overcome by the heat [p.17] that they were carried on shore more dead than alive; but on being placed in cool, airy rooms at Castle Garden, and receiving some medical treatment, they all recovered. We had spent 58 days on board the Kenilworth; 52 days had passed since we sailed from our anchorage at Hamburg and 46 days since we first reached the Atlantic Ocean. No serious accident had happened to us during our long voyage, and we realized that the predictions made by President Widerborg to the effect that we should pass safely over the great deep had been fulfilled. At Castle Garden we passed through the usual examinations and scrutiny, including the enrollment of names, ages, nationality, etc., after which we enjoyed a few hours rest in the large and airy rooms at the Garden.

At 9:00 o'clock a.m. we left Castle Garden and walked through a part of New York City to a point on East River where we boarded a large steamship which had been chartered by the Church emigration agent to take our company to New Haven, Connecticut, and the night was spent sailing up East river and Long Island sound.

On our arrival in New York we were told that the different railroad companies which had terminals in New York had arbitrarily broken their contract previously made by the Church agent by adding to the price agreed upon for taking the emigrants by rail westward. But as it was known that the emigrants were not able to pay this extra fare, Thomas Taylor, the emigration agent, had entered into a contract with a railroad company whose terminal was New Haven to carry us to the frontiers at the rates previously agreed to by the other railroad companies. This was the cause of us having this extra voyage by steamboat to New Haven.

After a short but very unpleasant voyage of 80 miles, we arrived at New Haven at 5:00 o'clock in the morning of July 18th. From the landing place we walked a short distance to the railroad station, where, two hours later, we boarded the cars and started northward on our first journey in America. …

Diary of John Christian Poulsen

Poulsen, John Christian. Diary (Ms 1700), pp. 43-45.

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July the 12th. The pilot came aboard to direct the ship into the harbor of New York, and to the place of quarantine at Castle Garden.

July the 15th. We could see land, and July 17th, we landed, at Castle Garden. We had had a long and dreary voyage, but we had been treated in a kind manner by Captain Brown, and the ship's crew.

July 17th. On the evening of the day, when we passengers of the Kenilworth were landed at Castle Garden, we proceeded forward in our journey on a large freight steamer to New Haven, Connecticut, where we arrived on the morning of July the 18th, and after staying there for a few hours, the journey northward by train was begun, passing through the States of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to Montreal, in Canada.

…

Journal of Samuel Lindsay Sprague

Sprague, Samuel Lindsay. Diaries, vol. 2. pp.7-19

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July 15th. 51 days out to sea. Fair winds. After dinner about 3 could see the lighthouse. At 5:01 o'clock land distantly. A young man by the name of Jens Hansen jumped overboard and drowned. He was foolish. Sailed in & cast anchor off Stan-Island [STATEN ISLAND] about 1 o'clock at night.

July 16th. Sailed into the harbor just out of Governors Island. Brother Taylor, the agent, came on board. Brother Fulsom came [p. 18] with him. Taylor said he would advise the brethren to exchange their gold for greenbacks. I collected some 3 thousand dollars gold. The heat was intense, almost unendurable especially for us who had just came from the sea.

July 17th. I had the Saints get their things all in order ready to go ashore. The commission officers came on board, also Brothers T. Taylor & Fulsom. A small tugboat came alongside about 11 o'clock. The sun had great force. We reserved some of the able bodied men to help with the luggage. The rest went on board the boat. Brother Lund stopped to see to the luggage. The officers passed it without examination. Brother Taylor paid them. On our way from the vessel to Castle Garden several fainted down under the heat, it being a over 100 degree. 3 or 4 died. We came to the wharf. [p. 19] [END OF DIARY]