1856-06-14-Thornton

A Compilation of General Voyage Notes

On the fourteenth of June the Thornton arrived at New York, and a tug boat landed the emigrants at Castle Garden, where they were kindly received by Apostle John Taylor and Elder Nathaniel H. Felt. On the seventeenth of June, the company left New York and traveled by rail to Dunkrik, N. [New] Y. [York]

Faithful Stewards-the Life of James Gray Willie and Elizabeth Ann Pettit

Source: Smith, Marilyn Austin. Faithful stewards--the life of James Gray Willie and Elizabeth Ann Pettit (Ms 9248), pp. 93-94.

. . .A few entries from William Woodward's daily journal have been included in this account. The names in the various accounts are not always spelled accurately.

"Saturday 14th. At 8 a.m. steamboat Achilles came along side; Captain Collins engaged him to tow us to New York. General stir among the passengers all getting [p.94] ready to land . . . Doctor came on board off Staten Island and gave a certificate of the good health of the passengers. The Custom House also came and passed our luggage without any inspection. At sun down we landed at the Castle Gardens, a large building appropriated for emigrants, where we were visited by Elder Felt who kindly welcomed us."

James G. Willie's account continued: "on our arrival at Castle Gardens, New York, we received a hearty welcome from President John Taylor and Elder Felt. Several gentlemen of the press also paid us a visit and were very courteous toward us, appearing desirous of obtaining information concerning all the company from its officers and subsequently several paragraphs appeared in different New York newspapers in praise of the general appearance and demeanor the entire company. (Sister Annie Atkins, a P.E.F. passenger, remained at New York with the approval of Pest. John Taylor.)

"On Tuesday, June 17 they started under the presidency of Elder Levi Savage for Dunkirk, a distance of 460 miles, where they arrived on the 19th, leaving Brother Atwood and myself behind to transact sundry items of business. We however, arrived at Dunkirk by express train on the same day and immediately embarked with the Saints on the 'Jersey city' for Toledo (280 miles further), where we arrived on Saturday the 21st in good health and spirits.

Journal of James G. Willie

Source: James G. Willie Emigrating Company. Journal. (Ms 1477 - CHL), pp. 1-15.

Saturday 14th. This morning a clear sky and favorable wind 4 a.m. tacked ship and stood for Sandy Hook. At 8 a.m. steam boat Achilles came along side, Captain Collins engaged her to tow us to New York. General stir among the passengers all getting ready to land; good feeling prevailing. Doctor came on board off Staten Island and gave a certificate of the good health of the passengers. The Custom House also came and passed our luggage without any inspection. At sun down we landed at Castle Gardens, a large building appropriated for emigrants, where we were visited by Elder Felt who kindly welcomed us.

Sunday 15th June. the day was spent in arranging our things, and many of the Saints attended the meeting in the City. We were visited by many of our brethren and sisters and much good feeling was manifested towards us.

Monday 16th. President John Taylor visited us and gave us much good instruction and counsel in relation to our future proceedings. President Willie engaged in making preparations for leaving for the Camp while the Saints were engaged in seeing to their luggage. Several gentlemen and editors of papers visited us, and generally manifested friendly feelings. Several paragraphs were put in the papers commendatory of the passengers of their general cleanly appearance. Sister Annie Atkins a P.E.F. passenger remained at New York with the approval of President John Taylor. [p.12]

Tuesday 17th. This morning the Saints very busy going on board the barge with their luggage. About 10 a.m. the steamboat took us to the New York and Erie R.R. depot where we remained till 7 p.m., each passenger's luggage was weighed, 50 lbs. being the weight for each adult. The steam boat took us to pier Mount where we arrived at 11 p.m. when we took the Rail for Dunkirk, a distance of 460 miles. President Willie and Atwood returned to New York to attend to unsettled business, Elder Savage taking charge of the saints.

Letter from Anna F. Tait - June 6, 1856

Source: Tait, Anna F., [Letter], Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 18:30 (July 26, 1856) pp. 478- 479.

New York, ship Thornton, June 6, 1856.

Dear Brother and Sister Turnbull--

June 14. The tug has brought us to New York. We have all passed the doctor, and are now going to land.

June 15. Castle Garden, New York. I am sitting in the largest house I was ever in. We all landed safe, and got in here at 7:40 p.m. yesterday. Our names were called over, and we had to state where we were going, what money we had, and other particulars, which were entered into a book, and we then passed into the house.

Since I left you I have had all that I stood in need of, spiritually and temporally. May the God of Israel grant that you may be brought in safety to this beautiful land. I will write again from Iowa City.

Give my love to all my friends that may come within the sound of your voice or the reach of your pen. I remain your affectionate sister,

Anna F. Tait.

Letter from James G. Willie - June 11, 1856

Source: Willie, James G., [Letter], IN Journal History, June 14, 1856, p. 3. (CHL)

The Arrival of the Thornton

This excellent packet ship arrived in this port on Saturday evening with upwards of 750 souls on board. The Saints appeared in good health and lively spirits. The Presidency of the company seemed well satisfied with the conduct of those committed to their charge. Everything about them seemed comfortable and satisfactory. The multiplicity of business prevented Elder Willey from furnishing us with a detailed report of the voyage, and depending upon a prepared report we made only general inquiries.

Elder Willey speaks very highly of Captain Collins and his officers. Before leaving the ship the Saints presented the captain with an address, thanking him for his kind and gentlemanly bearing towards them. We were informed the address of the Saints to the captain was to be published, but we have not yet seen it or we should have given it a place in our columns. The subjoined speaks volumes to the credit of the Saints:

Ship Thornton, at Sea off New York,June 11, 1856

SIR: I must take the opportunity, ere we separate to express to you the high respect I entertain for the passengers (760 souls) on my ship, who are immediately under your guidance and direction, and to affirm that they are the finest body of emigrants I have ever had the pleasure to convey across the Atlantic--they have always been willing to do and act according to my wish, expressed by myself through you, and to render me any assistance that I have required from time to time.

All this I am sensible has arisen from you excellent management. I must also thank you for you assistance rendered to my officers, more especially to my surgeon, to whom you have lent your aid during his arduous duties; owing to this I cannot doubt much suffering has been alleviated. And now, sir, as you are about to leave my ship in a few hours, allow me to express to you my best wishes and hopes that you will be enabled to reach your destination in perfect safety, and find all those near and dear to you in the enjoyment of perfect health--this I am sure will be sufficient reward for your four years of absence and toil in the cause.

Please to express my good wishes to you counselors, Messrs. Atwood and Ahmonson, wishing them like success and happiness [-] yourself. My officers, I believe, share [-] me in the above and will sign after me.

Sir, Yours very respectfully,

Chas. Collins, [-]B. W. Ward, [-]John W. [-]

To James G. Willie, Esp, President of this ship, on behalf of the Latter Day Saints.

Elder Willey desired favorable mention [-] his Counselors Atwood, Ahmanson [-] Clough, likewise, Elder John Chislett the Captain of the Guard. He returns his thanks to all the brethren who assisted him in the direction and protection of the Saints during the voyage. There were seven deaths on board, three marriages and three births. We regret not being able to furnish names, we are however, informed, that the deaths were all children but one--a very elderly lady, Mrs. Rachel Curtis.

Those of the company who tarry for the present in the States left the emigrant depot soon after their arrival, those who remain here found locations without difficulty and some have already found occupation. The company for Utah left on Tuesday evening, in good order and buoyant in spirits.

We are glad to be able to notice that Elder Nathan T. Porter, has recovered from his severe indisposition and has left with this company for his mountain home. Elder Levi Savage, who returned a short time since from the East Indies left in the same company. Bro. Savage has been laboring lately in the State of Connecticut and returns to Utah with our approbation and blessing.

Several of the city papers speak favorably of the company by the Thornton. We publish in another column the Herald's report. Mrs. Jervis's case there alluded to is before the Supreme Court. We have nothing particular to say presently about the matter, only if report be correct, Mr. Jervis, who is presently in this city, deserves to be richly cowhided for his beastly, filthy conduct towards his wife--the description of his lewdness would require us to use adjectives which would disgrace our columns.

More Mormons

Source: "More Mormons" [Newspaper article], Journal History (June 14,1856), p. 1. (CHL)

The good ship Thornton, from Liverpool, with seven hundred and fifty Mormons on board, arrived at this port yesterday, and the Saints were safely housed in the emigrants's retiring rooms at Castle Garden before night. They are a solid and comfortable looking body of passengers for the New Jerusalem of the Great Salt Lake. See our reporter's account in another column.

At this rate of increase for the brethren appear to be sending out to the Salt Lake reinforcements at the rate of from twenty to thirty thousand a year at this rate, we say, the Mormon Territory of Utah, upon the score of population, will probably be entitled to admission before Kansas, notwithstanding the fact that Utah appear, amid this Kansas fuss and fury, to be wholly overlooked. At all events they may expect at Washington, in a week or two, a formal application from the Saints of Utah for admission into the Union as a sovereign state, polygamy and all. And here comes a nice question nicer than niggers between Congress or does squatter sovereignty cover the question of polygamy? Does the Constitution reach it? What is to be done with it? The question will soon be put, and it will have to be met. We should in the meantime, like to have the opinion of some of our belligerent clergymen, so anxious about the nigger question in Kansas, whether under the constitution , a state can or cannot be admitted into the Union, the religion of which state allows a man two, five, ten or fifty wives at his discretion. Utah and the Saints must be looked after. [New York Herald]

June 17th. We like amazingly the Herald's notion about "belligerent clergymen giving their opinion on Utah's admission into the Union. They are so remarkably united in their interpretation of the Bible, we should think their interpretation of the constitution would be beyond all price. Congress could not fail to be greatly assisted by the light of clerical opinions. What would the Herald think of getting "belligerent clergymen" into the Senate, like Bishops in the British House of Lords? Oh! we forgot, there is no national religion in the United States, and it would never do to have Unitarians and Trinitarians, sprinklers and dippers, Shakers and Quakers. and all the other ers and isms, in congress. They would spoil the "peace and harmony" of the honorable body. Should anything of the sort ever take place, Washington might count on the opening of gutta percha cane stores.

Great Arrival of Mormons: Castle Garden filled with Latter-day Saints a Runaway Wife and a Habeas Corpus, etc.

The packet ship Thornton, from Liverpool, arrived on Saturday bringing 750 Mormons, the most of whom are bound for Salt Lake. The passengers were landed at Castle Garden, where they remain until this morning, when they start in a body for Utah. Among them are 160 Swedes and Danes, and the remainder are composed of English and Scotch, the larger portion being English. They come from all parts of England, from the extreme north to the isle of Jersey, and consist of farmers, mechanics and laborers. Among the mechanics are weavers, carpenters, boot and shoemakers, joiners, miners, potters, &c. The Swedes are mostly farmers, with a few blacksmiths. Our reporter, who visited Castle Garden yesterday, was told by one of the Elders who came out with them, that they were mostly old converts, of ten or fifteen years standing, and were brought out at the expense of the Mormon Emigration fund. A good many, however, he stated, came out on their own expense. Some of them intend stopping here, but the majority are going direct to Utah. They are mostly families, and appear to belong to the better class of emigrants. There seemed to be a preponderance of females among them; so indeed there ought to be, to sustain the system of polygamy which prevails at Salt Lake. If Brigham Young should be in want of some fresh wives, we can promise him at least a dozen from this party whom he will not find it bad to take. The number of children, too, is very large, there being nearly one hundred under six years of age. There were three births on board the vessel during the voyage. The party is accompanied by several Elders, and Priests who are returning from their foreign missions. The chief of them is Elder James G. Willey [Willie], who has spent the last three or four years in England collecting this flock together, and who now returns to conduct them to the promised land.

[Elder [Willie] has been laboring in England as stated by the reporter and is accompanied by a number from his pastorate but his relationship, with the company of the Thornton has only been since his appointment to the Presidency on board.—Ed. of Mormon.]

The Captain of the Thornton speaks very highly of Mr. Willey's [Willie's] management of the Saints during the voyage. He divided the ship into seven wards, and appointed an Elder over each ward to attend to the temporal and spiritual wants of the brethren, and see that they did their praying and got their rations at regular hours. The lower deck was divided into three wards—the first ward being occupied by the Swedes and Danes, the second ward by the Scotch, and the third by the single men of all nations. The upper deck consisted of four wards, and was occupied by English families. Under this arrangement everything went on like clock-work, and the passengers were kept clean, orderly and pious. The only accident that happened was the three births aforesaid, and this the Elders state resulted from causes above and beyond their control.

Among the passengers was a Mrs. Jervis, from Herefordshire, England, who, it appears left her husband at home, and taking her two children with her, embarked in company with the Saints for the promised land. The husband, however, took the steamer and arrived here ahead of her. Yesterday, he entered a complaint before one of our courts, and a writ of habeas corpus was issued to bring up the children, and investigate the merits of the case.

Our reporter was informed by several of the Saints who knew Jervis in the old country that he was utterly unfit to have the guardianship of his children; that he treated his wife in the most brutal manner, and that this was the cause of her leaving him, &c., &c., all of which we received with some grains of allowance, although the Saints averred their willingness to swear to the same in court. [New York Herald.] [p .1]

Reminiscences of George Cunningham

Source: Cunningham, George. Reminiscences. (Ms 7322 2), pp. 1-3, 5. (CHL)

A few more days sailing brought us to the mouth of the Hudson.

A steam tug met us there to tow us up the river, having on board a custom house officer and inspector. A subscription was drawn up amongst the passengers for them. That was all they wanted and we were all allowed to go into New York without being asked a single question. We unshipped at Castle Garden, a very pleasant place with every accommodation for immigrants. I well can remember the first step that I made on American soil. I had been taught to believe that it was a land of promise, blessed above all other lands and although a small boy of fifteen years of age I felt like thanking God for the blessings I then enjoyed. We stayed a few days in New York City, then started up the river on a steamboat for Albany.