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The 2nd of 8 children in his family.
Died: 04 January 1901, Garden City, UT, USA
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| Hans Soren Hansen about age 16-17 1850 - 1901 |
Emma Saxton (13 Jan 1858 - 6 Mar 1927)
Born: 13 January 1858, Clycross, Derby, ENGLAND
The 8th of 12 children in her family.
Died: 06 March 1927, Montpelier, ID, USA
Married: Hans Soren Hansen, 01 November 1875, Salt Lake City, UT
(Emma was 17, Hans was 25)
(Based on family history records, and a little more shown in italics, from her Great Grandson, Larry L. Hansen)
Emma Saxton is my Grandma Hansen’s mother. My first impressions of her from this picture are an attractive young woman with pigtails. I’m assuming this was taken around the time of her marriage, about age 18.
I do find, though, that she must have been smitten as a seventeen year-old girl by a fairly strikingly sharp-featured young Danish man named Hans Soren Christensen Hansen. He was seven years older than Emma, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and mysteriously (to me at least) showed up in America as well.
Anyway, he must have learned English or else Emma was fluent in Danish, or maybe it was just the language of love speaking loud and clear. She was smitten by his goodness and she consented to become his bride. They were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House on his twenty-fifth birthday, November 1, 1875.
She and Hans had a place in the small southeastern Idaho town of Bennington. This is likely because about a year and a half later in April of 1877, at nineteen, Emma was blessed with a daughter, named Dortha Rebecca after their mothers. I can only assume that Hans and Emma both loved their mothers very much to have named their first-born daughter after them.
The sweet child only lived a couple of weeks past her first birthday though. It must have been so hard to lose her and lay her to rest. Emma didn’t know it at the time, but she wouldn’t be long without a child for she had probably conceived her second child prior to Dortha’s passing.
I’m not sure why, but Emma and Hans either relocated or travelled to Coalville, Utah because while there, just before Emma’s 21st birthday, on January 5th 1879 she was blessed with a baby boy. They named him Eli (after the great Old Testament prophet Elijah, at least chronologically). Happiness again changed relatively quickly to sadness. Eli died just before his second birthday. Sadly familiar to many mothers at this time in history, Emma laid to rest a second child before it could speak her name.
Something caused Emma and Hans to relocate back to Bear Lake Valley and with faith and perseverance, she pressed on being a homemaker, wife and again a mother. In November of 1881 at Garden City, not quite a year after her son Eli’s death, Emma gave birth to another son, named Hans Christian Hansen, after his father.
Little Hans must have fulfilled many of Emma’s dreams. He was her first child who lived to adulthood and survived to a good old age. She no doubt was left to wonder and ponder what would come next though. Another move for her and her family it appears because her little Hans had just turned five years old, and Emma was again in Bennington, when she was blessed with her fourth child, another son named Brigham Saxton after the modern-day prophet, Brigham Young, and her father’s family.
Emma must have got things back on track by this time. But then another move, this time back to Garden City. They received a homestead signed by United States President Grover Cleveland for 120 acres at the north end of Pickleville. Just short of two years later, at the age of thirty, she was blessed again with a very special little daughter December 6th 1888. She was a sister for little seven year old Hans and nearly two year old Brigham to love and enjoy.
Emma and her family loved Garden City. They lived in a small log home. Anyway, she was so happy with her little family now that by the time two year-old daughter Emma was able to mutter “baby brother for Christmas, please”, she was blessed with her sixth child on Christmas Day 1890, her fourth son James William (unaware of this, I named my second son James and my first son Jeremy William again at least chronologically after this James William).
Sadly again, Emma’s little James suffered the common fate of his eldest sister and brother. Just before his second birthday, in September 1892 he too passed away and was laid to rest in the Garden City Cemetery. Although not new to her, Emma felt the deep despair and sadness as only a mother who had suffered much could understand. She had now laid in the grave three of her little ones.
Her sadness was softened quickly this time. For less than two weeks later, October 7th, she bore her seventh child and third daughter, Olive Leah, named no doubt after the famous New Testament parable of the Olive tree and after the ancient Old Testament matriarch Leah.
Things moved along well for Emma, Hans and their now four surviving children. But they might have had more beds or bedrooms to fill. So as son Hans became a teenager, on his thirteenth birthday, in fact, November 24th 1894, eighth child and fifth and final son Thomas Wilford was born. Now I’m stumped as to whom he was named after other than Wilford Woodruff perhaps?
The home mostly full, the garden bursting with luscious large sweet raspberries (today is fast Sunday) and the root cellar filling from the start of harvest season. Emma was happy and content and now ready to receive the final addition to her happy home. She and Hans were blessed with their ninth child and fourth daughter, Pearl Edna, born August 5th 1898.
Her home was now full, her life now busy with the commotion, the happiness, and the hard work of caring for her husband and six children. But wait, another dark cloud on the horizon.
As youngest daughter Pearl is two, sadness, trials and darkest troubles rear their ugly head once more. This time Emma’s loving companion Hans. He died just after Christmas, on January 4, 1901 at fifty years of age and after twenty five challenging but happy years of marriage. After she was widowed at 42 with six children, she kept about 40 acres of the homestead on the south end of their property
Faithful to the end though, Emma raised up her family, and blessed their lives as a worthy mother should. She sees them married and receives grandchildren with joy and happiness. Later on, she remarries to John Morrison, and then dies peacefully at the age of sixty-nine at the home of her daughter Pearl in Montpelier, ID.
MRS. EMMA HANSEN MORRISON DIES
Mrs. Emma Hansen Morrison, born January 13, 1858, the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Saxton, passed away March 6th at 9:45 p.m. at the home of her daughter Mrs. Ray (Pearl) Windley in Montpelier.
She was a pioneer having come with her parents Sept. 1869 from England at the age of 11 years. They first resided at Honeyville, Utah, but only for a short time, then moving to Coalville, Utah, living there for 12 years. She was married to Hans Soren Hansen in the Salt Lake City Indowment (sic) House, November 1, 1875 and then moved to Garden City where she made her home for the rest of her life. She was left a widow with six children on January 4, 1901. On November 17th, 1920, she was married to John Morrison.
She leaves to mourn her loss a husband and six living children as follows: Chris Hansen, Garden City; Brigham S. Hansen, Pocatello; Mrs. Charles (Emma) Hansen, Garden City; Olive Hansen, Provo, Utah; Wilford Hansen, Garden City; Mrs. Ray Windley, Montpelier. She also leaves 21 grandchildren and 2 sisters, Mrs. Martha (Saxton Morby) Cross, 538 West 24th St., Ogden, Utah and Mrs. J.C. John Charles Pettersson (Hannah Saxton) Farner, Garden City Utah.
Sister Hansen Morrison was a true Latter Day Saint.
Burial: Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Rich County, Utah, USA
Obituary of Emma Saxton Hansen Morrison,
Emma Saxton Hansen Morrison
(13 January 1858 – 6 March 1927)
Birth: Jan. 13, 1858, Derby, England
Death: Mar. 6, 1927, Montpelier, Bear Lake County, Idaho, USA
NEWS-EXAMINER, 10 MARCH 1927, PAGE 1
MRS. EMMA HANSEN MORRISON DIES
Mrs. Emma Hansen Morrison, born January 13, 1858, the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Saxton, passed away March 6th at 9:45 p.m. at the home of her daughter Mrs. Ray (Pearl) Windley in Montpelier.
She was a pioneer having come with her parents Sept. 1869 from England at the age of 11 years. They first resided at Honeyville, Utah, but only for a short time, then moving to Coalville, Utah, living there for 12 years. She was married to Hans Soren Hansen in the Salt Lake City Indowment (sic) House, November 1, 1875 and then moved to Garden City where she made her home for the rest of her life. She was left a widow with six children on January 4, 1901. On November 17th, 1920, she was married to John Morrison.
She leaves to mourn her loss a husband and six living children as follows: Chris Hansen, Garden City; Brigham S. Hansen, Pocatello; Mrs. Charles (Emma) Hansen, Garden City; Olive Hansen, Provo, Utah; Wilford Hansen, Garden City; Mrs. Ray Windley, Montpelier. She also leaves 21 grandchildren and 2 sisters, Mrs. Martha (Saxton Morby) Cross, 538 West 24th St., Ogden, Utah and Mrs. J.C. John Charles Pettersson (Hannah Saxton) Farner, Garden City Utah.
Sister Hansen Morrison was a true Latter Day Saint.
Burial: Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Rich County, Utah, USA
1) Hans Soren HANSEN'S immigration from Denmark as documented in the LDS Church History Library and the following sources.
At age 16-17, Hans began his immigration journey when, on June 13, 1868, he left his homeland from the port at Copenhagen, Denmark on the Steamer Ship "Hansia" which took him to England arriving there June 16, 1868 passing over the North Sea. Then he traveled by train to Liverpool. On June 19, 1868 they boarded the packet ship "Emerald Isle" and departed on June 20, 1868 for America which they sighted on August 11, 1868 and after a three-day quarantine were able to set foot on US soil at New York on August 14, 1868.
On August 17, 1868 his Scandinavian companions continued their journey, this time by rail in open boxcars passing through Niagara, Detroit, Chicago, to Council Bluff, Nebraska arriving there on August 21, 1868. After crossing the Missouri river by Steamboat the next day they boarded the Union Pacific train to the end of the transcontinental rails near Rawlins, Wyoming where they remained until August 31, 1868.
Withe the John G. Holman Ox train, they left by wagon and on foot on September 1, 1868 and completed their journey to Salt Lake City on Sept 25, 1868. Thus he had traveled by ship, rail, ship, rail, and wagon and on foot to his destination now thousands of miles from his family and homeland of Denmark.
The immigrants were met by teamsters at the end of the rails who had been dispatched to assist them over the final leg of their journey. The following is how one of them recalled this particular assignment to its completion.
Follow the links below for additional detailed information. My excerpts are extractions from them.
http://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/Search/showDetails/db:MM_MII/t:voyage/id:129
http://gatheringgardiners.blogspot.com/2010/11/emerald-isle.html
Source of Trail Excerpt:
Lindsay, William, Reminiscences, 1927-1930, 284-89.
About the 1st of Sept. our emigrants arrived on the train. There was no station so we drove our teams alongside the trains & got the luggage belonging to the emigrants into our wagon[.] not however coming near to having a stampede our oxen did start to run when the whistle of the engine was blown but we got them stopped without any serious damage.
Our emigrants were Scandinavians & of course we had a little trouble to understand each other for a time but we soon got to understand each other fairly well. I had 13 persons assigned to my wagon with all their belongings & they sure had a log of pots pans kettles & dishes of almost every kind. It took a day or so getting everything arranged ready for the journey.
Of course we were hearing quite often of the Indians killing people[,] Sometimes ahead of us & sometimes behind us. Mostly however they were men traveling not more than 3 or 4 together & mostly miners[.] Rawlins’s horse train with emigrants traveled as near to us a possible & all were continually on their guard to prevent the Indian's from taking any advantage of us in any way. So in that regard we had no trouble.
We of course could not travel so far each day as we did on the way down[.] usually 16 miles was a good days drive. Of course the emigrants had to walk if they possibly could as our teams had all the load they could haul with the bedding tents cooking outfits of the passengers.
Prayers were had every morning in the corral before the oxen were brought in the morning & instructions at the same gathering. All that possibly could were expected to [be] in attendance[.] of course all had to stand up but the services were short. In this way we wended our daily journey towards the setting sun.
However sickness a sort of Disentery broke out among our emigrants & strong healthy looking people mostly grown men died in a very few days after being taken ill. Some 15 persons died almost within that number of days. I helped dig the graves & cover up the bodies of a number of them. It seemed very sad to have to leave them by the wayside in shallow graves & without coffins & travel right on never to see their resting place again. This of course was very sad for the near relatives & friends. Of course we all tried to be cheerful & to cheer up the mourners & those who were downcast.
I am pleased to say my 13 men women & children all came safely through to Salt Lake City. With it all we had some good times around the campfires when we got so we could talk a little Danish & they could talk a little English. Our oxen stood the journey fairly well[.] some of the oxen got tenderfooted & had to be shoed. As we came back Green river & the other streams were very low & could be forded easily. We were some 25 days on the way arriving in Salt Lake City near the last of Sept. There we unloaded our emigrants & bid them farewell."
Holman's ox train of 62 wagons left the rail terminus at Benton, Wyoming, on September 1 with 628 emigrants. Benton was located 11 miles east of present-day Rawlins, Wyoming. This end-of-track town was in existence for only three months, but during its brief history more than 100 people were reported to have died there in gunfights. The company was delayed in Benton when a woman in their company was arrested on a trumped-up charge and they had to wait for her trial. U.S. soldiers had to protect the company when an enraged mob from the railroad town marched on the wagon company. The mob had been angered by false rumors to the effect that the Mormons were intent on taking a woman to Utah against her will.
Most of those who traveled to Utah in Holman's company crossed the Atlantic aboard the ship Emerald Isle. Many in this company were Danes and Swedes who suffered much sickness while crossing the ocean and after landing in New York. Also traveling with the company were 8 independent wagons with about 40 passengers. After getting off the train and being loaded into the Church wagons, this company traveled in a northwesterly direction from Benton through Whiskey Gap and northward from there until they reached the Sweetwater River and the old emigrant road on September 8. As did many other companies in the 1860s, after coming through Echo Canyon they traveled to Silver Creek and then down Parley's Canyon into the valley. They arrived in Salt Lake on September 25. Twenty-two people died between Benton and Salt Lake.
2) "Last Train In", Deseret Evening News, Sept 25, 1868, p3.
LAST TRAIN IN.—This morning Captain J. G. Holman's ox-train of 62 wagons got in, bringing a little over 600 passengers. He had with his train the immigrants that crossed the Atlantic in the Emerald Isle, a number of whom had to go into hospital on reaching New York, and among whom there had been much sickness on the sea voyage. Several were sick when they left the cars at Benton, but the mortality on the trip from that point was not high, considering these circumstances. The passengers are nearly all in excellent health now.
Accompanying his train were also six independent wagons, and some 50 persons not included in the 600 immigrants. He left Benton with his train on September 1st, and, consequently, made the trip in about twenty-four days, although there were several detentions on the way. This is the last immigrant train of the season.
3) Emerald Isle - June 20, 1868 from Liverpool, England to NY, USA
Watercolor of the Ship Emerald Isle Ship: 1736 tons: 215' x 42' x 21' Built: 1853 by Trufant & Drummond at Bath, Maine A famous clipper packet, the full-rigged Emerald Isle carried a total of 1280 Mormons in three voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.
Excerpts from a record of the voyage:
The magnificent packet ship "Emerald Isle" sailed from Liverpool, England,for New York, 20th of June 1868, with 876 souls of emigrant Saints aboard. Of these, 627 were from Scandinavia and the rest from the British Isles.The ship was a wooden sailing vessel with 876 Mormon converts leaving England for a home in Utah with the Latter-Day Saints. On board were Danes (512),Swedes (97), Norwegians (3), English (219), Scotch (16), Irish (10) and Germans (3)-all converts to Mormonism and all poor. (Information from Church Emigrants, Vol 3, 1858-1881) The ship was divided into wards of about 50 people. The leader of the Vernon's ward was H. Jensen Hale.) Previous to sailing, a meeting was held on deck by Charles W. Penrose in English.
On the 26th of June, the "Emerald Isle" sailed into the city of Queenstown to take water on board as a certain machine on the vessel used to distill sea water for culinary purposes was out of commission and could not speedily be repaired. On the 29th, the ship left Queenstown, but the voyage after that was anything but pleasant. The emigrants received very rough and harsh treatments both by the officers and the crew and only by the strong protest of Elder Hans Jensen Hals on their behalf, did they succeed in getting a part of their rights according to the contract made.
On one occasion, when one of the ship's mates attacked a sister by the name of Sanders. Brother Jensen took a hold of the mate and pulled him away, while sharply reproving him for his misconduct. Soon a lot of sailors came up ready to fight, but the incident ended when the offender got a severe reprimand from the Captain when Brother Jensen reminded him of the promises made before sailing.
No other company of emigrating Saints is known to have met with such bad treatment on board any ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately this was the last company of Scandinavian and English Saints which crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a sailing vessel. From that time on only steamers were employed in the transportation the Saints. It as not only the rough treatments which the emigrants received from the ship's crew that made the voyage so unpleasant, but the water taken on board at Queenstown soon became stagnant and unfit to use. It caused much sickness among the passengers and no less that 37 deaths occurred on this voyage. Many of these however were caused by Measles among the children but the stagnant water which all the passengers had to use only added to the deaths.
On one occasion, when one of the ship's mates attacked a sister by the name of Sanders. Brother Jensen took a hold of the mate and pulled him away, while sharply reproving him for his misconduct. Soon a lot of sailors came up ready to fight, but the incident ended when the offender got a severe reprimand from the Captain when Brother Jensen reminded him of the promises made before sailing.
No other company of emigrating Saints is known to have met with such bad treatment on board any ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately this was the last company of Scandinavian and English Saints which crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a sailing vessel. From that time on only steamers were employed in the transportation the Saints. It as not only the rough treatments which the emigrants received from the ship's crew that made the voyage so unpleasant, but the water taken on board at Queenstown soon became stagnant and unfit to use. It caused much sickness among the passengers and no less that 37 deaths occurred on this voyage. Many of these however were caused by Measles among the children but the stagnant water which all the passengers had to use only added to the deaths.
They were on the water eight weeks or approximately 60 days because the vessel was old and slow and very crowded. It was a very rough and hard voyage. There was a great deal of sickness and 37 passengers were buried at sea. The dead were immediately wrapped in a sheet, weighted and slid from a plank into the sea. Sharks followed the vessel all the way and could be seen plainly when the sun was shining. George Beard (a young man about 13 years old on the vessel who later settled in Coalville) told how he watched the sharks eat his mother's body. When the ocean was rough, the ship would rock and everything that was loose would be thrown about.
The Emerald Isle arrived at the entrance to New York harbor. They were received by the managing conductor at the U.S. Port of Entry on Aug 11,1868. (The Emerald Isle stayed in New York and never returned to England.The Vernons were the last of the LDS emigrants to come by sailing ships.)Thirty of the sick passengers were taken to the shore of the Staten Islands.
The following day (Aug 12th) eight other sick people were landed and held in quarantine for 3 days. The rest of the emigrants were landed at Castle Garden on Aug 14th.(See photo below of Castle Garden a receiving station for new immigrants located on the SW tip of Manhattan Island and used from 1855-1890 before Ellis Island was used.
The following day (Aug 12th) eight other sick people were landed and held in quarantine for 3 days. The rest of the emigrants were landed at Castle Garden on Aug 14th.(See photo below of Castle Garden a receiving station for new immigrants located on the SW tip of Manhattan Island and used from 1855-1890 before Ellis Island was used.
On that same day, a steamer conveyed the emigrants a few miles up the Hudson River where they found shelter in a warehouse for a couple of days while their baggage was being weighed. While staying there, a boy belonging to the company died.
The Journey Continues by Rail and Ox Teams
On Aug 17th the journey resumed by railroad in open boxcars from New York via Niagara, Detroit, Chicago to Council Bluffs, Nebraska where they arrived on the 21st. The following day, Aug 22, they were taken across the Missouri River by a steamboat and then traveled by Union Pacific railroad to Benton City (near Rawlins, Wyoming)-the end of the line. They were now 700 miles from Omaha, Nebraska and 300 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. Here the Church ox teams meet the emigrants and took them to their camp on the Platte River, about six miles from Benton. They remained in there until Aug 31st. Then they were organized into companies, under the direction of the outfitting agents, and equipped for the journey across the plains.The Scandinavian Saints took up the journey across the mountains on Aug 31,1868 in 62 wagons pulled by oxen led by Capt. John G. Holman, while the English emigrants left a day later with 28 mule trains led by Capt Mumford. These wagons were manned by teamsters who were volunteers from Mormon towns
who came and helped the immigrants get to SLC. They left Benton City Aug 31,1868 and could only travel 15-20 miles a day. The Saints crossed the Green River in Wyoming on a ferry operated by two Mormons from Utah while their wagons were hauled across the river.
These Saints were the last ones to enter the valley by wagon, arriving in Salt Lake City. They traveled quite close together and arrived in SLC only a day apart. The English on Sept 24,1868 and the Scandinavian saints on Sept 25, 1868. Soon thereafter in 1869 the train tracks were completed across the vast America landscape offering future immigrants an easier and faster journey. (See Church Emigration 145th company-Emerald Isle, also Ch Emigration vol. 3, diary of Hans Jensen Hals d471, Des News 17:257, Journal History Sep 23 1868 p. 3, Roster JH Sep 24 1868 p 1 as well as Mormon Immigration CD published by LDS Church.)
What was the day by day experience like crossing the plains? From the diary of Elder Hans Jensen Hals comes the description...of cold days filled with wind and blowing sand that blew in their faces all day long, roads that were sandy or hard and rough, many sick individuals with measles and Rocky Mountain fever who were administered to, several deaths, searching for runaway oxen, scanty provisions of bread and meat only for every meal, the Saints tired and discouraged at times but they pressed on only resting on Sundays. (Photo on left show a ferry crossing along the route to Utah.)They passed a thousand of men working on the railroad grade near Echo canyon trying to complete the transcontinental railroad line which would be finished one year later and end the need for ox team and wagon travel for Mormon converts wishing to emigrate to Utah.
Journal Histories of Immigrating Saints Aboard the "Emerald Isle"
The following named returning missionaries were in the company: -- Elders Hans Jensen Hals, John Fagerberg, and Peter Hansen, from the Scandinavian Mission; and James Smith and Henry Barlow, from the British Mission; also Samuel Southwick, James Stuart, Andrew Simmons, and Elisha Peck, native elders, who have been travelling in the ministry. Elder Hans Jensen Hals was appointed president of the company, and Elders James Smith and John Fagergerg his counselors. Previous to sailing, a meeting was held on deck, when the Saints were addressed by Elder Carl Widerborg in Danish, and Elder Charles W. Penrose in English. Everyone was in good spirits, and was thankful to the God of Israel for deliverance from Babylon. . . . "
". . . About 630 emigrants left Copenhagen by the steamer 'Hansia,' June 13, 1868. On the departure the brethren had considerable trouble with the police authorities in Copenhagen. After a successful voyage across the North Sea, the company arrived in Hull, England, on Tuesday, June 16th, and in the evening of the same day they went by train to Liverpool. Here they found accommodations in seven different hotels, where they, with the exception of one place, received anything but decent treatment; and when they on the 19th went on board the ship 'Emerald Isle,' they were insulted in most every imaginable way. On the 20th the ship sailed from Liverpool, carrying a company of emigrants consisting of 877 souls, of whom 627 were Scandinavians, all in charge of Elders Hans Jensen (Hals) as president with James Smith and John Fagerberg as assistants. Elder Peter Hansen was appointed commissary for the Scandinavians, and Elder Mons Pedersen, who had labored faithfully for four years in the mission office in Copenhagen, was chosen as secretary. Eighteen other Scandinavian emigrants sailed this year by other ships, some of them from Hamburg and some from Norway. .
(journal of Hans Jorgenson):
The 13th of June, 1868, President C. Widerborg came up to [--] and emigrants called to order, whereupon he gave suitable instructions for our journey. 5 o'clock in the afternoon we all went on board the steamer [-] (Captain Beck of Hamburg) and after the Saints from Malmo, Sweden led by John Faferburg, had come on board, we started for England 7 ½ o'clock in the evening in a beautiful weather. On the 16th, 2 ½ o'clock in the afternoon we landed in Hull, England and started off by rail same afternoon and arrived in Liverpool 1 ½ o'clock in the night. Next day we were all quartered at Hotel Columbia [p.78] owned by David Full, a Jew.
On the 19th we were all sent on board the packet ship Emerald Isle, Captain Gillespie of New York. While in Liverpool, I saw the greatest steamer in the world, “The Great Eastern” which laid outside of Liverpool.
On the 20th of June, 1868, we started our long and weary journey to America, being pulled out by a tug steamer. Same evening a seaman belonging to the crew fell overboard but was rescued by a good swimmer. Then a safety boat fell from the ship and all on board was called for help [to] pull it up. The company of emigrants consisted of 876 souls of which six hundred and twenty seven were from Scandinavia and we had for [our] leader Hans Jensen Hals of Manti, Sanpete County; John Faferburg of Fort Ephraim; and James Smith from Provo, his counselors. Henry Barlow also returning elder from Utah. The treatment we had on board said vessel was anything but human. The captain and crew showed themselves as rough and mean towards us (especially Danish) as they could and the provisions did not by any means come up to the bargain. The shortest I can say about it is that this treatment was something like the Danish prisoners received in the 1807-1814. I for my part can [p.81] never think on the deadly Emerald Isle but with the greatest disgust and hatred.
About daybreak on the 11th of August, 1868, we to our great joy saw the land for which we so long a time had been longing. Having now been on the deadly ship 7 weeks and 3 days, we all felt to thank God our deliverer that he had spared our lives and permitted us to see the land of which we had so great hopes and anticipations. We were quarantined 3 days outside of New York and on the 14th we were permitted to put our feet on American soil.
Saturday, 20--President Franklin D. Richards and Elders William B. Preston and Charles W. Penrose, from the Liverpool office, came on board and a meeting was held, on which occasion the vessel was blessed and dedicated to bring the Saints safely across the mighty deep. President Richards gave me instructions as the leader of the company, and James Smith was chosen as my first and John Fagerberg as my second counselors. Elders Peter Hansen of Hyrum, and a Brother Parks were called to act as stewards and Hans Petersen [Hans Pederson] appointed clerk of the company. The visiting brethren then addressed the Saints under the influence of the Spirit of God and every heart was touched by the words uttered and the pleasant influence which pervaded the assembly. As the brethren left us to go ashore, we gave them several ringing cheers. Soon afterwards the anchor was weighed and a small steamer tugged us out into the open sea. I was very busy assisting the Saints in finding their baggage, which was scattered all over the ship, and showing the Saints their berths and getting [p.8] them settled down. Thus I succeeded in bringing some little order out of chaos. I also appointed guards to protect the Saints against the sailors, who seemed to take delight in annoying and insulting us in every way possible. . . . Thursday, 25--The experiment was made with the distilling machine which should change the salt sea water into fresh water, but the trial proved unsuccessful, as the man who had been assigned the task of running the machine was incapable. Consequently, Elder Smith consulted with the captain, and it was decided that the ship should touch at Queenstown, Ireland, to take fresh water on board. Sunday, 28--More water was brought on board, and we held a meeting on the after deck, at which Elder Smith spoke English, Elder Fagerberg Swedish, and I both Danish and English. Later we held four meetings on the lower decks and administered the sacrament. Soon after that, anchor was weighed and a tug boat hauled us out into the open sea; this gave me an opportunity to write a few lines to President Franklin D. Richards, informing him that the English steward had left us, and also three of the crew, namely, the third mate, the boatswain and a sailor. Monday 29--I accompanied the doctor visiting the sick, who were given medicine. We administered to a number of sick persons, and commenced to organize choirs, both among the English and Scandinavians. We also started schools in which the English were to teach the Scandinavians to read and speak the English language.
Diary of Annie E. Bertelsen:
On June 26th the 'Emerald Isle' sailed into the harbor of Queenstown to take fresh water on board, as a certain machine on the vessel used to distill seawater for culinary purposes was out of commission and could not speedily be repaired. While the ship waited at Queenstown Elders Hans Jensen (Hals) and James Smith had an excellent opportunity to accompany the captain on a railway trip to Cork. On the 29th the ship left Queenstown, but the voyage after that was anything but pleasant. The emigrants received very rough and harsh treatment, both from officers and crew, and only by the strong protest of Elder Hans Jensen (Hals) in their behalf did they succeed in getting a part of their rights according to the contract made. On one occasion, when one of the ship's mates attacked a sister by the name of Sander, Brother Jensen took hold of the mate and pulled him away, while sharply reproving him for his conduct. Soon a lot of sailors came up ready for a fight, but the incident ended when the offender got a severe reprimand from the captain, whom Brother Jensen reminded of the promises made. No other company of emigrating Saints from Scandinavia are known to have met with such bad treatment as this on board any ship in crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately it was the last company of Scandinavian Saints which crossed the Atlantic in a sailing vessel. From that time on only steamers were employed in the transportation of the Saints. It was not alone the rough treatment which the emigrants received from the ship's crew that made the voyage so unpleasant, but the water taken on board at Queenstown soon became stagnant and unfit for use, causing much sickness among the passengers, and no less than 37 deaths occurred on the voyage. Many of these, however, were caused by measles among the children, but the stagnant water, which all the passengers had to use, was undoubtedly the real cause of the heavy death rate. I remember very well the first death on board the ship, which was a two year old little girl, she was a very pretty child, and they built a large casket for her, twice her size, and the partitioned [UNCLEAR] it off in the middle placing coal in the one end so that it would be sure and sink when she was lowered in the ocean. When they placed her down into the water, it did not sink, it just floated away, and as we sailed along, we could still see this casket still floating in the ocean. Our ship sailing one way and the casket still floating in another. The parents were almost grief stricken. After this the dead were placed on long boards with weights on each end so that it was sure that they sunk and went to the bottom. It was a wonder that any of us lived to tell the tale. I later heard that the ship on its return voyage back [p.31] sank with all its crew. (Bertelsen, Annie E., Diary, (Typescript) Utah Pioneer Biographies vol. 5, pp. 31-32 (FHL))
Journal of Elder Hans Jensen Hals:
Tuesday, 30--We again distributed provisions among the emigrants, which this time was more expeditiously done than before. Quite a number of the passengers suffered with stomach disorders, and about a dozen children were down with the measles. Friday, 3--Conversed freely with captain about the rights and privileges of the passengers, as both the sailors and officers treated the emigrants roughly and uncivil. It came to harsh words between us, as I stood up for the rights of the people, exhibited my papers, and demanded that our people should be humanely treated and also have the portion of the water due them. I succeeded in getting some concessions, though the captain was hard to move. Monday, 6--A Swedish child died with measles early in the morning; the parents were overcome with grief, as it was their only child. We had three barrels of English beer brought up from the hold, which was distributed among the sick. A number of the bottles were broken, owing to the fomentation and strength of the beer.
Tuesday, 7 July--We held funeral services over the remains of the dead child, Elder Fagerberg officiated and preached the funeral sermon. The wind blew heavily from the northwest and many of the Saints were seasick. Monday, 13--This was our washday, and the first mate acted ugly and brutal towards our people. He cut the strings and threw the clothes down on the deck. And just as I was passing with the doctor he (the mate) grabbed Sister Sanders (from Grenaa, Denmark,) in the breast which caused her to scream. I seized him and pulled him away from her with main force and upbraided him for his brutality. While held the mate a number of the sailors and many of our people gathered around; also the captain. I reminded the captain of his promises to me in Liverpool to the effect that he would permit me to settle any difficulty that might arise between the crew and the emigrants and that the sailors should not be permitted to abuse the Saints. Incidentally I also remarked that if the ship’s officers and crew did not treat the emigrants right and humanely there were experienced sailors enough among them to manipulated the ship and bring it [p.12] safely to New York. The captain then called the mate into the cabin and gave him a tongue lashing; he afterwards kept him three days in confinement. It rained hard during the day.
Sunday, 26--The storm continued, though scarcely so severe as on the first day, but the sea was very rough; the wind tore one of the larger sails, blowing portions of it into the sea. We buried two Danish children who had died the previous night; one belonged to Brother Jens [Carl] Osterman [Ostermann], from Grenaa, and the other to a widow from Sjaelland, Denmark. Still another Danish child died the same day.
Monday, 27 July--Rain and contrary wind. We buried the dead child. The doctor and captain insisted on amputating Brother Christiansen’s broken limb, but I objected, and so it was bandaged instead. We distributed special food and drink among the people, in order to alleviate their [p.14] sufferings and cheer them, but a great number of the Saints felt downhearted and discouraged, and some fainted through weakness. During the violent heaving of the vessel a number of beds or berths fell down with people, boxes and valises that were in them, and everything of a moveable nature that could possibly get loose, was tossed about in the ship.
Tuesday, 28--I was taken sick with fever, diarrhea, and severe pains in the stomach. The doctor and captain made another attempt to amputate Brother Christiansen’s broken limb, but he protested so earnestly that they gave it up.
Thursday, 13 August--I went to the bank with drafts and drew $26,777.25 in greenbacks and $1,000 in gold, after which I took passage on a steamer back to the quarantine landing, whence a boat took me to the Emerald Isle. Soon after I came on board anchor was lifted and a tug boat took the vessel in to the city wharf. Here I landed together with the captain and the doctor and put up at the Stevens Hotel.
Friday, 14--I went to Castle Garden and received the emigrants who were landed from the Emerald Isle. After passing through the general routine at the landing offices, we boarded two steamboats which took us a couple of miles up the river to a large shed by the railway station, where we commenced to weigh the baggage and make other preparations for the overland journey.
4) Copenhagen, Denmark to England via Steamer Ship "Hansia" dep. June 13, 1868.
". . . About 630 emigrants left Copenhagen by the steamer 'Hansia,' June 13, 1868. On the departure the brethren had considerable trouble with the police authorities in Copenhagen. After a successful voyage across the North Sea, the company arrived in Hull, England, on Tuesday, June 16th, and in the evening of the same day they went by train to Liverpool. Here they found accommodations in seven different hotels, where they, with the exception of one place, received anything but decent treatment; and when they on the 19th went on board the ship 'Emerald Isle,' they were insulted in most every imaginable way.
On the 20th the ship sailed from Liverpool, carrying a company of emigrants consisting of 877 souls, of whom 627 were Scandinavians, all in charge of Elders Hans Jensen (Hals) as president with James Smith and John Fagerberg as assistants. Elder Peter Hansen was appointed commissary for the Scandinavians, and Elder Mons Pedersen, who had labored faithfully for four years in the mission office in Copenhagen, was chosen as secretary. Eighteen other Scandinavian emigrants sailed this year by other ships, some of them from Hamburg and some from Norway. ."
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