An Illustrated Diary and Manuscript History

of the John E. Forsgren Emigant Company from Denmark, 1852-1853, part 1

Typical Packet Ship Used by Emigrants From England to the U.S.A. in Early 1850s

Ship: the packet ship Forest Monarch
Date of Departure: 16 Jan 1853
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
LDS Immigrants: 297
Church Leader: John E. Forsgren
Date of Arrival: 16 Mar 1853
Port of Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana

Source(s): Customs (FHL #200,173)

Notes: “DEPARTURES. . . . The Forest Monarch sailed on the 16th [of] January, with 297 Danish Saints on board, under the presidency of Elder John Forsgren. . . .” Millennial Star 15:6 (February 5, 1853), p. 89.

1853, Immigration/Emigration to Utah—Ships and Companies

The interests of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund were cared for under Apostle Richard’s agency, so much so that up to January, 1852, 1,410 pounds of sterling had been donated, and in the two ships which sailed January 10, 1852, two hundred and fifty-one persons were sent out requiring above 1,000 pounds more than had been donated, which extra outlay was supplied in the meantime by Apostle Richards. This was the first operation with the Perpetual Emigrating Fund, and it required much careful thought and wise deliberation to adopt plans that would carry this branch of the emigration properly through to the Valley. It was also the first time arrangements had been made before leaving Liverpool. Never before had such a journey been undertaken by so large a number of people with such limited resources.

During the year 1853, several companies of non-English speaking Saints passed through Liverpool. The first one from the Scandinavian Mission numbered two hundred and ninety seven souls and was reshipped at Liverpool on board the Forest Monarch January 16th, under the direction of Willard Snow, then president of the Scandinavian Mission. Donations to the Perpetual Emigrating Fund having been commenced in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark, the sum of 136 pds. 15s 6d was appropriated during Elder Willard Snow’s presidency, for the assistance of a number of those who sailed on the Forest Monarch. The next company from the continent was seventeen persons from the German Mission, who sailed from Liverpool in August and September 1853. These were the first large groups of Latter-day Saints emigrating to Zion from any of those countries.

Sailed Port Ship Leader People Landed

Jan 16 Liverpool Forest Monarch J. E. Forsgren 297 New Orleans
Jan 17 Liverpool Ellen Maria Moses Clawson 332 New Orleans
Jan 23 Liverpool Golconda Jacob Gates 321 New Orleans
Feb 5 Liverpool Jersey George Halliday 314 New Orleans
Feb 15 Liverpool Elvira Owen J.W. Young 345 New Orleans
Feb 28 Liverpool International Chr. Arthur 425 New Orleans
Feb 28 Liverpool Falcon Cor. Bagnail 324 New Orleans
Apr 6 Liverpool Camillus C.E. Bolton 228 New Orleans
Aug 24 Liverpool Page Bender 17 New Orleans
Liverpool  Miscellaneous 23 New Orleans

Departure Date Captain People Arrival
Kanesville, Iowa Jun 3 Claudius V. Spencer 250 Sep 24
Kanesville, Iowa Jun 3 Cyrus H. Wheelock 400 Oct 16
Kanesville, Iowa Jul 1 John Brown 228 Oct 17
Kanesville, Iowa Jul 11 Joseph W. Young 321 Oct 10
Kanesville, Iowa Jul 14 Appleton M. Harmon 200 Oct 16
Keokuk, Iowa May 18 Jesse W. Crosby 79 Sep 10
Keokuk, Iowa May 21 John E. Forsgren 294 Sep 30
Keokuk, Iowa Jun Moses Clawson 295 Sep 15
Keokuk, Iowa Jun 3 Jacob Gates 262 Sep 26
Keokuk, Iowa Jul 1 Henry Ettleman 40 Oct 1
Keokuk, Iowa Jul 13 Vincent Shurtliff not listed Sep 30
Six-Mile Grove, Iowa Jun 1 Wilkin/Cooley 122 Sep 9

Six-Mile Grove, Iowa Jun 9 John A. Miller 282 Sep 9

From the 9th Epistle, April 13, 1853: “Brethren, come home as fast as possible, bringing your poor, your silver, your gold, and everything that will beautify and ennoble Zion, and establish the House of the Lord, not forgetting the seeds of all choice trees, and fruits, and grains, and useful productions of all the earth, and labor saving machinery; keeping yourselves unspotted from the world by the way side.”

The missionaries abroad were making converts and encouraging them to gather to Utah. Although numerous deaths occurred crossing the ocean, and along the trail, those people who reached their Zion strengthened the settlements and helped to build a greater commonwealth.

Mormon Missionaries in Converting the Poor of Europe Helped Them Emigrate to America in Hopes of a Better Life

[The following is adapted from History of the Scandinavian Mission by Andrew Jenson, 1927, pp. 70-72.]

SIXTIETH COMPANY. – Forest Monarch, 297 souls. This company of emigrants was from the Scandinavian mission, being the first large company of Saints who emigrated from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. An earnest desire to emigrate to Zion had been manifested by many of the Scandinavian Saints since the first company had left for the mountains a few months previous; and the elders had been engaged for some time past in making preparations to send off a large company.

About the beginning of December, 1852, the emigrants from the respective conferences in the mission began to gather in Copenhagen [København], Denmark, and on Monday Dec. 20, 1852, two hundred ninety-three Saints, including children, went on board the steamship Obotrit and sailed from Toldboden (the custom house) at 4 o’clock p.m., under the leadership of Elder John E. Forsgren, one of the elders who, in connection with Apostle Erastus Snow, first introduced the gospel into Scandinavia two years before.

Copenhagen’s Customs House

Erastus Snow

A great multitude of people had gathered on the wharf to witness the departure of the ‘Mormons’, and many of the rabble gave utterance to the most wicked and blasphemous language, while they cursed and swore, because so many of their countrymen were disgracing themselves by following ‘that Swedish Mormon priest’ (an appellation they gave Elder Forsgren) to America.

Copenhagen Harbor About Time of Forsgren Group Emigration in December 1852

No violence, however, was resorted to, and the ship got safely away. After a rather stormy and unpleasant passage the Obotrit arrived safely in Kiel, Holstein, on the evening of the twenty-second.

Route from Copenhagen to Kiel

The following day the journey was continued by rail to Hamburg, where a large hall had been hired, and supper prepared for the emigrants.

Train Arriving in Hamburg in mid-1800s

In the afternoon of the twenty-fourth the Saints went on board the steamship Løven (the Lion), which glided slowly with the tide down the river Elbe to Cuxhaven, where the captain cast anchor, owing to the heavy fog which prevailed.

Løven (the “Lion”) Ship Symbol; In 1850s Hamburg, Emigrants Were Brought to the Ships in Small Vessels

The emigrants now celebrated Christmas Eve on board, with songs and amusements of different kinds. In the morning of the twenty-fifth anchor was weighed, and the Lion sailed to the mouth of the river, where it was met by heavy headwinds, that made it impossible to reach the open sea until midnight. Finally, the passage from the river to the sea was made in the moonlight.

“Gruss aus Hamburg”/”Greeting from Hamburg”

Route from Hamburg to Liverpool, via Grimsby/Hull from the

“Railway Map of Central Europe,” Cassell’s Atlas, 1909

Early in the morning of the twenty-sixth, the ship passed Heligoland [Helgoland], soon after which a heavy gale blew up from the southwest, which increased in violence until the next day, when it assumed the character of a regular hurricane, the like of which old sailors declared they had never before experienced on the German Ocean.

Heligoland (Helgoland)

The ship’s bridge and part of the gunwale were destroyed, and some goods standing on the deck were broken to pieces and washed overboard; otherwise, neither the ship nor the emigrants were injured. On the twenty-eighth, in the evening, after the storm had spent its fury, the Lion steamed into the harbor of Hull, England. About one hundred and fifty vessels were lost on the German Ocean in the storm, and the people in Hull were greatly surprised when the Lion arrived in safety, as it was firmly believed that she had gone under like the other ships that were lost.

North Sea Storms Could Force a Sailing Vessel Under the Sea or on the Rocks

From Hull, the emigrating Saints continued the journey by rail to Liverpool, on the 29th, where lodging and meals previously ordered, were prepared for them, and on the first of January 1853, they went on board the packet ship Forest Monarch, which was hauled out of the dock and anchored in the river Mersey. There it lay until the 16th, because of storms and contrary winds.

Typical Departure Scene in Mid-1800s Liverpool

In the meantime three of the company died, two babies were born, and three fellow passengers were initiated into the Church by baptism. One man, who had been bitten by a dog, was left in Liverpool, to be forwarded with the next company of emigrating saints. One night the ship became entangled with another vessel and sustained some injuries: and a few days later, during a heavy storm, it got adrift, pulling up both anchors, and was just about to run aground, when two tug boats came to the rescue and saved it.

On the sixteenth of January, 1853, the Forest Monarch put out to sea. The emigrants now numbered two hundred and ninety-seven souls, who were placed under the direction of Elder John Erik Forsgren, in connection with who Elders Christian Christiansen and J. H. Christiansen acted as counselors. Elder Willard Snow and Peter O. Hansen who had accompanied the emigrating Saints to Liverpool, now returned to Copenhagen.

Emigrant Ship Leaving Liverpool

During the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean the Forest Monarch was favored with very pleasant weather, but for several days it was a perfect calm, and in many respects the emigrants, who nearly all were unaccustomed to seafaring life, found the voyage trying and tedious.

Route of the “Forest Monarch”

The provisions were poor, and their fresh water supply gave out before the journey was ended. Four deaths also occurred, and three children were born during the voyage.

“The Mormon Exodus to the Rocky Mountains” (Reprinted from Howells,

The Mormon Story, A Pictorial Account of Mormonism, 1964).

On the eighth of March, 1853, the ship arrived safely at the mouth of the Mississippi River, where five of the company died, and on the arrival at New Orleans, on the sixteenth, two others departed this life, and one family who had apostatized remained in that city.

From New Orleans the journey was continued by steamboat up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri, where the emigrants landed on the thirty-first. In that city, tents and other commodities needed for the journey, were purchased. After tarrying about a month, during which time six of the emigrants died and two couples were married, the company left St. Louis and proceeded by steamboat about two hundred miles further up the river to Keokuk, Iowa, where the emigrants pitched their tents for the first time, and lay in camp for several weeks before starting for the plains.

St. Louis as seen by Frederick Piercy, 1853

Keokuk, Iowa by Frederick Piercy, 1853

In the meantime the emigrants received their teams consisting of oxen and wagons. Some of the Scandinavian emigrants, who at first rejected the American way of driving oxen in yokes, went to work and manufactured harness in regular Danish fashion; but no sooner were these placed on the animals than they, frightened half to death struck out in a wild run, refusing to be guided at all by the lines in the hands of their new masters from the far north. Crossing ditches and gulches in their frenzy, parts of the wagons were strewn by the way side; but the oxen, (many of which had never been hitched up before) were at last stopped by men who understood how to manipulate the most important article of all teamsters outfits -- the whip; and the Danish emigrants, profiting by the experience they had gained, soon concluded that, although harness might do well enough for oxen in Denmark, the yoke and whip were preferable in America; and they readily accepted the method of their adopted country.

With thirty-four wagons and about one hundred and thirty oxen, the company rolled out from the camping ground near Keokuk on the twenty-first of May, and after three weeks rather difficult travel over prairies of Iowa, Council Bluffs, on the Missouri River, was reached. Here the company rested for several days, and on the twenty seventh of June resumed the journey by crossing the Missouri River, after which they were soon far out on the plains. On the overland journey a number of the emigrants died, more children were born, and few lost the faith in the midst of the hardships and trials of the long march.

Missouri River and Council Bluffs, Iowa, by Frederick Piercy, 1853

Finally on the thirtieth of September, 1853 the company arrived in Salt Lake City; and on the fourth of October the emigrants were nearly all rebaptized by Apostle Erastus Snow. They were counseled by President Brigham Young to settle in different parts of the Territory, and mix up with people of other nationalities, so as to become useful in developing the resources of the new country. Most of them located in Sanpete Valley, whither other companies of from Scandinavia subsequently followed them, and that valley has ever since been know as the headquarters of the Scandinavians in Utah. Still President Young’s advice has not been unheeded, as the people from the three countries of the north (Denmark, Sweden and Norway) are represented, to a greater or less extent, in nearly ever town and settlement of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains. (Millennial Star, Vol. XV, pp. 89, 282, 368; Morgenstjernen, Vol. 1, page 180.)

Salt Lake City in the 1850s

“Sun. 16. [Jan. 1853] -- The ship Forest Monarch sailed from Liverpool, England, with 297 Scandinavian Saints, under John E. Forsgren’s direction. The company arrived at New Orleans March 12th; at Keokuk, Iowa, in the beginning of April; and most of the emigrants reached G. [Great] S. [Salt] L. [Lake] City, Sept. 30th. This was the first large company of Saints who emigrated to Utah from Scandinavia.”

“Manuscript history of the John H. Forsgren Emigrating Company.” Translated from Danish. (Typescript) (Ms 4592), pp. 1-15, 35. (HDA). Reproduced on Compact disk, Mormon Immigration Index, produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, © 2000 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. In addition, a version appeared as “A Pioneer Journal, Forsgren Company, Containing Story of the First Danish Company to Emigrate to Utah,” in Heart Throbs of the West, Volume Six, pages 1-31, published by Daughters of Utah Pioneers. While the Forsgren Company were not the first Danish pioneers to come to Salt Lake City, they were the first large-scale group. A small group came the year before in 1852, so the Forsgren company being the “first Danish company” is somewhat a misnomer.

A PIONEER JOURNAL, FORSGREN COMPANY, CONTAINING STORY OF THE FIRST DANISH COMPANY TO EMIGRATE TO UTAH

Soon after the Latter-day Saint religion was introduced in Scandinavia in the early 1850’s, the people of those northern European countries who had accepted Mormonism left their homes, families and friends to build anew in far off Utah, in the land of America.

Mormon Missionaries Preaching to Members of Laboring Classes in Europe

The year 1853 brought about 300 Scandinavian immigrants. These converts had affiliated themselves with a religion which was unpopular; hence they were ostracized, hated, and despised, even by their own people.” There were made the subject of all manner of unchristian treatment, so that they were glad to sell all they owned and start for Zion.

An Anti-Mormon Mob Scene

Although they knew very little of the English language, nothing of American customs and ways, their belief and faith carried them through the trials and sufferings of the pioneer immigrant, who crossed the ocean, plains and mountains to reach their destination, their Zion.

From their journals we glean the truest picture of pioneering and we are happy to present in this chapter the day by day account of the Forsgren Immigrant Company of 1853. It presents a clear picture of how these Saints were required to live up to every principle of their religion in those early days.

We are not certain who wrote this diary; Andrew Jenson, former Church Historian, who read the original journal written in Danish, and had his grandson, Earl Olson, translate it, did not think John E. Forsgren was the author, but rather some member of the company designated to keep the record of the group. The original is in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Library at the State Capitol.

HISTORY OF THE OLD JOURNAL

The introduction to the article states: “My mother’s sister, Maryann M. Snyder, was born March 1, 1842, in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, and came to Utah with her parents in the year of 1847. Mother was born February 26, 1847, at Winter Quarters, Nebraska. She died the 7th of December, 1877, just six months and three days after I was born at Salem, Utah County, Utah. My mother’s parents, Robert A. Snyder and Almeda M. Livermore, were living in Payson, Utah. Their daughter, Maryann Forsgren, lived with them and she was at that time 35 years of age. At my mother’s death they took me to their home where I lived with them till I was 10 years of age. I can well remember John E. Forsgren coming there to my grandfather’s place in Payson to see my Aunt Maryann and how jealous I was over his coming to see my aunt. I did not think she should pay attention to anyone but me. She tried to make me understand that he was her husband. I do not know when they were married but I have the original patriarchal blessing given to Maryann Forsgren, January 13, 1874. As I got older I heard grandfather and grandmother, as well as Aunt Maryann talk about her husband, John E. Forsgren. When my aunt died on the 17th of October, 1915, she left a trunk filled with old papers, which I saved for the purpose of gathering genealogy. Among them were many of John Forsgren’s writings and clippings. I did not know of any of the Forsgren people to give them to, and they were of no benefit to me, so I burned them all but the small record book which in 1942 I gave to Kate B. Carter.”

“Signed, Robert A. Powell

764 Denver St., Salt Lake City, Utah”

THE FORSGREN COMPANY

Shortly after the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the missionary system was organized. In 1850 the first elders were sent to open a mission in the Scandinavian countries. Elder’ Erastus Snow, leader of this mission, arrived in Copenhagen June 14, 1850, accompanied by George P. Dykes and John E. Forsgren. Peter O. Hansen, a native of Denmark, had been converted in America and came with Elder Erastus Snow from America. However, Brother Hansen preceded Brother Snow into Denmark and met the three brethren mentioned above took them to a hotel and acted as interpreter.

Within a few days after their arrival, these elders commenced missionary work which soon spread from Denmark into Norway and Sweden. Numerous converts were made in these countries, especially in Denmark. Soon the earnest desire to emigrate to Zion became quite general among these converts. Arrangements were made for a large company to leave for America and by the latter part of December nearly three hundred persons were ready to say goodbye to their homes.

The Emigrants Traveled by Coach, Train and Other Transport to Gather in Copenhagen

On December 20, 1852, this company boarded the steamship Obotrit at Copenhagen for Kiel in Holstein.

Kiel

From here the company proceeded by rail to Altona (then under Danish rule) and on to Hamburg, where members boarded the steamship Løven (the Lion), bound for Hull, England. After encountering a furious storm on the North Sea, the Lion arrived at Hull on December 28, 1852. More than one hundred ships had been destroyed by the fury of this storm and the Lion caused great surprise among the people of Hull when it steamed into the harbor.

Example of a Steamship Much Like the “Lion” Which Plied the North Sea in the 1850s

The Hull to Liverpool Route Today

From Hull the emigrating Saints took rail to Liverpool where they arrived on December 29th.

Liverpool is Most Famous in Latter-Day Saint History for the Docks from Which Sailed Over a 100,000 Mormons in the Great Gathering of the 19th Century

On December 31st the company went on board the packet ship Forest Monarch. Owing to very stormy weather this ship could not leave Liverpool until January 16, 1853. The rough, long and tiresome journey was filled with many trying events. The provisions were poor, the fresh water gave out, four deaths occurred and three children were born. The Forest Monarch arrived at New Orleans in safety and after a few days the company left for St. Louis by river boat. At St. Louis the company remained for nearly one month and then proceeded up the Mississippi by steamboat to Keokuk, Iowa. Here the Saints purchased wagons and oxen and prepared for their overland journey. They left on May 21st with 34 wagons and 130 oxen, crossed Iowa and reached Council Bluffs on the Missouri River and after a long and tedious journey reached Salt Lake City, September 30, 1853 - A. William Lund.

Soon after their arrival in the valley, President Young advised these Saints, who were accustomed to a cold climate, to continue their journey to Sanpete Valley and see what they could do to assist in making a success of the settlement already founded there. Part of the company went to Sanpete and helped in the settlement of Manti, Ephraim, Spring Pity and other towns in that county. Other members of the group went to Boulder County. In the Daughters of Pioneer history of that county we read:

“Late in the fall of 1853, John E. Forsgren arrived here with part of the first organized company of Latter-day Saints to emigrate from Scandinavia. William Knudsen, August Valentine, Peter A. Forsgren, Erika Forsgren, James Olson and some others came with this company and were first housed by the residents of the fort.”

THE JOURNAL

Note: There is another account of the trip written by one of the other Danish emigrants, Peter Madsen, with selections from his autobiography reproduced here. In addition, a second journal was written by a Danish teenager traveling essentially the same route later in the year. Click here to see excerpts from that account.

The following is a translation from a Danish journal of one of the immigrants who left for America in John E. Forsgren’s Company (“Manuscript History of the John E. Forsgren Emigrating Company” in Typescript, Ms 4592. Salt Lake City: LDS Church Historical Department Archives):

Monday, December 20, 1852. At 12:30 p.m. we sailed from Copenhagen for Kiel on the small ship Obotrit [also sometimes spelled Obetrit].

Example of a Post Steamship from the 1850s

Coat-of-Arms on the Ensign of the Post Steamer Obotrit 1850

(Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany)

Tuesday, Dec. 21. We laid at anchor most of the day.

Wednesday, Dec. 22. The anchor was lifted this morning and we again proceeded on our way; in the evening we arrived at Kiel. There was a good deal of sickness among the brethren and sisters on this trip, but the Lord was kind to them all, and only one needed the help of a doctor. We heard that a very large ship which had sailed at the same time that our ship sailed had driven in the storm, lost one of its boats, and received much more damage than ours.

Thursday, Dec. 23. At 6:30 a.m. we left Kiel on the railroad, and arrived at Altona at 9:30, where we were very kindly received. Through the courtesy of Morris & Company we were served warm food and drinks, which were very refreshing. The remainder of the day we stayed in Altona.

Altona, About the Time of This Narrative Then a Part of Denmark