Ship Brooklyn

The ship Brooklyn carried 239 Latter-day Saints from New York City to San Francisco in 1846.

Websites

 * Voyage of the Brooklyn by Lorin K. Hansen, Dialogue Vol. 21, Autumn 1988
 * The Good Ship "Brooklyn"
 * California Pioneer Heritage Foundation - Ship Brooklyn Saints
 * The Daily Republican "California's First American Families Came by Ship in 1846!"
 * Find A Grave website has a virtual cemetery list for the Pioneers on the Ship Brooklyn

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Ship Brooklyn Association Files. Utah Chapter. FHL 7 rolls
 *  The Brooklyn Banner: a publication of The Ship Brooklyn Association - Utah Chapter. FHL 1 roll

Histories

 * California Saints: A One Hundred Fifty-Year Legacy in the Golden State. Cowan, Richard O. and William E. Homer. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, 1996.
 * Gold Rush Saints: California Mormons and the Great Rush for Riches: Volume 7 of Kingdom in the West. Owens, Kenneth N. University of Oklahoma Press, 2005.
 * Historic Spots in California. Hoover, Mildred Brooke and Douglas E. Kyle. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2002.

Our Pioneer Heritage
As Printed in Utah, Our Pioneer Heritage ,

"The history of western America presents evidence of the achievements of the men and women who arrived in upper California in July, 1846 having sailed, according to the ship's log, 24,000 miles from the time they left New York harbor until they arrived six months later in the bay of San Francisco. The records of California credit these Brooklyn Saints as being the first farmers, first educators, first builders, first legislators, and the publishers of the first Anglo-Saxon newspaper in the golden state. Nearly every beginning of a community effort was the direct result of the labors of these Latter-day Saints who had endured financial losses, physical hardships, sickness and even the loss of loved ones, to participate in this perilous voyage, in order that they might be able to live the principles of the Church which had become so much a part of their lives. Those who came on to Utah to join with the body of Saints, according to the Church plan of gathering to the new Zion, also contributed greatly to the building of this intermountain commonwealth. Here, again, we find them lending their influence to Utah's growth. These people could not be stopped by oceans, mountains, rivers or deserts for theirs was a destiny that must be fulfilled."

Church News
"THE JOURNEY OF THE SHIP BROOKLYN:

The voyage of the ship Brooklyn was, perhaps, the longest sea journey of any religious outcasts in history. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea on their way to Canaan. The pilgrims of 1620 crossed the Atlantic, a voyage of 3,000 miles or more and lasted sixty-three days. The Pacific Pilgrims (Mormons) crossed the equator on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, went from the icy antarctic to the tropical Hawaiian Islands, and thence to California a voyage of 24,000 miles. There were 120 Puritan Pilgrims; the Pacific Pilgrims numbered 238 souls. The two groups were alike in many respects. Each group was composed predominately of young people with small children. They had dauntless courage, intrepid daring, matchless faith, and trust in God. In 1844, after the martyrdom of its founder and leader, Joseph Smith, persecution of LDS church members became acute. In 1845, Church Authorities decided to leave Nauvoo, Illinois and prepared to move west planning to establish themselves in the wilderness of "The Upper California" which included the Great Basin. As an organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) had neither resources or credit.

Church Authorities decided that its members living in New England and the Atlantic Seaboard, whose finances were inadequate to buy wagons, teams and provisions to take them to Nauvoo, Illinois, the starting place should pool their money and charter a ship. Orson Prat of the Council of the Twelve Apostles went to New York to help organize the expedition. Elder Samuel Brannan, an enthusiastic young printer of New York, was chosen as leader and authorized the charter a sailing ship. By combining all the resources of the LDS church members, they were able, after much bargaining, to secure the 370 ton chargo vessell "Brooklyn" under the command of Captain Richardson. They gathered supplies for the journey and equipment for use when they reached the west coast. Charges for the ship was $1,200 per month if they would furnish all of their own provisions and if the men would handle cargo. The capain of the ship ordered the space between decks converted to living quarters. A long table, backless benches, and sleeping cupicles with bunks were built and all were securely bolted to the deck.

They sailed on February 4, 1846, coincidentally, the same day the Saints left Nauvoo. Seventy (70) men, 68 women and 100 children lived in cramped quarters with low ceilings where only the children could stand upright. Most suffered from sea sickness. Storms in the Atlantic blew them almost to Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa. Storms battered them around the Horn. Scurvy was prevalent and the water supply dwindled as they beat nort of Valparaiso, Chili. Gale winds blew them back into antarctic waters and out the the Juan Fernandez Islands, made famous by Defoe in "Robinson Crusoe". Here Laura Goodwin, mother of 7, was burried at Mas a Tierra with the first Mormon service ever held in the Southern Hemisphere. She had been thrown down a hatchway in a storm and died of her injuries. After five days' respite, they set sail for the Sandwich Isles (Hawaii).

The ship Brooklyn stopped in Honolulu long enough to unload the cargo from New York. The passengers attended church services with missionaries who were serving there. They met Commodore Stockton who informed them that the United States and Mexico were at war. He advised them to buy guns and ammunition and that Brannan organize his men into military companies and drilled them. They drilled all the way to California." Published in the Church News sometime in the 1960's.

Passenger List

 * Isaac Addison
 * Eliza Addison
 * Elizabeth R. Addison


 * Silas Aldrich
 * Prudence Hubbard Clark Aldrich
 * Nancy Laura Aldrich
 * Jason Aldrich
 * William Atherton
 * Emily Atherton
 * Emily Atherton


 * Julius Augustus Caesar Austin
 * Octavia Ann Lane Austin
 * Louise Maria Austin
 * Edwin Nelson Austin
 * Newton Francis Austin


 * Elizabeth Wallace Bird


 * Samuel Brannan
 * Ann Eliza Corwin Brannan
 * Samuel L. Brannan


 * Hannah Daggett Buckland
 * Alondus de Lafayette Buckland


 * Newell Francis Ebenezer Bullen
 * Clarissa Judkins Atkinson Bullen
 * Francis Andrew Bullen
 * Herschel Bullen
 * Cincinnatus Bullen


 * Nathan Burr
 * Chloe Clark Burr
 * Amassa Burr
 * Charles Clark Burr
 * Sarah Sloat Burr
 * Charles Elias Washington Burr
 * John Atlantic Burr


 * Jonathan Cade
 * Susannah Henacaky Cade


 * Sophia Patterson Clark


 * Abraham Marion Coombs
 * Olive Olivia Curtis Coombs
 * Katherine Coombs
 * Charles Marion Coombs
 * Helen Mar Coombs


 * Fanny M. Corwin (see Brannan)


 * Lucy Buell Eagar
 * John Eagar
 * Mary Eagar
 * Thomas Eagar
 * Arabella Eagar
 * William Eagar


 * Elias Ensign
 * Jerusha Taylor Ensign
 * Eliza Ensign
 * John Warren Ensign


 * Hannah Roberts Hymes Benner Evans
 * Amanda Miller Evans
 * Jonathan Benner Evans
 * Parley Pratt Evans
 * William Hymes Evans


 * Joseph R Fisher
 * Mary Ann Fisher


 * Jerusha H. Ensign Fowler
 * Thomas W. Fowler
 * George E. Fowler
 * John S. Fowler, Jr.
 * Charles D. Fowler


 * William Glover, Jr.
 * Jane Cowan Glover
 * Jane Glover
 * Catherine Glover
 * Joseph Smith Glover


 * Isaac Goodwin
 * Laura Hotchkiss Goodwin
 * Isaac Hotchkiss Goodwin
 * Lewis Goodwin
 * Emerette Elizabeth Goodwin
 * Edwin Abijah Goodwin
 * Nancy Ellen Goodwin
 * Lucinda Ladelia Goodwin
 * Albert Story Goodwin


 * Jonathan Griffith
 * Sarah Duncan McCullough Griffith
 * Fernanda Jackson Griffith
 * Henry Livingstone Marshall Griffith


 * Mary Quigley Hamilton


 * Henry Harris


 * Ashbel Green Haskell


 * Jacob Bert Hayes


 * Joseph Hicks


 * John Meirs Horner
 * Elizabeth Imlay Horner


 * Elisha Hyatt
 * Matilda Smith Hyatt
 * John Smith (Defreeze) Hyatt


 * Cyrus Irey


 * John Read Clark Jamison


 * Isabella Jones


 * John Joyce
 * Caroline Augusta Perkins Joyce
 * Augusta Joyce


 * Edward Cleveland Kemble


 * John Kittleman
 * Sarah Kittleman
 * George Kittleman
 * Thomas Kittleman


 * William Kittleman
 * Eliza Hindman Kittleman
 * Elizabeth Jane Kittleman
 * Mary Ann Kittleman
 * James H. Kittleman
 * George Kittleman
 * Sara Emma (Sally) Kittleman
 * Hannah Melinda Kittleman


 * Richard Knowles
 * Sarah Rostern Knowles


 * Samuel Greenleaf Ladd, Jr.


 * Emeline Amanda Lane


 * Isaac Leigh
 * Aschah Hunt Leigh


 * James Light
 * Mary Jane Pearson Light
 * Mary Elizabeth Light


 * Angeline M Lovett


 * Earl Marshall
 * Letitia Dorsey Marshall


 * Patrick McCue
 * Esther Burgoine McCue
 * James P. McCue
 * Solomon B. McCue
 * Amos W. McCue
 * William K. McCue


 * Sarah D. Blood Meder
 * Angeline Meder


 * Ambrose Todd Moses
 * Lydia Ensign Moses
 * Norman Stiles Moses
 * Phebe Maria Moses
 * Ann Frances Moses
 * Clarissa Cordelia Moses


 * Barton Mowry
 * Ruth Walkup Mowry
 * Origin Mowry
 * Rhanaldo Mowry


 * Mary Murray (see Harris)


 * Mercy Murray Day Hooker Narrimore
 * Edwin Henry Hooker


 * Joseph A. Nichols
 * Sophia Jerusha Bull Nichols
 * Enos Sperry Nichols
 * Joseph Nichols, Jr.


 * Lucy Jane Nutting


 * Howard Oakley


 * Elijah Ward Pell
 * Seba “Mattie” Pell
 * Geraldine Eliza Pell
 * Hattie Cornelia Pell


 * Robert Petch
 * Mary Petch
 * Salena Petch
 * Richard N. Petch


 * John Philips


 * Mary Frances Cramer Pool
 * Elizabeth Margaret Frances Pool
 * Peter John Pool


 * Christianna Nixon Gregory Read
 * John Haines Read, Jr.
 * Christianna Rachel Read
 * Hannah Tucker Read


 * Isaac Rogers Robbins
 * Mary Ann Shinn Burtis Robbins
 * Joseph Reeves Robbins
 * Wesley Burtis Robbins
 * Margret Burtis Robbins


 * Chauncy Charles Robbins


 * Dr. John Rogers Robbins
 * Phoebe Ann Wright Robbins
 * George Edward Robbins
 * John Franklin Robbins
 * Georgeanna "Anna" Pacific Robbins
 * Charles Burtis Robbins


 * Henry Rollins
 * Isaac Thomas Rollins


 * Susan Eliza Savage


 * James Scott


 * George Warren Sirrine


 * John Sirrine
 * Nancy Smith Sirrine
 * George J. Sirrine


 * Horace Austin Skinner
 * Laura Ann Farnsworth Skinner
 * James Horace Skinner


 * Orren E. Smith
 * Amy Ann Dowd Hopkins Smith
 * Elizabeth Bradley Smith
 * Henry M. Smith
 * Amelia Ann Smith
 * Francis (Frank) Erothis Smith
 * Ellen Mariah Hopkins
 * Emily Marilla Hopkins
 * Orren Hopkins Smith
 * Amy Ann Smith


 * Robert Smith
 * Catherine Clark Smith
 * Daniel Clark Smith
 * Hyrum Joseph Smith


 * Zelnora Sophronia Snow


 * Quartus Strong Sparks
 * Mary Holland Hamilton Sparks
 * Quartus Strong Sparks, Jr.


 * Daniel Stark
 * Ann Cook Stark
 * John Daniel Stark


 * George Still
 * Mary Still
 * Sarah Still
 * Laura Still
 * Julia Still


 * Simeon Stivers


 * William Stout
 * Mary Ann Breckenridge Stout
 * Malone Stout (female)


 * Jesse A Stringfellow


 * Thomas King Tomkins
 * Jane E. Rollins Tomkins
 * Amanda Tomkins
 * Jane Elizabeth Tomkins


 * Edward H. Von Phister


 * W. Frank Ward


 * Caroline M. Warner
 * Myron Warner
 * Sarah H. Warner
 * Henry J. Warner


 * George King Winner
 * Hanna P. Winner
 * Mary Ann Winner
 * Elizabeth "Lizzie" Winner
 * Louisa Winner
 * Emojine Winner
 * Moroni Winner
 * Israel J Winner
 * Sarah Winner