Joseph and Hannah Fielding, with Rachel and Ellen, Sail to the United States

Transcription

1 The World of Joseph Fielding: Chapter 21 Joseph and Hannah Fielding, wi Rachel and Ellen, Sail to e United States Joseph received a few donations from Church members to assist him in taking his family to America in September of 1841, but it was his broer-in-law George Greenwood who made e trip possible. If my Wife s Broer had not assisted me, I could not have got to Liverpool. They traveled by train to e port, Joseph mentioning at ey made e trip in one day. Joseph carried sixty dollars in gold pieces, sent by faiful new members of e Church whose desire was to assist in e building of e temple in Nauvoo. 1 Joseph was now forty-four years old; his wife Hannah, irty-ree. Rachel was two and Ellen just seven mons old. He wrote, We took leave of our Friends, in hopes to see em again in Zion. On e evening of Thursday, September 16, e family boarded e ship Tyrian, which flew under a U.S. flag. Also emigrating was Joseph Fielding s good friend William Mitchell, who had been an early convert in Liverpool. He was emigrating wi his wife and a teenage son who was also named William. Several passengers recorded at eir chests and boxes were sent ahead to e ship by train. Joseph s luggage was handled in is manner, and e day after arriving in Liverpool, Joseph loaded his family s luggage on board. Richard Bentley, who was not LDS, chose to emigrate wi e help of his broer-in-law John Sanders, Joseph s missionary associate in Carlisle earlier in e year. After consulting wi his friends, and speaking to a ship captain who had been to America several times, Richard felt like America would be a place where he might have a better chance at a good life. Broer Sanders s wife Margaret and son Thomas were also emigrating. A week before his departure from Leeds, seventy miles noreast, Richard shipped his chest by train to Liverpool wi directions for it to be loaded onto e Tyrian. When he arrived on e st morning of Monday 21, e day of e ship s departure, e chest was not on board. Richard made his way to e train yard but found no one to help him. At noon he sneaked into e yard and searched, finally locating his chest. Richard hired a carter and e two of em loaded e chest on e cart behind e horse and en raced to e dock. On e one hand, Richard feared arrest from a possible constable on his tail. On e oer hand, he desperately did not want to miss boarding e ship. They reached e dock exactly at 1, only to see e ship moving along e River Mersey. The carter rew e chest on board and Richard sprang onto e deck after it. The record of his emigration took two pages, but Richard s description of getting his chest on board consumed e entire first page. He kept e chest wi him for e rest of his life, taking it across e plains and en to St. George, where he died in

2 Amos Fielding and Elder Parley P. Pratt spent e weekend wi e saints on board e Tyrian, ensuring at ey were settled in, and preaching to em. Most of e emigrants attended Church in downtown Liverpool on Sunday wi e members ere. Joseph Fielding wrote at Elder Pratt spoke on e Subject of Zion, etc. He added, His 2 Discourse was full of Light, as also all his talks are. A friend took Joseph and his family back to e ship in his coach: The Ship was dark, ere being no Light allowed in e Deck, so we had to find our Way to Bed and put e Children to Bed in e Dark; but I felt glad to find myself on e Way to Zion. Before lying us down, I called upon e Lord. Monday afternoon, as e Tyrian moved along e docks and out into e Irish Sea, e 3 passengers sang e hymn Can I Leave You? Yes, My Native Land, written by Samuel Francis Smi which was included in e hymnal which had been published earlier in e year. Yes, my native land, I love ee, All y scenes I love em well, Friends, connexions, happy country! Can I bid you all farewell? Can I leave ee Far in distant lands to dwell? Holy scenes of joy and gladness, Every fond emotion swell. Can I banish heartfelt sadness, While I bid my home farewell? Bear me on, ou restless ocean: Let e winds my canvas swell. Heaves my heart wi warm emotion, While I go far hence to dwell. Glad I bid ee, Native land, farewell. 4 The next morning e saints assembled on deck and sang How Firm A Foundation, of which e four stanza is: When rough e deep waters I call ee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not ee o'erflow, For I will be wi ee, y troubles to bless, And sanctify to ee, and sanctify to ee, And sanctify to ee y deepest distress. 338

3 The Voyage of e Tyrian to New Orleans 5 Two weeks after boarding e ship, Joseph wrote a summary of eir journey to at point. On Tuesday morning our beloved Breren took eir Leave of us, while e Company sang several Farewell Hymns, and about 10 A. M. we set Sail wi a fine Wind, and in a few Hours lost Sight of our old native Land. I being Appointed to superintend e Company, wi Elder John Sanders to assist me, called a Council and chose several of e Breren to unite wi us in e Management of e Company... [but before too long] some began to be sick, and is increased for several Days as e Wind blew strong. In short, e Sickness grew severe and heavy. The Captain was kind to us, and sent his Men to empty our Vessels, etc., and to see at our Boxes were fast, but by Sunday, e Weaer became so fine at we met on Deck in e Morning, and I read a Portion of e Word of God, and Prayed, etc., and in e Afternoon we took e Sacrament. I would have had e Breren speak, but ey left it to me, and I spoke as I was led, to suit e Occasion, and in e Eve we had prayer in different Parts of e Ship, and we felt at we had done as was pleasing to e Lord. The next Day, September 27, e Wind began to blow till it became a Storm, and at Night e Hatches were put down. Only one was open, and early on Tuesday Morn e Sea broke over and came into e Steerage. The Ship rolled to and fro very much, and e people went from Side to Side on our Floor. This alarmed some of e Saints. Some ought it was all up wi us. One Broer ran on Deck, inking e Ship was going to be wrecked, and ought he would get into e Long Boat. Our Situation appeared gloomy, but in fact ere was no Danger, yet I kneeled up in my Ber and prayed at e Lord would be merciful to us and preserve us, and cause e Wind to abate, and my Prayer was in some Measure answered. When we rose in e Morning ere was noing seriously wrong. The Water which had rolled to and fro in e Ship had found its way out, I suppose into e Hold, rough e Scuttle Hole. Some of our Boxes and Tins etc. had broken lose and were rolling about. My Shoes and oer ings were lost, but I found em under e Ber. The wind blew hard all e next Day, properly a storm, but on Wednesday, we had become pretty steady, and in e Eve I called e Company togeer as well as I could, and spoke to em about 3/4 of an Hour on e importance of making a proper use of eir time, for I saw at some of em were vain a trifling.... I also saw some who were selfish and covetous. I told em is was no celestial Spirit, and ey must strive to get rid of it. I also exhorted em to be careful of eir Food, as we knew not how long we might be on e Water. The Captain and Mates have been very kind and Friendly. They often came down to see how we got on and to see at our Boxes, etc. were fast, and would send down e Sailors to empty our Pots, etc., when we were too sick to help ourselves. In fact, ey have so far treated us wi great Kindness, and we have had Peace in our Company. 339

4 In a few days after we sailed, our Number was increased by Sis. Littlewood giving Bir to a fine Daughter about ree o clock on Friday Morning, e 24. She and her Child are doing well. 6 We have had some Calm, which was a comfort to us in our Sickness. On Sunday, e 3 rd of October, e Weaer was too rough to be on Deck, and we met in two separate Places of e Ship [for meetings]. Bro. Sanders led one and I led e oer and spoke on e Subject of Zion and e Gaering, and Afternoon we took e Sacrament, carrying it round to e Saints at eir Bers. The Evening was wet, and we could not enjoy any Meeting particularly, but we had Prayer and Singing. On October 6, Joseph wrote: Today e Wind is blowing about as it did on Sunday Even, and has been ever since, taking us from 7 to 9 Knots for Hours about our right Course. Monday Night was very wet, and e Water came in upon our Beds, but we got em dry again by taking em on Deck. We have seen many and spoken to several Ships since we came out. One was near running Foul of us, but we have had no Accident as yet. The Lord has been kind to us and ere has been so little discord at is not wor recording, only 2 or 3 Words about e Fire or e Cooking. Many are relieved from eir Sickness, etc. by Fai and Prayer, and administering of Oil in e Name of e Lord. Three days later, Joseph wrote: We have generally had good Sailing in one Course. The Sails have scarcely been changed as to eir Course since last Sunday till yesterday when e yards were squared. We have often sailed 9, 10, or 11 Knots per Hour.... On Sunday October 13 Joseph wrote a short entry in his journal: This was a fine Day. The morning was raer too hot, but as e Sun got round to e Head of e Ship, e Sails shaded us from e Sun. We met on e Deck at ½ past 10 to worship God. Elder Sanders spoke a While, and Elder Mitchell. Richard Bentley wrote, Elder Joseph Fielding was e president of e company of Saints on board e ship. He was a kind, good man and treated me kindly. He called on me to assist in giving out e daily rations to e Saints, in fact, few of em knew at I did not belong to e church. A mon after eir departure, Elder Pratt wrote Joseph Smi from Manchester, saying, in part: On e 20 of Sept, e Ship Tyrian sailed from Liverpool for New Orleans, under a 340

5 charter of e Latter-day saints; She had upwards of two hundred on board, wi Elder Joseph Fielding at eir head. By chartering, we saved e company at least 500 or 600 dollars....the splendid New Ship Chaos, 1200 tons Buren, will sail on e 5 November, under our charter. She will have from one to two hundred Saints on board, wi Patriarch Peter Melling at eir head. Elder Pratt continued: The Saints in is country are generally Rejoicing, and filled wi e testimony of Jesus. Great zeal is manifested by e officers in general, of which ere is probably more an one ousand. We are increasing in Numbers and in Gifts and blessings. New Branches of e Church are rising in many places, and great additions made to e old ones. Manchester and vicinity has poured for a stream of emigration for e last 18 mons, and still we numbered on at our Conference, two weeks ago, near sixteen hundred members, in between one and two hundred officers; all ese wiin one hour s journey of Manchester. 7 Joseph Fielding s Trip from New Orleans to Nauvoo The Tyrian docked at e large port in New Orleans on e 9 of November, after seven weeks on e Atlantic. The passengers collected eir luggage and en loaded it onto a steamboat which would carry em up e Mississippi River and rough St. Louis. Joseph wrote, I landed in New Orleans early in November, 1841 at e head of about 200 Saints, having had Peace and a good Passage, but at is place I had a Fall from a Bridge, or Wharf, near 10 Feet on to hard Ground, which broke one or two of my Ribs and hurt my Knees very much. I had just been to Charter a Steam Boat, and was returning to e Ship. This Fall was e severest hurt I had ever sustained. I felt determined to make but little of it, but I was long before I could rise from my Bed of myself... e Master of e Boat was very kind, letting me occupy one of e State Rooms for myself and Family. 8 9 A few mons later, in a letter to e British Saints, Joseph described his trip up e Mississippi River: It is common ere to see trees loaded wi oranges, which are very cheap. The people are partly white and partly coloured. We took one of e best steam boats (e General Pratt), and for 11s. English each, and luggage, sailed to St. Louis, 800 or 1000 miles... There are many slave settlements; ese often reminded us of e factory lords in England, in eir mansions surrounded wi cottages occupied by e poor oppressed labourer: it is much e same wi e slaves and eir masters, but e slaves pay no rent. We saw, also, many fields of cotton, and many of sugar cane. One of our boat s crew was shot, while getting some cane, by e owner, while e boat was taking in wood, but it did not prove fatal. A girl of our company, eleven years of age, while playing, fell overboard and could 341

6 not be saved: is was e only dea we had. It is a truly interesting scene to pass up is river; we often ought of e crowded population of England, who cannot get a foot of land in all eir lifetime, and here we travel many hundred miles and see little but forests and no one to occupy it, and e best of land. They reached Warsaw, eighteen miles sou of Nauvoo, in eight days, but e steamboat couldn t 10 go farer because e Mississippi River was too low. Joseph wrote at e people in Warsaw were:... poor, failess Saints, someing like Spiders Webs set to catch flies....the Council of our Breren of e 12, Broer Willard Richards and oers, [desired] at some of us should stop at Warsaw, inking at at time of forming a Branch ere... but... at Place was given up on account of e unfriendly disposition of e People ere....they came to us wi fain words as our best Friends, but eir Council was at of Enemies, but did not prevail to stay any of our Company except two. Most of em had been to Nauvoo, but had not Fai enough to live ere Richard Bentley also wrote at ey were met in Warsaw by Apostle Willard Richards, who encouraged em to settle ere and build a city. Heavy snow fell at night, and e next day John Sanders headed on by foot to Nauvoo. Three days later a team sent by John arrived to take Richard, his sister Margaret and his son Thomas on to Nauvoo. 12 Joseph wrote at just after ey arrived in Warsaw, e Weaer broke, and e Winter set in wi a Snow Storm. Lorenzo Young, Brigham Young s younger broer, lived in Warsaw. He took in Joseph and his family for a few days, Joseph writing at he and his Wife were very kind to us. After ree days of rest Broer Young took em to Nauvoo in a sleigh. Joseph wrote: Passengers from e Tyrian traveled 830 miles from New Orleans to Warsaw where e river was too low to take em farer. The Day was very cold as we rode over e Prairie. We were compelled at times to get out and walk to warm ourselves, but it was wi great Pain at I got off and on e Sleigh on account of my hurt... Some of our Company came on [also], feeling anxious to see is Place and e Prophet. Alough injured, Joseph Fielding could not resist making observations about his new home. When we came wiin two miles of our Journey s End, we began to see e Effects of at Industry for which e Saints are so remarkable. Fences of Rails & of Pickets, Houses and gardens on e Edge of e Prairie, such as we had not before seen. This, said Bro. Y., is Nauvoo, but we had two Miles to go yet, so extensive was is Settlement of e Saints become in so short a time! 342

7 We soon passed e sacred Place, and saw e Foundation of e Temple. The Arches of e Vault Windows were not all finished. The Sight of is ough by e Light of e Moon only gave me peculiar feelings. The Idea at it was done at e special Command of e Almighty was a new ing in is Age. It seemed to fill e mind wi Solemnity, and to give a sacredness to e whole Place. How many Houses of God, as ey were called, have I seen in building, but ere is none in e whole World except e one in Kirtland and is one at was built at e Command of God. This Thought at once leads e Mind back rough e long Darkness which has covered e Ear since e Days of e Apostles, wherein God has not spoken to Men eier by Visions or by Dreams, only by Urim or by Prophets, e Seers and Prophets have been covered, and to e Promises of God at he would renew e Covenant, gaer Israel, and establish his Kingdom on e Ear, no more to be destroyed. 13 In his letter to e British Saints, Joseph Fielding wrote: I can truly say at e place, in general, exceeds my expectations; in short, one would hardly believe it possible at a town of such extent, could have been built in so short a time, especially by a people generally poor ere are many log, many frame, and many brick houses. Joseph Fielding Arrives in Nauvoo and Reunites wi His Sisters We soon reached e House of my Sister, now Widow Thompson. Her husband, R. B. Thompson, had departed is Life in August of at year. In expectation of my coming, he had prepared a House for me, but had not finished it, and instead of finding in him a Friend on my arrival, I found a Widow at stood in need of a Friend. I was still so unwell as not to be able to cut e smallest Stick, and Business was en dull but little to do, and I wi my Family found myself in but poor Circumstances, not having had Money sufficient to bring me here. As soon as I could, I began to busy myself in doing little ings for my Sister, and when e River had Frozen, I got an Ax and went onto e Island to cut Wood, for I could not live in Idleness, but it was as much as I could well do to cross e River and return. Wi Pain and Weariness I cut 3 or 4 Cords. However, before he could return to move it across e river, e wood was taken by anoer. Joseph and his family concluded e eventful year of 1841 by living wi his sister Mercy and her young daughter Mary Jane. It is probable at Joseph honored his two sisters by giving em a copy of e British edition of e Book of Mormon. Perhaps Joseph returned from England wi copies for Hyrum Smi, his broer-in-law, and maybe even e prophet, alough it s likely ey had already received copies from e returning apostles several mons earlier. 343

8 Joseph and Hannah would have also met, for e first time, eir nephew and two nieces, e children of Mercy and Mary. Mary Jane, Mercy s daughter, was ree years old. Mary had given bir to a daughter named Mara Ann in e early spring, who joined her broer Joseph Fielding Smi, who was also ree. Joseph Smi recorded a meeting on November 28, a Sunday. His scribe wrote: [Spent] e day in e council wi e Twelve Apostles at e house of President Young, conversing wi em upon a variety of subjects. Broer Joseph Fielding was present, having been absent about four years on a mission to England. I told e breren at e Book of Mormon was e most correct of any book on ear, and e keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, an by any oer book. 14 During e winter, Richard Bentley was baptized by Joseph Fielding, who cut e ice to get into e Mississippi. Joseph and John Sanders en confirmed Richard at e water s edge. 15 Orson Hyde Dedicates Jerusalem for Israel s Return A few weeks after e Tyrian arrived in e United States, Elder Hyde wrote from e Egyptian port in Alexandria. 16 Orson had traveled rough very difficult circumstances, as various factions from e areas where he traveled were in conflict. He faced periods wiout any food and ate snails to stay alive. Finding decapitated bodies in e streets became a common occurrence for him. His companion was an American Protestant minister who died of typhoid fever while ey were in Jerusalem. Elder Hyde told Joseph Smi at This painting by Clark Kelly Price depicts Orson Hyde dedicating Jerusalem for e return of e Jews. early in e morning of Sunday, October 24, he left Jerusalem as soon as e gates were opened, crossed e Kedron Brook and walked up e Mount of Olives, offering a dedicatory prayer. Let e land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow wi plenty to feed e returning prodigals who come home wi a spirit of grace and supplication... Let at nation or at people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham s children, and in e raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in Thy sight....i now ask Thee in e name of Jesus to remember Zion, wi all her Stakes, and wi all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten....do Thou arise in e majesty of Thy streng, and make bare Thine arm in behalf of Thy people..... Pour e spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom, into e hearts of her Prophets...Let light and knowledge march for rough e empire of darkness, and may e honest in heart flow to eir standard, and join in e march to go for to meet e Bridegroom. 344

9 After his prayer, Orson gaered stones and left 17 em in a large mound as a witness. He en crossed over to e temple mount and erected anoer altar. Elder Hyde wrote: I have found many Jews who listened wi intense interest. The idea of e Jews being restored to Palestine is gaining ground in Europe almost every day....my mission has been quite as prosperous as I could expect. Orson en explained to Joseph Smi at he was giving his letter to a British gentleman who, upon his return to England, would post e letter to America. Orson told e prophet at he would return to Germany, and he asked for information on his family after directing where he could receive mail. Nauvoo Temple Font Dedicated A monument stands in what is now known as e Orson Hyde Memorial Gardens on e Mount of Olives. By December 1841 e font in e Nauvoo Temple was dedicated so baptisms for e dead could take place ere. In a letter from e First Presidency and e Quorum of e Twelve Apostles to e Saints, Joseph Smi wrote: A French woodcut from e 1850s, made after e Nauvoo Temple was burned, depicts baptisms for e dead in e original temple font. One of ose privileges which is particularly attracting e notice of e Saints at e present moment, is baptism for e dead, in e font which is so far completed as to be dedicated, and several have already attended to is ordinance by which e sick have been made whole, and e prisoner set free. 18 Chapter 21 Endnotes Pages : 1.Joseph Fielding Papers, Letter from Parley P. Pratt dated 24 October 1841 to Joseph Smi. The Lord enabled us to send about sixty dollars in Gold by Elder Fielding; is was mostly subscribed by two or ree individuals. We shall probably send as much more by e Ship Chaos, in care of Peter Melling. Joseph did write, on page 126, We left e Dock and anchored in e River, accompanied by Elder Pratt and Wife and Elder A. Fielding who remained wi us rough e Night, settling up eir Accounts wi e Saints who mostly made Presents to Elders Pratt and Fielding of 2..6 each, and is chiefly ey have sent by me for e Building of e Temple in Nauvoo. Also, is was mentioned in e Biography of Hannah Greenwood Fielding, DUP. 2.Joseph Fielding Diary, page

10 st 3.Millennial Star, Volume 2, page 94. The ship Tyrian sailed wi 207 passengers on e morning of e 21 Sep. On going out of dock... many hundreds crowded round to witness a ship load of e sons and daughters of Zion depart from eir native shore for e promised land. They moved slowly out into e river, singing: Lovely native land, farewell! / Glad I leave ee, glad I leave ee, Far in distant lands to dwell. 4.Millennial Star, Volume 2, page 94. Next morning ey weighed anchor about 10 o clock, and hoisted sail before a fair wind, moving away under e flag of Liberty... The emigrants were all on deck, and in good spirits; and as our little boat came off wi ree hearty cheers, ey were singing e favorite hymn How firm a foundation... e last lines which we heard, as eir voices were lost in e distance, were as follows, When rough e deep waters I call ee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not ee o erflow. Hats and handkerchiefs were still waving in view as a last token of farewell. st 5.Joseph wrote his account of e voyage on October 1, explaining, In e Ship Tyrian on e Atlantic Ocean. Since my last Date I have had no time or no Disposition to sit down to write. Pages, This child was named Elizabe Tyrene Littlewood and lived to be almost 90. She served as a Relief Society president and was known roughout her life as a woman of great fai. Her biography is found on her page in Family Tree [KWJT-LWD]. 7.Joseph Fielding Papers, Letter from Parley P. Pratt dated 24 October 1841 to Joseph Smi. 8.Joseph Fielding Diary, Volume 5, Page 1, (page 128 of e transcription). The date of is entry is Nauvoo, December, 1843, and Joseph began is volume by writing, It is now over two years since I came to is Place, and since I wrote any by way of Journal. He mentioned being ronged in providing for his Family. 9.Millennial Star, 1 August 1842, pages Joseph explained at he had been asked by many of his British friends to write to em, but as much of e commerce in Nauvoo happened wi barter, coming up wi e cash to mail a letter was difficult. As a result, he sent is letter to Parley P. Pratt and asked him to publish it for all to see. 10.Joseph Fielding Diary, page Joseph Fielding Diary, page Mormon Immigration Index. 13.Joseph Fielding Diary, pages History of e Church, Volume IV, page Mormon Immigration Index. 16.History of e Church pages Elder Hyde wrote from Alexandria, e port at e mou of e Nile nd delta flowing from Egypt on e 22 of November, This followed a Biblical pattern set in Joshua 22:24. The KJV translated e name of e altar e Children of Israel built as Ed, but oer translations give e name of e altar as A witness Between Us at e Lord is God, which was surely what Elder Hyde had in mind. 18.History of e Church, Volume IV, page