Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman - Seek by Deseret Book

Catherine Clark Smith Harrison (1813–1903) 19
already experienced an ocean crossing when she and Robert left
Scotland. She knew of the difficulties and inconvenience, the
cramped quarters, the lack of privacy, the stale food, and the relentless,
sometimes violent, motion of the waves. Now they would be
taking their two young sons, ages one and two and a half, on a journey
that was estimated to last six months. They did not know what
they would find when they reached their destination, but Robert
and Catherine Smith determined to trust in the Lord. Their trust
was a manifestation of the faith Catherine professed when first introduced
to the gospel message. 9
Like the other Saints, the Smiths had to raise money for the
journey, and they probably sold all the possessions they could. They
packed their remaining household goods and clothing and, with approximately
230 other passengers, sailed out of the East River on the
ship Brooklyn. Many elements made this a historic venture. A group
leaving the United States to escape religious persecution was unique.
The date was also significant: February 4, 1846, was the day the first
Saints in Nauvoo made their way across the Mississippi River to
begin their exodus to a new life in the West. 10
The Brooklyn was loaded with supplies needed by the passengers
and crew. Agricultural implements, building tools, and books would
be useful in a new community. Animals and some five hundred barrels
of cargo were to be delivered to the Sandwich Islands to help pay
for the journey. 11
To assist in creating unity among themselves, the Saints established
a strict routine onboard the ship. Morning and evening
9. Rowley, “Brief Sketch,” 1.
10. This information is recorded in at least three sources: Roberts, Comprehen
sive History, 3:28; Paul Bailey, Sam Brannan and the California Mormons (Los
Angeles, CA: Westernlore Press, 1943), 26–27; Lorin Hansen, “Voyage of the
Brooklyn,” Dialogue 21, no. 3 (Autumn 1988): 48.
11. Richard O. Cowan and William E. Homer, California Saints: A 150-
Year Legacy in the Golden State (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, Religious
Studies Center, 1996), 25.