Emerald Hartley

Excerpt from: History of Charlotte Hirst Coon, 1859-1942, By Bertha Coon Chambers, daughter The family embarked on the little packet ship Emerald Isle, an old-fashioned sailing vessel, with a company of 876 saints under the leadership of Hans Jensen Hals. [Leaving Liverpool 6.20.1868 and arriving in New York 8.14.1868.] Incidentally this was the last group of saints to cross the ocean in a sailing vessel and also the last trip for the ship; on the return voyage it sank with crew and cargo. The long tedious journey of eight heart-breaking weeks was marked by many sad incidents—terrific storms were encountered all the way and the apparatus used for filtering the drinking water became unserviceable. They all had to drink water from huge storage tanks in an unfiltered condition. Charlotte recalls her mother boiling Chamomile flowers in the water to purify it. Many became very ill, thirty-seven adults and children died. Although just eight years of age at this time, Charlotte had a vivid recollection of seeing the bodies being lowered into the ocean. One day, during the heavy gale, a huge rope swung behind her, she was swept across the deck. A sailor rescued her and returned her to safety. On the tenth of July her married sister, Nancy Dearden gave birth to a baby girl who was named Emerald at the request of the Captain. Arriving in New York, August 11, they left by rail for Ft. Benton, Nebraska and arrived August 25. On September 1st with John G. Holman at the head of a company of sixty-two wagons drawn by ox-teams, they started on their journey across the plains. This was the last company to travel by ox-team. During the journey, thirty-six died and were buried on the plains. Fourteen weeks after leaving England, the family arrived in Salt Lake City. Charlotte’s family settled in a little log house west of the Jordan River. Her father and brother-in-law worked on the railroad under construction through Echo Canyon during the winter and following spring.

Excerpt from: History of Charlotte Hirst Coon, 1859-1942, By Bertha Coon Chambers, daughter The family embarked on the little packet ship Emerald Isle, an old-fashioned sailing vessel, with a company of 876 saints under the leadership of Hans Jensen Hals. [Leaving Liverpool 6.20.1868 and arriving in New York 8.14.1868.] Incidentally this was the last group of saints to cross the ocean in a sailing vessel and also the last trip for the ship; on the return voyage it sank with crew and cargo. The long tedious journey of eight heart-breaking weeks was marked by many sad incidents—terrific storms were encountered all the way and the apparatus used for filtering the drinking water became unserviceable. They all had to drink water from huge storage tanks in an unfiltered condition. Charlotte recalls her mother boiling Chamomile flowers in the water to purify it. Many became very ill, thirty-seven adults and children died. Although just eight years of age at this time, Charlotte had a vivid recollection of seeing the bodies being lowered into the ocean. One day, during the heavy gale, a huge rope swung behind her, she was swept across the deck. A sailor rescued her and returned her to safety. On the tenth of July her married sister, Nancy Dearden gave birth to a baby girl who was named Emerald at the request of the Captain. Arriving in New York, August 11, they left by rail for Ft. Benton, Nebraska and arrived August 25. On September 1st with John G. Holman at the head of a company of sixty-two wagons drawn by ox-teams, they started on their journey across the plains. This was the last company to travel by ox-team. During the journey, thirty-six died and were buried on the plains. Fourteen weeks after leaving England, the family arrived in Salt Lake City. Charlotte’s family settled in a little log house west of the Jordan River. Her father and brother-in-law worked on the railroad under construction through Echo Canyon during the winter and following spring.