On this day, June 19, 1868 the Saints preparing to travel to America, board the Emerald Isle.

In the haste to get everyone on board something happened with the the Thorsted family. We are not sure when it happened, but at some point around this time, the father Jens Pedersen Thorsted refused to go any further. Family lore is that he saw the conditions of the ship and the fact it had no first class cabins and they would be traveling in steerage. This was unacceptable to him. Ane must have pleaded with him to reconsider, but in the moment he decided to not board the ship. Below is the record from the church which has his name crossed out. The record shows his money refunded.

Louise Linton Salmon wrote:

Finally, when they arrived in Liverpool and Jens saw the miserable accommodations on the boat planned for their use across the ocean, he refused to continue on the journey. His distress had been building since he had left Snedsted. Nevertheless, after many tears and much pleading, Ane Kirstine and their nine children boarded the ship, the Emerald Isle, and continued on the arduous trip.

The missionaries in England had arranged for the Saints to take the sailing ship Emerald Isle to America. At the time steamships like the one they had just taken from Denmark to England where more comfortable and reliable, but there was a shortage of steamships because of the Abyssinia rescue effort in Africa. In one article from a newspaper in England, it mentions the shortage of steamships as well as the poor sentiment of locals of the massive emigration of Mormons from England. After this voyage the church decided to no longer charter sailing ships. Steamships may have been too costly for the poor Saints or just not available at that time, regardless it was one piece in a series of poor timing and difficult decisions.

There is one recorded journal mention from another Scandinavian convert, Karen Marie Hansen

They were supposed to leave for America on a steamship but it didn’t arrive in Liverpool on time and the saints could not afford to wait for its arrival. They had to take the old sailboat, “Emerald Isle” which had arrived from America with a load of cattle. It was washed out and made ready for 876 emigrants of whom 627 were Scandinavian saints.

Excerpt from Hans Jensen Hals

19th We all went to the ship in the morning. The carpenters were not ready with the beds, and we had to wait it until afternoon, we got our clothes and provisions on board in great haste. It was an ugly sight to see and a very difficult work to do, as they handled our people just like animaIs. We ere very lucky that none were hurt.

June 16, 1868 – June 20, 1868