Keywords

church history, mormon migration, european converts

Abstract

In the spring of 1855, an article in the Mormons' British periodical, The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, instructed church members to leave "Babylon" just as ancient Israel had left Egypt under Moses' leadership. For European converts, the Atlantic was their Red Sea and Brigham Young their American Moses. During his nearly 30 years (1847-1877) as president and prophet of the Latter-day Saints (LDS), Young directed the organized migration of more than 70,000 people to Utah, most of them from Europe. He approved yearly migration plans, appointed officers to manage the various companies, and arranged for church agents to assist at ports and posts that dotted migration routes. His concern was to ensure converts the best rates and safest journey possible while traveling aboard sailing ships, riverboats, and railroad trains to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Original Publication Citation

Fred E. Woods, "Iowa City Bound: Mormon Migration by Sail and Rail, 1856-1857," Third Series, vol. 65, nos. 2,3 The Annals of Iowa (Spring/Summer 2006): 162-89.