[This is the nineteenth company to travel from Great Britain to Nauvoo from 1840 to 1846. Daniel, Sarah, George, Samuel and Jane Smith traveled in this company.]
Daring the first four weeks of the voyage, continued head winds prevented the ship from progressing very fast, but on the seventeenth of February the wind became fair, and continued so during the remainder of the voyage. A few days after leaving Liverpool, the company was more fully organized by the appointment of Elders M. Auley and Robert Reed to act as counselors to Lorenzo Snow. The emigrants were also divided into two grand divisions and twelve officers appointed to attend to the comfort and cleanliness of the Saints. At six o�clock every morning the bell sounded for all to arise; prayer meetings were held every night at seven o�clock; there was preaching every Tuesday and Thursday nights and twice on Sundays. Peace and health prevailed among the people, though some were disposed to murmur a little. Much of the power of God was manifested in the restoration of the sick by anointing with oil, and through the prayer of faith. The following is from the Biography of Lorenzo Snow, written by his sister, Eliza R. Snow, (page 65):
"The commander of the ship Swanton, Captain Davenport and officers of the crew, were kind and courteous which contributed much to ameliorate the discomfort incident to life on the ocean. The steward, a German by birth, was a young man, very affable in manner, and gentlemanly in deportment--a general favorite and highly respected by all. During the latter part of the voyage he took sick, and continued growing worse and worse until death seemed inevitable. All means proved unavailing, and the captain, by whom he was much beloved, gave up all hope of his recovery, and requested the officers and crew to go on one by one and take a farewell look of their dying friend, which they did silently and solemnly as he lay unconscious and almost breathless on his dying couch.
"Immediately after this sad ceremony closed, one of our sisters by the name of Martin, without my brother's knowledge, went to the captain and requested him to allow my brother to lay hands on the steward, according to our faith and practice under such circumstances, saying that she believed that the steward would be restored. The captain shook his head, and told her that the steward was now breathing his last, and it would be useless to trouble Mr. Snow. But Sister Martin was not to be defeated; she not only importuned, but earnestly declared her faith in the result of the proposed ministration, and he finally yielded and gave consent."
"As soon the forgoing circumstance was communicated to my brother, he started toward the cabin where the steward lay, and in passing through the door met the captain who was in tears. He said: 'Mr. Snow, it is too late; he is expiring; he a breathing his last!' My brother made no reply, but took a seat beside the dying man. After devoting a few moments to secret prayer, he laid his hands on the head of the young man, prayed, and in the name of Jesus Christ rebuked the disease and commanded him to be made whole. Very soon after, to the joy and astonishment of all, he was seen waking the deck, praising and glorifying God for his restoration. The officers and sailors acknowledged the miraculous power of God, and on landing at New Orleans, several of them were baptized, also the first mate, February 26th, 1843."
At New Orleans the emigrating Saints left the Swanton, and, on board the Amaranth, wended their way up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where they arrived Wednesday, March 29th 1843. There they had to remain a few days, laying in a boat waiting for the river to open, before they could continue the Journey to Nauvoo.
Descriptive of the arrival of the company at Nauvoo, the following occurs in the history of Joseph Smith, under date of April 12th, 1843:
"Before the Elders' Conference closed the steamer Amaranth, appeared in sight of the Temple, coming up the river, and about noon, landed her passengers at the wharf opposite the old Post Office Building, consisting of about two hundred and forty Saints from England, under the charge of Elder Lorenzo Snow, who left Liverpool last January, after a mission of nearly three years. I, with a large company of the brethren and sisters, was present to greet the arrival of our friends, and gave notice to the new-comers to meet at the Temple to morrow morning at ten o'clock to hear instructions. Alter unloading the Saints, the Amaranth proceeded up the river, being the first boat up this season."
In the afternoon of the same day the Maid of Iowa arrived in Nauvoo with Parley P. Pratt's company of British Saints.
Last Updated 15 April 2011