Ship Windermere (15 May 1862 - 8 Jul 1862) Le Havre to New York
Record of Nicholas Jacob (1827-1906),
Maria Marggi (1826-1892) and their daughter Louise Marie Jacob
(1857-1936) when they left France for New York on the ship Windermere on
15 May 1862. They were in the same company as Serge L. Ballif. Who
was instramental in their joinig the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
Last Name: JACOB
Last Name: JACOB
First Name: Nicolas
Age: 35
Gender: M
Standard
Surname: JACOBS
Standard Given: Nicholas
Head
Surname: JACOB
Last Name: JACOB
First Name: Maria Age: 36 Gender: F
Standard Surname: JACOBS
Standard Given: Mary
Head Surname: JACOB
Last Name: JACOB
First Name: Louise Age: 5
Gender: F
Standard
Surname: JACOBS
Standard Given: Louisa
Head
Surname: JACOB
Excerpts from Jacob Zollinger's (1845-1942) Diary: "THE LONG JOURNEY TO
AMERICA 54 days at sea"
"We left La Havre on the 15th of May, on the freighter, Windermere,
manned by a very rough group of Irish Sailors. Some remodeling was done
to accommodate the 109 people seeking passage. Two kitchens were
improvised where the passengers could cook their meals which consisted
mostly of potatoes. Berths, three high, were provided for sleeping
quarters.
Brother Serge Ballif, an early convert to the church from Lousanne,
Switzerland, and who gave up a good position and comfortable home in
order to devote himself to Missionary work, was in charge of our group.
Among this group of saints from Switzerland and France...
Disaster at sea
Our ship took a southern route along the coast of France, then west
along the coast of Spain, then south along the coast of Portugal where
we came into view of the City of Lisbon, the fifth of June 1862. The
second day out to sea we were caught in a terrible storm which lasted
three days. It was impossible for anyone to walk on deck. The children
had to be tied in their berths. Both kitchens were broken to pieces and
caught fire. Repairs were made but they again caught fire were burned
beyond repair. Two children died and were buried at sea.
Deseret News 1862-09-17
Deseret News 1862-09-17
The family consisting of the parents, Jakob and Elizabeth and five
children, Maria born the 21st of February, 1854, Verena, born the 23rd
of February 1857, Jakob, born the 27th of October 1858, Elizabetha, born
the 14th of March 1860 and Emuel, born the 17th of August 1861, sailed
from La Havre, Franc, on the ship Windermere, the 15th of May
1862. This was the 119th Company. The ship set sail on Thursday with
109 Saints from Switzerland and France, under the Presidency of Serge L.
Ballif. The Windermere had 460 immigrants on board. Elders
Johannes Liedermann and frederick Goss assisted President Ballif on the
voyage, also six other Elders and some Priests and teachers. The
non-Mormons paid three dollars more per person than the Saints. The
cost of emigration from La Havre was five dollars less than it would
have been had the immigrants traveled, as heretofore via Rotterdam, Hull
and Liverpool. It was the first attempt at emigrating Latter-day
Saints direct from La Havre, France to America.
The trip across the ocean in a sail boat took six weeks and the family
was crowded into the poorest part of the ship. Jakob called it a cattle
ship and they were crowded together as cattle are shipped on boats. It
was especially hard for the mother with five small children. They
stayed in winter quarters for the next year, where Elizabetha gave birth
to her sixth child, Sarah, who died soon after birth. Jakob's brother
and his family never left Switzerland.
Jakob, his wife Elizabetha and five children left Florence, Nebraska,
the 14th of August 1863 on the tenth church ox train, Samuel D. White's
Company, the lat church train of the season, bringing freight and about
300 Latter-day Saint immigrants. They arrived at Loup Creek the 21st of
August 1863. they traveled in covered wagons. They arrived in Great
Salt Lake the 15th of October 1863.". . . By letter from Elder L. A. Bertrand, we learn that a company of 109 Saints, mostly from Switzerland, under the presidency of Elder Serge L. Ballif, left Havre for New York on the 15th instant, on board the Windermere. Among them were a few families from Paris. Elder Balliff, who arrived here from Zion on September 17th, 1860, has labored diligently in the ministry, and carries home with him the blessings of the presidency and the prayers of those who have been benefitted by his labors."
MS, 24:21 (May 24, 1862), pp.330-31
"Thurs. 15. [May 1862] -- The ship Windermere sailed from Havre, France with 109 Swiss and French Saints, under the direction of Serge L. Ballif, bound for Utah via New York."
From Urdorf we traveled to Zurich where we had our picture taken (tintype) and the 2nd of May we were in Basel, the next day in Paris. We stayed there one day. You may guess how it was, never away from home before. Mother took the lead and we went to see the most interesting points. The funniest thing was my mother dressed in her old-fashioned clothes about two hundred years behind time. Now guess, going thru the most interested part in Paris, the people stood right still and, of course, looked. Of course I looked and they pointed their fingers at us and hollered "look!" Mother had her old-fashioned cap on; it was sure interesting to me. The city people had never seen any bonnet like hers; neither had I.
From Paris we went to the seaport tour of Le Havre, France (May 4, 1862) expecting to sail the next day, but to our disappointment the boat had gone, [p.18] so we had to remain behind for two weeks. We boarded an old freighter which was only fit for cattle, but was fixed up to accommodate the 150 or so people who were seeking passage. They built berths, three high, in it for the people to sleep in. There were two kitchens on the old vessel, in which the passengers cooked their own meal which consisted of potatoes. The ship was manned by a very rough set of Irish sailors. We left the port of Le Havre on the 15th of May. The other Saints who came with us were: Henry Mathis and sweetheart, (he was Ferdie's chum) Brother and Sister Wintch and their two sons and the older son's wife and family. Our family consisted of father, mother, Ferdie, Elisabetha, Dorothea and myself, Jacob.
The ship took a route south along the coast of France, then west along the coast of Spain, then south along the coast of Portugal and came in view of [p.19] the city of Lisbon, Portugal on the 5th of June. On May 19th a male member of the church died and was buried at sea. A terrific storm came up while we were at sea, during our vessel by Portugal. The storm lasted three days and three nights and it was impossible for anyone to walk on the deck and the children on board had to be tied in their berths to keep them in, the sea was terribly rough. During the storm the kitchens were broken in splinters and caught fire. The second time the fire broke out in the kitchens, they were so badly damaged that it was impossible for the passengers to cook in them. Two children died and were buried at sea. The ship nearly run against icebergs but we finally landed in New York after 54 days on the sea 8 July 1862 and the ship had to pass then quarantine and custom officials.
We left the ship in New York harbor on the 9th of July, and the next day [p.20] we took a train to Albany, then to Niagara Falls. And from there to Chicago arrived there July 13th. We were in Quincy, Illinois on the 15th and from here we crossed the Mississippi River and traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri. When we reached St. Joseph (July 16th) Jacob Wintch was ill. We stopped overnight in a hotel there. That night mother and Dora stayed up with Brother Wintch who was Dora's intended husband. They fell asleep and someone entered their room and began searching their clothes and the contents of the room, when mother awoke and jumped up. The intruder made a clean getaway, but mother went to the hotel keeper and gave him a good lecturing for allowing such characters to enter his hotel and he didn't seem to be concerned about it.
We left Florence or Winter Quarters on July 18th going by boat up the [p.21] Mississippi River. We arrived there on the 20th of July. This was the outfitting place for immigrants to go west. We stayed in Florence 18 days to prepare for the journey across the plains. . . . [p.22]
BIB: Zollinger, Jacob. Autobiography (Special Collections, File Ms #33-34), pp. 17-22. (Utah Sate University)
Though Charles was only a small boy of six years, he remembers seeing a whale, and a terrible storm, and later of the ship catching fire, consequently causing much excitement. He also remembers the commotion when a small child was lost, only to later be found hiding between two boxes. Such experiences as these impressed upon his mind the journey crossing the water.
The ship arrived at New York July 4th of the same year. From here they traveled by rail to the Missouri River, and by boat to Florence, Nebraska; where they remained three weeks buying cattle and provisions preparatory to their journey to Utah. They landed in Salt Lake City November 2nd, 1862 and stayed three days before leaving for Lehi where they lived three years. . . . [p.91]
BIB: Utah Pioneer Biographies vol. 30, p. 91.
[1846-1847] Line drawings and watercolor by Charles Edward Stanley, 1819-1849. from the National Library of Australia.
From an artist book: Part of Voyage from England to Tasmania, H.M.S. Windermere, 1846-1847
notes on the artist:
Stanley was posted to Van Diemen's Land by the Royal Engineers in 1846. Though he was to survive in the colony only two years, a victim of gastro-enteritis, he spent time sketching picturesque views with John Skinner Prout and Simpkinson.
Charles was a sketcher and engineer, was born on 15 June 1819, younger brother of Owen Stanley
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| Scene on board H.M.S. Windermere |
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| [Deck of Windermere] |
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| [Study of a sailor and Rattle, the dog] Dec. 15, 1846 |
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| Windermere, Dec. 5, 1846 |
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| Windermere in the Trades, 14th Nov. 1846 |
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| Cuddy, Windermere |
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| [Charles Stanley's puppy, Rattle, on board H.M.S. Windermere, 23 Jan. 1847] |
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| Embarkation at Spithead, Octr. 3rd, 1846 |
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| Windermere hove to, St. Peter making after her capsized whale boat, barque passing between, Dec. 16th, 1846 |
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| Windermere shortening sail to answer signal of distress of the whaler St. Peter, off New Bedford, Decr. 16th, 1846 |
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| Hamlet as performed in the Windermere, 1846 |
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| Poop deck |
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| Between decks |
Voyage of the Ship Windermere (not the same voyage as the Bachmans but good information on the ship)
from http://robbwasdenfamily.blogspot.com
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| Ship Windermere painting [Click on images to enlarge] |
Voyage of the Ship Windermere
Condensed from W. W. Burton’s Account
Note: This is from a copy made on March 23, 1944, from the British Mission records of 1854 by Evelyn A. Sessions. It is of interest to the Robb family as George and Sarah Green Holyoak were on board this voyage from Liverpool, England to the United States.
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| Ship Windermere 1852 drawing State Museum of Victoria |
On
Wednesday, February 22, 1854, the ship Windermere sailed from Liverpool
with 460 passengers. As the vessel started in motion, the songs of
Zion, blending in soul-inspiring harmony, thrilled the souls of the
passengers and their many friends standing on the shore gazing at the
departed vessel, shouting farewell, goodbye with eyes streaming with
tears. Doubtless they were recalling that only the night before seven
vessels, with all on board, went down in the depths of the channel.
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| H.M.S. Windermere Poop drawing |
As
the land disappeared in the distance the sweet singing ceased and many
began to feel sick. About 8 p.m. the first day at sea, an old gentleman
named Squires died. All that night the wind howled fiercely; the sea was
rough; the ship was driven from its course towards the Isle of Atan.
About 11 p.m. off Holly Head, which is a most dangerous point and the
scene of frequent shipwrecks, was passed. On the morning of the 23rd
Father Squires, who died the night before, was thrown overboard. The sea
was still rough and the wind was blowing. During this day the
Windermere sailed by the remains of a wrecked vessel. Masts, sails and
other fragments were floating around. Likely, a few hours previous many
despairing souls had tenaciously clung to these same objects for relief
that never came. All had been consigned to a watery grave for no signs
of life remained and the rolling waves swept over the bodies while the
wind howled its tribute for the dead.
Some were now beginning to recover from sea sickness, but many were still ill, and some confined to their berths. About this time flying fishes were seen which would rise from the water and fly a short distance and drop into the water again. Life on the Windermere was growing monotonous, for its accommodations were poor for so many passengers, and then it did not sail like the ocean steamers now do when propelled by steam. The Windermere was eight weeks, four nights, and five days sailing from Liverpool to New Orleans, which can now be made in six or seven days. We were on the Atlantic Ocean about seven weeks without seeing land.
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| H.M.S. Windermere Between Decks drawing |
On the 12th day of March, from 7 to 8 in the morning, an exceedingly fierce storm arose. The wind roared like one of our mountain winds, the masts cracked and the sails were cut in pieces. The captain of the Windermere expressed fears that the ship could not stand so heavy a sea, and in speaking with Daniel Garn, the president of the Saints on board, said, "I am afraid the ship cannot stand this storm, Mr. Garn, if there be a God, as your people say there is, you had better talk to Him if He will hear you. I have done all that I can for the ship and I am afraid with all that can be done she will go down."
Elder Garn went to the Elders, who presided over the nine wards in the ship, and requested them to get all the saints on board and to fast, and call a prayer meeting to be held in each ward at 10 a.m. and pray that they might be delivered from the danger. The waves were lashed with white foam, the storm continued in all its fury, but precisely at 10 a.m. the prayer meeting commenced and such a prayer meeting few have ever seen.
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| Deck of Windermere |
The ship rolled from side to side. On one side the Saints were hanging by their hands, and the other they were standing on their heads. Then the ship would roll on the other side which would reverse their positions. About this time the large boxes which were tied with ropes under the berths broke loose with pots, pans and kettles and rolled with terrible force on each side of the vessel.
Although the prayers were fervent and earnest, as the pleadings of poor souls brought face to face with danger and death, they ceased their prayers to watch and dodge the untied boxes, and great confusion prevailed for some time. The wind roared like a hurricane. Sail after sail was torn to shreds and lost. The waves were very large and as far as the eye could see, seemed to be one angry mass of rolling white foam. The hatches were fastened down. This awful storm lasted about 18 hours, then abated a little, but it was stormy from the 8th of March until the 18th. Observation taken by the quadrant showed that the ship was in the same latitude as it was on the 8th.
On the 14th of March, which was two days after this terrible storm, smallpox broke out. Of the three sisters, one was taken down with it. She had a light attack and recovered, but her two sisters then came down with it and both died, and after that 37 others, 40 in all, came down with it. Three days after the breaking out of smallpox, the ship took fire under the cooking galley. At this time we had not seen land for three weeks or more; when the cry of "Fire! The ship is on fire," rang throughout the vessel, and wild excitement and consternation prevailed everywhere. The sailors plied water freely, all the water buckets on board were brought into use and soon the fire was under control.
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| Winderemere Cuddy painting 1847 |
When the last of the three sisters, who took smallpox, died it was evening. W. W. Burton thought he would get a good place from which to see the body thrown overboard; so he got outside the vessel and seated himself on the ledge extending out from the deck, placing each arm around a rope that led to the rigging. His feet were hanging over the ocean and the ship was sailing about at 10 knots. By this time darkness was fast setting in, but here he sat waiting to get a good view when the corpse would be thrown into the watery grave, where some said sharks were constantly following for prey. Brother Burton went to sleep and the funeral passed without his knowledge. The sound of feet walking on the deck aroused him from his slumber. A chill ran through him; his hair almost stood on end when he sensed his condition. Here he had been asleep, his feet were hanging off the side of the vessel which was rocking to and fro. He wondered how he had escaped falling overboard. It was now totally dark. He climbed into the ship and resolved never to expose himself so again. About this time the stench of the smallpox was fearful in every part of the vessel.
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| Scene on board H.M.S. Windermere 1846 painting |
Emma Brooks was the name of the young lady just thrown overboard. Her sister Fanny had died the same day about half past one o’clock p.m., and was also thrown overboard about two o’clock. The funeral services were very impressive; a funeral at sea is the most melancholy and solemn scene perhaps ever witnessed, especially when the sea is calm. A stillness like that of death prevailed with us while an old sailor, at intervals, would imitate the doleful tolling of the bell of some old church, such as heard in some parts of England. Funerals were becoming frequent.
About the time the Windermere had been about six weeks out of Liverpool and the passengers had never seen land from the time they had entered the Atlantic. The days were generally mild and the weather very pleasant. The sun set and the bright, pale moon seemed to be straight above our heads. On the 8th day of April we came in sight of the Island of Cuba. On this day, about 10 a.m., a young man named Dee, died of smallpox. At the time of his death the wind had ceased blowing, not a ripple upon the waters. The sea appeared bright and clear, and seemed as smooth as a sea of glass. The young man that had just died was sewed up in a white blanket and at the feet was placed a heavy weight of coal. A plank was then placed with one end resting in the porthole in the side of the ship and other near the main hatchway. The body was then placed on this plank. The doleful tolling of the bell began. Elder McGhee made a brief address suitable for the occasion and offered a short prayer, after which the body and bedding of the young man were thrown overboard. The ship was standing perfectly still and the body could be seen sinking in the water until it appeared no longer than a person’s hand. Some thought it was seen sinking for a full 15 minutes, others still longer; some said a half hour.
The passengers of the Windermere had passed through a terrible storm, the panic created by the ship taking fire, their number decreased by smallpox, still another fearful calamity threatened them. The fresh water supply was getting short, and the store of provisions was falling. The passengers were limited to one hard, small sea biscuit for a day’s rations.
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| Windermere in the Trades 1846 |
The Captain sent some sailors in a small boat to intercept a ship that was passing in the hopes of getting more provisions, but they failed. The Windermere now passed the western points of the Island of Cuba. The passengers had a good view of the lighthouse located on the most western point. The Gulf of Mexico was before them. The Gulf Stream flowed in like a vast river. Just think of this stream 500 miles across, very deep and constantly flowing.
On the morning of the 20th of April the ship entered the mouth of the Mississippi River. The passengers were more glad to look upon the plantations of orange groves that bordered the banks of the river than the great strong surging waves of the Atlantic which they had left behind them. Sometimes the Negroes would call from the shore and bid the emigrants welcome.
The Windermere set sail 22nd of February 1854 from Liverpool, England, arrived at New Orleans 23 April, 1954. During the voyage winds were encountered, arising at times to heavy gales. But at the end of five weeks favorable winds set in and the ship made 1,000 miles in four days.
Six marriages were solemnized on board, six births and 10 deaths occurred.
Millennial Star, Vol. 16, pp. 140, 193, 345, 477
Church Emigration. Vol. 2 p. 185—1868
Of the Craner family who were on this ship, the father, George Benjamin Craner, died of Cholera while crossing the plains to Salt Lake City. He was buried in the same grave along with a young girl and a child. Because the people were dying so fast, they didn’t have time to dig enough graves.
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| Probably too many sails because this doesn't match the watercolors on this page. |
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