Saints On The Seas (University of Utah Publications in the American West, 17)

The maritime tradition is particularly important to the history of proselytizing and migration in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Small groups of energetic, dedicated, and resourceful missionaries traveled to every continent, and as a result of their activities, some 85,000 converts emigrated and helped colonize the American West. Based on extensive research, Saints on the Seaschronicles the voyages of approximately 300 American, British, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, and French ships involved in the emigration. Drawing on both federal and foreign government documents, as well as Mormon Church archives, newspapers, journals, personal letters, and other primary source materials, Conway Sonne presents a detailed picture of this arduous migration. Numerous appendixes present a wealth of information, including statistics on vessels, number of passengers, and passage times, as well as data on ship captains, and maritime disasters. Saints on the Seas is a unique source of material for historians, maritime buffs, and genealogists.