By Courtney Connolly of FamilySearch
As I stood at the Albert Boat Docks in Liverpool, England, on vacation from the United States, my thoughts turned to my ancestors who left their beautiful homeland, family, friends, and all they had ever known to go to America. I could picture my family walking along the dock, hand-in-hand, with excitement and apprehension in the salty air. I walked through the tall stone archway that all the emigrants were required to go through to get to their ship. I was literally walking where my ancestors had walked 150 years ago! My heart was full of gratitude and love for my ancestors.
That morning I decided to look for my family members who were from Liverpool, England, before. . .
Albert Boat Docks in Liverpool, England we headed to the Albert Docks. I used the FamilySearch Tree mobile app on my cell phone and came across the Clayton family who lived in Liverpool, England, in the 1840s and died in Utah in the early 1900s. I felt that they must have gone through the Albert Docks to come to America. I thought of the Clayton family often while I was in Liverpool, and I couldn’t wait to learn more about them when I got home.
I began researching the Clayton family after arriving home and soon discovered that Isabella Peet Clayton joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 25 in Liverpool, England. She had to wait 21 years before she could join the saints in Utah. Isabella and her husband Richard, their son Franklin (17), daughter Margaret (14), and daughter Elizabeth (11) finally boarded the ship John Bright on June 4, 1868.
I was thrilled to learn what my ancestors may have felt and experienced in the John Bright voyage notes. “The Saints were in fine spirits, and were full of joy at being really on their way to Zion, an event for which they had long labored, and hoped, and prayed.” After Elder C.W. Penrose dedicated the vessel “with all on board to the care and protection of Almighty God,” the company sang “Come, Come, Ye Saints."
As one of their descendants in America, and having recently stood on the Albert Docks where their ship was docked at the time, it brought tears to my eyes to imagine this scene. My ancestor’s’ hearts must have been full of joy and gratitude to finally have the chance to leave for Zion. This hymn now has new meaning to me. “But if our lives are spared again, to see the Saints their rest obtain, Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell. All is well! All is well!” All but one on the John Bright ship made it safely to America. My ancestors then traveled by train and wagon to Utah.
Words can’t express how grateful I am to these ancestors, for their example of patience, dedication, and faith. Because of their sacrifice, I now enjoy many great blessings that come from living in this great land.
I began researching the Clayton family after arriving home and soon discovered that Isabella Peet Clayton joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 25 in Liverpool, England. She had to wait 21 years before she could join the saints in Utah. Isabella and her husband Richard, their son Franklin (17), daughter Margaret (14), and daughter Elizabeth (11) finally boarded the ship John Bright on June 4, 1868.
I was thrilled to learn what my ancestors may have felt and experienced in the John Bright voyage notes. “The Saints were in fine spirits, and were full of joy at being really on their way to Zion, an event for which they had long labored, and hoped, and prayed.” After Elder C.W. Penrose dedicated the vessel “with all on board to the care and protection of Almighty God,” the company sang “Come, Come, Ye Saints."
As one of their descendants in America, and having recently stood on the Albert Docks where their ship was docked at the time, it brought tears to my eyes to imagine this scene. My ancestor’s’ hearts must have been full of joy and gratitude to finally have the chance to leave for Zion. This hymn now has new meaning to me. “But if our lives are spared again, to see the Saints their rest obtain, Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell. All is well! All is well!” All but one on the John Bright ship made it safely to America. My ancestors then traveled by train and wagon to Utah.
Words can’t express how grateful I am to these ancestors, for their example of patience, dedication, and faith. Because of their sacrifice, I now enjoy many great blessings that come from living in this great land.