Historical Vignette: Travel on the Bark Yorkshire in March, April & May 1843

Note:
John Gailey is known to have immigrated to America in between 1842 and 1844.  A John Gailey is mentioned in the following text.  This may be him as the timing is correct and a Job Smith who was on this ship also tells of travels in England with John Gailey and of staying with him in Utah. 

Of further note showing that John Gailey most likely traveled to America on the Bark Yorkshire with Job Smith is an article apparently penned by Smith, entitled, The United Brethren", published in the Improvement Era, 1910 - Vol. XIII., July 1910, No. 9.

Job Smith wrote in that article, "John Gailey spent three years following in England, as a traveling elder, with whom, as a youthful companion, I traveled a great many weary miles, emigrated to Nauvoo, and finally settled in Kaysville and died there."

Source:
Taken from the book Ships, Saints and Mariners, by Conway B. Sonne, published 1987 by University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.

Bark: 658 tons: 134' x 29' x 23'
Built: 1842 by MacIntosh at Richibucto, New Brunswick, Canada
 

On 8 March 1843 the British bark Yorkshire sailed from Liverpool under the command of Captain William Bache. Among her 122 passengers were 83 Mormons. Elders Thomas Bullock and Richard Rushton presided over the Saints. Other returning missionaries were John Needham, George Spilsbury, and John Gailey. For the first few days all of the passengers were seasick, for the winds were "very contrary" and delayed passage in the Irish Sea. On 4 April favorable trade winds bore the Yorkshire at a faster rate southward. All was not harmonious with the passengers, for those who were not Mormons opposed the holding of religious services. As the three-master passed the West Indies, between Cuba and Jamaica, the heat was oppressive. Under the date of 2 May Joseph Smith recorded in his history:

"About one p.m., the mate of the ship Yorkshire opened the testament at the 27th chapter of Acts, and asked the passengers how they would fed to be shipwrecked like Paul? Elder Thomas Bullock replied instantly, "It is very likely we shall be shipwrecked; but the hull of this old vessel has got to Carry us safe into New Orleans." The mate was then called away to hoist the fore-top-royal sail.

"Between one and two next morning, when off Cape St. Antonio, Cuba, there was much vivid lightning, when a white squall caught the fore-top-royal sail, which careened the vessel, when the foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast snapped asunder with an awful crash: The whole of the masts above, with the jib and spanker, and sixteen sails and studding poles, were carried overboard with a tremendous splash and surge, when the vessel righted. Daybreak, found the deck all in confusion and a complete wreck. During the day, hoisted a sail from the stump of the mainmast to the bow of the vessel, thus leaving nothing but the hull of the vessel to carry the Saints into New Orleans."

On 10 May 1843 the Yorkshire arrived at New Orleans. It was a sixty-three-day passage, longer than most voyages to the Louisiana port. Two children died at sea. The Mormons continued their journey up the Mississippi to St. Louis on the steamboat Dove and from St. Louis to Nauvoo, Illinois, aboard the Amaranth.

The Yorkshire, which is easily confused with the more famous American ship of the same name, was owned by Cross & Co., and her home port was Bristol, England. Records also show her tonnage at 808 and at times indicate she was ship-rigged. She had a billethead. After 1856 her fate is unknown.