Scandinavian Mormon converts emigrating to the U.S. had in common with other emigrating Europeans the task of getting themselves to one of the major seaports, Liverpool being preeminent. However the Mormons went in organized groups, with the assistance of missionaries appointed for the purpose of expediting these movements. These expediting agents secured accomodations on land, booked trains and ships, laid in some supplies (though most were brought along by the travelers), and often traveled along with their companies to Liverpool. These "travel agents" learned a lot experience-wise from 1850 through the 1860's, to the great benefit of the travelers.
The first job of the Scandinavian converts desiring to emigrate to Utah Territory was to apply to their local leaders, then, when approved and ready, make their way to the point of departure, Copenhagen. As an example, one emigrant wrote: "From Fredericia, we journeyed Dec. 19, 1853, by ferry from Fredericia to Strib, from there with two wagons, to Odense, 2 o’clock p.m. Dec. 20 We lay in the hotel till 8 o’clock, then to Nyborg on two wagons, arrived 1 o’clock. On the road we visited our son Hans. We took steamboat Nyborg to Korsor, 8 o’clock, then with two wagons to Roskilde, arrived 2 o’clock a.m. Dec. 22 8 o’clock took train for Copenhagen." [Rasmus Neilsen Journal, pp. 1-9, Ms 6006 (Typescript), pp. 109 in the LDS Church Historical Department Archives, translated from Danish by his son C. E. Neilsen on March 21, 1902] Their trip took four full days in 1853. By way of comparison, today the trip of 213 km [130 mi] at 100 km/hour on paved roads, following generally the same route, takes about 2 hr 16 min, according to Google Maps.
OK, they're now in Copenhagen, in the charge of an expediting agent for the Copenhagen Conference of the Scandinavian Mission. We now follow one of the 1863 groups as they made their way from Copenhagen, Denmark to Liverpool, England in preparation for their trans-Atlantic voyage to New York, NY, United States.
Because the local ships could not accomodate such large numbers, they sailed from there in two smaller groups, on April 20th and April 23rd. These groups endured four more distinct legs of travel before arriving and joining back together at the port of Liverpool, England, where they entered into the sailing ship, John J. Boyd, on April 28th.
It is most likely that Beata Elonora Jonsson Jensen Braase, her husband, Christian Heinrick Braase, and their family traveled with one of these groups.
The legs of the trip are shown on the map above: red is by water; green is by land.
1. Boat from Copenhagen, Denmark to Kiel, Germany.
2. Railroad from Kiel to Hamburg, Germany (or the River Elbe port of Altona close by.)
3. Boat from Hamburg to Grimsby, England (or Hull, England and ferried to Grimsby.)
4. Railroad from Grimsby to Liverpool, England.
The story of this stage of the journey is told from contemporary sources, including mission reports and letters of expediting agents.
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THE GATHERING TO LIVERPOOL FOR THE VOYAGE
"About four hundred Saints, emigrating to Utah, sailed from Copenhagen, Denmark, April 20, 1863. This was the first division of a large emigrant company of Scandinavian Saints which left Copenhagen that spring. The emigrants, after a pleasant voyage on the Baltic, landed at Kiel, Holstein, whence they traveled by railroad to Altona and there [this party split into two groups and] boarded the steamer 'Tiger,' bound for Hull, and the steamer 'Lord Cardigan,' bound for Grimsby, England, and sailed the same evening.
“President N. Smith and the mission clerk (Carl Larsen) left Copenhagen by rail in the evening of the 20th for Korsor, [Denmark] and thence traveled by steamer to Kiel, where they joined the emigrants and then accompanied them to Altona. Brothers Smith and Larsen went on board the 'Tiger' at Altona in order to accompany the larger company of the two to England. Stormy weather caused delay of 36 hours at Cuxhaven [Island], at the mouth of the Elbe, but at last the ship put to sea. The magnificent vessel fought bravely against the strong contrary wind and the angry sea, and, though the voyage was long and unpleasant, the emigrants arrived safely in Hull in the morning of April 26th. At the landing the emigrants were met by Elder John M. Kay, who was awaiting them with a small steamer, which after an hour's sailing landed the passengers from the 'Tiger' at Grimsby, where a large and convenient house had been hired for the use of the emigrants during their brief stay in Grimsby.
“The emigrants who had sailed from Altona on the steamer 'Lord Cardigan' arrived in Grimsby April 27th. On both steamers the officers and crews treated the emigrants with all due courtesy.
“From Grimsby the journey was continued by rail to Liverpool, where the company arrived April 28th…
“[They were joined there by] the second division of a large company of emigrating Saints who left Scandinavia that spring for Utah. This second company of emigrating Saints (about 200 souls), bound for the gathering places of the saints in the Rocky Mountains, sailed from Copenhagen, April 23, 1863, per steamship 'Aurora.' They arrived in Kiel in the morning of April 24th, and the same day the Saints went by special railway train to Hamburg where lodgings were secured for them in a large emigrant building, while their baggage was being transferred to the large and beautiful steamer 'Grimsby,' on which they went on board in the evening. This steamer sailed from Hamburg on the 25th and after a successful voyage of two days on the North Sea arrived at Grimsby, England, Monday morning, April 27th. Here the emigrants spent the night is a freight house. The following day (April 28th) the company went by train to Liverpool, where the Scandinavian emigrants and 113 English Saints boarded the ship 'John J. Boyd,' the total number of souls now being [seven hundred sixty-six].
"The company was organized by President George Q. Cannon, who appointed William W. Cluff leader, with Elders Knud H. Bruun and William S. Baxter as his counselors. Later the company was divided into seven districts."
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However and whenever they got to Liverpool, Christian, Eleonora and their three girls boarded the John J. Boyd and were recorded on its passenger list.
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