Description:

Mormons

 

Two page bi-fold  hand written, signed account on pale blue lined paper, 7.75" x 9.75".  Penned predominantly on rectos, with the verso of last page inclusive of note both written and signed in the hand of H.P. Olsen Captain, and docketed. Pages toned with occasional light scattered stains. Small piece of paper missing from corner edge. Expected folds with small separations along folds. With original provenance information from the Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, New York City. This piece was part of Lot 62A sold for $4,750 at the 464th sale conducted between January 28-30, 1975.

 

An intriguing, well organized accounting of 108 individuals, by name (all alphabetized and numbered in order, with most names appearing to be of Scandinavian descent), with an accounting of the debt each owes for supplies during their migration in the year 1854. This company of pioneers were a part of Hans Peter Olsen's Company, whose journey originated from the outfitting post at Westport Missouri in June 1854, and arrived to Utah in October 1854.

 

Hans Peter Olsen has been identified by the Latter Day Saints history website, history.lds.org,  to have been also known as "George Piercy" (also spelled "George Piersey"). Prior to 1854, as shown journaled in Latter Day Saints Millennial Star, January 22, 1853, we located a reference made to Hans Peter Olsen as George Piersey:

 

"On the 5th instant, the following Elders, also from Salt Lake Valley, arrived amongst us per ship American Union from New York … (numerous names are noted inclusive of "George Piercy, to Denmark")./ The ample reinforcement of elders which are almost daily arriving in our midst with the increase of light and intelligence which they necessarily bring with them, will infuse a new spirit and new life and energy amoung the Saints in these lands and fill them with new hopes and desires pertaining to the building of the Kingdom … "

 

Although the exact chronicling of how H.P. Olsen, AKA Piercy, pioneered a large group of 550 immigrants to Utah is unclear, the Latter Day Saints historical website does list out about 310 members of his company by name, of which this ledger lists out 108 of them who incurred debt to the Trust.

 

The verso of the last page has a fantastic note written in Olsen's hand, and signed "This list is an a/c of Persons indebted to the Trustee in (illegible) for flour supplied during their Migration in the year 1854.

H.P. Olsen, Captain-"

 

More than 80,000 converts came from Europe between 1840 and 1900 in what one historian called “the largest and most successful group immigration in United States history.”

 

Gathering to Zion, or moving to live in communities with the rest of the membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a central principle of the faith; in fact, the tenth Article of Faith stated, "We believe in the literal gathering of Israel..." The converts to the church were Israel and they needed to be gathered to the Promised Land. The process to attain this end was the sophisticated establishment of The Perpetual Emigrating Fund which started in 1849 and whose goal was to assist with mass emigration on what would equate to relatively little financial resources to do so. Assistance by the church was always given as a loan, rather than as a gift. Emigrants were expected to repay the loan as they were able. Funds were raised from profits from church assets, as well as private contributions, and were made available based on individual need. However, because the funds were so limited, priority was given to individuals with skills that were desperately needed in the West. Special preference was also given to those whose relatives had contributed to the fund or those with the longest faithful church membership, usually 10 years or more.

To stretch the limited funds even further, doubling up in wagons, group contracts and the organization of handcart companies were some of the processes employed. As the emigrants were able to establish themselves and begin to repay the loans, the monies were extended again to aid more PEF emigrants. This cycle lead to a perpetual fund and allowed the church to emigrate an enormous number on very little "seed" resources. According to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, more than 30,000 people were helped through the Perpetual Emigration Fund, about one-third of them from Europe.

 

A wonderful signed historical artifact from an important period within Mormon history inclusive of the identification of over 100 Latter Day Saints pioneers.

 

With original provenance information from the Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, New York City. This piece was part of Lot 62A sold for $4,750 at the 464th sale conducted between January 28-30, 1975.

 

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