In 1853 Frederick Piercy, my Great, Great, Great, Great Uncle, began a journey from Liverpool to
the Great Salt Lake Valley.
Because of his magnificent artistic talent, he had
been asked to help create an illustrated guide for British converts immigrating
to America. At this time the membership in Great Britain outnumbered the saints
in Deseret, and included many experienced tradesmen with skills badly needed to
help build up Zion. This was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as these poverty
stricken workers would be blessed with economic opportunities awaiting them
across the sea. It was thought that an illustrated gazetteer would help to remove the fear of the unknown for these young saints.
As Frederick set out he wrote,
- “On the 5th day of February, 1853, in compliance with previous arrangements, I embarked in the Jersey for New Orleans, on my way to Great Salt Lake Valley. My object was to make sketches of the principal and more interesting places on the route.”
The resulting work, although not used widely as originally
intended, is a masterful collection of high quality, skillfully created and
accurate engravings and watercolors, accompanying narrative, facts, figures and statistics of the journey. Some historians have noted that his
completed volume, “Route from Liverpool to Great Salt Lake Valley” is one of
the most beautiful publications associated with the young church.
Frederick was nearly as talented with his prose as with his
paintbrush. As the Jersey departed from Liverpool he described the mournful occasion
of leaving his loved ones in this way:
- “I knew that if I was wise I should look on the bright side of things, and like the artist with his pictures, should even make the shadow and gloom instrumental in adding interest and instruction to my trip. How tame and insipid would be his pictures if they were without shadow! Even so would our lives if they were without their occasional trying circumstances.”
After arriving in New Orleans, Frederick charted his path by
the sights and scenes that he wanted to capture in his sketchbook.
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| Frederick's depiction of New Orleans |
Traveling on
Mississippi steamboats, he traveled on to Keokuk where he drew a charming depiction of
- “the arrangement of wagons and tents, which, with their white covers, looked extremely picturesque amidst the spring foliage of the country.”
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| Camp at Keokuk |
He was deeply moved during his time in Carthage, the site of
the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. He made a
number of drawings there, both inside and outside the jail.
His feelings and testimony multiplied his talent as he created beautiful and haunting drawings of Nauvoo and the temple ruins.
I am enthralled by Frederick's faith and talent as he captured the sights and scenes of the young church.
More of his work will appear in future posts.
More of his work will appear in future posts.
