Examples of his artwork on this journey include:
Upon returning to England in 1854 he worked with the editor of the Millennial Star, James Linforth, to prepare his manuscript for publication. His sketches were made into high quality steel engravings by Charles Fenn. The result of this effort culminated in a delightfully personal and lively detailed and illustrated description of the emigration trail.
The manuscript was first published in fifteen monthly segments from July 1854 to September 1855, after which it was sold as a bound volume.
Unfortunately, by the time the compilation was on the market in 1855, due to epidemics and illness in New Orleans, the emigration trail had been significantly changed, passing through east coast ports instead. Consequently, the volume was out-of-date by its first publication. The information and quality artwork were top-notch and valuable, but not as practical to the saints who were Zion bound. Hence, it did not sell well.
Uncle Frederick and Brother Linforth agreed to sell the engraved plates and copyright to the Church. There was miscommunication over the price and Frederick discovered that he had been paid less than Linforth, in the amount of twenty-five pounds. He prevailed upon Orson Pratt, the President of the England Mission, to correct this inequity. Brother Pratt wrote to Brigham Young, who was dealing with political emergencies in Utah at the time, having been informed that the United States Army was approaching the Salt Lake Valley, and consequently did not promptly respond to Frederick's concerns. It appears that Frederick never received what was due to him.
The Piercy family was offended by this treatment. When Brigham Young requested that they and others come to Utah in 1857, Frederick and his wife Angelina refused. In June of that year, Brother Pratt informed President Young that Frederick Piercy had apostatized and was filled with bitterness toward the Church.
From that time forward, Frederick became less prolific in his artistic work. Although he labored for the remainder of his life as an artist and teacher, only 21 of his pieces are known to have been exhibited.
In 1881, Angelina passed away. Frederick married another artist in 1884. He passed away in 1891, having suffered paralysis to a degree for the last ten years of his life.
Many questions remain unanswered:
- What would have happened if he had forgiven the debt?
- What would have happened if he had come to Zion at Brigham Young's request?
- Would his emigration trail drawings and watercolors have marked the beginning of an illustrious career in religious artwork, rather than resulting in a decline in artistic output?
- What would have happened to his eleven children if he had make different choices?
- Where is his posterity now?
- What is the ultimate value of twenty-five pounds?
- What would each of us have done in the same circumstance?
