When we think of the 19th-century gathering to Zion, our minds usually go straight to handcarts and covered wagons struggling across the plains. Yet, for the tens of thousands of European converts who heeded the call to gather, the “trail” was only the final leg of a much longer, more complex journey by rail and sail. In a fascinating new interview over at the Latter-day Saint history blog, From the Desk, historian Fred E. Woods (author of Ports to Posts: Latter-day Saint Gathering in the Nineteenth Century) dives into the massive logistical machine that moved a people across oceans and continents, revealing how the Saints transformed from a despised sect into some of the shipping industry’s most “preferred passengers.”

Ports to Posts: Latter-day Saint Gathering in the 19th Century

From “Plucking” to “Planting”

Woods offers a useful framework for understanding the history of the Church’s growth. He describes the 19th century as an era of “plucking”—where the goal was to extract converts from “Babylon” and bring them to the safety of Zion.

They wanted to strengthen the Church in their local areas. There had been more plucking than planting, and after establishing the Church firmly in Utah, Church leaders encouraged Church members to grow the Church in the United States and worldwide.

This drive to gather was so strong that even the American Civil War didn’t stop it; in fact, it accelerated it. Woods notes that between 1861 and 1864, over 11,000 foreign converts left for Utah, believing it was the only safe haven from the impending destruction of the United States. It was not always an easy journey during the war – Woods notes that “Latter-day Saints attest that the Saints feared the U.S. soldiers more than the Native Americans,” and that “while passing through Missouri on the Hannibal and St. Joe Railroad, pioneer emigrants told of cannon balls being fired over their heads.”

The “Preferred Passenger” Reputation

One of the most surprising insights is that despite the intense persecution the Church faced in the press, they were beloved by ship captains and transit authorities. This wasn’t a spiritual conversion, but a practical one.

The captains and crews recognized that the Latter-day Saints had a superior standard of hygiene and order because they abided by the instructions of Church leaders.

Woods highlights the relationship with George Ramsden of the Guion Line, a non-member shipping agent who became a dedicated ally to the Church. Because the Saints organized themselves into wards on board—with strict schedules for cleaning, cooking, and worship—they had lower mortality rates and caused fewer problems than general steerage passengers.

The St. Louis Hub

The interview also shines a light on the crucial role of “posts” or waystations. Missouri was often remembered by Saints only for the earlier persecutions in the state, but St. Louis became a vital hub in the 1850s.

Because of the large number of church emigrants passing through this metropolis, a Latter-day Saint stake (ecclesiastical unit) was established there in 1854 to provide temporary housing for thousands of Saints who were temporarily housed there to earn sufficient funds to send them on to Utah.

This reveals a level of administrative sophistication that goes far beyond the “hodgepodge” image of pioneer travel. The gathering was a business, a ministry, and a massive logistical operation all rolled into one.