The Manhattan was built by Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co., Jarrow-on-Tyne, Newcastle, England in 1866. It was owned by the Gurion line and began its maiden voyage in Liverpool and sailed to New York in August 1866. Its burthen was 2,869 tons, with dimensions of 335' x 42' and an iron hull. It had one funnel and two masts and used a single-screw powered by an inverted engine, with a speed of 10 knots. It could carry 72 passengers in first class and 800 in third. Its sister ships were the Chicago, Colorado and Minnesota.
The inverted engines were replaced with with compound engines in 1874.
It was sold to Warren Line in 1875 and used in their Liverpool-Boston service. It was renamed Massachusetts in 1875, City of Lincoln in 1880 and Solis in 1884. It wrecked near Cape Town, South Africa, August 15, 1902.The Manhattan was chartered by the church to carry return missionaries and converts from Liverpool, England to New Orleans. They left Liverpool on 12 June, 1872 and arrived in New York on 27 June, 1872.
Records of the journey can be found in the Mormon Immigration Index. The following information is from that index.
"DEPARTURE. -- The fine steamship Manhattan, of the Guion & Co. Line, sailed on Wednesday, the 12th instant, from this port for New York, having on board 221 souls of the Saints, in which number are included Elders David Brinton, Edward Schoenfeld, John Pyper and David John, who are returning to their families and homes in the vales of Utah. Much good feeling and kindly intercourse was manifested by the emigrating Saints, mingled with a spirit of thankfulness that the long desired day of deliverance had arrived.
The company is composed of Saints from the British and Swiss and German Missions, those from the former being the most numerous. That the Lord may bless this the first company of this season's emigration under all circumstances and preserve them from every danger and bring them to Zion in peace and safety, is our earnest prayer."
Six emigrant companies-totaling 1308 Saints-crossed the Atlantic aboard Manhattan. These companies ranged in size from 35 to 482, and the passages from Liverpool to New York averaged 14.7 days. The first voyage began on 21 June 1867, and the last on 4 December 1872. Captain James Williams skippered the first crossing, Captain William Forsyth the next three, and Captain James Price the last two.
Hailing out of Liverpool, the Manhattan was a sharp model with three decks, an iron hull, inverted engines, two masts, one funnel, a clipper bow. She accommodated 72 first and 800 third-class passengers.
The image shows a part of the passenger list of the journey.
The passengers shown in the image are William and Martha Bower from Nottinghamshire, England with their children Harriet, Alvin, George, and William.
