Walton Price family Emigration to America

Thomas Walton Price & Jane Colley
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George Walton & Anna Hug
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George Henry Walton & Laura Louisa Hood Harwood
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Lafaette Roy Harwood Walton & Victoria Elizabeth Anderson
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Vera Irene Walton & Frank Eugene Smith
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Judy Smith & Steven Mathew Visser
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Me

The Walton-Price family emigrated to the America over an eight-year period.  Thomas and Jane Walton were numbered among the 332 Latter-day Saint passengers who set sail from Liverpool 17 January 1853 on board the Ellen Maria. The 768-ton vessel was commanded by Captain Whitmore and was the lightest of the fourteen vessels listed by Piercy as carrying Mormon emigrants during 1853-1854.

John Walton Price son of Thomas & Jane
While somewhere in the mid ocean, a terrific storm arose and for a time the furry of hell seemed to be turned loose with a determination to destroy all. All hope seemed to fade, then die right before our eyes. Then we knew we were wholly dependent on the mercy of God to spare us because our sails were torn to shreds. Then upon our knees with bowed heads to God, we prayed for deliverance. the storm calmed, but our sails looked beyond repair. How could we sail on? Then came the Captain of the vessel, a grand and God-fearing old man, who gave us words of cheer, then said, "Come stand by me and we will sail on." All obeyed his command and God prepared the way and we did "sail on!!" not realizing just where we were going but after many anxious days land was sighted and when reached it was our promised land, the land of America, just a few miles below our anticipated landing. What a thrill to realize our lives had been spared, but it was through God's great mercy and her guiding hand that safely steered us to the promised land. Source: Annie Amelia Price Hamilton, "History of John Walton Price,"  undated

Another account of the trip was written by Hanna Cornaby
Oh the furry of that storm! Our ship will surely wreck, The women are all kept inside, the men ordered up on deck. We cannot see what's going on, but hear the deafening din of fearful noises overhead, the screams and cries within. Anchors overboard are cast, to stay her dangerous flight; The peril is augmented by the darkness, for 'tis night; The anchors' weight like feathers seems; still on the vessel goes, For her keel's quite near the sand, as each anxious sounding shows. We know that there is danger, yet there's potency in prayer, And in this trying moment, ask our Heavenly Father's care; Our spirits feel its soothing power, and patiently we wait The few brief moments, which we know must soon decide our fate.  The captain, for a moment, comes inside the cabin door And in his face we read a look we never saw before. He gazes on the passengers, but utters not a word, Yet plainly then we learn our fate, although no sound is heard. My husband now comes in; his face looks pale, but calm; He sits down close beside me, takes our babe upon his arm; Then seeks, with tender loving words to know if I'm aware Unless Jehovah's  power prevents, death, Which will not fail us, even though we should resign our breath, And though, perhaps, all human power is impotent to save, Our trust is stayed on Him who can control the wind and wave. The wind is hushed, the danger past, oh, how the tidings come, To all who now expect to meet a sudden watery tomb!  Life comes to us instead of death; joy takes the place of grief, But how describe the feeling of wonderful relief? The vessel righted, now her course again can be controlled, And with the morning light the distant coast we can behold, While now we shudder, as we think, what would have been our fate, But for the interposing power, displayed for us of late.