Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1942, Page 14

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LE NORD
The Mormons were the most active of the American sects
which promoted emigration, and their activities played a pre-
dominant part in the first large-scale Danish emigration to Am-
erica. Of the 3747 Danish immigrants who according to American
statistics entered America during 1851—60 2500 were Mormons.
The first Mormon missionaries came to Denmark in 1850,
and they at once began to win proselytes. In 1852 the first Danish
Mormons emigrated to Utah, and till 1870 there were more
Danish-born inhabitants in that Territory than in any other State
or Territory of the Union. Altogether about 30,000 Danes settled
in Utah, a figure which is equal to about one tenth of the total
Danish emigration to America. That Utah, in spite of adverse
soil conditions, is one of the best cultivated States of the U.S.A.
is largely due to the enterprise of the Danish Mormons.
The route followed by the Mormons was at first by English
ships to New Orleans, and from there up the Mississippi to Keo-
kuk, Iowa, or the river towns of Kansas. The rest of the journey
was made in covered waggons. From Nebraska the route fol-
lowed the Oregon Trail, through South Pass to Salt Lake City.
It was a journey full of hardships and peril. Many of the travel-
lers fell ill, some of them died, and women sometimes gave birth
to children on the way. Danger lurked everywhere: Indians,
sandstorms in the plains, and blizzards in the mountains. In the
early 18 5 o’s this part of the journey was made in covered wag-
gons; later on the emigrants used hand-carts, which they pulled
themselves, because they could not afford better equipment. It
was not until the Union Pacific Railway had been completed in
1869 that the Utah settlers could avoid this perilous journey.
From the 1860’s the immigration from Denmark began to
gather speed, and from now on it increased from year to year.
The Republicans desired to promote immigration, and in 1862
they succeeded in carrying the important Homestead Act, which
entitled immigrants who had taken the initial steps towards ac-
quiring American citizenship to free Government grants of 160
acres. Several States devoted much energy to promoting im-
migration; they sent out agents to European countries and pub-
lished pamphlets in foreign languages, setting forth the advantages
offered to immigrants. American religious communities were also
active, by sending out or supporting missions to Denmark, if not
by direct propaganda.
One factor which helped to swell the tide of Danish emigra-