Westward Journey Timeline—
14 April 1857 — The Nicolai Sorensen family leaves their home in Haverup for the last time, for nearby Sorø. All of their possessions are packed onto the horse drawn wagon of a friend, Jens Nielsen, for this trip. At Sorø they transfer their trunks and other luggage to the train for the 79 KM, four and one-half hour trip to Copenhagen, the capitol city of Denmark.
15-17 April 1857 — Time was spent on last minute items and unfinished business in and around Copenhagen.
18 April 1857 — The family boarded the newly constructed L. N. Hvidt, at Larsen Dock in the Copenhagen harbor around noon. The three mast, iron hull screw steamer left the harbor at 1:45 p.m. bound for Grimsby, England.
19-21 April 1857 — Following a three-day voyage, across the North Sea, the family docked on the east cost of England, at Grimsby. Here they rested and prepared for the train ride across England, to Liverpool.
22 April 1957— This day was spent on the seven and one-half hour train ride across the England. They arrived in Liverpool in mid-afternoon and settled in for tomorrows transfer to the sailing ship Westmoreland.
23 April 1957— Boarded the Westmoreland in the harbor at Liverpool and spent the night on ship.
24 April 1857 — Nicolai went shopping in Liverpool, early in the morning. The ship left the dock for a position in the harbor, in anticipation of sailing from port the next morning.
25 April 1857 — A small steamer pulled the Westmoreland out into deep water and the family waved goodbye to England and the old world.
26 April - 27 May — The family sailed with the Westmoreland upon the Atlantic Ocean for some 33 days.
28 May 1857— Anchors were dropped at 7:00 p.m. and as the harbor was full the ship had to wait for an open dock. It would be some three days until they would be able to dock at Philadelphia.
31 May Easter Sunday, 1857 — The Westmoreland docked at about 6:00 p.m.
1 June 1857 — Gathered together the baggage and prepared for the train ride of the next day.
2 June -9 June 1857 — Started by rail for the frontier, Iowa City, Iowa where the railroad ended and the wagons and oxen were waiting for them on June second. They traveled via the cities of Baltimore and Wheeling arriving in Iowa City on 9 July 1857.
10 June -14 June 1857 — Preparations for the start of the journey across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to the Great Salt Lake City.
15 June 1857 —The family with one team of oxen and one wagon began the walk toward Florence Nebraska across Iowa. They had to tie the tails of their oxen together and did not unyoke them the entire distance to Florence. The Oxen did not know Danish and the family were not used to oxen, at least not yet. Elder Matthias Cowley was the captain of this company of Saints.
6 July 1857 —The wagon company along with a handcart company left Florence for the west.
13 September 1857 — The Matthias Cowley wagon company arrived at Great Salt Lake City.
