Landing at Castle Garden NY on 23 May 1855, the frigate Belle Wood brought Holland and Ellen Eyre Catton with four of their children - Mary, Martha, Benjamin, and William - to the United State. Also aboard was Holland’s brother Thomas, and his siter Alice Catton Eyre, who was married to Ellen’s brother George, along with five of her children - James, Mary, William Benjamin, and Ellen. George accompanied his brother-in-law John and brother-in-law and his wife William and Ann Pacey Catton arriving at Castle Garden 15 May 1856.

A decade after Holland and Ellen arrived, her uncle and aunt, James and Ann Naylor Hare (Eyre) along with their two youngest children Benjamin and Edwin boarded the same ship - the Belle Wood - departing Liverpool on 29 April 1865 and arriving at Castle Garden on 31 May 1865. Sadly, Ann died at sea and James died in September 1865 at Bridger, Wyoming just a few days short of their destination in Utah. James, Ann, and seven of their thirteen children suffered appalling persecution at home in Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England when they converted to the Mormon faith. James, Ann, Benjamin, and Edwin joined some 628 other Mormons seeking peace and a safe haven in Utah. Not being Mormon, I did not know of this wonderful branch of my family tree until 1999 when I “met” my elder cousin Stan on-line and he introduced us.