Ole Nilssen Liljenquist

                           June 15 1857                        

• Immigration: Sep 13 1857 - Utah, United States
• Immigration: Sep 15 1857 - Utah, United States

                           July 14 1862                        

• Immigration: Sep 23 1862 - Utah, United States
• Residence: Sweden

Flying a German flag, the Yankee-built Athena on 21 April 1862 began one of the most unpleasant voyages in the annals of Mormon migration. This square-rigger sailed from Hamburg with 484 Scandinavian Saints under the leadership of Ola N. Liljenquist, a Swedish master tailor and one-time burgher of Copenhagen. Elder Liljenquist was the first Scandinavian convert to return to his native land as a missionary. A strong spiritual leader, he served two missions in Europe, one as president of the Scandinavian Mission. Later he was ordained a patriarch in the LDS Church and became an early settler in northern Utah. After arriving at Hamburg from Copenhagen, the Saints traveled five miles up the Elbe River to board the Athena. Master and part-owner of the ship was Captain D. Schilling, who early demonstrated a harsh and hostile attitude toward his passengers. To his dismay, Elder Liljenquist soon learned the difference between the German and British laws in providing for emigrants during passage. He recalled, "The water for use on shipboard taken in on the Hamburg Elbe, rotted long before we reached our destination; the provisions were of very inferior kind and the way it was cooked was still worse, and then not half enough of it."

When the Mormons protested, Captain Schilling reminded them that he had carried emigrants across the Atlantic for twenty-five years and that his was the sole authority on the water. To emphasize his point, he produced the irons and handcuffs he used on passengers who did not follow his orders and persisted in complaining. Elder Liljenquist wrote in his journal:
"One Sunday afternoon, after we had concluded our afternoon services, I suppose through jealousy and not having any influence with the Saints, he threatened to throw me overboard and I suppose he would have carried out his purpose had he dared to."

The Athena steered a course north of Scotland. The weather was fair, and soon the ship was in the Atlantic Ocean. Liljenquist wrote:

We had favorable winds for several days, with considerable motion of the sea, and therefore many suffered with sea sickness. Two weeks after leaving Glilckstadt we had covered about half the distance to New York, but from that time the wheel of fortune rather turned against us. While we hitherto had been favored with good winds, these now turned, and then at other times we had a perfect calm. The captain steered towards the southwest until we reached the Gulf Stream, about 300 miles south of the New Foundland Banks. After that we had such a calm for a whole week that not even a feather stirred and the temperature of the water and air varied between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This sudden change from the cool north, together with the bad water, which became stagnant from the heat, caused the sickness, which already had a hold among us, to increase rapidly. The measles took away 33 of the little ones, and several of the adults also suffered with bowel complaints and diarrhea. The first winds that blew the captain utilized to take us further north into a cooler climate. Now, we are well, thanks to Him, who holds our destiny in his hands. Five adults have died, namely Ole Nielsen, 37 years old; Christine Poulsen, 29 years old; Hans Nielsen from Amager, 52 years old; Ane Nielsen, 70 years old, and Kaisa Rosen, 65 years; of age. The captain ordered the cook to make oat meal porridge for the sick in the morning, rice at noon, and sago porridge in the afternoon.

After a forty-seven-day passage the Athena arrived at New York on 7 June. Thirty-eight passengers had died, one of the highest death tolls of any emigrant company. Many others had taken ill. Two days later the company was on a train headed for Florence, Nebraska. There the Saints encountered a long delay before continuing their westward journey, and several more died.

Although built in America, this vessel's name is also recorded as Athenia either by mistake or prior to a change in registration. The ship was sold to owners in Bremen, Germany-probably because of the Civil War. She seems to have had a long service until at least 1875, but her eventual end is unknown.