in november 1845 samuel brannan, newspaperman and small-scale publisher of the mormon paper "the prophet" (later the "new york messenger"), was directed by church elders to charter a ship that would carry its passengers away from the eastern united states to california, which was then part of mexico. over the course of two months, brannan managed to recruit 70 men, 68 women, and 100 children—238 persons total. brannan negotiated a fare of $75 for adults and half-fare for children with the captain abel w. richardson, master and a principal owner of the ship "brooklyn".