Brother to Martin Harris
Obtained the first bound copy of the Book of Mormon from his brother Martin Harris. Was baptized in Feb. 10, 1831, after joining the Latter-day Saints, moved to Kirtland, Ohio, 1831 and was ordained an elder and a high priest that same year. [PJSv1]
Appointed member of committee to obtain money for Joseph Smith, the Prophet to continue inspired translation of Bible 25 October 1831. Ordained high priest 25 October 1831. Appointed by revelation to preach gospel with Simeon Carter 25 January 1832. Mission to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, with Martin Harris 1832. Located in Huron County, Ohio, about December 1833. Worked on Kirtland Temple 1835. In spring of 1836 moved to farm three miles from Kirtland. Traveled to Pennsylvania in spring of 1838 to receive pay for farm there. Returned July 1838. Afflicted with rheumatism in his hip. McLellin visited him in Florence, Ohio. Left for Missouri 5 September 1838. Arrived in Far West, Missouri, about 12 October 1838. Forced to leave Caldwell County 17 October 1838. Arrived in Adams County, Illinois, about 22 December 1838. Carpenter by trade. Purchased property about three miles northeast of Nauvoo 1840. Moved family to new farm in spring of 1841. Member of Nauvoo Legion. Married Polly Chamberlain 11 January 1846. Worked on Nauvoo temple. Received endowment 30 January 1846. Moved to Utah 1850. Married Martha Allen 10 September 1850. Located in Provo. Appointed to be ordained patriarch 8 October 1853. Appointed to preside over high priests in Provo area 5 September 1855. Died 28 November 1869 in Logan, Cache County, Utah. [Cook] He was buried on 30 Nov 1869 in Logan, Cache, Utah.
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| Eastern View of Main Street, Palmyra. Earliest known image of Palmyra Village. Engraving from John W. Barber and Henry Howe, Historical Collections of the State of New York (New York: S. Tuttle, 1841), 580. |
The question of when Emer was baptized may need some clarification. When Joseph Mormon Harris was born July 19, 1830 his parents had not been baptized, but had made some decisions since they named him as they did. Some have said he was the first male child born of Mormon parents. Newel Knight wrote that Hymn Smith was laboring in Colesville and “a few believed and were baptized, among whom was Emer Harris, brother to Martin, who proved to be a useful laborer in the vineyard”. (Journal History, October 1830) A date of 10 Feb 1831 has been used on the family records and appears in the TIB. Joseph Smith had called his brother Hyrum to serve as the Colesville branch president. Hyrum lived for a time with Newel Knight, preaching and baptizing throughout the Susquehanna Valley. In December Orson Pratt, a newly ordained elder from Canaan, New York, was sent on his first mission to labor with Hyrum and Newel in the Colesville area. Among those they baptized was Emer.
A school was opened at about the same time the family arrived in Wayne County. In addition to the opportunity this gave Emer and Martin to gain an education ministers of many faiths were found preaching there over the next few years. By 1811 the Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal and Jewish faiths were being practiced. Palmyra became a place where a seeker of religion could hear many conflicting views and Martin was known as a seeker. It is said he could quote large sections of the Bible. A portion of the land purchased by Nathan Harris was inherited by his son Martin. When he was 32 years old the family of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack moved to Palmyra. During Joseph Smiths early years he sometimes worked for Martin and was well liked by him, as was the rest of the Smith family. Martin became one of the first to hear of the restored gospel, being told by his brother, Preserved. He went to the Smith family and having satisfied himself about Joseph’s experiences, resolved to help them. When Emer heard that Martin was involved in the printing of the Book of Mormon, even mortgaging his family land, he became very concerned. The following story is told of him. “In the spring of 1830 Emer, who was living in Windham, Pennsylvania, walked from his farm into Palmyra and entered the old Grandin Publishing Company to warn his younger brother, ‘Martin, the Harrises are practical people. How can you be involved in a venture with rumors of golden plates and angels?’ Martin made no immediate reply, but stepped to the place where the copies of the Book of Mormon were falling from the press. He picked up the first book, handed it to Emer, and said, ‘Read for yourself, Emer’. Emer took the book home and read it in his spare time for several days until he finished it. Then he returned to Martin and placing his hands on his brother’s shoulders looked him straight in the eye and said, ‘It is true, Martin’” (Stella Harris Oaks, talk BYG Educ. Wk., 22 Aug, 1974) due to their early ancestors’ quest several of Nathan Harris’s children continued to seek truth and freedom in their worship of God. Emer, Martin, Preserved and Naomi are known to have joined the “Mormon” church in its early days.
The family of Emer, like many others, prepared to gather with the saints in the spring of 1831. The Lord had instructed the Prophet Joseph to have the members move to Kirtland. Martin H., Emer’s son, wrote “traveled 70 miles by land and took steamboat at Ithaca, head of the Cayuga lake...traveled by steamer about 36 miles through Palmyra, Rochester and Lockport by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, then took passage on the Schooner Constitution up Lake Erie intending to land at Fairport, but on account of an unfavorable wind were obliged to pass by and land at Cleveland,” This description closely matches that of the group from Colesville Branch that traveled with Newel Knight, however, the description of his group states they landed at Fairport so Emer and family may have made the trip alone. Lucy Smith and Thomas B. Marsh also led groups, but their routes were different.
Emer, Parna and family first settled on the Isaac Morley farm, but in the Fall Isaac Morley was told, by revelation to the Prophet, to sell his land that he might devote himself better to the work of the Lord. (D&C 64:20) Their next home was sixty miles west in Brownhelm, Ohio, where they remained until the end of 1833, when they moved to Florence where Emer had purchased a farm.
In the fall of 1831, several important things occurred in Emer’s life. He was ordained a High Priest on instruction of Joseph Smith. Conferences were held on the 11th and. 25-26th of October. On the 11th the brethren were instructed in the “ancient manner of conducting meetings”. A committee was suggested to instruct the various branches of the church in these methods and set things in order. With the church so new care had to be taken to see that things from member’s former ceremonies didn’t become a part of the meetings. When the conference adjourned two members had been named, David Whitmer and Reynolds Cahoon. At the next conference, held in Orange, Ohio, Simeon Carter, Orson Hyde, Hyrum Smith and Emer were chosen to complete the group. (DHC Vol.1 p.21) They were also asked to teach the principle of supporting those who gave full time to the church and particularly at this time to aid the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon as they continued the work of translation and revision of the Bible. Rigdon served a portion of the next year in this work and other mission labors with Simeon Carter as called by revelation in Sec. 75 of the Doctrine and Covenants given on January 25, 1832.
During the conference at Orange the Prophet spoke to those attending: “We have assembled together to do the business of the Lord and it is through the great mercy of our God that we are spared to assemble together….. It is the privilege of every Elder to speak of the things of God and Jesus Christ and could we all come together with one heart and one mind in perfect faith the veil night as well be rent today as next week or any other time and if we will but cleanse ourselves and covenant before God to sere him it is our privilege to have an assurance that God will protect us at all times”. These words and others of the Prophet stirred the souls of many present and they spoke of their feeling for the Lord and His gospel. The minutes record Emer Harris as having said he was “determined to be for God and none else and with His help to do His will”. This pledge was one that Emer kept throughout his life. His faith and testimony remained firm through several periods of great difficulty and apostasy in the church.
Emer was serving as a missionary when his son Alma was born on June 6, 1832. His son Martin recorded in his Journal “Father started on a mission East and was gone a year, wanting eleven days”. After a time with Simeon Carter, he served with his brother Martin. In the summer of 1832 they “raised a branch of over 70 members at Springville, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. (MHH Jour, addendum, Leander Harris). In December of the same year Newel Whitney wrote, “I have just learned that brothers Martin and Emer have baptized about 100 persons at Chenango Point New York within a few weeks past”. (JH 22 Dec 1832)
Perhaps the following incident happened while Emer was filling this mission. Brigham Young wrote: “Every person who is well acquainted with the history of this Church knows that at the commencement of it the persecutions commenced, and they continued to increase until the death of the Prophet. Forty—seven times he was arraigned....He was never found guilty, but once. I have been told by Patriarch Emer Harris that on a certain occasion he was brought before a magistrate in the State of flew York, and charged with having cast out devils; the magistrate, after hearing the witnesses decided that he was guilty, but as the statutes of New York did not provide a punishment for casting out devils, he was acquitted. (JD Vol.2 p. 213)
At first glance a list of Emer’s wives and children would not seem unusual considering his membership in the Mormon Church. Emer, however, had suffered the loss of two young wives and married a third in 1826, four years before the church was organized. His first wife was Roxana Peas whom he married on July 22, 1602, and to them was born five daughters and one son-Selina, Elnathan, Alvira, Sephronia, Nathan, and Ruth. These children were born while Emer lived in Cambridge, Mew York. He next married Deborah Lott on Jan. 16, 1819. Emer and Deborah lived in Windham, Pennsylvania. Their children were Emer Jr., said to have “been dressed and, died”, Martin Henderson, Harriet Fox and Dennison Lott. These children were all very young when their Mother died, just two months after Dennison’s birth. They were raised by the third wife, Parna Chapel, whom Emer married March 19-29, 1826. (both dates used, TIB 19th.) Their children were Fauna Melvina, Joseph Mormon, Alma, and Charles.
In 1835 Emer worked on the Kirtland Temple. The family had moved several times since leaving their farm in Pennsylvania. They spent two and a half years on the farm Emer had purchased in Florence. This effort had not met with total success due to late frost in 1834, but in 1835 they had “a middling crop of corn, a good crop of potatoes and apples”. (MHH Jour) In the Spring of 1836 they gave up the farm and were moved by Moses Daley (his son Moses Judson Daley later married Emer’s daughter Harriet) to a farm on Chardon Road. Emer’s brother Martin also had a farm in this area. The weather worked against the saints farming efforts for another year as Martin H. indicates a cold wet summer in 1836 and “poor crops” in 1837, with no special reason given.
In November of 1835 Emer’s father Nathan died at Menton Ohio, while living with Preserved, younger brother of Emer and Martin. On November 18, 1835 Joseph Smith wrote: At home in the forenoon, until about eleven o’clock. I then went to Preserved Harris’ to preach his father’s funeral sermon, by the request of his family. I preached on the subject of the resurrection. The congregation were very attentive. My wife, my mother, and my scribe, accompanied me to the funeral. Pleasant outing, but cool and cloudy on our return. (DHC Vol.2 p.3l7) In six months Preserved was disfellowshipped for ‘lack of benevolence and want of charity towards the church.” (Doc. His. Vol 2 p.445) These charges were brought by Joseph Smith. Donations were frequently asked for since so many arrived in Kirtland without the means to care for themselves. During this same period of time Emer’s name appears on a list of those donating money to the Prophet. His donation of $1.00 doesn’t seem like much until comments in various journals show a day’s wages to be .75 to $1.00.
These were glorious spiritual days in Kirtland and troubled temporal ones. The temple was completed and wonderful visions were manifested to the Prophet and others and some lesser ordinances performed. The Doctrine and Covenants was prepared and approved the scriptures contained with the mummies were obtained, bringing forth more knowledge to the saints. However, $13,000 was still owed on the temple and few paying jobs were available to the members. Their small businesses were running on credit. The Prophet proposed a bank, of sorts, which would issue notes based on land value and a mortgage system. The Spring of 1837 was a period of financial turmoil in the whole country. Land speculation was followed by a serious depression. Within one month 800 banks failed, and so, it was no wonder the Kirtland Safety Society fell also. A spirit of speculation had caught the saints in its grip. Heber C. Kimball, returning from a mission to the East was shocked at the greed, faultfinding, and dissension among the saints in Kirtland. City lots selling a few months before for $150 were now going for from $500 to $1000. Almost everyone seemed determined to get rich. Nearly every quorum of the priesthood was infested with this corrupting spirit. Many who had been humble and faithful in the performance of duty in the church had become haughty in spirit and lifted up in pride. “As the fruits of this spirit,” commented Joseph Smith, “evil surmisings, fault-finding, disunion, dissension, and apostasy followed in quick succession, and it seemed as though all the powers of earth and hell were combining their influence in an especial manner to overthrow the Church at once, and make a final end”. (Joseph Smith and the Restoration, Barrett p. 341) Many became disaffected toward the church, and the Prophet, at this time because the bank had failed. Joseph had counseled against the greed and speculation which had become an obsession with the majority of the saints. The corrupt spirit he feared caused even some members of the Twelve and the witnesses to the Book of Mormon to seek to have him removed as Prophet, and David Whitmer named in his place. The threat from outside by those who wanted the Mormons to leave was not nearly as dangerous as that from within. Emer’s brother Nathan, was among those who turned against Joseph and in December he was excommunicated by the High Council.
Both his brother’s had been “lost” in Kirtland. Emer, with his faith and testimony intact, left Kirtland in the summer of 1836 to return to Pennsylvania to collect the money owed him for the fan he left there in 1831. The members of the church had been Instructed to move to upper Missouri where other saints had been living in peace for several years. A number of then formed a group called Kirtland Camp to aid one another in the move, but Emer probably felt the need to get his business settled in Pennsylvania before he moved still another 900 miles away. Former members of the church were persecuting the saints in much the same manner that non-members had done in the past. When Emer returned to the family in July with a span of horses and light wagon he “bought another horse and two-horse wagon from Uncle Preserved and started for Missouri on the fifth day of September”. (MHH) They were apparently unaware that all was no longer well with those who had been living in relative calm in Caldwell and Daviess counties since 1636. In July a celebration had been held and Sidney Rigdon had given an address that had been published and angered many citizens of the state. He had warned that the saints would no longer be trampled on and that mobs who came upon them could expect them to stand for their rights until death, This, along with the influx of members from Kirtland during the summer caused another incident at an election held at Gallatin on August 6, 1638. The settlers were concerned that the Mormons would soon control the area and so decided not to allow them to vote. A small fight erupted and the settlers group left to get weapons. The Mormons were persuaded to leave, but It was the beginning of a number of incidents that increased in severity and paranoia on the part of the Missourians until it resulted in such happenings as the Haun’s Mill Massacre. When Emer, Parna and the children arrived at Uncle Ezekiel Kellogg’s (husband of Emer’s sister, Naomi) on October 12, 1838 the atmosphere was tense. They may not have even unloaded the wagons, for they left just two weeks later to find a place in Illinois. They had journeyed nearly nine hundred miles and the mob atmosphere, supported by Gov. Boggs, made it necessary for them to move again. All weapons were to be surrendered and all Mormon scripture found was being burned•. Before leaving for Illinois Emer made preparations to carry his cherished Book of Mormon. Taking a wooden chest, he shortened it on one end, packed his book and others in tight1y and added a new lining of fuller’s cloth. The chest was filled with clothing. The keyhole had become off-centered by cutting one end off, but he hoped no one would notice. Along the way Emer walked off the trail carrying his gun so he would not have to surrender this source of food and protection. Parna and the family traveled with the wagons. They were stopped, questioned and searched by troops who were more like a mob in their zeal. Parna, who admitted proudly to being a “Mormon”, told them to search. “You have driven around so much we have nothing but rags,” she said. Even the interior of the chest came under inspection, but nothing was found and they were allowed to pass on.
The new destination for the saints was in Illinois and so they went East again. Young Martin recorded that they “arrived on the bank of the Mississippi River about the 12th of November, having traveled the whole distance through rain, snow and mud”. Due to floating ice they remained there until the twenty-second before they could cross the river. About the first of December shelter for the winter was found when they moved into a hone owned by John Gault near “Rock Creek, eight mile’s north of Quincy”. (MHH Jour) In the Spring they built a house on the farm owned by Cephas Stow and both Emer and young Martin worked on land they rented from him.
In 1839, while living in Quincy, Emer was ill but no indication is given - as to what the nature of the sickness was, except he did not “fully recover for a year”. Malaria was troubling a number of the members at this time.
The year 1840 found Emer looking for a new place. He bought 40 acres, three miles northeast of Nauvoo and in the Fall they built a home there. It was early the next Spring when they moved in, “fenced about half the land and broke up and planted about ten acres”.
The cornerstone of the Nauvoo Temple was laid on the sixth of April, 1841. Emer worked on the construction as a carpenter. He worked his land and when needed Martin would help him, but he was twenty-one now and was often on his own, traveling around working for others in farming, timber and mining. Dennison wan 16, Joseph 11, Alma 9 and Charles 7. These boys were all old enough to aid in the work. Emer was sixty.
The record of the family is found in the Nauvoo Second Ward. It lists Emer & Parna Harris, Jeremiah, Martin, Harriet, Dennison, Fanny, Joseph, Alma and Charles. Jeremiah is given in the family list, but his identification is unknown. Fanny, Emer and Parna’s firstborn and only daughter (from their marriage) died in December of 18241.
The near completion of the Nauvoo temple gave a number of the saints an opportunity to receive their endowment. On January 30, 1846 Emer and Parna were among those thus blessed. Dennison Lott Harris was endowed 7 Feb 1846 and Harriet Fox Harris Daley and her husband Moses Judson Daley 20 Jan 1846.
During the years in Nauvoo Emer decided to accept the principle of polygamy and he married Polly Chamberlain, daughter of Solomon Chamberlain, and also a member of the Nauvoo Second Ward. They were married in 1844/45 and on December 24, 1845 their only child was born. *
During the years in Nauvoo the church continued to be troubled with many of the problems faced before. Both Martin H. and Dennison did what they could to protect the Prophet from his enemies within and without. Martin served in the Nauvoo Legion and told of guarding the Prophet’s home at night. Dennison and a friend became aware of a plot against the Prophet by some members of the church. They went to Emer, who advised them to see Joseph Smith about it. He asked them to act as his spies, which they did at several meetings. Another time Martin cane upon the Prophet in the woods where he had gone to be safe from those who were seeking to harm him. Joseph requested that Martin keep his location secret and Martin gave his word, telling the Prophet “You will know by what happens that I have kept my word.’ The love and protection rendered the Prophet by many was, of course, to no avail and he was killed by his enemies. Again the faith and testimony of the members was tried as a new Prophet took his place as head of the church. In time as Brigham Young took over some chose to go their own way, but Emer and his family followed the Lord’s new prophet.
In the Spring of 1846 Emer went to Galena to visit his son Martin. Be told him the Mormons were leaving Nauvoo. Sometime during the next year he left for the Hanesville area for Martin recorded visiting “my folks” there in the summer of l847. Whether Emer, Parna and Polly and “their children were living together at this Lime was not mentioned.
Emer and Parna had each received patriarchal blessings in 1845, given by Patriarch John Smith, the Prophet’s uncle. Parna’s was given in the Fall not long before Polly’s child Rebecca was to be born. There seems to be some sorrow or problem in her life that Patriarch Smith is aware of for it is a healing blessing as well. Parna was known as a woman of much courage. Apostle Moses Thatcher said of her “She was as brave as a Lion”. Several problems come to mind when considering her blessing. Her family, the Chapel’s, had not joined the church though Emer had visited and preached to them. Perhaps the hardships of the preceding fifteen years had broken her health and her task was far from over. She had buried her daughter, but she still had sons age 12,14 and 16 and the long journey west was ahead. Joseph and Brigham had both seen the place in vision. Perhaps Emer’s taking another wife when he has had three, and fourteen children was her struggle.
PARNA’S BLESSING
October 21st A Blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of Parna Harris daughter of Isaac and Tamison Chapel, born Nov. 12, 1789, Berkshire Co. Massachusetts.
Sister Parna, I lay my hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Priesthood I place a father’s blessing upon thee. I also rebuke the spirit of infirmity that troubles thee and every foul and wicked spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ and ask my Father in Heaven in the name of his son to seal the rebuke in the heavens as being done by his own commandment, that she may be made perfectly whole in mind and all her members, that her body may be cleansed from every disease; reorganized and set in order that thou mayest be restored to soundness as in the days of thy youth, that thou mayest be made useful in thy family and in the church and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Now sister be comforted, give no heed to the vain and foolish reports which often trouble the minds of the daughters of Israel, but let your mind he stayed upon the blessings and promise of the God of Jacob and make his arm your trust, for thou shalt be blest and they family shall be blest. Thou shalt see the day when thou shalt dwell with them in friendship and peace.. This is thy blessing sister, inasmuch as thou wilt give heed to the counsel of the servants of the Lord and lean upon His arm and not a word of it shall fail. Even so. Amen.
EMER’S BLESSING
July 19 A blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of Emer Harris, son of Nathan and Rhoda, born 29 May 1781, Washington Co. N.Y.
Bro. Emer, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, I lay my hands upon thy head by the authority invested in me to bless the fatherless. I place upon thee all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Thou art of the house of Jacob, and an heir to the priesthood and a right to the blessings which were sealed upon his sons, which have been handed down through the lineage of thy fathers. The same is now sealed upon thee to continue throughout the generations of thy posterity because of the integrity of thy heart. Thou hast not fainted in times of disease and persecution when every evil thing has been spoken against the church of the living God. Thou hast endured in faith. The Lord is well pleased with thee. He will heap a multiplicity of blessings upon thy head. Thou art called to be a counselor in the House of Israel. Thou shalt have wisdom given unto thee to enable thee to magnify thine office acceptably before the Lord. Thy testimony shall have great weight among all people because of thy candor. The simplicity of thy manner of communicating it, and because thou art alone, as it were, in thy father’s house. Thy posterity shall be greatly blessed. They shall stand on Mt. Zion, clothed with all the authority of the priesthood. Thou shalt be able to control the hearts of thy friends and save them and reign over them, not withstanding they think their counsel greater than thou. Thou shalt possess plenty of the fruits of the earth. The riches of eternity shall be given unto thee. Thou shalt inherit Eternal Life inasmuch as you abide in the truth. Thy wisdom shall not fail.
Even so, Amen
In 1848 Polly and Emer were sealed by President Brigham Young in Willard Richards’s office at Winter Quarters. The ceremony was performed January II at 7:00 p.m. with Heber C. Kimball and Newell K. Whitney as witnesses. Again, in the Summer of 1849, Emer suffered the loss of his wife. Polly died at Car1sv1ile Iowa in June, leaving Emer once more with a small motherless child. Rebecca was three and a half. Emer was sixty eight!
In 1850 Martin H. began his journey west by traveling from Quincy where he had been visiting to St. Louis to acquire goods, and on to St. Joseph where he bought a wagon and yoke of six year old cattle, a yoke of four year old cattle and a “further fit out for the plains’. He arrived in Kanesville about the 14th of May and stayed with Emer for a month preparing his teams and acquiring two cows and other things to be ready to go. Among the supplies he considered vital were textbooks and paper. They settled in Ogden, arriving there in late September.
He wrote, “Started from Father’s for the Valley on the 14th of June in company with Mother (Parna) and Alma, Joseph having started already with Uncle Ezekiel, leaving Father with Dennison and Charles to come when they should get ready”. Emer, Charles and Dennison with his wife and children and Rebecca did not come to Utah until 1852. Rebecca’s history says her grandfather Solomon Chamberlain came with them also. He was a trail scout known as “Old Buckskin” and had made the first trip west, but this could have been another of his trips.
When Emer settled in Utah it was in the Provo area along with Dennison and later Harriet and her husband M. Judson Daley, who came in 1862. At first they lived in a dugout with no fireplace and no windows, sleeping in the wagon. In the winter they shared a fire with other settlers. Conditions ere very hard and through an accident their wagon was burned. Neighbors helped build a small cabin and shared bedding with them.
Later Emer is found in the Provo third ward. In 1853 he was ordained a Patriarch and in August of 1855 he was honored as one of the oldest men present at the ground breaking for the Provo “meetinghouse”.
I am instructed by President James C. Snow that according to previous appointment a large concourse of people gathered on the land set apart for the Provo meeting house at 5 o’clock p.m. to consecrate the ground for said house. After forming a hollow square at the place located for the southeast corner of the building the choir sang an appropriate hymn. Pres. Snow made some very appropriate remarks In relation to the building and the propriety of carrying out the counsels of the Presidency of this church and the necessity of being united in carrying the same into effect. The president then called upon the whole assembly to kneel with him and join in offering the dedicatory prayer and the three eldest men at the ground proceeded to break the ground at the southeast corner. Samuel Vincent at 77 years of age, Patriarch Emer Harris, 72 years of age, James A. Smith 69....
27 August l855
Deseret News 5:224
A few days following, David Pettigrew, President of the High Priest Quorum for the church visited in Provo to organize the High Priests there as he had done in other places during the preceding two months. He wrote: “September 1st, returned to Provo, and was well received. Sunday, 2d, held meeting at 10 a.m. when good attention and a good spirit were manifested. In the evening called the High Priests together in the Seminary; had a very good time, and organized them by appointing Emer Harris president over 50 High Priests in that place. In all places visited on this trip, I lifted up my voice in solemn warning to the High Priests and Elders in Israel to be up and doing, to do their duty in this the last, the eleventh hour, that they may earn their penny.
A record of sealings indicates that on September 10, 1855 at 4:l5 p.m. Martha Allen was sealed to Emer Harris in Provo by Geo. A. Smith and witnessed by Wm. Nuttal Jr. & Sr. She was a widow with a family and for a time Rebecca lived with them, but she was unhappy with her treatment and ran away to live with a half brother. This was probably Dennison, as he lived in Alpine.
For a period of several months in the Spring and summer of 1558 all of Emer’s Utah family was in the Provo area due to the threat of Johnson’s Army. The Amy was camped east of the valley during the winter and the saints had been instructed to move south. If necessary those men who stayed behind were to burn the settlements rather than have the army take them. Martin tells of planting his crops in Weber County and making several trips to Springville to build a cabin and plant a garden for his family. Alma’s wife, Sarah, gave birth to Lafayette in Farmington on the way south on May 2, 1858. She had a brother living there so perhaps that was where she made her temporary stop. Both Charles and Alma were to participate in the defense of the Northern area after settling their families south. One wonders what kind of odd little places were left when the crisis ended a few months later, with the army passing peacefully through, and the saints moved home again
For the next several years we can only assume that Emer was found in Provo doing his duty. Many of the records there were burned. His fifth wife, Martha, did not live many years after their marriage in 1855, for in November Martin recorded that his father had left Provo and come north. Parna had died in 1857, but Martin, Alma, Joseph and Charles were all living in the same general area in 1859. For the next three years Emer visited around with his children and continued to act in the capacity of a Patriarch.
On the 19th of October 1862 the Journal History of the Church records that “Emer Harris, Box Elder County, Patriarch, and ________Harris, son of Emer, Box Elder are called on the Cotton Mission by Heber C. Kimball at a meeting held at 6:30 p.m. in the tabernacle. The first callings to the Cotton Mission had been issued the previous year, but many of those called did not respond. The call, as printed, had no name for Emer’s son, but it was for Charles. He and Dennison, with Emer, left Ogden less than a month later on Nov. 12, 1862, for Southern Utah. Some have said Emer accompanied Charles and Dennison when they went, But Emer’s was an actual call to go, and at age 81 he did! Five years were spent south in the Virgin and St. George area. Dennison and Charles never did return to Northern Utah, but made their homes in various central Utah towns. Dennison served as Bishop in Monroe for several years.
On his return from the mission Emer again made his home in Provo. He may have lived for a short time with his daughter Harriet Daley.
From Martin H. Harris’s Journal August 1867:
Aug 21 Getting ready to go to Springville and Provo about 100 miles South to get Father and bring him back with me.
22 Started and traveled to Kaysville.
23 Traveled seven miles beyond Salt Lake City.
24 Reached Provo, found Father well.
25 Sunday: At meeting Pres. Young and others preached. In the evening started with Cousin Sophia for Springville. Arrived after dark and stayed with Judson Daley.
27 Started home. Traveled 20 miles with Father and Sister Harriet who is to act as proxy for her and my Mother when Father is getting his Second endowments.
28 Arrived at Salt Lake City and put up with Aunt Caroline.
29 Father got his endowments when we started for home and stayed all night at Oliver Robinson’s Farm.
30 Arrived safe home with Father.
Until December 31 1866, when they were resumed at the Endowment House, these special ordinances had not been given since the Saints left Nauvoo twenty years earlier.
For the next two years Emer visited with his children. In September of 1869 he was taken to Logan by Joseph to visit Alma and Sarah. He died there on November 28, 1869 and was buried in the Logan Cemetery.
At his death he had been a member of the church for 39 years and had been as he had determined to be in 1831....”for God, and none else”. Enduring the persecutions, the moving about, the diseases and dangers that were the lot of the early members he served as a missionary, helped build two temples, traveled nearly 900 miles from Kirtland to Missouri when he was 57, only to be immediately driven out and forced to go to Quincy in the snow and mud. He crossed the Plains when he was 71, became a Patriarch at 72, went on the Cotton Mission at 81, His five wives all preceded him, as did several of his fifteen children. He died in his 89th year.
See addtional biography of Emer Harris as found: http://www.geocities.com/heartland/bluffs/2806/aqwn108.htm
See more geneology and history: http://www.nathanharrisfamily.org/
See Dialogue article on " Mormonism and the Radical Religious Movement in Early Colonial New England [Articles and Essays] (p. 25) Volume 33, Number 1, Spring 2000 "
See references in EarlyLDS.com: http://earlylds.com/getperson.php?personID=I3802&tree=WinterQuarters