Henry Harriman

FamilySearch ID: KWJN-C8Z
BYU Nauvoo Community Project ID: 34239

The History of Henry Harriman written in his own words:

My name is Henry Harriman. I am the son of Enoch Harriman and Sarah Brockelbank.  I was born in the town of Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts, on June 9, 1804. 

Henry Harriman Birth Record – “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8979-H8CK?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DH-BZW%3A353349401%2C353590501%2C353590502 : 13 July 2016), Essex > Bradford > Births, marriages, deaths 1795-1844 vol 2 > image 43 of 194; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.


I married Clarissa Boynton in April of 1827. In the year of 1832, I had the privilege of having the fullness of the Gospel by two Elders of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which was organized on April 6, 1830, by Joseph Smith, an Apostle, Prophet, Seer and Revelator. I believe the Gospel as it was preached by the power of the Holy Ghost by the Elders Orson Hyde and Samuel H. Smith. Elder Orson Hyde baptized me in August 1832. In September of the same year, I was ordained a Teacher under the hands of Elders Hyde and Smith in the brand of the Church organized in Georgetown Massachusetts.

I labored in my calling being blessed by the Lord until June of the following year. I attended a conference of Elders held in Bath, New York. It was at this Conference that I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Orson Pratt and Lyman E. Johnson. I then returned to the Branch of the Church in Georgetown. I met with the Saints at our regular place of meeting. I was called upon by the Presiding Elder to speak. Feeling my weakness, but having confidence in the promises of the Lord: “if any man lack wisdom, let me ask of the Lord.” After the prayer, I rose to my feet, and there presented directly before me a number of sentences in plain English Language. As I spoke them, they passed away and others came in their place and so I continued for the space of an hour. I was filled with the Holy Ghost and so were all the Saints.

In the latter part of April 1833, I settled my affairs and gathered with the Saints in Kirkland, Ohio. Very soon after my arrival in Kirkland, I was under the necessity of arming myself to protect the Saints and the Prophet Joseph from the wicked people around us who sought the destruction and over throwing of the Prophet Joseph. In May 1834, I, in the company of about 200 men, started from Kirkland to the Western part of the State of Missouri, to assist the Saints in obtaining possession of their lands in Jackson County, Missouri, from which they had been driven by a wicked mob. We were organized in companies of 10, 50 and 100 with Prophet Joseph at our head. I felt constrained to perform this mission by the Spirit of God to expose my life for the welfare and salvation of the Saints. On our journey, I, with 19 other men, was called out and organized into a company of life for the Prophet Joseph. The Lord blessed me on this mission and spared my life by return to my family according to his promise made known before I left my family in Kirkland. I returned in August 1834 to Kirkland. I stayed a few days and started on a mission to Massachusetts, Maine, and New York were I spent many days laboring in the branch in Georgetown.

In the summer of 1835, the Prophet Joseph ordained me as one of the first Seventies of Elders. I held revival meetings in Dover, New York. I baptized Jeremiah Willey. I was also called to minister to a sister by the name of Waltham who was sick, nigh unto death. I prayed for her, took her by the hand and said, “in the name of Jesus Christ, according to your faith, be it done unto you.” In a moment her countenance changed from death to life. She arose from her bed and gave praise to God. In July 1835, I returned again to Kirkland. I stayed about two years. in 1837, the Saints suffered much persecution, not only from the wicked around us, but by many that turned from the faith of the Gospel and sought the life of the prophet of God. Among the number were John F. Boynton, Lyman Johnson, and Luke Johnson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and John Gayland and Solmen Gee of the Presidents of the Seventies.

In the winter of 1837. the persecution was sure against the Prophet and leading authorities of the Church insomuch that they were obliged to leave their habitations for Caldwell County Missouri. Under these circumstances we, the Presidents of the Seventies, assembled in the House of the Lord to ask wisdom of our Father in Heaven, and to consult up the best measured to be taken to deliver ourselves from the hand of persecution and gather the Saints of God. The Lord in mercy made it known to us by vision and prophecy that we gather together and going to the land the Zion pitching our tents on the way. We, therefore to carry out the council of the Lord, gathered together about 500 souls with their horses, cattle, wagons, tents, and organized them into companies of 10s, 50s, and 100s. We gathered up what means we could by donation and finally hired money and gave our obligation for payment in a coming day. This brought me into trouble. I was sued and had to deliver up my own team for payment with a very little means for such a company.

We started on the 4th of July to perform a journey of 100 miles to gather with the Saints of God in Caldwell County Missouri. We journeyed as far as Dayton, Ohio. By this time, our means was consumed, we camped and went to work building roads and embankments and earned 1300 dollars. We commenced our journey again and traveled from day to day. We arrived in Caldwell County Missouri the later part of October. Here the most of us were counseled to go to Davis County, which was a two-day journey. here I lived in a tent until I was made prisoner by an armed force of 500 men that was sent out under the Extermination Order of Governor Bogs. We were marched out to an open spaced formed into a square being about 100 in number. We were compelled to lay down our arms to the force of 500 men that formed around us. Soon after I moved my family to Far West. I left Far West in February to seek a resting-place in the State of Illinois.

We lived in Adams County for two years and then moved to Hancock County in the later part of the year 1840. In 1842, I was called to on a mission to the Eastern States to preach the Gospel with Thomas Butterfield. We took passage on a steamboat at Nauvoo that was bound for Pittsburn. From this place we traveled on foot preaching by the way as often as we could get the opportunity. We met with a good deal of opposition, but the Lord blessed us with His Spirit. We continued our journey East as far as the state of main. In Farmington, we baptized two persons Hannah and Martha Butterfield. We returned in the fall of 1848 to Nauvoo.

In the spring of 1844, I went on a mission to Cape Cod. I traveled with Clark Hatlet where we labored during the summer. While in Cape Cod, the news of the Martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph in Carthage Gaul assaulted our ears and brought sorrow and gloom to our minds. Soon after this President Brigham Young sent forth a proclamation through the Eastern States for all the Elders to return to Nauvoo. I, therefore, took passage on a schooner for Boston. I gathered what little means I had and continued my journey by land to New York, and from this place by steam-boat and railcar for nauvoo.

When I arrived in the fall of 1844, I assisted in building the House of the Lord. The Nauvoo Legion was organized. I was elected 1st Lieutenant in the 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Colonel Nauvoo Legion. From this post, I was raised in regulation grade to Lieutenant Colonel of the before mentioned Regiment. I received my blessings, endowment, and ordination in the House of the Lord. In February, I started with my family for the Rocky Mountains. We crossed the Mississippi River and camped on Thugan Creek in Iowa. We were there for about three weeks while the company gathered. We organized in Brother Kimball’s Company. We commenced our journey for Council Bluff on the Missouri River. We arrived the summer of 1846.

While at the Bluff, I was sent with a number of men to the Horn River to build a bridge on the stream. I labored about three weeks in the water above my hips. I returned to Winter Quarters in September 1846 on the Missouri River. We built a log cabin and stayed through the winter. I stood guard through the winter as a policeman. In Winter Quarters, March 30, 1847, Clarisa Jane was born. In april we moved six miles up the River and built a house, fenced land, put in crops and built a school house. There was about 30 families in the settlement. In the last of June, I was taken sick with the chills and fever and was unable to work for nine months. In the last of July and first of August, my family was all taken down with chills and fever.

On the 11 of September, Clarisa Jane died at the age of five months and eleven days.

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/17514611?cid=mem_copy

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