Business, Black Hawk War and Bankruptcy

Business, Black Hawk and Bankruptcy

(Much of George Henry’s records during the next few years were filled with a daily record of his work and of his government and church callings.  We shall touch on some of them to show how business transpired back then and some of the more interesting events.)

“Nov, John and Jane Burraston visited us and stayed al’ night slept in a tent behind the new house.  We had a jolly.  Plenty of whisky.”

February 6, 1865, “Goshen City U. Col. On demand I promise to deliver to Geo H A Harris fifty five bushels of good merchantable potatoes for value received in goods (110$). Signed Sarah Johnson.”  Most of his entries are similar to this.  He is trading for future delivery of goods in exchange for purchasing items now.  Since he was a general mercantile store it covered farm goods, supplies, horses and mules.  He would enter into partnerships with people and then after the full trades and distributions took place they would dissolve them and start new ones.

In addition to his duties in the militia, in 1866 he was appointed the postmaster at Pleasant Grove.  He had to post a bond and be certified, but with his past record as a clerk, a businessman and running the tithing office he was well qualified to do the job.  He was instructed to give no credit for postage.  I am not sure how long he held this post but he references his assistant as having been with him for 15 years.

He was elected secretary of the Library Board.  Article 4 “it shal’ be the duty of the secretary to keep a ful’ list of al the names of the members of this ass.  To attend al’ the meetings of the Board of Directors, to keep a true record of al’ business transacted of the same.”  Books were gathered from citizens and George Henry donated “Vanity Fair, steam engine, Logic and chemistry & Phil.”    He notes that in April of 1866 no one had borrowed any books so they were all returned to the owners.

His diary states “1866 Apr 14 Sarah and Maria were both sealed to me in the Endowment House over the Alter by Apostle Wilford Woodruf.”  I wrote about the earlier civil marriage to Sarah Loader but so far have not found another civil marriage to Maria Loader who was Sarah’s sister.  Maria was seven years older than Sarah and had previously been married to a Roswel White in 1857.   She had three children from that marriage and divorced him in 1863. She was originally baptized in 1854 and re baptized in 1856 and 1857, common events in those days.  They had three children during the marriage.

With the army setting up forts from Fort Bridger to various points in Utah, George Henry’s business of supplying hay and oats for the calvary horses was brisk.  They would buy hay from local farmers and then fulfill orders with the government of delivered hay at twenty three dollars per ton. 

For Sarah’s birthday in May 1866 he wrote her a letter advising that he was not able to join her because military orders came requiring men and supplies to surround Indians at Thistle Valley south of Spanish fork.  As he was an officer and the quartermaster for the militia he was responsible to gather the supplies and see them safely delivered.  He closes his letter to her with , “I send U a candy kiss.  Have ate the candy for U.  Please excuse more at present and believe me ever, your fond & affectionate, better half—GHA Harris.”

(The Black Hawk Indian War lasted from 1865-1872.  It involved a number of skirmishes, over 100 in central Utah between the Militia and various Indian Tribes.  Federal troops did not intervene until the end of the war so the burden of supply fell on the state.  George Henry was both a supplier of goods and the quartermaster to deliver the goods.)

From a letter he wrote April 17, 1866 to his partner in business.  “I hear Blk Hawk has made another raid on cattle near Salina, so that may keep up the price of cattle.  No 1 oxen pr yoke are now worth about 200$.  If U could sel at anything like that figure & buy out in staples at fair rates, I think we could buy cattle again with our dead stock in the South.”

From another letter about a delivery at Fort Bridger:  “after 8 days trip I arrived safely at Fort Bridger..Mules looking well I made a disposition of al the potatoes & most of the aples, but could not sel the eggs at any price for money.  Consequently I am fetching them back.  There is more gray backs than green backs at Bridger.” (gray backs were old confederate currency notes not worth anything.)

As happens when business looks good, George Henry at times was over extended and was unable to provide the money or the goods bargained for.

October 25^th 1866: “Messrs Harris & Foutz: Gentlemen- I received your note this morning, with much surpirize I had supposed your train was on the road to Helena…we have never for a moment doubted but what the flour would be there at least by the 10^th of November…Your note is now at Helena waiting the ar. Of the flour.

November 4, 1866: “Messrs Harris & Foutz: Gents: We have received notice that they are short of grain at Fort Bridger.  If you have not already sent grain there U must do so immediately for we shal look to U for an indemnity for the losses arising out of non compliance of contract.   Give it your immediate attention.  Eldredge & Clawson.”

 Nov 12, 1866, “I wrote U a few days since, excuse me for again addressing U.  I feel it my duty so to do as Barron & co are nervous about their hay.  I would suggest the propriety of delivering the hay to fil’ your contract with them, before you deliver the Jenings flour.  U need have no fears as to his willingness to receive it at any time that wil suit your convenience.  But the hay contract I would were I U fil forthwith.  We want no suit or controversy about anything.  I wil keep them off if U follow my council.  Yours S. M. Blair”

I am sure the Black Hawk Indian War and need for military supplies and his absence from the business all contributed to these problems.  Of any good note is  a government entry:  “Pleasant Grove city Feb 26^th/67-I hereby authorize G H A Harris to receive any remuneration (coming from any source) for time expended during the year 1866 on Indian expedition. Geo. Bennet. Pr Thomas bennet.”

Things came to a head in March/April 1867.  The company put together a train for Montana and once they set out one of the creditors (Woodmansee) levied on the train “& took everything after buying up our paper for little or nothing.  He literally took away our handle when we were trying our best for al parties.”

“G S L City apr 2^nd 1867-Mr. Geo Harris, Dear Sir:  you wil please turn out anything that U have that Mr. Gensler wil take.  Woodmansee has betrayed your trust, and refused to do any thing to give up any thing.  I think he is behaving your worst enemy.  U wil be doing very wrong I think if U let him have any thing more than he has already.  Messrs Gensler & Grist wil settle their matters with U as generously as possible & I wil help them out al I can.  What flour or other property, cattle &c that U can forward immediately to me I wil turn into the cash for them.  In haste yours respectfully, Thos Jenkins.”

On April 9^th, 1867 the Copartnership of Harris & Foutz was dissolved by mutual consent.  George Henry would continue to operate a business.

“Geo. H. A. Harris wil continue the business at the old stand, assuming the liabilities of, and collecting al’ indebtedness due the late firm, and wil devote his attention to the legitimate wants of the masses.”

For the next year George Henry attempted to settle debts and save his business.  Other events were also impacting his life.  On June 1, 1867 Major John W. Vance, the mayor of Pleasant Grove was killed in a skirmish with Indians.  George Henry was elected mayor in place of Major Vance.  “On the 21^st of June he was elected Major 4^th Batallion Infantry 2^nd Regt, 1^st Brigade 2^nd Division Nauvoo Legion” as the territory militia was known at that time.

On March 1, 1868 he again received another patriarichal blessings and his notes state: “Have received 7 Patriarchial blessings, at 7 diferent times, in 7 diferent places, from 7 diferent Patriarchs at 7 diferent prices.  And they do not clash.”

Business did not improve and several creditors were pushing him on his notes and on 30 May 1868 he applied for benefits arising from the Bankruptcy Act of 1867.  Debts. $9118.46 and assets of $887.93.  It was posted by the court on June 6, 1868 and over the next six months his assets were sold off and he was allowed to keep a small amount of personal items and household items and one cow.

In his personal life, on October 14, 1868 Carlos Vivian Harris was born to Maria, “on the corner of Main & High Streets in P. G. City.  Blessed when 8 days old by his father, also at ward Fast meeting. By Hyrum Winters.”  On November 23, 1868 Darwin Rolla Harris was born to Sarah at the same location.  He was also blessed when 8 days old by his father and at the Ward Fast Meeting by acting Bishop Wooley.