GHAH Life Goes On 1877-1885

The divorce is final and life goes on for George Henry.

 “July 24, 1877—The day was poorly celebrated.  The Bishop must have felt unwell for he gave us a very dry Oration.  Some good original poetry by John G. Hays, a lively speech by Henson Walker (instead of Armitshead who did not reciprocate).  Framptons choir rendered some good music.  No toasts, no sentiments, no dancing.  After dinner I went  & helped B. & R. herd.”

“Aug 12^th 1877-I have invited Abner & Vivian by letter, also Amy Burnice, & Rolla, verbally to accompany Shorland James & I to Provo on the 15^th as 4 paw’s grand Museum, Menagerie & circus wil be there.  So on the 15^th we started by horse team.  Shorland drove & Charles Hendrix came along.  The fare was 1$ for adults & 50cents under 9.  So being rather short of cash we joined the Provo Sab. School, & after witnessing the grand street parade & eat our picknick at Milners, with the school at reduced price we entered & had a joyous time.  The children had never seen a museum or Menagerie before & they were highly delighted.”

(During this time he talks about the work going on with the farm and the boys who are now old enough to be working full time.  There are entries every month on farming).   For example, “During the week have top’d off our hay stack, finished hauling our wheat, gathered seed peas & beans, & watering everything that was dry….during the week, we have been employed exchanging work thrashing. ..  Have  been employed sowing grass seed, gathering other seeds & watering.  Cyrus returned to the Order Mill on Monday….Weather cool, have hauld our corn & shucked out some.. Oursows has had an increase, 8 & 7.  We sel them at 1$ 50 each.”

“1877 Nov 11.  The Pleasant Grove Academy is now in ful-blast, with the usual degree of sound fundamental exercises  No of pupils 45.”

(In his continuing quest of good poetry and use of the written and oral language George Henry would attend the Saturday night institute and the groups would pose a question and people were prepared and expounded on them.  A couple of them will be in this chapter.)

Dec 22, 1877.  “Institute on Sat Eve the question ‘which had done the most harm war or intemperance’ was discussed, the reader wil easily perceive on which side I sided by the following:  Mr. President, gentlemanly colleagues, Honorable oponents.  In answer to the later’s efusions allow me to remind them ‘That enthuasists are individuals (much like themselves) who believe about 4 times as much as they can prove &  try to prove about 4 times as any body else wil believe.  This mater is easily explaind.  The no. of deaths by war is truly deplorable, but intemperance has with greater strides overwhelmingly outnumbered.  War began early in the history of our noble earth.  Intemperance was the earlier bird of prey.  War places the 10^th of our inhabitants in deadly combat.  Intemperance has ranged the half in pernicious strife.  War has taken many of our years in combative exercise, intemperance from youth to old age.  Wars has slain its 1000s.  intemperance its 10,000s.  War has made sad havoc upon our youth & middle age.  Intemperance has kild the babe unborn, the babe upon its mothers’ brest, the youth, the man, the aged sot.  War has taken with few exceptions the masculine gender.  Intemperance has thinned the ranks of al.  War has separated the lovers, the parents & the child.  Intemperance has forevr extinguished al.  War has ruld much of the days, intemperance both day & night.  War has fild its’ silent vaults in solitary places.  Intemperance everywhere has doted God’s loverly footstool.  War has arayd nation against nation.  Intemperance has laid whole cities waste.  War has shed a little purple blood, intemperance has called to its assistance the spirit of the damd & earth a desolation.  War had helped intemperance a trifle.  Intemperance has often been the cause of war made upon our Saviour, gave us a passport to the upper regions.  Intemperance sends us down to Hel- war & manlike.  Intemperance is devilish.  War is generally open & above board.  Intemperance is jealous, seductive, insinuating delusing & assassinating.  War gives to the majority a spirit of nobility.  Temperance robs its folowers of every God-like gift.  War prepars the body for a grand spiritual reunion.  Intemperance banishes both soul & body to the infernal regions.  Intemperance was the cause of black race, the seduction of Lot by his daughters & the main stimulant of al wars, distress, disease & death in this our once happy world.”

(On the Sunday before Christmas there was another debate and this time George Henry wrote and spoke on “should corporeal punishment be abolished.  He wrote three single spaced pages of type which will not all be put forth here. His opening statement:)

“Had I the voice of 10,000 thunders I would answer yes.  I now wil give in brief my reasons, because it makes idiots, imbeciles, cripples, liars, drunkards, suecieds murderers, unumberd diversivied criminals.  It makes young people old, old people useless  it causes abortion, premature delivery, excruciating unbearable aftrpains, continued sicknes, los of vision, deafness, mutilation of limbs, hair lips, dumbness, destructive cancers, running sores, loss of manhood & loss of life.”

“Xmas day 1877  seeing an advertisement of the American cyclopedia I sent for speciamen pages.  I receivd them, also confidential terms & a request for me to become agent for Pleasant Grove.  I afirmd before Justice David West & was put under bonds of 50$ to be energetic.  I then requested them to send me 1 vol. of each kind as a sample.  They were immediately sent by mail & ar. Safe.  I visited a great number during vacation but the price seemd high & money scarce.  Bro W. Wasley was the only subscriber.”

(There are several letters between the publishers and George Henry concerning his efforts to sell the books .  It ended with the following:)

“Jan 20/78 PGC, UC, U.

1. J.T. Wh & Co

Gents your note of the 15 came to hand yesterday & in ans to what is the mater, I have to say I have visited over 125 families & was getting along swimmingly, that is ovr 49 of them agreed to secure the work.  They were wel pleased with the work, but would not subscribe until they had the page on hand.  Now an officious gentleman under the nom de plum of Buford, wrote against the C. on the grounds of it being written by our enemies especially on Jos Smith, Mormonism, & B. Young.  See enclosed scrap.  Now the Ed of D.N. (see 2^nd scrap).  Now gents I have al this to face, & I ask U in al candor, what is the best plan for me to take.  I reason and I say that the few scurrilous articles only perhaps occupy a few pages at most & it would be betr to stick these few pages together with some sticky substance than to lose the whole work, but they say it was written in the spirit of malice.  The YMMI as has ignord the work, & the Institute was going to take a vote on it last eve, but I perceivd a majority absent & cravd an indulgent postponement for 2 weeks & as to their books so as I could visit them singly, & remove any predujuce from their minds.  Am sory that these maters should have been written by our enemies.  My Father who was a rank Methodist would have trampled any work under his feet that had been written against Methodism by an enemy.  I am right glad that U are doing so good a work in Ca.  Your respect Geo HAH.

They excusd themselves by saying that both sides were written & that Apleton was fair.  I wrote a stinging leter, & that was the last of J. T. White & Co.”

“We have a large school 68 names enrold & about 60 constant atendence. It keeps me busy, to dress, cook breakfast for 4 of my boys 7 often for their chums & myself then make beds, wash dishes sweep up, walk into the schoolroom, put on an air of majesty, superintend 15 or 20 clases daily, furnish diner for 8 or 12 & then supr for 5 or 6 by that time the boys are ready for the dance or theatre or slay ride or  sparking & I am ready for bed.”

Aug 1879—“Browny had been sick of mild fever.  We have had her bled & she is som betr”  “Mr. Geo H. A. Harris- your city tax for 1879 is now due amounting to $361 also school tax 81 cents.” ( they often did not put the decimal point in when writing numbers so the 361 was most likely 3.61)

Sept 1879 “Dear boys, I have to break to U the sad intelligence of the demise of our dear Amy.  She peacefuly breathd her last yesterday (Sun) morning at ½ past 9 & her gentil spirit returnd to the God who gave.  Her reaminis wil be enterd in our cemetery Lot tomorrow after the evening train at 22 past 4.  Shorland & James were present at her bed side to the last, Bernice may come by the same train although he is a little unwell.  We shal lay dear Amy by the side of your dear mother & try to live so that we may be favord to met her in that world, where sorrow & suffering wil be done away, where there wil be no more sin, believe me ever.  Your affectionate Father (in sorrow) Geo. H A Harris”  (written to Georg HBH and Shorland working in San Francisco.)

Oct 1879 “James & Shorland & Johny Clark got into a little scrape with some Danish boys rode after them & snatched off their hats for which pleasing pastime, they were find 10$ each.  Have slaughtered & scrapd 2 of our pigs (guts & hyde predominates) as our crop of corn was low owing to drouth.”

Feb 1880-“Hav had 2 dances here in our log room 1 in honor of our dear niece (who is a remarkable cheerful companion) Annie Burastin & the other our dear daughter Lady Ellen who is just as interesting & good.  The boys presided & with some good singing & reading it was O.K. ..The boys has had a happy time & has spent lots of money upon their friends & I hav been much pleasd to witness their enjoyment even double pleased as I hav been father & mother too.”

(For my sister Teri to appreciate her life in the medical field)  “Aug 1880 Peder Herdsman has had a bad attack of loose rupture & costiveness.  Doct. Rogers attended him & placed his rupture back.  After Doc Hart had stood him on his head & churned him, but his bowels was not loose.  They wanted me to go down & see him, so I went down.  I found him in terrible agony & I advisd sending for doc Zoang at A.F. City so presently they both come & went to quarling who should attend to him, while the poor fellow was suffering untold misery, so Doc Zong prevaild & Doc Rogers went home.  The 1^st thing Zong done was to dose him ¼ lb of Epsom salts & left me to give him 1 tablespoonful every hour.  He promisd to be back by 1 oclock, it was now 10.  I commenced the dosing & then looked for a vessel with a handle to it but not finding 1 I cald for 1 when big Sophia about 16 years of age bounced in with a spherical wash dish about the size of a wash tub & Petr let drive while the girl held the tub.  It was a pretty kettle of fish, I pitched in & washed him al over & put him on clean garment & shirt & put him in another bed & then Doc Zong came back & said I had done wel & charged him 10$ for saving his funeral expenses.”

“On Sunday morning the following dastardly abuse apeard in that hash pot of slander, the Salt Lake Tribune. ‘one of the Apostles of the Mormon church, C.C. Rich is to be brot to this city from his home in Bear Lake County for medical treatment.  The Apostle has been seriously il for some time, & at one time it seemd that ‘Old Nick’ would claim his own.  The old gent was too much for the Apostle & medical science had to be substituded for grease anointings & laying on of hands” 

“A son of  Apostle Rich having read the cruel & libelous personal cald upon the editors & demanded that an apology be made & suficie it to say that it was made.”

“Fraud Hays, in his message, givs the Mormons another gratuitous notice & recommends Congress to deprive the Mormons of al political power.  His views on the Mormon question are rich & racy.  Read them & see what a consummate Ass presides over the destinies of this great & enlightened Republic.  He recommends that the right to vote, hold office & sit as jurors be confind to those who neighter practice nor uphold polygamy.  It is about time this political fraud was releivd of the anxieties of office (Editor Engq). (checking on this I find that his election was very close and that many at the time said he won by fraud earning him the nickname His Fraudulency)

“We kild our pig on Tues.  it weighd about 250 lb.  I paid 42 lb tything & 5 chickens.”

“Dec 31^st 1880 I maild a long leter to Geo. HB.  In answer to one from him asking me how much I was owing on the new building saying to keep my word good I should have his last cent, and as long as I owed any thing he felt to respond.  I answered him I was owing Bron 25$, Beers 25$, West & Walkr 35$ for lumber & Wm Black 30$ in al about 115$ & that if he could lend me, al or part, I would give him a mortgage on 10 acres of land to secure him in case of accidenle death.”

“Jan 15 1881 Sat.  This is the anversary of my Dear Eliza’s birthday & I hav been to A.F. city & had a shave & my hair cut al for 40Cents.  I went into Grants & bought 4 nice books for my oldest boys ‘life of Swis Robison (illus) 450 pages for Geo. HB.  Pros Riters of America (by Cheener) 468 pages for C.R.J.  Scottish Chiefs (illus) 675 pages for J.W.S. & Robinson Crusoe (ill) 475 pages for James L….Yesterday I settled up my tything & was awared 95pr cent so im a pretty good Mormon but shal try & do betr as I gro older, & nearer my everlasting home.”

Mar 1881 “On Thursday (3) we went to A.F. for our front door & windows,  we got a good deal, too much whiskey & wine mixd, Shorland, Ed Sterats & self, but we hapend to get home without breaking any thing.”

“Sund July 24 last Monday Hyrum & Shorland went off on an exploring trip to southern Idaho.”

Apr 1882 “Cornellus I Vanderbilt Bro of Wm H. shot himself at the Glenham Hotel on 5^th avenue & died shortly after, canse suposd poor health.  Jesse James the Notorious Rover was shot near Kansas city Misouri by James Ford.”

“Apr 9^th Hav had a severe wind with some sno, has been very cold, hav helpd Cy put in some wheat, peas & lucern on Georges land & hav got my potatoes ready to plant.  Shorland went over to Springville last Thurs. This day Geo wished to know how much I wanted for my east 10 acres of land.  I told him I was owing him rather over 150$ in cash & if he would cal the 2 colts & his old wagon 100$ & give me 50$ more somtime when he was flush it was a trade.  Al right said he & threw in an old set of harness.  So I  am now relieved of 1/3 of my land & hav got once more a good team & wagon.”

“Sund Aug 20^th  hav sold most of my hay to Driggs & Co & am hauling it to town out of the shock at 6$ pr ton delivered.  It has raind some on it, which makes it weigh wel, yesterday it haild on it good.”

“Aug 27^th By letr from Jim to Cyrus I find he has had rather bad luck.  Him & Jas Bush were putting in wood together & Bush ws to draw ½ & leave ½ for Jim, but Bush drew al 600$ & left Jim non.  Jim & Johny went after the cus, & took his team then the Stor Keepr went after our boys & took their team; such is the luck sometimes of hard working boys.”

“1883 Jan 21^st-Yesterday my boys cut up my wood pile, so I gave them a dance.  It snowd & blowd like hek & on the following day Friday it was the coldest weather I ever remember in Utah.  I moved my Lounge out of the bedroom into the kitchen for a few days & then moved back.”

“1883 Mar 11^th-About 6 weeks ago an Indian came unto Panguitch, about 60 miles south of here, & took sick, & after about 30 persons had been exposed.  It proved to be smal’ pox: of late there has been several taken down with the disease.” (From a letter to GHAH)

“1883 Mar 30 The Denver & Rio Grand Western R.R. was completed & communication established between S. L. City & Denver.”

“1883 June 1^st Sund. Sister Mary Ann Street sent for me, & wanted me to petition Prest Taylor to investigate & change the ruling of Bishop Brown & council, in the division of property left for her & Sophe.  I begd to be excused as I would not trouble the President about such a little affair, or waste his valuable time.”

“Aug 25^th  Bishop Andrew Burt. Captn of the S.L.C. police force was kild while arresting a negro.  Half an hour later the Negro was lynched by a mob in the jail yard.” (Below from the Officer Down Memorial Page)

Chief Andrew Burt was shot and killed while investigating a report of a man shooting a gun.  At approximately noon on August 25, 1883 the shooter entered a restaurant on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City and started an argument with the proprietor, at some point drawing a revolver and aiming it at him. The owner managed to get the shooter to leave, then summoned the police to deal with the situation.

Marshal Burt, along with one Charles H. Wilckens, described by the Salt Lake Daily Tribune as a “watermaster”, were the only persons at the police station when the call came in, and they responded.  Approaching First South and Main Streets, the officers were met by the restaurant owner who led them to the shooter, who still had his weapon drawn. Seeing the officers, the shooter raised the weapon, shouted “Are you an officer?”, then fired before either Marshal Burt or Mr. Wilckens could answer.

Mr. Wilckens rushed up and seized the shooter, and there was a brief struggle for the weapon during which the shooter fired again, striking Wilcken’s left arm near the elbow. An eyewitness standing nearby then rushed up and snatched the weapon away from the shooter as he was attempting to fire again. The shooter was then marched off to the city jail, which was located in City Hall on the north-east corner of First South and State Streets (then called 100 East; the State Capitol building wouldn’t be built for another 30 years).

As for Marshal Burt, nobody knew that he had been injured. He walked away from the melee a short distance and into the nearby A.C. Smith drug store, then went behind the store counter where he collapsed and died. When it was discovered that Marshal Burt had been slain a large crowd gathered outside City Hall, demanding that the shooter be handed over to them. Fearing for the shooter’s safety, the officers attempted to relocate the him to a safer location, but instead he was seized and beaten by the crowd then dragged to a nearby exposed roof beam where he was hanged, all within twenty minutes of the shooting on Main Street.

Chief Burt had been in law enforcement for 24 years and was married three times. He was survived by 17 sons and 11 daughters. He was a U.S Army Veteran who served as a Major in the Blackhawk and Walker Wars in 1866.

“Sept. 12^th  About midnight Elders Stephen R Marks & David Franklin Davis of S.L. City were cruely mobd near Laurel, Franklin Co. Indiana, where they were lecturing.”

(First mention of Rexburg I can find is a letter from GHBH)  “Rexburg, Oneida Co Idaho Nov 4^th/83  Dear Father I am pleasd that an opportunity presents itself…I have been busy hauling logs.  Shorland & James have their houses up to the square.  I havnt started to build yet…Hav just received our acknowledgments from the Genl Land Ofice at Oxford for our filing.  We hav some very nice locations…U would be delighted to see the beautiful bunch grass al covered over the land & beautiful water.”  (Madison county was not created until 1913)

“April 6^th Sund  On Monday lst it snowd 6 in. but soon melted.  On Wed. Geo HB & Victoria J. Sandgreen, went to Salt L. city by train & on thurs they went thro the E. H. & was married by E. Wells (I think).  On Friday a grand reception was held at the Bride’s Parents.  Bro Sandgreens relations & al of ours were present.  Of course Geo H.B. was there…We had a splendid dinner of 2 roasted pigs, roasted beef & in fact everything that the eye could wish or the heart desire.  Lots of good geer (sp), wine & whisky.  Many very fine presents were handed to the young beginners & al seemed to wish them an eternity of bliss.  Dancing, recitations, songs were features of the occasion & al seemd to vie with each other in social chat, jokes & sentiments.”

“May 19^th Monday 1/2 past 10 A M hav just seen the boys off, Geo H B & Vivian, also Victoria.  Her parents feel it keen to lose their only oldest daughter.  They hav been very kind to my boy.  Geo left with 2 wagons & 3 span of horses and a pretty good outfit & wil do wel with blesings of our Heavenly Father.”

“July 7^th  Nelly White, who has been confined in the Utah Pen since May 22^nd was liberated.  It is said that Ella Wheeler’s husband weiths 180 LB & has a fist like a sledge hamer.  Thank goodness we never said anything against his wife’s poetry.  There ar only 2 great pots in this country & Ella is the other.”

“1884 Oct 14^th  The trial of Rudgar Clawson for polygamy was comencd in the 3^rd Dist. Court, S. L. City & continued several days, during which Presidents John Taylor, Geo Q Canon & other prominent men were subpoend as witneses & severely critizd.  21^st. the jury who coud not agree about a verdik in R. Clawson’s case was dischard & preparations made for a new trial. “

“Oct 24^th Lydia Spencer, R. Clawson’s aledged 2^nd wife, having been found, a new trial was comencd & L. S. who refused to testify was sent to the pen.  Oct 25^th in the 3^rd D. court S. L. acknowledged that she was Rudgar Clawson’s wife & the jury after 17 m. consultation returned a verdic of guilty against Clawson.

“1884 Nov 3rd Mon.  Rudger Clawson was sentencd to 4 yrs imprisonment & 800$ fine for Polygamy & U.C.  the case was appeald but bail was refused & Clawson taken to the Pen.”  (Not a relative just several references to Polygamy trials so I added one)  

“Dec 5th  By letter from Geo. H B. to Cyrus I find he has been appointed and ordained Bishop of Salem Ward.”

“1885 Jan 4^th Sun. On Sun afternoon I was smoke out of my house so on Mond I borowd Johan Hendrix, his lader & rope & asended up the front & cleand out the larboard chimney with a pole 1^st & then with a log chain tied to a rope.  Then took out 4 bucket fuls of soot out of the flue, then cleaned out the pipe & stove & now I have to close up the valves or I shal lose my tables & chairs.

“1885 Feb “a frightful avalanche of sno as usual occurd last week in Cotonwood Kanyon, destroying near the whole town of Alta & killing 17 persons.  Sno 12 ft deep on the level.”

“Mar 1885 Bro C. R. J. Harris has erected a fine dweling house with front to the East facing Salem Town sight but no Town by a long sight.  On the S. of the town sight is a fine building being erected by James L. Harris with 2 fronts N. & W.”

“Mar 1885, We enjoyed the view of the eclipse of the Sun near the whole face was darkened” ( Records show an eclipse on March 16, 1885 from 10:30 to 10:39.  Please do not ask me if it was AM or PM Shane)

“1885 April 2^nd thurs We had a good time cutting potatoes on Wed & in the eve was invited to Neils Sorensons to supper.  We took along a kegful of wine & had a good super.  Amanda Sangreen & Annie Neilson dresd in boys clothes & Joshua Holman in peticoats.”

“1885 May 1^st Friday Sadie, Bernice, Rolla, Zilpa, Jane & Albert arrived with 2 teams & wagons loaded to the guards.  They ar on their way to Rexburg.  They are al wel & exhuberant”

“1885 July 14  Had the pleasure of seeing Joseph, son of the Martyrd Seer. His discourse of the 24^th of Mathew was a sad contrast to the living words of his dead father.  In my estimation it was a milk and water preparation in which the latter greatly preponderated.”