Religion: Conversions, Missions, Spiritual Experiences

Conversion Stories The following are short facts on the conversion stories of my Ancestors.  They reflect the first in their family to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1. George Henry Abbott Harris–In the summer of 1849 George Henry was at home and still attending church.  The Rev Beard visited with him and cautioned him about backsliding from Methodism.  He states that he was still earnest in his prayers and he did not play cards nor drink with the other sailors.  He was praying for tangible proof of his acceptance by God when he met two Welshmen who were helping to unload his ship.  He noticed they had a poor dinner (lunch) and gave them meat and soup.  From his own words…“They looked grateful and said God bless you.  The words seemed to go thro’ me and I said I wish he would.  They said He shall make known to U the truths of the everlasting gospel.  They told me I had been praying to the wrong God, the one who had not ears, without body or parts and that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had revealed his gospel and called upon all to repent.”He was unable to talk to them more or to go with them to a meeting that night.  He prayed fervently to God to allow the ship to go to Newport on the next voyage, where they had not been for years.  He wanted to go see Tobias Dalling who had been converted to Methodism by his father but who had joined the Latter Day Saints and who was “derided by my erring Father as a fanatic and a fool.” By the hand of God they went to Newport on the next trip.On September 5^th  1849 John and William Dalling came on board and preached “Mormonism” to George Henry.  The next night he obtained shore leave and went to another sermon and was baptized after the meeting and confirmed.  He was 18 years 9 months old.  On January 10, 1852 he left England and arrived in New Orleans, then to Kanesville and then on October 2, 1852 he arrived in Salt Lake City.
2. Ann Eliza Burraston—was born in Herefordshire, England in 1833. Her father died in 1840 and her mother remarried.  Her new husband was already a Mormon.  Some family members met with missionaries and were baptized in 1848-1850.  Ann’s brother John immigrated in 1852 and earned money for Ann’s passage in 1854 which included funds from the perpetual immigration fund.  She arrived in Philadelphia and went West from that city.  She married George Henry Abbott Harris in 1855.
3. Victor Johann Sandgreen, Christina Larsen and Victoria Josephina Sandgreen– Victor and Christina were living in Sweden with two children when they were introduced to the church.  Records show Victor baptized in 1873 and Victoria in 1877 when she was 11 years old.  I cannot find Christina’s original baptism date.  There is a clerical record showing the family leaving for America 2 December 1878.  They moved to Pleasant Grove and on April 3, 1884 Victoria married George Henry Burraston Harris.