A Brief Sketch of the Life of Robert Harris Jr.

(taken from the records of Robert C. Harris, A grandson, and Cecil H. Bingham, a grand-daughter).

Robert Harris Jr. was born at Hucclecoat Gloucestershire, England, December 26,1808, a son of Robert Harris and Sarah Oakey.  His childhood was a happy one, spent much the same as children today. Robert was always interested in sports and all athletic activities.  He especially liked fighting and participated in many prizefights in England.  His sister, Elizabeth Harris, was one of his most ardent fans.  She would stand on the side-lines and cheer him on.  She could be heard calling,”at him again, Bobbie, at him again.  Pop it to him,  Aye that’s it, that’s the way.  It’s some of the ‘arris blood a croppin’ out”.  She married Daniel Browett, and was later known as “Aunt Browett”.

 

Here in England a romance commenced between Hannah Mariah Eagles and Robert Harris.  They were married about 1835.    These two people found great happiness together.  Their marriage was blessed with 15 children, two of whom died in infancy.  Their marriage was made complete when they were sealed to each other for all time and eternity, first sealing date in April 11, 1848 at Winter Quarters, by Brigham Young, and the second sealing date on January 3, 1868, by Wilford Woodruff in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

Robert Harris was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, later becoming a member of the United Brethren Church, in England, and it was through the strong testimony, humble spirit, and wonderful missionary work of Brother Wilford Woodruff that he became a member of the Latter-Day Saint church, and gave to us a great heritage.

 

His conversion went something like this:  Hannah Mariah, Robert’s wife, and her eldest sister-in-law, Elizabeth, and her husband Daniel Browett, went to hear Elder Woodruff preach.  When she came home she told her husband, Robert, about this stranger preaching a new and wonderful religion.  Robert was not interested and wanted his wife to forget such nonsense.

 

John Benlow, a wealthy farmer in Castle, Trume, Hereford England, owned a spacious mansion.  He told Brother Woodruff to use his home and all its facilities as he needed to further his work.  He held many meetings here which Robert’s wife attended but try as she would she could not convince Robert to go with her.  One evening she brought these American missionaries home with her to supper.  Upon arriving home and seeing them in his home, Robert became angry and decided he would slip in the front door, take that Woodruff by the neck and chuck him over the fence and off his property.  But upon entering the house a strange feeling cam over him, and he could not touch him.  He was compelled to go from the house himself.  But Robert was determined not to let this man and his strange new power overtake him, so that evening he organized a mob.  The plot was to “rotten egg” the “Mormon Preacher” then ride them out of the city on a rail and perhaps even “tar and feather” them.  That night they went to the meeting.  As Brother Woodruff was up speaking, Robert gave the signal and said, “Now is the time boys, let’s go in and pitch Woodruff and his companions out”.  As they walked toward the front, Robert saw his wife on the front seat listening intently to words of Brother Woodruff.  Again this same strange feeling engulfed him and he became over-powered.  He put up his hands to stop the mob and said, “There is something to this religion”.  The mob all bowed their heads and walked out.

Brother Woodruff continued his meetings and Robert attended.  At the close of the sixth meeting he stepped up to Elder Woodruff and said,” You have made of me a convert to your teachings.  I desire baptism at your hands.”  He was baptized by Wilford Woodruff in March 1840, just three weeks after his wife.  As soon as he was ordained a priest, he was put in charge of all the saints above the Severn River.  This included Saints in the Worchestershire County.  From that time on he was most faithful to the Latter-Day Saint Church and was always eager to bear his testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel

 

On the 10th of Feb. 1841, Robert Harris, his wife and children boarded the ship “Echo”.   Before sailing, Apostles Brigham Young, Willard Richards, and John Taylor met in council at 72 Burlington Street, Liverpool, and set apart Elder Daniel Browett as President, clerk and historian with Robert Harris Jr. and John Ellison at his side as counselors.  They had 109 souls on that ship.  They were ten weeks on the trip from England to Nauvoo, Illinois, where they lived until they were driven out with the other saints.

 

Robert Harris enlisted with the Mormon Battalion at Council Bluffs, Iowa, July 16, 1846 under the council of Captain Cook.  He was under the council of Captain Cook.  He was a member of Company E under Daniel C. Davies.  He was a butcher while in this service.  They traveled from San Diego and Los Angeles, north to the Sacramento valley and journeyed East from Sacramento over the high Sierra Nevada mountains and continued their journey through Carson City, Nevada over the Nevada Desert, arriving in Salt Lake Vally about the 1st of October, 1847.  After traveling such a long way to be back home with the saints again, Robert Harris and a few others were somewhat disappointed and provoked when they found that their families were not in the Valley with the pioneers.  Many of them left immediately for Winter Quarters to join their families there.  Robert arrived in Winter Quarters December 25th 1847, and in the spring of 1850 prepared to come to Utah.  He obtained two old wagons and fixed them up with covers and bows. Then after they obtained two old wagons and began their trek across the plains to Utah.  There was much work to do, breaking of camp in the morning, oxen to hitch up, horses to saddle, cattle to round up and drive.  There was food to prepare, clothes to mend, fuel to be gathered for fires, even the children were kept busy.  The desert was dusty, the sun was hot as the wagons trudged through the day, with ox teams and wagons, provisions and stock, and men who walked most of the way.  They arrived in Utah the fall of 1850 in Aaron Johnson’s Company.  They lived in Salt Lake City for a short time then moved to Kaysville in 1854. Four years later when Johnson’s Army came in 1858, to Southern Utah and took his family did Robert go.  In the early part of 1868 he moved north and was one of the 1st settlers in Malad Valley.  Here he settled East Portage, Box Elder County, Utah.  Here he farmed and raised livestock.  He was an ambitious man, always up and doing.  He worked in the church and in the community and active in civic affairs.

 

He died suddenly in January 1876.  President Woodruff preached his funeral sermon.  Robert Harris lived a good, active life and the Lord blessed him.  He always had a strong and firm testimony of the gospel and stood for that which was right. He left his posterity a priceless heritage if we will but use it.

 

Written by Velda G. Harris

Requested by William D. Harris.