This is a poem sketch of the life of Thomas Eagles Harris, our Great Grandfather.
Written by his daughter, Corilla Harris Muir
This is a family group picture of Thomas E., his wife and children. Our Grandpa Harris is found on the back row, third from the left.
There was a vessel that was crossing the water, in the wind and the storm and the rain
The vessel was loaded with Mormons that were coming to this country to gain
To gain their liberty and freedom and make it their home with the blest
And that’s why the old ocean liner was crossing the great waves to the west
It was of those old sailing vessels and the storms could do as they would
They were driven backward and forward and most any way they could
In this way they crossed and were tossed for ten long weeks I am told
Until they were tired and weary, as tired as the prophets of old.
During this time upon the great waters, came a stranger one night upon board
And all who looked and beheld him saw that he was a grand little lord.
Now this little story I’m referring, was the babe born on the sea
And great and grand was his purpose, for this is my Father Thomas E.
When they were safe o’re the waters and landed safely on land
Their trials and troubles weren’t over, for there were great troubles on hand.
Because they were on the side of our Prophet, we all love and revere the great cause.
Now this was the time that was hardest, when the day was beginning to close
When the Prophet the Seer and the Leader gave his life for the beautiful cause
But life drifted on with sore troubles for the honest, the brave and the true
And the heart of our President Brigham said,” We’ll go west if our number is few”
So they started for the beautiful valley, the valley we all love the best,
The valley that lies o’er the mountains, the valley that lies in the West.
But on the long tedious journey, came a halt they must come to a rest
When the government called for 500, 500 of the ablest men to go and help
Our father was one of those children, his father one of the bravest men
There to make them a living that was not very good. To glean and to work and
To worship, and get along the best that they could.
They lived there with trials and afflictions, but the Lord helped them all the way through
And brought back their husbands and fathers, as Brigham had told him they’d do.
Some time later it came time for the rest of the journey, the journey to Utah, the west
And brought every one of our family to Utah, the land of the blest.
Our Father was then a small boy, of about nine, so I am told
They were tired of course, of their journey, but glad in their hearts to be free
To play and to work and to worship and praise God in the highest degree.
So time went on with trials and hardships that all the pioneers had to pass through
But they were all brave and their prayers were sincerest
And God granted them all a home to renew.
So these are some of the trials our father had from time of birth until he was grown
But he had courage that lasted forever, the courage of a king that sits on a throne.
So in note it should be mentioned that in ’64 came a call for brave boys
They were needed to go out and meet the poor
So out on this journey with blessing he took two wagons,8 oxen
Across the Great Plains to Missouri’s grand banks went the boys and the wagons and all the oxen were lank
To bring back the poor that the Lord did have there
To bring them to Utah, their blessings to share
So now in the year of our Lord ’66, came the time for his wedding and the date it was fixed
A farmer’s fine daughter he chose for his wife
To be his companion the rest of his life.
And in the same year came a call for brave men
To help clean up Black Hawk red men
For they were bothering the Saints in San Pete
Our Father said,” I’ll go and we’ll not retreat”
So onward they and their journey was fine
For the men who loved God would give all of their time
To work and to fight and do all they could
To protect the Saints who were trying to do good.
So back to his home and his wife in the fall
So happy and there were blessings for all –
For not eve a ball had to be fired at the enemy, the red man.
So now years of his boyhood were over
The first of the next year found him a proud father
As good and as brave and as kind and as true as the world ever had and a noble one too.
So onward he went climbing the ladder of life, with all of its pleasure and all of its strife.
Supporting his family, protecting his wife
From all of the troubles that came in their life
So this is the way our dear parents have done
Leading us the right way, protecting us from harm
Teaching us the gospel, the good and the true,
To honor our parents, and the principles too
So onward and upward our dear parents did climb
With a babe now and then to help them enjoy the time,
For nothing on this earth please us more, than to add a babe more to partake of our store.
When they had eleven, it seems there no more babies on this earth list to enter their door.
So with eleven being their number
They thought it was right to teach them the principles that lead to the light.
That leads to the light of the gospel that means so much to you
They set us examples and lead our feet the way of the honest and true
So on thru our dear father’s life we have been, a very good man to all of his kin
His wife and his children, his grandchildren too
All honor and respect him, the way they should do
His children all married, his life passing on
His dear wife, our mother, was called on one morn,
To go on before us, and prepare us the way
I pray in eternity we’ll all meet some day.
To stay by our parents, so noble and true
As noble as parents, as anyone knew.
So nine years have passed since our dear mother left
And our dear father I think is the best
The best and noblest man on this earth,
And in these few line I referred to his birth
His birth place was out in the middle of the sea
Rocked by the waves and the billows of the lee
Seventy-nine years have passed since that time,
The year ’41 and the date 29. March was the month,
A windy old time for a small babe to be born on the ocean
Echo was the name of the ship and I’m sure it was a hard voyage for the poor and the sick.
A very bad time to bring in the night a dear blessed babe that was born before light.
And now this moth he is 79
Young and happy as a boy in his prime, now his children,
Grandchildren and great grandchildren are all in line
It has averaged him more than one every year with 84 grandchildren
Five sons and 6 daughters all praising thee.
Now these few lines that I relate, refer to my father from date to date
It is my prayer that we won’t be late, when we meet him at the Golden Gate
With mother darling so shining and so fair, with a rose bud pinned in her sweet glossy hair.
And with all of our families, how grand it will be
To meet and to love for eternity.