Patriarch Harrison Sperry

Patriarch Harrison Sperry By Ramona W. Cannon [The writer acknowledges the assistance of Sister Mary Sperry and other members of the Sperry family, as well as of numerous friends of the late Patriarch, in preparing this material. The quotations are all taken from Brother Sperry's journal.] ACCORDING to poet lore, there was once a French peasant who grew to old age with a deep but ungratified yearning to see Carcasonne. This Roman-built city with its walls and skyward-reaching turrets lay but five leagues dis- tant; yet circumstances com- bined to prevent the poor man from ever reaching the goal of his heart's desire. By its very contrast, this story makes more significant to us the stirring, ad- venturous lives of our pioneer fathers. Negation as against fulfillment. On the one hand, death approaching with only a narrow tract of life traversed — - only meagre additions to the store of human experience. On the other hand, the end of the journey reached, with a vast, di- versified expanse of life behind, and a wealth of first-hand knowledge. Brother Harrison Sperry was among the exceptionally interest- ing characters of our Utah history. His entire life was a panorama of color, danger, and high adventure. He may not have seen Car- casonne; but he saw a new city emerge, as if by slow magic, from an arid desert. He trekked over countless miles of sagebrush waste, fighting Indians, hunting food, acting as special policeman, and on many occasions as bodyguard to President Young. He worked the soil and experimented with sheep raising and new, untried forms of business. With his violin, his singing, and his dancing, he brought Patriarch Harrison Sperry at the Time of his Death

May, 1929 PATRIARCH HARRISON SPERRY 541 comfort to the depressed and joy to the festive. Before becoming patriarch, he served fifteen years as bishop's counselor in the Fourth ward, and for thirty-one years as its bishop. Brother Sperry was capable of traversing those subtle, uncharted paths of spiritual ex- perience which each man treads alone, and which lead to the Ultimate Reality. By his constant good deeds, his charity, his unwavering support of those in authority, he kept himself always open to spirit- ual suggestion. Brother Sperry's ancestors came from Wales to America in 1650, and the imaginative Celtic temperament and Welsh love of music are still dominant traits of the family. Harrison was born at Mecca, Ohio, in 1832, and the family moved two years later to La Harp, Hancock Co., Illinois, "a wild new country." From his earliest memories his life was flavored with the tang of ad- venture. When he was five, he strayed one day a short distance from his house, and began to play in the tall grass. Suddenly a herd of deer bounded toward him. Before he could decide what to do, a considerable num- ber of them had leaped over his head, and all were safely past. When he was nine, the family were converted to "Mormon- ism" and he was baptized. He retained all his life a distinct memory of the Prophet Joseph, who "stood over six feet tall and whose voice was like the roaring of many waters." In spite of mobs who were every- where persecuting the Saints. Harrison sperry fifty Years ago Harrison faithfully accompanied his father to meetings, where those present often spoke in tongues. One day the boy and his father were down on the creek bottoms looking for their cows, when a horseman approached. He was covering a certain district, warning all "Mormons" to leave the country immediately. Brother Sperry straightened up and replied that he had been one of the first settlers in that town and had tried to be a good citizen, and, said he, "I have four boys, and myself and

542 IMPROVEMENT ERA May. 1929 we all have good guns, and if you come, we will make it hot for you." Although the mob became threatening, and marched up and down the country, the Sperrys remained unmolested. In the spring of 1846, when Harrison was fourteen, began the exodus from Nauvoo. In February, during an exceptionally cold spell, the river froze so solid that many crossed on the ice. There, in their wagons and tents, they endured "untold suffering, and right in sight of their old homes." This period was the occasion of the advent of the miraculous flocks of quail which kept the people from starvation. Brother Joy Sperry, Harrison's father, "gave away his home, worth $2000 or $3000, for a span of horses and harness," and that same spring started for the West, with his wife, two daughters, four sons, and a small niece. In cold storms they journeyed through mud into which the wagons mired. Yet they maintained their cour- age and continued over terrible roads through Iowa to the Grand River, where the Saints had a resting place at Mt. Pisgah. Here Brother Sperry built a bark-covered shanty. Late one night he told Harrison that his mother was very ill, and asked him to go for Brother Mansfield, to administer to her. The lad found his way alone through the brush and blackness only to learn that all the members of the Mansfield household were also ill. When he returned, his mother was breathing her last. His father and sister were also ill, and no neighbors were near. In the morning he secured help and his mother was buried in a rude coffin. These conditions were typical of what the body of the Saints endured at that time. Suffering and death on every hand. And in the midst of it, Brigham Young and the Twelve riding into Mt. Pisgah, calling for volunteers to make up the battalion of five hun- dred demanded by our government. In less than three weeks the battalion was raised and on the march. The sick Sperry family were assisted by neighbors to move to Highland Grove, where a friend offered them part of a double log house. All the family had the ague, and Aaron had blackleg, a horrible disease from which he died in December. This same plague claimed about six hundred other victims. On New Year's day of 1847, Brother Sperry called his chil- dren about his bedside, exhorting them to follow the Saints in their migration. Then he, too, died. One sister had married and gone East. The remainder of the broken family, with two wagons and four teams of oxen, and some cattle, set out in the second company of the seven to cross the plains that year. Once they were beset by

May, i9i9 PATRIARCH HARRISON SPERRY 543 Indians who wanted to trade buffalo robes for a white squaw and whiskey, but who eventually accepted sugar and flour. At one time an immense herd of buffalo, possibly 10,000, came straight for the camp. The pioneers sent men out to fire at them and turn them in the opposite direction to avoid a stampede of their own cattle. One such stampede did occur, in which a little girl was killed. There was also danger from wild beasts. Young Har- rison went back one day to get a cow that was left behind because of lameness. Returning, he saw a mountain lion by the roadside. He had only a stick in his hand; so he whipped the cow to its utmost speed and kept an eye on the lion. After he passed, it ran into the road and looked at him, waving its tail uncertainly, but finally it concluded to go off into the brush. This group of Saints arrived in October. The valley looked barren and desolate, the vast expanse of sagebrush and salt-grass relieved only by a few trees on the banks of the streams. The old ten-acre fort where Pioneer Park now stands, was already con- structed, and inside this, crowded very close together, were the log or adobe houses of the settlers. The orphaned Sperrys constructed theirs of large adobes, about eighteen inches long and nine or ten inches wide. The roof was of poles, covered with grass, then over- laid with earth. During bad storms, however, this leaked, and at one time an entire side of the house caved in. The Saints got comfortably and sociably through that first winter. Then the grasshopper plague, when their resources were al- most exhausted, threatened them with actual death from starvation. They were living on sego and thistle roots, and game. The thistle roots were gathered by the river, and were a foot long in many in- stances, and tender. "You can't find them like that, now," says Brother Sperry's journal. "The Lord put them there for his people." The lad once wounded a sand-hill crane, which he chased for a mile and a half, when it turned and prepared to fight. It raised its head and was as tall as Harrison. It and the boy danced around each other, until after a terrific struggle, he conquered the bird, and, putting its legs over his shoulders, trudged home, looking himself like a huge bunch of feathers. By 1849, there was less fear of the Indians and the city was surveyed; so the Sperrys left the fort. This year it was deemed wise to send the cattle out to graze. Harrison Sperry, with his brother and brother-in-law, took the herd near Big Cottonwood Canyon. One evening as Harrison was preparing supper, he heard the cap of a gun snap, and saw an Indian about five rods away, with a gun leveled at him. He stopped to throw a bucket of water on the fire, then crept into the brush shanty,

544 IMPROVEMENT ERA May, 1929 where the three men lay with guns in hand most of the night. They heard not so much as the crackling of a twig, but in the morning discovered that the Indians had fled, driving with them the entire herd belonging to the Saints. Harrison ran back to the city and gave the alarm. Soon men were in hot pursuit. At Battle Creek Canyon, now Pleasant Grove, they found the Indians just ready for a feast on one of the heifers. There followed the first battle with the red men in Utah. It lasted nine or ten days, the men then return- ing with all the stock recovered, except the roasted heifer. The following year the Walker War broke out in Provo, and Harrison was early on the scene. He fought three weeks, then one day he crept into a deserted shelter of the Indians, to try to discover the reason they could hold out under siege for so long a time. The Indians there had just had the measles and Harrison himself was soon very ill with the disease. In 1853, this young man was a spectator when Brigham Young laid the corner stone of the Salt Lake temple. Again, forty years later, he was a witness when President Woodruff pressed a button and the capstone was lowered and the temple completed. In 1856, occurred the tragic march of the second and third companies of the handcart pioneers. When these Saints had gathered at Iowa City, near the end of June, they learned of a delay in the delivery of carts and tents that were to be provided them. When these were at length completed, the companies decided to set forth and risk reaching the valley before cold weather set in. The entire journey was beset with difficulties. The Indians made constant dep- redations on their cattle and supplies. The winter was unusually early. There was frost in September and each day seemed to grow colder. The carts, made of unseasoned wood and constructed in haste, began to fall to pieces, causing further delays. The poor Saints were obliged to throw out articles of bedding and clothing to lighten the load. When they reached the Sweetwater, about a hundred miles the other side of Fort Bridger, they were indeed in a sad way, and the road ahead of them seemed impassable. When President Young learned of the pitiful plight of these people, he was greatly perturbed. He immediately planned a relief expedition, and sent a messenger to Brother Sperry, requesting him to ride ahead, with a companion, to carry words of cheer to the sufferers. Horses were provided. Harrison hastily got together some lunch, and started with his friend at two o'clock in the morning, on a record-breaking endurance ride. They changed animals at stations along the way, and, heedless of food and rest, spurred re- lentlessly on, two nights and two days, over a short-cut known to Harrison. They found the Saints burying seventeen of their num-

May, 1929 PATRIARCH HARRISON SPERRY 545 ber who had died of exposure that day. They gave their message of encouragement, and helped to chop down the large center pole of a shelter, where the travelers had taken refuge. They made a fire of this and waited in some comfort for the approaching aid. This courageous and sturdy youth played a part also in the dramatic invasion of Johnson's army. He was at the general cele- bration held in Cottonwood Canyon, at what is now Brighton, over July 23 and 24, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the arrival of the Saints in the valley. Porter Rockwell appeared upon the scene, informing President Young that an army was marching against the Saints, with bloodhounds and ropes to hunt down and hang Brigham Young and the Twelve, and to break up "Mormon- ism." President Young called the whole camp together "and in his speaking, fairly made the mountains tremble." "They can't come in," was his decision. The following day, the campers had "a grand time, with dancing, boating, fishing, and tramping over the mountains." President Young ordered Lot Smith, with a detachment of men to go out and stop that army, but not to spill a drop of blood. The men avoided the soldiers and worked back to their supply trains. They gave the teamsters what they needed to live on, then set fire to every wagon. The teams and stock they drove in round-about ways through different gorges and canyons into the valley. Harrison was with the troops who were going to Echo Canyon to face the soldiers, when he saw Smith returning with this great herd. The army remained in the mountain fastnesses all winter and had to resort to eating mule meat. In the spring, Salt Lake was abandoned. The Saints moved South, ready to destroy their homes, if necessary. Harrison remained in the valley with two or three hundred men who were acting as guard. He was detailed to City Creek Canyon. Officials in Washington were at last convinced of the malicious misrepresentation that had caused the sending of the army, and President Young was requested to let the army pass peace- ably through Salt Lake. Harrison was detailed to come to Salt Lake to see the troops pass. "I tell you it was a grand sight. The troops went through still and orderly. Not a word was spoken, only by the officers giving the word of command. While the troops were making camp at the Jordan, the wagons were still coming over the bench and out of Emigration Canyon. Towards night, they had all got into camp, and the bugles were sounding the reveille. They stayed there two or three days and then marched over to what was called Camp Floyd. Then the Saints returned to their homes and farms. The Lord had accepted of their offering. We were again ready to burn or leave our homes, if it was desired of us. And

546 IMPROVEMENT ERA May, 1929 then we began to prosper. The soldiers had brought many things that we needed, and they made a market where we could sell our things." In 1852, Brother Sperry had married Mary Mosley, who died seven years later, leaving one child. In 1861, he married her sister Susan, who had eight children. In 1873, he married Mary Ellen Butterworth, who had nine children. In 1875, he became bishop of the Fourth ward, and in 1906, he was ordained a patriarch. He also served as leader of the Waterloo ward choir. When dances were held in the Fourth ward meeting house or in the Stake House, Brother Sperry was always on hand with his violin. When his brother, Charles, came from Nephi, to conference, the two men would go to the home of Aaron, Harrison's second child, and prac- tice the violin for hours, with Aaron at the piano. None of the three had ever had a music lesson, nor could read a note. Yet, Brother Sperry would compose a melody, and Charles and Aaron were quick to improvise harmonious accompaniments. Needless to say, Brother Sperry was a loving father and com- panionable husband. He received the utter devotion of his wives and children. In the earlier days, they lived principally on milk, corn, and dandelion greens. Soon they were raising apples on an adjoining lot, and then plums, yellow, green, and blue. The boys helped to peel and dry the apples. They dried the plums and corn also. For about twelve years, Brother Sperry was in the sheep busi- ness. He frequently had to choose between his sheep in the ward and his sheep on the hill. The result was, as with so many of the faith- ful pioneers, the business took a loss. He also bought a farm at Tooele, where he was made president of the Fish & Dairy Co. He made four or five artificial lakes and filled them with spring water, and planted carp. Carp was very popular at the time, and it appeared that this would be a successful business. Suddenly, however, the fancy of the people turned from carp to trout, and the business declined. In 1887, Brother Sperry was fined $300 and sentenced to six months in the penitentiary for living with more than one wife. This term was shortened a month for good behavior. His diary is an invaluable document of that chapter of our Church history. It harbors no resentment nor bitterness. It casts rather a halo of gloriousness over the entire proceeding. So firm were these men in their conviction of the righteousness of their conduct, that they accepted this type of martyrdom almost with fervor. The journal says of the day of arrival: "Came to pen in the

May, 1929 PATRIARCH HARRISON SPERRY 547 evening. Met a host of friends. Had a grand meeting and a good time." The men were kept at police duty in different quarters. They read a great deal, and were always delighted with the opportunity to bathe and shave. Visitors came on the walls with news of the wives and families of the prisoners, and with occasional offerings of "cough candy, flowers, butter, oranges, and other dainties." The diary comments, "Towards noon it commenced to storm. It makes it very hard here when it storms. We all crowd into our cells and are as thick as hasty pudding." There are many humorous touches throughout. "There were some female visitors here today, and they looked through the prison. They were accompanied by their male protectors." "Six or seven fresh fish this morning from the South." "Some of the men are blacking their shoes, others brushing up and trying to look nice, as they expect a female preacher here this afternoon. * * * Mrs. Dr. Wood then spoke and encouraged the prisoners to read the Bible more. She was astonished to see so many old, gray-haired, bald- headed men with stripes on. She said that if we had read the Bible more, there would not have been so many of us in prison today. * * * She spoke of murderers and horse-thieves, that horse-thieves were more to be dreaded than murderers. A secretarian minister addressed us, * * * and then left us just about as he found us. The men had their visiting hours, after which "it seemed hard to go back through those ponderous gates again." They also had their sports, such as foot racing and boxing. "Some of the prisoners threw a Chinaman up in a blanket because he would not sing or put on the gloves." Brother Sperry spent his fifty-fifth birthday there and chal- lenged any man past forty to a foot race. The same room served for the prisoners as dining-room, school- room, barber shop and work-room, where fans, mats, riding whips and bridles were manufactured. "Brother Rudger Clawson taught the bookkeeping classes." Brother Sperry's musical ability was a boon at this trying time. Brother William Foster played the guitar and the two practiced together often. Other musicians were there also. "We had a grand concert in the evening. A long program that would have done credit to a city troupe." "In the evening, fifteen or twenty of the brethren met and sang some of the songs of Zion that made the old walls fairly ring. It was in honor of Brother Ellis, as he expects to be

548 IMPROVEMENT ERA May. in* released tomorrow, and is one of the musicians and singers. He plays the organ in our prison band." Never before in history had there been a prison scene like those in the penitentiary at that period. Righteous men imprisoned for their convictions, along with murderers, and low criminals of every description. Indescribable execrations in certain quarters; in others, groups of sober men, reading the Key to Theology, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, Plain Facts (by Brother Penrose), the Bible, and other works of like nature; and discussing such questions as the monarchial and republican forms of govern- ment. One of the last entries of Brother Sperry is: "I lay awake most of the time last night, reflecting over our present situation as a people, and our condition here in prison, and the spirit of the Lord restecl upon me, and I shed tears of joy. My feeling is, O Lord, Thy will be done and not mine." As the twilight of mortality crept on, Brother Sperry's spiritual insight and vision became, if possible, even more pronounced, until the time of his death, a few months since. At once gentle and com- bative, a man of spiritual but not material wealth, an artist and also a laborer, we have in Brother Sperry one of the unique characters developed by the "Mormon" religion, and possible to find only in the "Mormon" history of this dispensation. Bouquets Save not your flowers till friend and kin Have gone and gates are closed, But scatter them while yet they live; Time may be short. Who knows? What matters it when night comes on And life's great race is run, To place the flowers upon their bier And praise what they have done? Their virtues and their follies, too, Our God will judge at last. And to his judgment and not ours Will rest their earthly past. But here and now, how sweet to give Fair blossoms day by day, As they go struggling up the heights Or stumble by the way. Tomorrow may not be for us; Today let's scatter cheer, And give boquets to those who live, Bring joy while they are here. Mesa, Arizona IDA R. ALLDREDGE.