Harrison Sperry (1832 - 1928) Profile

Harrison Sperry (1832 - 1928)

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Harrison Sperry

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Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, November 8, 1869, Vol. 1, Page 16, Line 679.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, November 8, 1869, Vol. 2, Page 18, Line 679.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Harrison Sperry papers, 1919-1926

Harrison Sperry papers, 1919-1926, Folder 1, Page 1-2.

My father and his family left Nauvoo in the year 1846 traveling westward through Iowa and came to Utah in 1847 in Jeddy Dyer [Jedediah] M[organ]. Grant's company the father of President Heber J. Grant. While crossing the plains the weather was extremely cold and inclement and the people suffered a great deal from improper shelter. The roads were muddy, the wagons would mire down 
<s xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">and the chains would break</s>
 but we kept on. Many people died from exposure, my mother dying at Mt. Pisgah. My father and a brother died at Winter Quarters from scurvy and blackleg where approximately 600 others died from the same terrible disease where great chunks of flesh would drop off from their feet and legs.	
While encamped near a stream called Big Horn, about twenty miles from Winter Quarters, the camps were organized in a more systematic order. When 100 wagons would arrive prepared for the journey they were organized in companies of one hundreds, fifties and tens. At 5 o'clock each morning the bugle would sound as a signal for every man to attend prayers before leaving his wagon. Then the people would do their cooking, eat and feed their teams, etc. until 7 o'clock when the bugle would sound again and the train would move on. At 8:30 P.M. the bugles were sounded again when all would have prayers in their wagons and be retired by 9:00 o'clock. Each night the wagons were arranged to make a great oval correl and the cattle <s>and horses were tied inside this circle</s> to prevent them from being stolen by the Indians. The pioneers were constantly on the alert to protect themselves <s>for</s> from attacks from the Indians as the Indians had made several attempts to steal cattle <s>and provisions</s>. However, in general the Indians showed a <s>xxxxxxx</s> friendly spirit toward the Pioneers. There were seven companies that followed westward in 1847.	
The pioneers traveled through Echo Canyon and East Canyon over Big and Little Mountain into Emigration Canyon, and then into Salt Lake valley.

Transcript for Sperry, Harrison, Papers, 1919-1926, fd. 1, 1-2

Harrison Sperry papers, 1919-1926.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008, June 21, 1847, Page 43.

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008.

Salt Lake Telegram

Pioneers of '47 Meet for Their Annual Celebration

"Pioneers of '47 Meet for Their Annual Celebration", Salt Lake Telegram, July 24, 1914, Page 31.

Pioneer of 1847 to Play for Ward Dance Jan. 8

"Pioneer of 1847 to Play for Ward Dance Jan. 8", Salt Lake Telegram, January 3, 1926, Page 17.

Salt Lake Telegram.

Sperry, Harrison, "Pioneers of 1847 Recount Experiences of the Journey Across the Plains and Life in the Old Forts in the Valley," Deseret Evening News

Sperry, Harrison, "Pioneers of 1847 Recount Experiences of the Journey Across the Plains and Life in the Old Forts in the Valley," Deseret Evening News, August 14, 1920, Page 7.

While we were at Winter Quarters some seven hundred souls died on account of lack of vegetation. We had nothing to eat except cornbread and bacon. The scurvy and black-leg broke out and caused many deaths. Brigham Young started out with the little band, about 153. "March on, march on!" "Oh, Brother Brigham, where are you going?" "We are going to the mountains to find a place for the Saints." They came on here, and we followed after-about 600 wagons being organized. We came out, about 22 miles from Winter Quarters, to the Big Horn, and there we organized. When 100 wagons would gather up, we were organized with a captain for a hundred, a captain for fifty, and captains for each ten. Oh, we were organized most beautifully: and then, "March on, march on." and the next company came up the same way: they were organized. "March on, march on!" until about six companies. I think it was, that traveled on across those plains. "Where are you going?" "We are going to the mountains."
Captains Go Ahead. The captains of the companies would go on ahead: they would seek a camping place. After awhile, the wagons would come up, 50 wagons on one side, 50 wagons on the other side forming a great corral to put our teams in. The first thing we did was to unyoke the oxen and turn them out to graze. We would let them fill up and then about 9 or 10 o'clock at night they were brought into the corral. The bugle was sounded: "Prayer time, prayer time!" Oh how I remember that-prayer night and morning. In the morning the cattle were sent out again. When they got ready to be brought in again, the next thing was to yoke up the oxen and hitch on the wagons. The first 50 would start out the next 50 would follow. That is the way we were organized; and we traveled on, and traveled on. Wherever we could find wood, we used wood to make fires. If we could not find wood we would have to use "buffalo chips." Go and ask your fathers and mothers what those buffalo chips were, and they will tell you. That is what we used when we could not find wood; and they made a very fine fire. That is the way we got along. We would put on our dishes, cook our suppers and go to bed.
	I remember one time the cattle and been turned out to feed. The bugle was sounded and the cattle all brought in. Prayer time was over soon, and we had all gone to bed when there was an old ox that come up to a wagon. He would rub, and rub, and rub. The man inside could not sleep. He got up and drove the old ox away. But the ox would come back, and he kept rubbing and rubbing. The man got up again and threw an old piece of buffalos skin over the ox's head. The ox turned and ran amongst the others in the corral, and in five minutes the whole herd was all scared and running around that corral.Cattle Break Away
	We all got up and cried out. "For goodness sake, what is the matter? Are the Indians upon us?" No, the cattle have got scared." They soon broke out a wagon, and away they went. The guards on horses followed those cattle two or three miles, and finally brought them back. After they excitement was over, a young lady sleeping in that wagon came crawling out and said: "What is the matter, what is the matter?" Poor girl, there was matter enough. That young lady came here to the valleys and married. One of her girls is now working in the temple.
	That is the way we crossed those plains and came here. Although the government was at war with Mexico, we placed the flag of our country on Ensign peak. I have seen that flag raised myself-and declared this American soil. We are loyal to the government. Oh, yes, we were loyal to the government: we proved it then and have proved it since.

Transcript for Sperry, Harrison, "Pioneers of 1847 Recount Experiences of the Journey Across the Plains and Life in the Old Forts in the Valley," Deseret Evening News, 14 Aug. 1920, sec. IV, p. 7

Sperry, Harrison, "Pioneers of 1847 Recount Experiences of the Journey Across the Plains and Life in the Old Forts in the Valley," Deseret Evening News.

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William Lamont Sperry

Charles Sperry

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Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States

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Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

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