Harvey Harris Cluff (1836 - 1916) Profile

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Harvey Harris Cluff

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First Presidency missionary calls and recommendations 1877-1918

First Presidency missionary calls and recommendations 1877-1918.

Hawaiian Mission history, 1850-1967, Church History Library

Hawaiian Mission history, 1850-1967, Church History Library.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 14, Line 586.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 6, Line 245.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 1, Page 45, Line 1928.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 15, Line 586.

Missionary Department missionary registers, 1860-1959, Vol. 2, Page 49, Line 1928.

45th Quorum, Biographies, 1857

45th Quorum, Biographies, 1857, Vol. 1.

45th Quorum, Biographies, 1857.

Cluff, Harvey Harris, Autobiography and journals, 1868-1912

Cluff, Harvey Harris, Autobiography and journals, 1868-1912, Vol. 1.

It was in the morning of August 13th when we arrived in Omaha and in the evening of the same day when we pulled out. We were on a grass plot near where the train was to stand, I should about one hundred yards away. Before the people were allowed to board the train the agent came to me and said, I want to count your people before the train starts. "Yes Sir said I" "How do you propose to do it?" "We will several men about half way between the people and the cars and count them as they pass to the train." Well if the agent had known what the people had endured coming from Chicago to Omaha, he would never adopted that mode of counting. I was never so amused on the whole trip from Liverpool to that place. There were six passenger trained up in full view of the people. Six cars for nearly five hundred emigrants. I said to the people as instructed by the agent. "You must not go to the train until the agent gives the word." Every one with his food basket, grif and parcel, was ready and when the word was given. You never saw a greater stampede of people than occurred upon that occasion. Counting the people was as difficult as it would have been to count a heard of cattle in a stamped. Why the agents had to get out of the way or be trampled down. And they did get away, uttering and mutering imprecations oaths and threats, but the stampede continued until all were in the cars. The agent concluded to telegraph to a station ahed and instruct an agent to count the people while the train was in motion. I concluded we had reached the climax and that the fourteen persons who swelled our number, would certainly be caught. I did not feel responsible for the presence of these people on the train and therefore I had no right to put them off. The train pulled out from the Omaha station at 7 oclock P.M. It taxed our most patiencet energy for two hours to get the people quieted down and reconciled to their crowded condition. One disagreeable incident occurred, which mared our peace. Elder Spencer and brother Neil got into a disputation which resulted in a fight and as Spencer Struck Neil he fell back his elbow striking a young lady in the breast which caused her to faint. I succeeded in restoring quietud and repentance effected between the two assalents and we move on without any trouble worth mentioning and



arrive in Benton which was on the 16th of August. Benton is the terminus of the railroad. Here the wagon company of Captain Gillispie from Utah was waiting our arrival. We were taken by Captain Gillispee out to his camping grounds where we remained in camp until the arrival of the luggage of the emigrants. We received the goods and



on the 23rd we started out crossing over an unbroken country as a cutoff a distance of fifteen miles. As all the luggage did not all arive a few teams were detailed to remain until the rest of the luggage came up and then overtake the main company. Our first camp was at a small lake to which we arived quite late in consequence of sandy country we had to pass over and no road. A wheel of one of the wagons broke and had to be taken to Benton for repairs. The remnant of the luggage with the detailed wagons came up and



on the 26 we again persue our journey over heavy sand hills and camp in a beautiful Vally about 16 miles from Sweet Water. to which I gave the name "Round Valley"



The next day we go through "Whiskey Pass" and camp, on "Sweet Water" near the sixteen mile drive." Here we found a new Chicago wagon and boxes of goods on the ground strewn arround evidently the work of Indians. A new made grave near by. There were two men with the wagon when attacked by the Indians; one killed and the other made his escape to South Pass City as we afterwards learned. The Sheriff from South Pass with a small possie went to recover the goods and wagon, but he too was killed and most of his men. Fortunately we passed along without any molestation or even the sight of Indians. The first death occurred at Little Sandy. An elderly lady, Maria Clayfield, aged 70 years. We gave her as good a burral as it was possible.



On reaching Grass Creek near Bear river we were met by Brother Robert Salmon and Sister Margaret Hunter Salmon who came out to meet Sister Jane Hunter. As they were from Coalville where my brother Wm. W. was living and would reach there befor the train[.] I accepted Bro Salmon's invitation to ride with him to Coalville[.] Elder [Hiram Theron] Spencer also rode with us. We attended meeting in Coalville and in the afternoon W W took Spencer and I to the camp it having passed through Coalville in the morning.



Sister [Annie] Osborn died and was buried in the cemetery Sept 13th 1868.



We had two deaths at Hardie Station in Parley's Canyon. That made four deaths in the company during the journey from Liverpool to Salt Lake City. From Hardie Station I walked to Salt Lake City in advance of the company. This was September 15th 1868.

Transcript for Cluff, Harvey Harris, Autobiography and journals, 1868-1912, vol. 1, 111-13

Cluff, Harvey Harris, Autobiography and journals, 1868-1912.

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 6

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 6.

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 7

Handcart Veterans Association. Handcart Veterans Association scrapbook, 1906-1914, folder 7.

"Handcart Veterans Unite to Strengthen Old Bonds," Salt Lake Herald-Republican

"Handcart Veterans Unite to Strengthen Old Bonds," Salt Lake Herald-Republican, April 6, 1910.

"Handcart Veterans Unite to Strengthen Old Bonds," Salt Lake Herald-Republican.

Harvey H. Cluff autobiography, journals, and scrapbook, 1868-1916, Autobiography, 1868-1888, 8-14

Harvey H. Cluff autobiography, journals, and scrapbook, 1868-1916, Autobiography, 1868-1888, 8-14.

The time having arived when our financial replenishment and rest justified pulling up stakes and going farther west as great anxiety was felt by all to keep as close to the Pioneers as possible. We pulled out therefore leaving our valuable maple sugar plantation, farm and town improvements be enjoyed by new arrivals of exiles. Had we been permitted to remain in that part of Iowa we should have grown emencely rich, for the land was very productive, besides the natural resources that we had access too.



Mosqueto [Mosquito] Creek about three miles from Council Bluff, proved to me the temporary wants of the family and where recuperation , financially might be as speedy as any other place in that part of the Territory. The farm located at the lower part of the hollar, near to its opening out into the Missouri bottoms and near to a pond of water.



The town finally, as the exiles geathered in, extended along the creek a mile or more the bluffs or rolling hills extending back. The same routeen of preperation for launching our destinie upon a thousand miles of desert country uninhabited except by wild tribes of Indians. To make such a journey necessarily required extra teams, clothing, bedding, and provisions. To emass such an outfit, under the circumstances for a family now numbering fourteen souls, was no small task. Hence energy was displayed in evry move made, by old and young to bring about the chief wish and uppermost desire of the family to join the Pioneers in the Valleys of the mountains. The new farm which the united effort of the family had brought into a state of productiveness, yealded bountiously. Our cribs were full of corn. Now came a providencial demand for the verry products of which we were abundantly supplied. The gold excitement in California had become at feaver heat down East and thousands of peoples were rushing through our Section of country in the greatest inthusiasm. The demand for Supplies ever known in that section, brought corn up to fabilus prices. In addition to this marvelous help, the hast with which these gold seekers traveled reduced their teams so that many of their animals gave out and they were forced to exchange two animals for one good one and by this means, the Mormon exiles reaped great advantages from the very class of men who had aided in forcing our people from their homes. These worn out animal left with the Mormon exiles were in excellent condition for the road, in the Spring when we were prepaired to move west. Thus many were prepaired to go in the Spring of 1850 who might have had to remain years longer. Gratitude, in deed was felt by every exile who was thus aided in going to the Rockey Mountains.



Springtime came in 1850 which found the family putting forth their best efforts prepairing for the long and tedious journey. No regrets seemed to hand upon the faces, or Sorrow over Shadow members of the family in taking such a long journey. The Younger members of the exiles could not circumscribe in their imagination all of the environments trials and hardship, which they would have to encounter in traversing a desert wilderness country of a thousand miles or more. A country infested by bands of Indians which delighted in Scalping the white man who came upon their hunting grounds.



The Spring of 1850 was indeed a busey time for the Cluff family. Every member of the family was assigned to some part pertaining to the preparation necessary. Bushels of corn was parched as a part of the food supply. It must be remembered that the food supply had to be necessarily limited to a few dishes for when clothing, bedding, dishes &amp;c were crowded into a wagon, two yoke of oxen had all they could pull.



While standing near father [David Cluff] watching him split young hickory poles for wagon bows or Mr. [blank space] a near neighbor a bachelor living with his widowed mother came up to father and began to abuse him with all sorts of vile language. The cause of complaint was of a frivelous character. It seems that the family had been annoyed by this neighbors cow coming in the door yard and as kindly protests had been made no heed had been given and the cow persisted in her anoyance. While at breakfast one morning a few day before we were to depart, the cow again came in the yard and Benjamin rushed out and struck the cow with his fist. A few days there after the cow was arround with a fine full developed calf. Our neighbor was determined that the calf was untimely and therefore a claim for damages was demanded. The demand for damages was considered presumptous by all who knew of the claim. The abusive language, however, continued and finally father took one of the hickery poles and struck neighbor [blank space] on the head droping him like a bief animal. At this his mother came rushing out and droped upon her knees, at the wagon tongue and began praying. I stood still during the whole affair although I felt that if I were big enough I certainly would have compeled Mr. neighbor to cease his abuse of my father, and accepted the pole injection. What a useless prayer. The old lady predicted all sorts of troubles that would befall us on our Journey and that we should never reach Utah. Her efforts to pray was absorbed in predicting what should befall the family and teames none of which came to pass. We as a family with teames and outfit reached Utah in safety.



I do not rember the exact day when we pulled out from Mosqueto Creek and made our way through the "Missouri Bottoms" to the river some miles below where the City of Omaha now stands. Wagons and teams and people were carried across the Missouri river on flat boats or Ferryboats and ascended the bluffs or table land and out on to prarie land where we waited for sufficient force and organization to make it safe to venture out into Indian territory.



When fully organized with Bishop Edward Hunter as Captain the start for the Rockey Mountains. I cannot say how many wagons there were in the company but usually not less than forty was considered safe. The Captain had his two assistants and the company divided into tens with captain over each ten wagons. By observing the rules and regulations adopted in traveling perfact order prevailed. A good captain became the most important officer in the company. Upon him or subordinat officer whom he might designate, devolved the responsibility of selecting sutable camping places, where wood, water, and forage for animals could be obtained. Another very important consideration was the stragetic [strategic] precaution against the possible attack of Indians and the anoyance of buffalo. While travelling through the buffalo country, there was much danger while in camp or on the road travelling. Those powerful wild animals would often set our teams wild by coming among our cattle while grazing loose on the prarie, or by attempting to cross the road while our train was in motion, thus causing a general stampede. To witness a whole train of forty or fifty wagons moving pell mele over the country is a blood curdling sight. Men, women, and children in the wagons unable to get out yet uncertain as to whether the wagon will upset and they crus[h]ed to death. If to attempt to get out while the stampede is on, only indangers he who makes the effort; as the following wagon would be upon him before he could regain his footing. A night stampede from a correl formed by wagon, leaves a company helpless. The cattle rush from the inclosure and off upon the plains in great confusion, making successful persute impossible unless by an expert rider with a fleet horse, who perchance, may succeed in gaining the lead of the wild herd and thus gradually wheel them back. Failing to accomplish this, the emigrants must wait until morning and there find the cattle ten or fifteen miles &lt;away&gt; scattered all over the range. I witnessed one of these stampedes of a whole train. If ever a man or boys hair stands upright it will be when he is in a mix up with a stampede. The final stope of the stampede, I allude too, was marvilous indeed. The road led direct towards a great bend of one of the branches of the Platt river but made turn just before it reached that stream, the banks of which were eight or ten feet high. It did really appear that no power could stop the whole train from plunging into the &lt;rive&gt;r unless it &lt;was&gt; the power of God. But the wild bellowing beasts did stop, some of the wagons being so near the bank it was difficult to Swing the team around without danger.



All hands, except teamsters could be seen rushing off for wood and water, as soon as camping ground was decided upon and teams began forming into correl. Often times camp for stragetic considerations would be pitched a great distance from wood or water, but more especially wood: at such times you would see men, women, and children geather up the "buffalo Chips" which answered a very good purpose for fuel. From Ft. Laram[i]e, a small U.S. post, the country becoms more mountainous containg fuel more plentiful and range for stock proportionately small. Our shortage on the food supply was replenished by a greater supply, in variety of wild meat. The novelty of camp life by this time had reached the apex. More up grade travilling became necessary and consequentally pedestrian travelling was more compulsory which was condusive of tropical and semi-tropical feelings. Variety in mountainous scenic country, made travelling somewhat inspiring, besides we felt that we were nearing our mountain home where a long rest awated us. "The chambers of the Lord"was a very appropriate name for the Vallies of the Mountains. Our enemies had forced us into the grandest place of protection to be found on the American Continant. But during this tedious and difficult Journey, we did not know the advantages or disadvantages that we would meet. We were going by faith in the promices of God and in the prophetic utterences of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Day after day, month after month we travelled on our journey Westward rearlising that sufficient was our Strength for the requirements of the day, deeply imbued with the idea of finding a safe abiding place beyond the power and menace of wicked men; all of which gave Strength to our navel and marrow to our bones. There was even more than that to stimulate and make one rearlise, under the circumstances, that we were loosing nothing in being driven from the face of our Countrymen by our Countrymen. Even in the desert there was more satisfaction in facing the painted savage warrior on his own hunting grounds and the wild buffalo on his range, than to get a little consistant friendship or Sympathy from Gentiles. To look a Savage in the &lt;face&gt; all painted for war, was indeed horrowfying, but a little flour, sugar and coffee made the face of the Savage more humanterian. And he proved a closer friend than our white brother. Back of all our environment of dark clouds and trials there was always a smiling Providintial Smiling countinance—A God who had never failed to bring victory to His people. And so our faith enabled us to endure. For the Prophet Joseph Smith had predicted that the Saints would go to the Rockey Mountains and become a great people.



It is not my purpose to weave into my recital of experiences while crossing the plains, romance, in order to make my story extra readable. I shall content myself with recording actual facts. Much of the romance of the journey must come to the reader through his own imagination.



On ariving at Green River, which is about one hundred and fifty miles, as I rember, from Salt Lake Valley, arrangements were entered into between my parents and a Mister Allen a Shoemaker by trade, by which I was to there and then leave my folks and live with Allen family and learn Shoemaking. Mr Allen was travelling in anther company, following the one in which my father was in. This chang resulted in my arrival in Salt Lake three day behind the family.



As I now call to mind, my experience from Green River to Salt Lake in the Allen family was not of the most enticing or winning part of the journey: however, my youth and wild nature of the country through which we were passing, with its varied environments, made my stay imperitive, and I endured willingly because I seemed obiged too. I may say by way of moderation in this conection, that there always loomed up before the pleasing hope of meeting my folke not many days hence. Finally the Summit of the "Little Mountain" near the head of Emigration Canyon was reached when a view of the Great Salt Lake Valley was obtained. We now decend from these hights into Emigration Canyon, thence down the Canyon until we merge out into the Valley where a magnifficent view of the Seniosities of the Mountains ranges forming the Great Salt Lake Valley with the lake in the distance, bursts with delight upon our Vision.



A weary and in many respects a perilous journey, of over a thousand miles with all the monotony of camp life incident to such a journey gives one a relish for home and friends.



Now after fifty &lt;eight&gt; years additional experience &lt;Since crossing the plains&gt; I call vividly to mind the splendid feeling that came over me on looking down from the mountain top into the Valley below. It was not only the rearlization of soon being at the end of the journey, but coupled with that fact, was the meeting of father, mother[,] sister and brothers. The vision upon which I feasted in gazing from that eminance was too sublime for adiquate discription, although its grandure is indelibly impressed upon my mind.



If you ever crossed the plains from the Missouri river to Salt Lake Valley, you can comprehend that feeling you ne're shall feel again, from the Summit of the mountain overlooking Salt Lake Valley. There with eyes affixed on the Valley far below and stretching westward towards the Sitting Sun, you feast upon a landscape embelished by an inland Sea with its two mountain islands the whole incompassed by the "everlasting hills"



 



<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">"High on the mountain top"&lt;br &gt;"A Banner is unfurled"</center>



 



The grandure increased its grandure by the fact that there in those peaceful Vales was my future home. I looked intently, with youthful Sparkling eyes from that mountain &lt;top&gt; upon the lovely scene below along the whole extent of the Valley Skirted by grand majestic mountains, cut through by deep canyons through which pure crystal streams of water coursed, plunging and foaming as it rushed on to the Valley below. Down through the center of the Salt Lake Valley from the south moves the waters of the Jordan river from Utah Lake to Salt Lake. On emerging from Emigration canyon you are introduced at once into the Great Salt Lake Vally. The grandure of the Valley and mountain ranges spread out before me coupled with the idea that here I shall find a perminant hom, far away&lt;from&gt; Vile corrupt enemies. Nestting at my very feet, as it were, was "Great Salt Lake City" as it was then called, but a Small Village in reality, a mere baby city with a big name.

Transcript for Harvey H. Cluff autobiography, journals, and scrapbook, 1868-1916, Autobiography, 1868-1888, 8-14

Historical Department journal history of the Church

Historical Department journal history of the Church, 1830-2008. Supplement after 31 December 1850: Page 8.

Historical Department journal history of the Church.

"Names of Persons Who Volunteer to Go as Teamsters" in Offerings for the assistance of the P. E. F. immigrants

"Names of Persons Who Volunteer to Go as Teamsters" in Offerings for the assistance of the P. E. F. immigrants, October 1856.

"Names of Persons Who Volunteer to Go as Teamsters" in Offerings for the assistance of the P. E. F. immigrants.

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868

Captain John Gillespie, memorandum book (2), 1868.

"Captain John Gillespie, memorandum book (2), 1868.", Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868.

Transcript for Captain John Gillespie, memorandum book (2), 1868

Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company church trains accounts, 1861-1868.

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, August 20, 1868.

<center xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">LIST OF PASSENGERS</center>
<center>In Captain Chester Loveland’s Train.</center>
Louis Hansen; Elizabeth Reese; Elizabeth Williams and two children; Gamaliel Briscoe; A. DeGray, wife and five children; Benj. Bartlett and wife; John Evans and wife; Joseph Perkins and sister; Fred. Culmer, wife and four childrin; Nancy West and two children; John Savage and wife; Robert Guttridge, wife and daughter; James Turner, wife and five children; Edward Baynham, wife and son, Maria Fleming and son; Evan Jones; Ann Phillips; Mary Worsley; Ann Powell; James Griffiths, wife and two children; Amelia Mullett and two sons; Mary Ann Croft; W. D. Thomas; Florence Cope; W. Purdy; James Purdy; W. Studer; H. Liversadgse, wife and child; L. D. Rudd, wife and child; A. N. McFarland [McFarlane], wife and four children; Mary Taylor and daughter; J. Jenkins and sister; Anna [Hannah] Martin and child; R. Pickering and daughter; Peter McKinnon; George Harston; Joseph Mullett, wife and two children; Lavinia Pickering; Samuel Hale, wife and two daughters; Edward Tullidge; Susan Ferguson; J. H. Barber; J. Walker; G. F. Dare; Mary Coslett and five children; Ole Peter Warner and wife; Wm. Nichols, wife and child; Mary Walters and two daughters; Sarah Eynon; Elizabeth Angel and four children; H. Mansell, wife and three daughters; F. Laver and sons; Elizabeth Brewer and four children, John Wickham; Elizabeth Bentley and three sons; John Eames, wife and seven children; Samuel Eames; R. J. Davis; Wm. Wade, wife and child; Isaac Evans; C. J. Mullett and wife; John Lowe, wife and four children; J. Worthington; J. Gle[a]ve, wife and five children; G. Durrant and two brothers; G. Trenneman, wife and child; Sarah Evans; F. [Thomas] Street, wife and eight children; E. Faulkner, wife, son and daughter; Elizabeth Hill and five children; Eliza Latter; J. C. Jones; Henry Weist, wife and child; Mary Biemall and two children; Oswald Biemall; Wm. Ince, wife and son; Lettice Retford [Crossley] and three children; Helen Crosby; Sarah Cope and son; John Kirkham, wife and son; J. Todd; Kesiah Hall; Luke Shaw and two sisters; J. Perkins and two sons; Emma Allen; Eliza Harrrison; J. Beaumont and wife; W. Chapman and wife; Daniel and Eliza Powell; Elizabeth Tim[p]son and five children; E. Morgan, wife and five children; H. Smart, wife and four children; J. Hebdon, wife and child; W. C. White, wife and two children; D. Justet and five children; J. L. Grundhand, wife and two children; Elizabeth Hill and five children; Anna Jenkins and five children; H. Cottle and daughter; L. I. Halsher and wife; Elizabeth Cousins; Mary Ann Cousins; D. Lunn, wife and six children; Jane Lunn and daughter; William Saunders, wife and daughter; Sarah, Priscilla, Ellen and Rebecca Cato; Hylan Davis; Lay Powell; Wm. Cope; Lot Adams; John Muir; Elizabeth Moore; S. Hare, wife and seven children; Jessy Woolridge, Rhoda Watson; J. Turner, wife and two children.

Transcript for "The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph, 20 Aug. 1868, 1

"The Immigration," Semi-Weekly Telegraph.

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Harvey Harris Cluff

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