Dennison Lott Harris

Dennison Lott Harris

1825-1885

Dennison Lott Harris, son of Emer and Deborah Lott Harris, was born January 17, 1825 in Windham, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on the bank of the Susquehanna River.   Little is known of his childhood or boyhood.   Dennison’s father Emer Harris was the brother of Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon.   In his early youth he joined the Mormon Church and gathered with his father’s family to Kirtland and suffered in all of the mobbings, persecutions and drivings of the church in that day.   While in Nauvoo, as a boy, he hauled water for endowments in the temple.   Even though he was young he was an intimate friend of the prophet and took an active part as scout and express rider during the mobbings at Nauvoo.  

When he was nineteen years old, Dennison along with another young man, Robert Scott, were invited to a secret meeting held in the home of Robert Law, the Prophet Joseph’s first counselor, where people were invited to conspire against the prophet Joseph Smith.   When the two boys talked to each other, and wondered if they should attend, they decided to ask Dennison’s father, Emer Harris.   Emer went to Joseph, who told him not to attend the meetings, but that he would like the two boys to go and report back to him as to what happened.   He cautioned them to be careful, and to say as little as possible.

At the first meeting quite a number were present; strong speeches were made against the Prophet and many lies were told to prejudice the listeners against Joseph.   It seemed the principal cause of their wicked scheme arose from the fact that the Prophet had recently presented the revelation on plural marriage to the High Council for their approval; and certain members were most bitterly opposed to it, and denounced Joseph as a fallen prophet and were determined to destroy him.   The meeting adjourned to re-convene the following Sabbath and the two young men were invited to attend again.

They waited for a favorable opportunity and reported to Joseph what had taken place giving the names of those who took part in the proceedings.

They were advised to attend again.   This time the conspirators were vehement and more abusive, their accusations were not only against Joseph but against his brother, Hyrum, and other prominent men in Nauvoo.   They accused them of the most heinous crimes, but as the boys kept quite their silence brought an invitation to attend the next meeting.   As on previous occasions they watched for a fitting occasion to report to Joseph without arousing suspicion of any who had attended the meeting.

Joseph listened silently after which he said, “Boys, come to me again next Sunday.   I wish you to attend the next meeting also.”   They kept it a profound secret except to him and when they called on him the next time he said to them with a very serious countenance, “This will be your last meeting before they will admit you into their councils.   They will come to some determination, but be sure that you make no covenants or enter into any obligations whatsoever with them.   Do not take any part in their deliberations.”

In this meeting, many false testimonies were given against Joseph Smith and other leaders of the Church, but the boys remained quiet.   William Law sat by Robert and tried to persuade him to agree with the things that were being said, and Brother Austin A. Cowles, a member of the high council, would sit by Dennison and try to convince him.   But the boys just said they were too young to understand what was being talked about.   Finally, an oath was prepared, and each man would step forward, take a bible in his hand and raise his right arm.   Francis Higbee, who administered the oath said, “You solemnly swear, before God and all holy angels, and these your brethren by whom you are surrounded, that you will give your life, your influence, your all, for the destruction of Joseph Smith and his party, so help you God!”   The man said, “I do,” and signed his name to the written oath.   When everyone but the two boys had taken the oath, and they finally refused to do so, the mob became very angry and threatened to kill them.   During threats and heated discussions, the boys heard one man say, “The boys’ parents very likely know where they are, and if they do not return home, strong suspicions will be aroused, and they may institute a search that would be very dangerous to us.   It is already late, and time that the boys were home.”   But others felt it would be just as dangerous to release the boys and take a chance on them revealing their plans.

Finally, they were instructed over and over not to say a word about what they knew or they would be killed on the spot.   Then a guard took them out and down toward the Mississippi River.   Near the river, they were warned once more not to say a word, on pain of death, and were left alone.   One of the boys saw a hand beckon to them from behind the bank, and they pretended that they wanted to go down to the river to swim.   The guards thought it was a good idea, as it would be an excuse for them getting home so late.

The Prophet had become uneasy and had gone down to the river to see if perhaps the boys had been murdered and thrown into the water.   He was relieved to see that they had escaped with their lives.   They told him all that had happened and of the oath that had been taken by about two hundred people.   John Scott, a brother of Robert, was with the prophet and became very fearful for Joseph’s life.   They all went together for awhile until Joseph became quiet and then said, “Brethren, I am going to leave you.   I shall not be with you long; it will not be many months until I shall have to go.”   The boys felt that they would be happy to give their lives if they could spare his.   But Joseph made them promise that they would not say a word about what had happened for at least twenty years, and they kept that promise.   The year before President Young died, Brother Harris invited him to stop at his home as he journeyed to St. George and told him about his early experiences with the Prophet.   President Young said it cleared up many strange spots in his memory.

A short time before the battle of Nauvoo an army of 500 men was marching on to take Nauvoo by force of arms.   Dennnison was in the city suffering with chills and fever and was so weak that a young woman saddled his horse and helped him mount so that he and twenty four others   could ride out to meet the 500 with their artillery, and put them to flight.   The mob said there were thousands of Mormons.   Dennison said the roads were dry and the 25 riders rode abreast and the dust rolled high and so they were magnified in the eyes of the mob in such a way that the mob drove back to Carthage.

Three days before the final battle at Nauvoo, Dennison left and journeyed several hundred miles westward, preparing for the final exodus of the saints: then returned to Nauvoo to assist his father to move with the saints.   Dennison was designated to remain in Potawatomie County and raise crops to feed the large number of European saints who were flocking to Zion.   Consequently, he remained in the East until 1852 when he came to Utah and settled in Springville where he built the first sawmill.   Some of the tools used in the construction of the Nauvoo temple were brought to Utah by him and used throughout his lifetime.   In 1847 he married Sarah Wilson.   Six children, four sons and two daughters came from this marriage.   About 1854 President Young called sixteen men to go on a mission to the Navajos.   There were also two interpreters and one Indian guide.   This company was composed of William Huntington, Dennison L. Harris, Dimick Huntington, Jack Stewart and others.   President Young accompanied them as far as Manti where he blessed them promising them if they kept the commandments of the Lord not a hair on their head should be harmed and they would return to their families in safety.   In Salina Canyon they were held up by a band of Indians who refused to let them pass the stream of water on penalty of death.   Three days after, the Indians relented.  

On this journey they found coal.   A city named Huntington, in honor of one of the missionaries has since been built there.   Near Green River the Indians again tried to stop them.   The missionaries turned into a cottonwood cove where they were completely hidden.   They cached their wagons and continued their journey by horse.   The whole of this mission was one of great peril in which the power of the Lord was constantly made manifest.   Near a place called Bluff they were taken prisoner by the Navajos.   Two of the party were to be shot.   Sixteen Indians were paralyzed.   The missionaries were then allowed to preach the gospel to the tribe but they were still looked upon with suspicion by all except the chief who never left them for a moment.   The Indian council finally decided the strangers were to die on a certain day, chief or no chief.  

The day was drawing near, when a terrible war whoop was heard and clouds of dust filled the air.   The Navajos were completely surrounded by the Elk Mountain Utes.   Their chief pointed a gun at the Navajo chief.   Both tribes were so excited they could not talk but just chattered and mumbled.   Finally the interpreters quieted them and the warring chief explained that the great spirit had appeared to him and told him the Navajos had white men in captivity.   He was commanded to release them and their property, accompany them a given number of days on a certain route and then fit them up with good horses and available provisions.   If he failed, destruction would come upon him and his tribe.   He fulfilled the commission to the letter.   The return was along a different route.   They missed their cached wagons and provisions grew low.   One man lost his horse.   Brother Harris remained with him.   This placed them one day behind the main company who feared starvation.   Each day two bisquets were placed on sticks for them.   When they did not overtake the main party, they were given up for dead.   On the last day out of Springville no bread was left.   The company returned through Hobble Creek Canyon.   When the people of Springville learned the missionaries were returning they fitted up wagons with springs and dainty food.   All were found and brought home.   The men were so weak they had to be like invalids –  only a few spoonfuls at short intervals.   Every man returned to his family and regained his health and strength.  

The first ten years after they arrived in Utah, in 1852, they lived in five different places, Springville, Alpine, Pleasant Grove, Smithfield, and Willard. During that time three of their sons were born, Dennison Emer in Springville, Martin in Alpine, and Hyrum in Smithfield.   During the time they lived in Smithfield a battle was fought with the Indians and there was considerable shooting done by both parties.  

  In 1857 and 1858 Dennison was called to serve in the Echo Canyon campaign and a short time after that made the journey back across the plains three times with provisions for the Hand Cart Company.   In 1862 they were called by President Young to go from Willard to Dixie to help build up and develop that country.   During the time they were there they lived in Washington, Bellevue and finally built a home in Virgin City.   Here their son Joseph was born.   Brother Harris and other pioneer men spent their summer at Kolob on a ranch and raised cattle.   As the baby was delicate and the best doctors lived there, Sarah and the children spent the winter of 1865 in St. George.   In 1868 after having lived in Dixie five years Brother Harris was released from this mission owing to ill health caused by chills and fever.   He was so ill that those who were waiting on him thought he was dead.   He thought his spirit left his body and a messenger stood beside him and gave him the privilege of living and raising his family and entering into a celestial marriage or of passing on to the other side.   They moved to Paragoonah, where their eldest daughter Deborah was married to Richard Robinson.   In 1862 they moved to Monroe, Sevier County.   He loved to see things grow and he planted the first nursery in the section and gave hundreds of trees and shrubs away.   On July 17, 1877 he was set apart as bishop of Monroe by Erastus Snow, which position he honorably and faithfully filled until his death.   His wife died a number of years before on 23 February 1874. After his wife, Sarah, died he lived a widower for years, filling the place of both father and mother to his children to a remarkable degree, bestowing the tenderness of a mother upon them.   On November 1, 1883 in the St. George temple he married Anna Maria Messerli, a young German convert, and on the same day Margaret Allen, a widow, was sealed to him for eternity only.   A week after his death a daughter Harriet Lott was born to his young wife, Maria.

Dennison Lott Harris was by nature a pioneer, he having lived in various settlements from Northern Utah to Dixie.   In disposition he was very kind and sympathetic and a true friend to those in sorrow or distress and as tender in his feelings as a woman.   He was a very wise counselor and was a father to the people over whom he presided as bishop in very deed.   He was cheerful and sunny in his temperament, was fluent in his speech and a wonderful storyteller.   He was charitable, merciful and forgiving.   His hospitality was unbounded and his latchstring was always on the outside to all.  

He died at this home in Monroe, Sevier County, Utah on 6 June 1885 of pneumonia.   Passing peacefully away in the presence of his family except for his son, Hyrum, who was on a mission in Illinois.