Harrisville’s History Parallels Life of Pioneer, Educator By Don Baker HARRISVILLE - In large measure, the early history of Harrisville is also the history of the man for whom the town was named — Martin Henderson Harris. Pioneer, educator, religious, leader, businessman and the town's first animal control officer, Mr. Harris played a vital role in the development of this community from 1851 until his death in 1889. His chronicle began Sept. 29, 1820, in a small Pennsylvania township near the junction of Mahoopeny Creek and the Susquehanna River. ON FARMS The son of Emer and Deborah Lott Harris, young Martin grew up on a series of farms in Pennsylvania and Ohio where he attended school winters and tended to farm chores the rest of the year. After a run of tough luck with crops, the Harris family moved on to a county in Missouri where they were immediately warned to leave or face the consequences of a gubernatorial order legalizing the ex¬termination of Mormons. Young Martin's family moved near the Mormon stronghold at Nauvoo during 1839 where, two years later, Martin joined the Nauvoo legion and participated in the construction of the LDS temple there. GAINED FAME A cousin to the Martin Harris who gained fame as one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, young Martin H. Harris also served as a bodyguard to Joseph Smith and was eventually baptized in 1842. During the next few years — a turbulent time for the LDS Church — Martin moved around doing various kinds of work until he finally made the decision to move to Utah. He left St. Joseph, Miss, on April 29, 1850, and arrived in Weber County some five months later where he built the first log house north of Four Mile Creek and immediately sowed eight acres of grain. His first harvest was a disaster. Attributing crop failure to "salt in the soil," Martin H. Harris moved his farm to higher ground and worked for other farmers during harvest time for enough grain to get through the winter. 212 BUSHELS By 1852, Mr. Harris had his farm well into production, harvested 212 bushels of grain and generally paved the way for other pioneers who settled in the area. But the thriving little community of about seven families abruptly left their homes the following year in the wake of Indian troubles and moved inside Bingham's Fort. The Walker War of 1854-55 kept Martin Harris and his fellow settlers inside the fortification but the conflict was remote enough that they were able to keep their farms under cultivation. Finally, in 1857, Martin and other neighboring families moved out of the fort and back onto their farms. SHORT STAY But it was a short stay... Martin was immediately called on a mission to the Salmon River area in Idaho with several other missionaries. In February of the following year, the mission was ambushed by Indians; two missionaries were killed and the ill-fated Salmon River Mission was abandoned. Martin Harris arrived home in April only to find Weber County residents in the process of moving to Utah County to avoid possible contact with Johnston's Army. Upon his return from Utah County in July, Mr. Harris moved his house onto his farm land other colonists soon followed his example. Within two years, the community had enough people for a school and the County Court organized the Eighth School District. While a school house was under construction in the town square, Martin H. Harris taught an evening school in his own home without pay. When the district was fully organized, Mr. Harris was appointed assessor and clerk, a post that he held for eight years. In 1863, the little settlement was organized into a branch of the LDS Church and Martin was set apart as first counselor in the new branch presidency. The community continued to prosper and by 1868, it requested a change in status from district to precinct; the petition was granted and the precinct was officially named Harrisville — with Martin Harris as the first pound keeper. A member of the district road commission, Mr. Harris was active in laying out numerous key Weber County roads and participated in the construction of the Utah Northern Railroad. In addition to his many ac¬tivities for the church and district, Martin Harris also kept a number of district records and statistical reports for his area. When the United Order was implemented in the Ogden area during May of 1874, the pioneer was appointed treasurer for Harrisville's district. The following year, he and several other area residents informed the "Manufacturing and Industrial Co-operitive Institution of Harrisvile;" in addition to personally drafting the constitution of the company, Mr. Harris was also elected to a directorship. During the same month, he joined other neighbors in erecting a sawmill powered by Four Mile Creek and included a molasses mill in the construction project. In the spring of 1876, Mr. Harris planted a grove of shade trees in commemoration of the nation's centennial birthday — and that landmark still flourishes today. Called to a mission to the Eastern States one year later, Martin Harris was stricken with Paralysis Agitans and returned home in 1878. For the next 11 years, the dread palsy spread throughout his body — rendering him an invalid and finally claiming his life on Feb. 14, 1889.