Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together A Testimony of the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon Given by Martin Harris to William Sparks During the last illness of Martin Harris many people came to visit him, and he was always anxious to talk about the Book of Mormon and give his testimony to its truthfulness. My husband, William Sparks, visited him for that purpose. When he reached the house, the lady in charge told Martin Harris that William Sparks had come to see him. He brightened and rose on his elbow and told her to show him in. After a few minutes of casual conversation William Sparks asked him if he believed the Book of Mormon was true. He sharply said, "No, I don't believe it." My husband said, "How is that?" "Because I know it. When a man knows a thing, he doesn't believe," he said. "Do you see that sun shining through the window?" My husband replied, "Yes." "Then you know it shines," said Martin Harris. "You don't believe it shines." He was quite aged and he asked my husband if he knew why he had lived to this age in life. "It is that I should testify to you that you may testify to others to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon." He bore his testimony in a similar manner to many before he passed away. The white bird on the mountainside was the first sight the Indians looked for when they came to their summer campground in Morgan County. [With a little imagination, you can see the pigeon in the largest snow patch on the peak at the center of the picture.] Indian Charlie, his slouch hat bedecked with feathers, led the caravan of ponies and riders into the vally each spring. If he saw the perfectly formed outline of the bird on the mountain ridge, he knew that all danger of high water had passed. A good-sized, well-formed snowbird in late April or early May meant there would be a water runoff into the summer for irrigation of crops. If the bird was already melted by early spring, there could be a bad drought. When the early settlers came to establish homes and cultivate the valley, the legend was passed on to them. Among the first to learn the The Snow Pigeon A Morgan County Legend legend of the Snow Pigeon was Thomas Rich whose family came to Richville in 1861 and later to neighboring Porterville. His granddaughter, Veda Porter Mortimer, remembered her father's story thus: "It was an Indian legend and they, as well as grandfather, depended on it a great deal for successful farming. The story was that the bird was a friend and saw to it that there was plenty of water for the crops. Grandpa was happy each year when the outline remained until Pioneer Day, July 24. He would say, 'There'll be no drought this year' and he would work his farm on that basis. When the bird left early, he began ways to conserve his crops for whenever the dry spell might come, for he was sure there would be one. He was never easy in his mind when the bird left earlier." This story provided by Vera Carter of Porlcrcille, Utah.