By His Daughter, Nora Harrison Williams 

My father, James Parry Harrison, was born on 22 January 1846 in London, England. He was the first son of James Hobday Harrison and Angelina Parry, and the fifth child. He had 10 brothers and sisters as follows:  (1) Sarah Ann, b. 20 July 1840, d. 5 July 1904; (2) Francis (Franny) b. 4 October 1841, d. 8 October 1929; (3) Martha, b. 4 December 1842, d. 3 February 1846; (4) Henrietta, b. 16 July 1844, d. October 1845; (5) James Parry, b. 22 January 1846, d. 28 January 1937; (6) Joseph Hidson, b. 10 November 1847, d. February 1905; (7) Angelina, b. 11 May 1850, d. 10 June 1912; (8) William Hobday, b. 18 June 1852, d. 20 April 1925; (9) Heber Chase, b. 13 July 1854, d. February 1905; (10) Mary Elizabeth, b. 26 May 1856, d. 7 November 1931; (11) Edwin Daniel, b. 21 June 1860, d. 17 August 1927. All of the children of James Hobday and Angelina Harrison were born in London, England. 

James Parry Harrison went to school until he was eight years old. After that  he worked as an errand boy for one year, then he went back to school for another year, which was all the schooling he received.  

He was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 18 December 1854. 

From the time he was 10 years old until he was fourteen, he worked as an apprentice, learning the trade of a gunsmith. He then worked another year as an errand boy. 

On 1 May 1861, he left England for America on the ship Monarch of the Sea. His sister, Sarah Ann Harrison Farnes and her husband, Thomas Farnes, accompanied him. They traveled on the sea for 36 days before reaching America. 

After reaching New York, he went to Chicago, Illinois, on a passenger train. He then rode a freight and cattle train to St. Joseph, Nebraska. He took a steamer to Florence, Nebraska, where he joined with Captain Horn’s ox team company and walked all the way to Salt Lake City. The company arrived in Salt Lake Valley in September 1861. 

During the winter he worked for a carpenter for his board. From March to July, he worked for four dollars a month. The rest of the summer he made six dollars a month. He bought a hat, shirt and shoes for himself and four chairs for his mother who was to arrive soon. That left him without money or work to face the winter. 

When his parents and their six children arrived that fall, his father was very ill. His mother, who had been a school teacher, did washings for twenty-five cents a day so they could buy food. His father was a silver engraver by trade. They had belonged to the middle class in England. 

There was no work in the Salt Lake valley, so James left two days before Christmas to look for work. On Christmas day he arrived in Wellsville, Utah. During his travels, a big yellow dog followed him wherever he went. On the divide between Willard and Wellsville, he met two Indians on horseback. His faithful dog turned them out of the road and kept them until he was some distance past. 

He arrived in Wellsville safe but tired. He crawled into a hole in some straw and settled down for the night. A boy came to investigate and found him, took him in the house and gave him some supper and a bed. 

The next day he went on to Logan, Utah, where he found a job milking cows and feeding stock for his board. His shoes were worn out so he sold his dog to get them mended. 

The next spring he went back to the Salt Lake valley where he worked at Fort Douglas for a short time. He got a job going west driving an ox team. While in Ruby Valley, he became ill with Mountain Fever. He lay sick in the wagon for ten days. The other men left him with plenty of food and an Indian woman to care for him until they returned. He then went with the company to Washo Valley in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The company returned to Salt Lake City in August. 

On their return trip, the company camped on the Jordan River. James walked to town expecting to eat supper with his folks. All they had was about a quart of carrots for all of them, so he walked back to camp for his supper. His parents had a hard time getting started when they first came to Utah. Their faith never failed. It just grew stronger in the Gospel as their troubles increased. 

The next trip was to Coalville, Utah, for coal. The company had twenty wagons with six yoke of oxen to a wagon. One wagon boss thought he was too young to drive. The other boss hired him anyway. He proved his skill as a teamster by getting over the mountain without help, then he went back and helped the other wagons. At night he took his turn at night herding the cattle. 

On the next job he hired out to go to Montana. He was to get forty dollars in greenbacks or twenty-five in silver. When they got to Virginia City, Montana, they only paid him twenty-five dollars in greenbacks. Greenbacks were worth fifty cents on the dollar. Returning home they got as far as Sweet Water, Montana, where they got snowed in and had to stay until spring. 

One day as he went looking for the mules, he got lost in a snowstorm. He wandered around until he finally came to an Indian camp. They gave him supper consisting of boiled buffalo and bread made from some kind of weed seed. They also gave him breakfast the next morning and he finally found his way back to camp. 

They moved to the toll gates on Stinking Water Creek where they cut cedar posts, then hauled them to Virginia City to sell. James used the last of his money to buy himself a pair of moccasins. A while later some of the boys started to Salt Lake on foot. They were badly frozen and one of the boys, Jim Anderson, died. James’ mother heard of this and thought it was her son who had frozen to death. 

He and another boy went to a mining camp called Last Chance. They put up a five log shelter and camped there the rest of the winter. They worked getting out timber for their board. Their food consisted of oxen, which had crossed the plains the year before and bread made from moldy flour. James’ feet were so frost bitten that he sometimes left blood on the snow when he walked. He had to wrap them in anything he could find. All his clothes were worn out. He sold the ring his father had given him for a shirt and traded his hat for a pair of trousers. His boss froze his own feet about that time, so he took James to the store and bought him a pair of boots. He was sure glad to get them as he was only working for his board. 

About the last of March, James got a job herding cattle. With his first wages, he bought himself a pair of buckskin pants and a buckskin shirt. He considered himself pretty well dressed then. Later he was hired to go to Virginia City for supplies. To cross the river, they fastened the wagon boxes to the running gear, three wagons fastened together, with food and bedding tied on top. Four yoke of oxen were fastened together side by side to swim the current. They made it and finally reached Virginia City, where they loaded two wagons with oats, barley and one with flour.  

He made another trip to Virginia City with one wagon and five yoke of oxen (one hundred-twenty miles from Last Chance). This time he arrived at night and loaded up with 100 sacks of flour. He left before daylight and drove 25 miles that day. He overtook a man and his family going to Last Chance so they traveled together. He helped the man with his cattle so he was allowed to eat with his family. He thought the woman’s cooking sure tasted good. At Last Chance the merchant sold the flour, 50 pounds for $75 or 10 pounds for $18. James was paid in flour which he sold for $18 and one ounce of gold. 

James and a boy named Jim Wood camped out on the creek. They lived on beef (old or lame oxen) and willow buds. Sometimes they caught fish and once James stole some oats a man had to feed his horse which he cooked and ate. 

He hired out to a fellow to go to Fort Benton. He was given a dollar to get something to eat before they left. He bought a dried apple pie. He thought that was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. On the way to Fort Benton and on the way back, they had some close calls with the Indians. Ten men were killed as they sat around their campfire just a short distance away from the camp where James was. Later they found a Frenchman who was killed and his horses stolen. They were afraid to sleep in their wagons and did not dare make a fire. Fort Benton was about 50 miles below Great Falls. There was a wall built 18 feet high and two rods square around the Fort. 

That fall, James returned to Salt Lake City and found his folks had moved to Logan, Utah. When he got there, his mother and sister didn’t know him. He had left a boy and returned a man. His sister, Fannie, said, “Why it’s Jim, we thought you were dead.” He worked with his brother-in-law that winter getting poles out of Green Canyon. 

The next two years James spent freighting through Idaho and Montana. He was able to get himself some horses. By now his folks had moved to Malad, Idaho. He stayed with them and worked in the harvest that fall. One day as he was eating his lunch by the spring, he saw John J. Williams and his daughter, Elvira, eating their lunch on the other side of the stream. He didn’t meet her at that time. However, the next spring he began courting Elvira Ann Williams. He left to find work so he could get married. He hired out to B.F. White driving a team for $50 dollars a month. Three months later he came home with $150 in his pocket. He paid his tithing and had the rest to get married on. He borrowed a pair of mules and a wagon from Elvira’s father and drove to Salt Lake City and got married in the Endowment House on 13 December 1869. After this he received a very strong testimony and preordination and it never left him. He and his bride bought a stove, four chairs, some dishes, knives, and forks. When they got home he made a bed, a table, and a cupboard for his bride. 

In January 1870, James was appointed visiting teacher and also a teacher in the Sunday School. 

He worked for his father-in-law for two winters and worked in the summers around the valley doing farm work. In the year 1868, he had homesteaded 160 acres on Devil Creek. This was their home for over fifty years. 

In the winter of 1873, he and his wife went to Rosafork (Fort Hall) to work for his brother-in-law, R.M. Shilling, for $24 a month. The next spring he once again went to Montana to work where he made enough money to pay all of his debts and live through winter. Then for some time he worked on his farm and was very active in the church. 

He owned a ten-horse team on the road freighting, which Ephraim Williams was handling. He was not raising very much on his farm yet, so he depended on the freighting for money to live on. 

On 20 November 1879 a daughter was born. They named her Elvira Jane. She was the first and only child born to James and Elvira. 

In the year 1880, one Sunday morning, James received two letters. One was asking him to accept the position as counselor to Bishop George Stuart in the Malad Ward. The other letter was from Ephriam Williams saying that he would have to come and take over his freight wagon and team or sell them. It was a real trial when money was so scarce, to choose between religious duties and a chance to make good money. He made it a matter of prayer and finally accepted the position as counselor to the Bishop. He sent word to Ephraim Williams to sell his freight wagon and team. 

On 20 November 1880, he was set apart and ordained a High Priest and put in as counselor in the Bishopric. In April 1884, he was called to go on a mission to the Southern States. He made preparations to go and serve a two year mission, but during the Bishop’s meeting, they discussed the condition of the St. John Ward and Church President John Taylor, who was present at the meeting, spoke up and said, “Brother Harrison, we release you from your Southern States Mission and give you a mission to the St. John Ward.” 

On 27 August 1884, James Parry Harrison was set apart as Bishop of the St. John Ward by Marion Lymon and acted in that position until 1908, a period of twenty-four years. He lived on his farm which was much nearer to Malad but he was faithful to his St. John Ward. He traveled by team at that time through storms and extremely bad road conditions. There were very few times that he was not able to attend to the needs of his Ward and all meetings. 

Many of the church leaders from Salt Lake City that came to visit our Stake, would stay at the farm with the family. From my earliest recollections, the leaders of the Stake would come and stay with us for several days at a time while visiting other Wards. The door was always open to visitors and they were always made to feel welcome. James always tried to live up to his calling by charity and love for his fellow men. He also did much temple work during these years. He still served as Sunday School teacher and Ward visiting teacher. He held these positions as long as his health permitted. 

James was married to Emma Dredge on 26 November 1884 in the Logan Temple, Logan, Utah. In the spring he went on the “Underground” as it was called, or had to hide most of the time, because of his plural marriage. Plural marriages were bitterly resented by people out of the Church at this time. 

In January 1886, he left on a mission to the Southern States, spending most of his time in Virginia. He was honorably discharged from his mission on account of his health in November 1886. He left weighing 178 pounds and came back weighing only 118 pounds. He had been very ill. 

Eight children had been born to James Parry and Emma Dredge Harrison: (1) James Exile b. 30 October 1885, d. 23 August 1905; (2) Angelina b. 20 December 1888, d. 26 December 1890; (3) Nora b. 20 June 1891, d. 3 January 1977; (4) Zeniff Dredge b. 31 January 1894, d. 30 December 1981; (5) Jesse Dredge, b. 20 September 1897, d. 3 July 1939; (6) Ellen Lucille, b. 15 March 1900, d. 1 October 1942; (7) Emma Priscilla, b. 14 March 1902, d. 19 April 1976: (8) Parry Dredge, b. 13 March 1908, d. 23 May 1955. 

In June 1888, James was tried in courts for unlawful co-habitation. The judge ruled that if he would give up his second wife, his sentence would be suspended. He refused to do so and was sentenced to six months in jail. After he served his sentence, he returned home to his beloved wives and children. 

He worked on his farm and was active in church duties. In March 1908, James was released as Bishop of the St. John Ward. In August he was appointed President over the High Priest Quorum by Apostle Clawson. He worked in the temple every year and helped organize the surname organization of the Harrison family. 

On 22 January 1928, the day he turned 82 years old, he was released as President of the High Priest Quorum on account of ill health. 

He and his first wife, Elvira, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 13 December 1919 at the home of his daughter, Elvira Deschamps in St. John, Idaho. All but one of his children and grandchildren were present to help celebrate and enjoy the party given in his honor. This touched him deeply and he did appreciate it. It made him feel as though he had won the love and respect of his family and friends. 

On 26 November 1934, he and his second wife, Emma, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. 

In his declining years he could not work in public, but he bore his testimony time and time again to his family and friends as to the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He always told us to do whatever was asked of us in our great church and to do it to the best of our ability and the Lord would surely give us the strength to do it. 

My beloved father, James Parry Harrison, passed away at his home in Malad on 28 January 1937, at the age of 91. He was survived at the time of his death by both of his wives, Elvira Ann Williams Harrison and Emma Dredge Harrison; seven children: Elvira Jane Harrison Deschamps, Nora Harrison Williams, Zeniff Dredge Harrison, Jesse Dredge Harrison, Ellen Lucille Harrison, Montgomery, Enna Priscilla Harrison Facer, and Parry Dredge Harrison. 39 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren also survived him at the time of his death. 

My full desire here on this earth is to live a life so that when I meet him again someday, as I know I will, that he will say to me, “Come dear daughter, you have earned a Father’s blessing.”