The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-08-17
"A OF
HARRISON SEVERE

$ (From The Grantsville Observer)
q (Reprinted from The Grantsvill,
a (Utah) O~bserver)
: Harrison Severe, the subject O.
this sketch, was born in Milford
? Township, Knox county. Ohio, Aug.
> ust II, 1920, the son of James Sc.
we're and Polly Harris.
He left the paternal roof when a
young lad of fourteen or fifteen
, years of age and went to Missouri
to make his home with an uncle.
He was living on Shoal Creek,
Missouri, in 1888 and was asked by
the mob to join them in the attack
upon the Mormon people at Haun's
Mill. He refused but after the mas
sacre he assisted in burying the vic
Tins. On December 81, 1889 he
was married to Dorcas Mcbride, born
August Is, 1922 whose father, Tho
mas Mcbride, was killed in the mas
sacre at Haun's Mill, October 80.
1898. Her mother was Catherine
Johns. He moved to Nauvoo with
the Saints and three children were
born there. He was personally ac-
quainted with the Prophet Joseph
Smith and was a member of the
Nauvoo Legion. He was also n
member of the body guard of Bri-
CHAM Young.
He helped to saw the logs that
were used in the building of the
Nauvoo Temple. He was baptized a
member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter day Saints by Elder
Tarton Lewis and ordained an Elder
September LIST, 1870, and later a
member of the 10th Quorum of Sew
entities. Before crossing the plains
to Utah, he returned to Ohio and
visited his relatives. He arrived in
Salt Lake City October 1850 and
with his brother-in-law, James Nc
Bride and their families came to
Grantsville and located on North
Willow Creek and built a house at a
spring below Bishop Jeffffries home.
They were the first white families
to settle in what is now GrantsviIe
City.
The Indians were very trouble
some resenting the intrusion of the
whites and the two families moved
to Pine Canyon for the winter, there
being a few families located at that
place. They returned in the spring
of 1851 and continued to make their
homes here. Mr.. Severe settling on
the piece of land in Cooleys land
now OWNED by Paul WrathalI. The
early settlers of Grantsville we're
troubled by the Indians, but Harri-
son Severe was a man of peace and
following the advice and counsel of
Brigham Young he sought to be
friendly with them and was always
ready to feed them rather than fight
them. Notwithstanding his peacabIe
nature, when it was necessary he
was always ready to take the field
in getting back the settlers stock
the Indians had stolen, and in
arresting the thieves. He was cap
by the Indians at one time and ,
condemned to die but through the .
efforts of an Indian whom he had :
his life was saved. +.
On June 3rd, 1856, he married a
Orr born August %, 1S40 c
u K~illburnie, Scotland. He was !
agent at Deep Creek (Iba- l
'ah) in 1S60-1S61 during the time
the Pony Express was in OPERA q
N his wife Elizabeth was the ~
Irst white woman to live on Deep Il
Q
He eventually sold out to Major .
,gan who kept a station there for
Overhead Mail. He assisted in 4
out the Overland Stage r
quite.
On n of his trips through the r
he met Horace Greeley 7,
n his way to California. He was
'mmissioned Captain Company y, {
Battalion Infantry Nauvoo Legi-
(Tooele Military District) May
1868. He spent a short time in
astle valley in 1878. During the s
of 1928 he lived in Oak -
Idaho where some of his sons
daughters had moved, being
oneers of that place.
He was the father of more than :
xteen children, severa | having
away in infancy His
ildren by his wife Dorcas were, {
man, Ann Jane Whittle, Arminta
amer, Hyrum (irst white child
IN in Grantsville) Deseret Cum