Emily Caroline Harris

EMILY CAROLINE HARRIS, dau . of McGee Harris and Mary Givens , was

b. 14 Feb. 1844, Marion, Williamson, Illinois; d. 3 Apr. 1918, Plea-

sant Grove, Utah, Utah; bur. 5 Apr. 1918, Pleasant Grove cemetery,

Utah, Utah; md. 9 Nov. 1861, ALEXANDER HILL BULLOCK, in the Salt Lake

Endlowment House, Salt Lake, Utah.

Emily was the youngest child in her family. Her parents owned a

1280 acre plantation at Marion, Williamson, Illinois, and had a number

of negros to help cultivate the land. Shortly after Emily's birth her

parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Fol-

lowing their conversion they proceeded to sell and give away their

land in order to join the Saints at Nauvoo , Illinois. When Emily was

two years old the family moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her father was

counseled not to go to Nauvoo, Illinois, because of persecutions of

the Saints, so they left Illinois in the Spring of 1846, and arrived

at Council Bluffs in September. They crossed the Missouri River to

Winter Quarters, where they stayed until the Spring of 1847. They went

with about fifty families up the river, built a fort, and raised a

crop to help the emigrants the next Spring.

Late in May 1848 Emily Caroline's family left Winter Quarters for

the trek westward. They were members of the Heber C. Kimball company.

They travelled by oxen, and arrived at Salt Lake Valley on 20 Sept.

1848. Emily endured many hardships on the journey. They only had small

rations of food, and she walked much of the way. Occasionally, one of

the drivers would feel sorry for those who had to walk and give them

a ride on the wagon.

Emily Caroline was only four years old when the trip was made

across the plains, yet she could remember many of the interesting in-

cidents which took place. On one occasion she remembered seeing a large

herd of buffalo coming directly toward the wagon train. The people

were frightened, but the herd passed without doing any harm. One

man killed a small calf of the herd, which Emily thought was beau-

tiful. One time she fell from the wagon, but was saved from going

under the wheels by her dress catching on the brake handle. On an-

other occasion she was lifted to a wagon to ride. She was placed in

a barrel since there was no other place to sit. When the lid was

taken off several hours later, she was very glad to get out and

wa Ik o

When Emily's family arrived at Salt Lake City, Utah, they set-

tled on Third South and Main Street. Their first home was a wagon

box, which was later replaced by a one room log cabin. Two years later

the family was called to go to Farmington, and while there many hard-

ships were endured. The Indians were hostile and caused considerable

trouble. Water was scarce, food supplies were low, and the grasshoppers

were thick. It was necessary for Emily, now age six, to help her bro-

thers keep the grasshoppers out of the grain field. Many time their

meals consisted of only one small cup of porridge. The Harris children

were often so hungry that they would take the porridge in their tin

cups to the irrigation ditch to cool it faster. Eli was growing rapidly

and said he never had enough to eat. But William would say, "Well, I

did not have enough, but I can manage, I guess". It was a treat for

the family when they gathered sego bulbs in the Springtime, and a gravy

was made and poured over them. When the family was able to get corn

meal or flour it was a great treat. If a crust of bread was left it

was toasted and put in a sack to be used later. Snakes were numerous,

and some nights Emily had to help her mother take them out of their

beds before the could retire.

In 1853 Emily's father was called by Brigham Young, with about

twenty other families, to help settle Fort Herriman in the southwestern

part of Salt Lake Valley. In 1855 her father was called to serve as

Branch President of this small community. He served in this capacity

until the Spring of 1858, when the community was abandoned temporar-

ily because of the approach of Johnston's army to Utah.

In 1854 when Emily was ten years of age, she went to live with

her sister, Martha, wife of Daniel H. Wells. She helped care for the

Wells children and helped with the household duties. The children

became as attached to Emily as they did to their own mother. She re-

mained with the Wells family until she was married on 9 Nov. 1861.

She met and courted her husband while living with the Wells family.

After their marriage they lived with Rachael Grant, the mother of

President Heber J. Grant. The friendship between them was never

broken.

In Mar. 1870 Emily and her husband moved to Pleasant Grove to

live. They settled in the two front rooms of the Bullock home as it

now stands. The back and east part of the house were added later.

On their way from Salt Lake City her husband gave her some idea of

their new quarters. He told her to imagine the dirtiest house she

had ever seen, then add much dirt to that, and she could perhaps get

a conception of how the house looked. The food cellar had been used

as a pig and calf pen by the former residents, and a scraper had to be

used to clean it out. Bed bugs were common in the house , but before many

days they had things clean and sanitary.

Emily was very prominent in Church and civic work, and was known

for her works of charity and service to others. For nearly a half a

century she was prominently identified with the Relief Socity. In Salt

Lake City she was a member and a teacher, and continued to serve in

Pleasant Grove. In 1871 she took charge of the sewing and donated many

of the quilt blocks used. In 1879 she was chosen as a Counselor in the

Relief Socity to Elizabeth Brown. She served in this capacity for thir-

teen years. Elizabeth Brown said in her dairy, "I always could depend

on Emily Bullock. Never was she asked to do anything that she refused.

Always was she at her post during the most menial labor if called upon."

Later Emily was chosen as a Counselor in the Relief Socity to Sarah

Foutz, and served in that capacity until the organization of the Alpine

Stake. At this time she was called to be a member of the Alpine Stake

Relief Socity Board, which position she held until her death.

In 1875 Eliza R. Snow visited the Relief Socity in Pleasant Grove

in interest of the anti-polygamy bill. Emily served on the committee

to draw up the resolutions for the bill. This was later sent to Mrs.

Hayes, wife of the President of the United States.

Emily was called and set apart to tend the sick, and to lend a

helping hand in laying out the dead. She often went many miles to per-

form her labors. At times the snow was knee-deep and the temperature

below zero. Never once did she shirk her duty. Many a child's life was

saved by her efficiency and willingness to serve. Many mothers came to

her with gratitude and appreciation for her deeds and unselfish service

rendered during sicknesses.

On 4 Sept. 1879 she was one of the three chosen to establish the

silk industry in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Though she shuddered at the

sight of a worm, she made up her mind to do her duty. The venture did

not prove to be successful.

Emily was a Sunday School teacher for fifteen years. She was a

member of the Old Folks Committee in Pleasant Grbve , and served for

many years after she was a legal member of this group. She had charge

of most of the food preparation. She was noted for being a wonderful

cook. There was scarcely a weeding supper in Pleasant Grove that she

was not called on to help. She made dozens of wedding cakes for people

in Pleasant Grove, American Fork, and Salt Lake City. Emily was host-

ess to many of the General Authorities of the Church, as well as civic

and State leaders, who all loved to come to the country and enjoy some

of "Aunt Em's" delicious cooking. It was always a real pleasure at

Thanksgiving for all her children and grandchildren to go to the

Bullock home for dinner.

Emily Caroline Harris Bullock was a wonderful house keeper. She

showed her cleanliness in everything she did. President Heber J. Grant

attended an Alpine Stake Conference on one occasion. In his remarks he

spoke on cleanliness. He said, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."

Then he stated, "Sister Emily Caroline Bullock of this Stake has

recently been called home to her God. If any woman met that require-

ment it was Emily Bullock."

Emily was also an excellent seamstress. She did beautiful hand

work of every kind. She made perfect button holes in dresses and

skirts, and did excellent hemming. She did this type of work for

people in Pleasant Grove, American Fork, and Salt Lake City. When

her husband was called on a mission when he was nearly fifty years

of age, she did not murmur. She put her trust in the Lord, and knew

that all would be well. She was able to make a livelihood through

her cooking and sewing.

Emily was like a mother to the afflicted son of Heber M. Wells,

first Governor of the State of Utah. She nursed and took care of him

as her own child for many years. Emily Wells Grant, wife of President

Heber J. Grant, lived at her home for many months. President Grant

was very much attached to her, and always "Aunt Em" to him. At her

death President Grant said of her, "Your mother had as perfect faith

on the immortality of man as any one of my many near and dear friends,

and she has earned and will receive an exaltation in the presence of

our Father. She lived a life of true nobility and her religion was

her all."

She had the gift of friendliness, of easiness, and of liking

people. When she went to town she would stop and talk to those she

knew, and greet those she did not know with a handshake and say,

"We are all so glad to have you come to Pleasant Grove." She had the

gift of thoughtfulness which every one appreciated. It may have been

only a little inexpensive candy, a few cookies, a pat of butter, that

she often took when she called on people, but that thoughtfulness

endeared her to many. She had the gift of respect. Every person had

some characteristic in them that Emily could respect. She knew there

was good in everyone if one would just look for it , and if we looked

hard enough we saw it and the bad disappeared. Her rule of life was

to speak well of a person or to observe silence.

The following sketch of Emily Caroline Harris was written by

Mrs. Martha Deseret Grant Boyle, daughter of President Heber J.

Grant. This sketch was submitted to me by Mrs. Boyle, and in appre-

ciation of the fine association I have had with her, I would like

to include this as part of the sketch of Emily Caroline Harris.

"As far back as my memory goes I remember Aunt Em Bullock. She

was the youngest sister of my grandmother, Martha Harris Wells, and

was twelve years younger. She was as much a part of our family as our

uncles and aunts. We adored her. Before I was old enough to remember,

my mother, my sister Grace, and I lived with her in Pleasant Grove

for many months. I do remember spending many summers with her.

"There never was a more hospitable person than Aunt Em. She

was an immaculate housekeeper and an elegant cook. Nothing w a s too

much trouble for her. I marvel at the way she used to cook huge meals.

A typical breakfast would consist of: hot cereal, ham and eggs, fried

potatoes, muffins, rolls or hot cakes. She cooked on a low, half-

broken-down wood-burning stove. On top of that, she had to haul all

the water she used from a creek a rod or so away from her kitchen,

going up and down steps to reach it. All of the food was kept in a

cellar outside the house, down a steep incline. She took it all for

granted, and I am afraid we did tool She let us help her pick straw-

berries, pull vegetables, milk cows, feed chickens and do all the

things that delight city children. We really looked forward to summer

visits to Aunt Em.

"There was never a joyful celebration, an illness or a death at

the homes of any of grandma's children that didn't include Aunt Em.

Never shall we forget what a strength and comfort she was to us when

our grandma Wells and our mother died, in the same house, two weeks

apart !

"She nursed my mother with four of her five children. My first

consciousness of what a remarkable, outstanding woman she was, was

when I was ten years old and she came to nurse my mother when her

fourth child was born. Mother was named Emily, after Aunt Em, and the

new baby was named Emily for both of them. Mother was dangerously

ill when little Emily was born. For a few hours her life hung in the

balance. Father, Grandma, Aunt Edna and mother all felt sure that had

it not been for Aunt Em's good judgment and excellent care, she would

have died. She was the best nurse in the world! It seemed to be a

gift from on High for her to love to take care of the sick. She often

remarked that had there been nursing courses and hospitals in her day,

she would have become a trained nurse. She was patient, gentle, sym-

pathetic, loving and most efficient. She seemed endowed with a special

blessing to have the power to know exactly what to do to make people

comfortable, keep up their morale and get them well.

"Aunt Em came to our house at least twice a year to help make

our clothes, and stayed two weeks or longer. Ready-made clothes were

seldom bought for children in that day. The dresses, coats, and under-

wear that she and Grandma made were just as stylish and much better

made than the expensive ready-made ones. She was not only a fine dress-

maker, but also did exquisite handiwork. Her beautifully embroidered

Temple aprons, her perfect hemstitching and featherstitching , and her

faultless buttonholes were famous.

"Aunt Em had seven children. One of them, Florence Bullock Mad-

sen, is still living. Six grew to adulthood. She was a devoted, in-

dulgent mother, who loved and took great joy in her family. She would

do anyting or make any sacrifce for their welfare. After the death of

her oldest daughter, Ellen, she helped in every possible way to mother

her large family. She was a real mother many years to Heber Daniel

Wells, the motherless son of Heber M. Wells. The years with her were

the happiest years of his adult life. Taking care of him was a diffi-

cult task.

"No one ever heard Aunt Em complain about anything. Her motto

in life was "Let's be thankful for our many blessings £xnd not think

of our trials." And she had plenty of trails — from the time she

walked most of the way across the plains at age four, until she died

at seventy-four. Her reward in this life was the love and satisfac-

tion she got from her noble children and grandchildren and her count-

less friends. She was always imposed upon because of her willingness,

her efficiency and her charming personality.

"She helped support herself and her children and made many sac-

rifices, financially, and otherwise, for their welfare, especially

their education. One of the things that always amazed me most was how

Aunt Em became so well educated herself. I never heard of her going

to school. By and large she spoke correct English; she wrote a legible

hand, she misspelled few words; she was an excellent reader, she kept

up with current events and had a fund of interesting information. We

loved to talk to her and have her read stories to us.

"Aunt Em as tall and stately and held herself erect. She had extra-

blue, friendly eyes, fine, soft, curly brown hair, which never went

gray. She had pretty hands, feet and ankles. She had a cheerful coun-

tenacne , an infectious laugh, and a good sense of humor. She was not a gossip, she could see good in everyone and everything. She radiated

refinement, culture and happiness. People loved her and enjoyed being

with her. She was at home in the richest household or thepoorest shack.

"Her greatest characteristics were her strong testimony, her abid-

ing faith and her love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She was one who

literally loved the Lord her God, with all her heart, might, mind and

strength and her neighbor as herself. Her name will live forever, not

only through her posterity, of whom she would be exceedingly proud, but

because she was an angel of mercy to so many relatives and friends."