Just a quick recapā¦My full name is Jesse Perse Harmon. I was born on August 11, 1795, in the Vermont Republic. From age 6 to 16 I was raised by a John Gibbs in Lewis, New York. In December of 1810 my mother died. Then in June of 1812 I traveled back to my fathers in Castleton Vt. Just after my birthday, and of course with fatherās permission, my older brother Martin and I joined the the 22nd regiment, Maryland Militiaā¦I was 17 and he 19. We were in numerous conflicts including the fiasco of a Battle at Lacolle Mill, where my brother was mortally wounded before we retreated back to Plattsburgh. There was also the infamous Siege of Fort Erieā¦Now other than those two in particular where was I in my story?ā¦Oh yes, i was just telling you about one of my most impactful and traumatic moments of my lifeā¦.Well, while serving in the Militia and traipsing across the countryside we had occupied a log cabin, and we were finally taking a needed rest between skirmishes.ā¦
(American soldier) are you ready for some stew Corporal Harmon?
(Harmon) Oh yes thank you.
(Soldier) itās good to have a stable shelter out of the weather. Not sure who built this log cabin, but it suits us quite nicely. I wonder if we could just stay here?
(Soldier) I dont think the General would like that?
(Soldier 1) I guess not.
(Soldier 2) You know we would be snuffed out like fish in a barrel ifān the redcoats ever discovered us in here.
(Soldier 1) You worry too much private. No one is gonna know its us in here.
(Eating noises, drinking, Scraping plate, aaaaaaw)
(Corporal Harmon) Private, hows the outhouse?
(Soldier 2) Its drafty but functional.
(Corporal Harmon) thatāll doā¦Iāll be back
(Soldier 2) careful, the second hole pinches (whispering under breath) I aint gonna be the one putting sticky gum salve on your south side Corporal, no matter how much you outrank me.
(Door closing, whistling, walking through grass, horses eating, creaky outhouse door opens, closes)
(Corporal Harmon) Oh mother of pearl, this shanty needs MORE ventilation ifān you ask me. Gag a maggot. Now which hole is the pinchy one?
(Corporal Harmon) No wonder these boys is asking for more cheese in their rationsā¦anything to slow the flow and reduce the visits to this sliver infested gas chamber.
(Horse Chuckles) Oh button it flash. Anyone who needs only to lift his tail while in stride shouldnāt have much of a say on such matters. Dag blasted you King George III, i think i got some old timber growth slivers in my nether regions.
(Corporal Harmon) You hear that? Heyā¦quiet!
Them godforsaken Brits had indeed shot us like fish in a barrel. At least one cannonball had come directly into the room where we were eating and exploded with such a violent force that the bodies of the men were dismemberedā¦arms, legs, and HEADS went flying around the room. I was afraid I might die, then I thought I was dead, then I was worried I wouldnāt die. My ears were ringing, My head was spinning, my heart was racing, I was in shock at being yet alive. Why was i yet alive? Why me God?
In the early spring of 1815 we crossed the Niagara River and marched to Locknetts harbor by way of Black rock, where I remained till the 20 May 1815, when I was discharged from the army at the ripe old age of 19.
On the 24th I started for Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York and remained there about one year.
From there I kinda bounded around as a single man wouldā¦first to Georgetown, Casanova county, New York, then to Walcott, Seneca County, New York, then on to Springfield, Erie County, Pennsylvaniaā¦
ā¦Now Springerfield is a place where the trajectory of my life would change foreverā¦
(Jesse) Howdy maāam.
(Anna) Hello
Do I have scarlet fever, or is it you who is making me so delirious?
(Jesse speaks quietly to himself) Well hog tie that one one and make her a forever Mrsā¦I believe I am in love with Pennsylvania.
(Jesse) Now what was it I came in here forā¦oh yes
(Jesse) can I get a pound of beans & some salt pork?
(Jesse) oh, she dropped her gloveā¦
(Store Clerk Old Man) well you know what that means young manā¦
(Jesse) sheās gonna have cold hands?
(Store clerk) no
(Jesse) its not safe for her to carry the eggs to the house?
(Store Clerk) no sir, it means she is inviting you to introduce yourself to her.
(Jesse) Really? Welllllllā¦..if that aint the least subtle coquetry I have ever known.
(Store Clerk Old Man) Well dont be keeping her waiting son, get on outta here before I chase her down myself.
(Jesse) oh yesā¦yes sirā¦thank youā¦good day
(Walking quickly down the boardwalk)
(Jesse) Excuse me, Pardon me miss, oh howdya do ladies, you dropped your glove miss, did you mean to?
(Anna) I didā¦thank you kind sir.
(Jesse) Names Jesse Harmon, how do you do?
(Anna) I am good Jesseā¦.My name is Annaā¦Anna Barnesā¦
(Jesse) I am new into town here maāam and wellā¦May I call on you Ms Anna?
(Anna) Yes, please do. My folks live just down the lane there.
(Jesse) Thank you Anna, Good afternoon to you
(Anna) Bye
I became acquainted with Anna Barnes, daughter of Abijah Barnes and Abi Bradford.
On the 29 April 1819 I was married to Ms Anna. On December following, we removed a few miles south to Conneaut Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Just a year and a month after we were married in May of 1820 our first baby was born. A boy we named Appleton Milo Harmon.
In April of 1824 a beautiful little girl we named Sophronia Melinda Harmon was born into our family.
In 1827 our second boy was born, Amos Washington Harmon.
As an early 13 year anniversary present, a third baby boy was born on the 5th of April 1832. We named him Ansil Perse Harmon.
In Conneaut Twp Erie Col PA, where all their children were born, they also would embrace a new religion that would change their lives. One of the strangers stopping at their home, was Orson Hyde, an apostle of the new Mormon religion formed in 1830 by Joseph Smith.
(Jesse) thats some good work son. You are becoming quite the professional dairyman mr Appleton Milo
(Appleton) thank you father
(Jesse) Looks like we got company Appletonā¦
(Hyde) Hello there
(Jesse) Good afternoon sir. What can we do ya for?
(Hyde) could I bother you for a cooling draught ?
(Jesse) Well noā¦I mean It wouldnāt be a botherā¦and we can do a mite bit more than that. Please come over to the house and sit under the porchā¦sit there in the shade and let me draw from the barrel for you sir.
(Hyde) Much obliged, you have saved my parched soul.
(Jesse) what might you be doing in these parts of Pennsylvania?
(Hyde) Sharing the Living Water
(Jesse) Oh? Did your vessel spring a leak afore you arrived here, or have you just drunk all your own product?
(Hyde) (chuckles), well the thirsts it quenches is a tad more figurative than your kindness gesture my good man. I bring the good news of Jesus Christ. You know His Church has been restored to the earth?
(Jesse) has it now?
(Hyde) well yeahā¦i wouldnt have walked all this way to tell you ifān it wasnt.
(Jesse) You better have a more convincing angle than Preacher Jonesā¦he says I am gonna burn in hell ifān i donāt see it his way.
(Hyde) wellā¦I know God has called a Prophetā¦Just like he always hasā¦angels have visited the earth, new scripture has come forthā¦and Zion is being gathered for the second coming.
(Jesse) Well Mrā¦?
(Hyde) Hydeā¦Orson Hyde
(Jesse) well Mr Hyde, I am Jesse Harmonā¦religion is quite a competitive endeavor these days. Seems like the whole world is looking for salvation, and there is plenty of preachers willing to offer it to you, ifān you sign their attendance rolls, put some money in their offering plate, and agree with the ways they read things. They got good folks racing to and from this church and that church.
(Jesse) How is that going for ya?
(Hyde) whats that?
(Jesse) the living water business? Youād think by 1833 we would have congealed into a more united front around this Jesus and his living water.
(Hyde) Honestly Mr Harmon, there are moments when heaven just opens up and angels seem to sing praises to the message I share.
(Jesse) Oh really? Well what about the other moments?
(Hyde) Oh I might as well be bottling the water Mr Harmon.
(Erupts in laughter)
(Jesse) well that would be quite the day Mr Hydeā¦Bottled water (said sarcastically) I am sure that kind of (off oneās chump) lunacy will immediately precede the end of the world. Bottled water (both laugh. Door opens)
(Anna) Dinnerās ready.
(Jesse) Certainly Mr Hyde you will stay for supper
(Hyde) I would be honoredā¦and most grateful.
(Footsteps on wood porch, door opening, kid and dinner noises)
(Jesse) Darlinā¦we have a visitor for dinner. Mr. Hyde, this is my wife and the wonderful mother of our childrenā¦Mrs. Anna Harmon. Mr Hyde is selling water AND front row seats to the end of the world. (Both chuckles)
(Hyde) Howdy Maāam
Mr Hyde became a regular at our home, and that of my brotherās, Alpheus & his young bride Huldah Vaughn. They lived just a short distance away in this region of Pennsylvania known as Elk Creek.
My wife Anna Barnes, who is deeply spiritual, was drawn to Mr. Hydes message and became moved in a most transforming way. Anna is the most amazing woman I have ever knownā¦well of course, thats why I married her. She is kind and loving, and the most wonderful mother a child could ever wish for.
(Jesse) How is little Ansil doing tonight? I cant believe heās already one year old. Where does the time go? That boy will soon be running around the house.
Iām curious whatās on your mind tonight Mrs. Harmon. But dont tell me, let me guess. Itās not any secret that you have been sincerely moved by the message that Orson Hyde has brought into our home. I know you want to be baptized into the church he preaches to us aboutā¦Well Anna, while I myself am not yet ready to make that commitmentā¦I fully support your desire. You are an amazing woman Anna. You are a kind and loving wife and a wonderful mother. You are very sweet and gentle and strongly spiritual. I love you, and I am so honored to watch how your soul evolves with the promptings of heaven. I just, well I just hope you donāt outgrow me Mrs Harmonā¦
(Anna) I will always be with you, always.
(Hyde) Anna Barnes Harmon, having been commissioned of Jesus Christā¦.
(Jesse narration) On the 29th of May, 1833 my sweet wife Anna received baptism by Orson Hyde.
(Hyde)ā¦in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
There were many in our North Western corner of Pennsylvania who gravitated to the message and joined themselves with the cause.
In them days we worked the land, raised our families and continued to serve and protect our country.
In August 1828 I was elected second lieutenant of the Lexington Light Infantry attached to the first battalion of Erie county volunteers of Pennsylvaniaā¦on the seventh day of April 1832 I was elected first lieutenant. Then On the second day of March 1834 I was elected captainā¦and there I served until April of 1837.
At that same time of year in 1837 a financial crisis rolled across the countryside. Some said it was speculative lending practices, the decline in cotton prices, and a collapsing land bubble, Others attributed international specie flows, and restrictive lending policies in Britain. Whether of domestic or foreign origins, or bothā¦the Panic of 1837 took its toll on westward expansion, unemployment, and abounding pessimism.
In the following months we removed 20 miles northwest to Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio. A short time later in early 1838 we moved from thence 51 miles east along the shores of Lake Erie to the predominantly religious community of Kirtland, Ohio.
In 1837, The year previous to our arrival, numerous banks and institutions including the Kirtland Safety Society, a financial institution established by religious leaders including a Joseph Smith, had collapsed. The Kirtland Institutions demise was as a result of some individual acts of targeted vengeance towards this Joseph and his religion, internal embezzlement and certainly exacerbated by the national financial crisis caused by the Panic of 1837.
Rounds: Grandison, where are you?
Newell: Right here Sam.
Rounds: (surprised) Well stop my heart Grandison, could you possibly be any more creepyā¦why are we meeting in a barn in the middle of the night?
Newell: (whispering) secrecy Sam. Secrecy.
Rounds: (talking loudly) Secrecy about what?
Newell: Shhhhhh.
(Grandison Newell KL6G-Q7C) Anything we can do to rid this region of that damned Joe Smith and his wretched followers must be done. Hard Money backed by gold is the only way this country can remain on stable ground. Joe and his followers are pushing soft money with his institutionā¦they are gonna sink us economically. If the state isnt going to enforce its own statutes then we will do it for them. Itās our civic duty to bring him and his (said sarcastically) āsafety societyā down in whatever way possible. I have worked too hard on this farm to have it all crushed by an irresponsible economic collapse.
(Samuel Rounds L6CF-GKX) Well Mr Grandison Newell, I thought you were related to Joe Smith being married to Elizabeth Smith (K19N-SPZ) and all?
(Newell) RELATED! If you call 9th cousins twice removed related, then John & Elizabeth Garneys are the grandparents I never wanted. Why I me self am 6th cousins once removed to that ol dog Joe Smith. Iām sure that James & Jane Olmsted wouldāve been a bit more careful in propagating ifān they knew a scoundrel like Joe wouldāve come out of the litter. We aint related anymore than you and I are friends. I mean we is professional acquaintances but I dont like you one bit.
(Samuel Rounds) Well that was cordialā¦and direct. What IS your plan Grandison?
(Newell) Well Mr Samual Roundsā¦.I have a substantial amount of stock in the Kirtland Safety Society.
(Samual) But I thought you was against this whole thingā¦
(Newell) I am, I amā¦with this whole financial crisis thing going on its left Mr Smith in a precarious spot. Their little maneuver of buying the Bank of Monroe in Michigan to legitimize his operation hasnāt done anything to help his precarious position. And you know what old Beelzebub his self would say, āNever Let a Crisis Go to Wasteā. I know they do NOT have the funds to honor the withdrawal of my accounts.
(Samuel) How could you possibly know that Grandy?
(Newell) I have my inside sources Sam.
(Coins dropping on table)
(Samuel) what this for?
(Newell) Lets just say its to encourage you to cooperate and do my bidding with the courts.
(Samuel) Mhmā¦I smell what youāre stepping in. Feeling quite cooperative right now. But I do expect my portion of the fines imposed upon Joe and his cohorts.
(Newell) I know, I KNOW. Tomorrow I am gonna attempt to withdraw all my funds, and make it as public as possible ifān when they refuse me.
(Sam) well Iāll be buggeredā¦you are gonna be the most infamous man in the region Grandy.
(Newell) Dont call me Grandy, only my Mrsā can call me thatā¦and my grandkids
(Sam) moaningā¦yes sir
The struggles faced by the Kirtland Safety Society, can be attributed to multiple factors. Internally, there were shortcomings within the community, including overspending and inadequate leadership. Externally, opposition and prejudice against this new Mormon religion played a significant role in undermining the society. (Grandison Newell, and his straw man Samuel Rounds for example, for their own personalized reasons, went to great lengths to undermine the Kirtland Safety Society.) Additionally, the society's establishment coincided with the broader economic crisis of the Panic of 1837, which led to plummeting land values and crop prices. The legal and political context surrounding banking and currency regulation also posed challenges, as the society's issuance of banknotes clashed with existing laws. These factors combined to contribute to the society's struggles and eventual failure.
(Joseph) Sidney, how soon can you be ready?
(Sidney) Ready for what Joseph?
(Joseph) Our 5 years of āsafety and refugeā have expired. We need to get out of town Sidney. I got word that the mobs are gonna string us up, if they donāt shoot us first.
(Sidney) If we are leaving tonight, I am gonna need to pack more than a sandwich and a canteen of water. When do you want to leave?
(Joseph) Itās 8:15, and after dark. I will get my supplies and be back at 10pm. Bring your big bay and cinch up her pack saddle. We just need a couple days provisions. I will have made arrangements for our families to join us a few miles down the road.
As a result of the economic hardships that followed, some investors, including members of the communities predominant church, questioned the leadership of Joseph Smith Jr. His life became increasingly endangered by the dissenters.
After repeated severe death threats and concern for mob applied justice, Joseph & Sidney Rigdon fled Kirtland for Far West Missouri on horseback in the cloak of darkness on January 12, 1838. Not to evade debt, but rather to escape death.
My family remained in Kirtland for several months later, until near the close of 1838.
Out of 850 banks in the United States, 62 failed partially, 343 closed entirely including The Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Bank. The system of state banks throughout the nation received a shock from which it never fully recovered. In a show of honesty and good faith, Oliver Granger was assigned to stay behind and settle the debts. He died in Kirtland in August of 1841. No single person lost more from Kirtlandās collapse than Joseph Smith himself.
Well, over the river and through the woods, for me this has been another epic peek into the life of Jesse Perse Harmon. Dont forget to stay tuned for Part 3 of this fascinating story interwoven around some of historyās most memorable momentsā¦Coming up in Jesseās story we have the exodus from Kirtland, settling in an Illinois swamp, the assassination of a presidential candidate, mob violence, and Jesseās expulsion from the United States of America. You wont wanna miss itā¦
When we look over someone elseās life, we are amazed, we are awed, we are emotionally bedazzled at the ordeals they survived and even thrived through. My life was normalā¦for me. As your crazy adventures in life will be for you. Part of your ability to be emotionally bedazzled by the life of another is the capacity to FEEL them as they might have experienced their circumstances. I want my life to be learned from and appreciated for whatever value you can extract of it. Please donāt let the lives of your ancestors be only a name on a family tree or a blip on the screen that fades with each generational reset. I tell you whatā¦there is a profound superpower to be had in making the āDia de los Muertosā an everyday occasion. Read your ancestor stories, share them with your children. Remember me. Feel me. Learn from me.
