At this point all LDS and non-LDS sources agree that the loss of the 116 pages begins with Lucy Harris. What we know about her life and character, for the most part, is from the writings of Lucy Mack Smith who obviously did not care for the woman. I have combed through Mother Smith’s writings and that of others. At this point, the following is what we know of Lucy Harris.
Marriage to Martin Harris
At age twenty-five, Martin Harris turned his romantic notions to his sixteen-year-old first cousin, Lucy Harris, daughter of Martin’s Uncle Rufus and Aunt Lucy Harris. One biographer suggests that Lucy was “a vivacious, attractive young woman though nine years his junior.” On March 27, 1808, they were married in Palmyra.
Following the marriage ceremony, Martin and Lucy made their home in Palmyra, a town that boasted of nearly 2,600 residents and the services of tailors, a blacksmith, several saddlers, a barrel maker, lawyers, and a doctor.
Children with Martin Harris
There were four children born to their union. They were all born in Palmyra between1809-1822.
1) Lucy Harris (1809- 1841) married Flanders Dyke, May 8, 1828 in Palmyra. (This is about a month before Martin Harris brings home the manuscript. At the time of the 116 pages were lost, Lucy was age 20.
2) Duty Harris (1811-1815) died as a toddler.
3) George B. Harris (1813- 1864) married Mary A. of Albion Township, Michigan. They became the parents of three children—Sydney, Henry, and Mary. George married Mary Jane Thompson, December 28, 1858 in Kirtland, Ohio. They had a child named Alma Harris. George died after receiving a medical discharge from military combat in the Civil War. At the time of the 116 pages were lost, George was age 15.
4) Elizabeth (Betsy) Harris (1822- 1855) married Amos Adams on February 17, 1837. Elizabeth became the mother of three daughters: Adeline, (Daughter), and Catherine Adeline. Elizabeth died in Henry County, Iowa. At the time of the 116 pages were lost, Elizabeth was age six.
Of the four children, only Lucy (her husband Flanders Dyke) and George could be considered “persons of interest.”
Polly Cobb Moves In
Tragedy brings Polly Cobb to live with Martin and Lucy. On December 12, 1821 the schooner Atlas, carrying a cargo of barreled pork, cider, and lard left Pultneyville, New York, on Lake Ontario bound for Ogdensburgh, New York, situated on the St. Lawrence River. Its crew consisted of five men, two were Seth Harris and Freeman Cobb of Williamson. During a severe winter gale on the night of December 13, the Atlas was wrecked and all hands went to a watery grave. Among the victims were Seth Harris, son of Rufus Harris and brother of Lucy Harris. Seth had married his first cousin, Sophia, the daughter of Nathan and Rhoda Harris and a sister to Martin Harris. (Lots of inbreeding in Palmyra). Also drowned was Seth’s brother-in-law Freeman Cobb. Freeman married Seth’s sister Polly (Mary) Harris, daughter of Rufus Harris and sister to Lucy Harris. This is the same Polly Cobb who was granted the right to see the 116 pages.
Polly Cobb moved into the home of Martin and Lucy. Polly apparently stayed in the household until marrying William Parker on July 3, 1828, in Palmyra. Four days later the manuscript is stolen.
Lucy Harris Becomes a Property Owner
Lucy becomes a property owner in November 1825. At the insistence of Lucy, she and Martin entered into a legal agreement to transfer eighty acres and a house from the northwest portion of the Martin Harris farm to Lucy. To fulfill the requirements of the New York common law, which would not allow a direct transfer of property by a husband to his wife, on November 29, 1825, Martin deeded the said acreage to Peter Harris, his brother-in-law, and brother to Lucy.
This Indenture made the twenty ninth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five between Martin Harris of the town of Palmyra County of Wayne & state of New York of the first part and Peter Harris of the town county & state aforesaid of the second part Witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred dollars to me in hand paid by the said party of the second part the receipt whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged hath granted bargained sold remised released and forever Quit Claimed and by these presents do grant bargain sell remiss release and forever Quit Claim unto the said party of the second part and to his heirs and assigns forever all that certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the town of Palmyra county & state aforesaid (to wit) beginning on the road leading from Phinehas Bills to Noah Palmers on the town line thence north on the said town line to lands deeded to Peter Harris thence East to land belonging to William Durfee thence south to said road thence west to the place of beginning supposed to contain Eighty acres be the same more or less. Together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents issues and profits thereof and all the estate right title interest claim and dimand [sic] whatsoever of the said party of the first part either at law or equity of in and to the above bargained premises with the said hereditaments and appurtenances To have and to hold the said premises above described to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever
In witness whereof the party of the first part hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written before execution the words deeded to Peter Harris thence East to land interlined between the 9th and 10th lines. Signed sealed and delivered in presence of Th[omas] P Baldwin.
Martin Harris. (Seal.)
That very day, Peter Harris deeded said acreage and home to his sister Lucy Harris.
This Indenture made the twenty ninth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five between Peter Harris of the town of Palmyra County of Wayne & State of New York of the first part and Lucy Harris wife of Martin Harris of the town county & state aforesaid of the second part witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred dollars to me in hand paid by the said party of the second part the receipt whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged hath granted bargained sold remised released and forever Quit Claimed and by these presents do grant bargain sell remise release and forever Quit Claim unto the said party of the second part and to her heirs. . . .
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of Th[omas] P. Baldwin
Peter Harris (Seal)
I certify that on this 29th day of November 1825 personally appeared before me the within named grantor Peter Harris to me well known as the same person described in and who executed the within deed and who acknowledged before me that he had signed and who executed the within deed and who acknowledged before me that he had signed sealed and delivered the same as his voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and there are no alterations therein except those noted to have been made before Execution.
Th. Baldwin a commissioner for Wayne County under act of 19th April 1823.
The property transfer put Lucy Harris in a very favorable financial position in Palmyra—a community in which a wife was generally not only subject to her husband but dependent upon him for financial support. The home that Lucy later moved into is still standing and located at 2827 Macedon Center Road (a Macedon Township line sign is on the west border of the property). The west side of the existing home is the original house. The 80 acres Lucy owned is lying on the north side of the road. There is a crawl space that needs to be explored.
Key Events from 1826-1828
1826 – Death of Martin P. Harris, brother of Lucy Harris, in 1826.
October 1827 – Joseph Smith asked his mother to go to the Harris home and tell Martin to come and meet with him. The errand appeared simple enough, but not for Mother Smith. She wrote, “This, indeed, was an errand which I much disliked, as Mr. Harris’s wife was a very peculiar woman, one that was natuarlly [sic] of a very jealous disposition; besides this, she was rather dull of hearing, and when anything was said that she did not hear distinctly, she suspected that it was some secret, which was designedly kept from her.” Mother Smith said to Joseph, “I would rather not go, unless I could have the privilege of speaking to her first upon the subject. To this he consented, and I went according to his request.”
When Mother Smith arrived at the Harris home, she “cautiously detailed the particulars with regard to Joseph’s finding the plates, so far as wisdom dictated and necessity demanded, in order to satisfy Mrs. Harris’s curiosity.” Her brief narrative provoked a most curious reaction in Lucy Harris and her sister Polly Cobb. Mother Smith recalled that Lucy “did not wait for me to get through with my story, before she commenced urging upon me a considerable amount of money that she had at her command. Her husband always allowed her to keep a private purse.” Joining in the conversation was Polly Cobb, who “desired me to receive an amount of money, I think some seventy-five dollars, to assist in getting the Record translated.”
Such talk of finance and translation moved the conversation beyond the scope of Mother Smith’s errand. Attempting to sway the discussion to her own purpose, Mother Smith said to Lucy, “I came on no such business, that I did not want her money, and that Joseph would attend to his own affairs; but, that I would like to talk with Mr. Harris for a moment, and then return home, as my family would soon be expecting me.” Lucy Harris did not desist. She was “determined to assist in the business, for she said she knew that [Joseph] should want money, and she could spare two hundred dollars as well as not.”
After detaining her a few minutes longer, Lucy escorted Mother Smith to where Martin was working on a fireplace. Lucy interrupted Martin to tell him that Joseph’s mother “wished to speak to him.” Martin said that “he was not going to stop his work, for he was just laying the last brick in this hearth. ‘You see,’ said he, ‘this is the last work I shall do about the house, or on the farm, in one year. And when this is done, I am going to hire a hand to work a year for me, as I shall travel that length of time before I shall settle myself at home again.’”
After laying the last brick, Martin told Mother Smith that he was “a free man—[his] hands [were] altogether untied—[he could] come and go and do as [he pleased].” He then sat down to listen as she explained “the errand on which [she] had come.” He promised her that “he would see Joseph in the course of a few days.” His wife, Lucy, added, “Yes, and I am coming to see him too, and I will be there on Tuesday afternoon, and will stop over night.” After learning of their plans, Mother Smith left the Harris household and returned to her family.
The next Tuesday afternoon, Lucy Harris made a visit to the Smith home. No sooner had she entered the home than “she began to importune [Joseph] relative to the truth of what he had said concerning the Record, declaring that if he really had any plates, she would see them, and that she was determined to help him publish them.” Instead of accepting Lucy’s offer, Joseph was put off by her excessive willingness to help. He said that “she was mistaken—that she could not see them, for he was not permitted to exhibit them to any one, except those whom the Lord should appoint to testify of them.” As to her financial assistance, Joseph said, “I always prefer dealing with men, rather than their wives.”
Lucy was “highly displeased” by his words. According to Mother Smith, “She considered herself altogether superior to her husband.” Lucy said, “Now, Joseph, are you not telling me a lie? Can you look full in my eye, and say before God, that you have in reality found a Record, as you pretend?” Joseph calmly stated, “Why, yes, Mrs. Harris, I would as soon look you in the face, and say [so], as not, if that will be any gratification to you.” She then said, “I will tell you what I will do, if I can get a witness that you speak the truth, I will believe all you say about the matter, and I shall want to do something about the translation—I mean to help you any way.”
Following what proved a difficult evening, Lucy Harris spent the night in the Smith home. The next morning, she shared with the Smiths a “very remarkable dream.” She related that “a personage appeared to her, who told her, that as she had disputed the servant of the Lord, and said his word was not to be believed, and had also asked him many improper questions, she had done that which was not right in the sight of God. After which he said to her, ‘Behold, here are the plates, look upon them and believe.’”
To the amazement of the Smiths, Lucy Harris “described the Record very minutely, then told us that she had made up her mind in relation to the course which she intended to pursue, namely that she had in her possession twenty-eight dollars which she received from her mother just before she died, while she was on her death bed, and that Joseph should accept of it. If he would he might give his note, but he should certainly take it upon some terms.” Joseph agreed. Mother Smith wrote that he acceded to Lucy Harris “to get rid of further importunity.” No matter the reason, Joseph’s acceptance of the money resulted in Lucy Harris being the first donor to the translation of the plates (“Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845,” The Joseph Smith Papers, 117-120).
February 1828 – Martin left Palmyra with Hyrum Smith, “without giving his wife, Lucy, any knowledge of his whereabouts.” Martin and Hyrum headed to Harmony, Pennsylvania.
Before long, Lucy “missed her husband, and came to [Mother Smith], for the purpose of ascertaining if [she] knew where he was.” Her question put Mother Smith in a very awkward position. “I told her what he had said concerning his leaving, suppressing, however, his remarks pertaining to herself,” that Martin had “conclud[ed] that it would be better to go without her.” Lucy was “highly exasperated, and charged [Mother Smith] with planning the whole affair.”
Trying to defend herself from the spirited woman, Mother Smith told Lucy, “I had nothing to do with the plan, nor the execution of it. Furthermore, that the business of a house, which was the natural cares of a woman, was all that I attempted to dictate, or interfere with, unless it was by my husband’s or son’s request.” To this, Lucy replied that “she had property, and knew how to take care of it, which she would convince me of.” “Now, stop,” said Mother Smith. “Do you not know that we have never asked you for money or property? and that if we had been disposed to take advantage of your liberality, could we not have got, at least, two hundred and seventy dollars of your cash?” Lucy replied “in the affirmative, notwithstanding she went home in a great rage, determined to have satisfaction for the treatment which she had received.”
Martin and Hyrum, unaware of the extent of the problems brewing in Martin’s household, arrived at the small dwelling of Joseph and Emma Smith on the Susquehanna in February 1828.
After Martin returns. When he returned to Palmyra, according to Lucy Mack Smith, Lucy Harris’s anger was “kindled afresh at [Martin’s] presence, insomuch that she prepared a separate bed and room for him, which room she refused to enter.”
Then Martin importunes Joseph to carry the 116 pages to his home.Hoping to quiet the intense degree of disbelief exhibited by Lucy, Joseph Smith recorded that Martin “began to importune me to give him liberty to carry the writings home and show them; and desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim, if he might not do so.” Joseph posed the question, but Martin’s request was denied twice.
A disheartened Martin left Harmony and made a hurried trip to Palmyra. Although not stated, it is conceivable that his journey was to attend the marriage of his eldest daughter, Lucy to Flanders Dyke on May 8, 1828, by the Rev. Mr. Blakesley in Palmyra. The newlyweds occupied a house on the south line of Main Street on a four-acre lot belonging to Martin Harris. In the following month, on June 30, 1828, Martin and his wife, Lucy, conveyed a quarter of an acre from that lot to Flanders for the sum of $200. At the time, Martin had possession of the 116 pages. Is this property transfer recorded? Was $200 actually received by Martin and Lucy?
It may be near the time of the wedding that Martin received a sound scolding from his wife. William Pilkington, a later confidant of Martin’s in Smithfield and Clarkston, Utah, reported: “When he arrived home [at Palmyra] he related the answer to his Wife [that his request to take the manuscript had been denied], he told me she became very angry, and persuaded him to ask Joseph again, which he did, with the same result. She still persisted, and wanted him to ask ‘Joe’ the third time, at this time Martin said she was awfully worked up, and threatened to kick him out of the House if he didn’t bring the manuscript.” Martin said to Pilkington, “Willie I loved my Wife and wanted to please her. So I told her I would ask the Prophet the Third Time.”
Upon returning to the Smith homestead in Harmony, Martin scribed the remainder of the Book of Lehi translation as dictated by the Prophet. Their work comprised a total of 116 foolscap pages. The 116 pages probably represented five complete “gatherings” of pages. If so, a benchmark had been reached, perhaps a momentary stopping point, and in Martin’s way of thinking, the right time to ask Joseph again. With unabashed boldness, Martin asked the third time for permission to take the manuscript to Palmyra. The response to Martin’s third plea was positive—but conditional. Joseph explained to him that only a limited number of family members were to view the manuscript, namely “his brother, Preserved Harris, his own wife [Lucy Harris], his father [Nathan Harris] and his mother [Rhoda Lapham Harris], and a Mrs. Cobb [widow Polly (Mary) Harris], a sister to his wife.”
Joseph stipulated that it was imperative that Martin bind himself in a solemn covenant that he would not vary from this agreement. Martin agreed to the specified conditions. He entered into a written covenant with Joseph “in a most solemn manner that he would not do otherwise than had been directed . . . [and] required of him.”
Martin has the writings from June 14, 1828 to July 7, 1828. Martin then “took the writings, and went his way” on June 14, 1828, about two months after the translation process had begun. It appears that Martin did show Lucy the manuscript, for she let Martin lock the foolscap papers in her bureau, which gave Lucy ease of access to the manuscript. As to the reactions of Martin’s extended family—his parents, his brother Preserved, and Lucy’s sister Polly Cobb—nothing has been found on the subject.
Lucy visits relatives. Martin had taken Lucy to visit her relatives, some ten to fifteen miles distance from Palmyra. Who were they? Martin’s stay with Lucy’s relatives was brief, for he had pressing business matters and a jury duty obligation in town. As he made preparations to return to Palmyra, his wife, wishing to extend her visit, declined to accompany him. Martin journeyed home by himself.
Martin mars Lucy’s bureau. Once at home,
a very particular friend of [Martin’s] made him a visit, to whom he related all that he knew concerning the Record. The man’s curiosity was much excited, and, as might be expected, he earnestly desired to see the manuscript. Martin was so anxious to gratify his friend, that, although it was contrary to his obligation, he went to the drawer to get the manuscript, but the key was gone. He sought for it some time, but could not find it. Resolved, however, to carry his purpose into execution, he picked the lock.
In so doing, Martin marred Lucy’s bureau. He made no effort to repair the damage. When Lucy returned home and saw “the marred state of her bureau, her irascible temper was excited to the utmost pitch, and an intolerable storm ensued, which descended with the greatest violence” upon Martin. Who was the “particular friend” of Martin?
July 1828 – Manuscript is stolen—Lucy Harris is blamed. Joseph believed that someone or some persons had stolen the manuscript and that “by stratagem they got them away” from Martin. Joseph would ultimately declare in the preface of the Book of Mormon that “many unlawful measures [had been] taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work.” Martin did not believe that it was “some person or persons”; he was convinced that the culprit was his wife. Reverend John Clark recorded that Martin was “indignant at his wife beyond measure [and] he raved most violently.” Lucy adamantly denied any responsibility for the loss, although many believed her responsible for the theft. Lucy Mack Smith avowed: “There is no doubt but Mrs. Harris took it from the drawer, with the view of retaining it, until another translation should be given, then, to alter the original translation, for the purpose of showing a discrepancy.”
Lucy was reported to have given the manuscript to a neighbor when Martin was away from home: “[She] seize[d] the manuscript and put it into the hands of one of her neighbours for safer keeping. When the manuscript was discovered to be missing, suspicion immediately fastened upon Mrs. Harris. She, however, refused to give any information in relation to the matter, but simply replied: ‘If this be a divine communication, the same being who revealed it to you can easily replace it.’” Finding out who that neighbor was is all important!
February 1829 – Joseph Smith Sr. and Samuel Smith made a visit to Joseph’s home on the Susquehanna. News reached Martin Harris of the Smiths visits and of Joseph’s success, which “produced in [him] a great desire to go down to Pennsylvania to see how they were prospering.” He wanted to know for himself whether the translation was moving forward and informed his wife of his intention.
March 1829 – Lucy Harris was decidedly against her husband returning to Harmony and resolved to prevent him from going. She set out to prove that “Joseph never had the Record which he professed to have, and that he pretended to have in his possession certain gold plates, for the express purpose of obtaining money.” With this object in mind, she “mounted her horse, flew from house to house through the neighborhood, like a dark spirit, making diligent inquiry wherever she had the least hopes of gleaning anything, and stirring up every malicious feeling which would tend to subserve her wicked purpose.”
She was successful in obtaining a number of persons who were willing to give sworn testimony against Joseph. Lucy filed a suit against him, apparently in the month of March 1829, for defrauding her husband by claiming that he possessed gold plates. In effect, this would require Joseph Smith to produce the plates before a court of law to prove their existence; if he failed to do so, he would obtain a conviction, a fate that she believed would bring Martin to his senses.
Lucy Harris entered her “complaint against Joseph, before a certain magistrate of Lyons [New York],” charging him with never having any gold plates. She wrote a personal affidavit regarding conditions as she saw them and directed “officers whom to subpoena,” including her husband, Martin, as “a principal witness in the case.” She requested that Lyman Cowdery, brother of Oliver Cowdery and an officer in Wayne County, “go post haste to Pennsylvania” and be ready “to assist the officers in securing and confining [Joseph Smith] in prison.”
In March 1829, charges against Joseph Smith were heard in the court at Lyons. The judicial proceeding was called to order, and witnesses for the prosecution were duly sworn.
The first arose and testified, that Joseph Smith told him that the box which he had, contained nothing but sand; and he, Joseph Smith, said it was gold, to deceive the people.
Second witness swore, that Joseph Smith had told him that it was nothing but a box of lead, and he was determined to use it as he saw fit.
Third witness declared, that he once inquired of Joseph Smith what he had in that box, and Joseph Smith told him that there was nothing at all in the box, saying, that he had made fools of the whole of them, and all he wanted was, to get Martin Harris’s money away from him, and that he (witness) was knowing to the fact that Joseph Smith had, by his persuasion, already got two or three hundred dollars.
Lucy’s affidavit was then entered. After listening to the witnesses and reading her sworn statement, the magistrate directed Martin to testify. He arose and was duly sworn to tell the truth. Although he knew all too well what his wife’s response would be if he did not side with the prosecution, Martin declared:
I can swear, that Joseph Smith never has got one dollar from me by persuasion[,] since God made me. I did once, of my own free will and accord, put fifty dollars into his hands, in the presence of many witnesses, for the purpose of doing the work of the Lord. This, I can pointedly prove; and I can tell you, furthermore, that I have never seen, in Joseph Smith, a disposition to take any man’s money, without giving him a reasonable compensation for the same in return. And as to the plates which he professes to have, gentlemen, if you do not believe it, but continue to resist the truth, it will one day be the means of damning your souls.
Martin then returned to his seat in the crowded courtroom.
The magistrate wasted no time in pronouncing that it would not be necessary to call other witnesses. He ordered the court clerk to bring him “what had been written of the testimony already given. This he tore in pieces before their eyes, and told them to go home about their business, and trouble him no more with such ridiculous folly.” The courtroom quickly cleared, most of which felt “perfectly discomfited” with the verdict—none more so than Lucy Harris.
March 1829 – Later in the month of March 1829, Martin left from Palmyra to Harmony. He had a traveling companion with him who will later become a “person of interest” during the financing of the Book of Mormon. I believe that Thomas Rogers 2nd, a well-to-do Palmyra businessman, was the “Rogers” who accompanied Martin at this time. It will soon appear that he was a confidant of Lucy Harris and a man with a design. Edward Stevenson wrote that Martin Harris said, “Rogers unknown to me had agreed to give my wife [Lucy Harris] 100 Dollars if it [the reality of the gold plates] was not a Deseption[sic] & Whet his Nife [rubbed his Knife on a stone for the purpose of sharpening it] to cut the covering of the Plates as the Lord had forbid Joseph exhibiting them openly[.]” Rogers was prepared to open the covering of the plates at the first opportunity, with his knife if necessary, and examine the exposed contents.
The Lord declared, “I command thee that [Martin Harris] shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife; nor seek thy neighbor’s life” (D&C 19:25). Martin had previously introduced a project that was fraught with a severe escalation of tensions between Lucy and himself. He had built a house for a neighbor couple on a portion of his own land—the Haggarts (also Haggards). The exact conditions between the Harris and Haggart households remain clouded. A familial bond did not exist with the Haggarts. Lucy Harris was decidedly opposed to the situation and would later exhibit the antagonism she felt in a pointed statement about her perception of the problem: “With regard to Mr. Harris being intimate with Mrs. Haggard, as has been reported, it is but justice to myself to state what facts have come within my own observation, to show whether I had any grounds for jealousy or not. Mr. Harris was very intimate with this family, for some time previous to their going to Ohio. They lived a while in a house which he had built for their accommodation, and here he spent the most of his leisure hours; and made her presents of articles from the store and house.”
The census taker in 1830 listed the households in the immediate neighborhood in order of his residential calls as “Daniel P. Haggart, Preserved Harris, Martin Harris, and Northrop Sweet.”
The defining conditions of Lucy’s charges between the parties remain obscure, and we are without Martin’s personal commentary on the allegations of impropriety. It may be that problems in their marriage were opening the door to temptation and a warning note was sounded. It is interesting that Lucy Harris names the Haggarts as part of the immigration from Palmyra to Ohio. Was there an unexplained religious motivation tied to their relationship with Martin? In any instance, a combination of factors culminated in the separation of Martin and Lucy in 1830. Lucy departed the household and established a home apart from Martin on Macedon Center Road.
November 29, 1833 – Testimony in Mormonism Unvailed: (Notice in this testimony Lucy speaks of the possible affair of Martin, not of the 116 pages.
Palmyra, Nov. 29, 1833. Being called upon to give a statement to the world of what I know respecting the Gold Bible speculation, and also of the conduct of Martin Harris, my husband, who is a leading character among the Mormons, 1 do it free from prejudice, realizing that I must give an account at the bar of God for what I say. Martin Harris was once industrious attentive to his domestic concerns, and thought to be worth about ten thousand dollars. He is naturally quick in his temper and in his mad-fits frequently abuses all who may dare to oppose him in his wishes. However strange it may seem, 1 have been a great sufferer by his unreasonable conduct. At different times while I lived with him, he has whipped, Jdcked, and turned me out of the house. About a year previous to the report being raised that Smith had found gold plates, he became very intimate with the Smith family, and said he believed Joseph could see in his stone any thing he wished. After this he apparently became very sanguine in his belief, and frequently said he would have no one in his house that did not believe in Mormonism; and because L would not give credit to the report he made about the gold plates, he became more austere towards me. In one of his fits of rage he struck me with the but end of a whip, which I think had been used for driving oxen, and was about the size of my thumb, and three or four feet long. He beat me on the head four or five times, and the next day turned me out of doors twice, and beat me in a shameful manner. — The next day I went to the town of Marion, and while there my flesh was black and blue in many places. His main complaint against me was, that I was always trying to hinder his making money. When he found out that I was going to Mr. Putnam’s, in Marion, he said he was going too, that they had sent for him to pay them a visit. On arriving at Mr. Putnam’s, I asked them if they had sent for Mr. Harris; they replied, they knew nothing about it; he, however, came in the evening. Mrs. Putnam told him never to strike or abuse me any more; he then denied ever striking me; she was however convinced that he lied, as the marks of his beating me were plain to be seen, and remained more than two weeks. Whether the Mormon religion be true or false, I leave the world to judge, for its effects upon Martin Harris have been to make him more cross, turbulent and abusive to me. His whole object was to make money by it. I will give one circumstance in proof of it. One day, while at Peter Harris’ houses I told him he had better leave the company of the Smiths, as their religion was false ; to which he replied, if you would let me alone, I could make money by it. It is in vain for the Mormons to deny these facts; for they are all well known to most of his former neighbors. The man has now become rather an object of pity; he has spent most of his property, and lost the confidence of his former friends. If he had labored as hard on his farm as he has to make Mormons, he might now be one of the wealthiest farmers in the country. He now spends his time in travelling through the country spreading the delusion of Mormonism, and has no regard whatever for his family. With regard to Mr. Harris’ being intimate with Mrs. Haggard, as has been reported, it is but justice to myself to state what facts have come within my own observation, to show whether I had any- grounds for jealousy or not. Mr. Harris was very intimate with this family, for some time previous to their going to Ohio. They lived a while in a house which he had built for their accommodation, and here he spent the most of his leisure hours; and made her presents of articles from the store and house. He carried these presents in a private manner, and frequently when he went there, he would pretend to be going to some of the neighbors, on an errand, or to be going into the fields. — After getting out of sight of the house, he would steer a straight course for Haggard’s house, especially if Haggard was from home. At times when Haggard was from home, he would go there in the manner above described, and stay till twelve or one o’clock at night, and sometimes until day light. If his intentions were evil, the Lord will judge him accordingly, but if good, he did not mean to let his left hand know what his right hand did. The above statement of facts, I affirm to be true. Lucy Harris in Mormonism Unvailed, 254-57.
On October 30, 1835-November 17, 1835. Martin was in the Wayne County courthouse at Lyons to transact the sale of fifty acres of land in the town of Walworth to Stephen Jenks. Eighteen days later, on November 17, 1835, Martin was again in Lyons but this time with his estranged wife, Lucy Harris. The purpose was to complete the legalities of the Stephen Jenks indenture.
1836 – Lucy Harris’s failing health proved terminal in 1836. Reverend John A. Clark asserted his belief that Martin attended his wife as she “was evidently sinking down to the grave.” Clark recorded, “A gentleman of undoubted veracity in Palmyra told me that a few days before her death, Harris returned,” and “while sitting in her room,” they conversed.
Lucy was reported to have been interred initially in the Gideon Durfee Burying Ground located behind the old Durfee home at what is today 3639 North Creek Road in Palmyra. At a later time, her remains and apparently some others were removed from this cemetery and placed in the “New Cemetery,” which became the Palmyra City Cemetery.
Lucy and a number of other family members are now located in the first plot immediately south of the Palmyra City Cemetery Superintendent’s Office (lot 564). Lucy’s old headstone is a very small, oval shaped stone. It simply reads, “Lucy. Sister of Martin P. Harris, AE. 44 Yrs.” A larger, and more inclusive, headstone reads:
LUCY HARRIS Born: May 1, 1792 Married: Martin Harris March 27, 1808, first cousin, War of 1812, and witness THE BOOK OF MORMON Children: Lucy Harris 1809 (Isaiah Flanders Dike) Henry William Harris 1810 [Henry William Harris is not her son!] (Eleanor Austin) George B. Harris 1813 (Mary A.) (2- Mary Jane Thompson) Elizabeth L. Harris Aug. 22, 1820 (Amos Adams) Father: Rufus Harris Nov. 23, 1749 Mother: Lucy Hill 1752