Joseph Harrison Tippets
Joseph Harrison Tippets was born in Essex County, New York, 4 January 1814. His mother was Abigail Lewis, his father Joseph Tippets. He was the youngest child. His oldest sister was Permilla, born 25 April 1807, followed by Alvah Lewis, born 12 March 1809, and Caroline, born 21 October1912. All were born in Essex, Lewis County, New York.
We have no information about his early life there. He became a locksmith and cabinetmaker. His teen years could have been in training and learning the trades. Most people of the area worked on farms also.
In the year 1832, a cousin, John Harvey Tippetts, heard of a new book that had been published in Palmyra. He walked 15 miles to get the book. It was the Book of Mormon. He and his brother William Plummer Tippetts read the book in a short time. They were anxious to share it with their cousins. They believed it to be true. Joseph and sister Caroline were also convinced it was true. Missionaries came through the area and taught them the gospel. Missionaries that were in the area at that time were Amasa M. Lyman, William E. McLellan, and Jared and Simeon Carter. It was March 12, 1833 that Amasa Lyman was sent to the east to preach the gospel. (Church History Vol.1 page 332.) Records show that the Tippets families were among several families that were baptized and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1832. The family of Gustavus Perry, another cousin, also joined. A branch was organized in Lewis, Essex County, New York.
Joseph Smith had asked that the saints in the east help the saints that had been persecuted. Money was needed to buy land in Missouri. Volunteers were also needed for Zion's Camp. This was to be a group of men to go help the saints that were being persecuted by mobs of violent men in Missouri. A cousin, William Plummer Tippetts, later joined the camp in 1834.
The group collected what they could. Joseph Harrison and John Harvey were appointed to take the money to Kirtland, Ohio, where the Prophet was. It was a donation of $848.40. Joseph Harrison's donation was $98.67 in cash and $120.37 in property. He was about 18 years of age.
In the fall of the year 1834 they prepared to leave for Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph H., his sister Caroline, and John H. left Essex County and went to Washington County, New York, arriving in October. They stayed with a Brother Tanner. While there, they attended a meeting on Sunday. Here John married Abby Jane Smith.
Now with their team and wagon they headed west. They arrived in Kirtland in November. How happy they were to meet the Prophet and the other saints. They gave the leaders their letter of recommendation, from the Essex Branch. They were then invited to attend a candlelight meeting. At this meeting the law of tithing was introduced. (Church History vol. 2 page 175)
The Tippets cousins were counseled to spend the winter in Kirtland, which they did. During the time they were there, they attended the School of the Prophets, and spent considerable time working on the Kirtland Temple. On March 7, 1835, Joseph H. Tippets was one of the men to receive a blessing from the Prophet Joseph Smith for helping build the Kirtland Temple. (Church History vol. 2 page 206)
Records show that Joseph Harrison purchased property in Caldwell County, Missouri, 15 Nov. 1836. Six weeks later, 1 January 1837 he married Rosalie Perry. She was a second cousin. Her Grandmother Betsy Tippets Perry was a sister to his father Joseph Tippets IV. In February 1837, he bought property in Clinton County for $150. They lived here for a couple of years. Their first child Joseph Mahonri was born 25 September 1838.
A letter he wrote to the Prophet in about 1843 tells of some of his troubles. "I settled in Caldwell county a few miles from Farr West, where with great courage went to work to open up a farm, supposing that when I get myself a home and settled my family, I would go forth and preach the gospel, but lo and behold, before I got fairly settled, the enemy came upon me and drove me from my home and expelled me from the state with thousands of others of the saints. This truly was a day of trial and a scene of suffering... I just escaped by the skin of my teeth, or in other words, I made it out to raise a team and money enough to bring me out of the state. After arriving in the state of Illinois, I rented a small piece of land about 16 miles east of Quincy near Henry Miller's farm. I then thought I would settle there as I was clean exhausted in property and tired of moving about. I took courage and bought me a piece of land, broke up about 30 acres, and built a house." His mother had come to live with him, but never joined the church. Also his sister Permillia was living with him.
In the life history of Nancy Naomi Alexander Tracy (in Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, B.Y.U.) she tells about traveling with the Tippets families. They left Missouri the middle of March 1840. In her words she says, "We took up our march toward the rising sun. Our outfit for the journey was a meager one. It consisted of one horse attached to the two wheels of a wagon, with bed sheets for a cover. The box was seven feet long, so sometimes at night we could make our bed in the cart by taking things out. But we would make our beds outside when the weather would permit. It was tedious traveling. When we got on the Mississippi bottom, it was terrible. It was 9 miles across and took two days to cross. At last we landed in Quincy, Illinois, and found the people very hospitable. They seemed willing to do all they could to alleviate the condition of the saints. We traveled on up the river about 40 miles and stopped to see what we should do. This was in Adams County. There were five families of us: three families named Tippets, and Gustavus Perry, and ourselves stopped. We found some empty cabins which the owner let us go into. The place was sparsely settled, but we were glad to get shelter. It was 7 miles to the little town where there was a store and other public buildings. The Saints in general traveled on up the river, but we stayed here 1 year and raised corn, turnips and other garden stuffs. John Tippets’ wife died here in childbirth. Her babe also died, which cast a gloom over us. She was a good woman and we sadly missed her. I suppose her grave is still alone and unmarked to this day." Nancy's family then moved north, leaving the Tippets families living there.
About this time he had a dream that made him feel he should live in Hancock county to be in a branch of the church. He moved to where he lived about 4 miles from Ramus and about 5 miles from Carthage. His daughter Caroline Cornelia was born 5 June 1840. The records say in Nauvoo.
His wife Rosalie died December 1841. This left him with two young children to raise. She was buried in Nauvoo.
On 26 June 1842 he married his wife's sister Amanda Melvina Perry. They had two children while living in or near Nauvoo. Hyrum Henry born 11 June 1843 and Henry Chase born 5 October 1845.
Persecution continued. In the letter he had written to the Prophet Joseph (1843) he told about having his home burned to the ground. All of his furniture and clothing was burned. The family escaped with only the clothes on their backs. He was living on a farm with his father-in-law cousin Gustavus Perry. At the time he had a span of mares, an old wagon and harness, and two cows. He said he had 75 to 80 bushels of corn, about 10 bushels of wheat, and 25 to 30 bushels of oats.
It has been said that Joseph and his family were living close enough to Carthage that they heard the shots that killed the Prophet and Hyrum. It was truly a sad day for the saints.
After the death of the Prophet, persecution continued. The enemies were bound to drive them from the state. The Tippets family and the Perry family were traveling together. They went to Pottawattame County near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Two more children were born in this area. Amanda Jane 25 January 1848, and Brigham Lewis 31 August 1850.
While living in the area they were building wagons and preparing to travel to the Rocky Mountains. In the summer of 1852 on July 5, they joined the John B. Walker wagon train leaving Kanesville, Iowa. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley 3 October 1852. They settled in the Farmington area, then called North Cottonwood. Gustavus Perry's son Lorenzo, who had come to the valley earlier, was working for the Harris Park family. The Tippets had two more children while living in Farmington. Orson Harrison, born 27 December 1852, and Eunice Elvira, born 19 February 1855.
From here they moved to Three Mile Creek, 3 miles south of Brigham City. His cousin William Plummer Tippets had been called to settle there in 1853. His cousin, father-in-law Gustavus Perry and his family also moved there to farm. Three more children were added to the Tippets family: Jedediah Morgan on 18 October 1857, Lucy Melvina 15 February 1860, and Elizabeth 9 April 1863.
Joseph Harrison was a farmer, locksmith, and cabinet maker. It has been said he made beautiful chairs, the best quality that could be bought at that time.
A gun accident brought him much sorrow. It was summer time. He was sitting in the kitchen cleaning his gun. His wife Amanda had gone outside to check on the children. He sat with the gun across his knees, the gun pointing towards the open door. As she walked past the door the gun went off, hitting her in the side. She didn't die immediately, but died as a result of the accident. She was buried in the Brigham City cemetery.
A few years later he married Rose Wickham on 10 May 1865. Three children were born to them.
At this time the Indians were causing much trouble among the saints. Brigham Young had advised the saints to move into the cities for protection. Joseph had been a friend to the Indians, fixing their guns and broken weapons and helping in any way he could. He learned to speak their language. He had earned their respect. They came to him and promised him they would not harm him if he would stay there. But he thought his family would be safer in Brigham City.
Joseph Harrison died 12 October 1868 in Brigham City at the age of 54. Many Indians attended his funeral and wept during the services. He had been a very tenderhearted man, very sympathetic to others’ sorrows and trials. He had many friends. His testimony strengthened many. He was buried in the Brigham City cemetery.
April 12th, 1843
From Joseph H. Tippets
Dear Brother Joseph,
I am happy to improve the present opportunity to inform you of my present situation. I should be more happy if I could inform you that I am prospering and doing well, but on the contrary, I have to inform you that I have just had my house burned and everything I had in it. Though my house and furniture was not very costly, yet it was all I had, which consisted of clothing, bedding, house, and furniture. All we saved was what we had on our backs, which was the poorest we had. To be turned out of doors, myself and family, in this cold and inclement season of the year is truly trying indeed. It reminds me of the words of the Savior, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head,” but we are quite happily entertained at present at my father-in-law’s where we are welcomed and received.
I desire in this letter to give you a history in general of myself or in other words render an account of myself for a few years past. I suppose it has been so long since you saw or heard of me, you have almost or quite forgot you ever knew me, but you will recollect some years ago when you were living in Kirtland, Ohio. Myself in company with brother John were sent from the state of New York on a mission to Missouri with money for the purpose of purchasing land for our brethren. We came to Kirtland, where agreeable to counsel given to us there, we tarried through the following winter and summer, during which time I went to school through the winter. During the summer I worked considerably on the house of the Lord. In the fall we again pursued our journey to Missouri in fulfillment of our mission. On arriving there we spent our little monies on land to the best advantage we knew how.
The next year my brother Alvah L. Tippetts came on with his family and my mother and also a sister of ours who had been crazy for several years and remains so yet. It became my duty to take care of my mother and sister who is crazy, it being my mother’s choice to live with me. She being old and considerably helpless and my sister being crazy truly involved me in quite a task. I settled in Caldwell County a few miles from Farr West, where with great courage I went to work to open a farm, supposing that when I get myself a home and settled my family I would go forth and preach the gospel, but behold and lo before I got fairly settled the enemy came upon me and drove me from my home and expelled me from the state along with thousands of other of the saints. This truly was a day of trial and a scene of suffering. I could have got along with this very well had it not been for my old mother and crazy sister who were both almost helpless and a great deal of trouble to be driven from my home with the loss of almost all things under circumstances of this kind rendered it very disturbing indeed. To use an old expression, “I just escaped by the skin of my teeth,” or in other words, I just made out to raise a team and enough money to bring us out of the state.
After arriving in the state of Illinois I rented a small piece of land about sixteen miles east of Quincy near Henry Miller’s farm. I then thought I would settle there as I was clean exhausted in property and tired of moving about. I again took courage and bought me a piece of land, broke up about 30 acres, built me a house, during which time I dreamed the following little dream, which is worthy of notice.
Not feeling fairly satisfied with my situation, I fancied myself in the city of Nauvoo. I thought the temple was built, which was some two or three stories high. I thought I went to the second story where I saw David Patten. I shook hands with him and told him I was glad to see him. While I was talking to him, I thought I saw President Smith come down from the second story. On coming into the room I shook hands with him and thought I wished to ask him whether it was as well to settle out in the stakes as to settle in Nauvoo, which he answered before I asked him.
Said he, “If we had not built this house and put that great bell on top of it, this also would have been thrown down.” This gave me to understand that all the other stakes would be thrown down. A short time after, news came that all the stakes were discontinued except those in Hancock County and Lee County, Iowa Territory.
I then went to work and settled up my business and prepared to move to Hancock County. This I effected with considerable loss of property. What was still worse, my wife was taken sick about this time and died and left me with two little children. This was more painful than all the other losses I ever met with in my life. She was a good woman and has gone to rest. About a year ago I moved to Hancock County where I'm living about four miles from Ramus and about five miles from Carthage. Here I have married again and for the past year I have lived on a farm with my father-in-law, where I was living when my house took fire and burned with all I had in it. I have a span of mares, an old wagon, and harness. I have two cows, perhaps seventy-five or eighty bushels of corn, about ten bushel of wheat, and about twenty-five or thirty bushel of oats. I have paid my tithing for the year with an exception of a tenth of the corn.
I have been particular in giving a history of my concerns for the past and present and ask counsel for the future. If you can give me counsel that will put me in the way of prosperity, it will be received as a precious miracle and will make me happy indeed. I often think of the choice blessing that was pronounced upon my head by Father Smith. When the enemy of my soul pours forth his flood of troubles upon me, I am led to cry out, when shall these things be fulfilled? Will you help me, brother Joseph, by your counsel and prayers, that I may overcome? I am as ever your sincere friend.
Joseph H. Tippets
I shall be at the conference.