McGee HARRIS

                   Utah Cemetery Inventory about Mcgee Harris
Name:	Mcgee Harris
Birth Date:	8 Nov 1800
Birth Place:	Levinon,Wilson Tennessee
Death Date:	26 Aug 1863
Death Place:	Salt Lake City,Utah
Burial Date:	26 August 1863
Cemetery:	Salt Lake City Cemetery
Source:	Sexton Records
Grave Location:	E-7-12-1/2-N

Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002  about Mage Harris
Name:	Mage Harris [McGee Harris]
Spouse:	Polly Givens
Marriage Date:	28 Dec 1826
Marriage County:	Wilson
Marriage State:	Tennessee

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900about McGee Harris
Name:	McGee Harris
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	TN
Birth Year:	1800
Spouse Name:	Mary Givens
Marriage Year:	1826
Marriage State:	TN

McGee Harris excerpt from geanology book
McGee was born and raised on the frontier of American civilization, and it was the role of the frontiersman he lead most of his life. About in the year 1837 he moved his family to Marion, Williamson Co., Ill,. where he was in possession of a large estate. McGee was a farmer and a blacksmith by trade. In 1845 he became a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He became enthused with what he called the "doctrine of Joseph Smith". He proceeded to sell and to give away his property in order to join the saints a Nauvoo. Although his parents and other relatives were critical of his action and ostracized him, yet, he left them most of his earthly possessions. He had 1280 acres of land, which he had intended to divide amoung his eight children. His two eldest children remained a Marion, Ill.
McGee was counseled not to go to Nauvoo because of persecutions, so he wnet on to Council Bluffs. The family left Illinois in the spring of 1846 and arrived in Council Bluffs in September. They crossed the Missouri River to Winter Quarters, where they stayed until the spring of 1847. Aoubt 50 families went up the river about twenty five miles, built a fort, and raised a crop to help the emigrants the next spring. Along with the other saints they suffered privations and illness. At one time the entire family except a son, William, was stricken with chills and fever. Later in life, William often recounted the hardships of this experience. telling of how it kept him busy carring drinking water to his family.
Late in May, 1848, McGee and his family left Winter Quarters for the westward journey. They were members of the Heber C. Kimball company, wich consisted of 662 people and 226 wagons. They traveled by ox teams. McGee's daughter, Martha, said the company crossed the Elkhorn River on 1 June, 1848. The company arrived in Salt Lake Valley on 28 Sept 1848. MdGee and his family settled in Salt Lake City. Their first home was a wagon box, later replaced by a one room log house.
When the Latter Day Saints arrived in Salt Lake Valley a survey of blocks and lots was made, and the lots were distributed to heads of families as an inheritance. Distribution was by drawing, and property could be used for business or domestic purposes only, and could not be disposed of for pecuniary profit. McGee drew one of these lots consisting pf 1-1/4 acres located on the north side of Fifth South, 1-1/2 blocks west of Main Street, where the Deseret Inn now stands.
Two years after their arrival in Salt Lake Valley, McGee moved his family to Farmighton, Utah, where they encountered many hardships. The scarcity of waater, grasshoppers low food supply, and Indian trouble all added to their problems. The snakes were so abundant that it was often necessary for the children to help their mother remove them from their beds before they could retire.
In 1853 McGee was called by Brigham Young with about 20 other families to settle and build up Fort Herriman, a settlement located in the extreme southwest part of Salt Lake Valley. The families of Henry Herriman, a member of the First Council of Seventy, Thomas Butterfield, John F. Stocking and Robert C. Petty, who settled the area a year earlier, welcomed these reinforcements numbering 71 people. The houses were constructed very close together in order to make it convenient to build a fort if necessary. In 1854 a mud-wall enclosing 2-1/2 acres was erected as protection against Indian raids.
On 11 Feb. 1855 McGee Harris was sustained as President of the Fort Herriman Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, with William Kidd and Thomas Levi Whittle as Counselors. They served under the direction of the West Jordan Ward Bishopric until the spring of 1858. The settlement was then temporarily abandoned because of the Utah War. McGee moved his family to Springville, Utah, until the Johnston's army affair was settled. He then returned to Salt Lake City until his death. He established his home a the corner of Second South and Sixth East, where the Prescott Apartments are now located.
Taken from the geanology book on McGee Harris and Mary Givens