RICHARD HARPER AND SUSANNE FAULKNER--raised mostly daughters

RICHARD HARPER AND SUSANNE FAULKNER

Richard Harper, son of Richard and Harriet Harper. was born at Swineshead, Lincolnshire, England, April 5, 1827. He was apprenticed at the age of twelve years to learn the shoemaking trade. Susanne Faulkner Harper, his wife, daughter of William and Ellen Fox Faulkner, was born June 17, 1827, at Amwick, Lincolnshire, England.

Amwick was a small parish about six miles from Sleaford where Susanne had gone to learn the dressmaking trade. There she met Richard Harper, who had also gone to Sleaford to learn his trade. The young people were married August 16, 1849, at Amwick, Lincolnshire, England.

Richard Harper came from a Bible-reading family. Especially his mother was interested in religion. But her eyesight was failing and she had called on Richard to read to her until he had become well informed as to the contents of that book.

Two LDS missionaries had been holding meetings in the town where the Harper family lived and George, Richard's brother, had heard the elders preach. George asked his mother to send Richard to some of the meetings because he would be able to tell whether the elders were using the same Bible used by their family or if they were using one of their own printing and for their own ends. This Richard did and always said he was converted at the first meeting; first by the missionaries singing and then by the scriptures and the spirit of that meeting.

Richard Harper and wife were baptized February 28, 1851, in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England. He and his wife and four children, Betsy, Ann, William F., Eliza and Richard Nephi started for America on the sailing ship, Tuscarora. The ship sailed from Liverpool, May 30, 1857. 

While the family was waiting for the ship to sail two of the children followed the father down to the wharf and were lost. The town crier had to be called before the children were found.

Prior to sailing their baggage was sent to London instead of Liverpool so they started the voyage with very little clothing but shortly afterwards the baggage was found and sent on another boat to Philadelphia by Brother John Taylor.

They were six weeks crossing the ocean so Brother Harper became well acquainted with the captain and had the privilege of taking his meals with him and of something nice to take to his wife who was not in the best of health.

As Brother Harper had been Presiding Elder of the branch where they had lived, he had been placed in charge of the saints on board the ship. The converts numbered about five hundred souls, part from England, part from Denmark, part from Sweden and Norway. Brother Harper's responsibilities gave little time for his family, so Sister Harper's burden was heavy. The ship landed at Philadelphia July 3, 1857.

Two weeks after landing, Sister Harper gave birth to twin girls; one died soon after birth. Then two weeks later Richard Nephi (fourth child) was taken very ill and died. Both children were buried in Philadelphia. The saints were very kind to the family in their trouble helping in every way possible. During the next five years while living in Philadelphia two more daughters were born to them.

Brother Harper presided over the branch while living there and George Q. Cannon visited the Harper home whenever he was in that city and at one time blessed and prophesied that Betsy Ann would walk without her crutch if she would live the Gospel. It took forty years to fulfill this promise but we all know that she walked some years without the crutch.

As time passed the little means they had managed to save while in England was gone and they were in very poor circumstances. Though her companion worked hard, there were times when it was hard to make the money go far enough. So one day with nothing in the house to eat and no pay for a few days, Susanne, like many other faithful women, asked the Lord to open the way that her children might not go hungry. Soon after this while following a path to empty her stove ashes, she found on the ground a gold dollar. She inquired of all the neighbors but no one had lost the dollar. She was thereby able to get some of the things needed most. She always gave the Lord the praise for answering her prayers. 

Soon after this Civil War broke out and Susanne never knew when her husband would return that night or be drafted in the army and leave her in this strange country with a family of small children.

Word was finally sent from Utah for all saints to come west as soon as possible. And on June 17, 1862, the family left for the long trek west. While on the train en route to Florence, Nebraska, the engineer became angry because he had to run the train on Sunday. He said, "I'll run the dammed Mormons to hell." The baggage cars were wet on fire that very morning and they uncoupled the passenger cars and ran five miles with the others all ablaze. Then he came back for the passenger cars. When they reached the burned cars what clothing hadn't been burned had been stolen.

The family stayed in Florence for six weeks. They came in Henry Miller's company arriving there the latter part of October 1864. Sister Harper walked most of the way. They lived in Salt Lake two years. Richard Harper walked from Salt Lake City to Cache Valley to decide where to settle, then back to prepare his family for the move.

They arrived in Smithfield in October, 1864. When they left Salt Lake City the same grade of sheeting was priced at $1.25, sugar was $1.25 per pound and butter at $1.00 per pound, while when they left Philadelphia white sheeting was selling for 5¢ a yard. At Salk Lake Flour was $25.00 per hundred.

William F. Harper and his sister, Eliza, gleaned enough wheat to pay half on the family's first cow. Grandfather worked at the shoemaking trade, receiving in payment for same anything that could be eaten or willows to burn. Wheat was $5.00 per bushel. They paid $90.00 for their first Charter Oak stove and hauled flour to Salt Lake by ox team to get it.

Grandfather Harper was a man of great faith and worked among the sick in Smithfield in early days. He served as school trustee for many years.

The family came to Smithfield from Salt Lake City with Brother Seth Langton and ate their first meal in Smithfield at the home of Wright Moore on the Woodruff comer.

Fewer men ever lived who made a more affectionate husband or loving father and faithful Latter-day Saint than he.

It will be noted herein that Grandfather and Grandmother were both born in the same year. They also died in the same year, she in October 11, 1891 and he November 13, 1891. They were the parents of twelve children. Twenty one grandchildren and great grandchildren have filled honorable missions for the church and many of the descendants are community leaders.

This sketch has been copied from shorter ones by Emma Hillyard, Tacy Tuxton and what I remember myself... Nellie Harper Homer

                                         

                   

LIFE SKETCH

OF

RICHARD HARPER AND SUSANNE FAULKNER