G.T. Harrison papers, 1802-2013

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Harrison, G. T. (George Trevier), 1901-1995
Title
G.T. Harrison papers
Dates
1802-2013 (inclusive)
Quantity
25.50 linear feet
Collection Number
ACCN 1351
Summary
The G.T. (George Trevier) Harrison papers (1802-1994) are a collection of studies of LDS Church doctrine, Christianity, and some politics written and collected by G.T. Harrison, who in the inventory will be referred to as GTH. Once a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Harrison later became an atheist and continued his study of the history and theology of the LDS Church, as well as other Christian religions. He wrote several books, including Mormons Are Peculiar People, Mormonism Now and Then, And It Came to Pass, and That Mormon Book, all of which are included in this collection among many other books in which he made numerous notes. Much of the material in this collection focuses on controversial aspects of religion and politics, and includes several books, correspondence, notes, and articles.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

George Trevier Harrison (1901-1995) was born in Provo, Utah, on the 15 May 1901. He was the son of George Arthur Harrison and Elbertie Mae West Harrison. His grandparents, William and Janett Gallacher Harrison, were early Mormon settlers.

When G. T. Harrison was fourteen he learned telegraphy and worked as a delivery boy for Western Union, and at fifteen he transmitted national electronic results. At sixteen, during World War I and with a shortage of trained adults, he accepted a management position at the Western Union's office in Burley, Idaho. Later he returned to Provo to attend BYU, where he became class president.

While attending BYU in 1917, Utah Railway Company hired G. T. Harrison as the chief telegrapher and joint agent for Utah Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad. He worked for the railroads for fifty years, retiring as a train dispatcher in 1967.

G. T. Harrison served a two-year LDS mission in England. Once an active member of the LDS Church and president of the Leed's Conference in England, he later directed his efforts toward more controversial aspects of religion and politics. After returning from the mission in 1926, G. T. Harrison saw socio-economic problems throughout Utah. He turned to a lifetime work of clarifying his own understanding and beliefs regarding religion. Often direct and controversial and he was eventually excommunicated from the LDS Church.

George T. Harrison died on the 13th of March 1995.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The G.T. Harrison papers (1802-1994) cover some of the studies and activities of his life. Many of the materials deal with more controversial aspects of religion and politics. Much of the collection contains correspondence, both personal and business in nature, including correspondence to editors and newspapers. This collection also includes several books which G.T. Harrison used in his studies, all of which have numerous thoughts and annotations provided by Harrison. The collection also contains several newspaper, magazine, and newsletter articles pertaining to various religious and political subjects; these also have Harrison's thoughts and annotations included in the margins. Other item of interest in this collection are G.T. Harrison's missionary diaries and scrapbooks.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Boxes 1-6 (4 linear feet) were donated January 1993.

Boxes 7-35 (19.25 linear feet) were donated October 1998.

Box 37 was donated by Garth Harrison in 2013.

Processing Note

Processed by Jennifer Sessions in 2006.

Addendum processed by Betsey Welland in 2019.

Separated Materials

A photograph was removed from this collection and place in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P1290)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Correspondence, Blessings, News Clipings, and JournalReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Missionary Correspondence and Instructions
Includes Harold G. Reynolds, Heber J. Grant, W. C. Spence, and James E. Talmage correspondence; as well as, the Minister's Certificate of G. T. Harrison.
1924-1926
1 2
Missionary Correspondence
Includes James E. Talmage, L. Vernon Derrick, George and Alda Harrison, A. M. McClair, and Hugh J. Cannon correspondence.
1926-1931
1 3
Correspondence
Includes A. W. Horsley, Benjamin Ward, James E. Talmage, and Heber J. Grant correspondence.
1929-1931
1 4
Correspondence
Includes Rudger Clawson, Joseph Fielding Smith, and J. Golden Kimball correspondence.
1932-1934
1 5
Correspondence and Patriarchial Blessings
Includes J. Golden Kimball, and Melvin J. Ballard correspondence; as well as, GTH and Alda L. Jackson patriarchial blessings.
1902-1934
1 6
Correspondence
Includes Willis Carter, T. N. Taylor, Stewart (Stuart) Buchanan, Benjamin Knudsen, A. Ray Akins, George Muhlestein, C. Sterling Cluff, Reed Smoot, Carl Lausen, Elias S. Woodruff, Charles A. Callis, and Rudger Clawson correspondence.
1933-1934
1 7
Correspondence
Includes David O. McKay, George Albert Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, Melvin J. Ballard, John A. Widstoe, and Richard R. Lyman correspondence.
1934
1 8
Correspondence and Complaints
Includes J. Reuben Clark, Jr, John H. Taylor, Samuel O. Bennion, John Wells, Miles L. Jones, LeRoy Tuckett, Joseph V. Ford, and Merl B. Grover correspondence.
1934-1968
1 9
Correspondence
Includes First Presidency correspondence, as well as, Heber J. Grant, Arthur W. Horsely, Henry Mathis, John E. Petit, Stanley H. Edwards, Sidney Cluff, and Joseph M. Forsyth correspondence.
1928-1933
1 10
Sharon Stake Presidency Correspondence
Includes A. V. Watkins, S. H. Blake, Adelbert Bigler, and A. Ray Ekins correspondence.
1935
1 11
Correspondence and Statements Against GTH
Includes Sharon Stake Presidency and High Council, and A. V. Watkins corrrespondence; as well as, Joseph V. Ford and T. Earl Foote statements against GTH.
1935
1 12
Excommunication of GTH and Correspondence
Includes A. V. Watkins, Axel F. Andreasen, E. R. Rasmuson, Mcillen Baldee, Frank W. Clements, and C. G. Patterson correspondence.
1928-1936
1 13
Correspondence and Joseph Luff Song
Includes C. G. Patterson, Sylvester Earl, Mrs. E. Currliffe, J. B. Stone, J. V. Stone, Jack E. Micknight, Ray McGuire, C. M. Ivie, A. C. Gregerson, and W. A. Atwell correspondence.
1907-1935
1 14
Correspondence and Blessings
Includes Walter P. Faber, Samuel Eastman, James E. Yates, and Louis S. Dunyon correspondence; as well as, blessings given to Delorma Clark and Nicholas G. Smith.
1924-1935
1 15
Newspaper Clippings
Volume
1 1
GTH Journal
 1920-1932

Correspondence and various papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Volume
2 1
Correspondence and various papers
Includes Charles A. Callis, Rudger Clawson, A. V. Watkins, Joseph Fielding Smith, Hugh B. Brown, Morris L. Reynolds, Henry D. Taylor, Milton R. Hunter, Bernard P. Brockbank, N. Eldon Tanner, Harold B. Lee, Ernest L. Wilkinson, Mark E. Petersen, Wayne Owens, Melissa L. Bridges, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Owens, Spencer W. Kimball, Marion G. Romney, Robert L. Eardley, Dee Jay Nelson, D. Arthur Haycock, Douglas Wallace, Hal Williams, Duane Price, John W. Fitzgerald, Ogden Kraut, Ezra Taft Benson, Kay Thoreson, Barbara Smith, Grant H. Mildenhall, Wesley P. Walters, Francis M. Gibbons, Hartman Rector, Boyd K. Packer, Marvin Ashton, Wendell Ashton, Bruce R. McConkie, T. Porter, Herbert W. Armstrong, Joseph Weless, Paul Richards, and Ed Decker correspondence.
1924-1983
2 2
Correspondence and various papers
Includes Joseph Coe, Jospeh Smith, Albert DeLorma Clark, Hugh Nibley, J. O. Christensen, Richard E. Geib, William V. Wilson, John D. Lundberg, Richard M. Nixon, Noble M. Melencamp, Zora Gudmundson, Helen Weeks, Oleg Shibko, Ronald Reagan, Dyson Carter, Grant N. Mildenhall, Richard Townsend, Kent P. Jackson, Stephen D. Ricks, Paul Kurtz, Robert McDougall, Grant N. Mildenhall, Peggy Fletcher, John L. Smith, Rulon R. Fairbanks, Spencer W. Kimball, Richard S. Lemon, Francis M. Gibbons, Ed. Decker, W. T. Knight, and Wally Tope correspondence.
1930-1983
2 3
Correspondence and various papers
Includes Edna Johnson, James R. Spencer, Ron Haworth, Donahue Show, Grant N. Mildenahll, Mario Cuomo, John Fitzgerald, Richard D. Lamn, Darrick Evenson, Clark Hawley, H. Bryan Richards, Alonzo A. Hinckley, Larry V. Lunt, Russell Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, James Kennedy, Robert McDougall, Rulon R. Fairbansk, Terry Wood, Mark Eubank, Aldine Benson, J. F. Parsons, George McGovern, Gerry Herbert, Walter F. Mondale, Bruce Lindsay, Russell Chandler, Charles M. Larson, James Lang, Richard D. Baer, W. T. Knight, Louise Stark, Marie and Charles Larsen, Herbert W. Armstrong, and L. Madelon Brunson correspondence.
1930-1985
2 4
GTH, "And It Came to Pass"

Articles, Fliers and Personal InformationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 1
"Some Bible Contradictions"
3 2
GTH Personal Information
Includes L. R. Taylor, Merl B. Grover, and Jake Garn correspondence.
1945-1979
3 3
The Three Nephites
3 4
Anti-Mormon Fliers
3 5
"My Gods, My Gods, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Us?"
3 6
"The BOM is a Work of Fiction, or A Dessection of the Most Correct Book on Earth"
3 7
Examination for the Utah State Bar and Results
3 8
Letters to the Editors
3 9
Uncompleted--LDS Writings

Correspondence, Articles, and PublicationsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
4 1
"The Real Founder of Christianity--Paul"
4 2
"Help!! Moroni, Help!!"
4 3
Publications
4 4-22
Correspondence and Writings
 1983-1993
Container(s) Description Dates
Box Volume
5 1
Martin L. Bard, Peril of Faith
1982
5 2
Colonel Abbott Boone, Or Hypocritical New National Motto
1963
5 3
David M. Brooks, Necessity of Atheism
1933
5 4
Charlotte and Dyson Carter, Future of Freedom
1963
5 5
Fred C. Collier, Unpublished Revelations
1981
5 6
G. W. Foote and W. P. Ball, Bible Handbook
6 1
John A. Gerber, Psycho-Neurosis Called Christianity
1969
6 2
Andrew Hamilton, Those Amazing Mormons
1952
6 3
GTH, Mormons Are Peculiar People
1954
6 4
GTH, Mormonism Now and Then
1961
6 5
GTH Transcripts, Some Newspaper Articles and Correspondence Relative Thereto
1932-1934
6 6
GTH, That Mormon Book
1981
6 7
James Hervey Johnson, Superior Men
1949

Bibles and AnnotationsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
7 1
Holy Scriptures Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation
1927
7 2
King James Version (KJV) Bible with GTH Annotations
 1903
7 3
KJV New Testament with GTH Annotations
 1953
7 4
New Testament with GTH Annotations

BOMs with AnnotationsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
8 1
BOM with GTH Annotations
 1924
8 2
BOM with GTH Annotations
 1950
8 3
Triple Combinations with GTH Annotations
 1903
9 1
Triple Combination with GTH Annotations
 1965
Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
10 1
Book of Commandments for Government of Church of Christ reprint verbatim by Charles F. Putnam and Daniel Macgregor
10 2
Book of Commandments Photographic Reproduction
1961
10 3
Anthony W. Ivins, Relationship of Mormonism and Freemasonry
1934
10 4
Joseph B. Keeler, First Steps in Church Government
1906
10 5
H. Michael Marquardt, Study of the Book of Mormon in Two Parts
1978-1979
10 6
William McCarthy, Bible, Church, and God
1943
11 1
Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict
11 2
William Floyd, Mistakes of Jesus
1957
11 3
Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, Answers to Tough Questions
1983
11 4
E. Cecil McGavin, Mormonism and Masonry
1935
11 5
Alice Smith McKay, Examination of Some Prophecies of Early Founders of Mormonism Tanscript
 1930
11 6
William A. Morton, Book of Mormon Pready References
1898
11 7
William A. Morton, Gems from the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants
1925
11 8
Rondo A. Murphy, Relativity of Knowledge
1976
12 1
Stanley W. Paher, If Thou Hadst Known
1978
12 2
Edwin F. Parry, Joseph Smith's Teachings
1922
12 3
Mark E. Petersen, Those Gold Plates!
1979
12 4
Calvin H. Rich, Some Differences in Faith
1930
12 5
John E. Remsburg, The Christ
13 1
John E. Remsburg, The Bible
13 2-3
Franklin D. Richards and James A. Little, A Compendium
1884-1925
13 4
Jabez Richardson, A.M., Monitor of Free-Masonry
14 1-2
B. H. Roberts, Book of Mormon Difficulties and Exposures
14 3
Steven L. Shields, Divergent Paths of the Restoration
1982
14 4
J.M. Sjodahl, Reign of Antichrist
1913
14 5
Willard J. Smith, Joseph Smith, Who Was He?
15 1
James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith
1924
15 2
Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism-Shadow or Reality?
1972
15 3
John A. Widtsoe and Franklin S. Harris, Jr., Seven Claims of the Book of Mormon
1937
16 1
Wilford C. Wood, Joseph Smith Begins His Work
1958
16 2
Wilford Woodruff, Leaves from My Journal
1882
16 3
BYU Studies
1969
16 4
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
1968
16 5
The Elder's Reference
1913
16 6
Information on the Inspired Bible and Other Typescripts
 1905-1935
16 7
Is the Bible Really the Word of God?
1969
17 1
Power for Living
1983
17 2
Psychological Tests for Authorship of BOM and other Typescripts
 1912
17 3
Ready References
1917
17 4
A Uniform System for Teaching Investigators
1966
17 5
Watch Tower, Truth That Leads to Eternal Life
1968

Booklets and PamphletsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
17 6
Booklets for Mormonism-Shadow or Reality?
1932-1973
17 7
Rare Pamphlets and Leaflets concerning Church Apostacy
Contains Kirk Arnold's Steady the Ark of God, and Latter-day Revelation - Exposed; M. E. Bigelow's Zion's Bondage and Redemption; Marion W. Brown's Three Important Letters; Chas W. Kingston's What Spirit are Ye of?; Jesse B. Stone's My Reply to Grant, or the Dirty Stove Pipe, My Reply to President Heber J. Grant's Conference Denials, The Mask of Mormonism - A Challenge, and An Event of the Underground Days; John Taylor and Wilford Woodroff's The Words of the Lord Jesus Christ in Four Revelations; Owen Woodruff's Our Manifesto; as well as The First Hundred Years, A Review, and Why?.
1927-1934
17 8-9
Bound Pamphlets
18 1-2
Bound Pamphlets
19 1
Bound Miscellaneous Religious Pamphlets
19 2
Miscellaneous Loose Pamphlets
 1923-1983
20 1
Loose Pamphlets
20 2
Awake!
1968
20 3
American Publishers Have Become Prostitutes!
1966
20 4
Bible Law on Money
20 5
Cure for Any Depression
1934
20 6
Discourse Photocopy
 1873
20 7
Exommunication of a Mormon Church Leader
20 8
Follow the Living Prophet
20 9
Freeman Pamphlet, Five Speeches by Herbert Hoover
20 10
Looking For A Saint
20 11
Truth
1937
20 12
Where Does It Say That?
20 13
Garner Ted Armstrong, After Death then What?
1972
20 14
Herbert W. Armstrong, Plain Truth about Christmas
1970
20 15
Herbert W. Armstrong, Proof of the Bible
1958
20 16
Herbert W. Armstrong, What Will You Be Doing
1969
20 17
Lester E. Bush Jr., Spalding Theory Then and Now
1984
20 18
Sheldon Emry, Billions for the Bankers
20 19
W. H. Ferry, Caught on the Horn of Plenty
1962
20 20
GTH, Mormon Tithing
1934
20 21
GTH, Zion Prospers All Is Well
1935
20 22
Vernal Holley, BOM Authroship: A Closer Look
1983
20 23
Los Angeles Times, Mormon Articles
 1983
20 24
Sterling M. McMurrin, Patterns of our Religious Faith
1959
20 25
Frank S. Morley, What We Can Learn
1954
20 26
George Milburn, Best Jokes About Preachers
1927
20 27
Elizabeth Rachel Cannon, Cities of the Sun
1910
20 28
Ben E. Rich, A Friendly Discussion
20 29
H.M.S. Richards Jr., Time For Translation
1963
20 30
Leo Sonderegger, American Medicine
20 31
James E. Talmage, The Lord's 10th

Diaries, Missionary Records, and CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
21 1-2
Diary of GTH
 1924-1926
21 3
GTH Record of Missionary Labors and Related Materials
 1924-1926
21 4
J. O. Christensen Correspondence
 1954-1966
21 5
Janet Gardner Gallacher Biography and Correspondence
 1869-1870
21 6
Mrs. M.S. Smart Correspondence
 1954-1967
21 7
Jesse B. Stone Correspondence
 1953-1957
21 8
Personal Correspondence
 1956-1967

CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
22 1
Post Cards, Telegrams, and Undated Correspondence
 1959-1969
22 2-5
Correspondence
 1938-1979
23 1-3
Correspondence
 1980-1993
23 4
Editor and Newspaper Correspondence
 1944-1994
23 5
GTH Publication Correspondence
 1964-1982

GTH Excommunication papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
24 1-2
GTH Correspondence to Church Leaders and Excommunication
 1930
24 3
Bar Examination Questions and Answers
 1938

Manuscript DraftsReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 25

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
25 1-4
GTH's And It Came to Pass Manuscript
26 1
GTH's Mormons Are Peculiar People Manuscript
26 2-5
Mormons Are Peculiar People Correspondence
 1943-1982
26 6
Mormons Are Peculiar People Miscellaneous papers
 1954-1977
26 7-8
Account Book for Mormonism, Now and Then
1954-1982
27 1
GTH, And It Came To Pass Manuscript
27 2
GTH's Christianity Manuscript and papers
 1966
27 3
George Arthur Harrison Biography Draft
 1988
27 4
GTH, Help Moroni, Help! Manuscript
27 5
Publisher Information for Help Moroni Help
1979
27 6
If I Were A Mormon Manuscript
27 7
GTH, Mormonism Now and Then Advance Copy
 1961
28 1
GTH Manuscript, Real Founder of Christianity
28 2
A Record of Human Slaves in Utah
28 3-5
GTH, Some Contradictions Found in the King James "Holy" Bible
28 6
GTH's That Mormon Book Manuscript
28 7
GTH Publication Notes and Statements
 1972-1982

Periodicals, A-ZReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
29 1
American Atheist Articles
 1927-1989
29 2
Age of Reason Magazines and Pamphlets
 1955-1968
29 3
American Rationalist Articles
 1963-1987
29 4
Central Utah Journal Articles
 1982-1983
29 5
Church and State Magazine Articles
 1972-1977
29 6
The Churchman Magazine Articles
 1985-1988
29 7
Christian Railroader and Railroad Evangelist Articles
 1956
29 8
Daily Utah Chronicle Articles
 1975-1978
29 9
Deseret News Articles
 1931-1991
29 10
Dialogue
1966
29 11
Ensign Articles
 1959-1989
29 12
Family Weekly Articles
 1960-1967
29 13
Freethinker Magazine Articles
 1963-1973
30 1
Life Magazine Articles
 1956-1969
30 2
Life Science Articles
 1968
30 3
Life with Lyndon Articles
 1967-1968
30 4
Millennial Messenger Articles
 1978
30 5
National Forum Articles
30 6
New York Times Articles
 1968-1970
30 7
Newsweek Articles
 1960-1978
30 8
Orem-Geneva Times Articles
 1973-1990
30 9
Plain Truth Magazine Articles
 1971-1978
30 10
Provo Herald Articles
 1934-1994
30 11
Salt Lake Tribune Articles
 1933-1994
30 12
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Articles
 1985
30 13
Tiime Magazine Articles
 1977-1988
30 14
Tomorrows World Magazine Articles
 1970-1971
30 15
Train Dispatcher Articles
 1967-1978
30 16
U.S. News and World Report Magazine Articles
 1969-1979
30 17
Utah Christian Tract Society Newsletter
 1971-1984
30 18
Utah Evangel Articles
 1981-1991

Articles, Book Reviews, Poems and NotesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
31 1-2
Miscellaneous Articles
 1856-1994
31 3
Book Reviews
 1984
31 4
Poems
31 5
Handwritten Notes

Typed NotesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Box Folder
32 1
Small Typed Notes
32 2-3
Typed Articles and Notes
32 4
Miscellaneous Typed Notes

Miscellaneous Notes and ArticlesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
33 1
Contradictions of the Bible Quotes
33 2
Garment Articles
33 3
Notes About Gods
33 4
Holiday Articles
33 5
LDS Conference Notes
 1976-1980
33 6-7
Notes and Articles for Mormonism-Shadow or Reality?
1892-1987
33 8
Prophecies of Jesus Notes

Miscellaneous papers and ScrapbookReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
34 1
Vernal Holley papers
34 2
Publishing Agreement for Founder of Christianity
1969
34 3
Waldemer P. Read, What Freedom Is Found in the Local Culture?
1962
34 4
Supreme Court of New York Summons
 1958
34 5
Jesse B. Stone, Dilemmas of Mormonism Manuscript
34 6
Scrap Book with Notes
34 7
Miscellaneous
35 1-2
Scrapbooks
 1945-1983
36 1
Large Scrapbook
36 2
William and Janet Harrison papers
 1887-1944
36 3
Eleventh Annual National American Atheist Convention Poster
 1981
37 1
"90 Years and More: Life History of George Trevier Harrison"
 2013
37 2
Garth Harrison's Observations on His Father, G. T. Harrison
 2013

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Latter Day Saint churches--Controversial literature
  • Latter Day Saint churches--Missions--England
  • Latter Day Saints--Missionary experiences--England

Personal Names

  • Harrison, G. T. (George Trevier), 1901-1995--Archives

Form or Genre Terms

  • Certificates
  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Correspondence
  • Diaries
  • Genealogies (histories)
  • Manuscripts for publication

Finding aid created by Lisa DeMille, Jennifer Sessions, and Betsey Welland.
2006 (last modified: 2019)

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