Chapter 1—Childhood
I was born at Gorham, Maine, November 26, 1827. My parents,
Robert and Eunice Harmon, were for many years residents of this
State. In early life they became earnest and devoted members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. In that church they held prominent
connection, and labored for the conversion of sinners, and to build up
the cause of God, for a period of forty years. During this time they
had the joy of seeing their children, eight in number, all converted and
gathered into the fold of Christ.
Misfortune
While I was but a child, my parents removed from Gorham to
Portland, Maine. Here, at the age of nine years, an accident happened
to me which was to affect my whole life. In company with my twin
sister and one of our schoolmates, I was crossing a common in the city
of Portland, when a girl about thirteen years of age, becoming angry
at some trifle, threw a stone that hit me on the nose. I was stunned by
the blow, and fell senseless to the ground.
When consciousness returned, I found myself in a merchant’s
store. A kind stranger offered to take me home in his carriage, but I,
not realizing my weakness, told him that I preferred to walk. Those
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present were not aware that my injury was so serious, and allowed me
to go; but after walking only a few rods, I grew faint and dizzy. My
twin sister and my schoolmate carried me home.
I have no recollection of anything further for some time after the
accident. My mother said that I noticed nothing, but lay in a stupor for
three weeks. No one but herself thought it possible for me to recover,
but for some reason she felt that I would live.
When I again aroused to consciousness, it seemed to me that I had
been asleep. I did not remember the accident, and was ignorant of the
cause of my illness. A great cradle had been made for me, and in it I
lay for many weeks. I was reduced almost to a skeleton.
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