Poland Maine Harmon home
Ellen Harmon lived Poland, Maine, at 4510 Jackson Street between 1829 and about 1833. The Harmons purchased a home and barn on about 100 acres from William Smith on August 7, 1829.1 Ellen’s earliest memories must have been of this place. The Harmon farm was identified in 1994. It has since been moved to a new foundation and the original barn has been replaced. The story of Bossy the cow, which has been passed down in the White family, probably occurred at the creek to the southeast side of the home. I quote from Arthur White’s biography of Ellen White:
One evening as she went to the pasture gate to bring the cow to the shed for milking, the bossy that usually was there waiting for her was nowhere in sight. Ellen went down through the woods, frequently calling the cow. Not until she had reached a little brook in the valley below, did she hear a response. To her dismay she found the cow in the middle of the stream, with all four feet stuck in the mud. Immediately Ellen set about devising a plan to get the cow unstuck. Picking some luscious grass nearby, she reached out to the cow, who was grateful for something to eat. After repeating this several times, Ellen offered the cow another generous handful of grass, but this time held it just a little beyond her reach. Then with her free hand grasping the nearest horn Ellen urged, “Come, Bossy,” and moved the grass away. The cow, fearful of losing the promised morsel, put forth extraordinary effort to break loose from the mud. Soon Ellen and cow were making their way back to home and shed.
Poland Maine Harmon home
Ellen Harmon lived Poland, Maine, at 4510 Jackson Street between 1829 and about 1833. The Harmons purchased a home and barn on about 100 acres from William Smith on August 7, 1829.1 Ellen’s earliest memories must have been of this place. The Harmon farm was identified in 1994. It has since been moved to a new foundation and the original barn has been replaced. The story of Bossy the cow, which has been passed down in the White family, probably occurred at the creek to the southeast side of the home. I quote from Arthur White’s biography of Ellen White:
One evening as she went to the pasture gate to bring the cow to the shed for milking, the bossy that usually was there waiting for her was nowhere in sight. Ellen went down through the woods, frequently calling the cow. Not until she had reached a little brook in the valley below, did she hear a response. To her dismay she found the cow in the middle of the stream, with all four feet stuck in the mud. Immediately Ellen set about devising a plan to get the cow unstuck. Picking some luscious grass nearby, she reached out to the cow, who was grateful for something to eat. After repeating this several times, Ellen offered the cow another generous handful of grass, but this time held it just a little beyond her reach. Then with her free hand grasping the nearest horn Ellen urged, “Come, Bossy,” and moved the grass away. The cow, fearful of losing the promised morsel, put forth extraordinary effort to break loose from the mud. Soon Ellen and cow were making their way back to home and shed.