When you think of your Greer ancestry, you probably associate them with Arizona, Utah, or maybe even Texas. But Orpha Elzetta Nicoll Greer's parents were originally from Ontario, Canada. Here is a brief synopsis of how they got to Canada and how they ended up in Arizona.
Her paternal great grandfather, John Nicoll, was an officer
in the British Royal Army stationed in Quebec for many years. Upon retirement,
he received land in Ontario and built a large farm there. His son Peter
(Orpha’s paternal grandfather) was born there in 1800.
Her maternal great grandfather, Joshua Adams, was a Loyalist
to the Crown during the American Revolutionary War (that means he sided with
the British). He received land in Ontario as compensation for his loyalty. Joshua raised his family there, including his son Arza
(Orpha’s maternal grandfather).
In the 1830’s Mormon missionaries proselyted in Ontario. The
Peter Nicoll and Arza Adams families were each converted to the Gospel and left their relatives in
Ontario to join with the Saints in Missouri. They moved with them to Nauvoo, and then came with some of the first companies of pioneers to the Salt
Lake Valley in 1849.
Arza Adams went on to settle the town of American Fork,
Utah. Peter Nicoll and his sons followed the gold rush to California. Peter
died there in a mine collapse. His son Alexander went back to Utah and married
Arza Adams’ daughter Sabina. Their daughter, Orpha Elzetta Nicoll, was born in American Fork, Utah, 29 March 1867. Later the family was sent (along with many other families) by Brigham Young to settle what
came to be St. Johns, Arizona, where she would meet and marry John Harris Greer.
Happy Canada Day!
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