Remembering John Harris Greer

L-R back row: Nat, Orpha, Myrtle, Harris with Lillian
L-R front row: Sabina, John

Memories of Father

by Catherine Ellen Greer 

John Harris Greer (also known as Harris) was the sixth child of a family of twelve children. He spent his early childhood in Texas where he was born. His parents had Negro slaves (or colored help) at this time who had refused to leave the family when they were freed and had come with them to Texas. They often spoke of Jeff and Mammy.

Remembering Orpha Elzetta Nicoll Greer

Orpha Elzetta Nicoll Greer

by her daughter Florence Leoma Greer Crosby

Orpha Elzetta Nicoll was born in American Fork, Utah, the seventh child of a family of twelve children (four boys and eight girls). She moved with her parents to Washington City near St. George, Utah, about 1870. The family lived here until December 1879 when they moved to St. Johns, Arizona, where her father built a fine two-story home.

On March 29, 1885, Mother was married to my father, John Harris Greer, in St. Johns, Arizona by David K. Udall. Mother gave birth to fourteen living children who were all married before her death in 1944. Tom was her only child who preceded her in death.

Mother was a good manager in her home. She was a good housekeeper and cook. She was kind and good and loved her children and taught us to do all the household tasks well. She did all of the sewing for her children and we were neatly clothed. She was hospitable and a good neighbor to all. She loved music. I remember well my sister and I receiving $1 for learning our music notes and our first little piece on the piano.

Mother developed high blood pressure in her later years and died as a result of a stroke while visiting her son James in Whittier, California. She was brought back to St. Johns, Arizona, and buried beside her husband.

HAPPY 129th ANNIVERSARY, HARRIS & ORPHA!!!

On March 29, 1885, John Harris Greer married Orpha Elzetta Nicoll in St. Johns, Arizona. To celebrate their 129th anniversary, this blog will be posting remembrances of them and their 14 children contributed by their descendants. These will appear in separate postings over the next 16 days. We will begin with Orpha in a separate posting today and Harris tomorrow, then continue with their children in order of birth.

We encourage you to post your personal remembrances in the comments section. If you have any additional photos or information you would like to share, please e-mail them to barbaraballantyne@hotmail.com.

A Pioneer Child's Experience

Orpha's mother, Sabina Ann Adams Nicoll, was born 17 February 1837 in Perth, Ontario, Canada. Her parents had been converted to the Mormon faith in 1835. The family left their home to join the Saints in De Witt, Missouri, in 1838 when Sabina Ann was a baby. Mob persecution during the winter of 1839 forced them to flee to Far West, Missouri. From there they soon fled to Illinois where her father was instrumental in building the city of Nauvoo and helped to build the temple there. In the summer of 1846, they were forced to flee Nauvoo and settled near Council Bluffs, Iowa, to prepare to seek refuge with the Saints in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

Didn't know you were part Canadian, eh?

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.