Ancestor Discovery Page

There is a new resource available at FamilySearch called "Ancestor Discovery Page." This page has key information for a single ancestor gathered in one place where you can see photos and details from their lives, timelines for family and world history, and fun interactive online activities. It is a great place to start to introduce your children or grandchildren to their ancestors. Let us know if you try it!

Here is the link for John Harris Greer:

https://ancestors.familysearch.org/KWCG-643/john-harris-greer-sr%2C-1866-1926

Here is the link for Orpha Elzetta Nicoll

https://ancestors.familysearch.org/KWCG-64S/orpha-elzetta-nicoll-1867-1944

Pages for other ancestors are available as well. Just put in your search bar "ancestor.familysearch.org/" and add their Family Search ID number after the forward slash.

St. Johns Pioneer Day Celebrations

Honor your Greer ancestors this Pioneer Day by joining the celebrations in St. Johns this weekend. They've been holding these celebrations for 142 years--about the same time that the Greer and Nicoll families arrived in the area. You're sure to meet a distant cousin or two! The events include:

Thursday 22 July: Chili Bean & Cornbread Dinner, Ice Cream Social, Pioneer Celebration Program, Youth Dance

Friday 23 July: Campfire Circle, Family Dance

Saturday 24 July: 5K Family Fun Run, Parade, Steak Fry, Adult Dance

Sunday 25 July: Church Services

Get the details on their Facebook page @StJohnsPioneerDays.
 

Happy 154th Birthday, Orpha!

We started this blog eight years ago today in an effort to continue gathering the descendants of John and Orpha, even though circumstances had become too cumbersome to do so in person. We hope that you will take some time to go back through the collection of posts and remember these great people that we descend from. 

Roy and Sylvia looking at the blog on March 29, 2018

 

Orpha's Mayflower Ancestors

 

"Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many...." 

                                                                 William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony

Orpha's ancestral roots run deep into American history--all the way back to the very beginning with the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. This year marks the 400th anniversary of that momentous occasion. Orpha's Mayflower ancestors come through her maternal grandparents, Arza Adams and Sabina Clark, as follows, with their relationship to Orpha listed below the name. Each name is linked to a website with information about each person.

                               ARZA ADAMS LINE                           SABINA CLARK LINE

                                      Elizabeth Fisher                                            Francis Cooke 

                                      10th great aunt                                          8th great grandfather

                                       John Howland                                               John Cooke

                                  7th great grandfather                                        8th great uncle

                                      Elizabeth Tilley                                            George Soule

                                7th great grandmother                                  8th great grandfather

                                        

                                           John Tilley

                                  8th great grandfather

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! BE SAFE!

Honoring Pioneer Children

A beautiful new memorial opened in Salt Lake City this week to honor the children who crossed the plains with their pioneer parents. There is a touching section of large rocks engraved with the names of the children who died along the way. There are three names that are significant to the descendants of  John Harris Greer:

1850 Emma Eliza Camp age 6

Little Emma was Catherine Ellen Camp Greer's baby sister. She travelled with her family and their large herd of cattle in the Shadrach Roundy Pioneer Company. Less than a week out, Emma died. The company records do not give a cause of death, but Grandmother Greer later wrote her memories of crossing the plains and mentions a little girl who got trapped in a stampede and died. Presumably that was her little sister Emma.

1855 Ira Abner Greer age 15; John Irvine Greer age 11 [he is incorrectly listed as age 15]

Within a week of setting out from Kansas, cholera broke out in the Seth Blair Pioneer Company claiming the lives of nearly one-third of their number. Within twenty-four hours, John Harris' grandmother Nancy lost not only these two sons but her husband as well. Seth Blair wrote the following to Brigham Young:

        Nancy Ann Terry Roberts Greer was now a widow, heartbroken with the loss of a husband and sons besides many other loved ones who now lay buried along “Pioneer Trail,” but realizing she must assume new and difficult responsibilities, that faith, courage and determination were needed. She knew she was one among many who likewise must sacrifice much for the Gospel; and that only with the help of Him who never fails, could she carry on and face the future undaunted.

        As soon as the sick were ready to travel, with the help of her loyal sons, they began the onward trek to Salt Lake City. Their long train of heavily laden wagons with three yoke of oxen to each wagon and hundreds of fine horse and cattle being driven, must have attracted much attention when they arrived in Salt Lake City….


On this Pioneer Day, may we remember the huge price the members of the Greer family paid for the Gospel.