Orpha: "At the Head of Her Posterity"

Orpha Elzetta Nicoll was born 148 years ago today (29 March 1867) in American Fork, Utah.
To honor this great lady on her birthday, we are posting a transcription of her Patriarchal Blessing.
She received this blessing on 16 April 1937 in Mesa, Arizona, as a widow at the age of seventy and just seven years before her death.

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a patriarchal blessing contains inspired personal counsel from the Lord as well as a declaration of a person's lineage in the house of Israel. It is meant to be studied and lived, with a promise of guidance, comfort, and protection. Our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, has said, "Your patriarchal blessing will see you through the darkest night. It will guide you through life's dangers." We can only hope this blessing was all of that for Orpha.

A blessing given by John F. Nash, Patriarch, upon the head of Orfa E. N. Greer; daughter of Alexander Nichols and Sabina Adams; born 29 March, 1867, American Fork, Utah. Sister Greer: In the authority of the Holy Priesthood, I lay my hands upon your head and seal upon you this Patriarchal blessing that shall be a comfort to you so long as you continue in your faithfulness. The Lord remembers your service in the spirit world and the covenants you made to serve Him when you came upon the earth. This you have fulfilled thus far in your life and He rejoices over you. Your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life with the assurance that you will receive an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom if you hold out faithful unto the end. He loves you for the integrity and the way you have served Him, and the remainder of your days upon the earth will be pleasant and happy, filled with the inspiration of the Lord. His Spirit will be round about you to guide and direct you in all of your labors. He shall bless you with health and strength all of your days. You are of the lineage of Ephraim and you shall partake of the blessings pronounced upon that chosen people. He has accepted your mission of motherhood and will bless you with a power and influence over the young people, yours and others, and they shall bless you in days to come because of the influence you had over them and led them aright. The Lord blesses you with a knowledge of His purposes and you have joy and satisfaction in contemplating the future with its magnificent glories for you have a testimony that the Lord lives. Your labors in the House of the Lord shall return to your honor and glory and when you have finished this life's mission there will be multitudes to meet you on the other side when there shall be a period of great rejoicing. You shall be preserved and protected from harm or danger and shall have plenty of the good things of the earth so that your last days shall be your best days. I seal you up unto Eternal Life to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, to be crowned among those who have fought the good fight and won the prize of exaltation, and you shall be placed at the head of your posterity to rule and reign in the House of Israel forever. These blessings I seal upon you through your faithfulness, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Honoring a Family Hero

A great grandson of John Harris and Orpha is a real American hero. U.S. Army Major John Dana "JD" Greer (Ret.)--John Jr.'s grandson--served in such units as the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and suffered multiple severe injuries in the course of his service, including losing his right arm after being hit by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq. He and his wife Ada are currently serving a military relations mission for the LDS Church in San Antonio, Texas.

This Veteran's Day, honor your Greer cousin's sacrifice for your freedoms by sharing his story with your family. The following link will take you to a short biography and a video interview with JD from the George W. Bush Presidential Center website: http://www.bushcenter.org/people/john-d-greer.

Mini Greer Reunion

Recently two mini Greer reunions were held at the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah. Sylvia Crosby Clegg (daughter of Florence) arranged meetings for descendants of Florence, Leland, and Kate to meet with John Jr.'s grandson, John Dana "JD" Greer, who is leaving this week to serve a military relations mission with his wife Ada in San Antonio, Texas.

As Sylvia said, "Good family times and good family connections sweeten life!" We encourage you to share photos of any cousin get-togethers you may have and we will post them on this blog.

Roy Crosby, Grant Skousen, Sister Ada Greer
Keri Skousen, Sylvia Crosby Clegg, Elder JD Greer

Sister Ada & Elder JD Greer, Barbara & Richard Ballantyne,
Sylvia Crosby Clegg, and Laurie Jo Rhoton

Happy Pioneer Day!

John Harris Greer’s father, Thomas Lacy Greer, was 28 when he travelled to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. He came with his parents, Nathaniel Hunt and Nancy Ann Terry Roberts Greer, and many other family members in the Seth Blair/Edward Stevenson Company of 1855. They had recently arrived at the outfitting post at Mormon Grove, Kansas, (near Atchison) with a large group of fellow converts from Texas. They departed from there on 15 June and arrived between 10-13 September. A third of this company died of cholera enroute, including Thomas’ father.

Catherine Ellen Camp, Harris’ mother, travelled as a child at the age of twelve in the Shadrach Roundy Company of 1850. They departed Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 22 June and arrived between 10-19 September. She travelled in style with her family, comprised of her father, Williams W. Camp, her mother, Diannah Greer Camp, and siblings John (age 16), Harriet (age 8), Emma (age 6), Richard (age 3), and Margaret (age 1). They also brought two slaves with them, Dan and Charlotte. Little Emma died after less than a week on the trail in a cholera epidemic that swept the company.

It is not known which company Orpha Elzetta Nicoll’s father, Alexander Nicoll, travelled with to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, but it is known that he came before 1850 because he is listed on the Utah Census for that year with his brothers John and William as well as his stepbrother Hugh Lisonbee. His father, Peter Nicoll, went to California with the Gold Rush and died in a mine there. His mother, Margaret McPhail Nicoll, had died a few years earlier in Keokuk, Iowa.

 

Orpha’s mother, Sabina Ann Adams, was also twelve when she travelled to Utah in the Samuel Gully/Orson Spencer Company of 1849, which left from Kanesville (Council Bluffs), Iowa, on 28 May and arrived between 22-25 September. With her were her parents, Arza M. Adams and Sabina Clark Adams, and her siblings Nathan (age 17), Joshua (age 15), Nancy (age 7), Theothan (age 4), and Joseph Smith (age 2). Another sibling was born just about a month after they arrived.

Remembering Raymond Hogue Greer

Ray Greer & his sister Bina Law

Ray was born 19 October 1911 in St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona, the youngest in the large family of John Harris and Orpha Nicoll Greer. He had a happy childhood growing up on Greer Ranch and attending school in St. Johns. As a teenager, he had a job herding sheep for Marion Haws of St. Johns. After his father died, Ray left home to work (against the wishes of his mother since he was only fifteen years old). He traveled around the country a great deal, returning for a few days at a time to visit.