ABOUT THIS BLOG

Zemira Palmer is my third-great grandfather. In 2010 I was given tons of information about him by two angel cousins. With their permission I share it all!! - Deniane Kartchner

Contact: denianek@gmail.com

Sally Knight Palmer

Sally Knight Palmer

Zemira's Wives

The photos of Zemira's two wives were contributed by Lucile Brubaker

and her mother, Lenna Cox Wilcock. Thanks!

Caroline Jacques Palmer

Caroline Jacques Palmer

BLOG SOURCES


Unless otherwise noted, the main source for this blog (including the introduction) is a history titled “ZEMIRA PALMER, 1831 – 1880, His Life and Family in Early L.D.S. Church History.” This history was prepared by Lenna Cox Wilcock and sent to Deniane Kartchner via email by Lenna's daughter, Lucile Brubaker, with Lenna and Lucile's permission to post on this blog with the stipulation it be used for family history purposes only and not for financial gain. Lenna and Lucile are descendants of Zemira Palmer through his wife Caroline Jacques.


I have posted the history in segments exactly as Lenna wrote them (with the exception of adding details needed to help the sections stand alone).


Introduction

Zemira Palmer was born the year after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints was organized in Fayette, New York. Living amongst the earliest “Mormon” converts, his entire life and that of his family was inextricably inter-woven with that of the early Saints.


The faith of the Palmer and Draper families, as with all the Saints, was severely tried and tested as they were swept along in the turbulent stream of Mormonism in its desperate struggle for survival while defending their freedom to worship their God as they chose. As Utah Pioneers they contributed greatly in making the desert blossom as a rose in the rugged western American frontier.


One month before his death, in a letter to his sister Zemira made the following statement, and by living according to what it expresses, he was worthy to gain the great reward of which it speaks:


“. . . There is one thing which seems to be true, the Lord is fulfilling His promises. He has said by the mouths of His prophets that He would send judgments on the wicked & trials on the faithful, so that everyone that can be shaken, will be, and those who cannot be shaken, shall gain the great reward of eternal life & supreme happiness.”1


1- Excerpt from letter written by Zemira Palmer to his sister Lovina Palmer Munroe Sept. 18, 1880.


* * * * *

Zemira Palmer History on this blog

2.04.2010

(22) Death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, enemies thought Church would fall



http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/pres-sm/pres-ch-01-03.htm

          The death of the Prophet and Hyrum was a shock to the Saints. No words can express the depth of their sadness. It was a time of great mourning. Weeping and despair were everywhere.  “What a time it was, dark and gloomy—the wind blew, the thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the very heavens poured forth their tears.”39

(NOTE: A description of the burial of the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum mentions a storm similar to the one mentioned above. It reads: “After the bodies were interred, and the ground smoothed off as it was before, and chips of wood and stone and other rubbish thrown over, so as to make it appear like the rest of the ground around the graves, a most terrific shower of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightening, occurred, and obliterated all traces of the fact that the earth had been newly dug.”)40

Evidently the enemies of the Church thought that the death of their Prophet would cause the Church to fall. And it is recorded that many Mormons did leave the Church. But the testimonies of the Saints who stayed faithful through those most trying experiences were not placed on any man—not even on the Prophet—but instead were on the Savior and in the doctrines of His gospel.



39- Cordelia Morley’s History - Mourning at death of prophet

40- History of the Church, Vol 6, p. 628 - Storm covers prophet’s grave

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Contributors


Lucile Brubaker (and her mother Lenna Cox Wilcock) are also contributing to this blog.

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