Letters are a prime source of information. We are fortunate indeed to have access to several written in this particular time period. Only from this source did we learn some of his activities in Orderville.
Perhaps the most meaningful and poignant letter is the following one, written by Zemira’ s wife, Sally, to his sister, Lovina P. Munro, after Zemira’s death. She could never have known of the powerful emotions which accompanies her words. The faith and integrity of our stalwart forbears evidenced in their lives, engenders faith, strength and determination when facing our own challenges.
Orderville 21 Nov. 1880
Dear Sister (Lovina)
I sit down to write a few lines to you we are all well at present but we have had hard times lately for which I ought to have written before now but it seemed as though I could not.
Jimmy’s wife was taken sick about 4 O’clock with a pain in her stomach and went in to fits & died about one O’clock on the 10 Oct
& on the 21 of the same month Zemira was taken sick about 11 O’clock he came home & took some stuff that most always cures him & went back to work again but in an hour he came back & went and got his book & set down his time which closed his affairs here in his life he was so sick that he commenced to vomit the pain was in his stomach & all we could do for him & the elders prayrs & anointing several times all done no good he died about 20 minutes to 4 O’clock next day this has always been his desire not to suffer long when he had to go that he might not suffer long & he got it & since he died Emma has been sick for a good while & I have had my hands full
there was none of the boys home when he died but they came home in about two hours after Jimmy came home when his wife died & he takes his fathers place & is so good to me he has been fixing up the house for winter & living in the Order as we do here is the greatest blessing of any thing I ever got into there is no more care than there was before only his loss is all I have to mourn
& when I consider & see how his dream was literally fulfilled to the end of his life & his anxiety to go was so great & a dream that he had a little while before he died, all shows me that he was to go & it showed Mary Ann’s death also & Emma’s sickness & my trouble & it all that the hand of the lord was in it all but we can’t see for why. You have heard him tell that dream about crossing that river it was his life & the rapids was on the other side & right to the shore and it was next to the end of his life it was the hardest trial he ever saw was the last year of his life. Well what I have passed through helps me to stand what I do now. Well write often & I will answer.
Sally Palmer
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