(3) Zemira's father, George Palmer, Jr.

George Jr., Zemira’s father, was born in 1795.  In 1812 a war was being fought between the Americans and the British, so George Jr. at age 17, joined the Glengarry Light Fencibles, and for his service, he received a land grant in Cramahe from the King of England.⁵ That meant he could be a landowner. (Incidentally, four of George’s brothers also served in the British military in Canada.)

(4) George Palmer and Phebe Draper marry

An older photo of Phebe Draper from Sarah Collinwood’s book, 
"Descendants of George Palmer and Phebe Draper", p. 10 c. 

Very shortly after he was honorably released*, George Jr. Palmer returned to Cramahe and in 1815 married his childhood neighbor, Phebe Draper, who was probably his childhood sweetheart.  While living in Crammie, they were blessed with a daughter Lovina and a son Asahel. 

They soon moved to the nearby town of Haldimand in the same County and while there had another son whom they named William George.

Phebe’s Uncle Thomas Draper lived 100 miles east of Cramahe, at Loughborough (Low’-bro) in Frontenac County. That area is described as a land with many lakes, lush foliage, and rich soil; a pleasant and beautiful place to live.  So, perhaps for that reason, Zemira’s parents and other relatives moved there.  And that’s where their last four children were born, Eliza, Lydia Elizabeth, Zemira and Rhoda.⁶ Looking at a map of Frontenac County, we see it is literally dotted with lakes.

So now George and Phebe Palmer and her Draper relatives lived on the same tract of land, or nearby, as they traded, bought or sold lots. They had the association of cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents with whom they could share experiences, and help each other with the work of clearing the new land, building homes, and supporting each other at all times.

Capt. Z. Palmer celebrates Pioneer Day

The following article appeared in the Deseret News on 8 August 1860. Zemira Palmer is the grandfather of William Zemira Palmer.

Zemira was born in Canada in 1831 to George and Pheobe Palmer. His father died when he was a toddler. His mother moved to Kirtland, remarried to Ebenezer Brown, and when he was 15-years-old, the three of them joined the Mormon Battalion. They were all at Sutter's Mill in California when gold was discovered in the stream there.

Zemira later helped rescue the members of the Willie and Martin Handcart companies, helped defeat Johnson's army, married Sally Knight and helped to establish the United Order in Orderville, Utah. He died 22 Oct. 1880 in Orderville.