History of Ira Bartlett Elmer

Ira Bartlett Elmer was born 2 August, 1823, to John and Sally Peake Elmer at Norwich, Windsor Co. Vermont. He was the 9^th and last child.

John Elmer was a farmer and Ira learned the ways of farming.

Ira’s brothers and sisters are Tryohenia, Cynthia, Samuel Fifield, John, Wealthy, Sally, Hiram, and William.

In 1831 or 32 Ira’s parents were converted to the Mormon Church.[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] Ira was baptized about 9 or 10 years of age.

In the spring of 1838 the family started to move west. Ira was 15 then. Some of his brothers and sisters were married by then. They made the trip with a wagon and horse team.. In Ohio they stopped for awhile. There the mother and oldest son got Typhoid fever and died.

John and his sons built a log cabin for the family. As their supplies were getting low, they left to find work to replenish their supplies. While they were gone the cabin caught fire and burned to the ground, destroying all of their possessions. They were able to make it through the winter. In the spring John married the widow of Semore Bronson or Brunson. She had three children. They moved into her house.

They moved to Illinois and lived there until 1843, then moved to Lee County, Iowa. Ira married Eveline Wright, probably in 1842. Their first child Angeline was born 27 August, 1843 in Adams Co., Ill. The next two children were also born there, Oliver, 17 June, 1844 and Martha Louisa 14 Nov. 1847. Melissa was born 29 Nov. 1849 in Lee County, Iowa. Melissa died as an infant. Eveline was baptized 22 Aug. 1850.

In the spring of 1852 the Elmer family left for Utah with the Uriah Curtis Company. They arrived 1 Oct. 1852. Ira had 1 wagon, 2 oxen and 2 cows when they started their long journey to Utah. Two of Ira’s brothers, William and Hiram King, and their were also in this company.

Ira and Eveline were re-baptized 6 Nov. 1852 after coming to Utah. Many were re-baptized as are-dedication to the church after coming to Utah. They were endowed 26 Oct. 1861 in the Endowment House.

After coning to Utah they lived in several different places. Their daughter Harriet was born in Whites Fort near Salt Lake City 3 May, 1853. Amanda was born in West Jordan 15 April, 1856. They moved to Payson South of Provo. While at Payson Ira Bartlett was born 5 July, 1858 and Susan Mariah was born there 5 Dec. 1860.

Ira’s father, John, lived in Payson. He was a shingle maker and a shoe maker there. He died in Payson 11 Feb. 1870.

At the General Conference in October 1861 Brigham Young gave calls for many to help settle in what became known as Utah’s Dixie. One of the families called to go there was Ira and Eveline’s family. They were to help settle St. George. James McInelly and family went with them. James was a son-in-law to Ira. They came to ST. George Dec.2, 1861. Several other families had come earlier and some came later.

On Dec. 3^rd Erastus Snow came in a big company. The next night he called a meeting and decided they should all move the camp. The next day they all moved their tents into two rows. A ditch was plowed between the rows of the tents allowing the water to run through. School was taught in a big tent. Schools were very important wherever the Saints settled.

On Christmas Day, 1861, it began to rain. The children were having a Christmas dance. It rained off and on for 40 days. Big floods came down the Rio Virgin river and the Santa Clara Creek and washed the mill and some houses away at Santa Clara. Also, some people were flooded out at Tonaquint. The big school tent was taken down and loaned to the people at Tonaquint for awhile.

Two more children were born to the Elmers in St. George. Hyrum was born 26 August, 1862 and their last child, Eveline was born 3 Dec. 1864. In the 1870 census of St. George it listed Ira as a carpenter and 8 were in the household.

While at St. George Ira took a second wife in plural marriage. This had to be with the consent of the first wife. Plural marriage was practiced to some extent by the Church. Ira married Sarah Selna Leicht. She was a convert from England. She h ad been working in their household. They were married,15 June, 1869. They , like the first family, had 10 children. Sarah was a mid wife, possibly learning this from Eveline who was a midwife.

By this time several of Ira’s children were married. Ira’s and Eveline’s youngest child was 4 ½ years old at that time.

Ira’s and Sarah’s first child, Arthuaia, was born 29 Feb. 1872 at St. George. The family then moved to Panguich, Utah, after living in St. George for 10 years.

While living in Panguich the following children were born to them: Mary Ellen, 11 Dec. 1973, John William, 4 April, 1876, Lusina, 23 Jan. 1878. Their next children were born in Cannonville, Utah. They are George Ira, 7 Sept. 1879 and Brigham Bartlett on 10 Mar. 1883.

When the 1880 census were taken in Cannonville Ira and Sarah were listed in Cannonville. Eveline, 2 children and her father, Joseph Wright were listed in Panguich. [maybe because of lawman looking for plural families]

They must have all lived in Cannonville later. Ira baptized his father-in-law Joseph Wright, in the Cannonville Ward 7 March 1883 on Joseph’s 81^st birthday. Ira was Bishop of the Cannonville Ward from 1880 to 1884. [Many years later one of Ira’s great, great sons, Alden H. Hamblin was a Bishop of the Cannonville Ward, being sustained 9 Feb. 1876.] Eveline was a councilor in the Relief Society , probably in Cannonville, but maybe in Panguich.

In 1881 and November 1883 , Ira, Eveline and Sarah and Susan Jones and other family members went to the ST. George Temple and did temple ordinances for deceased family members. Many were done for Eveline’s family. Her father Joseph Wright, went with them in 1883 for his own endowments.

Sometime in 1884 Ira was released as Bishop of Cannonville Ward. They moved to Pima, Arizona. I believe that Eveline moved to Panguich at this time instead of moving to Pima. Some of her married children were living there or in nearby communities..

In Pima David was born to Ira and Sarah on 11 March, 1885. Later that year Ira and Sarah and their family went with many other Saints to settle in Colonia Juarez, Mexico. Many families went there to escape persecution and imprisonment for having plural wives and families.

The journey to Juarez was long and difficult. The Saints who went were used to such trips. They had to go over steep mountains and across desert places. Many times the wagon wheels had to be locked and maybe something heavy fastened on to drag behind to keep the wagon from going so fast that they would run into the horses and to keep them from tipping over.

Eventually the Mormon Colony settlements grew into fine towns with many red brick homes, schools, fine orchards and alfalfa fields. I don’t know if Ira helped build any of the brick homes there or just what they did for a living. They were pioneers of the Mexico Colonies. They passed through many hardships and privations that are called for in opening up new settlements on the frontiers. Land had to be cleared and plowed, homes built, also churches and schools. Ditches and canals had to be built and food and clothing had to be provided for their large families.

The Elmer’s lived in old Mexico for about 4 years. Their 8^th child Amelia was born in Juarez 7 August, 1887. That was the same day that Ira’s first wife, Eveline, died in Panguich, Utah.

In 1889 they returned to Pima, Arizona. It was the oldest LDS settlement in the Gila Valley Arizona, being settled in 1879. It is on the South side of the Gila River in Graham County. It is 6 miles northwest of Thatcher.

Then the family moved to Thatcher which is also on the south side of the Gila River. The lower end near the river was more fertile and productive so most of the people lived there. Thatcher was the headquarters for the St. Joseph Stake of the LDS Church.

Beautiful orchards, large alfalfa fields and fine farms were in that valley. There was natural timber, mostly cottonwood and mesquite. It is still a beautiful valley.

Spencer W. Kimball grew up in Thatcher from about age three. His family moved there about the same time that the Elmers did. Spencer would have been about the same age as David Henry Elmer. Samuel Clairege was the Bishop there.

It was in Thatcher that Ira lived the rest of his life Here Ira and Sarah had two more children, Heber, born 18 Nov. 1889 an their youngest child, Ann Selenah was born 5 November 1892 . Ira was 69 years of age and Sarah was 40.

Ira worked as a mason and carpenter in Pima and Thatcher, helping to build many of the old brick homes that are still standing there. Ira taught some of his sons carpentry and masonry.

Ira became blind in 1889 before his last two children were born. He had to quit working. His 14

year old son Brigham had to take over earning the living for the family. Also, Sarah was a midwife and was able to help the family income.

The last two years of his life Ira had poor health and the last two months he was bedfast. Being unable to keep working was a great trial for him as he had always been such a hard worker.

It is said that he was “of a great frame and a strong constitution, a good and useful man with many friends in the areas where he lived.”

He had lived on new frontiers nearly all of his life. He had helped to settle many new places. He had no doubt met the Prophet Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow. At least they were prophets during Ira’s life.

Ira was one of the first members of the High Council in the St Joseph Stake. He was ordained a

Stake Patriarch by Elder Heber J. Grant June 25, 1900.

Ira died Saturday June 20, 1903 at his home in Thatcher, Arizona. His funeral was held the next day, Sunday, June 21^st at the Thatcher Hall. Bishop William A. Moody presided. Speakers were Patriarch Samuel Clairedge, Elders Andrew Kimball ,[father of our prophet, Spencer W. Kimball] and William D. Johnson of the Stake Presidency. All of them paid a high tribute to the sterling character and good works of Ira B. Elmer. At his death he was survived by his wife Sarah, 13 Children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was the father of 20 children

Patriarchal Blessing for Ira Bartlett Elmer St. George, Utah April 27, 1871

A Patriarchal Blessing on the head of Ira Bartlett Elmer, son of John and Sally Elmer born in Hartford. Orange County, Vermont August 2, 1823.

Brother Ira I place my hands upon your head. I seal upon you a father’s blessing. Your lineage is that of Joseph thro’ the loins of Ephriam. You are a lawful heir to the Holy Priesthood. Your Father is much pleased with you, He placed His hands upon your head. Your heart is pure and contrite before him. You have come forth in the fullness of times, and you have a great and a mighty work to do in helping to gather the house of Israel. You will go and preach the Gospel into them, and by the power of the Holy Ghost you will bring your thousands to a knowledge of the truths. Your name is registered in the Lamb’s Book of Life never to be blotted out.

Your place and your calling shall be made sure to you. You are one of the hundred and forty four thousand that shall stand upon Mount Zion. You will have an inheritance in Zion. You will be called and chosen to go to the Center Stake of Zion where you will help build a Holy House unto the name of the Lord thy God. You will see that house finished off complete. You will be at the dedication thereof. There you will see a great display of the powers of God. You will look and see your Redeemer coming with his Holy Saints with him to receive His Holy Temple. You will be there and see the wounds he received at the hands of his friends. You will look and see the Ten Tribes coming with John the Beloved Disciple at their head. It will be common with you to see the graves open and the dead come forth. You will be at that great feast even the marriage supper of the Lamb. You will sit down and partake of the richness thereof. And I seal upon your body health, strength, and life that you may run and not be weary and walk and not faint and I seal you up to Eternal Life and seal upon your head a crown of Celestial Glory in the name of the Father and of the Son and Holy Ghost Amen.

Ira also received another blessing November 14, 1875. Much of it is similar but there are other promises. The last paragraph says,” And I bless you in your body, and in your limbs and joints, that you may accomplish all this work to the Glory of God, that you may labor through the thousand years reign on this earth, that you may walk through the streets of the new Jerusalem that shall be paved with pure gold for you to assist in building up that beautiful city. I seal you up to Eternal lives and upon your head a crown of Celestial Glory, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Both of these blessings were given by W.G. Perkins in St. George

Ira may have worked on the temple there because he was living there about the time it was started.

Ira was almost 80 years old at the time of his death.