Edmund Homer

History of Edmund Homer
Edmund Homer, the oldest son of Russell King and Eliza Williamson Homer, was born at Conneaut, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1839. During his early childhood, his family moved westward to Iowa, as is related in his father's history included in this volume.

He was baptized and confirmed a member of the Mormon Church, November, 1848, by Ezekial Lee. As he approached his youth, he assumed the responsibilities of farm and pioneer work, helping his father with all of the family tasks. By the time he reached his 'teens, he was able to handle the work of a man, and was a great help to his parents.

His parents started on their trip across the Plains with a company of Pioneers. Although Edmund was only 19 years of age, he had had so much experience with livestock and travel that his experience proved very valuable in assisting the company with their oxen and wagons and all the difficulties that came up on the way; this extra work he did in addition to driving a separate outfit for his father.

After the family settled in Salt Lake, he became acquainted with Susan Eveline Greene. They were married November 15, 1864 at Bennington, Bear Lake County, Idaho. Later they moved to Smithfield, where they farmed for several years. Edmund had procured a grammar school education and was a fairly well educated man. While living at Smithfield, he taught school.

With the approval of the Church Authorities, Edmund married Mellissa Greene, the sister of his firt wife, at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, December 13, 1868.

In the year 1875, Edmund and his family were called by Brigham Young to go to the southern part of Utah to help settle that country. He settled at Springdale where they lived for four or five years; here he farmed and also taught school. They were there when the St. George Temple was dedicated and they worked in the Temple as soon as it was opened; Edmund was baptized for 25 and his wife, Eveline, for 15 persons; they also did endowments for one couple, a certain Benjamin Homer and wife, which were the only names available at that time.

His wife Eveline couldn't stand the Dixie climate and her health failed so seriously that it was necessary for them to move back north. They went back to Clarkston for a while. In May of 1882, they went to Marion, Cassia County, Idaho, living there until July, 1882, when they moved over the mountain onto Cassia Creek, now Malta, Idaho. In 1886, he traded his place at Malta for one at Elba, Cassia County, where he spent the remainder of his life. On November 25, 1887, when the Elba Ward of the Mormon Church was organized, he was set apart as Ward Clerk, which office he held for over thirty years. He was a Sunday School teacher in that same ward for over 37 years. He served in a number of minor public offices, including that of watermaster, school trustee, and served a number of terms as Justice of the Peace. He was Post Master of Elba for over thirty years. He was very active in the Church all of his life, holding all of the priesthoods from that of deacon to high priest. He passed away at Elba, ldaho, July 8, 1916, at the age of 77 years.

His children were as follows:

Susan Eveline Greene, the mother of:
Susan Eliza .............. Samuel Barker
Benjamin King ......... Juliaette McMurray
Edmund Flavious ..... Mary Jane Pettingill
Artie Malbourne ...... Unmarried
Mary Mellissa ........... Lyman Howell
Louvisa Eveline ....... Died young
Annie May ............... David Hubbard

Mellissa Greene, the mother of:
Admanzah Greene .... Died young
John Williamson ....... Unmarried
Willard George ......... Elvina Pherson
Nancy Greene .......... George Smith
Louisa Lula .............. Wm. Hopkins
Rhoda Greene .......... James Hopkins

P.S. I have heard father say that when Edmund was 11 years old he went out in the woods and shot a deer. He could not get it home and would not come home and leave it, so he stayed with it all night.

One time when Edmund lived in Smithfield, he doctored An Indian chief's horse and cured it. Soon after, there was An Indian uprising. The few people rushed to the Fort, but Edmund went out to meet the Indians and tried to talk with them. When they saw who he was, they stopped and gave him a chance to reason with them, and then they rode away. The Indians called him Tom and thought he could do most anything.

By Susie H. Barker and Annie H. Hubbard
Taken from "Homer Family History" by Rachael Maretta Homer Crockett