PALMER, Phoebe

1858 - 1936  (78 years)  Submit Photo / Document

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• Name	PALMER, Phoebe
  Birth	18 Feb 1858	Provo, Utah, Utah Territory, United States
  Gender	Female
  WAC	11 May 1874	EHOUS
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Death	15 Aug 1936	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
  Burial	19 Aug 1936	Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I52032	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family ID

  F25864

  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	KARTCHNER, Mark Elisha Sr. ,   b. 10 Dec 1853, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United Statesd. 4 Aug 1939, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 85 years)
  Children	+ 1. KARTCHNER, Ellora ,   b. 24 Oct 1889, Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, United States Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona, United Statesd. 9 May 1971, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States (Age 81 years)
  Family ID	F25858	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

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• Notes

  The following is a brief life history of Mark Elisha Kartchner, Sr. It was written by Mark’s daughter, Ellora Kartchner Knudson, and read at his funeral held in the Provo Second Ward on August 9, 1939, by his grandson Glenn Eldon Knudson. A Brief History of Mark Elisha Kartchner, Sr.* Dear family, and relatives and friends, It is my desire to give you a brief history of the life of my grandfather, Mark Elisha Kartchner. He was the third son of William Decatur Kartchner and Margaret Jane Casteel. The couple lived in Missouri, but was driven from their home by mobs as were other Mormons. They joined the James Emmett and George Miller Company, and started west in 1846. William and Margaret traveled as far as Pueblo, Colorado. However, since their provisions were nearly gone the Kartchners decided to stay in Pueblo until they had earned enough money to continue their journey. Because of this delay they did not arrive in Utah until 1847. In late 1850 the family moved on to California with the same company, which included C.C. Rich and Apostle Amasa M. Lyman, settling in the valley called San Bernardino. Mark Elisha was born December 10, 1853. In 1857, the Kartchner family came back to Utah and settled in Beaver where they lived for about six years. They then moved to the Muddy River Valley in southern Nevada, and later in 1870 they again moved, this time to Panguitch, Utah. It was there that Mark Kartchner met Phoebe Palmer, and on May 11, 1874 they were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. There were a total of three couples from the two families who were married that day; two Kartchner boys married two Palmer girls, and one Kartchner girl married a Palmer boy. The mothers of the couples traveled with them to Salt Lake, which took a week by team and wagon. On the way back they had to cross the raging Sevier River, which was very dangerous because there was no bridge. They sealed the wagon box as best they could by stuffing the cracks between the boards with strips torn from the women's aprons. Working together, they pulled the wagon box across with ropes. Grandfather lost his balance and fell in the river but managed to pull himself back into the wagon. Mark and Phoebe lived in Panguitch until 1877, when they were called by Bishop George W. Sevey to go to Snowflake, Arizona on a pioneering mission as colonizers. The young couple endured many trials, hardships, and unpleasant experiences both on the journey and after arriving in Snowflake. They lived the United Order at Snowflake, the rule being that everyone did their allotted work. The early days in Snowflake were hazardous and dangerous because Indians and Texas cowboys were a rough, lawless bunch. They terrorized and persecuted the small town, killing some people and stealing their horses and cattle. Grandfather told the story about one occasion, when he was out of town, some cowboys came into Snowflake one night to steal horses. When they came up to his corral to take the horses, the Kartchner’s little dog Fido barked and ran around making such a fuss that it awakened Phoebe. She dressed and went outside to check on the commotion, which apparently scared off the cowboys before they could take the horses. Mark and Phoebe always felt that was what saved their horses, as perhaps the cowboys thought she was a man. Grandpa played his violin with others for the dances, sometimes until nearly morning, and also lead ward choirs in some of the places they lived. Their daughter, Ellora, still has his tuning fork. He served as an alternate High Councilman, school trustee, and the city Sexton from 1880 to 1890. Once, Grandpa was called with others to guard a tract of land, from the Mexicans, on the Little Colorado River. He had to walk back-and-forth all night with his gun, ready to shoot, if any trouble started. The Kartchners started a store in part of their house, later building a larger one in company with his brother-in-law, Alma Z. Palmer. Grandpa learned the Navajo and Spanish languages thinking it would help him with some of his customers at the store. Sometime in 1880, Grandpa bid for and got the contract to pick up and deliver the U.S. mail, traveling by buckboard back-and-forth over a distance of 50 miles. After they were released from their calling as colonizers in Arizona in 1895, the Kartchners moved back to Utah. Making the journey with horses and wagons it took a month to get to Provo. They made this move mainly for their children’s education. He brought Newell Knight, Sr.’s farm on what was then called Provo Bench. They again started a store in one room of their house, later building a big brick building for dance hall and a store. This was the second store on the Bench. Grandpa was the Second Superintendent of the Sharon Sunday School, taking his family over there to teach the classes, lead the songs, and play the music. He was a Timpanogos Ward Teacher for years in the Fourth Ward of Provo and the also the Ensign Ward in Salt Lake. In 1907 the Kartchners moved to Provo City and built a home at 39 W. 2nd North, They also built a big brick barn which has since been made into two apartments. Grandpa was a member of the 4th Ward Prayer Circle, and the assistant Choir Leader to Dr. Herbert S. Payne, for years. About 1910 or 11, he again got a mail contract, in Provo, to take the mail from the post office. In 1919 they sold out and moved to Salt Lake to be nearer the Temple to do that work, which they did for about 20 years. Grandpa was a humble man of great faith and was always being called on to administer to the sick. In 1921 he was especially appointed to go to the L.D.S. Hospital every week to administer to those who wished for it. He did this for a whole year. After he had worked in the Temple for some time he was called to do special work there, which he did for many years until forced to give it up because of rheumatism. Pres. Heber J. Grant then wrote him a letter, honorably releasing him from the calling. Everywhere Grandpa lived he was a builder of nice homes, and was an inspiration to the people of the community and highly respected. Three of Grandpa and Grandma Kartchner’s four sons filled honorable missions for the church. They had eight children, two that died in infancy and two who passed away after being married. Grandfather came from sturdy, healthy, dependable ancestors who were early pioneers of the Mormon Church. They did much for the Church in trying to live up to its principles and in helping to build up the kingdom of God. He lived to a good old age of 86, did many different things, and accomplished a lot for himself, his family, and for others during his well-spent life. May his family and his descendants carry on his ideals, and be a credit to his name and to the heritage of the pioneer stock from which they came. * This version of the original transcript reflects a minimum of editing by Dyann Card Lewis, great-great-granddaughter of Mark Elisha Kartchner.