Zerah Whittle was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, on March 21, 1843, to Thomas Levi and Mary Amelia Fulmer Whittle. He crossed the plains with the Heber C. Kimball Company and traveled west with his parents when he was about 5 years old. They came to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1848, and later settled in Grantsville, Utah. Later, they moved to Richmond, Cache County, Utah.
While in Grantsville, he had become acquainted with Casanda Pope, daughter of William Monroe and Catherine McBride Pope. They were married on Oct. 14, 1865, she being 16 years of age, and he was 21. Zerah drove an ox team from Richmond to Grantsville to get Casanda when they were married. They were endowed in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City and were not sealed until after Zerah's death. They bought a farm of 25 acres in town and built a one-room log home there. It was while building that home that Zerah's father, Thomas Levi Whittle, was injured when a log fell on top of him; he passed away six days later.
Zerah milked cows and owned pigs and chickens. But high-lifed, well-matched and well-harnessed horses were his passion. He spent a lot of his time in the stable, and if Casanda didn't beat him to the eggs, he would feed them his horses to make their coats shine. He was a good horse trader; he knew horses too well to ever make a bad bargain.
Zerah, their first-born child, died at birth. Catherine, the oldest daughter, was born at the home of her grandparents, Thomas Levi and Mary Fulmer Whittle. Eight other children were born in the one-room home in Richmond: Maryette "Met", Emeline, William Monroe, Arminta (who died when she was about 2-1/2 years old), George Levi, Leo, Don Pope, and Zerella.
Zerah was very stern, but his children all loved him. His farm consisted mostly of meadowland. He always cut the hay with a scythe, and in the evening when it was cool, he would take the family down to load up the hay. He and Casanda would ride back on the seat or on a board across the wagon, and the youngsters would ride on top of the hay.
In his early married life, he was a freighter. He freighted provisions from Utah to Montana. He also had a government job, hauling soldiers to protect the white people from the Indians. He was selected for this job because of his good horses. The means of communication was very poor at this time, there being only horseback rider to carry the mail. Zerah had gone north with the soldiers and weeks had passed with no word from him. Everyone began to think that he and the soldiers had been killed by the Indians. This caused his wife and family much anxiety. After about 2 months, he returned home. He had been so far from any settlement that it was impossible to send word home.
When construction of the Logan Temple began, Zerah was among those who hauled rock for the building. He hauled the rock from Franklin, Idaho, to Logan; each trip took 2 days.
In the summer of 1880, his brother, Casper, had a contract with the railroad company building grades upon which the tracks were laid. Zerah worked with him. During this time, due to exposure, he contracted a cold which developed into a chronic cough. He decided to get more land for his boys, so he drove his team of horses to southern Utah, where his brother, George, lived. His health continued to fail, so he returned home discouraged.
Shortly afterward, he became ill with Bright's Disease (acute kidney disease) and other complications. He died at his home in Richmond, at 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 1883, in his wife's arms. He was only 40 years of age. Their youngest daughter, Zerella, was just 3 weeks old at the time of her father's death.
Zerah was buried in the Richmond Cemetery.
While in Grantsville, he had become acquainted with Casanda Pope, daughter of William Monroe and Catherine McBride Pope. They were married on Oct. 14, 1865, she being 16 years of age, and he was 21. Zerah drove an ox team from Richmond to Grantsville to get Casanda when they were married. They were endowed in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City and were not sealed until after Zerah's death. They bought a farm of 25 acres in town and built a one-room log home there. It was while building that home that Zerah's father, Thomas Levi Whittle, was injured when a log fell on top of him; he passed away six days later.
Zerah milked cows and owned pigs and chickens. But high-lifed, well-matched and well-harnessed horses were his passion. He spent a lot of his time in the stable, and if Casanda didn't beat him to the eggs, he would feed them his horses to make their coats shine. He was a good horse trader; he knew horses too well to ever make a bad bargain.
Zerah, their first-born child, died at birth. Catherine, the oldest daughter, was born at the home of her grandparents, Thomas Levi and Mary Fulmer Whittle. Eight other children were born in the one-room home in Richmond: Maryette "Met", Emeline, William Monroe, Arminta (who died when she was about 2-1/2 years old), George Levi, Leo, Don Pope, and Zerella.
Zerah was very stern, but his children all loved him. His farm consisted mostly of meadowland. He always cut the hay with a scythe, and in the evening when it was cool, he would take the family down to load up the hay. He and Casanda would ride back on the seat or on a board across the wagon, and the youngsters would ride on top of the hay.
In his early married life, he was a freighter. He freighted provisions from Utah to Montana. He also had a government job, hauling soldiers to protect the white people from the Indians. He was selected for this job because of his good horses. The means of communication was very poor at this time, there being only horseback rider to carry the mail. Zerah had gone north with the soldiers and weeks had passed with no word from him. Everyone began to think that he and the soldiers had been killed by the Indians. This caused his wife and family much anxiety. After about 2 months, he returned home. He had been so far from any settlement that it was impossible to send word home.
When construction of the Logan Temple began, Zerah was among those who hauled rock for the building. He hauled the rock from Franklin, Idaho, to Logan; each trip took 2 days.
In the summer of 1880, his brother, Casper, had a contract with the railroad company building grades upon which the tracks were laid. Zerah worked with him. During this time, due to exposure, he contracted a cold which developed into a chronic cough. He decided to get more land for his boys, so he drove his team of horses to southern Utah, where his brother, George, lived. His health continued to fail, so he returned home discouraged.
Shortly afterward, he became ill with Bright's Disease (acute kidney disease) and other complications. He died at his home in Richmond, at 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 1883, in his wife's arms. He was only 40 years of age. Their youngest daughter, Zerella, was just 3 weeks old at the time of her father's death.
Zerah was buried in the Richmond Cemetery.
Zerah Whittle was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, on March 21, 1843, to Thomas Levi and Mary Amelia Fulmer Whittle. He crossed the plains with the Heber C. Kimball Company and traveled west with his parents when he was about 5 years old. They came to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1848, and later settled in Grantsville, Utah. Later, they moved to Richmond, Cache County, Utah.
While in Grantsville, he had become acquainted with Casanda Pope, daughter of William Monroe and Catherine McBride Pope. They were married on Oct. 14, 1865, she being 16 years of age, and he was 21. Zerah drove an ox team from Richmond to Grantsville to get Casanda when they were married. They were endowed in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City and were not sealed until after Zerah's death. They bought a farm of 25 acres in town and built a one-room log home there. It was while building that home that Zerah's father, Thomas Levi Whittle, was injured when a log fell on top of him; he passed away six days later.
Zerah milked cows and owned pigs and chickens. But high-lifed, well-matched and well-harnessed horses were his passion. He spent a lot of his time in the stable, and if Casanda didn't beat him to the eggs, he would feed them his horses to make their coats shine. He was a good horse trader; he knew horses too well to ever make a bad bargain.
Zerah, their first-born child, died at birth. Catherine, the oldest daughter, was born at the home of her grandparents, Thomas Levi and Mary Fulmer Whittle. Eight other children were born in the one-room home in Richmond: Maryette "Met", Emeline, William Monroe, Arminta (who died when she was about 2-1/2 years old), George Levi, Leo, Don Pope, and Zerella.
Zerah was very stern, but his children all loved him. His farm consisted mostly of meadowland. He always cut the hay with a scythe, and in the evening when it was cool, he would take the family down to load up the hay. He and Casanda would ride back on the seat or on a board across the wagon, and the youngsters would ride on top of the hay.
In his early married life, he was a freighter. He freighted provisions from Utah to Montana. He also had a government job, hauling soldiers to protect the white people from the Indians. He was selected for this job because of his good horses. The means of communication was very poor at this time, there being only horseback rider to carry the mail. Zerah had gone north with the soldiers and weeks had passed with no word from him. Everyone began to think that he and the soldiers had been killed by the Indians. This caused his wife and family much anxiety. After about 2 months, he returned home. He had been so far from any settlement that it was impossible to send word home.
When construction of the Logan Temple began, Zerah was among those who hauled rock for the building. He hauled the rock from Franklin, Idaho, to Logan; each trip took 2 days.
In the summer of 1880, his brother, Casper, had a contract with the railroad company building grades upon which the tracks were laid. Zerah worked with him. During this time, due to exposure, he contracted a cold which developed into a chronic cough. He decided to get more land for his boys, so he drove his team of horses to southern Utah, where his brother, George, lived. His health continued to fail, so he returned home discouraged.
Shortly afterward, he became ill with Bright's Disease (acute kidney disease) and other complications. He died at his home in Richmond, at 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 1883, in his wife's arms. He was only 40 years of age. Their youngest daughter, Zerella, was just 3 weeks old at the time of her father's death.
Zerah was buried in the Richmond Cemetery.
While in Grantsville, he had become acquainted with Casanda Pope, daughter of William Monroe and Catherine McBride Pope. They were married on Oct. 14, 1865, she being 16 years of age, and he was 21. Zerah drove an ox team from Richmond to Grantsville to get Casanda when they were married. They were endowed in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City and were not sealed until after Zerah's death. They bought a farm of 25 acres in town and built a one-room log home there. It was while building that home that Zerah's father, Thomas Levi Whittle, was injured when a log fell on top of him; he passed away six days later.
Zerah milked cows and owned pigs and chickens. But high-lifed, well-matched and well-harnessed horses were his passion. He spent a lot of his time in the stable, and if Casanda didn't beat him to the eggs, he would feed them his horses to make their coats shine. He was a good horse trader; he knew horses too well to ever make a bad bargain.
Zerah, their first-born child, died at birth. Catherine, the oldest daughter, was born at the home of her grandparents, Thomas Levi and Mary Fulmer Whittle. Eight other children were born in the one-room home in Richmond: Maryette "Met", Emeline, William Monroe, Arminta (who died when she was about 2-1/2 years old), George Levi, Leo, Don Pope, and Zerella.
Zerah was very stern, but his children all loved him. His farm consisted mostly of meadowland. He always cut the hay with a scythe, and in the evening when it was cool, he would take the family down to load up the hay. He and Casanda would ride back on the seat or on a board across the wagon, and the youngsters would ride on top of the hay.
In his early married life, he was a freighter. He freighted provisions from Utah to Montana. He also had a government job, hauling soldiers to protect the white people from the Indians. He was selected for this job because of his good horses. The means of communication was very poor at this time, there being only horseback rider to carry the mail. Zerah had gone north with the soldiers and weeks had passed with no word from him. Everyone began to think that he and the soldiers had been killed by the Indians. This caused his wife and family much anxiety. After about 2 months, he returned home. He had been so far from any settlement that it was impossible to send word home.
When construction of the Logan Temple began, Zerah was among those who hauled rock for the building. He hauled the rock from Franklin, Idaho, to Logan; each trip took 2 days.
In the summer of 1880, his brother, Casper, had a contract with the railroad company building grades upon which the tracks were laid. Zerah worked with him. During this time, due to exposure, he contracted a cold which developed into a chronic cough. He decided to get more land for his boys, so he drove his team of horses to southern Utah, where his brother, George, lived. His health continued to fail, so he returned home discouraged.
Shortly afterward, he became ill with Bright's Disease (acute kidney disease) and other complications. He died at his home in Richmond, at 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 1883, in his wife's arms. He was only 40 years of age. Their youngest daughter, Zerella, was just 3 weeks old at the time of her father's death.
Zerah was buried in the Richmond Cemetery.
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h/o Cassandra Pope WHittle
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