Daughter of Abraham Hunsaker and Mary Luckham

Married George Harper, 9 Jan 1891, Logan, Cache, Utah

Children - Mary Arminta Harper, Kenneth Harper, Lester Reese Harper, Thomas Clayton Harper, Susannah Estel Harper, Hannah Elsie Harper, Venna Harper, Ervin Harper, Alda Verne Harper, Leath Abraham Harper, George Osman Harper

History - Martha, the second child of Mary Luckham and Abraham Hunsaker, was born on April 8, 1869 in Brigham City, where she spent her early years.

When she was about 10, the family moved to Honeyville, and soon after this move, Mary Luckham passed away. On her death bed, Mary pleaded that her children remain together. For about two years the family did remain together, with Martha and Susannah helping take care of the other children. Their father tried to spend nights with them, but his health was failing so at last it seemed best to separate them.

Martha went to Logan to live with a Mrs. Morrell. Mrs. Morrell was a dressmaker, and while Martha was in this home she helped with the sewing so she could learn dress-making. Later she went back to Honeyville, and then her half brother, Lorenzo, took her to Washakie to clerk in his store. Martha's one great desire was that her brothers and sisters should have the things they wanted, and much of the money she earned was spent buying things for them and in trying to make them happy.

When Martha was 18, her youngest sister, Minta, became ill with diphtheria. Because of the danger of the disease, Martha was not permitted to see Minta until just before Minta died. Martha had not realized just how ill Minta was, and had bought perfume and other things she thought Minta
would like. Minta kept asking for Martha, and when the doctor said the end was near, Martha was permitted to come in. As Martha went to the door, Minta smiled, stretched her arms out to her, and then passed away. Martha never quite recovered from the death of her younger sister. In later years when she talked about Minta, tears would come to her eyes and she would say, "Poor girl, she didn't have a very happy life while she was on this earth."

After her marriage on January 9, 1891 to George Harper in the Logan Temple, she had her brothers and sisters come to live with her until, one by one, they got married.

The first four years of Martha's married life were spent at Salt Creek. She then moved to Calls Fort where her husband worked in the canyons cutting trees and preparing timber to build a house. They later moved to Honeyville and stayed with Lorenzo Hunsaker.

In 1898, they moved into a new house George had built. For about a year and a half they lived on Keough's Ranch on the Raft River in Cassia County, Idaho, where George was foreman, and Martha did the cooking. About this time there was talk of bringing the canal into Honeyville, so they returned to their own home there.

The beautiful thing about Martha and her husband's life together was their absolute devotion to one another and their children. They were together 25 years, and during all that time there were hardly any cross words between them. Martha's one thought was the comfort of her husband and family. In a way, she was too good to her family and worked too hard for them.

Her husband was more strict and usually arranged for his children to have plenty of work to keep them busy. Martha always tried to make life easier for her children.

George had a stroke and for two years before he died. He was unable to do much work. During this time the worry, and most of the work, fell upon Martha's shoulders. When her husband died in 1916, the whole responsibility of the family was left to her. Her husband's death was a great blow to Martha, but she turned her whole attention to her boys and girls, determined that they should have the best that she could offer them.

Martha died on July 9, 1933, as a result of an accident, and was buried in the Honeyville Cemetery.