Sarah Holmes Weaver

Life History of Sarah Holmes Weaver

Sarah Elizabeth Holmes, daughter of Jonathon Harriman and Marietta Carter Holmes was born January 24, 1838 in Kirtland, Ohio. When the Saints were driven to Illinois, Jonathon and Marietta Holmes were among them. They built a home at Nauvoo where Jonathon was a shoemaker by trade and a bodyguard to Joseph Smith. When Sarah was a year and a half old, a little sister, Mary Emma was born, (May 25, 1840). At this time, the Saints were being persecuted and driven from their homes. During one of these raids, Marietta Holmes, little Sarah and three month’s old Mazy Emma were driven from their home into a storm by an angry mob. When Jonathon returned from work he found his house destroyed by fife and his family gone. Some neighbors who were also driven from their home helped shield Marietta and her children in a shed. The next day dawned bright and clear. The panic stricken families tried to save what they could from their destroyed homes. A family who had escaped the mob offered a home to Jonathon and his family until a new home could be found. This experience proved to be fatal for Marietta. She died August 20, 1840. The next month baby Mary Emma died on September 10, 1840, thus leaving Jonathon and Sarah. The Prophet and all others who were able bodied helped bury those who died in the raid. Joseph insisted Jonathon bring Sarah to live with family in the Nauvoo Mansion House. The prophet’s wife, Elvira Cowles, took fill charge of Sarah.

Sarah’s earliest recollections began in the Prophet’s home. Many hours were spent sitting in the dooryard watching for the mob so that she could warn Uncle Joseph, as she was taught to call him. Sarah also watched for Porter Rockwell who was her friend and also a body guard for the Prophet. Rockwell rode most of the time in order to keep an eye on the Prophet’s enemies. Sarah would sit on a large woodpile and watch for him to return. Rockwell was a striking figure as he rode. His hair was long and he wore a broad brimmed hat and a fringed buckskin coat. When he rode toward the Mansion House he would signal Sarah at some distance. If he took his hat from his head and waved it, all was well. If he left his hat on his head, Sarah would run to the house and give the warning. Often, if time permitted, the adults in the house would move a large cupboard that stood in the kitchen. The cupboard appeared to be flail, but in reality was empty. It stood over a secret door that led to the cellar. Joseph would descend to the cellar, and the cupboard would be replaced. The mob would search the house and find nothing.
Many times Sarah gazed with awe upon the Egyptian mummies that were kept in the Prophet’s home. She also sat on Joseph’s lap and looked through the Urim and Thummim. The Prophet had a black horse named Joe Duncan. He used to take Sarah and Joseph Jr. for rides with him. At other times when the noise became too great at the Mansion House, the Prophet would take Sarah and Joseph Jr. to a room and close the door. With a child on each side of him, he would kneel and pray.

All was not strife and trouble at the Mansion House, whenever the children saw someone approaching at a great distance they would rush to the Prophet and say the mob was coming. Oft times, Sarah was the first to reach him. After the children’s warning, the Prophet would stand and wait for others to warn him. If none came, he knew it was a friend and he would take Sarah in him arms and stand holding the door knob. As the friend entered he would teasingly say, ‘Now Sarah, does that look like the mob?”. He would kiss her and put her down. There was never any jealousy among the children as they were taught Sarah was like a sister. The evenings Sarah liked best were the ones when she and her mother, Elvira Cowles, would be left at home to care for family while Sister Emma Smith and Eliza R. Snow would be out caring for and visiting the sick. The colored cook always had extra lunches and Elvira would tell stories and they would all play games. The colored cook would feign anger when the children took her cookies without asking.

Sarah always remembered the morning and evening prayers when the Prophet was home. Nor did she forget her last goodbye when he gave himself up and went to Carthage Jail. He took her in his arms and said, “God Bless my little Sarah, you shall live to testify to my name in Zion.” Just before the martyrdom, the Prophet told Jonathon Holmes to marry Elvira Cowles after his death. On Dec 1, 1842, Jonathon H. Holmes married Elvira Cowles, therefore making a real home for Sarah, now 7 years old. In a year they were blessed with a daughter. In 1846 they were among the Saints driven from Nauvoo. While at Winter Quarters, the Mormon Battalion was called up.

Jonathon Holmes enlisted and shortly after his departure his little daughter died and was buried at Winter Quarters. Elvira and Sarah continued their journey west with the 2nd company of pioneers. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in Oct. 1847. Elvira taught children that winter thereby making a meager living for herself and Sarah. The Saints were forced to eat buttermilk, wild herbs and roots, and wolf meat. They were rationed to one and a half slices of bread daily. Many times Elvira gave her portion of bread to Sarah to keep her from crying from hunger.

[page 2] The Mormon Battalion was disbanded at San Diego, Calif. on July 16, 1347. Acting upon the advice of the Apostles sent by President Brigham Young to the disbanded battalion, Jonathon Holmes remained in California with others and mended shoes to secure means to finish his journey to Utah. After his return to Utah, he and his family stayed in Salt Lake for sometime. They later moved to farm at Fannington, Utah where they raised fruit, vegetables and a few cattle and sheep. Jonathon continued his shoe making trade and Elvira wove carpets and spun wool. Sarah helped herd the sheep and assumed the responsibility for the household and three younger sisters.

When still a young woman. Sarah met and married Miles Weaver as a second wife. Within a year, Miles died. Sarah married her husband’s brother, Franklin as a third wife: She became the mother of 8 children, four sons and four daughters. She with her husband and his other wives and children were among those called by Brigham Young to settle Cache Valley. She shared the hardships and privations of pioneer life in Cache Valley. On one occasion while living in Blacksmith Canyon, a band of Indians came to their home and demanded food. Some were in war paint. Franklin was forced to leave his wife and small children at the mercy of the Indians and go to butcher a beef. There seemed to be only enough flour for one batch of biscuits and only that day Sarah found that there was enough flour to make more. She was indeed blessed for she was able to satisfy their hunger with biscuits, dried apples and milk. She sent her little boy Jonathon. about six, after wood chips. While returning with an armful, one of the Indians tripped him and caused him to fall and cut his tip and bloody his nose. He rushed into the cabin screaming. This frightened Sarah so that she hurried out and told the Indian Chief there would be no biscuits until he promised that his people would not molest her children and the Indians could carry in the wood themselves. Franklin returned at dusk with the best beef he could find. This seemed to satisfy, the Indians and they took the meat and left in peace. With thanksgiving and gratitude, they fell to their knees and thanked God for His protecting care. At the close of the prayer, Sarah collapsed and lay in a coma for 3 days and was ill for the following six weeks due to this extreme shock.
Franklin was living at Millville and taking care of the church cattle for Brigham Young, when Sarah was again taken ill. Sarah had lockjaw when Oscar was a baby. Franklin was away at the time so friends came to care for her. She grew steadily worse and finally believing her dead, they began to prepare her for burial. She could hear everything they said and did, but could in no way show them she was alive. At this time an Indian boy was living with the Weaver family. His name was Tecumsee. Tecumsee rode swiftly to where Franklin was working and told him of his wife’s illness. At the end of the long fast ride, Tecumsee’s pony dropped dead. Franklin secured hones and he and Tecumsee rode to Sarah’s side. On arrival, Franklin instructed the friends to remove the cold packs and administer warmth. He opened his shirt and held her tightly against his perspiring chest. He held her this way until the women could get hot blankets. Feeling within him that her time had not come, he administered to her and promised her that through her faith she would be restored to health. After this severe illness, she bore three more children.

Sarah belonged to the first Relief Society in Millville. She was a practical nurse and an eye doctor. Many men had come from the fields and surrounding fields almost blind and Sarah would soon have them relieved. Sometimes the men were so blind they had to be led into the house, but always Sarah was able to help them. She never charged for her help.

According to the Prophet’s blessing, Sarah never failed to explain the Gospel to whoever she could and she received letters from many Missionaries whom she had never seen asking for her testimony of the Prophet Joseph.

On the 50th anniversary of the pioneers’ entrance into Utah, a huge celebration was held in Salt Lake City. Sarah attended and marched with the colored Mammy who was the cook in the Prophets home. When Wilford Woodruff told Sarah he would like her to march with the colored Mammy, the Mammy said “so this is the little Sarah that used
to swipe my cookies.” - --
Sarah Holmes Weaver died May 24, 1908 at the age of 70 years and was buried at Millville, Utah.