Russell King Homer's History

A Letter Received by Russell King Homer of Salt Lake City, Utah, from Stephen Homer of East Dennis, Massachusetts, Dated Jan. 7, 1867

Mr. Russel King Homer Dear Sir:

Ever since I received your letter of February 4, 1864, I have been thinking of writing and answering it, but somehow I’ve never got at it. The old proverb “it is better late than never” is a good one, especially if you have a good excuse or reason for being late. So now at this late date I will try and answer that very acceptable and interesting communication.

About fifteen years ago Mrs. Mahalia Robbins, a neighbor and in fact a distant relative of mine, started on what I would call a remarkable wild and fanatical expedition. She finally arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, where I heard from her and much to my surprise she informed me she had met a man by the name of Homer. All of the Homers with whom I have been acquainted have been famous for roving, but their rovings have been mostly by sea. I know of no reason why some of them should not change their propensity for traveling by sea to that of traveling by land abroad or across the Rocky Mountains as your letter informs me you have done. And though we are separated by almost the breadth of a continent, we are still distantly related.

From your letter I conclude that you were never in Boston. However, you have heard that some people by the name of Homer lived in the town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts. From the Eastern end of Yarmouth the town of Dennis was cut off and incorporated into a town in 1793.

The first of these Homers of which I have any account was master of a ship that traded between this country and England long before the Revolutionary War. They probably originated in or around Bristol, England. My father, who was a seaman the first part of his life, was in Bristol and cold of there being many by the name of Homer in and around that city from remote times. Many Homers have lived, and still do live, in and around Boston. Many have moved from there to Yarmouth. The way the Homers came here, I have heard the old people tell, was as follows:

There was a trader in Yarmouth by the name of Straight. In the course of extensive trading, he had need for readymade clothing for whalemen and other seamen. He decided to make his own clothes so he wrote to Boston to a friend asking his to send a tailor He sent one by the name of Benjamin Homer. This Mr. Homer built a home here, in which he lived and died. The house which is still standing, has always been known as the Homer House, though it has long since passed out of the Homer family. He had three sons, Thomas, Robert and Stephen. All three married in this neighborhood; Thomas into a family by the name of Sears, and Robert into a family by the name of Chapman.

Of your grandfather (Thomas) you must know more than I do, as he moved from here before I can remember. Although, I distinctly remember seeing him once or twice, and also two of his sons. Robert lived here and lived to be a very old man of about nlrecyr years. He died since I have been a grown man.) le had two sons, Benjamin and Robert; the latter died without Issue and Benjamin was lost at sea many years but left three sons who are now men of eminence and in New Bedford.

My grandfather, Stephen, married a Chapman and had fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters. The sons all lived to be grown men and over six feet tall. The David Homer your father saw was one of them; he was feet SIX inches in height and very stoutly built. In his prime he was known to be the strongest man in this part of the country. He lived and died in Yarmouth, and of his family only a daughter is left. so whatever your great leader, Brigham Young, may think of it he has among his followers at least two of the descendants of the genuine English Puritans. And as the apostle tells us of the Hebrews, we shall not err very much if we call our ancestors Puritans of the Puritans, to designate them as the extra tried class of the Puritan Your grandmother (Elizabeth Sears Homer) had four brothers, Edmund, Elkannah and Christopher, all of whom I well remember. Many of their descendants are living here now. Edmund and Elkannah Sears lived to be very old, nearly ninety; both have died long since. Elkannah Sears, son of Elkannah Sears, is living here and is one of our most wealthy and respected citizens. He is about 74 and has one son and one daughter living. His family seem to be more than commonly subject to that terrible disease of our climate (consumption), he having. lost by it one son and three daughters all of whom were married.

We have recently passed through a long and most sanguinary civil war. We have heard from time to time that the sympathies of your Mormon community were all against us and decidedly with our rebel enemies, which seems to me very unreasonable. Although the actual difficulties are by no means removed and the greatest difficulty seems to be in the obstinacy and treachery of the fellow we have in the White House for President. We have fought open and avowed enemies but were not prepared to meet secret and concealed ones, and traitors in our very midst. However, treachery is not an uncommon thing; the great principles of Christianity had a Judas and those of liberty had an Arnold to contend with. The name of Johnson will be third of the arch traitors to go down with their posterity in the annals of history.

In some of her letters Mahalia states that you would like to see a picture of someone by the name of Homer. I have none of myself. Indeed, I thought it unnecessary or worthwhile to have one of an old fellow of seventy, but my son Elisha is thirty, married and has one child, I’ll send you one of him.

And now sir I should like to hear from you again, and to hear about your manner of life in your mountain fastness. I would also like to hear your description of your peculiar system of polygamy; I should feel perfectly free to communicate on that subject.

Respectfully yours,

STEPHEN HOMER

(NOTE) A letter written by Nathan Sears of East Dennis, Massachusetts. under date of January 2, 1890 states that Stephen Homer was killed by being run over a team and harrow.