ZERA PULSIPHER TERRY HUNT

What a name to give a baby!

This third child of Elias Hunt and Aluna Terry Hunt came into the world just twenty—eight days after the death of a baby girl. Aluna Rebecca.,

In grandpa Hunt̓s words, “I was out freighting and it was miserably cold.̓ This day I was impressed to leave immediately and go to St. George. at my arrival I found my baby duughter very ill. On January 5. 1883, she breathed her last breath. It was a grueling time as Aluna was almost ready to deliver our third child. I had taken my wife to St. George where her mother, Eliza Jane Pulsipher Terry, lived.

Twenty—eight days later, February 2, 1883, a bouncing boy̓ arrived which helped in a measure, to alleviate the shock and grief we felt at
that time. ‘ -

 Aluna̓s mother, Eliza Jane Pulsipher Terry, had wanted to name our first boy, but her desires were overrun, now, this second boy was a rousing big eared chap and the naming was granted to Eliza Jane. my wife̓s mother. Thus Zera Pulsipher was her father. Terry was added as Thomas Sir Is Terry was her husband. so Zera Pulsipher Terry Hunt was bestowed upon the infant.

Zera was an obedient child: the characteristics of all names developed as the child grew. ‘ Dependable. honest, hard working, obedient. truthful.

All through his growing years his excellence in athletics won him laurels.

One incident he told me about showed his courage.
   One night he was late in returning home and darkness overtook him. Hurraying to get home he was jolted to a stand still. There sitting in his path was an animal. His heart raced. As he scrutinized into the darkness for sure it was a coyote. If he turned his head one way the animal seemed to follow him. The ears seemed to wiggle too, but it didn̓t get off its haunch. “So,” said Zera, “If you won̓t come to me, I̓ll come to you!” Squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath I walked forward and kicked with all the force I had! To my relief it was only a bush!

Zera was a strong boy, a fast runner and a good baseball player, in fact an all around athlete.

One incident told by Will Brooks is as follows



ZERA HUNT

At this time the desert out from Modena was the winter feeding grounds of large flocks of sheep. Uncle Brig built shearing pens and owned a shearing plant. In one season of six weeks they ran more than a hundred thousand head of sheep through this plant. with Uncle Brig making a little on every head.

At that time Zera Hunt was working for Uncle Brig. He was a big, strong man, later the father of several athletes, but at that time a young man just in his prime. The sheep herders were in the area. and they had some runners that they wanted to match for races. There were from seventy—five to a hundred men, and they wanted a little excitement.
Zera Hunt looked their man over and said to Will Lund. ‘I can outrun that feller..̓

Think you can? What shall I bet on you? Twenty dollars?̓

So Will went back and matched Zera F or̓ $20. 00 on the foot race. They got some other bets and arranged for the meet. The fellow came~stripped down, with a running suit and running shoes on. Zero looked him over and said, ‘Oh—oh! 1 didn̓t know he was a foot—racer~,̓ He sat down and pulled his shoes and stockingss off, and tied a red handkerchief around each pants leg. The other fellow came out, stepped around, and started a few times to practice. Zera watched him and said, ‘I can beat, him, anyway.̓

Two or three others bet on Zera, but Will put up the first $20.00 to̓ match the race. They run right down in front of the station, where it was hard pavement, and this guy̓s spikes hit hard on that macadamized  road. He run through a couple of times to warm up, and Zero, barefoot, just trotted through once. Then they got on the line and started a few times. This fellow would out—start him a jump every time. Finally they went down the line just a—tearing. Zera soon passed him, and at fifty yards was way ahead; at the end of the hundred yards. Zera had him a good ten feet. I never did see a man run like he did that day for he was a big man. Would tip a scale at a hundred and ninety pounds.”

Another too by Arthur Barlocker.

Zera Hunt. was the strongest young man I ever knew. Many times Clarissa̓s brother, Bill Truman worked for Zera and often he would lay down letting Bill and I get our holds and settle on him pinning his arms and before we could think he would have the two of us down pinning us down, sitting straddle on us.

In our determination to win we tried many times but never did we come out the winner.

Uncle Art tells about the foot race between Ivor Clove and Zera Hunt

It seems Ivor came into Enterprise noted as the fastest foot racer in the country. Ivor was a tall, streamed lined young man and the Holts. were out to slop down the notoriety Zera had won as a foot racer. Bets were cast, the town divided; the Holts bet heavy on their-man.  Again Zera came out of the field, work stained, bib overalls and all. He wasn̓t too thrillied at the prospect of racing Ivor but to satisfy the crowd and shut up the betting, he did.

The results? Zera won and the defeated faction were hostile and feelings    Run high for quHc̓ some time.

Arthur Bar locker says to this day; Zera Hunt was the hardest worker he had ever known. In fact, Arthur credited Zera Hunt as the one person that set him up to start out his life.

This time it was the hay bayling business. Zera knew I was serious with Ciarissa̓s sister Rose and one day he came to me and asked if I was interested in a partnership baling hay. His brother, Frank, wanted out and Art was willing. He bought Frank out and furnished a horse. They made money and Art got his wedding stake and start in life,

Zera Pulsipher Terry Hunt found the Lady of his choice in William Thomas Truman̓s daughter, Clarissa Elizabeth. There was much rebelllion. on both sides̓~ ‘to this marriage as they were second cousins. Clarissa̓s mother, Mary Jane Hunt, was a daughter of Clarissa Ann Leavitt and Jonathan Hunt. Jonathan was the son of Amos Hunt and Nancy Garrett Welborn, a half brother to EIias Hunt who is the son of Amos Hunt and Rebecca Wiggins.

So in love; so equally mated, finally the families accepted the union, but never the marriage. Some put out a prophetic warning: “Your children will be maimed in some way; you̓ll live to regret this decision.”
So heavenly was this union. at the close of Clarissa̓s life some thirty—one years later, Zera followed her in death. just eight months and a few days later~.

In the words of Arthur Barlocker: “So divine was this marriage I told Rose at Clarissa̓s death, he would soon follow. She couldn̓t live without him in life and death wouldn̓t be a barrier. Clarissa had real bad health, Zera made the bread, did a good lot of the heavey work; spent his life̓s earnings to try to make her well: but it just wasn̓t to be. In all my dealings with Zera Hunt, his first and last concerns were for the good life of his faithful and revered wife Clarissa.” In Clarissa̓s patriarchal blessing given by Thomas Sir Is Terry. it stated: “Clarissa, your choice of a husband was ratified in heaven before you came to earth; your husband was a gift of the, Lord.”

Five children blessed this marriage, WIlford Eldon, born August 18. 1904, Hebron, Utah, Milton Zera, February 7 1906, Enterprise. Arval Thomas ~Apri I 16, 1908, Enterprise, Utah, Lulu Mae, January 20, 1910, and Albert Elias, October 18, 1911, at St. George.

l t was at the birth of the last child that Clarissa lay at death̓s door for days. The doctors, Donald McGregor and Woodburry told-him no way could she live. Heart gone. female organs clipped of f as womb came with baby. Zera̓s indomitable faith and horrendous strength kept the worn out heart beating: the Impossible overcome. Never in the long days and nights did he waver but kept at her bedside fanning the weary feeble breath, making her breathing less laborious: his faith was tantamount to the angels̓ that surrounded her bed: his gift of the Holy Priesthood given to man upon earth, ‘to use in the name of the Holy One̓ brought life back to the one he loved above his own life.

‘Many times in our lives, from earliest recollections, we witnessed the life brought back into the body that lay, we thought dead by this same unshaken faith and Holy Priesthood. They were one on earth and are now one in heaven, their desires are that we, their children, live worthy to dwelt with them eternally.

Zera̓s professions through life Were farmer, rancher, freight hauler, hay baler, husband and father.

Zera was strong In faith. One gift that was~ácred and unshakable was the gift of dreams. We learned early in life when father had certain dreams they were to be accepted for they came either as warnings ‘or for his ‘benefit.-
One such dream came after mother̓s life was spared at Bert̓s birth. The doctors told father if mother lived very long he was to move to Dixie where her heart could function better. -

Nothing daunted his desires in keeping his loved one alive and his big new home and his Farm waas put up for sale. No one around Enterprise was interested, then one morning he awoke and taking mother in his arms said; “Blessed Clarissa, we have sold and are going to Dixie.”

“But how? No one wants our place?” Mother was doubtful.

“Mammy, a stranger will knock upon our door and say: “I have come to look over your house. I understand it is for sole?” He will like it but will say,: “I̓m sure I̓ll take it, but I- can̓t say for sure until I bring my wife down to look at it.”

In the deal I̓ll take his white—top buggy and a horse.

True to his dream, it happened just as the dream had been shown to him, so in 1915 we moved to Dixie and bought the Schlappi home in Washington. and his farm five miles up the Virgin River. the buyer of our home in Enterprise was Oliver L. Wilcox, the father of Ray Hunt̓s wife Augusta. Many such dreams were gifts of divine inspiration.

Zera was never an orator with words, but taught his sermons by his actions. Tons of produce were hauled and given to the poor, the needy. widows and orphans; never by words or actions, the deeds remembered. His philosophy was: “If you can̓t say anything good about a person keep your mouth shut.” For example: grandpa Elias Hunt̓s own story told to me.

“I had contracted the  hay to be harvested this one summer. My boys came to my aid. Even Zera came from his farm on the Virgin River. This night after a long hard day we congregated around a bonfire and as I remember the night was dark and the heaven twinkled with stars. . One thing led to another then the boys began to numerate the things they had done for me That is, all except Zera. This stalwart son toasted his back then his front, his head lifted high, never once an uttered word. Finally he gave a little whistle and walked away from the group into the darkness of the night.
I had stood silent listening and watching and I knew the self praise of his brothers had upset this, their brother. The things said had been true, but the deeds of him that had remained silent and had walked away not claiming his reward came from my own lips. “Yes, boys. I̓m very proud of you and what you have done for me. but Zera has̓ done more for me than all of you put together.”Silence reigned and nothing more was said.

In 1923 or 4 we moved to the Bert Truman Ranch on the Magatsu about Veyo, From I there we moved about Into Idaho and back to Utah. It was while we wore at Salt Lake the farm at Salem, Utah, was rented and most of the remaining years were spent there. They went into Salt Lake during the winters where mama put in hundred of hours doing genealogy and the winter of 1932—1933 we moved to 975 Garfield Ave., Salt Lake City. Here mama was operated on and died March 9, 1933. Two days later her mother, Mary Jane Hunt Truman, died at Enterprise, Utah.

Mama was brought to Enterprise where a double furneral was. held and mother and daughter were buried in the same grave~. As Arthur Barlocker had said: Clarissa and Zera couldn̓t stand to be apart in life and death was no barrier. As the cold earth was being shoveled onto the caskets, Zera stretched out his hands and with harsh sob exclaimed.

“All these hands were ever good for was to serve her. Now their usefulness is taken from them. I just want to be with her.”

Papa̓s patriarchal blessing told him he could have the choice of living to see the return of the Savior or go beyond. His choice was to be with his beloved wife and eight months, twenty—nine days later his life was snatched from him and the reunion just through the earthly veil, was one of great rejoicing. The unit was whole and complete; now, their anxiety turns toward their posterity here upon earth.

I know, they know what we do, what we say, yes, even what we, think. Will we be caught up to dwell in love with them, or slacken our efforts and be cast into a lesser kingdom and rob ourselves of their glory?

My heart expands and is quickened to a deep desire to be with them eternally - and the decision is mine, and mine alone. The shackles of earth life are hard to shake off . . . they bind the veil of our minds and close the eyes of our understanding . . ., then the grossness of a satanic order takes over and the destroyer makes the destruction more palatable to the human appetites and closes our minds to our eternal rewards.
Can we the children of Zera Hunt, and the posterity of Elias, let down the banner of righteousness they unfurled before us?