Zerah's story continues:
"We went to our labors. Soon after this, I, with other people, went across the river three miles to gather corn, when 800 of the mob were seen coming upon us. As they came up to the gate where we were at work, they halted and sent a messenger to inform us that we were their prisoners. I happened to be on a load the nearest to them. They directed their attention to me and said we must go wtih them. I observed to them that we were there gathering for our families and cattle which they were in view of. They then said we might fill our wagons, get some boys to drive them home, and go with them.
Accordingly we did. They went about a mile and halted. We were surrounded by a strong guard for some time and then discharged and sent home to await their trip into town. We had not gone more than fifty or one hundred rods before we heard a volley of guns fired. I would think from fifty to one hundred. The balls came there among us. We looked around and saw a company supposed to be one hundred men paraded a little to the south of the main camp. They also gave a second shot. We kept a sturdy walk as though nothing had happened, for they hurt none of us. We went home the same day into Diahman, took all arms from the people and then put a strong guard around us.
In that time we were often insulted by scoundrels. One of them in the shape of me (in my image) which brought us near a fight, but the commander stopped it. However, he prowled around there for a number of days and then gave us ten days to get out of that place or the mob would be set loose upon us. This had been the case all the time, but now we had nothing to defend ourselves with. Besides, there were many poor people that had no teams and many widows that had nothing but small children.
I immediately got my horses shod and took my family, a widow and family, and another family all to one lead, moved to Far West, then returned back after another family. These were among the last that went out while the mobs were prowling about stealing all they could find, but although I was alone, the last night I lay down by the side of my horses and saved them and went the next day and got the other family and carried them to Far West. This was the last of November. We were all destitute for grain or feed for our teams. Our fields of corn were twenty miles off among the mobs as was also what few cattle we had. But the most of our corn was destroyed before we could get it. We therefore had hard living through the winter. After I had obtained a little meal for my family I went away up to the Platt country with my team to get work for money to move out of the state in the spring as the edict of the governor was that we should never raise any more crops in that state.
I obtained some money and returned to my family, but while I was gone I was obliged to stay at a mob tavern one night, alone,where they were very hostile. I did not like their appearances, but I was obliged to stay there or run the risk of freezing on the great cold prairie. Therefore, I had to watch as well as pray. But in the later part of the night I heard people in the lower part of the house in much commotion. I heard them saying they never saw such things before. They seemed to be much astonished at what they saw in the heavens. I raised myself up in bed and looked out and saw a very bright circle around the moon with a very bright half circle at the outside of that with a very bright spot at the side of that nearly as big as the sun. Then another apparent sun was in the northwest with another in the southwest, which gave a very extraordinary appearance. This gave them such a fright that they could pay no more attention to me, so I went on in peace.
I prepared to move to Illinois. I took my horses and rode to Richmond to get my gun that they took from me at Diahman in the war. I obtained it and prepared to move in March. I buried my mother (Elizabeth Dutton Pulsipher, 1752-1838) there on a divide near Plum Creek. We succeeded in moving to Gurney where I found rents on houses so high that it would be hard for a poor man with a large family as I had to obtain a living and get anything ahead. Therefore, I took my horse up the river to Lyma and found a forest of about eleven miles square and considerable game in it. I went into the timber with Brother Burgess (William Burgess, Sr.) I lost one horse moving from Missouri. My son-in-law lost one too, and had to stop among strangers with my daughter who had given birth to a child on the prairie.
I love his advice that we must "watch as well as pray." Being aware of our surroundings both spiritually and physically can be very beneficial to us all. Add that awareness to prayer and there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Are any of you familiar with the celestial happenings he describes above? If so, share with us what it might possibly have been.
Happy Labor Day to you all. Our ancestors "labored" greatly to make the lives we enjoy today possible. I hope you will remember them in your prayers of thanksgiving today.
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