April 1883


1 April 1883 • Sunday

This is all-fool’s day Belle sent to say Eugene [S. Sears] was very sick and Annie immediately went over there. I staid at home with baby– Louie took us out for a ride in the buggy with Billy. we nearly got stuck in the mud, after meeting some friedns called on us.

2 April 1883 • Monday

This is mailing day and so much to be done. Busy all day long. The girls are so busy making preparations for the entertainment of the Unity Club– M[e]llie is not very well, baby Eugene is better. Emmie is still with us. I am trying to make ready for the report of the Hospital. [p. 70] {p. 73}

3 April 1883 • Tuesday

Today we are mailing in earnest. worked hard all day and went to Lulu [Louisa Lula Greene Richards] at evening and then to the meeting & came home alone in the dark. found the girls anxious, Mr. Andre was here and I took my French lesson. had some letters one from my sister not very encouraging.

4 April 1883 • Wednesday

Fisnished the mailing worked desperately. at night sat up until fou[r] in the morning to get the report for the Deseret Hospital made out– tired and careworn sought my couch.

It has been the most intense anxiety to me of any work I have done in this time [p. 71] {p. 74}

5 April 1883 • Thursday

This morning the preliminary Conference commenced in the Tabernacle, I went to Sister Barratts [Matilda Moorhouse Barrett] to read the report to her, she was very ill, Aunt Eliza was out at the Endowment House, all day and at evening I went up to show the report to her.

6 April 1883 • Friday

Took the report to the President’s Office and called on Sister Eliza and talked over the publication of her book.1 There are so many people in the city and Br. [Charles] & Sister [Emma Leywood] Monk & Charlie [Charles A. Monk] have all come up to stay over the Conference Ellen & Lou. went to meeting and I had the office full all the time [p. 72] {p. 75}

7 April 1883 • Saturday

Br. [Samuel] & Sister [Esther] Francis called and came home with me for dinner, Sister Davis came last night from Spanish Fork. Our house is very full and it is hard work to keep it up. The weather is damp and unpleasant the girls are preparing for the Uenity [Unity] Club–

8 April 1883 • Sunday

The day is fine. Conference closed Pres Taylor occupied the whole afternoon and there was the most immense congregation. Br. [Christian A.] & Sister [Helena Einersen] Madsen & Lizzie [Elizabeth Du Fresne] Stevenson came and had dinner with us and spent part of the evening. It rained later in the night [p. 73] {p. 76}

9 April 1883 • Monday

Monday was cloudy & unpleasant most of the day. The girls were busy making preparations. Br. & Sister Monk were here and Sister Davis went home. There was a meeting of the Twelve up stairs in the Council House– The entertainment was a splendid affair2

10 April 1883 • Tuesday

Tuesday 10.

Br. & Sister Monk & Charlie and nearly all the Conference people went home. The weather is still drizzly Annie & Louie went to see the Queen’s Lace Handkerchief I went to the convention.3 The Esquire came in for an hour or two– [p. 74] {p. 77}

11 April 1883 • Wednesday

This is Belle’s wedding anniversary and we all went over to dinner had a pleasant time came home and got ready for the wedding at Mayor [William] Jennings.4 All went together and Dave Dunbar. had not been there long when word came that Baby had the croup all came home

12 April 1883 • Thursday

The wedding was a very happy affair, everything lovely and presents costly and appropriate. Our baby is very ill and Dr. [James M.] Dart has been called to attend him we are all very anxious, at evening Ellen packed up ready for starting. Edith was baptized in the morning by Junius [F. Wells] [p. 75] {p. 78}

13 April 1883 • Friday

Went to the depot early with Ellen, Lou went to Ogden, I staid in the Office all day at my regular work. In the evening Lou– came home and went to the Concert of the Opera– baby is better George M. came to see Annie, I was not feeling well at all

14 April 1883 • Saturday

Have been hard at work all day had a visit from Sister Bathsheba [Wilson Bigler Smith], banked 251,00 dollars for the Hospital. In the evening went to the theatre Lucy sent me a letter containing a diamond ring– and some pretty verses to publish baby is growing better all the time [p. 76] {p. 79}

15 April 1883 • Sunday

Belle came over with the phaeton and we all had a ride, she staid all day. It is my youngest brothers5 birthday. We went to the graveyard and to lots of other places. I found I had lost over twenty dollars in money and it quite upset me.

16 April 1883 • Monday

Monday morning went up and Lou with me to do our mailing. worked hard all day, Tuesday too but went to call on Miss Thomas and Mrs. F. [Feramorz] Little.6 It was rainy in the evening. I was very unhappy things were not so bright as might be George Q. Cannon took Lou to the farm in his <buggy> [p. 77] {p. 80}

17 April 1883 • Tuesday

Went to the theatre last night to see comic Opera Harrison Troupe– it is a good company for the kind. Baby is much better. Weather is dusty and disagreeable, Sister King came up and I had several invitations out to meetings. Amelia [Folsom Young] called to see me in a friendly way.

18 April 1883 • Wednesday

did some office business in the morning and went to the 12th Ward in the afternoon, to the Primary meeting, invited some of the ladies to Mrs. Smiths party in the evening the girls went out to the theatre and I staid with baby I am worried very much indeed, my mind is strangely exercised– [p. 78] {p. 81}

19 April 1883 • Thursday

This is John Q’s birthday the second away from home. I hope he is having some pleasure and satisfaction in his labors abroad as we miss him very much here at home It is Margaret [Pierce] Young’s birthday too and I am invited there to spend the evening and to the 20th Ward P.A. in the afternoon

20 April 1883 • Friday

Called at [John] Sharp’s yesterday, what a lovely homestead, how grand and imposing the furniture. Would I not love to have such a home– But fate orders it otherwise and I must submit. Louie has commenced a new painting today. 13th Ward P. A.7 today, gave a dollar towards fit[t]ing up the Assembly Rooms– [p. 79] {p. 82}

21 April 1883 • Saturday

This is the day of the meeting in the 14th Ward, and a very cold unpleasant day, Sister Horne & [Harriet Hales] Ellis were here and had lunch in the office[.] at evening Lou went to the Theatre In the afternoon Mell came in and was in a desperate mood nearly killing me and making me perfectly mashed–

22 April 1883 • Sunday

A regular snow storm and cold driving wind, just like a wintry day. No going out Lou went to meeting and I tried in vain to do some writing– Annie wrote to John Q. and at evening Annie & Lou went to call on Emily [H. Wells] she is 26 today– Rob came and was exceedingly disagreeable– [p. 80] {p. 83}

23 April 1883 • Monday

It is Percival [William Percival Wood]’s birthday and Lou and I went to see him and I gave him a silver cup with the name of Percival on it in the evening went to the Theatre to see the Vokes. Laughed immoderately had a letter from Sister Ellen on the desert

24 April 1883 • Tuesday

Went to see my sister Adaline [Adeline Woodward Earl] who is quite sick, the wind was fearful all day blowing at a fearful rate could not have a fire in the office at all, had to sit in the Seventies8 room– had some unpleasant affeairs to meet– Annie & Louie went to the theatre and I staid with baby [p. 81] {p. 84}

25 April 1883 • Wednesday

In the afternoon had so many visitors that I forgot the meeting in the Assembly Rooms of the Relieef Society Strangers called and much work was to be done, the wind was still quite high and disagreeable weather– busy preparing copy George Q. called in the morning

26 April 1883 • Thursday

Today I went out for a ride Louie was at Belle’s and harnessed up the horse and we went a ride at the phaeton– had a pleasant time, called on Aunt Eliza and in the evening wrote a letter to Ort– Annie & I were here alone Lou slept at Belle’s. [p. 82] {p. 85}

27 April 1883 • Friday

Today the Esquire has been over and staid with me about two hours. had lots of visitorrs Annie & Louie made some calls– found out about the sale of my husband’s property9 and circumstances connected with it. Miss Cornelia [Cook] came & spent the evening–

28 April 1883 • Saturday

A very busy day rustling around rode out in Belle’s buggy, looked for a bonnet felt very unhappy and sorrowful on account of the affairs of my husband & family Baby not very well, and many things to annoy me. It seems to be a time of changes and one cannot tell what will be next [p. 83] {p. 86}

29 April 1883 • Sunday

Staid at home to do some writing and fixing up books went into the garret and looked over some of Emmie’s10 things. Belle came over with her baby and had dinner with us. In the evening Lou went to stay all night with Belle, Annie & I were alone– cold and disagreeable weather, not much like Spring.

30 April 1883 • Monday

This is Leslie [A. Dunford]’s birthday 11 years ago June [Junius F. Wells] was just starting off to England & how many events of importance have transpired since then, I went up to the graveyard and had a ride after. Had an interview with George Q. Cannon & Joseph F Smith and received some counsel upon important matters– [p. 84] {p. 87}

Cite This Page

Cite This Page

April 1883, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed October 15, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1880s/1883/1883-04

Footnotes

  1. [1]Most likely Eliza R. Snow, Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1884).

  2. [2]The Unity Club presented a dramatic evening at the Salt Lake Theatre, raising $200 for the benefit of the Deseret Hospital. (“Artistic Entertainment,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Apr. 1883, 11:172–173; “The Unity Club,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 May 1883, 11:188.)

  3. [3]EBW’s report of the constitutional convention, which was held in the Salt Lake City Hall on 10 April, included remarks by Daniel H. Wells in defense of women’s suffrage in Utah. (“Constitutional Convention,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Apr. 1883, 11:172.)

  4. [4]Priscilla Paul Jennings married William W. Riter. (“Local and Other Matters,” Deseret News, 18 Apr. 1883, 201.)

  5. [5]Hiram E. W. Clark.

  6. [6]Probably their friend Rebecca Mantle, who married Feramorz Little in 1882. (“Rebecca Little Dies Suddenly,” Salt Lake Herald, 30 May 1909, 16.)

  7. [7]Primary Association.

  8. [8]Seventies refers to an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to which selected men are ordained. Seven presidents supervise their work. (Alan K. Parrish, “Seventy,” in Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1300–1303.)

  9. [9]Financial difficulties caused by heavy start-up investments in a public gas company and aggravated by a national recession led Daniel Wells to sell several properties, including eventually his two family homes, to pay his debts. (EBW, Diary, 8 May 1883; Madsen, Intimate History, 198–199; Hinckley, Daniel Hanmer Wells, 395–396; Wells, Defender, 335, 373–374.)

  10. [10]EBW’s daughter Emeline W. Wells died on 8 April 1878. (EBW, Diary, 8 Apr. 1878; “Emma Whitney Wells,” Find a Grave, accessed 26 Sept. 2018, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22653168/emma-whitney-wells.)