May 1903


1 May 1903 • Friday

A bright beautiful morning and went off in good time Sarah Jane Cannon Margaret Caine Louise Cannon and others came in and I went to work at my mailing, and kept at it all day long; at evening went over to see Susa at Sister Dougall’s and found Susa & Hal [Harvey H. Gates] had gone off to Logan‒ such a disappointment went in to see Sister Williams also saw Tessie [Clarissa S. Williams] who is very sick, her mother also looks bad, saw Sister Bathsheba and then came home went over to see Belle, Lucile and Brenton found all well as usual. Sent Sister Howe’s circulars by Walden also messages to Mary T. Smith J. P. M. Farnsworth, P. P. Jennings & Lizzie Wilcox {p. 133}

2 May 1903 • Saturday

This is the day for the celebration of {p. 134}

4 May 1903 • Monday

Today I have decided to have a sort of celebration for Sister Smith by ordering refreshments to be served after the meeting. I would like to do more if I could but can only do so little. Franklin’s will come and serve and bring dishes and everything necessary–

The meeting of the General Officers Members of Board of Directors and missionaries convened at 3.30 and at five o’clock chocolate, cake macaroons candies and ice-cream was served. The ladies present were Bathsheba W. Smith M. Isabella Horne Emmeline B. Wells, Mary A. C. Lambert, Dr. R. B. Pratt, Priscilla P. Jennings, Carrie S. Thomas, Rebecca E. Little Elizabeth J. Stevenson Susan Grant, Julia P. M. Farnsworth, Clarissa S. Williams, Lizzie S. Wilcox, Mary T. Smith, Margaret A. Caine, Alice M. S. Horne Annie T. Hyde Ida Smoot Dusenberry, Phebe Y. Beatie, {p. 136}

8 May 1903 • Friday

1This morning I asked Sister Walden to sweep the stairs and she was very obstinate {p. 140}

12 May 1903 • Tuesday

Today Lillis May McBride came to stay with me, her sister Mabel [McBride Tate] had been with me for some length of time until she married. {p. 145}

15 May 1903 • Friday

Little Katharine’s birthday she is five years old today. I gave her some blue beads a chain and it delighted her very much indeed. {p. 148}

17 May 1903 • Sunday

Officers resigned in the 13th ward Relief Society and new ones were appointed2 {p. 150}

25 May 1903 • Monday

Jos. S. Wells 41. today {p. 152}

28 May 1903 • Thursday

Reunion of Relief Society in the 13th. Ward {p. 155}

29 May 1903 • Friday

President [Theodore] Roosevelt arrived this morning. Belle went with me to see him and the parade and to hear him. We had very poor seats in the Tabernacle notwithstanding we had reserved seat tickets. we could hear though[.] the Tabernacle looked grand and everything was well arranged. Gov. Heber M. Wells presided and made a fine speech and then Senator [Thomas F.] Kearns introduced President Roosevelt in his very homely phrase. President made a good impression and created quite an enthusiasm in his favor. Secretary [William H.] Moody of the Navy spoke a few words and Sec. [James] Wilson just a word or two Miss Emma Ramsey sung “A Flag Without a Stain” and there was great applause. Prest. A. M. Cannon took me to dinner at Gallagher’s. We had meeting at 4. p.m. at Sister Smith’s. {p. 156}

30 May 1903 • Saturday

<Conjoint Conference Y.M. & Y.L.3 opened today.> Saturday Decoration day Belle went early to the cemetery with flowers for her graves. I stayed at home until late in the afternoon had breakfast and dinner at Belles. Went up to Sister Smith’s to see about some letters and went back to the office and the ladies were coming in to attend the Press Club, Miss Neff, Mrs. [Rebecca Beesley] Doolan Mrs. Lucy A. Clark of Farmington later came Mrs. Widtsoe and Miss Gordon Ellis Shipp and Miss Youngberg. We had a good meeting, sentiments from Penrose– current events Mrs. Doolan, poem Mrs. Clark poem Mrs. Wells. Came home late and very weary. Everyone in the neighborhood had retired for the night. {p. 157}

31 May 1903 • Sunday

<Y.M. & Y.L. Conference in Tabernacle fine sermons.> This morning rose very late, went over to Belle’s and had breakfast came back and wrote letters five of them. Read some in the book “The Fortunes of Oliver Horn,[”] by F. Hopkinson Smith. had a lonly day looked up on some old dates– revised minutes of the Relief Society and dined at Belle’s with the family Sep and Gertrude were there Belle came over to mine this evening. I am very weary to-night. The wind blew terribly and I sat up and wrote nearly all the night thro’ until after 4 o’clock when the wind subsided and I slept a little, these terrible winds are very hard upon me, they seem to wear upon me very much indeed. {p. 158}

Cite This Page

Cite This Page

May 1903, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed October 14, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1900s/1903/1903-05

Footnotes

  1. [1]text: The 8 May entry contains a small cutting of a newspaper article: “Evacuation of Valley Forge: Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Celebrated.”

  2. [2]It is typical in the church for presiding officers to grant a “release” to church members as they complete their service in a calling. However, in EBW’s time, she and others used the language of civic organizations and referred to “resigning” a position. Whenever ill health, change of location, or similar circumstances required an officer to leave her calling, she might “resign.” That signaled her willingness to step aside and let priesthood authorities call or “appoint” new leaders. For example, EBW resigned her calling in the ward Relief Society when she moved from the Salt Lake City Thirteenth Ward in 1890; she had been assistant secretary there for twenty years. (EBW, Diary, 11 Nov. 1890; Madsen, Intimate History, 151n23.)

  3. [3]Young Men’s and Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations.