August 1903


1 August 1903 • Saturday

Ealy this morning we drove to Woodruff. Br. Kingston had a fine team and surry. We arrived before nine oclock at Br. John Baxters Prest. of the Stake and found the sisters there, held preliminary Council meeting with Stake Presidency and some sisters selected by them. Went into Conference at ten– Prest. Baxter presiding but after he had organized the Stake Board Sister Sarah [Caldwell] Tyson presided. Her Counselors were Sisters Alice [Hatch] Jackson & Hannah [Brough] Telford, Kate Eppick [Kate Hodges Eppich] Sec. retained Amelia [Hatch] Jackson Treasurer, Pearl Muir Brough Cor. Sec. Afternoon session very good, and evening meeting a concert by the Waton [Walton]’s father1 and sons ten of them. We slept at Sister [Agnes Smith] Baxters though we had dinner at another sister’s {p. 220}

2 August 1903 • Sunday

This was fast day and only one or <two> people had breakfast. Sister Harker and myself also Sister Baxter S.S.2 Conference in the Bowery. Spoke to the children of Joseph the Prophet every one seemed pleased, had the sacrament administered and a good conference. We drove out a mile or two to Br. Walton’s to dinner; his wife is a [Frances Matilda] Huffaker. A fine dinner, though the wind was terrific; afternoon wind blew worse, but we had a good meeting and sacrament again which I felt glad to partake of as it seems so rare now that I get to a sacrament meeting. Sister Harker was taken very ill in the meeting and had to leave, but was better afterwards. Such a gale came up at close of the meeting that we were delayed in starting for Evanston. However we left in time and reached there all right went to Sister– {p. 221}

3 August 1903 • Monday

This morning we had a nice sleep and visited with Sisters [Elizabeth Patterson] Hunter and daughters married in Evanston– left on the noon day train and reached home about 5. p.m. {p. 222}

5 August 1903 • Wednesday

Was up very early and went through various boxes drawers and closets to find a vail and <copy of the> Exponent Sister Benson wanted but did not succeed in finding the paper it was April 1. 1899 I was over at the Temple during the day to see Sister Smith about signing some orders for the payment of money from Treasury I had rather a hard day, so many coming and going and such uncalled for criticisms {p. 224}

6 August 1903 • Thursday

Today I hindered myself again trying to get things I wanted and then dressed to go to the office ready for the meeting at the Cannon Ward. Succeeded in getting the half-past one car Louise was on it and so was Br. Salmon3 who talked of Prest. Wells as his very best friend, it was good to hear him spoken about in that way. Meeting was held at Sarah J. Cannon’s house and there were present Bishop Lewis M Cannon & Counselor Cyrus Gold. General President B. W. Smith, M. I. Horne President Salt Lake Stake, Emma S. Woodruff President Granite Stake Annie T. Hyde First Counselor to the General President, E. B. Wells General Secretary, E. L. [Elizabeth Taft] Webb Counselor in the Retrenchment Society besides the ward sisters, the death of Sister C. Y. Cannon necessitated a new organization and Rebecca B. [Bennion] Sharp was sustained as President Sarah A. J. [Jenkins] Cannon and Mary Ellen [Watson] Silver Counselors, Martha T. [Telle] Cannon {p. 225} reelected Secretary and Sister Hall Treasurer these were all set apart in the proper places. designated by the Bishop and one Counselor Friday

7 August 1903 • Friday

Aug. 7. Today has been hot and dusty men came to paper my house for the time of Br. Hiram coming. I took my belongings to travel with up to the office and left all to be done during my absence. Isabel is looking after it for me as she and Mell are bearing the expense together. Left with Miss Olive Derbage on 3.15 train Rio Grande Western for Thompson’s Springs Wyoming‒ and arrived in the night, Jacob Houtz of Provo was on the train and routed the station man up, we had a room and slept some, the night however was uncomfortably hot in the morning Miss Derbage is a very pleasant traveling companion intellectual and also deeply religious {p. 226}

8 August 1903 • Saturday

This is Sister R. B. Pratts birthday tried hard to get some one to go to San Juan Stake but did not succeed, so had to get ready in a rush and fly as it were getting things fixed could not get any one to go with me so had to depend on Miss Derbage for company to travel with.

Went off on 3.15 train Annie went to the station with me. Sister Dusenberry came in and said she would have gone had she known in time we had a fine journey until night came on and then rather gloomy as we did not wish to undress and of course were very tired. {p. 227}

9 August 1903 • Sunday

We traveled all day Sunday but Miss Derbage is very good company and we had one gentleman [blank] [Daniel D.] Houtz who married F. M. Lyman’s daughter4 with us, we had dinner at the Court House named from a rock that is like one {p. 228}

10 August 1903 • Monday

Conference of the Relief Society everything passed off well and {p. 229}

11 August 1903 • Tuesday

We left early in the morning on the stage, hot and dusty stage crowded– {p. 230}

12 August 1903 • Wednesday

Reached home by carriage one o’clock this morning {p. 231}

20 August 1903 • Thursday

left home on train Annie at depot with me Southern arrived 2.15 at Oasis5 Lydia D. Alder with me {p. 233}

21 August 1903 • Friday

We were very late in leaving Oasis and very much annoyed but finally started at nearly eleven A.M. {p. 234}

26 August 1903 • Wednesday

Reached home about nine or half-past went to the office and then down home {p. 239}

27 August 1903 • Thursday

Worked in the office until late in the afternoon and then bought some red carnations and went up to the cemetery and laid them on the graves of my two beautiful girls. I met on my return Mr. Guthrie who knew me thro’ the Republican party– my heart was heavy and yet I would not call them back, came home and went over to see Belle, she too was much depressed in spirit {p. 240}

28 August 1903 • Friday

The anniversary of Sister Zina [D. H. Young]’s death-day full of care and anxiety, and some annoyance. Sister Williams came up to see me and later I went over there and then to the meeting at Sister Smith’s we had a pleasant time and Sister B. W. Smith and Sister C. S. Williams both signed the letter inviting Belle to go to the meetings of the missionaries. {p. 241}

29 August 1903 • Saturday

Anniversary of the decease of President Brigham Young {p. 242}

30 August 1903 • Sunday

I stayed at home all day although it was the Sunday School Conference for Salt Lake Stake and I knew I should enjoy it very much indeed yet felt so weary from my tedious journey that I needed the rest it would give me to remain at home {p. 243}

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August 1903, The Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed March 29, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1900s/1903/1903-08