March 1910

President [Wilford] Woodruff’s birthday and it is being kept by his family– it is Emma [Smith Woodruff]’s birthday and I gave her a very pretty book of verses, the Board gave her flowers to which I gave my share in money as well she is 72 years old today I feel very miserable tonight, it is hard for me to keep up all the time {p. 56}

This is a beautiful day the sun shines brightly and we went off early for the office and found a great deal of mail, of not much consequence it is the birthday of [L.] Lucile Sears and I bought her a book. I have had many people to talk with me today and floods are covering the country

I am not feeling well even yet after my illness but I am anxious to keep up my work and go when it seems right and therefore I went today to Sister Woodruff’s party, made for her by her daughters, about 100 ladies attended and many choice gifts were bestowed.

Today is our regular meeting day and we have had quite a nice meeting not so unpleasant as sometimes, we met in the big room around the new table and all seemed harmonious this evening I have been over tired news of floods are depressing– Mailing papers seems to drag {p. 57}

The weather is very fine for March we wonder if it will keep so. It seems almost like Spring April or May, things are going on rapidly. President Winder is very seriously ill and it seems that he cannot recover, yet he has faith that he will and so have others

Temple fast meeting I went up but came direct home fearing it would be too fatiguing if I tried to go to any one’s house to dinner, I rested after coming home and Margaret was here with me. It was Sister Mary E. [Rutherford] Irvines’s funeral Julia Benson [Gutke Brixen] & Mary A. Freeze both went to the funeral–

A very fine day again and all seems well except in regard to Prest. Winder– that causes much uneasiness, still the belief of the people around him is that he will recover eventually. I have never felt that he would, it seems to me that he cannot and that his work is accomplished– {p. 58}

¹I had planned a little surprise and invited the General Board in return for their great kindness to me– and to have something in a way original asked each one to mention a woman who had helped them in their lives or who had been helpful in the Church confining it to our own women, Sister B. W. Smith spoke of Emma Smith and Sarah M. [Marietta Kingsley] Cleveland, Sarah Jenne Cannon of Sarah M. Kimball, <Annie Taylor Hyde> Emma S. Woodruff of Zina D. H. Young Alice M. Horne of Fannie Young Thatcher Hattie B. Harker of Elizabeth Stevenson Minnie H. James of Elmina S. [Shepard] Taylor Annie Wells Cannon [of] Hannah T. [Tapfield] King Rebecca Nibley of Harriet [Squires] Snow Annie K. [Kay] Hardy of Ellen [Spencer] Clawson [p. 66] {p. 40} Elizabeth S Wilcox of M. Isabella Horne

²This is a rather remarkable day for me as I am to have the Board of Directors here in these apartments that have been prepared for the Relief Society and here on this block dedicated to the Lord’s work in this wondrous time. I felt I must make some acknowledgement of the gratitude I feel for the party given me and to day the sisters will be my guests I have thought out what I would have them say and the plan was out of the ordinary. I had a card for each one and a carnation and each one spoke of one of our beloved sisters who have gone from our midst. Our President Bathsheba W. Smith spoke of Emma Smith and Sarah M. Cleveland, Susan Grant of Sarepta M. [Maria Blodgett] Heywood, Emma S. Woodruff of Zina D. H. Young, Julia P. M. Farnsworth Annie Wells Cannon of Hannah T. King so unlike those with whom she had been accustomed to meet in her own home in England. Ninnie [Minnie] H. James spoke of Elmina S. Taylor– Phebe Y. Beatie of Zina D. H. Young Carrie S. Thomas of Rebecca E. [Ellen Mantle] Little, Sarah Jenne Cannon [p. 66] {p. 68}

Mr. Septimus W. [Wagstaff] Sears birthday anniversary and of course Belle and the girls feel it very much and go to the cemetery and take flowers those he loved so much, passionately fond of roses and had such success in raising them.

³Letters written P. P. Jennings inside cards

walked to the Bee Hive House with Sister Bathsheba W. Smith and was very tired– Susa Y. Gates and Isabel came to see me

Phebe Y. Beatie of Zina D. H. Young Carrie S. Thomas of Rebecca E. Little Emma Empey of Rachel Grant Amy B. Lyman of Annie K. [Kirstine Mauritzen] Smoot Margaret Roberts of Mary E. [Rutherford] Irvine Isabel M. W. Sears of Elizabeth [Anderson] Howard and Elizabeth Ann Whitney known as mother Whitney [p. 67] {p. 41}

Another beautiful day and so warm for the time of year, it really seems too fine and unseasonable, the buds will come and then perhaps the frost– untimely, let us hope not the comet is coming soon and many think it affects the world more or less

Daniel H. Cannon’s birthday and he away in Holland, so far away, his 21st birthday too boys think most of that day because of coming of age. I did succeed in getting a letter written and putting a dollar green-back in it a small present, but my expenses have been heavy {p. 59}

Well another beautiful day Kate has been to see me, she is lonely without her mother⁴ & really there is no one can fill a mother’s place be they ever so bright and genial and all that– Aunt Susan comes next but not quite in Kate’s estimation

Another Saturday and gloomy too really it is so– many deaths of people we know have created an impression of depression we ought not to give way to it It is a bad thing for one’s health and sanity, we know better than to give way to low spirits they affect othrs seriously

Birthday Frank [Frances] Wells born 1852 58 years old– hair white as snow what a joy she was when born and the pride of her parents as she grew to womanhood, but in marriage unhappy, she has one daughter Ruby [Naylor Morse] now happily married with 3 children 2 girls and one boy name Morse⁵ {p. 60}

⁶This morning I stayed in bed very late a telephone message from Annie announced the fact of so much sickness in the Ward that no Sunday School had been held– only four or five teachers assembled at the morning prepatory meeting, several families are afflicted with scarlet-fever– one young man died yesterrday. It is sad. The day is very fine like real Spring. Margaret prepared my dinner and then went over to see the folks at home– while read and wrote and hunted over old papers mostly to find items for the sisters who are to speak on March 17. in the ward organizations– the very same thing occurs year after year– while I was alone my thoughts flew rapidly over some events of my past life and the strange occurrences of the years since I began editorial work on the woman’s paper– [p. 72] {p. 74}

This is a very fine day and first thing Sister Smith came I sat and read to her for an hour or two and then walked up to the Bee Hive with her and she stayed to dinner and went home in the Presidents carriage

Rather a fine day I hope it is in Massachusetts as it is my brother Hiram’s birthday he is 75 today quite an important age three quarters of a century, he is well I believe and does not look or appear old in the least

Today is the regular meeting of the D.R. Society and I almost dread it as there are one or two ladies who are very overbearing and make one who is susceptible to silent influences very uncomfortable {p. 61}

<John Q. & Annies wedding day 30 years ago– had dinner there 15 at table stayed all night> Today is being celebrated all over the world wherever there is a Relief Society. I am always besieged for items, and have extra letters to write and articles on the subject to send out. I was invited to speak in five different places, but did not go to any therefore did not offend any–

Our regular meeting of the Board of Directors⁷ was held today and it was a very interesting meeting getting ready for Conference and arranging for Committees and hearing the program & details, some things not so acceptable as might be but pretty well balanced

⁸Meeting where Dr. Roberts presented her grievance about price of training⁹ [p. 77] {p. 42}

Dr. Ellen B. Ferguson’s birthday she lives in New York City– has a home there now Today nineteen years since I came home from Washington after being there for some months attending Council & Conventions etc. President [Daniel H.] Wells very sick {p. 62}

I went to see Belle today and had dinner there they had visitors friends of Will’s pleasant people, Will is quite a genial host and it really is an accomplishment in a man or woman, he is a lovable man to be associated with– a good husband and father,

Herbert Whitney Sears birthday anniversary, what a beautiful child her [he] was and most lovable and bright endeared himself to every one. How he loved the cakes at our house– and used to come in the phaeton

¹⁰Herbert Whitney Sears birthday, he was born in the Kimball house on this block North side facing City Creek. Belle will be here in a few minutes with strangers from St. Louis [Missouri], I took up my sketch this morning to be copied in type– writing by the young ladies [p. 80] {p. 43}

Anniversary of Carrie Granger [Snyder]s birth, she would have been 58 I believe– I ought to do something for her or Annie ought– some day soon we must, I feel it is not right to put it off so long she was a fine young woman and bright intellectual to a high degree finely educated {p. 63}

¹¹This Carrie Louise Granger’s birthday, born in 1852. married George Snyder had two boys,¹² they live in Chcago [Chicago], father and mother both dead.¹³ [p. 81] {p. 44}

A very good day and the genealogical meeting at the Social Hall in the evening this is a memorable month to us, on account of the death of President Wells–

Anniversary of the demise of Daniel H. Wells, near noon he just barely recognized Annie who came by train from Ogden with baby Eleanor, no mail of any consequence

Sister Priscilla P. Jennings birthday she is 72 years old and there was to have been a party in her honor but because of Prest. Winder’s condition it was given up. {p. 64}

¹⁴Adelia Hoagland paid 1.00 per Annie W. Cannon [p. 84] {p. 45}

A very busy day and so much transpiring all the time in the Church and outside the illness of President Winder causes much anxiety and also of Geo. A. Smith who continues to be very weak and in a sad condition, he is a fine young man and it is a sad case

This is the anniversary of Martha [Harris] Wells birthday she would have been 78 years old today and there is grief in the home– Mary [B. Wells] is very ill indeed. It is Fast day and I was in the Temple went up to Hannah’s after meeting had dinner and spent afternoon

Kate Wells birthday I gave her a new fine book Tenner’s gallery of portraits beautiful pictures, sent it up by Annie she was born in 1853– so she is 57 today and unmarried– a fine woman and very capable and kind hearted President Winder died this morning¹⁵ {p. 65}

Well President Winder is lying in state and people say how grand he looks. I do not wish to stay

This is a gloomy day no one seems to feel happy President Winder is lying in State, I do not wish to see him

Funeral of President Winder a carriage for four of the officers to go to the grave Sister B. W. Smith myself S. J. Cannon & C. S. Williams went in carriage, decided to give a palm to Sister [Maria Burnham] Winder {p. 66}