September 1911


1 September 1911 • Friday

My little Eugene [H. Harris]’s birthday & I expected to go to Sister [Mary Ord] Schofield’s house but Sister Nibley wished me to go to her home at Parry up in the mountains. Em. had already gone with Donna and Fern Geddes to Mrs. Louise Stoddard’s to spend the day (She was a granddaughter of Sister [Ann Dilworth] Bringhurst of Springville) President there many years. we were caught in a severe wind & dust storm and only escaped a heavy hail storm. had a fine ride home however and went to President [Franklin S.] Bram<wells> Had supper at President Bramwell’s and had a long auto ride before leaving on the train about nine p.M. had a State room. [p. 244] {p. 125}

2 September 1911 • Saturday

All day Saturday on the train had a very good night of course. Emm. in an upper berth. very comfortable Sister Nibley one side and me the other– arived home about six p.M. Sister Nibley and we parted at the depot– she took her Auto and we the street car to Annie[.] Annie & Katherine came to meet us. had a fine supper and pleasant evening. John Q. very glad to see Emm. home also all the others, talked until late, off to the room late after prayers which seemed particularly pleasant and good after being so long without our own family home prayers. Slept with Emm in her room felt very weary but determined to go to fast meeting next day [p. 245] {p. 126}

3 September 1911 • Sunday

Was in good time for the fast meeting saw Kate & Susan and Edna Smith & June Wells and many more old friends June spoke of the Whitmer’s and Philander Page his grandson and the testimony concerning him and his affadavit on his death-bed concerning the Book of Mormon and the Angel etc.1 President Smith was not there Prest. Lund presided Ort. spoke very well, and others of the Twelve, Angus M. Cannon was at David Whitmer’s house almost the last of his long life. [p. 246] {p. 127}

4 September 1911 • Monday

This morning went direct to the office Annie came and told me about copy and a few other things pertaining to my work, I seemed rather hindderd with the vastness of the matter on hand to be attended to [p. 247] {p. 128}

5 September 1911 • Tuesday

Letter from New York Isabella Waters Nurse preparing a book address 265. Henry St. sent the letter to Dr. M. C. Roberts to reply to– Many callers & much attention from the several Sisters of the Board [p. 248] {p. 129}

7 September 1911 • Thursday

Meeting of the Board Sister Susa Y. Gates appointed to take the minutes Hospital matters to be decided upon [p. 250] {p. 130}

8 September 1911 • Friday

The new girl came today and came down to the house by herself– of course when I came home at night there were many explanations to make but we got along fairly well and hope she will be contented and not too lonely. [p. 251] {p. 131}

10 September 1911 • Sunday

I lay in bed very late and tried to get rested after a strenuous week read and wrote did much in looking up things wanted for others, then after Pauline the new maid had cooked dinner & so on I went over to Annie’s and enjoyed the evening with them though I had to leave earlier than I wanted to because of the new girl, It is nice to get where there is much going on I went later up to Belle’s and had a cup of tea, and a bite to eat and stayed a few minutes Dot & Will both came to the car with me and it seemed quite cheerful– had to wait on the street some time for Waterloo car [p. 253] {p. 132}

11 September 1911 • Monday

Reaper’s Social only Mrs. Maria Francis and Miss J. [Julia A.] Druce came later Emily [Williams] Cummings a very confused day and wearisome indeed Sarah Jenne Cannon’s birthday and I did not remember it– though usually I do, but some I wonder what was done for her she would be 72 this year and so would Dr. Penrose a day of confusion and yet not much accomplished I fear the week will be the same. I must make an extra exertion my time is so fully occupied with talking and explaining things to people and to our sisters in particular cannot help it [p. 254] {p. 133}

12 September 1911 • Tuesday

<Dr. [George W.] Middleton came to see me> This has been a very trying day and many callers & I was trying to get paper out of hand, and really I seemed to have more annoyances than I could stand. Louise came to see me and brought the twins2 beautiful boys, Dick [Richard C. Andrew] had a toothache had been to the Dentist young to begin with that sort of thing, Junius came to say he was going to San Francisco for a week on business Emeline Wells came and Dr. Hunter of Los Angeles Clara [Wells] Hedges also. Annie & Katherine, Margaret and baby. Emma Empey was here the most of the day, I was twice at the Printing office, Mrs. Olive D. Christnsson [Christensen] was in a few hours. [p. 255] {p. 134}

13 September 1911 • Wednesday

A day of days I really cannot tell how many people called Louise & the twins Junius Wells Lee [Levi] Edgar Young Dr. Hunter of Los Angeles Emeline Wells Clara Hedges Emma A. Empey, Margaret and baby Bishop– David A. Smith Dr. Ellis R. Shipp, two young ladies whose names I did not learn, Miss Campbell3 Miss McLelland Mrs. Gates Edna L. Smith and Isabel Annie & Emmeline & Katharine tw[o] men with bells, at last I became so nervous I felt really ill. I had been twice to the Deseret News on business I called on Miss Connelly & Miss Stayner, Sarah Jenne Cannon Mrs. P. P. Jennings & Margaret [Mitchell] Caine [p. 256] {p. 135}

14 September 1911 • Thursday

<Phebe Beatie & Sarrrah McLelland went to Nephi today> This is Eugene [S. Sears]’s birthday and of course Isabel and the family will sort of keep it in some special way, no doubt. I have been up to my eyes in work and over to the Des. News4 etc. paper so dreadfully behind. Committee Meeting at 2. and Special Meeting of the Board5 at 3. p.m. New Secretary6 acting for the first time– sung God moves in a Mysterious way– prayer by Alice M. Horne, singing Now let us rejoice– closing Lord dismiss us prayer Mrs. McCune– much business transacted. After meeting and all had gone I went out and had tea etc. to the Hotel Utah in the Grill Room– and met the Manager7 and was very politely treated but cannot go in there again8 [p. 257] {p. 136}

15 September 1911 • Friday

<wrote to Emelia D. [Dahlgreen] Madsen yesterday> This morning went up early and went through a lot of letters, Susa came and we went to Shay’s cafateria & had dinner saw Dr Hunter there, then I came back and worked at my books, the paper still lingers, Annie and her daughter Emmline called upon Mrs. Nett [S. Annette Wells] Culmer Cathie [Catherine Culmer] Roberts and Mrs. Tracy [Letticia Taylor] Cannon, Louise came to see me and brought baby Elizabeth– So many people have called and so little done, so much telephoning and questons to answer Amy Lyman came and we had a long talk, there is so much going on in all lines of work just now wrote a letter to [Anna] Eva Fay Milrose Heights Mass [Massachusetts] [p. 258] {p. 137}

16 September 1911 • Saturday

This is an awfully busy day in the office before 9. o’clock and Emma Empey came very early and Brother Beatie– there was more or less confusion and I became very nervous tho’ I tried hard to keep myself from being annoyed. Committee on Conference came early and I tried to avoid helping them– soon the Daughters of Revolution came Sister Farnsworth early for private interview and wanted to resign from the Board cannot stand Sister Nibley,9 Belle came and there was a very few active workers, passed off fairly well and I began to recover myself to get things ready for Saturday night [p. 259] {p. 138}

17 September 1911 • Sunday

Have been going over papers reading my blessing from Dr. Wm. Smith Patriarch it is a wonderful document, one would think he was indeed prophetic to hear it and recall how long ago it was given.10 Quite a number of things point to what has transpired since that time The day has been fine I have not tried [tired] today as I usually do. Went up to Belle’s this evening Dot seems better had some refreshment there and spent an hour came home– cold and lonly. It has not been so restful a day as I expected it to be– I am so cold. [p. 260] {p. 139}

Cite This Page

Cite This Page

September 1911, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed October 15, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1910s/1911/1911-09

Footnotes

  1. [1]Philander Page was the son of Hiram Page and Catherine Whitmer Page and a nephew of David Whitmer. Several times in his last years, David Whitmer confirmed his testimony of the Book of Mormon and his experiences with the angel. An affidavit that Whitmer signed before witnesses was published in the Richmond, Missouri, Conservator in March 1881. In April 1887, Whitmer, with the help of family and friends, printed a pamphlet, An Address to All Believers in Christ, by a Witness to the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Whitmer spoke to Angus M. Cannon in January 1888. (Cannon, “Angus M. Cannon and David Whitmer,” 20:297–299.) Friends present at David Whitmer’s bedside in the last hours of his life, in January 1888, reported to the Richmond Democrat that Whitmer testified again of the truth of the “record of the Nephites.” (“Whitmer, David,” in Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:270; Backman, Eyewitness Accounts of the Restoration, 165.)

  2. [2]Denton C. Andrew and Richard C. Andrew.

  3. [3]Perhaps Joan Millar Campbell, board member and general secretary of the YLMIA, or Agnes Stewart Campbell, assistant secretary to the general board of the YLMIA and assistant on the Young Woman’s Journal. (Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4:255–256.)

  4. [4]Deseret News.

  5. [5]Relief Society general board.

  6. [6]Olive Derbidge Christensen.

  7. [7]George O. Relf.

  8. [8]It is not clear why EBW felt she could not go into the Grill Room in the new Hotel Utah on her own anymore. Newspapers reported that this large dining room in the basement of the hotel was open to men and women from 11:30 a.m. until after the theaters closed in the evening. Perhaps managers of the venue initially expected women to come with a male escort. (“Hotel Utah Grill,” Salt Lake Tribune, 16 Aug. 1911, 14.) In later years, EBW reported eating in the Grill with her daughter Belle and a friend and that she joined groups to dine in the Garden Restaurant on the Hotel Utah roof. (EBW, Diary, 2 Nov. 1917; 9 and 11 Apr. 1917; 18 and 27 July 1917.)

  9. [9]Despite this expression of disagreement, both women remained on the Relief Society general board until 1921. (Derr et al., Women of Covenant, 437.)

  10. [10]William Smith, brother of Joseph Smith, was ordained patriarch of the church on 24 May 1845 and served a little over four months until he was excommunicated on 12 October 1845. (“Smith, William B., Biography,” The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed 1 Apr. 2022, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/william-b-smith.)