January 1920

EVENTS IN EMMELINE B. WELLS’S DIARY FOR 1920

8 January: At their first meeting of the year, the Relief Society general board read and approved a letter from the First Presidency appointing EBW’s daughter Annie Wells Cannon a member of the board. She replaced Edna May Davis, who died 14 November 1919.
28 February: A reception held in honor of EBW’s ninety-second birthday attracted nearly a thousand well-wishers.
19 August: EBW and members of the Relief Society general board celebrated the 18 August ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guaranteed American women the right to vote.
31 August: To commemorate passage of the suffrage amendment, Utah politicians and women activists, including EBW, spoke at the state capitol. In her remarks, EBW recalled her personal association with Susan B. Anthony.
4 November: Elizabeth and Alfred McCune donated their home in Salt Lake City to the church with the expectation that the Relief Society would like to use it for their offices. The general board considered this offer on 4 November. EBW “spoke of the magnificence of the gift of the McCune Home,” but the women declined to move from the church block downtown.
10 November: EBW’s son-in-law William W. Woods, a respected jurist, died in Wallace, Idaho.

INTRODUCTION, 1920

Unfortunately, diary entries made for EBW were spotty this year and end altogether on 1 August. In their place, we learn about EBW’s activities and comments through Relief Society general board minutes and newspaper accounts. For woman suffragists in Utah, the year 1920 marked the fiftieth anniversary of women receiving the right to vote in what was then Utah Territory. For suffragists nationally, celebration came in August. EBW was presiding at a board meeting held 19 August at the home of Annie Wells Cannon shortly after news arrived that the thirty-sixth state had ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, guaranteeing American women the right to vote. Relief Society board members raised a toast of fruit punch to the legislators whose votes achieved this victory. The board sent a telegram to Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, declaring that “Utah’s busy hive of Relief Society suffrage workers . . . join the song of victory which rises from every enfranchised wom[a]n in these United States of America today.” When interviewed by newspaper reporters, EBW said that she was “exceedingly glad that the battle is over and the women of our nation have at last received their franchisement.” A public celebration took place in Utah on 31 August 1920. The Salt Lake Tribune photographed prominent women advocates standing together at the Utah State Capitol, EBW side by side with fellow activists Elizabeth A. Hayward, Emily S. Richards, Hannah Lapish, and Lydia Alder. Another article reported that EBW had been a friend of Susan B. Anthony and now “prayed that the suffrage cause might result in peace, blessing and prosperity to the nation by wise use.”

In January 1920, EBW had the pleasure of seeing her daughter Annie Wells Cannon appointed to the Relief Society general board. Since Annie made entries in her mother’s journal for her, the notes reflect matters of interest to both. For the April Relief Society conference, Annie organized a collection of pictures, introducing leaders and key events in Relief Society history. In other Relief Society business matters in 1920, the board supported publication of the Relief Society Song Book, compiled by B. Cecil Gates. In November, board members faced a difficult decision when board member Elizabeth Claridge McCune and her husband, Alfred McCune, gave their stately home on Main Street to the church. The First Presidency urged Relief Society leaders to consider using the home for their headquarters. EBW “spoke of the magnificence of the gift of the McCune Home,” but board members concluded to keep their offices where they were on the second floor of the Bishop’s Building downtown, across from the Salt Lake Temple. Nonetheless, the women leaders gently hinted that they wished they could enter by the front instead of the side of the Bishop’s Building and, because they too had invested in the building, they would like to see the name “Woman’s Building” added to the front door.

Despite susceptibility to illness and falls, EBW was ready to enjoy a reception in the Hotel Utah on Saturday, 28 February, in honor of her ninety-second birthday. “Just before going down to the reception I sat down on the floor instead of the Chair and was quite badly hurt,” she recounted in her diary, and then added with resilience, “but [I] revived and went down to the mezzanine floor to the reception where I received nearly 1000 friends from all walks in life.“ Board minutes recorded that the people stopping by “to shake hands and express greetings and good wishes” included travelers staying in the hotel who asked permission to meet President Wells. She was to have attended the Eighteenth Ward Sunday School on her actual birthday, 29 February, but she felt too unwell. Instead, Sunday School officers brought flowers and called on her. At the next Relief Society board meeting, Ida B. Dusenberry observed “that Mrs. Wells is the only one woman who could draw so many people together” because of her “wonderful personality,” adding that “the homage paid to her was a compliment to the whole Relief Society.” A classic EBW story highlights her diary entries in mid-June 1920. Feeling better one day, EBW left her room in the Hotel Utah to work in the Relief Society office and then buy lunch at the Z.C.M.I. department store across the street from the hotel. Slight of build and facing a gusty breeze, EBW had a problem to solve on her return. Her diary reports, “The wind blew so that I could not cross the street.” Then she took action: “Had to have a taxi bring me over to the hotel.” Who else would think to catch a ride from one side of the street to the other?

After the Relief Society took its summer pause from board meetings, Annie moved EBW from the Hotel Utah to the Cannon home. In July, EBW’s daughter Belle Whitney Sears became ill and left for Los Angeles to recover her health at a lower altitude. The husband of her daughter Melvina Whitney Woods, William W. Woods, died at their home in Wallace, Idaho, on 10 November 1920. Annie wrote the final known diary entry for EBW on 1 August 1920.

This was the year the church commemorated the one hundredth anniversary of Joseph Smith’s first vision. In her greetings to Relief Society members at their April conference, EBW recollected her personal encounters with Joseph Smith and “the inspiration that came to her through association with him.” She expressed joy in living in “this wonderful century, when there has been so much accomplished in the field of invention and science, and so much opportunity for human improvement.” She closed the Relief Society meeting in October “with affectionate reminiscences of her own past life and with words of blessing and cheer to the assembled multitude of sisters.”

¹1 January 1920 • Thursday

Miss Alice Reynolds took me to the oratorio of the Messiah At least she and I went to gether Jno. Q. [John Q. Cannon] gave us the tickets. Katharine [Cannon] came up in the evening and stayed all night

E. B. Wells Journal kept by her daughter Annie W. [Elizabeth Ann Wells] Cannon. [p. 1] {p. 5}

2 January 1920 • Friday

Katharine here most of the day. Went over to office for a while [p. 2] {p. 6}

3 January 1920 • Saturday

Received a letter to day from the First Presidency pertain[in]g to the R.S.² magazine. Rather disturbing³ [p. 3] {p. 7}

6 January 1920 • Tuesday

Went over to Z.C.M.I.⁴ to lunch Annie was with me. Then to Relief Society headquarters. Sent off some rather important letters [p. 6] {p. 8}

8 January 1920 • Thursday

Attended meeting of General Board. Annie was with me It is her first meeting since appointment and she was sworn in by notary– Bro [William C.] Shepherd–.⁵ The matter oof carrying R.S. magazin ~~before~~ <by> out side publishers was discussed. [p. 8] {p. 9}

10 January 1920 • Saturday

Annie spent afternoon with me. It is very lonesome in hotel on Saturdays. [p. 10] {p. 10}

14 January 1920 • Wednesday

Was very sick all night and had to call a docter and nurse– Belle [Isabel Whitney Sears] was with me until about nine when she went to temple and Annie came [p. 14] {p. 11}

15 January 1920 • Thursday

Was well enough this morning to dress and at 3 went to meeting of Gen Board of R.S. Annie was with me and after the meeting I went back to hotel where Belle had a nice warm lunch for me and I felt much better for going out. [p. 15] {p. 12}

16 January 1920 • Friday

Was well enough to lunch at Z.C.M.I. Annie was with me. Did not go over to office to day.

[p. 16] {p. 13}

17 January 1920 • Saturday

Was quite sick this morning and had the maid send for Annie. Was very lonesome and hysterical Annie stayed until night when Katharine came up and stayed all night [p. 17] {p. 14}

18 January 1920 • Sunday

Went to the Tabernacle to afternoon meeting. [p. 18] {p. 15}

20 January 1920 • Tuesday

Not very well but went to lunch at Z.C.M.I. with Annie [p. 20] {p. 16}

22 January 1920 • Thursday

Went out to lunch then to R.S. meeting in Bishop’s building. A preliminary meeting on 4^th floor and walked all way up and down the 3 flights of stairs as no elevator Dr [Ephraim G.] Gowans gave a lecture. Then we held meeting in R.S. rooms An imporant meeting in the nurse work. [p. 22] {p. 17}

23 January 1920 • Friday

Was quite sick all day and had Louise [Cannon Andrew] with me until Annie came back from Ogden then she came and stayed all night. She thinks it is caused by my walking up and down those long stairs. Had a fearful night. [p. 23] {p. 18}

24 January 1920 • Saturday

Annie stayed all day The docter came twice Belle came up in the evening and stayed at night.

[p. 24] {p. 19}

25 January 1920 • Sunday

Felt better and was able to sit up in afternoon. Had some company. Belle went home in evening when Katharine came and stayed all night [p. 25] {p. 20}

26 January 1920 • Monday

To day Annie stayed and attended to things for me then arranged with Mrs May [Allen] Snell to help us out by staying part of the time

Mrs Snell stayed tonight [p. 26] {p. 21}

27 January 1920 • Tuesday

Annie came about noon and stayed until dinner time when Louise came I am very weak and nervous. Mrs Snell will stay nights for a time but the girls have to arrange for the day. [p. 27] {p. 22}

28 January 1920 • Wednesday

Eleanor [Rhein Sears] came this mor[n]ing and stayed a good part of the day. I had some company and am getting a little better

A lot of the sisters came over from the Board meeting [p. 28] {p. 23}

29 January 1920 • Thursday

Annie came for part of the day then Em [Emmeline Cannon Martineau] came and spent the afternoon. [p. 29] {p. 24}

30 January 1920 • Friday

Sister Emily [Tanner] Richards came to see me. Louise was here nearly all afternoon Annie came in late She had a fine hand bag presented her by the Pioneer Stake R.S. [p. 30] {p. 25}