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.

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 4th 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}

Cite This Page

Cite This Page

January 1920, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed November 8, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1920s/1920/1920-01

Footnotes

  1. [1]Entries in this diary were written by EBW’s daughter Annie Wells Cannon—at first in her mother’s voice, and from 15 July on in her own.

  2. [2]Relief Society.

  3. [3]The letter from the First Presidency asked church organizations to request special permission if they wanted an agency other than the Deseret News to print their periodicals. Relief Society general board members mentioned in their meeting that they had already contracted with Century Printing Company to print the Relief Society Magazine for 1920 because its bid was $670 lower in cost. (EBW, Diary, 8 Jan. 1920; Relief Society General Board minutes, 8 Jan. 1920, 2–3.)

  4. [4]Zion’s Co-operative Mercantile Institution.

  5. [5]In a letter dated 19 December 1919, the First Presidency appointed Annie Wells Cannon to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Relief Society board member Edna May Davis. In a meeting on 8 January 1920, members of the Relief Society general board approved the appointment. Brother William C. Shepherd, notary public from the office of the Presiding Bishop, then came to administer her “oath of office.” (Relief Society General Board minutes, 8 Jan. 1920, 2, 6.)