Catharine Adella Wooley

31 July 1857–14 January 1939

Born 31 July 1857 in Salt Lake City.[1] Daughter of Samuel Amos Wooley and Catharine Elizabeth Mehring.[2] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her father, 21 July 1865.[3] Attended public schools, Dr. Elvira Barney’s private school, and the University of Utah.[4] Married James Walter Eardley, 30 Oct. 1878, in Salt Lake City; six children.[5] Served on the general board of Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association, 1889–1926.[6] Elected secretary of the Salt Lake County Women’s Suffrage Association, 17 Mar. 1891; second vice president, 1 Jan. 1893; and vice president, 7 Dec. 1894.[7] Delegate and speaker at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893.[8] Member of the Reaper’s Club; charter member of the Author’s Club.[9] Delegate of the Press Association to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, May 1904.[10] Director and secretary of the Commercial Club, the woman’s auxiliary to the Merchants and Manufacturer’s Association, beginning 11 Jan. 1906.[11] Voter registration officer for Salt Lake City District 6, 1907.[12] Assistant director of the Needlework Department of the Utah State Fair, 26 Aug. 1909.[13] With EBW, attended the executive session of the National Council of Women in Chicago, 13–14 Nov. 1911.[14] Died 14 Jan. 1939 in Salt Lake City.[15]

 

[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. H, 1872–1878, p. 295, line 6473, Catherine Adella Wooley, 6 Dec. 1875, microfilm 183407, DGS 5270330 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 3 June 2021), Catherine Adella Wooley (KWDZ-ZXP).

[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. H, 1872–1878, p. 295, line 6473, Catherine Adella Wooley, 6 Dec. 1875, microfilm 183407, DGS 5270330 (restricted access), FHL. 

[3] Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Third Ward, Salt Lake City Liberty Stake, Part 2, Segment 1, Adella Eardley, CR 375 8 2, image 283/400 (restricted access), CHL.

[4] Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 258.

[5] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. L, 1878–1883, p. 67, James Walter Eardley and Catherine Adella Wooley, 30 Oct. 1878, microfilm 183402, DGS 5270325 (restricted access), FHL. 1910 U.S. Census, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, ED 101, p. 3B, Adella W. Eardley.

[6] Young Women Chronological History, ca. 1982, Chronological History of Appointments and Releases, 1880–1980, CR 13 62, image 3/48 (limited access), CHL. Susa Young Gates, History of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association, ca. 1910, Susa Young Gates, Papers, ca. 1870–1933, MS 7692, image 25/73, CHL.

[7] “W.S.A. Salt Lake Co.,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 May 1891, 7. “W.S.A. Salt Lake Co.,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Jan. 1893, 7. “Woman’s Suffrage Association,” Salt Lake Herald-Republican, 7 Dec. 1894, 8.

[8] Erin Pack-Jordan, “Biographical Sketch of Adella W Eardley” (https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1010922372, accessed 21 Sept. 2021). 

[9] Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 238. “Death Claims Noted Woman,” Salt Lake Tribune, 15 Jan. 1939, 17.

[10] “Utah Editors Depart to Visit World’s Fair,” Salt Lake Telegram, 13 May 1904, 10.

[11] “Women Enlist in Home Fight, Auxiliary to M. & M. A. Formed at Enthusiastic Meeting,” Salt Lake Telegram, 11 Jan. 1906, 5.

[12] “Where Voters of Salt Lake May Register for Election,” Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Oct. 1907, 8.

[13] “Fair Association Makes Appointments,” Salt Lake Telegram, 26 Aug. 1909, 3.

[14] “Utah Women at Chicago,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Nov. 1911, 5.

[15] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 21 Sept. 2021); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 80/634 (1939), Catherine Adelle Wooley Eardley.