The Church Historian's Press

Elizabeth Turner Cain

14 April 1848–11 December 1939

Born 14 Apr. 1848 in Salt Lake City.[1] Daughter of Joseph Cain and Elizabeth Whitaker.[2] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Joseph Horne, Apr. 1856.[3] Married Charles Crismon Jr., 1 June 1871; six children.[4] Owner and one-time president of Utah Mine at Fish Lake, Sevier Co., Utah Territory, 1891–1939.[5] Instrumental in producing the book Utah Architecture for the Columbian Exhibition at the Chicago World’s Fair, 1893.[6] Served as vice president of the philanthropic and literary Authors’ Club, 1893–1939.[7] Charter member and director of the Utah Kindergarten Association, 1895.[8] Charter member of Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1901–1939.[9] Served on the Relief Society general board with EBW as general president, 1911–1921.[10] Charter member and board member of the Visiting Nurses Association, 1928–1939.[11] Died 11 Dec. 1939 in Salt Lake City.[12]

 

[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 1868–1872, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 71, line 8, Elizabeth Turner Crismon, 30 Mar. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 775147 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 8 Oct. 2020), Elizabeth Turner Cain (KJ69-HVC).

[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 1868–1872, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 71, line 8, Elizabeth Turner Crismon, 30 Mar. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 775147 (restricted access), FHL.

[3] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 1868–1872, 31 Oct. 1868–11 Nov. 1872, p. 71, line 8, Elizabeth Turner Crismon, 30 Mar. 1869, microfilm 1239501, DGS 775147 (restricted access), FHL. Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Fourteenth Ward, Part 1, 1856–1910, line 58, Elizabeth J. Cain, CR 375 8, box 2291, folder 1, image 215/450 (restricted access), CHL. 

[4] Elias Smith, Journal, July 1868–June 1874, pp. 226–227, images 229–230/474, MS 1319, folder 8, CHL. “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. G, 1870–1871, p. 299, line 21623, Charles Crismon Jr. and Elizabeth Turner Cain, 1 June 1871, microfilm 1149516, DGS 7226457 (restricted access), FHL. “Married,” Salt Lake Daily Herald, 3 June 1871, 3. 1910 U.S. Census, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, ED 123, p. 4B, Elizabeth T. Crismon.

[5] “The Deep Creek Country: Fish Springs,” Daily Tribune (Salt Lake City), 1 Jan. 1892, 23. “S. L. Pioneer Woman Reviews Active Life on 90th birthday,” Salt Lake Telegram, 14 Apr. 1938, 9. “Today’s Birthdays,” Salt Lake Telegram, 14 Apr. 1934, 9.

[6] “Utah Architecture,” Salt Lake Herald, 4 May 1893, 8. “Editorial Notes,” Woman’s Exponent, 15 Apr.–1 May 1893, 156.

[7] “Authors’ Club Active in Good Works,” Salt Lake Herald, 6 Apr. 1919, 2A. “Authors’ Club Breakfast Slated,” Salt Lake Telegram, 21 Mar. 1935, 15. EBW, Diary, 26 Feb. 1909.

[8] “Society Notes,” Salt Lake Herald, 5 May 1895, 6. “Ball and Sociable,” Salt Lake Herald, 23 Apr. 1896, 8. EBW, Diary, 30 Aug. 1904.

[9] “Calico Ball to Be Given on Nov. 14,” Salt Lake Tribune, 2 Nov. 1913, 28. James Thomas Jakeman, Daughters of Utah Pioneers and Their Mothers (Salt Lake City: Western Album, 1915), 135–136. EBW, Diary, 5 Mar. 1918.

[10] Olive D. Christensen, “Annual Relief Society Conference,” Woman’s Exponent, Oct. 1911, 23. H. A. Benson, “Relief Society Reports: Portland Branch, Oregon,” Woman’s Exponent, Nov. 1911, 30–31. Alice Merrill Horne, “Suggestions for the Relief Society,” Woman’s Exponent, Apr. 1912, 60–61. “Emmeline B. Wells Recipient of Honor,” Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Mar. 1916, 16. “Relief Society to Honor Mrs. Wells,” Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Feb. 1917, 20. “Aunt Em to Keep Only Real Birthday,” Salt Lake Telegram, 26 Feb. 1920, 10. EBW, Diary, 21 May 1912; 31 Aug. 1912; 8 Mar. 1917.

[11] “Nurse Agency Answers S.L. Mercy Calls,” Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Nov. 1936, 8. “Visiting Nurses’ Work Praised,” Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Nov. 1934, 24.  

[12] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes, accessed 14 Oct. 2020); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 1974/2024 (1939), Elizabeth Cain Crismon. “Widow of Pioneer Railroad Builder Succumbs at 91,” Salt Lake Tribune, 12 Dec. 1939, 26.