Emma Adams
Born 5 Aug. 1860 at Tipton, Staffordshire, England.[1] Daughter of John Adams and Sarah Tranter.[2] Immigrated to New York City with her family aboard the ship Wyoming, arriving 13 Sept. 1881.[3] Visited Utah Territory, Sept. 1881; returned to England for a visit; and then returned to Utah Territory permanently, 1887.[4] Baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Nelson A. Empey, 27 Sept. 1890.[5] Married Nelson A. Empey, 24 June 1891, in Manti, Juab Co., Utah Territory.[6] Executive board member of the Utah branch of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, 1893.[7] Superintendent of the Relief Society Nurse School, 1902–1920.[8] Superintendent of the Women’s Work Department of the Utah State Fair, 1903–1912.[9] Served as general treasurer of the Relief Society during the presidency of EBW, 1911–1939.[10] Created patterns for temple and burial clothing, 1912; chair and manager of the Temple and Burial Clothing Department.[11] Created and maintained a nurse registry.[12] Served on the board of the Children’s Service Society, 1933–1952.[13] Died 15 Mar. 1953 in Salt Lake City.[14]
[1] Church of England, St. Thomas’s Church (Dudley, Worcestershire), Parish Registers for St. Thomas’s Church, Dudley, 1541–1954, vol. 70, Emma Adams, p. 163, microfilm 378780, DGS 7905482, image 498/671, FHL. “Endowments of the Living, 1888–1956; Indexes, 1888–1956,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. A, p. 76, line 2519, Emma Adams, 24 June 1891, microfilm 170485 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 3 Feb. 2020), Emma Adams (KWJD-2JH).
[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1888–1956; Indexes, 1888–1956,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. A, p. 72, line 1278, Emma Adams, 24 June 1891, microfilm 170485 (restricted access), FHL. Church of England, St. Thomas’s Church (Dudley, Worcestershire), Parish Registers for St. Thomas’s Church, Dudley, 1541–1954, vol. 70, Emma Adams, p. 163, microfilm 378780, DGS 7905482, image 498/671, FHL.
[3] “Emma Adams,” Saints by Sea (https://saintsbysea.lib.byu.edu/, accessed 4 Oct. 2019). New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820–1957, Ancestry.com https://www.ancestry.com/, accessed 26 Mar. 2019), Emma Adams.
[4] Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 184.
[5] “Endowments of the Living, 1888–1913,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Manti Temple, vol. A, p. 76, Emma Adams, 24 June 1891, microfilm 170485 (restricted access), FHL. Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History, 1901), 184.
[6] Sanpete Co., UT, County Clerk, Utah, Marriage License Records, 1888–1966, vol. 2, 1890–1894, p. 76, microfilm 481124, FHL. “Sealings and Adoptions of the Living, 1888–1956,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Manti Temple, vol. A, 30 May 1888–20 Jan. 1904, p. 72, line 1278, Nelson Adam Empey and Emma Adams, 24 June 1891, microfilm 170490 (restricted access), FHL.
[7] “For Equal Suffrage,” Salt Lake Herald, 6 Oct. 1893, 2.
[8] History of Relief Society, 1842–1966 (Salt Lake City: General Board of Relief Society, 1966), 87.
[9] “Supervisors of the State Fair-No. 5,” Deseret Evening News, 10 Oct. 1908, 5. “Sketch of Mrs. Emma A. Empey,” Relief Society Magazine, July 1921, 386. “Fair Directors Are Chosen by Governor,” Salt Lake Evening Telegram, 14 Mar. 1907, 4.
[10] History of Relief Society, 1842–1966 (Salt Lake City: General Board of Relief Society, 1966), 39, 52.
[11] Funeral Services for Mrs. Emma Adams Empey, 17 Mar. 1953 ([Salt Lake City]: n.p., [1953]), 6.
[12] Funeral Services for Mrs. Emma Adams Empey, 17 Mar. 1953 ([Salt Lake City]: n.p., [1953]), 6.
[13] Funeral Services for Mrs. Emma Adams Empey, 17 Mar. 1953 ([Salt Lake City]: n.p., [1953]), 6. “Dr. Paul Elected Head of Society,” Salt Lake Telegram, 9 May 1933, 5.
[14]“Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov, accessed 25 Mar. 2019); Utah Department of Health Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death certificates, series 81448, file no. 53 18 0591; 618 (1953), Emma Adams Empey.