Lydia Ann Alley
Born 1 Jan. 1828 in Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts.[1] Daughter of George Alley and Mary Symonds.[2] Sister wife, close friend, and associate of EBW.[3] Migrated with her family from Salem, Essex Co., to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, arriving 1 Jan. 1843.[4] Migrated to the Salt Lake Valley with the Brigham Young pioneer company, arriving 20 Sept. 1848.[5] Married Daniel H. Wells, 3 Apr. 1852; six children.[6] Appointed second counselor to President Rachel Grant of the Salt Lake City Thirteenth Ward Relief Society, June 1873, and served as first counselor, 1883–1890; EBW served as assistant secretary.[7] Served as president of the Thirteenth Ward Primary, beginning 21 Apr. 1882.[8] Appointed by Lorenzo Snow to work in the Salt Lake temple, 18 Sept. 1893.[9] Died 6 Aug. 1909 in Salt Lake City.[10]
[1] Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1905), 1:22. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 22 Jan. 2018), Lydia Ann Alley (KWJH-R5G).
[2] Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1905), 1:22, 2:365. “Lydia Ann Alley Wells,” in Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1959), 8:191–193.
[3] Carol Cornwall Madsen, Emmeline B. Wells: An Intimate History (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2017), 110, 114, 431, 504.
[4] “Lydia Ann Alley Wells,” in Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1959), 8:191–192.
[5] “Lydia Ann Alley,” Pioneer Database (http://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel, accessed 16 Jan. 2018). “Lydia Ann Alley Wells,” in Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1959), 8:192.
[6] “Lydia Ann Alley Wells,” in Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1959), 8:191–193.
[7] Thirteenth Ward Relief Society Minutes and Records, pp. 647–648, LR 6133 14, CHL. “Letters,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 June 1876.
[8] Thirteenth Ward Primary Association Minutes and Records, p. 59, LR 6133 18, CHL.
[9] “Lydia Ann Alley Wells,” in Our Pioneer Heritage (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1959), 8:193.
[10] “Utah Death Certificate Index, 1904–1961,” database and images, Utah State Archives (http://archives.utah.gov, accessed 16 Jan. 2018); from Utah Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, series 81448, file no. 1163/430 (1909), Lydia Ann Wells. “Mrs. Lydia Ann Wells,” Deseret Evening News, 7 Aug. 1909, 2.