Priscilla Paul Jennings
Born 19 July 1860 in Salt Lake City.[1] Daughter of William W. Jennings and Priscilla Paul.[2] Studied art at the School of Design in San Francisco and music and fine arts in Boston, 1877–1879.[3] Married William Wollerton Riter, 11 Apr. 1883, in Salt Lake City; six children.[4] Utah state delegate to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, 1890, in Denver.[5] Prominent figure in literary and social club circles, 1894–1904.[6] Served as the hostess of the Authors Club, 1897–1926.[7] Worked with EBW to establish a Utah branch of the Red Cross Society; charter member and first president of the Utah branch of the American Red Cross, 22 May 1898.[8] Taught domestic science classes in the Relief Society Corps of Nurses and spoke at graduations, 1901–1905.[9] Appointed to the board of directors for the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, 1903.[10] Active member of the Daughters of the Pioneers and Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1904–1922.[11] Arranged for the reception and care of sick and wounded soldiers as they returned from the Spanish American War; organized the Priscilla Riter Auxiliary of the Spanish American War Veterans, 1904–1917.[12] Associated with educational and philanthropic work as a member of the Women of the University of Utah; enlisted the help of the Ensign Stake to establish the Lucy Mack Home for Girls, 1910.[13] Active member of the Relief Society, Mutual Improvement Association, and Friendship Circle of the church.[14] Died 4 Aug. 1926 in Copenhagen while on a European tour; buried in Salt Lake City, 22 Aug. 1926.[15]
[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. I, 10 Oct. 1878–27 Nov. 1884, p. 316, line 15, Priscilla Paul Jennings, 22 Mar. 1883, microfilm 183408 (restricted access), FHL. “Mrs. Priscilla Jennings Riter, Dead Suddenly,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1926, 1123. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 31 July 2019), Priscilla Paul Jennings (LKVT-BYY).
[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. I, 10 Oct. 1878–27 Nov. 1884, p. 316, line 15, Priscilla Paul Jennings, 22 Mar. 1883, microfilm 183408 (restricted access), FHL. “Noted Local Woman Dies,” Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Aug. 1926, 22.
[3] “Notable Utah Women,” Deseret Evening News, 23 Dec. 1899, 14.
[4] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. L, 14 May 1878–8 Nov. 1883, p. 420, William Wollerton Riter and Priscilla Paul Jennings, 11 Apr. 1883, microfilm 183402 (restricted access), FHL. 1900 U.S. Census, Salt Lake City Ward 5, Salt Lake Co, UT, p. 1A-1B, Priscilla Riter. EBW, Diary, 4 June 1894. Salt Lake City, UT, Office of Vital Statistics, Death Records of Salt Lake City, 1848–Sept. 1950, p. 97, Paul Jennings Riter, microfilm 26554, DGS 7578790, image 271/874, FHL.
[5] “Notable Utah Women,” Deseret Evening News, 23 Dec. 1899, 14.
[6] EBW, Diary, 20 July 1887; 29 Mar. 1894; 26 May 1897; 20 Mar. 1900. “The Real Things and the Climbers,” Goodwin’s Weekly (Salt Lake City), 4 June 1904, 8.
[7] “Notable Utah Women,” Deseret Evening News, 23 Dec. 1899, 14. “Priscilla Riter, Native of S.L. Dead in Europe,” Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Aug. 1926, 6.
[8] “Notable Utah Women,” Deseret Evening News, 23 Dec. 1899, 14. “Priscilla Riter, Native of S.L. Dead in Europe,” Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Aug. 1926, 6. “Red Cross Society,” Salt Lake Herald, 22 May 1898, 3. “Red Cross Society,” Salt Lake Herald, 24 May 1898, 3. “Red Cross Association,” Salt Lake Herald, 19 June 1898, 6. “President of the Red Cross Society,” and “Red Cross Meeting,” Salt Lake Herald, 27 Sept. 1898, 5.
[9] EBW, Diary, 28 May 1901. “Relief Society Corps of Nurses to Meet,” Salt Lake Telegram, 17 May 1905.
[10] “Successor to Sears,” Salt Lake Herald, 11 Apr. 1901. “Appointments Made by Gov. Cutler,” Salt Lake Telegram, 22 Feb. 1905.
[11] EBW, Diary, 9 Nov. 1904. “Chairman Appointed,” Salt Lake Telegram, 7 May 1921, 2. “Will Help to Dedicate Spot,” Salt Lake Telegram, 16 July 1921, 12. “General Committee Chosen at Meeting,” Salt Lake Telegram, 7 June 1922, 2.
[12] “Priscilla Riter, Native of S.L. Dead in Europe,” Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Aug. 1926, 6. “Veterans in Annual Meeting Yesterday,” Evening Telegram (Salt Lake City), 29 June 1914, 12. “Soldier Boys Are Guests at Many Dinners,” Salt Lake Telegram, 29 Nov. 1917, 9.
[13] “Priscilla Riter, Native of S.L. Dead in Europe,” Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Aug. 1926, 6. Marba C. Josephson, History of the YWMIA (Salt Lake City: Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association, 1955), 157–159.
[14] Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake Central Stake, 1849–1978, “Thirteenth Ward Records,” Priscilla J. Riter, LR 15328 22, CHL. “Priscilla Riter, Native of S.L. Dead in Europe,” Salt Lake Telegram, 5 Aug. 1926, 6. “Mrs. Priscilla Jennings Riter, Dead Suddenly,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1926, 1123.
[15] “Priscilla J Riter,” Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1849–1949, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ45-GQT 4 Aug. 2017). “Mrs. Priscilla Jennings Riter, Dead Suddenly,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1926, 1123.