Emmeline B. Wells
Born 31 Jan. 1821 in Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York.1 Daughter of William Huntington and Zina Baker.2 Baptized by Hyrum Smith, 1 Aug. 1835.3 Married first Henry Bailey Jacobs, 7 Mar. 1841, in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois; two children; later separated.4 Plural wife of Joseph Smith, married 27 Oct. 1841, in Nauvoo.5 Joined the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, 24 Mar. 1842.6 Married third Brigham Young, 2 Feb. 1846, in Nauvoo; one child.7 Migrated with the Brigham Young pioneer company to the Salt Lake Valley, arriving by 24 Sept. 1848.8 Studied nursing, 1849, and obstetrics, 1873, becoming a nurse and a midwife.9 Active in silk worm industries; took charge of the cocoonery at Forest Farm, 1868; served as the president of the Deseret Silk Association, 1875; president of the Utah Silk Commission, 1896.10 Active participant in the Utah Territory Suffrage movement; helped organize the Woman’s Suffrage Association (WSA) of Utah, 1889, and served as the chaplain of the state WSA convention, 1895.11 Served as the first counselor to general Relief Society president Eliza R. Snow, 1880–1888.12 Served as vice president of the Deseret Hospital Association Board, 1882, with EBW as secretary.13 Served as general Relief Society president, 1888–1901, with EBW serving as correspondence secretary.14 Incorporated the Relief Society and affiliated with the National and International Councils of Women, 1888–1901.15 Organized the worldwide Relief Society Jubilee, 1892.16 Served as first matron and ordinance worker in the Salt Lake temple, 1893–1901.17 Died 28 Aug. 1901 in Salt Lake City.18
The First Fifty Years of Relief Society
19 Born at Watertown, Jefferson County, New York; daughter of Zina Baker and William Huntington. 20 Baptized, 1835. 21 Moved to Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, 1836; to Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, 1838; to Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, 1839; and to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock County, Illinois, 1839. 22 Married first Henry Bailey Jacobs, 1841; two children; later separated. 23 Later identified herself as a plural wife of Joseph Smith, married on October 27, 1841. 24 Joined the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, 1842. 25 Married third Brigham Young as a plural wife; one child. 26 Migrated to the Salt Lake Valley, 1848. 27 Appointed treasurer of the Relief Society in Utah. 28 Appointed president of the Deseret Silk Association, 1875. 29 Served as vice president and later president of Deseret Hospital, 1880–1892. 30 Appointed first counselor to Eliza R. Snow in the general Relief Society presidency, 1880. 31 Appointed third general president of the Relief Society, 1888. 32 Appointed first matron of the Salt Lake temple, 1893. 33 Died at Salt Lake City. 34 (See Document 1.2, 3.13, 3.15–3.17, 4.1, 4.3–4.6, 4.11, 4.18, 4.20, 4.23, 4.24, 4.26, 4.28, first mentioned here)