Relief Society (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Corporate History
The Relief Society is the women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which was initially led by Emma Hale Smith in Nauvoo, IL in 1842. During the group's existance, it has been an organization dedicated to providing lessons, activities, and service opportunities for the women of the Church in both a ward and stake setting.
The Relief Society was established by various women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sarah M. Kimball's house in Nauvoo, IL in 1842. After giving their constitution to Joseph Smith, they set up various presidencies within their wards/stakes and selected Joseph Smith's wife Emma to serve as the overall president of the Society.
Between Joseph Smith's martyrdom in 1842 and 1866, the Society fell into disarray under Brigham Young's leadership of the Church. While he did allow various female-led societies to assist in the Church's exodus to Utah to assist in midwifrey (The Female Council of Health) and in developing bonds with the Native Americans, the general involvement of the Relief Society in the Church was weak.
From 1866 on, Brigham Young and later leaders of the Church made more of a concerted effort to make sure that the Relief Society would play a more predominant role in the Church. Not only did he call a new General President of the Society to lead the group (starting with Eliza Snow), but he permitted the Society to create magazines, be more actively involved in the ward, etc. Through the group's involvement of the Church, they contributed to the Church's welfare program, strengthen homes during times of war, and became Red Cross units in wartorn nations in World War I and World War II. They also worked to prevent the passage of the Equal Rights Ammendment, established the Women's Research Center at BYU, and so on.
Citation:
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, via WWW, August 19, 2016 (Relief Society)Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:
Mary Andrus papers
Collection contains an autobiography, certificates, family history, legal documents, letters, photographs, talks and tributes. Also includes material relating to the Latter-day Saint Church Spanish Fork, Utah 1st Ward Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association, 5th Ward Relief Society, Spanish Fork Public Library, the Icelandic Association, and Alma Archibald Andrus' journal (1909-1968).
Mary Ellen Edmunds papers
Sarah M. Kimball letter
Handwritten and signed letter addressed to A.L. Cox, president of the Womens Suffrage Association of Sanpete County, Utah, and dated Nov. 24, 1891. The item mostly deals with matters of the women's suffrage movement in Utah.
Amy Brown Lyman papers
Correspondence, addresses, reports, legislative bills, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia. The materials relate to Lyman's work while serving as an officer in national and international women's organizations, as president of the Relief Society of the Mormon Church, and as a member of the Utah House of Representatives.
Amy Brown Lyman papers
Correspondence, addresses, reports, legislative bills, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia. The materials relate to Lyman's work while serving as an officer in national and international women's organizations, as president of the Relief Society of the Mormon Church, and as a member of the Utah House of Representatives.
Bathsheba W. Bigler Smith autobiography
Photocopy of a 260-page handwritten autobiography. Smith includes copies of correspondence and patriarchal blessings in her account. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1837, lived with the Mormons in Missouri and Illinois, married George Albert Smith in 1841, allowed him to take additional wives, came to Utah in 1849, and served as president of the Relief Society.
Celestia Marguerita Johnson Taylor papers
Contains Taylor's personal and family history, including photographs, letters, awards, certificates, stories, and two books. Materials also relate to Taylor's service on the general Relief Society board of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. Materials dated 1855-2014 (bulk, 1935-1983).