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Wells, Emmeline B. (Emmeline Blanche), 1828-1921

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1828 - 1921

Biography

Emmeline B. Wells (1828-1921) was a women's rights advocate, the fifth president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the chief editor of the journal Women's Exponent.

Emmeline B. Wells was born on February 29, 1828, at Petersham, Massachusetts to parents David Woodward and Deiadama Hare. When she was four years old her father died, which meant she and her siblings were raised mainly by their mother. In 1842, she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a child, Wells was very well-educated and began teaching in her early teenage years. She married James Harris at age fifteen, they had one son who died shortly after his birth, but Harris deserted Wells. Wells then married Bishop Newel K. Whitney in 1849 and they had two children. When he died in 1850, Wells raised her children on her own in the Salt Lake Valley, where they had immigrated to in 1848. In 1852, she married Daniel Wells and had three more children. She continued teaching while in Utah and she also became involved in civic affairs such as suffrage and women's rights. Wells was the chief editor of the women's rights journal Women's Exponent. She was also friends with famous suffragettes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and in 1899 she was invited by the International Council of Women to speak at its London meeting as a United States representative. Wells served as the general president of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1910 to 1921. She died on April 25, 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citation:
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, via WWW, March 19, 2014 (born on February 29, 1828, at Petersham, Massachusetts; parents David Woodward and Deiadama Hare; four years old her father died; raised mainly by their mother; very well-educated; began teaching in her early teenage years; m. James Harris at age fifteen; one son who died shortly after his birth; after sixteen years of marriage, Harris deserted Wells; remarried to Bishop Newel K. Whitney in 1845 and they had two children; Wells was left to raise her children on her own in Salt Lake Valley, where they had immigrated to in 1848; 1852, she married Daniel Wells and had three more children; continued teaching while in Utah; involved in civic affairs such as suffrage and women's rights; chief editor of the women's rights journal the Women's Exponent; friends with famous suffragettes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony; 1899 she was invited by the International Council of Women to speak at its London meeting as a United States representative; general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1910 to 1921; died on April 25, 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah)

Found in 16 Collections and/or Records:

Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon papers, approximately 1877-1963

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2344 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Papers of Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon, including biographies, a pedigree chart, a medal of service, letters, poetry, and a geography coursebook. Materials dated approximately 1877 to 1963.

Dates: approximately 1877-1963

Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon photographs, approximately 1877-1963

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2344 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains photographs of the family of Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Cannon Wells. Photographs are of family members, some unidentified. Also contains scrapbooks with photographs and clippings, and loose ephemera from scrapbooks. Date dapproximately 1877 to 1963.

Dates: approximately 1877-1963

Emmeline B. Wells and family photographs, approximately 1877-1921

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2344 Series 2 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains photographs and engravings of Emmeline B. Wells and other family members. Dated approximately 1877 to 1921.

Dates: approximately 1877-1921

Scrapbook and loose materials, approximately 1897-1960

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2344 Series 2 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains loose scrapbook material, such as clippings, photographs, postcards, and other ephemera. Also contains a scrapbook tited "The Ideal Scrapbook," with clippings, photographs, and other ephemera. Materials dated approximately 1897 to 1960.

Dates: approximately 1897-1960

Phyllis Southwick papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 9541
Scope and Contents

Correspondence, writings, photographs, newspaper clippings, date books, and other ephemera related to the life and career of Phyllis Southwick. Materials of Margaret Cannon Clayton, Emmeline B. Wells, Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Wells Cannon, as well as the Cannon and Wells families are included and are focused on civic activism in Utah, higher education instruction, and women suffrage movements. Materials dated 1889 to 1982.

Dates: 1889-1980

Unidentified photographs, approximately 1910-1940

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2344 Series 2 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains photographs of unidentified individuals, dated approximately 1910 to 1940.

Dates: approximately 1910-1940

Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 2344
Scope and Contents

Collection contains papers and photographs from the lives of Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon. The papers mostly include biographies, though a pedigree chart and a medal of service are also of note. Most of the photographs are connected to Cannon, with several coming from a large scrapbook. Dated approximately 1877 to 1963.

Dates: approximately 1877-1963

Emmeline B. Wells centennial memorial exercises

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230340017]
Identifier: MSS 72
Scope and Contents

The folder contains a printed invitation asking Junius F. Wells to come to the dedication of a statue of Emmeline B. Wells to be held on 29 February, circa 1928. Heber J. Grant gave the invocation and Governor George H. Dern accepted the statue.

Dates: approximately 1928

Emmeline B. Wells collection

 Collection
Identifier: Vault MSS 805
Scope and Contents The collection contains correspondence of Emmeline B. Wells, 1898-1923; papers and poems either by or about Emmeline B. Wells; a certificate to the Columbian Exposition in 1893; handwritten documents written by Emmeline B. Wells or family; priesthood blessings; photocopies of photographs; original and typescript of ledger book (Emmeline B. Wells' copy with marginal notes) recording Utah Suffrage Association membership and "Relief Society Minutes, Nauvoo, 1842-1844;" diaries of Emmeline B....
Dates: 1842-1923

Emmeline B. Wells diaries

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Vault MSS 510
Scope and Contents Contains Emmeline B. Wells's original diaries from 1844 to 1920. Her often daily entries spanning nearly 80 years present pragmatic descriptions of daily activities along with her own daily opinions, insights, and impressions. The accounts are often lengthy and detailed. Volume 1 begins with her departure from Massachusetts in 1844 and also includes her journey from Nauvoo, Illinois, with other Saints headed West. Other volumes provide insights into her roles with the Woman's Exponent and...
Dates: 1844-1920

Filtered By

  • Subject: Women X

Additional filters:

Type
Collection 11
Archival Object 5
 
Subject
Women -- Suffrage -- Utah 10
Social Life and Customs 9
Home and Family 8
Latter Day Saint families -- Utah 6
Letters 6
∨ more
Photographs 6
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 4
Diaries 3
Religion 3
Scrapbooks 3
Family histories 2
Latter Day Saint pioneers -- United States -- Diaries 2
Latter Day Saint women 2
Latter Day Saint women -- Utah -- Diaries 2
Latter Day Saint women -- Utah -- History 2
Poetry 2
Printed ephemera 2
Salt Lake City (Utah) 2
Transcripts 2
Account books 1
Artifacts 1
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 1
Biographies 1
Certificates 1
City and Town Life 1
Civic Activism 1
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 1
Daybooks 1
Engravings 1
Essays 1
Genealogies 1
Illustrations 1
Immigration and American Expansion 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Biography 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Correspondence 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Nebraska -- Winter Quarters -- History -- Sources 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Suffrage 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Suffrage -- Utah 1
Latter Day Saint women -- United States 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Utah 1
Latter Day Saint women -- Utah -- Correspondence 1
Literature 1
Medals 1
Nauvoo (Ill.) 1
Newsletters 1
Overland Journeys to the Western United States 1
Overland journeys to the Pacific 1
Pamphlets 1
Pedigrees 1
Politics, Government, and Law 1
Receipts (Financial records) 1
Relief Society 1
Utah -- Politics and government 1
Utah -- Politics and government -- 20th century 1
Winter Quarters (Neb.) -- History 1
Women 1
Women -- Political activity 1
Women -- Political activity -- Utah 1
Women educators -- United States 1
Women painters -- Utah 1
Women poets 1
Women poets, American -- Nebraska -- Winter Quarters -- History -- Sources 1
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