Wells, Emmeline B. (Emmeline Blanche), 1828-1921
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 8 Collections and/or Records:
Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon papers, approximately 1877-1963
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.
Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon photographs, approximately 1877-1963
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.
Emmeline B. Wells and family photographs, approximately 1877-1921
Contains photographs and engravings of Emmeline B. Wells and other family members. Dated approximately 1877 to 1921.
Scrapbook and loose materials, approximately 1897-1960
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.
Unidentified photographs, approximately 1910-1940
Contains photographs of unidentified individuals, dated approximately 1910 to 1940.
Emmeline B. Wells and Annie Wells Cannon collection
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.
Emmeline B. Wells letter
Handwritten and signed latter addressed to "My Very Dear Sister." Young writes of her problems with the costs relating to publication and mentions that women should have as many children as possible.
Emmeline B. Wells letters to Barrymore Hillard
Materials include two letters from Emmeline B. Wells to her great-grandson Barrymore Nugent Hillard. The letters are dated November 1903 and November 1906. They contain Wells' inquiries about her family and her admonitions for Hillard to be a good boy. They also include some information about Wells' life and feelings about her life at the time. Dated 1903 and 1906.
Filtered By
- Subject: Home and Family X
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 5
- Collection 3
- Subject
- Latter Day Saint families -- Utah 6
- Women -- Suffrage -- Utah 6
- Photographs 5
- Letters 3
- Scrapbooks 3