The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-20
AMELIA FOLSOM.
THE RULE OF BRIGHAM YoUNo's FA-
VoRITE, NUMBER SEVENTEEN"
rot Pretty Nor Attractive, but Possessed
of Naive Shrewdness and Tact-The
Prophet Was GrfevOusIy
Afraid OF Her.
u,isle lester in New york world

Isle Lester in New York World
Old Brigham Young had been gathered to
his sealed wives in glory" only about one
year when his favorite-poly gamous favor
lite, Amelia Folsom-stepped into another
harem as number two in the household OF a
Mormon railroad official Amelia Folsom
was then about 80 years of age, and among
the younger women of the Young hare IN.
She was the first to re-enter polygamy after
Brighams death, and her days of mourn
ing" were probably long enough to add zest
to the new courtship As soon as Brigham
"shuffled off" his mortality and passed be-
hind that vail where score Of sealed divini-
ties awaited him, the long petted Amelia set
about making "a change" She placed her.
self second in the new household. She
found that she could not live in the same ex-
travagance, as the property Of her much
married lord was subject to litigation, and
secured her chance against disaster in her
second polygamic marriage.
She went to Salt Lake City with her
parents, who were converts to Mormonism
in Council Bluffs. Ia, and emigrated there
from in 1859. In 1861 Brigham had one of
his convenient revelations to marry Amelia
She was not easily led into the family Of
sixteen other wives, and proved
refractory subject for Mormon courtship.
Finally through what is called Counsel"
otherwise the will of the prophet enforced,
which every good Mormon will obey and re-
CARDS as the word of superhuman prophecy.
she became the seventeenth wife, and "a
ways held her place as his favorite She is
far from being attractive woman and is
without any special talents; but she is
possessed of naive shrewdness and tact and
in constant employ in "moulding the
old man" to her capricious will. She was
the only one he ever seemed TO be afraid of
and she exercised her power accordingly.
IL 49,
wives, who usually companioned well to-
gether; her unrefned, coarse nature stood
out prominently beside the others.
1t used to be a common remark among
the more intelligent of his wives that the
lack of refinement in Amelia and her taste
for vulgar reparteos and witticism was the
main attract that kept the old prophet at
her side. He certainly enjoyed her society
and was afraid of her tongue. which he
knew she could use to his modification and
disadvantage, not only in his household, but
in the church and wherever she might
choose to do So Unless every thing ent to
suit her will, she made things for the
prophet very lively. Her whims, freaks and
high temper were all borne with uncom-
planning patience by Brigham Young, while
all the rest Of the family wondered. For
over all his wives and children he held a
kind Of dignified reserve and awe that made
Amelia was the only exception.
Some years prior to Brighams death she
was given a separate house and always
made a better appearance in dress than any
of the rest. She drove in her own carriage
and was given the place of honor at the
theatre in the prophets private box, while
his other wiz es and children occupied three
tires of the best seats in the parquet Other
MAJ ks of honor fell to Amelia. She was the
first no in OFT dod
and was always seated in the chair of honor
at his side at all banQuets. His other "bet-
ter pieces of wives" waited for such atten-
tIUnS fell to thoir divided LOFT after the
favorite was waited on. This marriage of
the Mormon seer was highly disapproved by
the church authorities at the time No one
considered Amelia a suitable person for the
wife of a prophet.
Amelia Folsom has blue eyes that open at
one in bold, steady defiance with a glance of
naive cunning and shrewdness; medium
height, good figure, brown hair, straight,
thin nose and generally tapering features.
Her manner is free and familiar rather
boisterous at times, utterly regardless of the
feelings of others, and she has a relish for
gossip. She was always cause Of disturb
ance between the children of the other
wives and the prophet, but being the favor
tie, her intrigues were overlooked by her
polygamous master.
One Of her characteristic pastimes was
spending few hours with some of the less
favored wives and indulging jokes and stor-
les on Brigham-telling what he had con-
fided to her, upon matters he did not expect
to be spoken of. Some of this gossip relative
to the "old man" she spiced up with her adj
ditious and merriment, always tending to
make him as ridiculous as possible.
Amelia's open revolt to Brigham's author
ity was one of her chief boasts and AMONG
his wives it was common remark "If one
Of US had said or done what Amelia did we
should have heard of it before this" In her
way she was as great tyrant over him as
he was over the church. Whatever she set
her mind to do that she did, irrespective of
his wish or opposition.
To have her enmity was dangerous to any
person, man or woman, who depended for
favor and prosperity on Brigham's favor
They knew Amelia's power over the prophet
and stood in fear of her accordingly. Her
home in Salt Lake City before Brigham's
death was one of the best in the City of
Saints. 1t stood opposite the Lion and Bee
Hive houses, and was the envy of others
W no felt the need and realized the value of
sole possession and authority of ones own
household that this favorite wife practically