Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-27

II
- better known today, the world
ever, than Mrs, Emmellne b,
Wells This Is partly due to
her active and long continued service
as e'llcr Of the Woman's Exponent,
secretary of the Relief society, and TO
her connection with the National Wo-
mans Suffrage association, Of which
she has heen q vice president, aud Is
still life member, but no small share
OF It Is the result Of her personal cor
respcndenco with men and women Of
note, editors, poets, philanthropsts.
etc, many Of whom she has welcomed
to Utah, and some of whom she has
visited In their distant homes Her life
has been a romance, almost tragedy,
In some OF its phases. and she has
realized during the course of II. the
best and highest Ideals Of her Puritan
ancestors, who, Of noble Norman ex-
traction and martial renown In Eng
land and other parts OF Europe, came
for religious liberty 10 the new world,
and were among tho founders and de-
tenders of the great modern republic.
She herself was born at Petersham,
Worcester county Mass. Feb, 20, 1875,
Her maiden name was Emmeline
Blanche Woodward She was a pre-
coclous child and gave early evidence
OF literary tendencies, loving romance,
all but worshipng nature, and maxi
Ing rhymes even In childhood. Quick
to learn. she was well schoOed, gradu-
ated when very young, and at 10 taught
school. Her father had been dead
many years, when her mother, In 16il,
became a Latter-day Saint, She was
followed into the Church by several Of
her children, including "Emmie," who
was baptized on the list Of March, 1912.
The day was very cold. and the ice had
to be cut that the ordinance might be
administered,
She was but IS years and months
old when she was united IN marriage
to James Harvey Harris, son
OF the president OF the local
branch. with whom she at once
set out for Nauyoo, then the gathering
place OF the Saints She well remem-
bers her FIRST meeting with the Proph-
ct Joseph Smith, and testihes to the
wonderful power that accompanied his
words and ministratlons. Her first
child was born and died at N0uyoo, and
she herself was brought near TO deaths
door with chills and fever. from which
she was mracuously healed by the
power OF faith under the hands Of
President Brigham Young, While yet
too delicate 90 do any work, her hus-
band cruelty deserted her, following his
parents out OF the Church, and leaving
Nauvoo, never to return. Some time
later she married Bishop Newell X,
Whitney, and In 1913 came with him
and the rest OF his family 10 Salt Lake
valley She was accompanied by her
two younger sisters and brother, her
mother having died at the beginning
Of the exodus from Illinois.
Bishop Whitney died Sept %, 1850
She was thus left widow with two
little daughters now Mrs, Isabel NJ
Sears, OF Salt Lake City and Mrs, Mel
vna c. Woods Of Wallace Ida, both
born after her arrival in the valley.
She had a stsunch friend In the Bish-
OPS first wife, Mother whitney, be.
tween whom and herself there always
existed the truest and tenderest friend.
ship. Six months OF the year 1852 she
taught school In little log school
house IN the Twelfth ward, and In Oc.
toher OF the same year she married
Gen. Daniel H. Wells, by whom she
had three daughters, EmmIc, the eldest,
and Louie the youngest deceased and
the other, Annie, now Mrs, John Q.
Cannon. Of this city.
Mrs, Wells public life had It's begin.
nlngs with the comforting upon the wo-
men OF Ueh OF tie elective franchise.