Our fifth General Relief Society President, Emmeline B. Wells, was an amazing woman.  We need to remember her and her great work for us

Emmeline Blanche Woodward was born in Petersham, Massachusetts on February 29th, 1828 (leap-year). Since her childhood years, she felt she was meant to accomplish something specific and significant. She was bright and began teaching school at age fourteen. When she was fifteen, she married James Harris. She was baptized during this time, and together with his parents, traveled to Nauvoo to join the Saints.

James left for St. Louis to find work. The child they had together died. And her in-laws became disillusioned with the church and returned to Massachusetts. She was completely alone but grateful to be among the Saints. She began teaching again and eventually married Newel K. Whitney as one of his plural wives. She traveled with the Whitney family across the plains and settled with them in the Salt Lake Valley. Two years after arriving, Newel died, leaving Emmeline with two daughters.

She wrote a letter to Daniel H. Wells, reminding him of his close friendship to Newel K. Whitney, and shortly after joined his polygamous household as his seventh wife. Pres. Wells (a counselor to Brigham Young and mayor of Salt Lake City) was busy with church responsibilities and was not around for much of their forty-year marriage, but Emmeline got on well with her sister wives. In fact, when it came to polygamy, Emmeline felt it was a true doctrine, as well as a vehicle that gave women freedom and independence. Near the end of Daniel’s life, as Emmeline was his last living wife, they were able to spend precious time together.

While the Wells family lived all together in one house, Emmeline had her own home with their three daughters, where Daniel would visit from time to time. When business turned bad, money became tight and, at age 44, Emmeline began writing for the Woman’s Exponent. This became her livelihood and only source of income. She soon became Editor and Chief, a position she would hold for 35 years. Her writings in the Exponent became a place to vent her strong feelings about women and their potential. She said, “I believe in women, especially thinking women.” She used pen names through the years such as: Blanche Beechwood, Amethyst, Emmile, and Aunt Em.

Besides her writing, she was given the responsibility to store wheat for the Church. She organized all the women and this became a 100-year project; the largest project ever performed by the Relief Society.

Her main objective, through the Woman’s Exponent, was to get Mormon women involved in bettering the state of women. The best way to do this was to fight for women’s suffrage. This became Emmeline’s life. She served for many years as president, representative, spokesperson, and ambassador for  Mormon women at various suffrage meetings across America and even in Europe. She was honored for her diligence and her strong voice. At one time, a friend visiting from London said, “I have met two queens, Queen Victoria and the Queen of Utah, Emmeline Wells.”

Emmeline became Relief Society President at age 82 and served for 11 years. Her greatest achievement was to almost single-handedly teach women what they could accomplish in this life through the pages of the Woman’s Exponent, and it was thanks to much of her efforts that Mormon women got the right to vote.

Words to describe her are very specific of character:  feisty, sarcastic (sometimes caustic), inspirational, generous, keen executive ability, stylish (she liked jewelry), a thorn to her enemies, and always repentant. She could call Susan B. Anthony friend. She was a bridge-builder between Mormon women and Gentiles seeking after a common cause.

In many portraits and photos of her, you will find that she offers her left side for view. In later years, she felt this was her better side and rarely faced the camera full on. She did not like to wear black in a society where black was often worn when you reached middle age, whether a widow or not. Instead, she would wear blue or white, just to stand out and be her lovely self. I look forward to the day I can meet and visit with this one-of-a-kind spitfire of a woman.

At the 50th Anniversary of the Relief Society, Emmeline was the concluding speaker. Her remarks included these words,

“Not only that 50 years ago the organization was founded by a prophet of God but that woman is becoming emancipated from error and superstition and darkness…That light has come into the world and the gospel has made her free…That the key of knowledge has been turned and she has drunk inspiration from the divine fountain.” 

When the “key was turned,” Emmeline believed women were finally given a voice.

She received an honorary literature degree from BYU, she unveiled the Seagull Monument on Temple Square, and she sang in the Tabernacle Choir. At her funeral, in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, the whole state of Utah mourned with flags flown at half-mast. In 1928, at a celebration in the State Capitol building, a bust of her was unveiled which bears these words, “A Fine Soul Who Served Us.”

Much of this information comes from a lecture given by Carol Cornwall Madsen