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Show WORK OF Utah WOMEN MERITS hearty praise Women's Suffrage Given Impetus Here, Influence of Women Spread Beyond Homes Calico curtaini were cut up for girl presses and there waa no unnecessary material put in them either." iLove of personal adornment created keen interest in the development of aye, and using madder root for red, rabbit brush for yellow, burdock roots for brown and indigo for blue, pioneer Women produced some beautiful col- rs, even plaids and stripes, for their homespun clothing. I When they could spare the time from their other work of cooking meals, cleaning house, drying and preserving pre-serving fruits and vegetables, making tallow candies, creating brooms from rabbit brush or broom corn, weaving Bats of straw, boiling molasses for sweetening." making shoes, vests and even trousers from tanned leather, perhaps even grinding wheat Into flour in the coffee mill when other Supplies ran short yes, when they could spare the time the women Would make rugs, blankets, shawls, table linen, towels and bed ticking on reir hand looms. In 1852 Brigham Young's family wove more than 900 yards of cloth In a season. t Hardships of the first few seasons ssehed as conditions became more settled. I Money became more plentiful, stores "Cherche la femme - The French advice to "look for the woman" Is especially applicable to the reader In Utah history. When the pioneer father crossed the plains by ox team or pulling a hand cart, at his side was the pioneer mother. While he sowed wheat and potatoes or irrigated his farm, she was at home spinning yarn, making cloth, boiling tye for soap or making molasses. If he went off on a mission for his church or to fight Indians, she stepped Into his shoes, ran the farm and supported sup-ported the family. Pioneers in their own right, these women are entitled to a major share ing to save her baby, she gestured compliance and stepped into the next room. There stie unchained m powerful mastiff, purchased by Mr. Young as a protection for his wife. 1 "Seise him!" and the faithful dog leaped through the door and bore the unsuspecting Indian down. Womanly pity conquering her other emotions, Mrs. Young, after removing the bow and arrow, dragged off the , dog. bandaged the Indian's wounded thigh and sent him on his way. Homemaking a Hardship. Actual encounters with Indians were few, but the making of a home under desire for a publication to represent women and this brought to the fore the woman who became perhaps the best known of the state's daughters. Pioneer woman Journalist of the Rocky mountain region was Miss Lula Greene, later to marry Levi W. Richards. Rich-ards. She was a grandniece of Brigham Young and from her home in Smith-field Smith-field had submitted a few poems to Editor Edward L. Sloan of the Salt Lake Herald, and he suggested she edit woman's magazine. Brigham Young and Eliza R. Snow Rmith said "bo ahead" and on June L Despite her editorial and political work, Mrs. Wells did not neglect her religious activities, serving as corresponding corre-sponding secretary of the Relief society from 1883 to 1892, when the society; was Incorporated, and then becoming general secretary. In addition to the women already; mentioned, there were others, same in practically every settlement In the ter- rttory, who endeared themselves to all they came In contact with by their unselfish un-selfish work to aid the sick and the needy. Among these was Mary Ann Phillip of Kaysville, who, at 82 years, gleaned wheat, raised potatoes and dug and , f r I II J f vv ' vV::; hi- X ' k n u t .- ii " ( s j '1 U ' J ; 1 MARY JANE DILWORTH At 16, h taught first schooL Five years before the first mlgrs' tlon to Utah the L. D. 8. Relief society had been organized "to provoke tba brethren to good works, look after the needs of the poor and perform charitable acts." Relief societies were formed In m few wards shortly after the plonoers arrived, and in 1855 Brigham Young requested all bishops to organize such societies, and assigned Eliza R. Snow Smith to assist. "Sister Eliza" widow of the martyred mar-tyred Joseph Smith, poetess and original orig-inal secretary of the Relief society-was society-was the most prominent Utah womaa of her period. "Childless, she was destined to bo mother of the women of the church," It waa written of her, and as head of the Relief society she watched it grow to more than 300 branches. A pioneer of 1847, she was set apart by Brigham Young as head of tho Relief society in 1864 and held the post until her death 21 years later. In 1880 President John Taylor appointed ap-pointed her to preside over the women's wom-en's organisations of the L. D. church throughout the world. Indefatigable when It came to work Ing for her sex, "Sister Eliza" waa aa-tive aa-tive in politics, wrote two volume of poetry and a hymn book, was superintendent superin-tendent of the Women's Store, a eons mission house for Utah-made goods, and was president of the Deseret boa-pita boa-pita when it was dedicated in 1882. Vitality of this "builder" of Utah was demonstrated when, almost year old, she accompanied Presides George A. Smith's party to Palestine, sleeping in a tent and riding donkesf back, yet enduring the Journey as watt as the best of them. Most famous of her poem I the L. D. S. hymn, "O, My Father." Successor to Mrs. Smith as head g EMMELINE B. WELLS Editor, mother, and ardent wort or for woman's Juffrage. - FIRST WOMEN TO ENJER SALT LAKE VALLEY In the first company of Utah pioneers, which arrived July 24, 1847, war fhra woman: Left to right, Elian Saunders Kimball, Harriet Paga Wheeler Young and Clara Decker Young. Each played an active role in establiihing the city. unique organization formed early la 1870, about the time Utah became on of the first sections of the country to give women the right to rot. Brigham Young had long complained 1872, appeared the "Woman's Exponent," Expo-nent," only publication for women be-tween be-tween Boston and Portland, Ore. In 1873 articles by "Blanch Beech-wood" Beech-wood" began to appear in the "Expo-Bent." "Expo-Bent." Their author whose real name waa Emmeline B. Wells became editor In 1877. She held the post more than 23 year, becoming in that time one of the most famous advocates of women's right In the country. Mrs. Wells knew the hardships of the west Winter was setting in when ahe reached Salt Lake City with her husband. Presiding Bishop Newel K. Whitney, late in 188, and a few days later, while a driving sleet storm raged outside, she gave birth to a daughter In the wagon In which she had crossed the plains. After Whitney's death in 1890, ah married General Daniel H. Wells, later to be mayor of 8a It Lake City. Her writings, reflecting a love for romance, reverence for nature and keen desire to advance her sex, soon attracted attention to her. She was one of the first to use the ballot when women were given the right to vote In February, 1870, and In 1874 ihi became Utah vice president of the National Woman's Suffrage association. as-sociation. A tribute to her executive ability earn In 1878 when Brigham Young appointed her chairman of the central committee to arrange for storing of grain in anticipation of an impending famine. Her work outside the state began In 187 when she went to Washington for the convention of the National Woman's Wom-an's Suffrage association. Several times later she visited Washington Wash-ington in an effort to promote better understanding on the part of government govern-ment officials as to conditions In Utah. When the drive for statehood was renewed In 1882, she, with Sarah M. Kimball and Elizabeth Howard, were among the Rait Lake county delegates to the constitutional convention. Mrs. Wells is credited with being rery instrumental in having a worn- an's suffrage plank included in the state constitution ultimately adopted, difficult circumstances was a hardship hard-ship every woman faced. 'Joseph Home and his wife, Mary Isabella Horne, later to be president of the Salt Lake stake Relief society for 30 years and to head the Women' Cooperative Mercantile association, brought only one rocking chair and a tiny cookstov across the plains with them in 1847. Of her first home. Mrs. Horn wrote: "Cupboards and stools were improvised from packing boxes Poles were fastened fas-tened together and rope stretched across them for bedsteads. I painted . our door and window frame by mixing mix-ing lampblack, red lead and skimmed milk and rubbing It on with a rag. v - '";. - : SARAH CARMICHAEL I Leading poetess In pioneer days. Sprang up and women were relieved f many of their more rigorous tasks, j Women hadn't waited until then, though, to make their influence felt eutside the home. the L. D. S. church women's organisation organi-sation was her counselor for more than 10 years Zina Huntington Young. "Aunt Zina" was a widow of Brig-mulberry Brig-mulberry orchard and in 1878 became president of the Utah Silk association in the days when silk shawls and gloves were being made here from Utah silk. Infant Utah had found her service ham Young and had been prominent In the development of Utah' silk Industry. In-dustry. She had worked with ber own hands m President Young's cocoonery and particularly valuable, for she had studied medicine even though she never practiced it and was a ministering minister-ing angel to the tick. As her first counselor she had Mr. Jan Snyder Richards, wife of Apostle Franklin D. Richards, who had been president of the first stake organization organiza-tion of Relief societies In the church and the only one organized by Brigham Young that of Weber stake. When women from all sections of the world gathered in 1893 at the Chi- -eago world's fair, Mrs. Young sat on the platform as representing Utah's women. She died in 1901. a beloved woman of 1 years, and was succeeded by Bath-aheba Bath-aheba W. Smith Betrenehmrnt Effort All three of these Relief society president had been counselors to Mr. Mary Isabella Home, president. In the Retrenchment association, a EDITH NEWtTT First superintendent of nurses at St. Mark's hospital and organizer of nurses' training school thr. carried them to her cellar, and wba served as a midwife In her community with unusual success until she was M ' years old. - As the Catholic and Protestant -churches became established in this area, women of these faiths assumed an active role in community betterment better-ment When some Utahns began to amass large fortunes from their minis, factories, fac-tories, stores or other activities, their wives, too, became financial sponsor - -of many worthwhile proiecta. Typical was the work of Mra Thomas K earns in support of the St. Ann's orphanage. Yes, truly, Utah has com far front Its beginnings in 1847, and much of the credit belongs to women. f the credit given the "builder" of Utah. If tittl Johnny needed a new pair at trousers, mother couldn't get out the family car and drive to the nearest near-est clothing store. Instead, she probably sheared a sheep, washed the wool with homemade home-made soap and dyed it the color she wanted. Next she. carded the wool Into roll a half inch thick and some 30 Inches long, then spun the rolls Into ' yarn that could be wound Into skeins an a reel. Spinning a pound of wool Into yarn In one day required considerable effort and skill. Clumsy hand looms were used by the women to weave this yarn into cloth and the mother who wove from five to seven yards of cloth had don a good day's work. Little wonder, then, that pioneer women were expert at mending and that "oftimes the boys' pants were so patched it waa difficult to tell what they were originally made of." Three Pioneer Women Three women were in the original band that struggled through Emigration Emigra-tion canyon and into Salt Lake valley July 24. 1847-Harriet Page Wheeler Young, wife of Lorenzo D. Young; her daughter. Clara Decker Young, wife of Brigham Young, and Ellen . Saunders Kimball, wife of Heber C ' Kimball. At sight of her future home, a wil- t derness of sagebrush and sunflowers, parched earth and alkaline pools. Harriet Har-riet Young turned to her husband: "Lorenzo, we have traveled 1500 miles over prairies, deserts and mountains, moun-tains, but feeble as I am I would rather go a thousand miles farther than stay In such a desolate place." Clara Young later said: "When my husband said. This is the place.' I cried, for to me it seemed the most desolate in the world." But weeping gave way to a determination determi-nation on the part of Utah's women to do everything possible to help their men conquer the wilderness. Lorenzo D. Young's house was the first built outside the enclosure. One day during the first winter Mrs. Young was there alone with her baby son, first white male born in the valley, when a "bad" Indian turned up. He demanded and received all the bread in the house three biscuits. "More," he Insisted. "But there Is no more," Mrs. Young explained, then stifled a scream. The infuriated Indian had fitted an arrow in hi bow and aimed It at her heart Courage conquering panic and hop j lb ? - - - - ' a rwK- -A v. y-C-- AURELIA ROGERS Primary Association founder. about the growing frivolity and ex- , travaganc of women's dress in th territory, and in 1870 be gave Mrs. Horne a "mission" to form a Retrench- I ment association which would promote economy in labor and reform in dress so that the mothers and daughters of Zion might have more time for mental and spiritual things. "Let your garments be plain and the beauty thereof the workmanship ef your own hands." Brigham Young admonished. At the organization meeting In th Fifteenth ward Mrs. Horne became president with Eliza R. Snow Smith, Zina D. H. Young. Margaret T. Burton Smoot Phoebe Woodruff, Bathsheba W. Smith and Sarah M. Kimball aa counselors This organization mas later merged with th Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Im-provement association. In 1878 another woman carved for herself a place among the "builders" of Utah when Mrs Aurelia Spencer Roger of Farmington took th initiative initia-tive in establishing the L. D. S. Primary Pri-mary association for children. First woman to go cast from Utah to an eastern college and graduate In medicine and surgery waa the mother of five children. Dr. Romania Bunnell Pratt member of the class of 1877 at Women's Medical college In Pennsylvania. Penn-sylvania. She later taught obstetrics to hundreds hun-dreds of student in Utah' outer settlements. set-tlements. EemrlisM K. Weua Rapid growth of women's organization organiza-tion ia the territory gave rue to a rV ,iv. DIRECTORS OF THE OLD DESERET HOSPITAL ' Most prominent Latter-day Saint women of a period mor than fifty years past were members of this board of directors, including (left to right): Front row, Jane S. Richards and Emmeline B. Weds. Middle row. Phoebe Woodruff. Wood-ruff. Isabella M. Horne, Eliza R. SnowJ Zina D. Young aod Julia C. Howe. Baa row, Ellis A. Sharp, Bathsheba W. Smith, Elizabeth Howard and Romania B. Pratt Penrose. DR. MARTHA HUGHES CANNON State senator I Mo-1 900. phyw-eta) phyw-eta) and state board ef health V A DRESS OR SUIT OF CLOTHES IN THE MAKING With such a spinning wheel as Is shown here women spun wool into yarn in pioneer days. The yarn was used to male clothing, cloth for other nee Js. |