December 1918


1 December 1918 • Sunday

If we only had the fast meetings Sunday would not seem so lonesome After Belle came up I felt better Will & Dot came to see me and while they were here Richard Lyman & daughter1 and another young girl came in. He came for a manuscript that Annie had left for him about Emily Grant. This morning I went Hebies funeral. June came for me I rode up with Jotie [Josephine Beatie Burton] & Charley [Charles S.] Burton. I wrote an article about Pres. Smith for the R.S. Magazine2 [p. 335] {p. 152}

2 December 1918 • Monday

George Q. & Ruby are moving out of my house to a new home that they are buying I dislike changes very much and almost wish they would not change just yet. Katharine stayed with me at night. [p. 336] {p. 153}

3 December 1918 • Tuesday

To day is my sister Lucy [Woodward Hewlings]’s birthday.

In the evening Mary Lane Neff3 and Estel [Estelle] Neff Caldwell came to see me. Belle was with me at night. [p. 337] {p. 154}

4 December 1918 • Wednesday

This morning Be I bought a book for sister Susan [West] Smith and Belle mailed it for me. It is Sister Smith’s 85th birthday. Katharine came to stay at night. She went to the Port to leave flowers & a letter for Abram. Annie went down to Q’s new house there is something wrong and a great disappointment. [p. 338] {p. 155}

5 December 1918 • Thursday

Katharine left rather early She had some errands for her mother. I went to Z.C.M.I for lunch then back to the office. Belle came to stay at night and Brent was here. [p. 339] {p. 156}

6 December 1918 • Friday

Adeline [Woodward Earl]’s birthday. We have not heard from her for a long time Sep came in to see me. Florence [Nebeker] Bennion came with Katharine in the evening. Annie was here in the afternoon and came with me from the office she arranged my article about Pres. Smith for the R.S. Magazine. Had quite a discussion with Susa about it. She thinks it reflects on her father but it does not.4 [p. 340] {p. 157}

7 December 1918 • Saturday

Annie came in to see me this afternoon. It is her birthday. She thanked me for the stockings. Mrs Seymor [Carolyn Seymour] came in. I get very lonesome on Saturdays but I stayed longer than usual over at the office to day. Belle came up to stay with me at night. I had Mrs Reese come to fix my feet. They are quite painful. She charged me 1.00. [p. 341] {p. 158}

8 December 1918 • Sunday

Lyman & Em came about three o’clock and took me down to Annie’s. She has her birthday dinner to day. We had a lovely visit and I stayed until 9 o’clock. Jno. Q. sent for a taxi to take me home. Katharine came with me & stayed all night. Margaret came over & bro’t her little girls. They sang for us. I quite enjoyed the visit recited Absolom for the children. To day is my sister Cordelia [Woodward Holden]s birthday. [p. 342] {p. 159}

9 December 1918 • Monday

Katharine went away rather early. There is a heavy snow storm. I went over to the office about noon wrote on an article to the sisters of the Church for the Des. News. It is aunt Alices [Mary Cannon] Lambert’s birthday 90 yrs. old. June came to see me also Annie. She stayed with all night. We had dinner in the room it cost $1.50 [p. 343] {p. 160}

10 December 1918 • Tuesday

To day is May Wells [Whitney] birthday. I dont suppose however that I shall see her. I spent the day as usual in the office with lunch at Z.C.M.I. [p. 344] {p. 161}

21 December 1918 • Saturday

To nights “News” has my greeting to the women of the Church with my picture. Many people have mentioned it. I had a fairly good day but get quite lonesome Saturdays. [p. 355] {p. 162}

24 December 1918 • Tuesday

At office most of the day people coming and going. Every one busy about Christmas came over to hotel quite early Annie came in for a few minutes. I received a lovely wrapper from Olive Christensen Have also had several cards and Miss [Lillian] Cameron brought me a bottle of grape juice. Katharine came up to stay with me. She brought me a box from Margaret and present from the family [p. 358] {p. 163}

25 December 1918 • Wednesday

Katharine went home quite early. She brought me some jelly and cake and things for Christmas. About 2 Lyman came and took me down to their home for dinner We had a lovely dinner & Em was delighted with her Christmas. The Nebekar’s came down and brought me back to the hotel Belle came to stay with me. [p. 359] {p. 164}

26 December 1918 • Thursday

Had many Christmas presents and cards and have been busy putting them away and attending to letters. Was at office as usual. Belle came to stay with me [p. 360] {p. 165}

27 December 1918 • Friday

Was at the office all day going as usual to Z.C.M.I for lunch. Annie came in in the evening but Belle came up to stay with me Mrs Dusenbury and daughter Margaret [Smoot Dusenberry] have come for a visit to the city and are at the hotel on the same floor with me. [p. 361] {p. 166}

28 December 1918 • Saturday

After lunch at Z.C.M.I I went back to the Hotel and stayed all the afternoon. In the evening Miss [Maud May] Babcock invited me over to the Little Theatre. Belle walked over with me but did not go in Some friends bro’t me home in their car. Belle stayed with me. [p. 362] {p. 167}

29 December 1918 • Sunday

Stayed all day in hotel June came to see me and in the evening Ida <(Mrs Dusenbury)> & her daughter Margaret came in Anni came to stay with me at night She read Ort’s article “Saturday night Thoughts,” “Do the Dead Return?” Ida & Margaret stayed until 2 o’clock [p. 363] {p. 168}

30 December 1918 • Monday

Lucy Minerva Woodward [Hewlings] Baptized 3rd of May 1904 Endowed 29th of Oct 1908 at instance of Emmeline B. Wells Sister. [p. 364] {p. 169}

Cite This Page

Cite This Page

December 1918, The Journal of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed December 26, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1910s/1918/1918-12

Footnotes

  1. [1]Margaret Lyman.

  2. [2]EBW’s article was the first of three in a set called “Appreciation from the Three Leading Women of the Church,” which included Martha Horne Tingey’s “Here Was an Honest Man” and Louie B. Felt’s “A Great Father Love.” (Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1919, 6:14–16.)

  3. [3]Probably Mary Love Neff. (1920 U.S. Census, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, 260A.)

  4. [4]In paying tribute to President Joseph F. Smith, EBW stated, “I knew him from his childhood, through his youth and into his great maturity—knew him intimately and well and noted ever the strength of his character, and the onward and upward progress of his destiny. Surely no greater man has lived in this dispensation, save it were his uncle, the Prophet Joseph Smith.” (“A Tribute,” Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1919, 6:14.) Susa Young Gates may have argued that Brigham Young ought to be named the second greatest church leader of this dispensation, while EBW considered their achievements different but both praiseworthy.