Emmeline B. Wells, Diary, vol. 1, circa May 1844–7 May 1846, circa 1860s, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah (Vault MSS 510 ).
Pocket-size notebook measuring 5⅞ × 3⅞ × ½ inches. The diary is bound with dark brown leather over boards; the front cover has a worn spot in the upper right-hand corner. Pages 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 have alphabetized tabs and lined pages, likely for entering addresses; the remaining pages are ledger format. Diary includes more typical diary entries inscribed for a few dozen dates in 1844, 1845, and 1846, with family data and other information evidently entered in the 1860s or later.
On some of the last pages of her first diary, Emmeline entered information about two marriages: Melvina Whitney, usually called Mell or Mellie, to William Dunford; and Isabel Whitney, called Belle, to Septimus Sears. She also listed her name and the names of her five daughters followed by a date, 2 December 1867. Three listings gave the names of girls who worked for the family and their dates of employment. Interspersed with these names are a few cash account entries.
Though some of this material was presumably inscribed before 1869, this portion of the diary is dated herein to “1869 or Later” because one of the marriages noted here occurred in 1869.
Mellie [Melvina] C. B. Whitney
Married Oct. 1. 18681
to William Dunford {p. 86}
Belle [Isabel] M Whitney
Married, Apr. 11. 1869
to Septimus [Wagstaff] Sears {p. 87}
Emeline B. [Woodward] Wells
Isabel. M Whitney
Melvina C. B. [Whitney] Dunford
Emeline A. [Whitney] Wells
Elisabeth A. Wells
Louisa M. Wells
Dec 2nd
Harriet Sanders came Nov. 14. 1861
Left Apr 7.th 1862 {p. 89}
Mary Ann Savill[e] came
here Nov 7th 1863
Rec’d from E. Allphin
2
00
Paid
1 Quart Molasses
60
1 Quart milk
10
{p. 90}
Nauvoo Ill
Maria Taylor came here
Dec. 20. 1859. left Nov.’ 12. 1861 {p. 91}2
