Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — January 16–25, 1885

Life in a small town: home-grown music, recreational buggy rides, and the blessings (sometime literal) of a religious community. Charles L. Walker gives a longer account of the January 25th meeting.

Fri 16     Sis Bird ate dinner here Sisters of the relief scy called

Sat 17    Weather fine had a good night rest

Sun 18   Weather pleasant spent the day in going to meeting took Amelia for a ride had a pleasant evening at Ems t^w^ow [two] young men played pl music [indecipherable] one played the dulcimer and the other the bango

Mon 19    Weather warm and bright........

Tuesday 20  went to relief society had a ride

Wed 21     Weather fair went to Ems to a quilting rode in the buggy

Thur 22     Weather pleasant went to see Annie took her for a ride a few blocks went for Josey rode untill five o clock

Friday 23     I went for Josey she is sick

Sater 24     We are sick to day I stayed in bed part of the day at night Br Fawcet and B. [indecipherable] administered to us  Father was much better

[in margin: had letter from Maggie]

Sun 25     Weather pleasant I feel very drowsy went to meeting [page 47] Brs Woodruff and Teasdale preached to us. Also in the first Ward

From Charles Lowell Walker

Jan 25 Pleasant. Went to Meeting. Apostle George Teasdale spoke in a very interesting manner on the absurdities of spiritualism and the powers of darkness which are and would be manifested in the last days, the importance of doing our temple work with acceptance before God, that we might indeed be saviours on Mount Zion. Showed how careful Bishops and presiding men should be in reccomending people to the Temple. Pres Woodroof spoke in an encouraging way to the people. Said he believed that the work done in the Temple would be mostly accepted before the Lord....We were living in perilous times and we should choose to obey the Law of God rather than that of Man. God would fight our battles, and those that were now persecuting us with malicious intent would ere long have trouble enough at their own doors....At night on duty at the Temple. My old friend Addison Everett has passed away. I prepared him for burial a few days ago.

Notes

Sis Bird — Probably Jane Mott Carpenter Bird (1810–1891) A native of Connecticut and New York, she had been widowed for five years. FindAGrave notes that the Bird home was on the corner of 100 West and Tabernacle, so not far from the Jarvis family.

Br Fawcet — William Fawcett (1814–1904), a native of England.

Maggie — Her daughter in Arizona.

Brs Woodruff and Teasdale — Apostles Wilford Woodruff and George Teasdale.

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — January 1–15, 1885

We move into 1885 with a reminder that Ann didn't know her own birthday. She was just a few days off, but it's a strong reminder of what it was to live life as a 19th century immigrant in sometimes desperate poverty. 

Ann records three deaths. I don't know who the first man is, but the last two are explained below in "Notes." 

If you have a few minutes, click on the link to Leslie's Monthly and look at one of the issues Ann would have been reading in Volume 18 or 19. Curious collection of information, very educational and international in its scope.

Thursday 1    January My birthday 55 Jan — 1885

Went to fast meeting went the monthly meeting Thomas and Em spent the evening

Fri 2    Weather dull heard Br Orton is killed

      are invited to a party, do not feel like going

Sat 3     Weather cold

Sun 4    Weather cold went to meeting Brig is staying he[re?]

Mon 5     Weather pleasant went for Josey

Tus 6     Weather cold washed a few peices Br Romney is in town

Wed 7

Thu 8

Fri 9     Weather cold old lady Clark is dead will be buried to day

Sat 10    Weather raining ^We have^ a letter for Brig[ham Jarvis] Father brought it from the ^Post office^

Sun 11   Weather cloudy attended meeting Br Romney preached Thomas & Em came in the evening had a bad coughing spell

Mon 12    Weather fine spent part of the day with Anne Br Everet died this afternoon A good man has gone to rest

Thus 13    Weather pleasant Br Judd came to see father about the funeral

Wed 14    Weather very pleasant spent the day cooking. attended the funeral of Br Everets went to the third ward for Josey read in Leslies monthly

Thur 15   Weather blustering went to see Sister Everet also Anne

From Charles Lowell Walker's Diary

[It's been a while, so a quick reminder that Charlie Walker was the author of the hymn Dearest Children, and Dixie's de facto poet laureate. He includes this entry and then skips to January 25.]

St George Thurs 1st Jan 1885   Clear and cold. Snow on the tops of the distant ridges and Mountains. Went to the fast meeting; assisted in blessing two children (Ben Blakes and Joseph Judd's). I spoke to the people a short time on the importance of acknowledging the hand of the Lord in all things and our dependence on him....After Meeting I visited the sick and offered kindly aid to the afflicted. Slept the rest of the day. At night on duty at the temple. And so begins the year.

Notes

My birthday — When her parents, William and Kitty Prior, had her baptized on October 30, 1831, the Curate noted to the side of the entry that Ann was born December 30, 1829. I have speculated before on the reasons Ann didn't know her birthdate. 

Br Orton is killed — ??  I can't find any one of that name with a death date in or around 1885. Perhaps it was an unfounded rumor?

Br Romney is in town — The persecutions had gotten so severe that a number of families were moving to Mexico to try to protect themselves. The Romneys headed north to St. George first before they went south to the Colonies. It was a strenuous winter trip. For more information see Jennifer Hansen, Letters of Catherine Cottam Romney and Romney, Life Story of Miles Park Romney.

old lady Clark — Beulah Rogers Clark (1806–1885) was from Vermont and was one of the earliest members of the Relief Society of Nauvoo. Her husband was a member of the Mormon Battalion. Based on how Ann phrases the news, they were probably in different wards and didn't have much interaction.

part of the day with Anne — As noted in the last installment, Anne Jarvis Milne just had a baby.

Br Everet died — Addison Everett (1805–1885) was from New York, and a member of the first pioneer company to Utah. He had three wives, the first deceased, and he must have been divorced from his third wife, Hannah, since she was living in Salt Lake in 1880, noted as widowed or divorced, so Ann would have visited Orpha Redfield Everett, one of my Eminent Women once I get back to that project. Orpha only had one living child, Mary Everett Fuller.

Leslies Monthly — A magazine marketed as "the cheapest magazine published in the world," and many issues can be read online, including the one Ann would have been reading: (Hathitrust, The American Magazine).

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — December 20–31, 1884

After almost a year here is another installment in the journal of Ann Prior Jarvis. This deals mostly with the weather and with family matters including the birth of her granddaughter Josephine Jarvis Milne. I had to smile at her note on December 31, "The last day of the old year good luck to it."

Josephine Jarvis Milne and her younger brother.

Sat 20  Weather cloudy

Sun 21  Weather dull I went to meeting and heard a snowstorm took Em for a ride had rather a bad night Brig come home

Mon 22  Weather cloudy was bad the after part of the [unfinished]

Tus 23  Weather bright beautiful sunshine It ought to be a bright day as it is Joseph Smith birthday there will be a Party to night to celebrate his natal day he would be seventy nine if he had lived untill to day

Wed 24

Thur 25  Weather raining spent Christmas with Thomas & Em

Friday 26  George had the buggy to get the Doctoress to Eleanor

Sat 27 Weather ^Fine Fine^ George has the buggy to fetch and take the doctor^Ss^ Father got me a new black dress Brig came home last night

Sun 28  Weather cloudy attended Meeting had a good sermon from Bro Snow

Mon 29  Went to the Sunday School party in the afternoon went to the first ward party at night Anne had a new baby weighed eleven pounds

Thus 30  went to the relief society was to late they had dismis^s^ed

Wed 31  the last day of the old year good luck to it

Notes

George — Remember when she says "George" she means her son. "Father" means her husband, George.

Doctoress — That's what it says! I have no idea what she means. Eleanor had a gap in children for a few years around this time, so could she mean the midwife, and Eleanor was having a late miscarriage or stillbirth? Eleanor was in very bad health from a heart condition, so she could also mean the traditional doctor, but I can't think of a female doctor that would have been practicing in St. George at this time. (Or for many, many years.)

New Baby — Josephine Jarvis Milne Hamblin (1884–). Josephine and her husband Edwin O. Hamblin took care of her mother Anne for many years after she went blind and aged.

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — December 10–15, 1884

The community is on watch against the federal marshals, and a hotheaded young man shoots his cousin. Ann blames his mother. She came from the strongly matriarchal society of Tower Hamlets, East London, so it is not an unexpected reaction.

Wed 10     Weather cold snowing raining had a letter from Heber cooked dinner & supper Baked Bread read

Thus 11     Wet cold & miserable I feel to thank God for a shelter and food and all other blessings that I have Joseph Larsen is in prison for shooting his cousin he has threatened to shoot Father [George Jarvis.] I think Mothers should teach their children to act different there is a fearful responsibility on Mothers when they do their duty few turn out like that

Fri 12     Weather raining

Sat 13     Weather wet & cold I did not attend conference I was sick

Apostle George Teasdale (1830-1907)

Sun 14      attended conference Br Teasdale & Br lyman preached Br Teasdale showed us it was not good to be hearers of the word ^alone^ I felt the good influence ^the^ sprit was abundant^ly^ poured out I felt I lost a great deal by not being their on Saturday we serve a merciful parent and we shall get all we deserve.

Mon 15     Wea fine the glourious sunshine makes the heart glad we have an invitation to the first party of the season I do not think I shall go to it.

From Charles Lowell Walker's Diary

13 Sat Attended conference this A. M. Some of the Bishops reported the condition of the wards. F M Lyman made some timely remarks... and discretion Presiding officers should use in recommending people to the Temple to receive sacred ordinances. Pres Snow touched on the same topics in a clear and lucid style. Night on duty as usual.

Sund 14th A.M. attended the Young Men and Ladies Conference.....There were other Meetings of interest during conference of which Br Geo Teasdale spoke, but I could not attend.

Monday 15 Dec 1884 It appears from the Papers that the courts in Arizona have sentenced Br Ammon Tenney, Bishop Christofersen [and] Kemp to serve a term of 3 years and a half in the Penitentiary for Polygamy....And this in a land of Liberty where a man ought to be protected in his constitutional right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. May God reward them for their works and all those who betray and testify against their Brethren.

Notes

Joseph Larsen — He must not have killed his cousin, or he would have been mentioned in Charlie Walker's diary. I can't find any newspaper accounts, and any court records would probably be in Beaver. 

The only person of this name and the right age in the region was Joseph Willard Larson (1860-1923), uncle of Washington County historian Andrew Karl Larson. Joseph's Swedish mother, Anna Jonsson Larson, had been dead almost a decade and his father had not remarried. 

Joseph seems to have mellowed with age. His granddaughter Dorothy Prince Carpenter recalled:

My Grandpa died when I was small, but I do remember him as being kind and loving.  He and Grandma Larson had a lovely home with beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and a few chickens and cows.  I particularly remember how neat and clean he was.  I can still see him sweeping the dirt from the walks and trails around the house and yard every day. He was ill and in pain from diabetes. He was a deeply religious man.

Br Teasdale — Apostle George Teasdale (1831-1907).

Br lyman — Apostle Francis Marion Lyman (1840-1916).

the first party of the season — She may mean the community celebration of Joseph Smith's birthday on December 23. The suspense is building: will she attend?

Sources

Dorothy Prince Carpenter and "patricianegren1," [pseud.], "Memories of Grandpa Joseph W. Larson," FamilySearch Family Tree, April 7, 2014.

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — November 28–December 9, 1884

The adventure this time was tracking down the identity of "Br & Sister Harmon from Orderville." They do not have any living descendants, so I spent a while working on their FamilySearch Family Tree entries, as noted below.

Ann wrote, "Thomas preached for the first done well had my faith & prayer." Her son-in-law Thomas Cottam went on to serve the Church for many years, including as President of the St. George Temple, so he probably preached many sermons, but he had to start somewhere, and he did so with his mother-in-law's faith and prayers. 

December

Friday [November] 28     Weather warm went to the third ward for Josey took Sister Calkins for a ride had a bad spell

Sat 29     Weather warm I cooked pies & cakes for Sunday

Sun 30     I had Br & Sister Harmon from Orderville to spend the day with us Thomas & Em called and also George & Will Webb I did not go to meeting

Dec Mon 1     Weather delightful I have spent part of the morning hunting for Fathers Green glasses had a letter from Sam

Thus 2     Weather warm went to relief Society was very sick 

Wed 3     had a bad night

Thur 4     Weather pleasant I attended fast meeting

Sat 6     Boiled some fruit made some Jelly

Sun 7     Weather very cold I do not like Father to watch such cold nights went to meeting Thomas preached for the first done well had my faith & prayer

Mon 8     Weather raining made yeast cooked dinner washed dishes

Thus 9     Weather raining did not go to sister Crosby for fear I would take cold I expected ^think^ they quilted

Notes

went to the third ward for Josey — Ann took the buggy to pick up Josey from her job teaching in the Third Ward School.

Sister Calkins — Probably Marietta Calkins.

Br & Sister Harmon from Orderville — George Harman (1826-1903) and Mercy Fagg Harman (1828-1923), possibly acquaintances from England. George Harman was a sailor just like George Jarvis. George and Mercy did not seem to have any living children so I've just done a basic source-and-correct for their Family Tree entries and added this record. I also noticed when I found their FindAGrave gravestone pictures that George had a wife, "Lavina E.H." It took a while to discover her identity as Lavina Elizabeth Hogen, the daughter of Scandinavian immigrants, and merge the applicable records, and add her daughter. Lavina and her newborn daughter Mercy died on March 16, 1884, so it was a difficult year for the Harmans.

Will Webb — Amelia's husband William.

Fathers Green glasses — sunglasses; definitely a necessity in Washington County! This Pinterest board has a number of era-appropriate green glasses.

Father to watch such cold nights — I don't know! Perhaps serving in a volunteer community policing function? What was the outstanding threat in 1884? Federal marshals and plural marriage? The Edmunds Act of 1882 had ramped up federal activity in Utah Territory, so this was a real threat for many families in the community. George was not in personal legal danger; although Mary Webb was sealed to him in 1878, it would not have been considered a marriage.

did not go to sister Crosby — Relief Society at the Crosbys. 

Sources

"Rain Brings Rainbows," [pseud.], Lavina and Mercy Harman Gravestone, digital image, FindAGrave, (link).

Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — September 1–12, 1884

The people of St. George had a few stormy days as a cold front moved into the region. It was a welcome break from the heat of the summer, but the lightning reminded Ann of her son Willie's death. 

Ann regularly mentions her use of the buggy. It must have been an ongoing novelty for this Londoner to own a buggy, and of course it allowed her to get out, since she otherwise would have been homebound, and it also allowed her to offer rides to other women in the community and build some social capital.

September [1884]

Mon 1 Weather warm health very good for which I am thankful. we had a terriffic Thunder & lightning in the evening the worst since Willie was killed

Tus 2 Weather fair spent the day kniting reading writing took Sister Calkins riding took Sister Loughe home from her daughters

Wed 3 Wheat^h^er threating Cloudy lightened all night was very bad at night could not lie down for hours took Anne for a ride stayed with her late as Josey was atrehersel [at rehearsal]

Thurs 4 Weather indicates a storm attended Fast meeting. a good spirit prevaled the meeting good instructions from the brethren Mary Mansfield [Bentley] baby was blessed. attended ladies Monthly meeting enjoyed myself

From FamilySearch Family Tree, courtesy of "kariburton."

Friday 5 Weather Windy sit with Mary some time knited sent a letter to Heber George played a game or two of checkers had the buggy for Eleanor

Sat 6 Weather pleasant had a good nights rest it was quite cold in the night so I think they had frost in the mountains George had the buggy for Eleanor

Sun 7 Weather fine went to meeting took Em for a ride took Mrs Calkins to & from Harmonds had a good night rest the nights are cold

Mon 8 Weather cool this day is passing away and I have note accomplished much our time is all we can say is ours I frequently grieve that time flys and I do not do much work I do not visit. my desires are good but I do not put them in practise I would like to do good every day I live

Tus 9 Weather quite pleasant it is relief society day we meet to work to make quilts I had a ride Mary Gates asked me to let her ride she enjoyed very much. Sister Squires is dead attended my meeting sewed some patchwork.

Deseret News, "Deaths," September 24, 1884, 16.

Wed 10

Thur 11 Weather warm attended the monthly meeting of the relief society I walked to the Lyceum Father had the buggy for me when I came out I was very thankful as I had palpitation of ^the^ heart very bad

Fri 12 Weather windy. went to the Sunday School Entertainment in the evening 

From Charles Lowell Walker's Diary

St George 4th Sept. 1884 Hot weather still continues. This morning I attended fast Meeting and blessed William Oscar Bentley. I then spoke a short time on the antiquity of the Gospel as pertaining to the people of this Earth. Also touched on the free agency of Man and the exercise of the free and independent will which God had given to his creatures for a wise and noble purpose of choosing the good and refusing the evil. Others of the Brethren followed much on the Same strain and on the fulfilment of ancient and modern prophecy. We had a time of rejoicing and testimony, those presiding bearing witnes to the good Spirit dictating those that Spoke...

Notes

Sister Calkins — Asa Calkins (1809-1873) had two widows, Mariette Symonds Barney Calkins (1810-1886) and Agnes Perkes Calkins (1840-1916). I would assume from context and ages that Anne meant Mariette. (There may also be a third widow, but as far as I can tell she was deceased by 1884.

Sister Loughe — One of the wives of Darius Lougee (1815-1893), either Maine native Sarah Leavitt (1822-1899) or Englishwoman Alice Hulme (1833-1898).

Mary Mansfield baby — William Oscar Bentley Jr. (1884-1974), the son of William Oscar Bentley (1851-1920) and Mary Ann Mansfield (1859-1949).

sit with Mary — I assume she meant her daughter-in-law Mary, not the Mary mentioned the previous day.

Mrs Calkins — Is "Mrs Calkins" the same as "Sister Calkins"? 

Harmonds —Probably the home of the widowed Eunice Chidester Harmon (1834-1905). None of her children seems to be married in 1884.

Mary Gates — A member of the large Jacob Gates family. The options are Vermont native Mary Minerva Snow (1813-1891), Mary Ware (1844-1909), and Mary Ware Gates's pre-teen daughter Mary Gates (1872-1909). If Mary Minerva went by the name "Mary," this is most likely to be her, since Mary Ware Gates lived for some time in Bellevue (Pintura) and ran a small hotel there.

Sister Squires —Englishwoman Maria Morrel Squire (1814-1884), the wife of William Squire. She had two living children at the time of her death, Agnes and John, and her husband survived her by about a year. Her obituary notes that she lived in Fourth Ward, so it was not likely that Ann would have interacted with her extensively. 

The Journal of Ann Prior Jarvis, 1884-1899

Ann Prior Jarvis. Picture from Washington County DUP.

Ann Prior Jarvis (1829-1913) started a diary in 1884 [1] and kept it regularly for several years and then sporadically through 1899. Ann and her husband George Jarvis were English immigrants and members of the original 1861 Cotton Mission to St. George, Washington County, Utah Territory.

Ann's diary includes autobiographies, business notes, addresses, patriarchal blessings, and other contents. 

Many entries are brief and repetitious, but can be used in conjunction with other existing records to help create a vital record of the community, provide a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the family, and provide historical context. For example, the question came up in the Jarvis Family Organization whether the Jarvis family had been present in 1899 at Lorenzo Snow's well-known tithing speech. A glance at her diary suggested that members of the family had indeed attended. (George and Ann Prior Jarvis and "The Windows of Heaven.") In another case, another family had not kept a careful record of the death of their ancestor's first wife, but Ann had noted the occasion of the woman's funeral. (Jennett Potter Oxborrow.)

Over the next several years, I will be serializing and annotating her diary, a few entries at a time. [2] Many entries are not earth-shattering. For example:

19 [May 1884] Mon[day] Weather changable

One of the first things you will notice as you read her entries is that she was in poor health. Her health was often so poor that she couldn't get around, but the family had somehow managed to have a horse and buggy for her use and that provides some of the folksy drama and social interactions during the first years of the diary.

So, single entries might be underwhelming, but taken altogether, her diary is an intimate portrait of an immigrant family, not wealthy by any means, but fairly secure two decades years after they were the first settlers to drive their wagon onto their newly assigned town lot in St. George.

Notes

[1] The original copy of Ann's diary is not known to be in existence. There are various photocopies held by family members and archives and a digital copy has been kindly provided by Mark Jarvis on the family web site. (Jarvis Family Web.) This copy of the diary is called "Book C" so it is possible that she created other diaries previous to this one.

[2] I will begin with the March 10, 1886 entry since that's when she started keeping her diary reliably and go from there. I will add the autobiographies and other materials later. I will be preserving her spelling but will add light punctuation as needed. I will index the diary separately from Ann Prior Jarvis's main index entry, so these diary entries will be found under "APJ Diary (year)."

Sources

Jarvis, Ann Prior. Journal of Ann Prior Jarvis, Book C, 1884-1899. Digital scan of photocopy of holograph, George and Ann Prior Jarvis Family Web Site, accessed February 29, 2012, http://george-and-ann-prior-jarvis.org.