A Widow's Tale: The 1884-1896 Diary of Helen Mar Kimball Whitney (Life Writings of Frontier Women, Vol. 6) (Life Writings Frontier Women)

Volume 6, Life Writings of Frontier Women series, ed. Maureen Ursenbach Beecher Mormon culture has produced during its history an unusual number of historically valuable personal writings. Few such diaries, journals, and memoirs published have provided as rich and well rounded a window into their authors' lives and worlds as the diary of Helen Mar Kimball Whitney. Because it provides a rare account of the widely experienced situations and problems faced by widows, her record has relevance far beyond Mormon history though. As a teenager Helen Kimball had been a polygamous wife of Mormon founder Joseph Smith. She subsequently married Horace Whitney. Her children included the noted Mormon author, religious authority, and politician Orson F. Whitney. She herself was a leading woman in her church and society and a writer known especially for her defense of plural marriage. Upon Horace's death, she began keeping a diary. In it, she recorded her economic, physical, and psychological struggles to meet the challenges of widowhood. Her writing was introspective and revelatory. She also commented on the changing society around her, as Salt Lake City in the last decades of the nineteenth century underwent rapid transformation, modernizing and opening up from its pioneer beginnings. She remained a well-connected member of an elite group of leading Latter-day Saint women, and prominent Utah and Mormon historical figures appear frequently in her daily entries. Above all, though, her diary is an unusual record of difficulties faced in many times and places by women, of all classes, whose husbands died and left them without sufficient means to carry on the types of lives to which they had been accustomed. As A Teenager Helen Kimball Had Been A Polygamous Wife Of Mormon Founder Joseph Smith. Her Father Was The Mormon Apostle Heber C. Kimball. She Subsequently Married Horace Whitney. Her Children Included The Noted Mormon Author, Religious Authority, And Politician Orson F. Whitney. She Herself Was A Leading Woman In Her Church And Society And A Writer Known Especially For Her Defenses Of Plural Marriage. Upon Horace's Death, Helen Mar Kimball Whitney Began Keeping A Diary. In It, She Recorded Her Economic, Physical, And Psychological Struggles To Meet The Challenges Of Widowhood. Her Writing Was Introspective And Revelatory. She Also Commented On The Changing Society Around Her, As Salt Lake City In The Last Decades Of The Nineteenth Century Underwent Rapid Transformation, Modernizing And Opening Up From Its Pioneer Beginning. She Remained A Well-connected Member Of An Elite Group Of Leading Latter-day Saint Women, And Prominent Utah And Mormon Historical Figures Appear Frequently In Her Daily Entries. Above All, Though Her Diary Is An Unusual Record Of Difficulties Faced In Many Times And Places By Women, Of All Classes, Whose Husbands Died And Left-them Without Sufficient Means To Carry On The Types Of Lives To Which They Had Been Accustomed.--book Jacket. Foreword / Maureen Ursenbach Beecher -- Helen Mar Whitney's Family -- 1884: Horace Has Spent A Dreadful Night -- 1885: Oh! How I Feel My Loss -- My Widowhood -- 1886: It Seemed Like A Dream That I Must Awake From -- 1887: I Woke Sobbing Three Times -- 1888: This Valley Is Covered With Thick Fog To Day -- Very Dreary -- 1889: A Beautiful White Coffin Held The Little Lamb & All Pronounced Him Beautiful -- 1890: A Liberal Gang Of The Scum & Boys Passed Up Our Street -- 1891: E. M. Wells Came To See Us, & The House, At Evening -- Thought It Lovely -- 1892: We've Got To Do Something To Keep Ourselves Out Of Debt -- 1893: Mary ... Gone To Chicago ... We Can't Afford To Go To The Saltair -- 1894: They Were The Best & Firmest In The Cause Of Truth -- 1895: She ... Proposed To Have All Lay Hands On My Head & Rebuke My Afflictions -- 1896: I Couldnt Talk Right -- After One Word All Was Mudled. Transcribed And Edited By Charles M. Hatch And Todd M. Compton ; Introduction, Notes, And Register By Todd M. Compton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 811-830) And Index. Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Introduction......Page 16 Helen Mar Whitney’s Family......Page 52 1884 Horace Has Spent a Dreadful Night......Page 58 1885 Oh! How I Feel My Loss—My Widowhood......Page 76 1886 It Seemed Like a Dream That I Must Awake From......Page 144 1887 I Woke Myself Sobbing Three Times......Page 228 1888 This Valley Is Covered with Thick Fog Today—Very Dreary......Page 292 1889 A Beautiful White Cof.n Held the Little Lamb & All Pronounced Him Beautiful......Page 354 1890 A “Liberal” Gang of the Scum & Boys Passed Up Our Street......Page 403 1891 E. M. Wells Came to See Us, & the House, at Evening—Thought It Lovely......Page 443 1892 We’ve Got to Do Something to Keep Ourselves Out of Debt......Page 499 1893 Mary . . . Gone to Chicago . . . We Can’t Afford to Go to the Saltair......Page 542 1894 They Were the Best & Firmest in the Cause of Truth......Page 596 1895 She . . . Proposed to Have All Lay Hands on My Head & Rebuke My Af.ictions......Page 654 1896 I Couldnt Talk Right—After One Word All Was Mudled......Page 703 Notes......Page 734 Bibliography......Page 826 Register of Names in the Diary......Page 846 Index......Page 890