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Show As Librarians Jean and Mary Ann Banks were sorting sort-ing through stacks of materials mater-ials for the new Minersville Ward Library, they made an interesting and valuable find three record books covering the goings-on in the Ward Relief Society from 1869-1907. The 1870 book gets off with ' a bang as we read of a mass meeting of the ladies to express ex-press their indignation to the Cullom and Cragin Bills which were before Congress. The meeting was called to order by Mary Lightener. They wasted no time getting to the point. "We consider (these bills) to be detrimental detrimen-tal to the freedom of religious reli-gious principles granted to us by the Constitution. We consider them antagonistic to our interests as wives and mothers. ..We consider itthe most atrocious and degrading degrad-ing of all the monstrosities heaped upon us as a people, and are determined that we will express our indignation and disgust by unanimously protesting against it." Did . the bill pass? If you don't know run down to your local library and checkl Further pages record attendance, at-tendance, dues paid, activities activi-ties and service rendered. Numerous quilting bees were held. Finished quilts were sold $1.50 for a cradle quilt, Elias Blackburn paid : $8.00 for a full size one. i Sewing carpet rags was a popular activity. ' Brigham Young had advis- ed the people to store up grain and whatever else they could against a day of fam- ine. Some pages list donations dona-tions of money and commodities commod-ities for storage, along with many bushels of wheat. In ' 1872 the storage bins held one hundred eleven bushel. An obituary for a beloved sister is recorded. 11 Feb. 1 1884, Eliza Jane Zabriskie, ' just 29 years old, mother of six children, died of dropsy and lung disease. She had suffered a long illness but never complained. The record rec-ord continues, "She asked her husband to pray that she might be released from her misery. He replied, "I can not, you are needed here." (Her youngest child was just six months old.) She said, "Then if you cant, I will!" And she did in a loud voice. Soon afterward she expired in the full hope of a glorious resurrection with the Just." Her obituary is followed by a "Resolution of Respect" telling of the love and respect the Sisters had for her. Continuing on we gain an idea of prices in that day. A half dozen eggs sold for 12 12 cents; Stove and pipe, $2.00; a clock 34?, 400 brick, $4.00; 3 lbs. pork, 30?. In March 1885 there were 5 officers, 5 teachers, 34 members, with an average attendance of 15. Not much different from todays records. re-cords. 1887 finds the Sisters actively ac-tively engaged in the wheat storage program, preparing to raise silkworms, and commenting on the effects of Brigham Young's death. At a special meeting Isaac Grundy and Joseph Myers addressed the sisters. Edwin Ed-win Eyre spoke on the responsibility re-sponsibility of parents to their children and commented comment-ed that he thought there were few mothers who taught the principles of polygamy properly. prop-erly. In January 1879, George Eyre gave some timely advice ad-vice concerning the dancing going on. "We must change the course and be able to control our sons and daughters," daugh-ters," he said. He also alluded al-luded to the profanity of the young folks. "We must take care of this or we will have hell in our midst." As I read further, I began be-gan to see these women as PEOPLE, not just names. They had their trials and triumphs, ups and downs as we do. They came to meetings meet-ings with their children dragging their skirts, just as our young mothers do today. They exchanged recipes and Ideas, and likely pricked their fingers while working on uncounted quilts, and enjoyed en-joyed the change of pace their meeting afforded. They worried about the ganeration gap; glanced at the clear skies with a worried frown when the crops were dry; and were quick to offer comfort and aid to the sick or bereaved. bereav-ed. They rejoiced in their neighbor's good fortune and drew strength from each other. oth-er. Through it all they built a solid bond of Sisterhood which carried them safely through the troubled time in which they lived. ' |