Saving her Shoes

Emma Wilde Carruth

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Emma Wilde and her family lived in Sugarhouse and walked 25 blocks each Sunday to their meetings at the Tabernacle. What did she do to extend the life of her shoes?

a.                  Went barefooted

b.                  Wore cloth shoes

c.                   Rode on her dad’s back

d.                  Rode on her dad’s shoulders

Yesterday’s answer:

C   Sister Bullock in the process of giving birth

From the life of Mary Ann Wagstaff Bullock:   She started walking across the Plains with a handcart company, but a young teamster, rather liking her company, asked her to ride in his wagon, using the excuse for having her there, that she was mending his clothing and sewing on buttons, etc. She said in later years that it made the trip much easier for her but it gave her a guilty feeling because women much older than herself had to walk all of the way.

One day, after arriving in Utah, that young teamster, named Thomas Henry Bullock, announced to Mary that he was going to marry. When she exclaimed “Who?,” he calmly answered, “You.” Assuring her she would not live in polygamy because he did not want to either, she accepted. They were married in the Temple and then went to Salt Creek to live. Their home was a one-room cabin with a quilt hung over the opening for a door.

When Mary Ann was in labor with one of her babies, a tribe of Indians were passing by, moving to new territory. As they came up even with the doorway, each Indian would put their head in the doorway and look around, curious to see what the Indian ahead of him had seen.

Thomas Henry explained the situation to the Chief who then came to the front of the doorway until all the tribe had passed by.

Mary Ann did later accept polygamy as Thomas Henry was called to take a second wife. She was Jane McBride, an immigrant girl from Scotland. Jane had been hired as a household helper, and it was she that became his second wife.

When Thomas Henry bought a length of material to make a dress for one wife, he always bought enough of the same material for the other. Mary Ann always put her material aside and did not use it until Jane had made hers and worn it out.

Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, Daughters of Utah Pioneers: (International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers: 1998), 1:419-420.