 1838 - 1910 (72 years) Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
-
| Name |
Harriet Amelia Folsom |
| Nickname |
Amelia |
| Birth |
23 Aug 1838 |
Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Initiatory (LDS) |
2 Mar 1861 |
EHOUS |
| FamilySearch ID |
L21B-Q9C |
| Death |
11 Dec 1910 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Burial |
Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Headstones |
 Submit Headstone Photo |
| Person ID |
I87857 |
mytree |
| Last Modified |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Father |
William Harrison Folsom, b. 25 Mar 1815, Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States d. 20 Mar 1901, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 85 years) |
| Mother |
Zerviah Eliza Clark, b. 5 Feb 1818, Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut, United States d. 16 Aug 1863, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 45 years) |
| Marriage |
21 Aug 1837 |
Pembroke, Genesee, New York, United States |
| Family ID |
F29654 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 1 |
Brigham Young, b. 1 Jun 1801, Whitingham, Windham, Vermont, United States d. 29 Aug 1877, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 76 years) |
| Marriage |
24 Jun 1863 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Family ID |
F29390 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 2 |
John Quincy Leavitt, b. 1 Oct 1834, Compton, Estrie, Québec, Canada d. 27 Sep 1913, Garland, Box Elder, Utah, United States (Age 78 years) |
| Marriage |
15 Aug 1878 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Family ID |
F29653 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
-
| Event Map |
|
 | Birth - 23 Aug 1838 - Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States |
 |
 | Initiatory (LDS) - 2 Mar 1861 - EHOUS |
|
 | Marriage - 24 Jun 1863 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
| Marriage - 15 Aug 1878 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
| Death - 11 Dec 1910 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
 | Burial - - Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
|
-
-
| Notes |
- Rumoured to be Brigham's favorite wife.
Harriet Amelia Folsom inherited the beautiful and abundant light brown h a ir and hazel eyes of her grandmother, Hannah Skinner, the stature, pois e , and good humor of her father, and the tenacity to endure from her mot he r. She was educated by her mother, Zerviah Eliza dark Folsom who was t rai ned as a school teacher, who also taught Amelia how to read music an d pla y the piano. She became an accomplished pianist. The first of seve n child ren, this daughter experienced the role of second mother to her y ounger b rothers and sisters. She assisted her mother in the struggle t o conquer " three
mischievous brothers," and you may imagine her delight with the arriva l o f a wee baby sister, Frances Emily. Many dainty articles were fashion ed b y Amelia's hands for the baby as well as for herself. Upon Arrival , Franc es Emily was so tiny that the dainty clothing had to be laid asid e and he r bed, for some time was a shoe box !
Through the trials in Nauvoo Amelia witnessed angry mobs and difficult t i mes. Even at age eight she was a responsible "baby sitter" for severa l o f the families. When mobs finally drove the remaining saints from Na uvo o leaving them without property or provision on the shores of the mar sh y river bottom at Montrose. Iowa, Amelia wandered about helping her fa mil y and others form an encampment. It was during this time that the Lor d se nt quail to sustain the people who were without clothing, bedding, a nd fo od. Coveys of quail flocked amid the people regularly during the tw enty d ays and Amelia often told of
catching the quail for her mother to cook.
In her teen years Harriet Amelia continued to blossom into a beautiful a n d faithful young women. She seemed to have such natural abilities of le ad ership that friends came often to the family homes whether in Keokuk , Cou ncil Bluffs, or Salt Lake. Where ever they gathered she could organ ize an d entertain.
While living in Council Bluffs another family's grand piano was offere d f or sale. Amelia's father, William Harrison Folsom, purchased it so t ha t Amelia, her brother Burdette. and the rest could become more profici en t This grand piano was brought with the family in one of the wagons wh e n they finally crossed the plains in 1860.
After the Folsoms arrived in Salt Lake they were introduced to the loc a l leaders. One evening in the early spring of 1861 Mr. Folsom. his wi f e Eliza, Amelia, and Hyrum were all invited to attend a performance i n th e Bowing Theater. Here they were entertained along with the familie s of B righam Young and Heber C. Kimball. Amelia became the piano teache r for so me of President Young's children.
She married Brigham Young on January 24.1863 and went to reside in his h o me.
Just seven months after her marriage, Amelia's mother Eliza, still a you n g woman of 44, died following the lingering effects of a difficult an d un happy confinement. The two little sisters of Amelia, Frances and Lou ise , were sent to live with their older sister. Hyrum, at twenty-two wa s soo n to leave on a mission to Great Britain. Burdette and Hinman, assi sted t heir father in his work as church architect and contractor.
Amelia was not blessed with children of her own but she was a second mot h er to many. Without complaint she quickly fit into her husband's larg e f amily filling the position of confidant to many in the closely knit h ome . She was a well liked and accomplished woman who assisted her husban d i n his official capacities as Prophet and Territorial Governor actin g as h ostess when asked. She often accompanied President Young as he tra veled t hroughout the territory.
Living in St. George with the prophet in the Brigham Young Home, she fil l ed their home again with music. She carefully organized the household p an try and made curtains and other furnishings for the home. During wha t pro ved to be their last visit there, the lower floors of the St. Georg e Temp le were completed and President Young spent much of his time expla ining t he rites and ceremonies of the temple, as this was to be the firs t templ e in Utah to use them. Saints from all parts of the territory ass embles i n order to participate. Many of the visitors enjoyed the capabl e directio n of Amelia as they collected and recorded names in a systemat ic way acco rding to the procedure at that time, with men
on one list, women on another.
In Salt Lake President Young was concerned because neither the city no r t he church had an official residence in which to entertain dignitarie s com ing into the territory. President Young decided to remedy this sit uation . He appointed a committee to purchase a plot of ground on which t o erec t a suitable building. The committee chose the lot located at th e southea st corner of State Street and South Temple just across from th e Lion hous e. At the time of the purchase, ”Grandma Handle" and her fami ly were occu pying a home on the lot. Books and pamphlets invariable prin t a picture o f the building accompanied by the erroneous caption of "Ame lia's Palace. " President Young paid $80,000. for the home although he ne ver lived ther e because the building was not completed during Presiden t Young's lifetim e. Following his death, August 29,1877, Mother Young (M ary Ann Angell) an d Harriet Amelia Folsom Young moved into part of the u nfinished rooms o f what was called the Gardo House. Christine Gyllensko g accompanied them . According to her personal testimony, Amelia lived i n two rooms until he r home on the corner of South Temple and First Wes t was completed in 1879 . The rest of the Gardo House was taken over by t he next President of th e church, John Taylor.
The death of President Young brought complications and worries to the Fo l som family. It is true that the President intended to make a home for h i s wife, Amelia, in the Gardo House when it was completed. But he had n o t made arrangements before his passing. Amelia received an equal shar e wi th the other wives, giving her the necessary funds for maintainin g a hom e and supplying food and clothing.
It was her wish to remain near her father's family; consequently her fat h er gave her the corner lot of his estate on which a home was built acco rd ing to her needs and with her wishes. This home was the place of man y fam ily parties. Amelia made her way often through the lot to visit he r fathe r, suffering from arthritis, and other members of the family.
Shortly before President Young's death in 1877, he decided to erect an o f ficial residence where he could entertain distinguished visitors. Amel i a planned the structure, which was quite a natural thing for her to do , f or all her life she had been associated with people who specialized i n th is type of thing, particularly her father. The family understood tha t Ame lia would live there and assume the responsibilities of all the so cial a ffairs.
President Young died before it was finished and Amelia lived in two roo m s of the unfinished house until November, 1879 when she moved into anot he r home she had designed and had built on her father's estate. (#6 Sout h 1 st West)
Having no children of her own, she was particularly kind and thoughtfu l o f the children of the Folsom family. Nieces and nephews and cousins r emem ber hospitality and fun in her beautiful, spacious home. She gave fr eel y of her worldly possessions to those in need, yet she could set an e lega nt table and entertain royalty. She came by her regal ways honestly , fo r her proven pedigree shows much of the nobility of mother countries -- go vernors, statesmen, magistrates, teachers and scientists, all ha d a hand.
Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells, a life-long associate and friend said of her: "M r s. Young was fondly attached to her home and took great pleasure in bea ut ifying the grounds, cultivating flowers and vines and keeping her law n fr esh and green as well as the interior of her house. She had a numbe r of u nique and valuable ornaments, collected while abroad also gifts o f friend s and visitors ... While not a public woman, yet she was very po pular i n society and much admired and sought after. The history of her f amily i s very interesting, and her own life, from a very young girl is r eplete w ith romantic incidents; but she was reticent about herself. Perh aps one o f the causes of her popularity was her queenly appearance and s triking pe rsonality. She sang and played well the old time songs and wa s a splendi d musician and a very fine partner in a ball room. She alway s dressed i n excellent taste. She was a graceful, charming woman and pos sessed man y of the characteristics of true womanhood."
Amelia was very fond of travel and visited almost every city and tow n o f Utah and southern Idaho in company with President Young. She also t rave led extensively in the Eastern states, California and in Great Brita in, m aking friends wherever she went.
Amelia suffered from what is known as "creeping paralysis" for about 3 y e ars. Being in a more or less helpless condition was a severe trial to h e r because she was deprived of the pleasure of entertaining friends an d o f the delights of out door life. She died 11 Dec. 1910, age 72 and i s bur ied in the Brigham Young family plot in the "Salt Lake City Cemeter y.
Two tributes given at her funeral by loved ones give us an insight a s t o her character and personality: Richard W. Young said: "President Yo ung' s health was enfeebled on account of an onerous life and he needed g rea t care. Aunt Amelia came into the family when he was sixty years of a ge . She was a natural nurse and performed the duties expected of her i n a m ost praise worthy manner. He found in her a perfect companion as sh e ha d the capacity and the mentality to grasp the trials and problems of
the day. From these incidents came the report that Amelia was Presiden t Y oung's favorite wife. He looked with some anxiety upon her appearance . A s the years grew on however the family learned to love her. She was j us t and fair and I can truthfully say that she had the love of every mem be r of the family. Amelia was truly a magnetic and queenly personality a n d of superior intelligence. She was capable of meeting any man or woma n o n earth on an equal footing. She had the advantage of excellent hom e trai ning."
She was tall and queenly in appearance and of fair complexion. In the Br i gham Young room of the pioneer Memorial Museum hangs a beautifully tint e d likeness of her. There is also a case in which are displayed some o f he r personal belongings. Among these articles are five lovely shawls , colla rs of intricate lace and bead work, elegant fans and other access ories. S everal dresses which belonged to her are on display notably a li ght blu e taffeta trimmed with cream colored lace which was worn by her a t the In augural Ball honoring President Ulysses S. Grant in 1869. The dr ess conta ins 16 yards of silk bought in France and 125 yards of lace. An other love ly dress is two-piece black silk brocade with pink silk linin g trimmed wi th black beads. The silk was manufactured in Utah.
A copy of the letter Amelia wrote to her brother, Hyrum and his wife, An n ie Lenzi Folsom, in January 1890, when they lost four children during t h e Diptheria epidemic shows she carried a burden about not being able t o h ave any children. There is also a family story about her romance wit h a y oung man, who was sent on a mission in order to break up the courts hip, f or some reason, and it was while he was gone that she married Brig ham You ng, who was a close friend of her father's. I can't remember wh o told thi s story, but it seems it was Grandma Folsom of Mama, and I can 't say if i s true or not. Uncle
Dee tells of delightful times at Aunt Amelia's and she was so good to th e m as children, even giving him and Uncle Ralph an old surrey "that sh e ha d replaced with a new one and they painted it dark green”.
(Personal note* ….I have always felt a close kinship with my mother’s gr e at Aunt Amelia. Perhaps because she bore no children of her own, I beli ev e we descendant cousins of the Folsom family are responsible for her c ont inued legacy and memory. Diane Wheeler)
The children were privileged to roam at will throughout the lovely hom e o f their "Aunt Amelia." On the never-to-be-forgotten occasion of her f athe r's eighty-fifth birthday Amelia assembled family members and friend s t o celebrate the event. After ice cream and cookies were served, the p rogr am was presented, and "noses were counted", it was learned that ther e wer e eighty-five people present. It had been Amelia's privilege to fav or he r father with this happy time. He passed away not many months after ward o n March 20,1901.
For the remaining years of her life Harriet Amelia Folsom Young continu e d to serve her family and friends always remaining a beacon to others a n d a "yardstick" for which they might measure their growth. Her name ha s b een maligned and memory ridiculed in anti-Mormon literature suggestin g th at the Gardo House, intended for church use, was a brothel. Thus i t was d ubbed "the Amelia harem" or "Amelia's Palace." Nothing could be f arther f rom the truth.
Submitted by Diane S. Wheeler, Bountiful, Utah
|
|
|
Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
English
