Daughter of John Pannell Wright and Mary Hill Fish

Married James Dalley, 15 Aug 1850, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa

Children - Albert Chester Dalley, James William Dalley, Melissa Tryphena Dalley, George Fredrick Dalley, Harriet Maria Dalley, John Phillip Dalley, William Wright Dalley, Richard Henry Dalley, Mary Elizabeth Dalley, Franklin Dalley, Alice Elizabeth Dalley, John Edward Dalley, James William "Cappy" Dalley, Charles Rupert Dalley, Emma Wright Dalley

In the Life History of Emma Wright Dalley, her daughter Mary Elizabeth Hulet and grandaughter, Mary H. Coburn state that Emma Wright was born in Hull, Yorkshire, England.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF EMMA WRIGHT DALLEY, by Clara C. Dalley

Emma Wright Dalley was born on August 19, 1835 at Weshbeck, Cambridge Shire, England. She was the daughter of John Pannel Wright and Mary Hill Fish.

Early in life she was taught by her mother to do all the work required of a good daughter of those days, such as being a good house-keeper and an expert seamstress. She could cut and fit a mans suit as easily as make her own clothes. She could knit, tat, crochet and do wonderful netting. This early training stood her in good stead many times ere her life was past.

When about 15 years old, she with her father's family joined the Mormon Church, and came to America and settled in Keg Creek, Iowa. While living there her father learned that shortly after leaving England one of his Uncles had died and left him many thousands of dollars. But so strong was his faith in the L. D. S. Church that he never claimed it for fear his family could not remain steadfast with riches.

While living in Keg Creek she met James Dalley whom she married August 15, 1850 just three days before she was 17 years old. They were married in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Within a year after her marriage she and her husband came to Utah, settling in Pleasant Grove, early in the year 1852.

While crossing the Plains they worked and ox and cow together, milking the cow and putting the milk in a churn. The motion of the wagon churned it into butter which helped materially their fare.

In 1854 they were called to help settle Southern Utah. They went to what was known as Johnson's Fort, about 5 miles north of Cedar City. In 1857 they moved to Summit, Iron County which is 5 miles East of Johnson's Fort. She and her husband and family were the second family to locate there. This remained their permanent home. Her first house was a dug-out, where she lived but a short time until her husband could build her a house of sun dried adobes.

She had to endure all the hardships of the early times. She carded, spun and wove the wool into cloth for the men's and boy's suits and her own and her daughters dresses.

She got cotton direct from the gin and spun and wove this into cloth for towels and stockings. This of itself was no small job, as she was the mother of fifteen children – 10 boys and 5 girls. She made her own lye from wood ashes and this for making soap. She got straw from the field, braided it and sewed it into hats.

She made her husband's and son's suits and did all the family sewing and since they had no sewing machines this was an almost unbelievable accomplishment.

About all the sweets they had was molasses made by herself from table beets. She taught her children to gather honey dew from the willows, native to the country. This was a special dainty much prized.

She was a small woman, with brown eyes and a wonderfully cheerful disposition. She was of a timid nature and during the Southern Utah Indian troubles suffered a great deal from fear. Her home was always open to the traveling public and she gave them of her best.

When they were coming to Southern Utah they met a number of men returning from the California Gold Rush, who were much in need of money. One man had a most beautiful brocaded bed spread that took her husband's eye and he bought it paying $85.00 in gold for it. When he gave it to her she mildly reproached hin for his extravagance, but he hastened to his own rescue and with a twinkle in his eye, said , "Why it is just a belated wedding present."

He loved her tenderly for all the hardships she endured. She died of hemorrhage when her 15th child, a little girl, was born, at the age of 42 years. Her death came on the 24th of October 1875.

So dear was this body to the family, that her little brother, Richard Henry gathered and sold a half sack of corn and bought the loveliest cloth he could find, a bright scarlet nun's veiling, for a dress for this little motherless sister. He was but 8 years old. A little dress was made by a sister, but as the baby lived only a few months the dress was returned to Richard Henry to have as a keepsake.