Emmaline Harper was born August 19, 1861 at Holladay, Salt Lake County, Utah. She was the third child and daughter of Charles Alfred Harper and Harriet Taylor.
She grew up at Park City, Utah assisting her mother, sisters, and half-brothers in operating a ranch on Silver Creek. She received some public education there, but was mostly home taught by her mother. In 1880 the ranch at Silver Creek was sold and the family returned to Holladay; Emmaline was 16 years old then.
In 1885, she gave birth to a daughter, Rachel Harper. According to Harper family records, including the writings of two of Emmaline's sisters, Rachel's biological father was George Alfred Green, a young man who lived on a farm adjacent to Emmaline's father. Rachel would grow up primarily on the Harper estate in Holladay, being raised by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She died in 1904 at age 19 from appendicitis.
On September 5, 1889, Emmaline married David Stafford Needham in the LDS Temple at Logan, Utah. They made their first home at Millcreek and later moved to Salt Lake City.
Five children were born to the couple: Joseph in 1891; Elizabeth (Bessie) in 1893; Myrtle in 1895; and twin girls in 1896. One twin died at birth and was unnamed. The other was named Mary and lived only one week.
Shortly after the loss of their twins, David & Emmaline separated and eventually divorced. The three surviving children remained with Emmaline.
She married James Christensen Dec. 23, 1901, but just three months later he left the city to work in the mines at Bingham Canyon. He never returned. In August of 1907, having been abandoned for more than five years, she was granted a divorce by the State of Utah. She never married again.
Alone, Emmaline did her best to care for her three children finding what work she could as a washwoman. She rented several small apartments and occasionally worked as a live-in housekeeper for other families. Eventually, owing to the family's poverty, Bessie and Myrtle were removed from Emmaline's care by the state and relocated to an orphanage in Ogden.
In 1912, Myrtle left the orphanage and went into foster care. She died from suicide shortly thereafter. Bessie moved to Brigham City after leaving the orphanage and lived there the rest of her life. She married Francis Carruthers in 1930 (later divorced) and then Clifford King in 1959. She died in 1978.
Joseph, who never married, maintained work as a Foreign Exchange Checker at a Salt Lake shipping company. He rented a small house in Salt Lake, and Emmaline moved there with him in her later years when she was no longer able to work.
Emmaline was active in the Mormon church all of her life and her steadfast faith, no doubt, served as a point of solid ground in a life torn by repeated hardship and tragedy. Emmaline died February 5, 1930 following a stroke and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery. Her son, Joseph, who died in 1937 after being struck by an automobile, is buried nearby.
NOTE: There is some discrepancy as to Emmaline's preferred surname in her later life. Her maiden name was legally restored at the time of her second divorce. According to the divorce decree, this was done at Emmaline's own request. And since she never married again, "Harper" would have been her legal surname for the remainder of her life. In subsequent years, however, written accounts continued to mix the various surnames. Her siblings' obituaries generally referred to her as Emmaline Needham, as does a city directory. Her death certificate used Emmaline Christensen. The Salt Lake City Cemetery records her name as Emmaline Harper, citing the legality of the divorce decree. The Harper surname is on her headstone, which was purchased by a nephew long after her death. Emmaline's own preference during those years remains a mystery.
She grew up at Park City, Utah assisting her mother, sisters, and half-brothers in operating a ranch on Silver Creek. She received some public education there, but was mostly home taught by her mother. In 1880 the ranch at Silver Creek was sold and the family returned to Holladay; Emmaline was 16 years old then.
In 1885, she gave birth to a daughter, Rachel Harper. According to Harper family records, including the writings of two of Emmaline's sisters, Rachel's biological father was George Alfred Green, a young man who lived on a farm adjacent to Emmaline's father. Rachel would grow up primarily on the Harper estate in Holladay, being raised by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She died in 1904 at age 19 from appendicitis.
On September 5, 1889, Emmaline married David Stafford Needham in the LDS Temple at Logan, Utah. They made their first home at Millcreek and later moved to Salt Lake City.
Five children were born to the couple: Joseph in 1891; Elizabeth (Bessie) in 1893; Myrtle in 1895; and twin girls in 1896. One twin died at birth and was unnamed. The other was named Mary and lived only one week.
Shortly after the loss of their twins, David & Emmaline separated and eventually divorced. The three surviving children remained with Emmaline.
She married James Christensen Dec. 23, 1901, but just three months later he left the city to work in the mines at Bingham Canyon. He never returned. In August of 1907, having been abandoned for more than five years, she was granted a divorce by the State of Utah. She never married again.
Alone, Emmaline did her best to care for her three children finding what work she could as a washwoman. She rented several small apartments and occasionally worked as a live-in housekeeper for other families. Eventually, owing to the family's poverty, Bessie and Myrtle were removed from Emmaline's care by the state and relocated to an orphanage in Ogden.
In 1912, Myrtle left the orphanage and went into foster care. She died from suicide shortly thereafter. Bessie moved to Brigham City after leaving the orphanage and lived there the rest of her life. She married Francis Carruthers in 1930 (later divorced) and then Clifford King in 1959. She died in 1978.
Joseph, who never married, maintained work as a Foreign Exchange Checker at a Salt Lake shipping company. He rented a small house in Salt Lake, and Emmaline moved there with him in her later years when she was no longer able to work.
Emmaline was active in the Mormon church all of her life and her steadfast faith, no doubt, served as a point of solid ground in a life torn by repeated hardship and tragedy. Emmaline died February 5, 1930 following a stroke and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery. Her son, Joseph, who died in 1937 after being struck by an automobile, is buried nearby.
NOTE: There is some discrepancy as to Emmaline's preferred surname in her later life. Her maiden name was legally restored at the time of her second divorce. According to the divorce decree, this was done at Emmaline's own request. And since she never married again, "Harper" would have been her legal surname for the remainder of her life. In subsequent years, however, written accounts continued to mix the various surnames. Her siblings' obituaries generally referred to her as Emmaline Needham, as does a city directory. Her death certificate used Emmaline Christensen. The Salt Lake City Cemetery records her name as Emmaline Harper, citing the legality of the divorce decree. The Harper surname is on her headstone, which was purchased by a nephew long after her death. Emmaline's own preference during those years remains a mystery.
Emmaline Harper was born August 19, 1861 at Holladay, Salt Lake County, Utah. She was the third child and daughter of Charles Alfred Harper and Harriet Taylor.
She grew up at Park City, Utah assisting her mother, sisters, and half-brothers in operating a ranch on Silver Creek. She received some public education there, but was mostly home taught by her mother. In 1880 the ranch at Silver Creek was sold and the family returned to Holladay; Emmaline was 16 years old then.
In 1885, she gave birth to a daughter, Rachel Harper. According to Harper family records, including the writings of two of Emmaline's sisters, Rachel's biological father was George Alfred Green, a young man who lived on a farm adjacent to Emmaline's father. Rachel would grow up primarily on the Harper estate in Holladay, being raised by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She died in 1904 at age 19 from appendicitis.
On September 5, 1889, Emmaline married David Stafford Needham in the LDS Temple at Logan, Utah. They made their first home at Millcreek and later moved to Salt Lake City.
Five children were born to the couple: Joseph in 1891; Elizabeth (Bessie) in 1893; Myrtle in 1895; and twin girls in 1896. One twin died at birth and was unnamed. The other was named Mary and lived only one week.
Shortly after the loss of their twins, David & Emmaline separated and eventually divorced. The three surviving children remained with Emmaline.
She married James Christensen Dec. 23, 1901, but just three months later he left the city to work in the mines at Bingham Canyon. He never returned. In August of 1907, having been abandoned for more than five years, she was granted a divorce by the State of Utah. She never married again.
Alone, Emmaline did her best to care for her three children finding what work she could as a washwoman. She rented several small apartments and occasionally worked as a live-in housekeeper for other families. Eventually, owing to the family's poverty, Bessie and Myrtle were removed from Emmaline's care by the state and relocated to an orphanage in Ogden.
In 1912, Myrtle left the orphanage and went into foster care. She died from suicide shortly thereafter. Bessie moved to Brigham City after leaving the orphanage and lived there the rest of her life. She married Francis Carruthers in 1930 (later divorced) and then Clifford King in 1959. She died in 1978.
Joseph, who never married, maintained work as a Foreign Exchange Checker at a Salt Lake shipping company. He rented a small house in Salt Lake, and Emmaline moved there with him in her later years when she was no longer able to work.
Emmaline was active in the Mormon church all of her life and her steadfast faith, no doubt, served as a point of solid ground in a life torn by repeated hardship and tragedy. Emmaline died February 5, 1930 following a stroke and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery. Her son, Joseph, who died in 1937 after being struck by an automobile, is buried nearby.
NOTE: There is some discrepancy as to Emmaline's preferred surname in her later life. Her maiden name was legally restored at the time of her second divorce. According to the divorce decree, this was done at Emmaline's own request. And since she never married again, "Harper" would have been her legal surname for the remainder of her life. In subsequent years, however, written accounts continued to mix the various surnames. Her siblings' obituaries generally referred to her as Emmaline Needham, as does a city directory. Her death certificate used Emmaline Christensen. The Salt Lake City Cemetery records her name as Emmaline Harper, citing the legality of the divorce decree. The Harper surname is on her headstone, which was purchased by a nephew long after her death. Emmaline's own preference during those years remains a mystery.
She grew up at Park City, Utah assisting her mother, sisters, and half-brothers in operating a ranch on Silver Creek. She received some public education there, but was mostly home taught by her mother. In 1880 the ranch at Silver Creek was sold and the family returned to Holladay; Emmaline was 16 years old then.
In 1885, she gave birth to a daughter, Rachel Harper. According to Harper family records, including the writings of two of Emmaline's sisters, Rachel's biological father was George Alfred Green, a young man who lived on a farm adjacent to Emmaline's father. Rachel would grow up primarily on the Harper estate in Holladay, being raised by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. She died in 1904 at age 19 from appendicitis.
On September 5, 1889, Emmaline married David Stafford Needham in the LDS Temple at Logan, Utah. They made their first home at Millcreek and later moved to Salt Lake City.
Five children were born to the couple: Joseph in 1891; Elizabeth (Bessie) in 1893; Myrtle in 1895; and twin girls in 1896. One twin died at birth and was unnamed. The other was named Mary and lived only one week.
Shortly after the loss of their twins, David & Emmaline separated and eventually divorced. The three surviving children remained with Emmaline.
She married James Christensen Dec. 23, 1901, but just three months later he left the city to work in the mines at Bingham Canyon. He never returned. In August of 1907, having been abandoned for more than five years, she was granted a divorce by the State of Utah. She never married again.
Alone, Emmaline did her best to care for her three children finding what work she could as a washwoman. She rented several small apartments and occasionally worked as a live-in housekeeper for other families. Eventually, owing to the family's poverty, Bessie and Myrtle were removed from Emmaline's care by the state and relocated to an orphanage in Ogden.
In 1912, Myrtle left the orphanage and went into foster care. She died from suicide shortly thereafter. Bessie moved to Brigham City after leaving the orphanage and lived there the rest of her life. She married Francis Carruthers in 1930 (later divorced) and then Clifford King in 1959. She died in 1978.
Joseph, who never married, maintained work as a Foreign Exchange Checker at a Salt Lake shipping company. He rented a small house in Salt Lake, and Emmaline moved there with him in her later years when she was no longer able to work.
Emmaline was active in the Mormon church all of her life and her steadfast faith, no doubt, served as a point of solid ground in a life torn by repeated hardship and tragedy. Emmaline died February 5, 1930 following a stroke and was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery. Her son, Joseph, who died in 1937 after being struck by an automobile, is buried nearby.
NOTE: There is some discrepancy as to Emmaline's preferred surname in her later life. Her maiden name was legally restored at the time of her second divorce. According to the divorce decree, this was done at Emmaline's own request. And since she never married again, "Harper" would have been her legal surname for the remainder of her life. In subsequent years, however, written accounts continued to mix the various surnames. Her siblings' obituaries generally referred to her as Emmaline Needham, as does a city directory. Her death certificate used Emmaline Christensen. The Salt Lake City Cemetery records her name as Emmaline Harper, citing the legality of the divorce decree. The Harper surname is on her headstone, which was purchased by a nephew long after her death. Emmaline's own preference during those years remains a mystery.
