Archives West Finding Aid

The Vesta Pierce Crawford papers consist of research materials relative to an incomplete biographical manuscript of Emma Hale Smith, entitled "The Elect Lady." The material was collected and the biography begun with Miss Fay Ollerton, co-author, assisting and advising. An introductory statement by the two authors indicates that as small girls, they listened to stories related by their pioneer ancestors concerning early involvement with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the trek they made into Utah and the people and circunstances making early church history. They learned that Emma Hale Smith and her children did not come to Utah, and they wanted to know why. To Vesta Crawford and Fay Ollerton, "The Elect Lady" was to have answered the question "why?" In attempting to determine the answers to Emma Hale Smith's decisions,they collected materials available in correspondence, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings, and church history items in both the LDS Church, and the RLDS Church. They interviewed surviving members of the Hale and Smith families, pioneers, and descendants. Only a small amount of the original interview and correspondence remained in the collection when it was received by the University of Utah. Most of the material is from printed sources.

Background materials about early polygamy, social, economic and political conditions are included. Emma's church and music activities were researched. The materials in the collection mainly cover the years of Emma Hale Smith's life after the death of Joseph Smith: Her children; her marriage to Major Lewis C. Bidemon; and the establishment of the RLDS Church; her death and burial.

Other materials in the collection are correspondence from Arlon Rowan to Vesta, written during World War I, and poetry by Grace Ingles Frost.