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Show Chapter 11 ELLIS AS A WRITER Utah, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, was yeasty with opportunities of all sorts for women, and writing was not least among them. Early church publications such as Times and Seasons, begun 1839 in Commerce, Illinois, and the Millenial Star which had its aegis in Manchester, England in 1840, relied principally upon the writings of the brethren and were missionary-oriented. They also included reprints from other publications. The first issue of Woman's Exponent appeared in June of 1872 with a substantial editorial detailing its purposes. They were, in part: Who are so well able to speak for the women of Utah as the women of Utah themselves? "It is better to represent ourselves than to be misrepresented by others!" For these reasons, and that women may help each other by the diffusion of knowledge and information possessed by many and suitable to all, the publication of WOMAN'S EXPONENT, a journal owned by, controlled by and edited by Utah ladies, has been commenced.1 By Ellis's time there was a range of church publications using some women as staff and freelance writers. Besides the Woman's Exponent, there were The Juvenile Instructor, The Contributor, The Young Women's Journal, The Children's Friend, Elders' Journal, The Relief Society Bulletin, The Relief Society Magazine, and The Improvement Era. Not all were published concurrently, but all were extant prior to or following the beginning of the twentieth century. |