Item Detail
-
Hales, Isabella (Belle) Wilson
-
1889-1963
-
MSS 11
-
Diaries
-
Isabella (Belle) Ethel Wilson was born December 11, 1889 in Midway, Utah, to James Brigham Wilson and Margaret Powell. She married Wayne Brockbank Hales September 20, 1916. Wayne and Belle had six children. Belle was very involved in civic and church activities and organizations, serving as leaders in many of them. Belle was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wayne served in a leadership position at Brigham Young University, and Belle served as a great help and support system for Wayne. They enjoyed attending BYU events and conferences, and were avid fans of BYU sports. If they were unable to attend the sporting events in person, they would make it a point to listen to them on the radio'something often mentioned in Belle's journal. Some of the clubs and organizations Belle was involved in are BYU Women's Luncheon, L.L.C., Silver Slippers, A.A.U.W., Fed. Club, and Sorosis. In her diary, Belle includes a list of accomplishments from 1948 and some aims for the next year. In that list, she writes she was an active member of the Relief Society, elected President of Sorosis, elected a member of the Program Committee of the L.L. Club, elected secretary of President's council, Chairman of A.A.U.W., and nominated as Utah Mother of the Year. Aside from her several civic clubs and organizations, Belle enjoyed doing everyday things, such as shopping, sewing, canning, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed writing in her journal, as she would write often, and include much about her day to day activities. She also enjoyed attending the theater, and would attend plays and movies whenever she had the chance. Belle was also very good about writing her husband and children when they were away with work, at war, or away furthering their education. Belle passed away April 1, 1963 in Provo, Utah.
-
This collection is a 2-volume, 709-page diary written by Belle W. Hales. Both volumes are typed, single-sided, and bound in a paper cover. Volume one contains 341 pages and covers the years 1941-1962. Volume two contains 358 pages and covers the years 1956-1962, and includes a preface written by Wayne B. Hales. The type on some pages is a little faded and harder to read, but still legible, and some words are missing. The first volume includes mostly information about daily events, as Belle wrote in it quite often, everyday during some periods of time. She talks about the cleaning, sewing, canning, shopping, and other activities she did on a daily or weekly basis. Belle also writes about the traveling she did and the different activities of her husband and children. In a preface to the second volume of her diary, Belle's husband, Wayne, talks about the love Belle had for the Church, her family, and the community. She spent much time serving in all three of those areas, and truly loved what she did.