Item Detail
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Valentine, Rose Ellen Bywater
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1875-1966
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MSS SC 628
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Autobiography
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Rose Ellen Bywater Valentine was born 17 September 1875 in Brigham City, Utah to James Bywater and Hannah Marie Jensen. Rose was the eldest living child of her parents and one of five children that lived to maturity. Rose grew up in a humble, but well-kept home with a beautiful garden and swing set, the jealousy of all the neighborhood children. Roses mother had immigrated to Utah from Denmark and while working as a maid she met James Bywater from Leeds England. She would become his second wife and because of her choice to practice polygamy Roses father was, on multiple occasions, imprisoned. During these times of incarceration both families learned to get by on very little. Rose was encouraged by her mother and a school teacher to become a teacher herself. She loved learning and was able to pass the teachers examination. She took on the position of school teacher in Honeyville, Utah in 1893. Following that school year she decided to attend the University of Utah, but midway through a semester was called back to help her family in Brigham City and taught at the local Emerson school in Brigham City from 1893-1898. Her career as a school teacher ended when she was offered a job by a family friend Dr. LH Berg, as an assistant in his dentist office. Rose proved to be an excellent employee and soon found she had a love for dentistry, so in 1903 Rose was able to take an examination and receive her dental license making her the first female dentist in the state of Utah. In 1904 Rose became very ill, she was bed ridden from February through May. Following this illness her courtship to Hyrum W. Valentine progressed ending in their marriage in 1905. For the next couple years Rose and Hyrum lived and worked in Salt Lake. Rose continued her dental practice until 1911 when on 16 December, Rose and Hyrum left for Europe to preside over the Swiss-German mission. Slowly Rose learned the German language and became president of the Relief Society for the entire mission. During their service Hyrum and Rose adopted a one-year-old German girl and named her Basel. The two of them stayed in Switzerland during the first part of WWI and kept the church going in that part of Europe while all other missionaries returned back to America. Finally, in December of 1916 The Valentines returned to their home in Brigham City, Utah. Once again Rose started up her dental practice and they adopted their orphaned nephew Dee J in 1926. July of that same year Rose and Hyrum were asked to return to Germany and preside over the German-Austrian mission. They were amazed to see the growth of the church during the time of their absence and Rose was able to establish the Beehive program throughout her mission. They returned to Salt Lake City in September of 1929. After studying new techniques in preventative dentistry Rose started her own dental office in March of 1931 and worked there for the following 15 years, until she became physically unable. Rose also served diligently in many callings and volunteered as a tour guide around Temple Square for many years. On 8 February 1953 Hyrum passed away from cancer and Rose decided to sell her house and move back to Brigham City to be close to family. Rose passed away 15 February 1966 leaving her closing thoughts I have tried to give my best to life and indeed life has given its best to me in return.
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This manuscript is sixty-six typewritten pages long. A spiral bound autobiography entitled Memories of Rose Ellen Bywater Valentine edited by Dale M. Valentine and completed in 1962. The book begins with a one-page preface by the editor and then a table of contents. The book is separated into 10 chapters and tells the life story of Rose Ellen Bywater Valentine. Beginning with her childhood and ending with the years just proceeding her death. Rose tells her story as a continuous serious of major events in chronological order. She includes frequent stories and personal testimony throughout her book and in particular during her time on missions to Germany. Periodically pages of pictures are included with brief explanations given by Rose. The final page of the book is a favorite poem entitled The Twilight of Life, with a note written in blue ink at the bottom of the page giving the date and place of Roses passing.
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1875-1962