Elvira Euphrasia Day

obit https://familysearch.org/photos/images/6916653?p=130206

Euphrasia was born in Fairview soon after the family moved there, and went with them to the Muddy (near present Lake Mead) when she was 4 years old. The spring after they returned from the Muddy, just before Phrasia turned 6, she and Phena went to visit some friends while their ma was off doing Relief Society work. The 6 year old boy was chopping willows and small sticks. He would ask "Where is the axe going to hit?" and Phrasia would point. Then he would try. This went on for a long time. Once the boy didn't ask but Phrasia pointed anyway. The finger and the axe reached there at the same time. It struck a glancing blow. She didn't cry. The chickens ate her finger. Her mother couldn�t be found - Phrasia told them how to fix a poultice of sugar and rosin. She didn't cry until her mother changed the bandage but she sure bawled then! She guessed she had been saving up. It took nearly 3 months to heal and it was a long time before she could really use it.

Euphrasia was baptized in August the year she was 8. She was confirmed by Daddy Brady and when he placed his hands on her head she quivered all over as if a shock had gone through. She had joy clear through and felt peaceful. It was the beginning of her testimony.

Her mother had read her the Book of Mormon before she was 12 and explained it to her. However she still had doubts. One Sunday in fast meeting Brother Peter Sundwall told about many of the blessings of his parents and friends and-ended with �How do 1 dare doubt!� and Phrasia never again doubted. Her creed was, �you cannot keep your Testimony good and comforting unless you live the little things".

When she was about 10 years of age they started to build a new house. They had killed a mutton and had it hanging in the new, half built house. Phrasia and her mother, Elvira Pamela were sleeping there. That night a mountain lion got the mutton. Euphrasia was always glad it got the mutton instead of her.

Her mother always worked hard. She had some sheep. She saved the tallow and made her own candles. She also made clothing from the wool. The children all had their own jobs when it came to preparing the wool. First of all the 4 year olds would pick the wool and after the lanolin had all been washed out with good home-made soap, the 6 year olds wou1d card it. The 8 year olds were big enough to make it into rolls and by the time they were 10 they could spin and weave the yarn. Her mother and Tryphena did the spinning. They liked to have it done by Christmas. Spinning only occupied the hands. Many lessons were learned and school was never missed while spinning.

After spinning the wool into thread, they wove it into cloth and made their own dresses, sewing them by hand. Euphrasia was 14 years old when she had her first dress made of store cloth.

They made their own dye; yellow from rabbit brush blossoms, orange from the madder roots that looked like red roots, blue from the dye pot, brown from the squaw berry bush; and colored their home made cloth before or after weaving.

Euphrasia had a better chance at schooling than the others. At 14, she was teaching a "Dames School". The children paid her a penny a day, usually an egg, carrots, squash, etc. Those who had a speller, a Bible, a Book of Mormon, brought it to school. Two or three would read the same book. While she washed dishes and did the house work, she would tell them the hard words. She also told them stories. She even taught writing, spelling, and arithmetic to some of them. The next year she was employed by the Fairview school trustees to teach at $25 per month.

At 16, she was at the Brigham Young Academy in Provo. One day, Prof. Maeser was late to class. Some of the rough-neck boys brought in a donkey and set it in the chair at the teacher's desk. Bro. Maeser looked at the donkey, and said "That's right, boys and girls, when I'm not here, just choose the smartest one among you as teacher". Then he left the crass room.

Phrasia enjoyed drama and plays. In the B. Y. Academy she received 100% in composition. In 1888 a long continued story of hers, signed E. E., entitled �From Darkness into Light", was published in the Instructor Many other stories, poems and articles written by her have been printed. For special occasions she has written songs, plays, dramas, cantatas, farces, pageants, poems, histories, and stories. Her songs have been sung in the temple, in church, reunions, celebrations and on many other occasions, and loved by singers and audience.

She graduated from the 2 year normal course in June 1882. She had taught school at Fairview and other places in Sanpete County, in 3 towns in Emery County, and in Mancos, Colorado and Bliss, Idaho. Phrasia was a teacher for 66 years.

Euphrasia and Eli A. Day were married in the Logan Temple. She worked a year as a "hired girl� for Aunt Eliza, Eli's first wife.

Orville was born in Elvira's house. Phrasia taught school till Earl was born. They went �on the underground" in Emery County, and in Colorado for Elva and Erael, But Eli paid for each baby by a term in the penitentiary, along with 7 of the 12 apostles, and also a big fine.

The distressing poverty resulting from polygamy caused many disagreements between Eli and Phrasia and after 16 years they separated.

In 1924 ,she moved to Manti and here she was chosen by the big Cox family organization to keep their precious temple records.

To Women 

   Euphrasia 

   1925

   Seek, sisters dear, in all good books 

   From flowers and trees and mur'mring brooks, 

   Wisdom, and love, and kindness dear, 

   That all who know you may feel near 

   To peace and goodness, and may know 

   Great joy in life where e'er they go; 

   That work, and faith, and ev'ry duty, 

   May educate and show us beauty.

   Think less of self, and more of others; 

   Each do their best and help their mothers. 

   'Tis little homelike things we see 

   That count the most eternally. 

   Be bound together as friend to friend, 

   Each fault in self, not others mend; 

   Teach and be taught, thus growing strong, 

   Make Zion's girls a world-famed throng.

   A woman's duty here on earth 

   Is to make her soul a thing of worth. 

   Food and clothes we all must get, 

   But mind and soul we oft forget. 

   The spirit lives eternally 

   Progresses learns supernally, 

   This life is a school where all may learn 

   The intellectual fires to burn.

   Each sacrifice of self we make 

   Is just one lesson we may take 

   Into the great beyond. 'Twill give 

   An impetus to help us live 

   As God and angels through all time 

   Are living in their homes sublime. 

   So let each one seek best to know 

   How mind and heart forever grow.

Love

   by Euphrasia 

   Sept. 30, 1926

   'Tis a word that's breathed by every soul, 

   'Tis a thought that comes to young and old, 

   'Tis bruised and broken and battered and bent, 

   'Tis given new meaning that never was meant, 

   'Tis mistaken for thrills for emotions of lust, 

   'Tis desecrated and tramped in the dust, 

        And is still called love.

   But the thing that gives you an infinite joy, 

   This thing whose virtue you cannot destroy, 

   That enters your soul with peace that's kept, 

   That shows you why Christ both died and wept, 

   That leads man up to an infinite call, 

   That teaches you God and heaven and all, 

       Yes that is love.

   And a thing that's placed in a woman's heart, 

   To keep her performing a mother's part, 

   The passion she feels for the babe at her breast, 

   When the tiny hand relaxes in rest, 

       Is also love. 

   You have learned how tender and pure and true, 

   Is the love that I'll have forever for you, 

      The mother's love.

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