The Instructor

August 1948

Cover Photograph and Story About Mary Bommeli (1831-1913)

"Our Cover Picture," The Instructor (August 1948), 356, 369 [typed for this website by Jennifer Turley Rollins]:

In the entire history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no woman is more entitled to bear the designation “Pioneer Woman” than Mary Bommeli Eyring, of German extraction.

She was born in Weingarten, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland, March 20, 1831.  She received baptism and confirmation at the hands of the Mormon Elders in November 1854 in Zurich.  Typical of the early converts to Mormonism, Mary got the spirit of gathering but her parents and three sisters were also desirous of going to Utah.  Not all could emigrate at the same time and Mary, being of an altruistic nature, gave her savings for the transportation of her relatives and remained behind until she could earn sufficient funds for her passage to Zion.

Fortunately she had learned the weaving trade for it enabled her to accumulate sufficient means to get her overseas more quickly than would otherwise have been possible.  After five long years had passed the happy day arrived and in 1859, in company with a group of Swiss Saints, she set out for America.

The journey overland to the Great Basin was generally a pleasing experience for the young woman since in Nebraska she met a young man, Henry Eyring by name, on his way to Utah from a mission to the Indian Territory.  He, too, was German and therefore they had much in common.  They loved to be together and it was but a short time until they had serious intentions.  Frequently they would walk ahead of the wagon train and then sit in the shade of a tree romancing until overtaken by the company.  Upon arriving in Utah they were married and went to Saint George to make their home.

While on his mission, Elder Eyring had contracted malaria fever which permanently weakened his body, making it necessary for his companion to ply her trade to help make the living.  To this couple were born six children: four girls and two boys, all of whom were faithful members of the Church.

Soon after their arrival in Saint George, Sister Eyring was made a member of the presidency of the First Ward Relief Society, and for thirteen years she was an officiator in the Temple.

On May 1st, 1890, she went to Old Mexico to join her husband who had gone the preceding year with his plural family to establish a home.  When these colonies were organized into the “Mexican Mission,” Sister Eyring was appointed to preside over all of the Relief Societies in that southland, and later with the organization of a stake, she continued in that position for sixteen years.

At the time of the exodus of the Mormon colonists from Mexico she was robbed of the money she had saved for her journey.  A Mexican bandit forced his way into her home and took the money from her suitcase just as she was preparing to leave.  She left behind a beautiful brick home and a lovely vineyard laden with precious fruit which she was destined never to see again.

The last days of her life were spent principally with a daughter in Ephraim, Utah, where she labored diligently in the Manti Temple.  She died Jan. 19, 1947 [sic; 1913].

--Thomas C. Romney