The Secret Wives of Mormon Guys: Joseph Smith – Polygamous Prophet

The practice of plural marriage by Joseph Smith Jr. represents one of the most documented yet deliberately obscured chapters in Mormon history. While the LDS Church now acknowledges that Smith had between 30 and 40 plural wives, this admission came only after decades of denials and represents a fraction of the full truth about the secrecy, coercion, and deception that characterized these relationships.

The church still attempts to publicly distance itself from polygamy, but quietly admits the church founder secretly practiced polygamy for over a decade, and preached it in secret to other senior church leadership.

The Foundation of Deception

Joseph Smith’s plural marriages were conducted in complete secrecy between approximately 1833 and his death in 1844. Throughout this period, Smith publicly and repeatedly denied practicing polygamy, even going so far as to preach sermons condemning the practice. This fundamental dishonesty created a pattern of institutional deception that would plague the Mormon church for generations.

The secrecy was maintained through a combination of fear, spiritual manipulation, and the isolation of those involved. Smith frequently told his plural wives that an angel with a drawn sword had threatened his life if he did not practice plural marriage, and that compliance would guarantee exaltation for themself and their families. This spiritual coercion was particularly effective in the religious community, where questioning the prophet’s revelations was tantamount to apostasy.

The Question of Consummation

One common apologetic response to criticism of Smith’s plural marriages is the claim that these were merely “spiritual sealings” without sexual consummation. However, historical evidence contradicts this sanitized version, too. Multiple wives testified in later court proceedings and personal accounts that their marriages were indeed consummated. The secrecy surrounding these relationships, the emotional investment of the participants, and the documented pregnancies of some wives all point to these being complete marital relationships, not merely ceremonial sealings.

Furthermore, the idea that Smith would go to such elaborate lengths to secretly marry dozens of women merely for spiritual purposes strains credibility. The pattern of behavior, including the pursuit of young teenage girls and the wives of other men, suggests motivations that extended well beyond spiritual concerns. Though each of these marriages were different, and must be considered individually, a blanket statement that they were NOT consummated with sex is purposefully misleading and wishful thinking.

The Count

The church’s own genealogy website, Family Search, lists Joseph’s wife count at 31. Wikipedia has a full article on the wives of Joseph Smith, and it lists another 20, most with few details, because again, these were secretive marriages where, rather than keeping records, efforts were made not to keep records to keep these plural marriages secret. The wasmormon website includes data corroborated by FamilySearch in an easy-to-browse format for public viewing, along with charts of data for plural wives and marriage timelines. See Joseph Smith’s polygamy, as well as the full polygamy data on many church leaders.

Emma Hale Smith (Legal Wife)

Married: January 18, 1827 | Age: 22

Emma Hale Smith was Joseph’s only legal wife, married at 22. Born in 1804 in Harmony, Pennsylvania, Emma endured the most complex and painful position of any woman in Joseph’s life. She was kept largely ignorant of most of his plural marriages, discovering them only through painful personal encounters or community gossip.

Emma’s reactions to discovering Joseph’s plural relationships were consistently negative. She expelled Fanny Alger from their home after catching her with Joseph, and her distress over other plural wives led to ongoing marital conflict. Suppose Joseph had truly received divine revelation about plural marriage. In that case, one must ask why he never convinced his own (first) wife of its divine origin, and why no angel appeared to comfort or instruct Emma as they allegedly did to threaten Joseph.

Though there are records of her approving and even suggesting some wives to Joseph at times, after Joseph’s death, Emma refused to follow Brigham Young west to Utah. She remained in Nauvoo, where she married Lewis Bidamon, a non-Mormon, in 1847. Until she died in 1879, Emma consistently denied that Joseph had practiced polygamy. Her sons, Joseph III and Alexander, later became leaders in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), which also rejected polygamy as a doctrine.

Emma’s denial of polygamy has been interpreted in various ways—as protecting Joseph’s reputation, as genuine ignorance due to the secrecy, or as a way of coping with the betrayal. Whatever her motivations, her position stands in stark contrast to the institutional church’s current acknowledgment of the practice.

Fanny Alger (First Plural Relationship)

Relationship: circa 1833-1835 | Age: 16-17

Fanny Alger represents Joseph Smith’s first documented plural relationship, though calling it a “marriage” is historically questionable. Born around 1816, Fanny was approximately 16-17 years old when the relationship began around 1833. She was working as a domestic servant in the Smith household, making her economically dependent on the family.

The relationship with Fanny is significant because it occurred years before Joseph claimed to have received the revelation on plural marriage. The LDS Church now includes Fanny as Joseph’s first plural wife, but contemporary evidence shows it was more along the lines of what Oliver Cowdery bluntly called “a dirty, nasty, filthy affair.”

The relationship was discovered when Emma found Joseph and Fanny together in the barn. Emma’s immediate reaction was to expel Fanny from the household. This incident also created a permanent rift between Joseph and Oliver Cowdery, who had been his closest associate and the primary scribe for the Book of Mormon.

Oliver Cowdery‘s condemnation of the relationship as adultery is particularly damning. If Joseph had already received divine revelation about plural marriage, why would he not have explained this to his most trusted associate? Why would no angel have appeared to clarify the divine nature of the practice to Oliver? Or to Emma? The most logical explanation is that no such revelation had been received, and this was simply an extramarital affair with a teenage servant.

After leaving the Smith household, Fanny married Solomon Custer in 1836 and moved to Indiana. She never returned to the Mormon church and lived a conventional life away from Mormon communities until she died in 1889.

Louisa Beaman

Sealed: April 5, 1841 | Age: 26

Louisa Beaman, born in 1815, was 26 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on April 5, 1841. Her sealing is often cited as the first formal plural marriage in Nauvoo, performed by her brother-in-law, Joseph Bates Noble. The ceremony was conducted in complete secrecy with only a few witnesses present.

Louisa’s sealing established many of the patterns that would characterize Joseph’s later plural marriages: extreme secrecy, involvement of family members in arranging the marriage, and the use of trusted associates to perform ceremonies. After Joseph’s death, Louisa married Brigham Young in 1844 (less than 3 months after Joseph’s death), and later traveled to Utah with the main body of Mormon pioneers.

In later legal proceedings, Louisa provided testimony about her plural marriage to Joseph, helping to establish the historical record of these relationships. Her willingness to testify contrasts with the institutional church’s long-standing denial of the practice.

Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs

Sealed: October 27, 1841 | Age: 20

Zina Huntington, born in 1821, was 20 years old and already married to Henry Bailey Jacobs when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on October 27, 1841. This represents one of the most problematic aspects of Joseph’s plural marriage practice: polyandry, or marriage to women who already had living husbands.

Zina’s case illustrates the emotional manipulation involved in these relationships. She was reportedly told that an angel with a drawn sword had appeared to Joseph, threatening his life if he did not take plural wives. This story of divine coercion was used repeatedly to pressure women into compliance.

Henry Jacobs, Zina’s legal husband, was a faithful Mormon who apparently accepted the arrangement, though historical records suggest he found it emotionally devastating. The situation became even more complex when Zina continued to live with Henry and bear his children while also being sealed to Joseph.

After Joseph’s death, Zina was sealed to Brigham Young and became one of his plural wives. She eventually moved to Utah and became a prominent leader in the Relief Society organization. Her polyandrous marriage to Joseph raises questions about the abusive nature of these relationships and the emotional toll on all parties involved.

Presendia Lathrop Huntington Buell

Sealed: December 11, 1841 | Age: 31

Presendia Huntington, born in 1810, was 31 years old and married to Norman Buell when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on December 11, 1841. She was the sister of Zina Huntington, making this a prime example of sisters both being involved in plural marriages with Joseph.

The involvement of both Huntington sisters demonstrates how family networks were used to expand and legitimize plural marriage practices. It also shows how the practice affected entire families, not just individual women.

Like her sister, Presendia was subjected to stories of angelic threats and promises of exaltation for her family. Presendia continued life with her husband and bore him children through 1843. After Joseph’s death, she was passed to Heber C. Kimball and moved west with him, bearing him 2 children. All this while her legal husband, Norman Buell, remained behind rather than following the Mormon pioneers to Utah. He remarried in 1850 and lived out his life in Missouri.

Agnes Moulton Coolbrith

Sealed: January 6, 1842 | Age: 29

Agnes Coolbrith, born in 1813, was 29 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on January 6, 1842. She was the widow of Don Carlos Smith, Joseph’s brother, who had died in 1841. Her sealing to Joseph occurred just months after her husband’s death.

Agnes’s situation illustrates how widows in the early Mormon community were particularly vulnerable to plural marriage arrangements. With limited economic options and social pressure to remarry within the church, widows may have felt they had little choice but to accept such proposals.

After Joseph’s death, Agnes married William Pickett in 1846 and moved to California. She never traveled to Utah with the main body of Mormon pioneers, suggesting her commitment to the church may have been limited.

Sylvia Sessions Lyon

Sealed: February 8, 1842 | Age: 23

Sylvia Sessions, born in 1818, was 23 years old and married to Windsor Lyon when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on February 8, 1842. She is the daughter of later plural wife, Patty Sessions. Her case represents another example of polyandry and raises questions about potential offspring from these relationships.

Sylvia’s relationship with Joseph may have produced a child. Her daughter Josephine, born in 1844, was claimed by some family members to be Joseph Smith’s daughter, though this remains historically disputed. The timing of the birth and family traditions suggest this possibility, though definitive proof is lacking.

After Joseph’s death, Sylvia remained with her legal husband Windsor Lyon. She eventually moved to Utah, where she became involved in Relief Society leadership. Being married 4 times in the space of 12 years, with many of the marriages overlapping, her case illustrates the complex family dynamics created by polyandrous relationships and their lasting impact on subsequent generations.

Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner

Sealed: February 1842 | Age: 23

Mary Elizabeth Rollins, born in 1818, was 23 years old and married to Adam Lightner when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in February 1842. Her case is well-documented because she later provided extensive testimony about her plural marriage experience.

Mary described being approached by Joseph about plural marriage and the intense pressure she felt to comply. She was told that an angel with a drawn sword had appeared to Joseph, threatening his life if he did not take plural wives. She was also promised that accepting the proposal would guarantee exaltation for her and her family.

Mary’s testimony is particularly valuable because it describes the emotional manipulation and spiritual coercion involved in these relationships. She remained with her legal husband, Adam Lightner, after Joseph’s death, but was also sealed to Brigham Young, and eventually moved to Utah, where she continued to speak openly about her experiences.

Patty Bartlett Sessions

Sealed: March 9, 1842 | Age: 47

Patty Sessions, born in 1795, was 47 years old and married to David Sessions when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on March 9, 1842. At 47, she was one of the older women involved in plural marriage with Joseph. She followed in her own daughter’s footsteps as Sylvia had married Joseph just a month earlier.

Patty was a prominent midwife and healer in the Mormon community. Her professional skills and community standing may have made her an attractive candidate for plural marriage, as it would have provided Joseph with additional legitimacy and support.

After Joseph’s death, Patty traveled to Utah with the main body of Mormon pioneers and continued her work as a midwife. Her case illustrates how some women with established community roles were incorporated into the plural marriage system.

Marinda Nancy Johnson Hyde

Sealed: April 1842 | Age: 26

Marinda Johnson, born in 1815, was 26 years old and married to Orson Hyde when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in April 1842. FamilySearch does not corroborate this sealing, and thus is not represented in the site data, but she should be included in this list. Orson Hyde was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and was serving a mission in Palestine at the time of the sealing. The timing of Marinda’s sealing is particularly troubling, as it occurred while her husband was absent on church business. This suggests that Joseph may have deliberately taken advantage of Orson’s absence to approach Marinda about plural marriage, or perhaps that’s the reason Orson was sent away in the first place.

Marinda’s case also illustrates how the church hierarchy was used to facilitate plural marriage. As the wife of an apostle, Marinda would have been subject to intense pressure to support church leadership and practices, even when they conflicted with her personal desires.

After Joseph’s death, Marinda remained with her legal husband, Orson Hyde, and traveled to Utah, where he continued the practice of polygamy, eventually having 9 wives at once and siring 31 children. Marinda became involved in Relief Society leadership and remained a prominent member of the Utah Mormon community until her death.

Elizabeth Davis Goldsmith Brackenbury Durfee

Sealed: Summer 1842 | Age: 51

Elizabeth Davis, born in 1791, was 51 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in the summer of 1842. She was a widow who had been married multiple times previously, making her one of the oldest women involved in plural marriage with Joseph.

Elizabeth’s advanced age and widow status suggest that her sealing may have been motivated by different factors than Joseph’s relationships with younger women. Some historians suggest that these marriages to older widows may have been primarily for economic or social reasons rather than romantic ones.

After Joseph’s death, Elizabeth remained in the Nauvoo area and did not travel to Utah with the main body of Mormon pioneers. Her decision to remain in Illinois suggests that her commitment to the church leadership once Joseph was killed may have been limited.

Sarah Kingsley Howe Cleveland

Sealed: June 29, 1842 | Age: 54

Sarah Cleveland, born in 1788, was 54 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on June 29, 1842. She was a widow and, at 54, was the oldest woman sealed to Joseph.

Sarah was a prominent leader in the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo and was closely associated with Emma Smith. Her position in the Relief Society provided her with access to Joseph and knowledge of church practices that may not have been available to other women.

The involvement of Relief Society leadership in plural marriage creates questions about how the women’s organization was used to facilitate these relationships. Sarah’s case suggests that church leadership positions may have been both a pathway to plural marriage and a source of pressure to participate.

After Joseph’s death, Sarah remained in Nauvoo and did not travel to Utah. She died in 1856, having spent her final years away from the main body of the Mormon church.

Eliza Roxey Snow

Sealed: June 29, 1842 | Age: 38

Eliza R. Snow, born in 1804, was 38 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on June 29, 1842. Unlike many of Joseph’s plural wives, Eliza was unmarried at the time of her sealing.

Eliza was a prominent poet and intellectual in the Mormon community. Her writings and hymns became central to Mormon cultural identity, and her support for plural marriage provided important legitimacy for the practice.

After Joseph’s death, Eliza married Brigham Young and became one of his plural wives. She traveled to Utah and became one of the most prominent women in the Utah Mormon community, serving as president of the Relief Society and advocating for women’s rights within the context of Mormon polygamy. While a plural wife to both Joseph and Brigham, she bore no children.

Eliza’s case illustrates how some women genuinely embraced plural marriage and became its most articulate defenders. Her intellectual capabilities and community standing made her an effective advocate for practices that other women found troubling.

Delcena Didamia Johnson Sherman

Sealed: July 1842 | Age: 36

Delcena Johnson, born in 1806, was 36 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in July 1842. She was a widow and the sister of Benjamin Johnson, a close friend and supporter of Joseph Smith.

Delcena’s brother, Benjamin Johnson, later provided extensive documentation about Joseph’s plural marriages through his writings and testimonies. His accounts offer valuable insights into how family networks were used to expand plural marriage practices.

After Joseph’s death, Delcena remained in the Nauvoo area and eventually remarried. She did not travel to Utah with the main body of Mormon pioneers, suggesting that her commitment to the church may have been influenced more by family loyalty than religious conviction.

Sarah Ann Whitney

Sealed: July 27, 1842 | Age: 17

Sarah Ann Whitney, born in 1825, was only 17 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on July 27, 1842. Her parents, Newel K. Whitney and Elizabeth Ann Whitney, were prominent early Mormons who arranged and facilitated the marriage.

Sarah’s young age represents one of the most troubling aspects of Joseph’s plural marriage practices. At 17, she was still a child and was subject to intense family and religious pressure to comply with the prophet’s proposal.

The involvement of Sarah’s parents in arranging the marriage illustrates how family authority was used to pressure young women into plural marriage. Her parents’ prominent position in the church would have made resistance extremely difficult for the teenage girl.

After Joseph’s death, Sarah, still only 19, married Heber C. Kimball, another prominent church leader, and traveled to Utah. She became one of Kimball’s many plural wives, bore him 7 children, and remained active in the Utah Mormon community throughout her life.

Martha McBride Knight

Sealed: August 1842 | Age: 37

Martha McBride Knight, born in 1805, was 37 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in August 1842. She was a widow with several children from her previous marriage.

Martha’s case represents the economic vulnerabilities that made widows particularly susceptible to plural marriage arrangements. With limited options for supporting herself and her children, plural marriage may have seemed like the only viable choice.

After Joseph’s death, Martha married Heber C. Kimball and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives and bore him a son. Her case illustrates again how widows were often passed from one church leader to another, creating a system that prioritized male authority over women’s autonomy.

Ruth Daggett Vose Sayers

Sealed: February 1843 | Age: 34

Ruth Vose Sayers, born in 1808, was 34 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in February 1843. She was a widow whose husband, Edward Sayers, had died in 1842.

Ruth’s sealing occurred during the later period of Joseph’s plural marriage practices when he was expanding the system more broadly among church members. Her case illustrates how the practice was becoming more systematic and institutionalized.

After Joseph’s death, Ruth married Brigham Young and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives. Her transition from Joseph to Brigham illustrates how plural wives were treated as part of the institutional structure of the patriarchy rather than as individuals with autonomous choices.

Flora Ann Woodworth

Sealed: Spring 1843 | Age: 16

Flora Ann Woodworth, born June 14, 1826, was only 16 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in the spring of 1843. Her young age places her among the teenage brides who were particularly vulnerable to coercion.

Flora’s case illustrates the systematic targeting of very young women in Joseph’s plural marriage practices. At 16, she would have had limited life experience and would have been subject to intense adult authority. Joseph, at this time, was 37, 21 years her senior.

After Joseph’s death, Flora married Carlos Smith (Joseph’s nephew) and later traveled to Utah. Her case demonstrates how young women who were sealed to Joseph were often married to other church members after his death, maintaining their connection to the Mormon hierarchy.

Emily Dow Partridge

Sealed: March 4, 1843 | Age: 19

Emily Dow Partridge, born in 1824, was 19 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on March 4, 1843. She was living in the Smith household as a domestic worker after her father’s death, making her economically dependent on the family.

Emily’s position in the Smith household made her particularly vulnerable to Joseph’s advances. As a domestic worker, she would have been subject to constant pressure and would have had limited options for resistance. This follows the pattern established by Joseph’s relationship with earlier housemaid, Fanny Alger.

Emily later provided extensive testimony about her plural marriage experience, describing the secrecy and emotional difficulty of the situation. Her accounts offer valuable insights into the dynamics of plural marriage within the Smith household.

After Joseph’s death, Emily married Brigham Young and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives, bearing him 7 children. Her case illustrates how domestic workers were particularly vulnerable to plural marriage arrangements and how these relationships continued after Joseph’s death.

Eliza Maria Partridge

Sealed: March 8, 1843 | Age: 22

Eliza Maria Partridge, born April 20, 1820, was 22 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on March 8, 1843. She was the sister of Emily Dow Partridge and was also living in the Smith household as a domestic worker.

The involvement of both Partridge sisters in plural marriages with Joseph demonstrates how family networks were exploited to expand these practices. Both sisters were in vulnerable positions as domestic workers and orphans.

Eliza’s case also illustrates the emotional complexity of these relationships. She later described the conflicted feelings she experienced about plural marriage and the pressure she felt to comply with Joseph’s proposals.

After Joseph’s death, Eliza married Amasa Lyman, traveled to Utah, and bore him 5 children. Her case demonstrates how sisters were often both involved in plural marriage arrangements, creating complex family dynamics that lasted for generations.

Joseph Smith initially married both Emily and Eliza Partridge in secret in March 1843, without Emma Smith’s knowledge. When Emma later agreed to accept additional wives and asked to choose who they would be, she selected the Partridge sisters among others. Joseph had already been sealed to Emily and Eliza, so instead of telling Emma about those earlier ceremonies, he arranged a second set of marriage ceremonies in Emma’s presence in May 1843. In those ceremonies, Emma stood as a witness while Joseph was again sealed to Emily and Eliza, so that Emma could believe she was approving and witnessing their marriages for the first time. The episode is a clear example of the secrecy and complexity surrounding plural marriage in Nauvoo and of the strain between Joseph, Emma, and his other wives.

Almera Woodward Johnson

Sealed: April 1843 | Age: 30

Almera Johnson, born on October 12, 1812, was 30 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in April 1843. She was unmarried at the time of her sealing and was the sister of Benjamin Johnson, a close friend and supporter of Joseph Smith.

Almera’s brother, Benjamin Johnson, provided extensive documentation about Joseph’s plural marriages, offering valuable historical insights into these relationships. His accounts suggest that family loyalty played a significant role in facilitating plural marriage arrangements.

After Joseph’s death, Almera married Reuben Barton and eventually moved to Utah. Her case illustrates how family connections were used to expand plural marriage practices and how these relationships continued to influence Mormon communities for generations.

Lucy Walker

Sealed: May 1, 1843 | Age: 17

Lucy Walker, born on April 30, 1826, was only 17 years old, a day shy of her 18th birthday, when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on May 1, 1843. She was living in the Smith household after her father’s death, making her economically dependent on the family.

Lucy’s case is particularly well-documented because she later provided extensive testimony about her experience. She described being told that an angel with a drawn sword had appeared to Joseph, threatening his life if he did not take plural wives. She was also promised that accepting the proposal would guarantee exaltation for her and her family.

Lucy’s testimony reveals the intense emotional pressure and spiritual manipulation involved in these relationships. She described feeling that she had no choice but to comply with Joseph’s proposal, despite her personal reservations.

After Joseph’s death, and still only 18 years old, Lucy was then passed to Heber C. Kimball and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives. She and Heber had 9 children. Her detailed accounts of her experiences provide valuable insights into the coercive nature of these relationships.

Sarah Lawrence

Sealed: May 1843 | Age: 17

Sarah Lawrence, born on May 13, 1826, was 16 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on May 11, 1843. She was living in the Smith household as a ward after her father’s death, making her economically dependent on the family.

Sarah and her sister Maria were both sealed to Joseph Smith, representing another case of sisters being involved in plural marriages. Their status as orphans made them particularly vulnerable to pressure and coercion.

The Lawrence sisters’ case also involved financial complications, as Joseph served as the executor of their father’s estate. This created additional conflicts of interest and questions about whether economic considerations played a role in these relationships.

After Joseph’s death, Sarah married Heber C. Kimball and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives. Her case illustrates how young orphans were particularly vulnerable to plural marriage arrangements.

Maria Lawrence

Sealed: May 1843 | Age: 20

Maria Lawrence, born on December 18, 1823, was 20 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in May 1843. She was the sister of Sarah Lawrence and was also living in the Smith household as a ward after her father’s death.

Maria’s case involves the same financial complications as her sister’s, with Joseph serving as executor of their father’s estate. This created potential conflicts of interest and questions about whether economic motivations influenced these relationships.

After Joseph’s death, Maria married William Kimball (brother of Heber C. Kimball) and traveled to Utah. Her case demonstrates how both sisters were incorporated into the Mormon hierarchy through their marriages to prominent church leaders.

Helen Mar Kimball

Sealed: May 1843 | Age: 14

Helen Mar Kimball, born on August 22, 1828, was only 14 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in May 1843. She was the daughter of Heber C. Kimball, a prominent church leader who arranged and facilitated the marriage.

Helen’s case represents the most troubling aspect of Joseph’s plural marriage practices. At 14, she was a child who was subjected to intense family and religious pressure to comply with the prophet’s proposal. Her extreme youth raises serious questions about consent and the protection of minors in religious communities.

Helen’s father, Heber C. Kimball, was told that accepting the proposal would guarantee exaltation for his entire family. This spiritual coercion was used to pressure parents into offering their daughters for plural marriage.

Helen later wrote extensively about her experience, describing her confusion and distress about the arrangement. She felt that her childhood had been stolen and that she had been forced into a situation she could not understand or control.

After Joseph’s death, Helen married Horace Whitney and traveled to Utah. Despite her traumatic experience, she remained active in the Mormon church and became a defender of plural marriage. Her case illustrates the complex psychological effects of these relationships on the women involved.

Rhoda Richards

Sealed: June 12, 1843 | Age: 59

Rhoda Richards, born August 8, 1784, was 59 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on June 12, 1843. She was the sister of Willard Richards, a close associate of Joseph Smith and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Rhoda’s advanced age suggests that her sealing may have been motivated by different factors than Joseph’s relationships with younger women. Her connection to Willard Richards may have made her sealing politically advantageous for Joseph in maintaining loyalty among church leadership.

After Joseph’s death, Rhoda remained in Nauvoo and did not travel to Utah. She died in 1849, having spent her final years away from the main body of the Mormon church.

Desdemona Catlin Wadsworth Fullmer

Sealed: July 1843 | Age: 34

Desdemona Fullmer, born October 6, 1809, was 34 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in July 1843. She was a widow whose husband, Ezra Fullmer, had died previously.

Desdemona’s case represents the economic vulnerabilities that made widows particularly susceptible to plural marriage arrangements. With limited options for supporting herself, plural marriage may have seemed like the only viable choice.

After Joseph’s death, Desdemona married David Fullmer (possibly a relative of her deceased husband) and traveled to Utah. Her case illustrates how widows were often incorporated into the Mormon hierarchy through plural marriage arrangements.

Olive Gray Frost

Sealed: July 1843 | Age: 27

Olive Frost, born in 1816, was 27 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith in July 1843. She was a widow whose husband, John Frost, had died previously.

Olive’s sealing occurred during the later period of Joseph’s plural marriage practices when he was systematically expanding the system among church members. Her case illustrates how the practice was becoming more institutionalized.

After Joseph’s death, Olive married Brigham Young and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives. Her transition from Joseph to Brigham illustrates how plural wives were treated as part of the institutional structure of the church.

Melissa Lott

Sealed: September 20, 1843 | Age: 19

Melissa Lott, born on January 9, 1824, was 19 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on September 20, 1843. She was the daughter of Cornelius Lott, a prominent early Mormon.

Melissa’s case illustrates how the daughters of church leaders were incorporated into plural marriage practices. Her father’s prominent position in the church would have made resistance extremely difficult for a young woman.

After Joseph’s death, Melissa married Ira Jones Willes and traveled to Utah. Her later testimony provides valuable historical documentation of plural marriage practices in Nauvoo and the secrecy surrounding these relationships.

Nancy Maria Winchester

Sealed: 1843 | Age: 14-15

Nancy Maria Winchester, born on August 10, 1828, was only 14 or 15 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith sometime in 1843. Her young age places her among the child brides who were particularly vulnerable to coercion.

Nancy’s case illustrates the systematic targeting of very young women in Joseph’s plural marriage practices. At 14-15, she would have had no life experience and would have been completely subject to adult authority.

After Joseph’s death, Nancy, still only 15, married Heber C. Kimball and traveled to Utah as one of his plural wives. Her case demonstrates how child brides were often married to other church leaders after Joseph’s death, maintaining their connection to the Mormon hierarchy.

Fanny Young

Sealed: November 2, 1843 | Age: 56

Fanny Young, born on November 8, 1787, was 56 years old when she was sealed to Joseph Smith on November 2, 1843. She was the sister of Brigham Young, who would later become the second president of the Mormon church. She was also previously married twice and a widow. First married to Robert Carr in 1806 when she was 18 and he was 19. They separated, and both remarried later on. She married Roswell Murray in 1832, but he died in 1840. Still without children, she is sealed to Joseph just three years later.

Fanny’s relationship to Brigham Young made her sealing politically significant for Joseph in maintaining loyalty among church leadership. Her advanced age suggests that this sealing may have been motivated by political rather than romantic considerations.

After Joseph’s death, Fanny traveled to Utah with her brother Brigham and remained active in the Mormon church. Her case illustrates how family connections within church leadership were used to facilitate and legitimize plural marriage practices.

The Consequences: Death, Exile, and Institutional Deception

The secrecy and deception surrounding Joseph Smith’s plural marriages had devastating consequences that extended far beyond the individuals directly involved. The practice created a culture of duplicity that would define Mormon leadership for generations and ultimately led to violent conflict and forced migration.

The Nauvoo Expositor Crisis

The tensions created by Joseph’s secret plural marriages came to a head in 1844 with the publication of the Nauvoo Expositor. William Law, who had served as Joseph’s counselor in the First Presidency, became disillusioned with plural marriage and other practices he viewed as corrupt. Along with other dissenting Mormons, Law established the newspaper to expose what they saw as Joseph’s abuse of power.

The Expositor’s first and only issue, published on June 7, 1844, detailed Joseph’s plural marriage practices and called for his removal from leadership. The publication represented a direct challenge to Joseph’s authority and threatened to expose the full extent of his secret marriages to the broader Mormon community and the outside world.

Joseph’s response was swift and decisive. As mayor of Nauvoo, he convened the city council and declared the newspaper a public nuisance. On June 10, 1844, he authorized the destruction of the printing press and the burning of all copies of the newspaper. This action was widely viewed as a violation of freedom of speech and press, outraging both Mormon dissenters and non-Mormon residents of Illinois. Church leadership today continues to defend the destruction as an unfortunate necessity, still hoping members don’t read the exposé.

The Road to Carthage

The destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor created a legal and political crisis that Joseph could not resolve through his usual methods of denial and manipulation. Illinois Governor Thomas Ford demanded that Joseph and his brother Hyrum submit to arrest and trial for the destruction of the press. Initially, Joseph attempted to flee across the Mississippi River, but pressure from church leaders and followers convinced him to return and face charges.

On June 24, 1844, Joseph and Hyrum Smith surrendered to authorities in Carthage, Illinois. They were charged with treason, a capital offense, and imprisoned in the Carthage Jail. The charges were based not only on the destruction of the press but also on allegations that Joseph had committed treason against the state of Illinois by establishing a theocratic government in Nauvoo.

On June 27, 1844, a mob of approximately 150 men with blackened faces stormed the jail and killed both Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The mob was composed primarily of members of the local militia and citizens who had become increasingly hostile to Mormon presence in the area. The assassination was the culmination of years of tension created by Mormon political power, economic competition, and the scandal surrounding Joseph’s plural marriages.

The Great Migration West

Joseph Smith’s death was a blow to the church, but it strengthened their resolve. It created a succession crisis within the Mormon church, but it did not end the practice of plural marriage or the problems it created. Brigham Young emerged as the new leader of the largest faction of Mormons and not only continued the secret plural marriage but expanded it more systematically than Joseph ever had.

The tensions that had led to Joseph’s death continued to plague the Mormon community in Nauvoo. Anti-Mormon sentiment in Illinois remained high, and the practice of plural marriage continued to be a source of scandal and conflict. By 1846, it became clear that the Mormons could not remain in Illinois, and Brigham Young began organizing a massive migration to the American West.

The Mormon exodus from Nauvoo in 1846-1847 was one of the largest religious migrations in American history. Approximately 12,000 Mormons left their homes and businesses to follow Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah. This migration was a direct result of the conflicts created by Joseph Smith’s plural marriages and the culture of secrecy and deception that surrounded them.

The Utah Territory and Public Polygamy

Once established in the isolated Utah Territory, the Mormon church finally acknowledged polygamy publicly. In 1852, Brigham Young officially announced that plural marriage was a doctrine of the church, ending decades of public denial. This announcement came eight years after Joseph Smith’s death and over a decade after he began practicing plural marriage in secret.

The public acknowledgment of polygamy in Utah created new conflicts with the federal government. The practice was illegal under federal law, and the growing political power of polygamous Mormon leaders in Utah Territory created concerns about the separation of church and state. These tensions led to the Utah War of 1857-1858, when

• Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith’s “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” Teen Bride
• Trust Us—We Don’t Know: Dallin H. Oaks, Polygamy, and the Promise of Mormon Heaven
• A Fig For Polygamy?
• https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/KWJY-BPD
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Joseph_Smith%27s_wives
• https://www.yearofpolygamy.com/
• https://josephsmithspolygamy.org/
• https://ensignpeakfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Joseph-Smith%E2%80%99s-Plural-Wives-after-the-Martyrdom.pdf
• Joseph Smith
• Plural Wives and Polygamy