Polygamy in LDS Leadership

Statistics and data about plural marriage among leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830 to present.

Polygamy is the practice of marrying multiple spouses (opposed to monogamy where a person is married to only one spouse). When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is technically called polygyny, though the church calls it plural marriage or polygamy. When a woman is married to more than one husband at the same time, it is called polyandry. When there a man has multiple wives who in turn have multiple husbands at the same time, it is called polyamory.

Overview Statistics

64 Total Polygamist Leaders
(on the site so far)

54 Simultaneous Polygamists Multiple living wives at once

10 Celestial Polygamists Sequential marriages only

474 Total Plural Wives

7.4 Avg Wives per Polygamist

54 Most Wives (Single Leader) Brigham Young

13.1 yrs Avg Age Difference

51 yrs Largest Age Difference

24.5% Marriages with 20+ yr Gap

72 Teenage Brides (<18)

20 Brides Under 16

15.2% Percentage Teenage Brides

12 Youngest Bride Age

1,458 Total Children

Polygamist Leaders

Click any card for full biographical details. Ordered by number of wives.

Brigham Young 1801–1877 (76 years)

54 wives59 children5 teens

Heber C. Kimball 1801–1868 (67 years)

43 wives69 children6 teens

Joseph Smith 1805–1844 (38 years)

30 wives11 children3 teens

Willard Richards 1804–1854 (49 years)

16 wives23 children1 teen

John Taylor 1808–1887 (78 years)

16 wives37 children

Marriner W. Merrill 1832–1906 (73 years)

14 wives90 children5 teens

Brigham Young Jr. 1836–1903 (66 years)

13 wives56 children3 teens

Franklin D. Richards 1821–1899 (78 years)

13 wives28 children1 teen

Parley P. Pratt 1807–1857 (50 years)

12 wives31 children1 teen

Amasa Lyman 1813–1877 (63 years)

11 wives59 children5 teens

George A. Smith 1817–1875 (58 years)

10 wives23 children1 teen

Wilford Woodruff 1807–1898 (91 years)

10 wives34 children3 teens

John W. Taylor 1858–1916 (58 years)

10 wives59 children1 teen

Jedediah M. Grant 1816–1856 (40 years)

10 wives11 children3 teens

Orson Pratt 1811–1881 (70 years)

10 wives45 children2 teens

Lorenzo Snow 1814–1901 (87 years)

9 wives42 children4 teens

Daniel H. Wells 1814–1891 (76 years)

9 wives27 children2 teens

George Teasdale 1831–1907 (75 years)

9 wives28 children

Orson Hyde 1805–1878 (73 years)

9 wives31 children2 teens

Ezra T. Benson 1811–1869 (58 years)

8 wives32 children

Joseph Angell Young 1834–1875 (40 years)

7 wives24 children2 teens

Abraham H. Cannon 1859–1896 (37 years)

7 wives25 children1 teen

George Q. Cannon 1827–1901 (74 years)

7 wives39 children

William Smith 1811–1893 (82 years)

6 wives9 children1 teen

Charles C. Rich 1809–1883 (74 years)

6 wives35 children4 teens

Albert Carrington 1813–1889 (76 years)

6 wives32 children1 teen

Matthias F. Cowley 1858–1940 (81 years)

6 wives26 children

John Willard Young 1844–1924 (79 years)

6 wives20 children2 teens

Joseph F. Smith 1838–1918 (80 years)

6 wives48 children3 teens

John R. Winder 1821–1910 (88 years)

5 wives24 children2 teens

Erastus Snow 1818–1888 (69 years)

5 wives36 children1 teen

Moses Thatcher 1842–1909 (67 years)

5 wives23 children1 teen

Charles W. Penrose 1832–1925 (93 years)

5 wives43 children

John E. Page 1799–1867 (68 years)

5 wives20 children

John F. Boynton 1811–1890 (79 years)

5 wives9 children

Lyman Wight 1796–1858 (61 years)

4 wives18 children

Hyrum Smith 1800–1844 (44 years)

4 wives8 children

Lyman E. Johnson 1811–1859 (48 years)

4 wives5 children

Charles W. Nibley 1849–1931 (82 years)

3 wives8 children1 teen

Joseph F. Merrill 1868–1952 (83 years)

3 wives10 children

Rudger Clawson 1857–1943 (86 years)

3 wives5 children1 teen

Heber J. Grant 1856–1945 (88 years)

3 wives12 children

Howard W. Hunter 1907–1995 (87 years)

3 wives4 children

Joseph Fielding Smith 1876–1972 (95 years)

3 wives12 children

Luke S. Johnson 1807–1861 (54 years)

3 wives22 children1 teen

Reed Smoot 1862–1941 (79 years)

2 wives7 children

L. Tom Perry 1922–2015 (92 years)

2 wives4 children

Martin Harris 1783–1875 (92 years)

2 wives11 children1 teen

Russell M. Nelson 1924–2025 (101 years)

2 wives2 children

Thomas B. Marsh 1800–1866 (65 years)

2 wives8 children

Albert E. Bowen 1875–1953 (77 years)

2 wives2 children

George Q. Morris 1874–1962 (88 years)

2 wives6 children

Delbert L. Stapley 1896–1978 (81 years)

2 wives5 children1 teen

Harold B. Lee 1899–1973 (74 years)

2 wives2 children

Abraham O. Woodruff 1872–1904 (31 years)

2 wives5 children

Dallin H. Oaks 1932 (93 years)

2 wives6 children

Melvin J. Ballard 1873–1939 (66 years)

2 wives15 children

Jesse Gause 1784–1836 (52 years)

2 wives3 children

Adam S. Bennion 1886–1958 (71 years)

2 wives10 children

Marvin J. Ashton 1915–1994 (78 years)

2 wives4 children

Anthon H. Lund 1844–1921 (76 years)

2 wives9 children

Sylvester Q. Cannon 1877–1943 (65 years)

2 wives12 children

John Henry Smith 1848–1911 (63 years)

2 wives24 children1 teen

Orson F. Whitney 1855–1931 (75 years)

2 wives11 children

Detailed Data Table

Showing 64 leaders and some plural marriage data.

Name	Wives	Teen Brides	Children	Avg Age Diff	Max Age Diff
Brigham Young	54	5	59	16.9 yrs	43 yrs
Heber C. Kimball	43	6	69	15.2 yrs	36 yrs
Joseph Smith	30	3	11	10.6 yrs	21 yrs
Willard Richards	16	1	23	15.1 yrs	25 yrs
John Taylor	16	0	37	13 yrs	51 yrs
Marriner W. Merrill	14	5	90	20.1 yrs	37 yrs
Brigham Young Jr.	13	3	56	18.6 yrs	38 yrs
Franklin D. Richards	13	1	28	9.4 yrs	30 yrs
Parley P. Pratt	12	1	31	11.3 yrs	22 yrs
Amasa Lyman	11	5	59	12.5 yrs	20 yrs
George A. Smith	10	1	23	4.5 yrs	16 yrs
Wilford Woodruff	10	3	34	21.6 yrs	45 yrs
John W. Taylor	10	1	59	12.4 yrs	22 yrs
Jedediah M. Grant	10	3	11	10.7 yrs	23 yrs
Orson Pratt	10	2	45	16.7 yrs	40 yrs
Lorenzo Snow	9	4	42	16.9 yrs	41 yrs
Daniel H. Wells	9	2	27	15.6 yrs	30 yrs
George Teasdale	9	0	28	19.7 yrs	44 yrs
Orson Hyde	9	2	31	25.3 yrs	42 yrs
Ezra T. Benson	8	0	32	13.1 yrs	32 yrs
Joseph Angell Young	7	2	24	5.7 yrs	16 yrs
Abraham H. Cannon	7	1	25	4.7 yrs	11 yrs
George Q. Cannon	7	0	39	15.1 yrs	24 yrs
William Smith	6	1	9	13.2 yrs	19 yrs
Charles C. Rich	6	4	35	15.5 yrs	23 yrs
Albert Carrington	6	1	32	19.8 yrs	30 yrs
Matthias F. Cowley	6	0	26	10.3 yrs	26 yrs
John Willard Young	6	2	20	8.7 yrs	17 yrs
Joseph F. Smith	6	3	48	13.5 yrs	26 yrs
John R. Winder	5	2	24	15 yrs	25 yrs
Erastus Snow	5	1	36	7.8 yrs	18 yrs
Moses Thatcher	5	1	23	9.2 yrs	20 yrs
Charles W. Penrose	5	0	43	5.6 yrs	11 yrs
John E. Page	5	0	20	9.2 yrs	19 yrs
John F. Boynton	5	0	9	15 yrs	31 yrs
Lyman Wight	4	0	18	21 yrs	32 yrs
Hyrum Smith	4	0	8	8 yrs	19 yrs
Lyman E. Johnson	4	0	5	7.7 yrs	19 yrs
Charles W. Nibley	3	1	8	7.7 yrs	11 yrs
Joseph F. Merrill	3	0	10	4.7 yrs	10 yrs
Rudger Clawson	3	1	5	11 yrs	20 yrs
Heber J. Grant	3	0	12	0.3 yrs	1 yrs
Howard W. Hunter	3	0	4	7.3 yrs	11 yrs
Joseph Fielding Smith	3	0	12	13 yrs	26 yrs
Luke S. Johnson	3	1	22	9.7 yrs	16 yrs
Reed Smoot	2	0	7	7.5 yrs	14 yrs
L. Tom Perry	2	0	4	1.5 yrs	2 yrs
Martin Harris	2	1	11	22 yrs	35 yrs
Russell M. Nelson	2	0	2	13 yrs	25 yrs
Thomas B. Marsh	2	0	8	5.5 yrs	11 yrs
Albert E. Bowen	2	0	2	2.5 yrs	5 yrs
George Q. Morris	2	0	6	3.5 yrs	4 yrs
Delbert L. Stapley	2	1	5	11.5 yrs	17 yrs
Harold B. Lee	2	0	2	2 yrs	3 yrs
Abraham O. Woodruff	2	0	5	4.5 yrs	9 yrs
Dallin H. Oaks ●	2	0	6	4 yrs	8 yrs
Melvin J. Ballard	2	0	15	1 yrs	2 yrs
Jesse Gause	2	0	3	8.5 yrs	15 yrs
Adam S. Bennion	2	0	10	2.5 yrs	4 yrs
Marvin J. Ashton	2	0	4	2.5 yrs	3 yrs
Anthon H. Lund	2	0	9	8.5 yrs	14 yrs
Sylvester Q. Cannon	2	0	12	2 yrs	3 yrs
John Henry Smith	2	1	24	5 yrs	9 yrs
Orson F. Whitney	2	0	11	1.5 yrs	3 yrs

Young Brides

Women who married church leaders before age 20. This includes 72 teenage brides (under 18) plus 75 brides aged 18-19. Listed by age at marriage, youngest first.

Bride	Age	Husband	His Age	Age Gap	Year
Helen Melissa Winters	12	Orson Hyde	52	40 yrs	1857
Cyrena Ann Merrill	14	Marriner W. Merrill	23	9 yrs	1856
Emeline Grover	14	Charles C. Rich	36	22 yrs	1846
Harriet Sargent	14	Charles C. Rich	37	23 yrs	1847
Ethel May Burdett	14	Delbert L. Stapley	21	7 yrs	1918
Clarissa Caroline Decker	15	Brigham Young	42	27 yrs	1844
Amanda Trimble Gheen	15	Heber C. Kimball	44	29 yrs	1845
Almira Jane Bainbridge	15	Marriner W. Merrill	32	17 yrs	1865
Maria Loenza Kingsbury	15	Marriner W. Merrill	35	20 yrs	1867
Maria Louisa Tanner	15	Amasa Lyman	32	17 yrs	1846
Emma Smith	15	Wilford Woodruff	46	31 yrs	1853
Rosetta Robison	15	Jedediah M. Grant	32	17 yrs	1849
Eleanor Houtz	15	Lorenzo Snow	34	19 yrs	1848
Sarah Ephramina Jensen	15	Lorenzo Snow	57	42 yrs	1871
Ann Mousley Cannon	15	Abraham H. Cannon	20	5 yrs	1879
Mary Jane Rollins	15	William Smith	34	19 yrs	1845
Rebecca Neibaur	15	Charles W. Nibley	20	5 yrs	1869
Florence Ann Dinwoodey	15	Rudger Clawson	25	10 yrs	1882
Susan Arminda Poteet	15	Luke S. Johnson	24	9 yrs	1831
Lucy Harris	15	Martin Harris	24	9 yrs	1808
Elizabeth Fairchild	16	Brigham Young	43	27 yrs	1844
Ellen Rockwood	16	Brigham Young	44	28 yrs	1846
Lucy Bigelow	16	Brigham Young	45	29 yrs	1847
Vilate Murray	16	Heber C. Kimball	21	5 yrs	1822
Ann Alice Gheen	16	Heber C. Kimball	43	27 yrs	1844
Nancy Mariah Winchester	16	Heber C. Kimball	43	27 yrs	1844
Margaret Warrell McMinn	16	Heber C. Kimball	44	28 yrs	1846
Sarah Lawrence	16	Joseph Smith	37	21 yrs	1843
Sarah Longstroth	16	Willard Richards	38	22 yrs	1843
Cyrene Standley	16	Marriner W. Merrill	23	7 yrs	1856
Maria Louisa Kingsbury	16	Marriner W. Merrill	25	9 yrs	1858
Elizabeth McFate	16	Franklin D. Richards	24	8 yrs	1846
Louisa Maria Tanner	16	Amasa Lyman	22	6 yrs	1835
Priscilla Rebecca Turley	16	Amasa Lyman	32	16 yrs	1846
Laura Lucinda Reed	16	Amasa Lyman	32	16 yrs	1846
Susan Noble Fairchild	16	Jedediah M. Grant	32	16 yrs	1848
Marrietta Kesler	16	Jedediah M. Grant	39	23 yrs	1855
Juliaette Ann Phelps	16	Orson Pratt	44	28 yrs	1855
Margaret Graham	16	Orson Pratt	57	41 yrs	1868
Mary Elizabeth Houtz	16	Lorenzo Snow	42	26 yrs	1857
Ann Eliza Vickers	16	Orson Hyde	52	36 yrs	1857
Clara Federata Stenhouse	16	Joseph Angell Young	32	16 yrs	1867
Rhoda Maria Woods	16	Albert Carrington	25	9 yrs	1838
Lucy Maria Canfield	16	John Willard Young	19	3 yrs	1864
Luella Lucy Cobb	16	John Willard Young	32	16 yrs	1877
Levira Annette Clark Smith	16	Joseph F. Smith	20	4 yrs	1859
Julina Lambson	16	Joseph F. Smith	27	11 yrs	1866
Emma Jane Hewitt	16	John R. Winder	35	19 yrs	1857
Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby	16	Erastus Snow	29	13 yrs	1847
Celestia Ann Farr	16	Moses Thatcher	19	3 yrs	1861
Sarah Farr	16	John Henry Smith	18	2 yrs	1866
Diana Chase	17	Brigham Young	43	26 yrs	1844
Emily Trask Cutler	17	Heber C. Kimball	44	27 yrs	1846
Sarah Ann Whitney	17	Joseph Smith	36	19 yrs	1842
Lucy Walker	17	Joseph Smith	37	20 yrs	1843
Jane Maria Carrington	17	Brigham Young Jr.	20	3 yrs	1857
Abbie Jane Stevens	17	Brigham Young Jr.	50	33 yrs	1887
Abigail Stevens	17	Brigham Young Jr.	50	33 yrs	1887
Ann Agatha Walker	17	Parley P. Pratt	40	23 yrs	1847
Caroline Ely Partridge	17	Amasa Lyman	31	14 yrs	1844
Hannah Maria Libby	17	George A. Smith	28	11 yrs	1845
Mary Caroline Barton	17	Wilford Woodruff	39	22 yrs	1846
Clarissa Harriman Hardy	17	Wilford Woodruff	45	28 yrs	1852
May Leona Rich	17	John W. Taylor	24	7 yrs	1882
Phebe Amelia Woodruff	17	Lorenzo Snow	45	28 yrs	1859
Eliza Rebecca Robison	17	Daniel H. Wells	22	5 yrs	1837
Martha Givens Harris	17	Daniel H. Wells	34	17 yrs	1849
Martha Maria Bowker	17	Joseph Angell Young	22	5 yrs	1857
Eliza Ann Graves	17	Charles C. Rich	35	18 yrs	1845
Sarah Jane Peck	17	Charles C. Rich	36	19 yrs	1846
Sarah Ellen Richards	17	Joseph F. Smith	29	12 yrs	1868
Annie Brynildson	17	John R. Winder	43	26 yrs	1865
Miriam Works	18	Brigham Young	23	5 yrs	1824
Harriett Elizabeth Cook	18	Brigham Young	42	24 yrs	1843
Mary Ann Turley	18	Brigham Young	44	26 yrs	1846
Sarah Lawrence	18	Heber C. Kimball	43	25 yrs	1844
Lucy Walker	18	Heber C. Kimball	43	25 yrs	1845
Mary Thompson	18	Willard Richards	41	23 yrs	1846
Nanny Lynn Longstroth	18	Willard Richards	42	24 yrs	1846
Maria Ann Smith	18	Marriner W. Merrill	35	17 yrs	1868
Laura Altha Snyder	18	Franklin D. Richards	32	14 yrs	1854
Paulina Eliza Phelps	18	Amasa Lyman	32	14 yrs	1846
Sarah Elinor Brown	18	Wilford Woodruff	39	21 yrs	1846
Sarah Delight Stocking	18	Wilford Woodruff	50	32 yrs	1857
Sarah Ann Thurston	18	Jedediah M. Grant	37	19 yrs	1853
Sarah Ann Pritchard	18	Lorenzo Snow	31	13 yrs	1845
Sophia Margaret Lyon	18	Orson Hyde	60	42 yrs	1865
Eliza Ann Parry	18	Ezra T. Benson	36	18 yrs	1847
Mary Ann Ayers	18	Joseph Angell Young	17	—	1852
Adelia Almyra Spencer	18	Joseph Angell Young	27	9 yrs	1862
Sarah Ann Jenkins	18	Abraham H. Cannon	19	1 yrs	1878
Amelia Minerva Young	18	Abraham H. Cannon	24	6 yrs	1883
Wilhelmina Mouritsen	18	Abraham H. Cannon	24	6 yrs	1883
Sarah Jane Jenne	18	George Q. Cannon	31	13 yrs	1858
Mary Taylor Schwarz	18	Joseph F. Smith	45	27 yrs	1884
Ellen Walters	18	John R. Winder	23	5 yrs	1845
Caroline Young	18	Martin Harris	53	35 yrs	1836
Eliza Avery Clark	18	Abraham O. Woodruff	28	10 yrs	1901
Emmeline Free	19	Brigham Young	43	24 yrs	1845
Mary Jane Bigelow	19	Brigham Young	45	26 yrs	1847
Charlotte Chase	19	Heber C. Kimball	43	24 yrs	1844
Sarah Ann Whitney	19	Heber C. Kimball	43	24 yrs	1845
Theresa Arathusa Morley	19	Heber C. Kimball	44	25 yrs	1846
Mary Smithies	19	Heber C. Kimball	55	36 yrs	1857
Emily Dow Partridge	19	Joseph Smith	37	18 yrs	1843
Melissa Lott	19	Joseph Smith	37	18 yrs	1843
Jane Hall	19	Willard Richards	41	22 yrs	1846
Mary Ann Oakley	19	John Taylor	36	17 yrs	1845
Mary Ramsbottom	19	John Taylor	37	18 yrs	1846
Margaret Young	19	John Taylor	47	28 yrs	1856
Sarah Ann Atkinson	19	Marriner W. Merrill	21	2 yrs	1853
Anna Sofia Engman Anderson	19	Marriner W. Merrill	56	37 yrs	1889
Catherine Curtis Spencer	19	Brigham Young Jr.	18	—	1855
Louie Maria Wells	19	Brigham Young Jr.	39	20 yrs	1876
Eva Roberts	19	Brigham Young Jr.	52	33 yrs	1889
Jane Snyder	19	Franklin D. Richards	21	2 yrs	1842
Cornelia Eliza Leavitt	19	Amasa Lyman	31	12 yrs	1844
Eliza Ann Neff	19	Amasa Lyman	40	21 yrs	1853
Bathsheba Wilson Bigler	19	George A. Smith	24	5 yrs	1841
Sarah Brown	19	Wilford Woodruff	46	27 yrs	1853
May Louise Rich	19	John W. Taylor	21	2 yrs	1879
Nellie Eva Todd	19	John W. Taylor	30	11 yrs	1888
Janet Maria Woolley	19	John W. Taylor	31	12 yrs	1889
Sarah Marinda Bates	19	Orson Pratt	24	5 yrs	1836
Adelia Ann Bishop	19	Orson Pratt	33	14 yrs	1844
Matilda Ellen Picton	19	George Teasdale	46	27 yrs	1878
Mary Lauretta Picton	19	George Teasdale	51	32 yrs	1883
Marinda Nancy Johnson Hyde	19	Orson Hyde	29	10 yrs	1834
Margaret Whitehead	19	Joseph Angell Young	22	3 yrs	1857
Elizabeth Hoagland	19	George Q. Cannon	27	8 yrs	1854
Caroline Amanda Grant	19	William Smith	21	2 yrs	1833
Lavinia Ford	19	Albert Carrington	44	25 yrs	1858
Luella Smart Parkinson	19	Matthias F. Cowley	31	12 yrs	1889
Clara Lucinda Jones	19	John Willard Young	20	1 yrs	1865
Adolphine Bertha Christine Damke	19	John Willard Young	34	15 yrs	1879
Edna Lambson	19	Joseph F. Smith	32	13 yrs	1871
Artemisia Beman	19	Erastus Snow	20	1 yrs	1838
Julia Josephine Spencer	19	Erastus Snow	37	18 yrs	1856
Celestia Ellen Snow	19	Moses Thatcher	24	5 yrs	1866
Louisa Elizabeth Lusty	19	Charles W. Penrose	30	11 yrs	1863
Susannah Lowell	19	John F. Boynton	24	5 yrs	1836
Sarah Susan Lang	19	Lyman E. Johnson	22	3 yrs	1834
Lucy Stringham	19	Heber J. Grant	20	1 yrs	1877
Ethel Georgina Reynolds	19	Joseph Fielding Smith	32	13 yrs	1908
Dantzel White	19	Russell M. Nelson	20	1 yrs	1945
Elizabeth Godkin	19	Thomas B. Marsh	20	1 yrs	1820
Josephine Groesbeck	19	John Henry Smith	28	9 yrs	1877