FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Joseph Smith/Polygamy/Polyandry/Knowledge and consent of living husband"
< Joseph Smith | Polygamy | Polyandry
(→Esther Dutcher: m) |
(→Esther Dutcher: m) |
||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
| − | {{HalesPluralWifeBiography}} | + | {{HalesPluralWifeBiography|wife=Esther Dutcher|link=http://josephsmithspolygamy.org/history-2/plural-wives-overview/esther-dutcher/}} |
===Mary Elizabeth Rollins=== | ===Mary Elizabeth Rollins=== | ||
Revision as of 09:43, 16 August 2014
- REDIRECTTemplate:Test3
Contents
- 1 Was Joseph Smith sealed or married to other men's wives without the knowledge or consent of their husband?
Was Joseph Smith sealed or married to other men's wives without the knowledge or consent of their husband?
Questions
Joseph Smith was sealed to 11 women who were married to men who were still living. Some of these men were even active members of the Church. One critic claims that these were "unions without the knowledge or consent of the husband, in cases of polyandry." [1]
- Was Joseph Smith sealed or married to other men's wives without the knowledge or consent of their husband?</ref>
Answer
- Ruth Vose Sayers: Sealed to Joseph for eternity only with the knowledge and consent of her husband Edward (a non-member), and with the consent of Joseph's wife Emma. Ruth continued to live with Edward as earthly husband.
- Esther Dutcher: Sealed to Joseph for eternity only without the knowledge or consent of her husband Albert. Esther and Albert continued to live as earthly husband and wife until Esther died. After her death, Albert acted as proxy to have her sealed to Joseph for eternity and to himself for time.
Detailed Analysis
We will examine the known primary sources for each of the 11 known wives who were already married in order to determine what their husbands knew about the sealings.
Ruth Vose Sayers
Ruth was sealed to Joseph Smith only for eternity, and not for time, with both her husband’s consent and with Emma’s consent. She “continued to live with Mr. Sayers (remained with her husband) until his death. “[2] Ruth’s husband Edward was not a member of the Church, and was not interested in becoming one. Edward was, however, a good friend of Joseph Smith. Since Edward did not attach “much importance to the theory of a future life,” he “insisted that his wife Ruth should be sealed to the Prophet for eternity, as he himself should only claim …her in this life. She was accordingly [then] sealed to the Prophet in Emma Smith’s presence…” [2] Brian Hales notes that in 1869, Ruth signed an affidavit that reads:
Be it remembered that on this first day of May, A.D. 1869, personally appeared before me, Elias Smith, Probate Judge for Said County, Ruth Vose Sayers who was by me Sworn in due form of law and upon her oath Saith that on [blank] day of February A.D. 1843 at the City of Nauvoo County of Hancock, State of Illinois, She was married or Sealed to Joseph Smith President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by Hyrum Smith, Presiding Patriarch of Said Church, according to the laws of the Same, regulating Marriage; in the presence [blank] [3]
Hales also notes the following from the research papers of Andrew Jenson:
\Sister Ruth/ Mrs. Sayers was married in her youth to Mr. Edward Sayers, a thoroughly practical horticulturist and florist, and though he was not a member of the Church, yet he willingly joined his fortune with her and they reached Nauvoo together some time in the year 1841; While there the strongest affection sprang up between the Prophet Joseph and Mr. Sayers. The latter not attaching much importance to \the/ theory of a future life insisted that his wife \Ruth/ should be sealed to the Prophet for eternity, as he himself should only claim [page2—the first 3 lines of which are written over illegible erasures] her in this life. She \was/ accordingly the sealed to the Prophet in Emma Smith’s presence and thus were became numbered among the Prophets plural wives. She however \though she/ \continued to live with Mr. Sayers / remained with her husband \until his death. [4]
Esther Dutcher
There is very little evidence of the sealing of Esther Dutcher to Joseph Smith. Ester was married to Albert Smith (no relation to Joseph Smith or George Albert Smith). The little evidence that exists indicates that she was sealed to Joseph for eternity only, and continued to live with her husband until she died. It also appears that she was sealed to Joseph for eternity before informing her husband of that fact. Thirty-two years after Esther's death, Apostle Daniel H. Wells wrote the following letter to Joseph F. Smith. Wells notes that after Esther's death that,
He [Albert Smith was] also much afflicted with the loss of his first wife. It seems that she was sealed to Joseph the Prophet in the days of Nauvoo, though she still remained his wife, and afterwards nearly broke his heart by telling him of it, and expressing her intention of adhering to that relationship. He however got to feeling better over it, and acting for Joseph, had her sealed to him, and to himself for time. [5]
See Biography:
- A biography of Esther Dutcher may be viewed on Brian and Laura Hales' website "josephsmithspolygamy.org".
Mary Elizabeth Rollins
Presendia L. Huntington
Sarah Kingsley
Patty Bartlett
Elizabeth Davis
Lucinda Pendleton
Elvira Annie Cowles
Marinda Nancy Johnson
Zina D. Huntington
Sylvia Sessions
Sarah Ann Whitney
Mary Heron
Notes
- ↑ Jeremy Runnells, "Letter to a CES Director"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Andrew Jenson Papers [ca. 1871–1942], LDS Archives.
- ↑ Ruth Vose, Affidavit, May 1, 1869, Joseph F. Smith, Affidavit Books, 1:9; see also 4:9.
- ↑ Andrew Jenson Papers [ca. 1871–1942], LDS Archives. Brian Hales notes: “It appears that the documents in these folders were used to compile Jenson’s 1887 Historical Record article on plural marriage. See Joseph F. Smith affidavit books, LDS Archives, 1:9 for date of this sealing “February A.D. 1843.”However the affidavit states that the sealing was performed by Hyrum Smith, which is unlikely because Hyrum did not accept plural marriage until May of that year.” off-site
- ↑ Daniel H. Wells, Letter to Joseph F. Smith, June 25, 1888. Brian Hales notes, "I am indebted to Joseph Johnstun and Michael Marquardt for bringing this source to my attention." off-site