Emily Partridge

Summary: When Joseph Smith mentioned plural marriage to Emily Partridge, her response was immediate: "He asked me if I wished the matter ended. I said I did…[I] shut him up so quick that he did not bring up the subject again for months." Critics are fond of portraying Joseph Smith as being driven by sexual lusts. In this case, he simply left Emily alone for months. She received her own witness in the interim, without any influence or pressure from Joseph

Availability for testimony in 1892 Temple Lot case

Summary: Nine plural wives were living in 1892. Whether they were called as witnesses seems to have depended upon whether they could testify to conjugality in the plural marriages.

Divine manifestations to Emily Partridge

Summary: Did those who entered into plural marriage do so simply because Joseph Smith (or another Church leader) "told them to"? Is this an example of "blind obedience"? No, they bore witness that only powerful revelatory experiences convinced them that the command was from God.

Eliza Partridge, Emily's sister, was also sealed to Joseph.

Summary: Their stories are linked, though we know more about Emily than Eliza.

See Biography:

A biography of Emily Dow Partridge may be viewed on Brian and Laura Hales' website "josephsmithspolygamy.org".

Notes