Nauvoo Polygamy "... but we called it celestial marriage"

by George D. Smith

When Joseph and Emma Smith arrived in Ohio in 1831, several families offered them lodging, as did the Whitneys, whose five year-old daughter, Sarah Ann, and her eleven-year-old neighbor, Mary Elizabeth Rollins, would later play a role in Mormon polygamy. The Smiths soon moved in with the Johnsons, where Joseph met fifteen-year-old Marinda Nancy. In 1836, seven-year-old Helen Mar Kimball attended school near the Smith home. Each of these girls, whom Joseph met during the 1830s, would later marry him in the 1840s gathering place of Nauvoo, Illinois, on the east bank of the Mississippi River. In this thoroughly researched and documented work, the author shows how the prophet introduced single and married women to this new form of "celestial marrige" a granted to the elect men of Nauvoo. Through their journals, letters, and affidavits, the participants tell their stories in intimate detail before polygamy was forcibly abandoned and nearly forgotten.
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Genres: History, Mormonism, Religion, Nonfiction, American History, Spirituality, Church History

738 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 25, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nauvoo Polygamy is a frank and honest discussion of the history and culture of early Mormon polygamy. While Compton wrote the encyclopedia, Smith wrote for the audience. The chapters about how polygamy worked culturally are the most interesting. There is plenty of discussion about source material and historical context, along with all kinds of charts. This book has statistics like Brigham Young had wives. The last chapter traces the history of polygamy through Europe to the Americas – my advice is to skim it and read the conclusion (Mormon polygamists had Anabaptist polygamists for ancestors!)

The trouble with Mormon history is, in my opinion, setting the right tone. Authors either pander to believers or go for the glory. I think Smith achieves an honest tone in his book without apologizing or exaggerating.

For Mormon history students, there is not a lot of new information here. But, Smith does present polygamy in a new context: how-this-crap-worked-day-to-day.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started out believing that JS was the innocent charismatic who was taken advantage of by more sophisticated men, like BY. After reading this book, I believe just the opposite. The interesting thing about this book is that though, certainly George Smith has an agenda, just as all authors do, his research is so impeccable, that it is presented in as much detail as he can provide - including the context of other examples of christian plural marriage down through the ages - but doesn't really speak to his own opinions or conclusions much. He leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions, which is truly the most powerful.

I highly recommend this book!

[Austin Archibald · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not from a "faithful" perspective and laced with erred conclusions, this is the most comprehensive look at the origins and development of Mormon polygamy. Really fascinating and entertaining. The history is so complex and difficult to piece all together, but the author did so effectively in a relatively easy and chronological format. An important companion to Compton and Van Wagoner's work.

[Napoleone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the concise and surprisingly faster pace of this book compared to others I've read on the topic of polygamy. However, the result is some parts of the book should have gone a little more in depth, as some details and quotes are out of context, perhaps to support the author's beliefs and conclusions.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is worth the 4 stars for the extensive charts and meticulously compiled demographic data alone. Didn't like the style and method of writing in a few chapters but overall it is a very important and well researched book.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

How has this book not gotten more press? Maybe it has and I've missed it, but it seems like everyone looks to Compton's "In Sacred Loneliness" on this subject. I'm astonished by the extensive and careful research that went into this. It is an immense undertaking.

[Rick]

Definitely has some unsettling info about polygamy

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a very interesting book, but give yourself sometime because there is a lot of detail with names and dates.

[Viliami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exactly what I expected. Good for the historical sources. The genesis of polygamy is still somewhat elusive.