Spiritual Wifery Before July 1844

Early 1841 – Sarah Pratt, Mavericks, p. 46

In 1839 Smith sent Orson Pratt on a mission to Europe and Pratt left his wife Sarah for his mission on August 29, 1839 (p. 45). In early 1841 Joseph Smith confided to John C. Bennett that he was attracted to the “amiable and accomplished” Sarah Pratt and wanted her as “one of his spiritual wives, for the Lord had given her to him as a special favor for his faithfulness.” The two men then took some sewing to Sarah’s house and there, Joseph told her, “I have the blessings of Jacob granted me, as God granted holy men of old, and as I have long looked upon you with favor, and an earnest desire of connubial bliss, I hope you will not repulse or deny me.”

“AND IS THAT THE GREAT SECRET THAT I AM NOT TO UTTER?” Sarah enquired. “Am I called upon to break the marriage covenant, and prove recreant to my lawful husband! I never will….I care not for the blessings of Jacob. I have one good husband, and that is enough for me.”

June 1, 1841 (Tuesday) – Mormon Polygamy, p. 19 (Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor, No. 14” The Return, (Davis City, Iowa newspaper), June 1890, Vol. 2 No. 6, p. 287)

….In the spring of 1841, the doctrine of "spiritual wives" began to be secretly talked about. In June, 1841, Don Carlos Smith and myself left Nauvoo for Cincinnati, to settle with Mr. Shepherd, and also to lay in a stock of paper and other printing material for our office in Nauvoo.

We went to Keokuk to take a larger class of steamboat than passed over the rapids in a low stage of water, and while there, waiting for a steamer, we conversed upon the subject of that new doctrine, when Don Carlos Smith said: "Any man who will teach and practice the doctrine of spiritual wifery will go to hell, I don't care if it is my brother Joseph." This was the light in which he viewed that matter at that early day.

[Don Carlos died in August 1841.]

Before July 1, 1841 – Donna Hill, p. 341, citing HMK, (“H. M. Whitney, p. 11”, probably Plural Marriage, As Taught By the Prophet Joseph, Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882)

One Sunday in 1841, before the return of the apostles from their mission to England (in July), Joseph Smith “astonished his congregation” by speaking about “the restoration of all things as they were in ancient times”. Hills says “His meaning was so plain” that Emma Smith, Vilate Kimball and other women “became excited” and “Men too were upset.” Don Carlos apparently made his disparaging comment about spiritual wifery in this context on June 1 (Tuesday). The previous Sunday was May 30, 1841.

Helen said that after seeing the effect that his sermon had on his followers, he told them that the time for the restoration of all things might be farther off than anticipated.

April 1842 –Fleming, Philadelphia, p. 10

At a special conference to mend the schism, Winchester charged Nicholson with threatening to spill his blood and for saying Winchester was a liar. Syfritt’s charges were for telling falsehoods and for opposing the order of the church. The conference determined that the charges were true.

Then the conference investigated Winchester’s actions. Winchester claimed that Almon W. Babbitt had tried “to excite the feelings of the saints – prejudice their minds against him, and consequently destroy his influence.” Winchester then claimed that when Page arrived in Philly and heard Babbitt’s accusations, Page “joined in a conspiracy – attempted with others [to] carry their design into effect – to tramel him down, destroy his influence and remove him from the station.” And finally, Winchester accused Page of being “familiar with one of the sisters, and of teaching doctrine contrary to the order of the church,” obviously polygamy or spiritual wifery.

The conference found that Winchester “acted in the discharge of his duty in rebuking Elders Page, and Babbitt, for their conduct” and he was exonerated of any wrongdoing.

May 17, 1842 – Bennett, History of the Saints, p. 287-8

THE DURESS AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF THE AUTHOR.

THE DURESS.

“On the 17th day of May, A. D. 1842, Joe Smith requested to see me alone in the preparation room of Nauvoo Lodge, U. D., on some important business. We entered, and he locked the door, put the key in his pocket, DREW A PISTOL ON ME, and said, ‘The peace of my family requires that you should sign an affidavit, and make a statement before the next City Council, on the 19th, exonerating me from all participation whatever, either directly or indirectly, in word or deed, in the SPIRITUAL WIFE DOCTRINE, or private intercourse with females in general; and if you do not do it with apparent cheerfulness, I will make CAT-FISH BAIT of you, or deliver you over to the Danites for execution to-night; for my dignity and purity must and shall be maintained before the public, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF LIFE. Will you do it, or die? I replied that he had better procure some other person or persons to do so, as there were plenty who could do it in truth. ‘No,’ said he, ‘that will not do; for it is known that you are well acquainted with all my private acts, better than any other man; and it is in your power to save me or damn me; and as you have now withdrawn from the Church IN AN HONORABLE MANNER, OVER MY OWN SIGNATURE, - a privilege never granted to any other person, - you must and shall place it out of your power to injure me or the Church. Do it, or the Mississippi is your portion. Will you do it?’ I remarked that it was a hard case, and that I would leave peaceably, and without any public exposition, if he would excuse me. He replied, ‘I tell you as I was once told, “Your die is cast! YOUR FATE IS FIXED!! YOUR DOOM IS SEALEDIII” if you refuse. Will you do it, or die? I remarked that I would, under the circumstances, but that it was hard to take the advantage of an unarmed man. ‘If you tell that publicly,’ said he, ‘death is your portion; remember the Danites!’ He then unlocked the door; we went into the room below, and I gave an affidavit as subscribed before General Daniel H. Wells, an Alderman of the city, A JACK MORMON, ‘WHO SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT TO JOE FOR A MESS OF POTTAGE,’ (who was then doing business for the Saints in the lower room,) and made the statement required before the City Council on the 19th….”

May 19, 1842 – HOC 5:12-14

In a special session of the city council, John C. Bennett resigned as mayor, and Joseph was elected as mayor by the council, with Hyrum as vice-mayor.

[p. 12] During the election, Joseph received a brief revelation regarding city councilor Hiram Kimball “with others”, accused of “insinuating evil, and forming evil opinions” against Smith. The revelation warned that if “he continue in them, he and they shall be accursed”. Smith then threw the revelation across the room to Hiram Kimball. Smith then got up and “spoke at some lengthy concerning the evil reports which were abroad in the city.” This is surely related to spiritual wifery and the brewing cases of Catherine Fuller, the Nymans, etc. He got the city council to approve a night watch to control “the designs of our enemies.”

[p. 13] “William Smith was elected council in place of Joseph Smith, elected mayor; George A. Smith [city] councilor, in place of Hugh McFall, removed from the city.”

He got Bennett to retract any accusations of spiritual wifery or “illicit intercourse with women”.

[p. 14] Joseph then arose and pronounced a course on Nauvoo, prophesying that within twelve months, he would be visiting “every part of the city to keep them out of their graves” – “I turn the keys upon them from this hour, if they will not repent and stop their lyings and surmisings, let God curse them, and let their tongues cleave to the roofs of their mouths.”

May 24 and 25, 1842 – Quinn, p. 634; Bergera, “Buckeye’s Laments”

First Sarah Miller on the 24th and then Catherine Fuller Warren on the 25th testified before the Nauvoo High Council that married Mormons William Smith, John C. Bennett, and Chauncey Higbee had had sexual intercourse with them in 1841. Chauncey apparently gained access to these women by invoking approval from Joseph and Emma Smith, so Smith civilly sued Higbee for "slander[ing] and defam[ing] the character of the said Joseph Smith, and also the character of Emma Smith, his wife ... ." The women also testified that William “told them his brother Joseph approved of spiritual wifery.” Joseph Smith then asked Brigham Young to excommunicate William for “adultery and many other sins.”

While Higbee and Bennett were excommunicated for their extra-marital affairs (Higbee for "unchaste and unvirtuous conduct towards certain females, and for teaching it was right, if kept secret, &c."), the Van Wagoners state that William Smith was then immediately called on a mission to Pennsylvania to get him out of the limelight and away from church headquarters. [But this is NOT right, because William was elected to Illinois House of Reps in August 1842, was still editing The Wasp, defended the Nauvoo Charter in the Illinois Legislature on December 9, 1842, and came out with the last issue of The Wasp on December 10, 1842. Dale Broadhurst says he then went on a mission in the spring of 1843.]

Catherine Fuller Warren, speaking in her defense for having committed adultery with the three men, insisted that the three had “taught the doctrine it was right to have free intercourse with women and that the heads of the Church also taught and practised it which things caused her to be led away thinking it to be right.”

May 24, 1842 – Mary Ettie V. Coray Smith autobio, pp. 33-4

….probably the most dangerous element of discourd, threatening as it did the internal peace of the Church, grew out of the spiritual wife doctrine; and as some misapprehensions as to its origins appears to have obtained currency among the “Gentiles,” I deem it proper to state what I know of it.

[Relates that many believe Sidney Rigdon introduced it by revelation.] This is untrue, and has grown into public belief from statements of Smith himself, who denied the existence of such a doctrine, when questioned by the Gentiles during his life, even while he was in its practice. In fact, he excommunicated many of his followers who practiced it indiscreetly, his brother William [Smith] among others; and in order to confine it within controllable limits, and to avoid public scandal, he restricted it practice to the highest dignitaries of the Church; and it was never understood to be a thing of indiscriminate and open practice until after the Mormons crossed the [p. 34] Missouri, en route to the far West.

May 24, 1842 – Nauvoo High Council, p. 57

The High Council met according to appointment at the Lodge Room

1st The testimony of Mrs. Sarah Miller and Miss Margaret and Matilda Nyman were taken, relative to the charge of ^against^ Chancy Higbee and others – showing the manner of iniquity practiced by them upon female virtue & the unhallowed means by which they accomplished their desires

Adjourned till to morrow at 12 o’clock

H. Stout

May 24, 1842 – Nauvoo Neighbor, May 29, 1844

[Sarah Searcy Miller’s statement]

Nauvoo, May 24th, 1842.

Some two or three weeks since, in consequence of brother Joseph Smith’s teachings to the [choir] singers, I began to be alarmed concerning myself, and certain teachings which I had received from Chauncey L. Higbee, and questioned him (Higbee) about his teaching, for I was pretty well persuaded from Joseph’s public teachings that Chauncey had been telling falsehoods; but Chauncey said that Joseph now taught as he did through necessity, on account of the prejudices of the people, and his own family particularly, as they had not become believers in the doctrine. I then became satisfied that all of Chauncey’s teaching had been false, and that he had never been authorized by any one in authority to make any such communication to me. Chauncey L. Higbee’s teaching and conduct were as follows. When he first came to my house soon after the special conference this spring, Chauncey commenced joking [with] me about my getting married and wanted to know how long it had been since my husband died,[1] and soon removed his seat near me ; and began his seducing insinuations by saying it was no harm to have sexual intercourse with women if they would keep it to themselves, and continued to urge me to yield to his desires, and urged me vehemently, and said he and Joseph were good friends, and he teaches me this doctrine, and allows me such privileges, and there is no harm in it and Joseph Smith says so. I told him I did not believe it, and had heard no such teaching from Joseph, nor from the stand, but that it was wicked to commit adultery, &c. Chauncey said that did not mean single women, but married women ; and continued to press his instructions and arguments until after dark, and until I was inclined to believe, for he called God to witness of the truth, and was so solemn and confident, I yielded to his temptations, having received the strongest assurance from him that Joseph approved it and would uphold me in it. He also told me that many others were following the same course of conduct As I still had some doubts, near the close of our interview, I again suggested my fears that I had done wrong, and should loose the confidence of the brethren, when he assured that it was right, and he would bring a witness to confirm what he had taught. When he come again, I still had doubts, I told him I understood he, (Higbee,) had recently been [re-]baptized, and that Joseph, when he confirmed him, told him to quit all his iniquitous practices, - Chauncey said it was not for such things that he was baptized for, do you think I would be baptized for such a thing and then go into it so soon again ? Chauncey Hibee, said it would never be known, I told him it might be told in bringing forth [offspring]. Chauncey said there was no danger, and that Dr. Bennet [sic] understood it, and would come and take it away [i.e. abort the fetus], if there was any thing.

SARAH MILLER.

[George W. Harris, alderman, also notarized this statement on May 24, 1842.]

May 25, 1842 – Nauvoo Neighbor, May 29, 1844

Nauvoo, May 25th, 1842.

Extract from the testimony of Catherine Warren, vs. Chauncey L. Higbee, before the High Council of the Church, &c.

I have had unlawful connexion with Chauncey L. Higbee. Chauncey Higbee, taught the same doctrine as was taught by John C. Bennet [sic], and that Joseph Smith, taught and practiced those things, but he stated that he did not have it from Joseph, but he had his information from Dr. John C. Bennet. He, Chauncey L. Higbee, has gained his object about five or six times, Chauncey L. Higbee also made propositions to keep me with food if I would submit to his desires.” [emphasis in original]

We [the High Council] have abundance of like testimony on hand, which may be forth coming if we are compelled, at present the foregoing may suffice.

“Why have you not published this before?” – We answer, on account of the humility and entreaties of Higbee, at the time, - and on account of the feelings of his parents, who are highly respectable, - we have forborne until now. The character of C. L. Higbee, is so infamous, and his exertions such as to destroy every principle of righteousness, that forbearance is no longer a virture.

After all that this Chauncey L. Higbee has done, in wickedly and maliciously using the name of Joseph Smith, to persuade innocent females to submit to gratify his hellish lusts; and then blast the characters of the most chaste, pure virtuous, and philanthropic man on earth, he, to screen himself from the law of the land, and the just indignation of an insulted people, and save himself from the Penetentiary, or whatever punishment his unparalleled crims merit; has entered into a conspiracy with the Laws, and others against the life of those, who are knowing to his abandoned conduct; thus hoping to save himself from the disgrace which must follow an exposure, and wreak his vengeance and gratify his revenge for his awful disappointments.

[Herafter follows Willard Richards’ affidavit about the arrest of Augustin Spencer for assaulting Orson Spencer, and Higbee’s refusal to obey Richards’ command for assistance in getting Augustin Spencer to the Mayor’s office. – VERY LONG. Includes statements of Joseph W. Coolidge and Elbridge Tufts. See files under “Nauvoo Neighbor – MISC.”]

May 25, 1842 – Nauvoo High Council, pp. 57-8

The Council met according to adjournment

2nd Charge against Mrs. Catherine Warren by George Miller for unchaste and unvirtuous conduct with John C. Bennett and others

The defendant confessed to the charge and give the names of several others who had been guilty of having unlawful intercourse with her – stating that they taught the doctrine that it was right to have free intercourse with women and that the heads of the Church also taught and practiced it, which things caused her to be led away, thinking it to be right – but becoming convinced that it was not right and learning that the heads of the church did not believe nor practice such things, she was willing to confess her sins and repent before God for what she had done and desired earnestly that the Council would forgive her, and covenanted that she would hence forth do so no more.