WIFE No. 19,
OR
THE STORY OF
A LIFE IN BONDAGE,
BEING A
Complete Expos6 of Mormonism,
AND REVEALING THE
SORROWS, SACRIFICES AND SUFFERINGS OF
WOMEN IN POLYGAMY,
BY
ANN ELIZA YOUNG,
BRIGHAM YOUNG'S APOSTATE WIFC.
WITH INTRODUCTORY NOTES BY
JOHN B. GOUGH AND MARY A. LIVERMORE.
ILLUSTRATED.
SOLD BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY.
DUSTIN, OILMAN & CO.
PUBLICATION OFFICE: HARTFORD, CONN.
BRANCH OFFICES: CHICAGO, ILL., CINCINNATI, OHIO.
1 876.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875,
BY DUSTIN, OILMAN & CO.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
0<oT
TO THE
MORMON WIVES OF UTAH.
I Dedicate this Book to you, as I consecrate my life to your cause.
As long as God gives me life I shall pray and plead for your deliver-
ance from the worse than Egyptian bondage in which you are held.
Despised, maligned, and wronged ; kept in gross ignorance of the
great world, its pure creeds, its high aims, its generous motives, you
have been made to believe that the noblest nation of the earth was truly
represented by the horde of miscreants who drove you from State to State,
in early years, murdering your sons and assassinating your leaders.
Hence, you shrink from those whom God will soon lead to your
deliverance, from those to whom I daily present your claims to a
hearing and liberation, and who listen with responsive and sympathetic
hearts.
But He will not long permit you to be so wickedly deceived; nor
will the People permit you to be so cruelly enslaved.
Hope and pray ! Come out of the house of bondage ! Kind hearts
beat for you ! Open hands will welcome you ! Do not fear that while
God lives you shall suffer uncared for in the wilderness ! This Christian
realm is not " Babylon," but THE PROMISED LAND !
Courage ! The night of oppression is nearly ended, and the sun
of liberty is rising in the heavens for you.
ANN-ELIZA YOUNG.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE,
BY
JOHN B. GOUGH.
SINCE Mrs. Young's pleasant visit to us, I have thought
much of the important mission to which she has devoted
herself, and I wish to say, and I do it most cordially, that
having been reared and educated in Mormonism, from her
experience and the sufferings she has endured, she is fully
competent to expose the whole system, and show to the
public the true side of it, as no other person can or will. I
need not assure her of my entire confidence in her sincerity
and ability to carry out the work to which she has devoted
herself, and the talents God has given her. I believe she
has been called to this mission, and by her experience and
intense sympathy with the sufferings of her sex, has been
wonderfully qualified, and prepared for the work.
The sympathy of our entire household is with her, and
we earnestly pray that she may be enabled to overcome all
opposition, and that God may give her abundant success,
and that the blessing of many ready to perish may rest
upon her.
JOHN B. GOUGH.
WORCESTER, MASS., July, 1875.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE,
MRS. MARY A. LIVERMORE.
I HAVE read the advance sheets of Mrs. Ann-Eliza
Young's book with painful interest, which has deepened
into disgust and pity. Disgust at the hypocrisy, brutality,
and diabolism of the Mormon leaders ; pity for the
wasted, joyless, sacrificial lives of the poor women who
immolate themselves on the shrine of Mormonism, in the
holy name of Religion.
Born and reared in the midst of these deluded people,
removed from all counteracting influences, it was inevitable
that Mrs. Young should accept their beliefs, and be drawn
into their practices. And it must have required heroic res-
olution in her to break away from the Mormon Church,
even when her vision was unsealed to its rottenness, know-
ing as she did that she would be compelled to flee from
home, leaving a beloved mother and precious children in
the hands of the enemy. I congratulate her on her com-
plete emancipation, on her reunion with her beloved,
whose obvious peril weighed so heavily on her filial and
maternal heart, and on the possession of ability to give to
the world an expos6 of the Mormon horror, such as it has
IO
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
never before received. My sympathies are entirely with
her in ttL"-worfc"~to whiclr-ske-Jias consecrated herself.
' M , " ^^\
I With her awakened conscience, shel could not do other-
wise llitm aectrthe dismtegr'atiOfl oi me Utah community,
whose foundations are laid in me degradation of woman.
May she have the largest success compatible with human
effort.
MARY A. LIVERMORE.
MELROSE, MASS., Oct. 1875.
TO THE WIVES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG.
SHOULD this book meet your eyes, I wish you most distinctly to,
understand that my quarrel is not with you. On the contrary, the
warmest and tenderest feelings of my heart are strongly enlisted in
your favor. As a rule, you have been uniformly kind to me.
Some of you I have dearly loved. I have respected and honored
you all. My love and respect have never failed, but have rather
increased with separation. I think of you often with the sincerest
sympathy for your helpless condition, bound to a false religion,
and fettered by a despotic system ; and I wish from the depths of
my heart that I could bring you, body and soul, out from the cruel
bondage, and help you to find the freedom, rest, and peace which
have become so sweet to me since my eyes have been opened to
the light of a true and comforting faith.
Since I have left Utah, I know that some of you have censured
me severely, and have joined in personal denunciations. But I
know that you are actuated by a mistaken zeal for the cause which
you feel yourselves bound to sustain. You, no doubt, regard my
course with horror. I look upon your lives with pity.
I have taken the liberty of describing your characters and situ-
ations. I was not prompted by the slightest animosity toward
you, but because the public are interested in you, and curious con-
cerning you, and I felt that I could give to the world a true story
of your lives, and, at the same time, do you justice, and let you be
seen as you are in my eyes, which are not dimmed by prejudice.
12 TO THE WIVES OF BRIGHAM YOUNG.
I was driven to the course I am pursuing by sheer desperation,
as some of you, with whom I have exchanged confidences, well
know. The motives which have been attributed to me, and the
charges that have been madeagainst me,are as utterly false and
foreign to/my nature as darkness is tq light.] You, at least, should
not m i sj u dge~m e^ Y ou should know rne better, and you do.
Even your bitter prejudice, and your disapprobation of the step I
have taken, cannot make you believe me other than I am. You
know that apostasy from Mormonism does not necessarily degrade
a person, and sink them at once to the lowest depths of fnfamy.
If, as is taught, and as I suppose you believe, I have lost the
light of the gospel, and departed from "the faith once delivered
to the saints," am I not rather deserving your compassion than
your censure? Your own hearts and consciences must answer
that.
The women of Utah should know that I shall vindicate their
rights, and defend their characters, at all times and in all places.
Their sorrow has been my sorrow ; their cause is my cause still.
My heart goes out to them all, but more especially to you. You
have been my companions and my sisters in tribulation. Now
our paths diverge. I go on the way that I have chosen alone,
while you stay sorrowing together. I wish I had the power to
influence you to throw off the fetters which bind you, and to walk
triumphantly forth into the glories of a faith, whose foundation is
in God the compassionate Father, whose principles are those of a
tender mercy, whose ruling spirit is love. Alas ! I cannot do it ;
but I pray that the good Father in His infinite mercy may open
your eyes to His glory, and lead you forth His children to do His
blessed will.
ANN-ELIZA YOUNG.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE DAYS OF MY CHILDHOOD. WHY I EVER WAS A
MORMON.
An Important Question. Born in Mormonism. Telling my own Story.
Joseph Smith's Mission. He preaches a New Dispensation. My
Parents Introduced to the Reader. The Days before Polygamy. My
Mother's Childhood. Learning under Difficulties. First Thoughts
of Mormonism. Received into the Church. Persecution for the
Faith. Forsaking all for the New Religion. First Acquaintance with
the Apostle Brigham. His Ambitious Intrigues. His Poverty. His
Mission-work. Deceptive Appearances. My Mother's Marriage.
A Brief Dream of Happiness. That Sweet Word " Home." The
Prophet Smith turns Banker. The " Kirtland Safety Society Bank."
The Prophet and Sidney Rigdon Flee. A Moment of Hesitation.
Another " Zion " Appointed. Losing All for the Church. Privation
and Distress. Sidney Rigdon and his "Declaration of Independence."
He Excites an Immense Sensation. Mobs Assemble and Fights
Ensue. Lively Times among the Saints. The Outrages of the
Danites 31
CHAPTER II.
FOUNDING THE NEW RELIGION. ASSASSINATION OF
JOSEPH SMITH.
The Saints expelled from Missouri. They cross the Mississippi into Illi-
nois. Forming a Ne\y Settlement. Arrival in Quincy. A Kind
Reception. The City of "Nauvoo" Founded. A New Temple Be-
gun. Great Success of the Foreign Missions. The Saints flock from
Europe. Thousands assemble in Nauvoo. The Prophet Joseph ap-
plies for a City Charter. Nauvoo Incorporated. The Saints Petition
the National Government. The Prophet visits Washington. His
Interview with President Van Buren. He Coquets with Politics. He
Stands on the Edge of the Precipice. The Saints in Danger. The
Prophet Smith nominated for President. He tries to find the " Golden
Way." Mormon Missionaries preach Politics. The Prophet looks
towards the Pacific Coast. The Blind Obedience of the Saints. The
Real Devotion of their Faith. Gentile Opinions. How Boggs was
Shot in the Head. The Spiritual-Wife Doctrine. Dr. William La\r
Protests. Terrible Charges against the Prophet. The "Nauvoo Ex-
positor." The Prophet Surrenders. He is Murdered in Jail. . . 49
14 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
THE "REVELATION ON CELESTIAL MARRIAGE." TROUBLE
AMONG THE SAINTS.
The Announcement of Polygamy. "Celestial Marriage." Joseph
"sets himself Right." Mrs. Smith is.very Rebellious. Mrs. Smith's
Adopted Daughter. The Prophet too fond of Fanny. Mrs. Smith
takes her in Hand. Marital Storms. Oliver Cowdery called In. He
goes and " Does Likewise." Joseph first Preaches Polygamy. The
Saints Rebel. The Revelation given in Secret. Eleven "Adopted
Daughters" sealed to the Prophet. A Domestic Squall in the Prophet's
House. Nancy Rigdon Insulted by Joseph. Sidney's Zeal Grows
Cold. How Celestial Marriage was Introduced. Mr. Noble begins to
Build Up his Kingdom. The first Plural Marriage. False Position of
the Second Wife. John C. Bennett. His Profligacy and Crimes.
He Apostatizes and Writes a Book. Joseph Defends Himself. Apos-
tasy of an Apostle's Wife. The Prophet in Difficulties. The Revela-
tion on " Celestial Marriage." 65
CHAPTER IV.
AFTER JOSEPH'S DEATH. BRIGHAM YOUNG ELECTED
PROPHET.
Kindness of the Gentiles. Strangers in a Strange Land. My Parents
join thg Saints in Nauvoo. They Purchase Land in the City. Are
shamefully Defrauded. Joseph's Unfaithful Friends. My Parents left
almost Destitute. I am Born in the Midst of Troubles. The Saints
Bewildered. Who should Succeed Joseph? Sidney Rigdon's Claims
to the Presidency. He returns to Nauvoo. Has Dreams and Visions.
He Promises to " Pull Little Vic's Nose." The Apostles hear of the
Prophet's Murder. They hasten to Nauvoo. Brigham begins his
Successful Intrigues. He Settles Sidney Rigdon. An Extraordinary
Trial. Brigham's Idea of Free Voting. Women's Suffrage in Utah.
Why Brigham gave the Franchise to the Women. My own Experience
as a Voter. Brigham Dictates what I'm to Do. I obey Quietly. How
Sidney Rigdon was Deposed. Brigham Rules the Church. ... 87
CHAPTER V.
MY FATHER'S PLURAL-WIFE. CHILDHOOD IN POLYGAMY.
Childhood in Mormondom. A striking Contrast. The Sorrows of my
Earliest Years. How my Mother received Polygamy. Submitting to
the Rod. Clinging to Love and Home. Resigning all for Religion.
Strange ways of glorifying God. The Reward of Faithfulness.
The Prophet Joseph imparts a New Religious Mystery. The Breaking-
u of a Home. Fears of Rebellion. The Struggle of Faith against
e trug
. Brigh
Nature. Seeking Rest, but finding None. Brigham's " Counsels."
A New Wife Selected. My Parents enter into Polygamy. The New
Bride, Elizabeth. The Marriage Ceremony. My Mother Sealed.
She is to become a Queen. Domeetic Arrangements in Polygamy.
Bearing the Cross. A First Wife's Sorrows. " Where does Polygamy
'" The Mormon Husband ; his Position and Privileges. . . 98
Hurt?'
CONTENTS. 15
CHAPTER VI.
FORSAKING DEAR ZION. WE FIND A NEW HOME IN THE
FAR WEST.
A New Home in the Far West. Dangerous Neighbors. Some very Un-
pleasant Stories. Seeking a New Home. Preparing to Depart. Life
at Winter-Quarters. A Lively Time in the Temple. " Little Dancin*
Missy." Bound for Salt Lake Valley. Life by the Way. Songs of
the Saints. A False Prophecy. "The Upper California." Saintly
Profanity. A Soul-stirring Melody. The Saints Excited. Beside
the Camp-Fires. The Journey Ending. Entering Zion. The Val-
ley of the Great Salt Lake. / no
CHAPTER VII.
OUR WELCOME TO "ZION." UTAH IN EARLY DAYS.
Our Welcome to Zion. Housekeeping under Difficulties. Our First
Home in Utah. The Second Wife's Baby. The Young Mother. A
very Delicate Position. Doctors at a Discount. Brigham's Wife
turns Midwife. An Obedient Woman. Taking Care of the Baby.
Practising Economy. The Path of the Crickets. Too much Cracked
Wheat. Building the First Mill. Brother Brigham Speechifies.
Tea at Five Dollars per Pound. Californian Gold Discovered. Build-
ing up Zion. Brigham's "Dress Reform." A Rather Queer Cos-
tume. The Women " Assert " Themselves. Clara Decker Rebels.
How the Prophet treats his Wives. I ask for some Furs, and am
Snubbed. How the Prophet doled out his Silk. Eliza Snow and
Fanny's Finery. The Prophet Snubs Eliza. He Combats the " Gre-
cian Bend." Dancing among the Saints. Polygamy Denied. How
the Saints received It. A Nice Little Family Arrangement. . . . 123
CHAPTER VIII.
TROUBLES UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM.
The Sorrows of My Uncle. " It's a Hopeless Fix." A Woman's Argu-
ment about Polygamy. My Mother "labors" with a First Wife.
Wife No. 2 " Walks Off." Marrying a Widow and her Two Daughters.
Mrs. Webb becomes a Wife No. 2. Wife No. i throws Brickbats
into the Nuptial Chamber. She clears the Field of Extra Wives.
"Building up the Kingdom." The Atrocious Villanies of Orson Pratt.
How he has Seduced Innocent Girls. Brigham's Nephew Rebels.
Trouble in the Prophet's Family. Forgetting a Wife's Face. A
Woman who liked Polygamy 142
CHAPTER IX.
THE HARDSHIPS AND PERILS OF LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY.
"Killed by the Indians." How Apostates Disappeared. A Suspicious
Fact. How Brigham "took care" of the People's Property. The
Mormon Battalion. Brigham Pockets the Soldiers' Pay. How Pros-
elytes were Made. Scapegraces sent on Mission. My Father goes to
1 6 CONTENTS.
Europe. How Missionaries' wives are Left. Collecting funds for the
Missionaries. Brigham Embezzles the Money. The " Church Train."
Joseph A. Young as a Missionary. His Misdoings in St. Louis.
"What Brother Brown said of Him. The Perpetual Emigration Fund.
How the Money was Raised. Cheating the Confiding Saints.
How Brigham Manages the Missionaries' Property. The "Church"
makes Whiskey for the Saints. The Missionaries bring home new
Wives. How English Girls are Deceived. My First Baptism. . 160
CHAPTER X.
THE UTAH "REFORMATION." "A REIGN OF TERROR."
THE BLOOD-ATONEMENT PREACHED.
The Beginning of the Reformation. The Payson Saints Stirred Up.
What""the Wicked " Saints" had been Doing Secretly. The Old Lady
who stole a Radish. Confessing the sins of Others. A System of
Espionnage. Brigham bids them "Go Ahead!" The Story of
Brother Jeddy's Mule. The Saints receive a terrible Drubbing.
Great Excitement in Mormondom. How the Saints were Catechized.
Indelicate Questions are put to Everybody. My Mother and Myself
Confess. The Labors of the Home Missionaries. Making Restitu-
tion. Everybody is Re-baptized. _ " Cut off Below their Ears" The
" Blood-Atonement " Preached. Murder recommended in the Tab-
ernacle. Cutting their Neighbors' throats for Love. A "Reign of
Terror" in Utah. Fearful Outrages Committed. Murdered " by ike
Indians''? Brigham advises the Assassination of Hatten. Murder
of Almon Babbitt, Dr. Robinson, the Parrishes, and Others. Blood-
shed the Order of the Day 181
CHAPTER XL
"DIVINE EMIGRATION." THE PROPHET AND THE HAND-
CART SCHEME.
Early Emigration to Utah. The Prophet Meditates Economy. The
"Divine Plan " Invented. How it was Revealed to the Saints. They
Prepare to " Gather to Zion." How the Hand-Carts were Built. The
Sufferings of the Emigrants. On Board Ship. An Apostolic Quar-
rel. Base Conduct of the Apostle Taylor. The Saints arrive in Iowa
City. How the Summer-time was Wasted.. Beginning a Terrible
Journey. Suffering by the Way. " Going Cheap." They reach
Council Bluffs. Levi Savage Behaves Bravely. Lying Prophecy of
the Apostle Richards. How the Emigrants were Deceived. Brigham
Young sends Help to Them. Two Apostles are Denounced. The
Prophet in a Fix. He lays His own Sins on the Backs of Others.
Preparing to Receive the Emigrants 200
CHAPTER XII.
BRIGHAM'S HAND-CART SCHEME, CONTINUED. FAILURE
OF THE "DIVINE PLAN."
Arrival of the First Train. Fearful Sufferings of the Emigrants.
Women and Girls toiling at the Carts. The Prophet's "Experiment."
Burying the Dead. Greater Mortality among the Men. Arrival of
CONTENTS. 17
Assistance. Hand-Cart Songs. Scenes in the Camp of the Emi-
grants. How every Prophecy of the Elders was Falsified. How the
Tennant Family were Shamelessly Robbed. One of the Vilest Swin-
dles of the Prophet. Mr. Tennant's Unhappy Death. His Wife
Views the "Splendid Property" Bought from "Brigham. Brigharrf
Cheats her out of her Last Dollar. She is reduced to Abject Poverty.
The Apostle Taylor Hastens to Zion. Richards and Spencer are
made Scape-goats. Brigham evades all Responsibility. Utter Failure
of the "Divine Plan." 213
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS' MASSACRE. " VENGEANCE IS
MINE: I WILL REPAY."
The Results of the Reformation. The Story of a Fiendish Deed. The
People's Mouths Closed. How the Dreadful Crime was Hushed Up.
Judge Cradlebaugh's Efforts to Unravel the Mystery. Who were the
Guilty Ones? The Emigrants on the Way to Utah. The People For-
bidden to sell them Food. They Arrive at Salt Lake City. Ordered
to Break Camp. In need of Supplies. Who was Accountable ? Why
the Mormons hated the Emigrants. The Story of Parley P. Pratt.
How he Seduced McLean's Wife. Their Journey to Cedar City.
Hungry and Weary, but still Pressing On. They Reach the Mountain
Meadows. Attacked by " the Indians." The Emigrants Besieged.
Dying of Thirst. Two little Girls shot by the Mormons. An Appeal
for Help. The Last Hope of the Besieged. Waiting for Death. . 228
CHAPTER XIV.
BETRAYED AND MURDERED. TRIAL OF JOHN D. LEE.
The "White Flag of Peace." Friends in the Distance. A Cruel De-
ception. Mormon Fiends plan their Destruction. John D. Lee's
Crocodile Tears. " Lay down your Arms, and Depart in Peace." A
Horrible Suspicion. The Massacre. The Scene of Blood. No Mercy
for Women and Children. Robbed and Outraged. Murdered by
Lee's Own Hand. The Field of Slaughter. Dividing the Property
of the Murdered Ones. Brigham Young Demands his Share.
Haunted by Spectres. John D. Lee's Trial. Instigated by Brigham.
No Justice in Utah. Lee's Confession made to Shield the False
Prophet. Eight Mormon and Four Gentile Jurors. What was to be
Expected? 245
CHAPTER XV.
THE BLOOD-ATONEMENT. THE DESTROYING ANGELS.
DANITES AND THEIR DEEDS.
Sweet, Saintly Sentiments. "He ought to have his Throat cut." Too
many Gentiles About. The Spirit of "Blood-Atonement" Still Cher-
ished. Present Position of Apostates. How they used to be "Cut
Off." " Cutting Men off belo-w. the JEars." How " Accidents " hap-
1 8 CONTENTS.
pened to People who "Knew too Much." How Mr. Langford ex-
pressed his Opinion too Freely. Mormon Friends kindly advise him
to " Shut Up." "Be on your Guard!" Poetry among the Saints:
a Popular Song. Human Sacrifices Proposed I How Saints were
taught to Atone for their Sins. "Somebody" ready to shed their
Blood. " The Destroying Angels:" who they were, and what they
did. Saints told to do their own " Dirty Work." People who " ought
to be Used up." Murdering by Prqxy! Brigham Young proved to
be the Vilest of Assassins. Hideous Crimes of Porter Rockwell and
Bill Hickman. How Rockwell tried to Murder Governor Boggs.
Hickman Confesses his Atrocious Crimes. Six Men Robbed of
$25,000, and then "Used Up." Another Frightful Assassination. A
Council of Mormon Murderers. The "Church " orders the Assassina-
tion of the Aikin Party 262
CHAPTER XVI.
FRIGHTFUL DEEDS OF BLOOD. - MORMONISM IN ITS TRUE
LIGHT.
The Yates Murder. Brigham and the Leading Mormons Arrested for the
Crime. Mr. Yates accused of being a Spy. He is Arrested, and his
Goods Seized. Bill Hickman takes possession of the Prisoner's Body.
Brigham Embezzles his Gold. Another Saint steals his Watch.
Hickman carries him to Jones's Camp. He is Murdered there while
Asleep. Hickman asks Brigham for a Share of the Spoil. The
Prophet refuses; sticks to every Cent. Hickman's "faith"' in Mor-
monism is Shaken. His fellow-murderer Apostatizes Outright. How
Bill was finally "paid in Wives." He tries a little matter of Seven-
teen. Fiendish Outrage at San Pete. Bishop Snow contrives the
Damnable Deed The fate of his Victims. A Mysterious Marriage.
The Feather-beds and the Prophet. Mrs. Lewis comes to Live
"with Me 277
CHAPTER XVII.
TROUBLES IN OUR OWN FAMILY. LOUISE COMES UPON
THE SCENE.
Increase of Polygamy. Marrying going on Day and Night. " Taking
a Wife and Buying a Cow." A Faithful Husband in a Fix. How
Men get "Married on the Sly." How Wives were Driven Crazy by
their prongs. My Father Marries Considerably. He " Goes in " for
the Hand-Cart Girls. Marries a Couple to Begin with. Takes a
Third the same Month. Rapid Increase of his "Kingdom." How
the Girls Chose Husbands. Instructing the New Wives in our Family.
Louise doesn't want to Work. My Father goes on Mission Again.
Louise Flirts and Rebels. She is Scolded and Repents. Goes to Bed
and Weeps. Bestows her Goods on the Family. "Lizzie" Inter-
views Her. She Poisons Herself. Is a " Long Time Dying." She
gets a Strong Dose of Cayenne. Is sent on her Travels. The Last
we Heard of Her 250
CONTENTS. 19
CHAPTER XVIII.
INCREASE OF POLYGAMY. MIXED-UP CONDITION OF
MATRIMONIAL AFFAIRS.
Christ alleged to be a Polygamist. The Men to save the Women. Mak-
ing " Tabernacles " for little Spirits. The Story of certain Ladies who
were Deceived. They Discover a Mystery. Their Fate. Orson
Hyde's False Prophecy. Throwing Mud at Apostates. Death pre-
ferred to Polygamy. Frightful Intermarriages. Married his Mother-
in-law. A Man who Married his Wife's Grandmother, Mother, and
All. Marrying a Half-Sister. Marrying Nieces and Sisters. How
Emigrant Girls were Married Off. Frightful Story of a Poor Young
Girl. Polygamy and Madness. One Woman's Love too Little.
How English Girls were Deceived. How Claude Spenser committed a
Damnable Wrong. A Girl who was Martyred for her Religion. How
the Bereaved Husband Acted. A Man with thirty-three Children.
"They never cost him a Cent." A Many-Wived Saint. Mixed-up
Condition of Marital Affairs 306
CHAPTER XIX.
THE MYSTERIES OF POLYGAMY. WHAT THE WIVES
COULD TELL.
Incestuous Intermarriages. A Widow and her Daughters married to the
same Man. "Marrying my Pa." The " U. S." Government Con-
niving at Mormon Iniquities. Beastly Conduct of Delegate George Q^
Cannon. Polygamists legislating for Bigamists. Mother and Daugh-
ter fighting for the same Man ! it is Wicked to Live with an Old Wife.
A Toting lover Ninety Years Old! A Bride Eleven Years Old.
Brides of Thirteen and Fourteen Years ! I receive an "Offer "when
Twelve Years Old! Old Ladies at a Discount: Young Women at a
Premium. Respect for the Silver Crown of Age. Heber gives his
Opinion. " Why is She making such a Fuss?" Seeing One's Hus-
band Once a Year. The Rascality of Orson Hyde towards his Wife.
When Rival Wives make Friends. A Very Funny Story about an
Apostle and his Wife. Rights of the First Wife: Brigham Young in a
Fix. He treats an Early Wife to a Dance. Amelia in the Shade.
The Prophet becomes Frisky. Poor, neglected Emmeline. How Po-
lygamy was once Denied. A Mistake which a French Lady Made.
Milk for Babes . 320
CHAPTER XX.
BRIGHAM BUILDS WAGONS BY " INSPIRATION." THE
CHURCH SETS UP A WHISKEY-STORE.
Saying "Yes" under Difficulties. A Woman who Meant to have her
Way. Two Company: Three None. Building Wagons by Inspira-
tion. My Father despatched to Chicago. He gets rid of his New
Wives. My Brother sent to the Sandwich Islands. My Mother tells
her own Story. She Returns to Salt Lake City to see my Father.
Wifely Considerations. She finds two other Ladies at her Husband's
Bedside. He likes a good deal of Wives about Him! A Heart dead
2O CONTENTS.
to Love. Brigham "asks no odds of Uncle Sam or the Devil." He
proclaims Martial Law. Fiery Speeches in the Tabernacle. Prepar-
ing for War. Government Troops Arrive. The Saints quit Salt Lake
City. The Church Distillery. Brigham shamelessly Robs my Father.
He fills his own Pockets. My Father, being without Funds, takes
his Sixth Wife 333
CHAPTER* XXI.
GOING THROUGH THE "ENDOWMENT-HOUSE." ! TAKE
THE MYSTERIOUS BATHS.
No Physic among the Saints. I am taken Sick. Heber C. Kimball
recommends "Endowments." How Brigham Murdered his little
Granddaughter. The Prophet wants a Doctor. Being " administered "
To. I am Re-baptized. Receive my Endowments. How Saintly
Sins are Washed Away. Undignified Conduct of Elders. The Order
of Melchisedec. How I was "Confirmed." To become a Celestial
Queen. I go down to the Endowment-House. The Mysterious Cer-
emonies Described. The Veil at last Lifted. The Secrets of the
Endowment-House Exposed. I enter the Bath. Miss Snow Washes
Me. She Anoints Me All Over. I dress in a Bed-gown. The " Pe-
culiar Garment" of the Saints. What the Mormon Girls do about It.
"Going through" without a Husband. "A Great Shouting for
Sarah !" 349
CHAPTER XXII.
WE CARRY ON THE ENDOWMENT DRAMA. I AM FULLY
INITIATED.
In the Endowment-House. How the " Kings and Priests " appeared in
their Shirts. The Poor Fellows "feel Bad!" The "Gods" hold a
Conversazione. Michael is sent down to Earth. The " Tree of Life."
How Raisins grew instead of Apples. Not good to be Alone. The
Rib abstracted and little Eve made. The Devil dressed in "Tights."
John D. Lee once a Devil. Eve's Flirtation. She eats Forbidden
Fruit. Tempts her Husband. Fig-leaves come into Fashion. We
hide in Holes and Corners. The Devil is Cursed and we are Lectured.
The Second Degree. Story of a Pugnacious Woman. The Terri-
ble Oaths of the Endowment-House. Pains and Penalties. Signs
and Grips. " Good-bye ! " Brother Heber gives me Advice. . . . 362
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE PROPHET MAKES LOVE TO ME. I HAVE OTHER
VIEWS.
The Prophet Casts his Eye on Me. He Objects to mv Beaux. " A Low
Set Anyway." I Didn't Want to Marry the Prophet. He Considers
Himself an Irresistible Lover. My First Drive with the Prophet. I
Join the Theatrical Corps. How We "Got Up" our Parts. How
" Fun Hall " was Built. The Prophet Erects a Theatre out of Temple
Funds. How Julia Deane, the Actress, Fascinated the Prophet. How
Brigham Cheated the Actors in his Theatre. The Girls Grumble over
their Scanty Fare. They want Something Good to Eat. My New
Beau. Love at First Sight. I am Engaged to My First Husband. 373
CONTENTS. 21
CHAPTER XXIV.
MY FIRST MARRIAGE. A LIFE'S MISTAKE.
My First Marriage. Wedded to James Dee. Marriage Rites in the En-
dowment-House. The way in which Plural Wives are Taken. Brig-
ham sends for Me to help in the Theatre. Repenting of Matrimony.
I get tired of it in a Month. Cruel Conduct of my Husband. He
flirts considerably with the Young Girls. I am greatly Disgusted and
furiously Jealous. He threatens to take another Wife. The Owner-
ship of Women in Utah. How Newspaper Reporters are humbugged
by Brigham. How Visitors to Salt Lake are Watched. The Proph-
et's Spies. How People are misled about Utah Affairs. The Miseries
of the Women Overlooked 387
CHAPTER XXV.
EARLY MARRIED LIFE. MY HUSBAND AND MY MOTHER.
My early married Life. We go to live with my Mother. Incompatibility
of Temper. How my Mother had opposed our Marriage. My Hus-
band does not Admire Her. He goes after the Girls. I don't like it
at All. I become extremely angry with Him. He is advised to " in-
crease his Kingdom." How Promises to Wives are broken by Mormon
Men. How Women are Snubbed and Undervalued. I become anxious
and Watchful. How Heber comforted his Wives. My Husband sub-
jects me to personal Violence. He is afraid of Results. My first
Baby is Born. Zina Young marries into Polygamy. Contrast be-
tween Mormon and Gentile Husbands. "The Bull never cares for the
Calves." My Husband nearly strangles Me. I leave him, and go to
my Parents. Brigham gives me some good Advice. I obtain a
Divorce. I rejoice at being free Again 398
CHAPTER XXVI.
AFTER MY DIVORCE. AFFAIRS AT HOME.
After my Divorce from Dee. "Is Polygamy good to Eat?" Curious
Experiences among the Saints. A Man who thought his Heart was
Broken. How Two Wives Rebelled. The Husband in a Fix. He
Runs Away from Home. Dismisses his Plural Wife. Being "Sealed "
to Old Women for Eternity. Nancy Chamberlain's Story. Who is to
be Brigham's O^een in Heaven? An Old Wife Dresses up as a Ghost.
How Brother Shaw Replenished his Exchequer. The Battles be-
tween mv Father's Wives. My Mother Enjoys his Troubles. The
Story of "a Turkey. A First Wife Asserts Her Rights. My Life at
South Cottonwood. I Receive Offers of Marriage 412
CHAPTER XXVII.
A WALK WITH THE PROPHET. HE MAKES LOVE TO ME.
How Brigham Travels through the Territory. Triumphant Receptions
Everywhere. Trying to Establish the "Order of Enoch." How the
Prophet Insulted his Faithful Followers. " Rheumatism " in the Tem-
22 CONTENTS.
per. Grand Doings in the Settlements. We go to meet the Prophet.
How the Saints were Lectured in the Bowery. How Brigham gave
Howard a Piece of Land. Howard Insulted by the Prophet. Over-
looking the Prophet's Lies. Van Etten becomes Brigham's " Friend."
He Helps Him to Steal a Hundred Sheep. He makes a Big Haul,
and Escapes to Canada. The Prophet Ogles Me during Service-Time.
We Take a Walk Home Together. He Compliments My Good
Looks. Makes Love to Me. Matrimonial Advice. Brigham Wishes
Me to Become His Wife 426
CHAPTER XXVIII.
HOW BRIGHAM YOUNG FORCED ME TO MARRY HIM.
Brigham's Offer of Marriage. I think the Prophet too Old. My Parents
are Delighted with the Honor. They Try to Persuade Me. I am
Very Obstinate. Arguing the Matter. How Brigham Found Means
to Influence Me. My Brothers get into Trouble. The Prophet and
the Telegraph-Poles. He takes a Nice Little Contract. Then Sells it
to his Son. Bishop Sharp makes a few Dollars out of It. My
Brother Engages in the Work. He Becomes Involved in Debts and
Difficulties. Brigham Threatens to Cut Him Off for Dishonesty.
My Mother Tries to Excuse Him. Hemmed In on All Sides, I Deter-
mine to Make One Last Appeal. I fail, and Consent to Marry Him. 440
CHAPTER XXIX.
MY MARRIAGE WITH BRIGHAM YOUNG. HOW THE OTHER
WIVES RECEIVED ME.
The Prophet Rejoices at my Yielding. My Family Restored to Favor.
The Webbs Reconstructed. My Prophet-Lover Comes to See Me.
He Goes Courting " on the Sly," for Fear of Amelia. We are Married
Secretly in the Endowment-House. I am Sent Home Again. Brig-
ham Establishes me in the City. Limited Plates and Dishes. We
Want a Little More Food. The Prophet's " Ration-Day." How the
Other Wives Received Me. Mrs. Amelia Doesn't Like Me. How the
Wives' of the Prophet Worry and Scold Him. The Prophet Breaks his
Word. My Father Remembers the Thousand Dollars 455
CHAPTER XXX.
THE PROPHET'S FAMILY CIRCLE. HIS WIVES AND
CHILDREN.
The Prophet Marries his First and Legal Wife. How she lives, and how
Brigham has treated Her. The Prophet's Eldest Son. The Story of
his Life. His Wives and Families. Mary and Maggie. The Favor-
ite Wife, Clara. Young " Briggy " and his Expectations. What the
Saints think of Him. His Domestic Joys. How he visited me when
Sick, and Scolded the old Gentleman. Brigham and "Briggy "make
love to Lizzie. Briggy Wins. "John W." He neglects his " King-
dom." " Won by the Third Wife." The Story of Lucy C. The
Prophet's Daughters. Alice and Luna. Miss Alice's Flirtations.
Sweet Language between Father and Daughter. Tragic Death of
Alice Clawson 468
CONTENTS. 23
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE WIVES OF THE PROPHET. BROTHER BRIGHAM'S
DOMESTIC TROUBLES.
The Wives of the Prophet. Lucy Decker. A Mysterious Disappear-
ance. Lucy's Boys. Brigham's Wife, Clara. Her Busy Household
Work. About the Girls. Harriet Cook. She Expresses Unpleasant
Opinions. Brigham is frightened of Her. He Keeps out of the Way.
Amelia and the Sweetmeats. How one of Brigham's Daughters
Scandalized the Saints. How Mrs. Twiss Manages the Prophet's House.
The Work a Woman can Do. Martha Bowker and her silent Work.
Sweet and saintly Doings of the Prophet. Concerning Harriet Bar-
ney. The Wife who bi Served Seven Years " for a Husband. Another
English Wife of the Prophet. The " Young Widow of Nauvoo." . 484
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE PROPHET'S FAVORITE WIFE. HOW HE CONDUCTED
HIS LOVE AFFAIRS.
The Prophet's Favorite Wife, Amelia. How Brigham made Love in the
Name of the Lord. How he won an Unwilling Bride. A Lady with
a Sweet Temper. How she Kicked a Sewing-Machine down the
Prophet's Stairs. She has a new House built for Her. Rather Ex-
pensive Habits. Her Pleasant Chances for the Future. Mary Van
Cott Cobb A Former Love of the Prophet's. Miss Eliza-Roxy
Snow. The Mormon Poetess. Joseph Smith's Poetic Widow. Ver-
sification of the Saints. Mrs. Augusta Cobb. Emily Partridge. . 497
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE DEAD WIVES OF THE PROPHET. HE NEVER WAS
KNOWN TO SHED A TEAR.
The Discarded Favorite. The Story of Emmeline Free. A Stupendous
Humbug. A " Free" Opinion of Mormonism. Amelia comes upon
the Scene. How Brigham Insulted Emmeline Free. Brigham is
Ashamed of his Cowardice. I tell him a little of my Mind. Joseph
A. Expresses his Opinion. Apologizes for his Father. Death of
Emmeline Free. The Story of Clara Chase. The Prophet's Maniac
Wife. Ellen Rockwood, and the Cause of her Neglect. A Wife who
was visited once in Six Months. Margaret Alley. How the Prophet
treated his Dead Wife. He steals her Children's Property. How he
Scandalized another Wife, and sent her Home. He " Never shed a
tear at a Wife's Death." 506
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE PROPHET AT HOME. HOW HE LOOKS, LIVES, AND
ACTS. MORMON PHILANTHROPY AND EDUCATION.
Brigham at Forty-five and at Seventy-five. Slipping the Yoke. The
Salt Lake Tribune. Books on Mormonism. Prophetic Philanthropy.
The New Temple. Paying the Workmen. The Tabernacle. Ad-
24 CONTENTS.
vantages of the Presidency. Free Schools and Liberal Education.
Sharp Practice. The Rich and the Poor. Unconscious Sarcasm.
Looking into the Future. The Spectacles of Ignorance. Personal
Habits. The Prophet's Barber. Dinner at the Lion House. The
Good Provider. Helping Herself. Prophetic Cunning. Evening
Devotions. A Gift in Prayer. Advice to the Deity. Fatherless
Children. The Bee Hive. Monogamist vs. Polygamist 517
CHAPTER XXXV.
BRIGHAM AS A FARMER. MY NEW HOUSE. TAKING
BOARDERS.
One Year after Marriage. Life at the Farm. House-keeping Extraordi-
nary. Bread and Milk Dinners. Brigham Tries to Catch us Nap-
ping. Hours of Labor. Dejection. My New House. Parlor
Stairs. " Wells Wanted." My Mother receives Notice to Quit. My
Elder Brother Pays her Board. Failing Faith. Taking Boarders.
The Prophet's Contemptible Meanness. Brigham's Neglect. Rev.
Mr. Stratton. I open my Heart. The New Religion. Woman's
Sphere. First Glimpses of the Outer World. Forming Resolu-
tions 532
CHAPTER XXXVI.
BREAKING THE YOKE. I LEAVE MY HOME.
The Workings of Destiny. A Noble Lawyer. A Small Stove and a
Large Family. Last Interview with Brigham. A Startling Proposal.
Sickness and Gentile Care. Brigham's Police. A Moral Thunder-
bolt. My Third Baptism. A Religious Farce. I Decide to Escape.
A Memorable Day. Removing in Forty Minutes. The Walker
House. Among the Gentiles. A Perilous Situation. New Hopes.
Interviewed by Reporters. Unwelcome Notoriety. A Touching Let-
ter. A Visit from my Father. The Paper War. Overshooting the
Mark. Sueing for a Divorce. A Tempting Offer, $15,000 and my
Freedom. The Prophet Astonished 542
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE DIVORCE SUIT. PROCEEDINGS IN COURT. BRIG-
HAM'S AFFIDAVIT.
I bring an Action against the Prophet. My " Complaint" against Him.
What the "Complaint" Stated. My Birth and Early Life. My
Marriage with the Prophet. Exile to Brigham's Farm. Cause of
Action for Divorce. The Question of Alimony. My Own Affidavit.
Corroborative Testimony. Opinion of Judge McKean. Brigham
Young's Reply and Affidavit. The Prophet states the Value of his
Property. Wonderful Difference of Opinion. Proceedings in Court.
Judge McKean Sums Up. Order for Allowance and Alimony. -
Judge McKean Removed. His Order Quashed by the New Judge.--
The latest Proceedings 553
CONTENTS. 25
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
MY ESCAPE FROM SALT LAKE CITY. MY PUBLIC CAREER.
Thoughts of the Future. The Gentile Papers. A Private Audience at the
Walker House. Hopes and Fears. I Resolve to Take the Platform.
Sneers and Ridicule. Brigham is made Acquainted with my Plans.
Packing under Difficulties. Mj Perilous Escape from Utah. A Noble
Woman. Arrival at Laramie. Denver. My First Public Lecture.
A Grand Success. Brigham at Work. A Scandalous Article in the
Chicago Times. A Mean Lawyer. Lecture at Boston. Kindness
of the Members of Boston Press. Opposed by George Q^ Cannon.
Washington Lecture a Success. First Glimps'es of the True Faith.
Conversion to Christianity 566
CHAPTER XXXIX.
CHURCH GOVERNMENT. MORMON APOSTLES. - THE OR-
DER OF ENOCH.
Mormon Administration. The Earthly Trinity. Filling Vacancies.
Mormon Apostles. Polygamy made Profitable. The Seventy. Two-
Dollar Blessings. Astounding Promises. Bishops and Spies. The
'Order of Enoch. All things in Common. An Apostolic Row.
How Enoch Works. A Stupid Telegram. Logic Extraordinary. A
Gigantic Swindle. Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution. Brig-
harn's Revelations. The Saints Laugh in their Sleeves. "It paj's to
be a Mormon." Beginning to see through It. The Apostate Pres-
ident .^r^r-r-rr. . . . -. ^. 577
THE CONDITION O'KCrRMOTTOMEN. HIGH AND LOW
LIFE IN POLYGAMY.
Increasing Light. The Equality of the Sexes. Exaggeration Impossi-
ble. Likely Saviours. The Present Condition of Mormon Women.
The Prospects for the Future. Polygamy Bad for Rich and Poor. A
Happy Family. The Happiness Marred. Sealed for Time Only.
Building on Another Man's Foundation. The New Wife. How the Old
One Fared. The Husband's Death a Relief. Asa Calkins's English
Mission. What Came of It. How to Get Rich. Two Sermons from
One Text. Dividing the Spoil. No Woman Happy in Polygamy. 589
CHAPTER XLI.
MY RETURN TO UTAH. SECRET OF BRIGHAM'S POWER.
UTAH'S FUTURE.
I Return to Utah. Reception at the Walk,er House. Greeting old
Friends. My Love for the Place. Six Lectures in the Territory.
Brigham's Daughters make Faces at me. My Father and Mother in
the Audience. The Half not told. Multitudes Pleading for Freedom.
Eastern Newspaper Reports. Indiscretion. The Poland Bill.
Increase of Polygamy. The Secrets of Brigham's Power. The Pulpit
and Press on Mormonism. The Salt Lake City Tribune. A Word to
the Sufferers. Calls for Help. The Future of Utah 598
PAGE
Portrait of Ann Eliza Young (Steel}, Frontispiece.
Turned out of Doors, 31
Preaching the New Religion, -. 37
Joseph Smith, the Founder of Mormonism, 40
The Night of Terror, 46
Nauvoo Temple, .... 49
Burning of the Newspaper Office, 62
Assassination of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, 64
Emma Smith, "The Elect Lady," 65
The Indignant Wife, 69
The First Plural Marriage, 72
Arrival at Quincy, Illinois, 87
Sidney Rigdon, 90
My First Vote, 95
My Father's First Plural Marriage, , 98
" Do you think /have no Trials?" 107
Winter Quarters, no
A Blessing from Brigham, 115
Singing the Rallying Song, 120
The Journey to Zion. Crossing the Plains, 121
Brigham Imitating the " Grecian Bend," 123
Anointing the Sick with Oil, 125
The Deseret Costume, 130
Brigham Refuses my Request, 133
The Ball in the Bowery, 137
The Dissatisfied Wife, 142
The Apostle Orson Pratt, "The Champion of Polygamy," 150
Joseph Young, Brother of Brigham, and President of the Seventies, 15.1
28 ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Brigham's Brotherly Love, 153
Discouraging Apostasy, 160
Brigham Seizing Cattle for the Church, 163
Apostle Lorenzo Snow, 166
Apostle C. C. Rich, 166
Apostle A. Carrington, 166
Apostle Joseph F. Smith, '.' 166
Apostle Erastus Snow, 166
Joseph A. Young Preparing for Missionary Work, 171
E. Hunter, Presiding Bishop Mormon Church, 172
Doing Missionary Work, 178
Awakening the Saints, 181
"Scene during Reformation," 185
Dealing with a Weak Brother, 191
Brutal Assault upon Mrs. Jarvis, 193
Blood Atonement. Scene during Reformation, 198
The Emigrants' Landing-Place, " Castle Gardens, New York," ... 200
Apostle Franklin D. Richards, " Husband of Ten Wives," 202
Mormon Emigrants on Shipboard, 205
The Hand-Cart Train, 210
"Some will Push, and some will Pull," 213
Relief in Sight, 215
Arrival of " Hand-Cart Companies" at Salt Lake City, 221
"Vengeance is Mine." 228
Parley P. Pratt, 235
Assassination of Parley P. Pratt, 237
John D. Lee (Has nineteen wives and sixty-four children), 238
The Murder of Two Little Girls, 241
Murdered by Lee's Own Hand, 245
Murdering the Women and Children, 247
The Mountain Meadows Massacre, 248
Scene after the Masaacre, 249
Using up an Apostate, 262
Brigham's li Destroying Angel," "Port" Rockwell, 269
Murder of the Aiken Party, 272
Brigham Young's Farm-House, 277
Bill Hickman, Brigham's "Destroying Angel," 279
Brigham Wooing Widow Lewis, 284
Only a Wife out of the Way, 290
Life a Burden 293
Bird's-Eye View of Salt Lake City, 295
The New Addition, 297
Scene in Polygamy. Greeting the Favorite, 305
The Maniac Wife, 306
The Happy Home of a Polygamist, 313
ILLUSTRATIONS. 2p
PAGE
Broken-Hearted, 317
Orson Hyde and Forgotten Wife, 320
Apostle George Q^ Cannon, Member of Congress (Has four Wives
and thirteen Children), 322
Apostle Orson Hyde, 324
Brigham in a Quandary, 327
Apostle John Taylor (Husband of Six Wives), 330
Mormons Burning a Government Train, 333
A Good Deal of Wives. Too much Attention, 339
Remains of Adobe Defences, 341
Mormons Selling Provisions to United States Troops 343
Brigham's Folly, "The Prairie Schooner," 347
Taking my Endowments Behind the Curtain 349
Mormon Baptism, 352
Mormon Confirmation, 354
The Endowment House, 356
The Devil of the Endowment House, 362
Apostle Willard Woodruff ("Timothy Broadbrim"), 364
Receiving the Endowments, 366
Apostle Heber C. Kimball, 371
My First Appearance in Brigham's Theatre 373
My First Ride with Brigham, 376
Brigham's Theatre, 379
A Life of Unhappiness, 387
Family Jars, 398
My Baby Boy, 403
Strangled by my Husband, 407
"Grandma, what is Polygamy?" 412
No Peace with Polygamy, 415
Old Farm- House at Cottonwood, 422
Brigham on his Travels, 426
Brigham Preaching at South Cottonwood, 430
Breaking the News, 440
Chauncey G. Webb ("My Father"), 444
Eliza C. Webb ("My Mother"), 445
Brigham's Stormy Interview with my Mother, 452
Amelia tries to Keep Me Out, 455
Amelia's Display of Temper, 463
Insulted by her Father 468
Joseph A. Young, 471
Maggie Young (Joseph A.'s Discarded Wife), 472
"Briggy" (The Prophet's Successor), 474
John W. Young, 477
Lucy Rebellious, 479
Kissing Libbie Good Night, 4o
3O ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Mrs. Alice Young Clawson (Brigham's Eldest Daughter), 482
Emmeline Serving Brigham and Amelia, 484
Clara Decker (Wife of Brigham), 486
The Lion House (Brigham Young's Residence), 490
The Lion House and Brigham's Offices, 493
Brigham Looks Amazed, .; 497
Amelia Folsom (Brigham's Favorite Wife), 498
Miss Eliza R. Snow (Mormon Poetess), 501
Zitia D. Huntington (Wife of Brigham), 502
Zina Williams (Brigham's Daughter), 503
A Little Conversation with Brigham, 506
Waiting for Brigham to Keep his Promise, . . . 509
The Disgraced Wife, 515
Dinner at the Lion House, 517
Brigham Young (Full Page Portrait), 520
Mormon Temple (now Building), 523
Interior of Tabernacle on Sundays, 524
Family Prayers at Bee Hive House, 529
Toiling for Brigham, 532
Relating my Story to Mr. and Mrs. Stratton, 540
Alone at the Hotel, 542
Carrying my Furniture to the Auction Room, 546
Excitement in Salt Lake City, 548
Brigham Fined and Imprisoned for Contempt of Court, 553
Flight at Night, 566
Escape from Salt Lake City, 570
View of Salt Lake City, showing Tabernacle, 571
The Co-operative Store, 577
George A. Smith, First Counsellor, 578
Daniel H. Wells, Second Counsellor, 579
The Old Mormon Tabernacle, 580
Mormon Tithing Store, and Office of Deseret News, 585
View of Brigham's Canal, 587
Polygamy in High and Low Life, 589
Driven from Home, 594
Receiving my Friends at the Walker House, . 598
Reception at Salt Lake City, . 599
"Not Afraid of the Poland Bill," 603
CHAPTER I.
THE DAYS OF MY CHILDHOOD. WHY I EVER WAS A
MORMON.
An Important Question. Born in Mormonism. Telling my own Story.
Joseph Smith's Mission. He Preaches a New Dispensation.
My Parents Introduced to the Reader. The Days before Polygamy.
My Mother's Childhood. Learning under Difficulties. First
Thoughts of Mormonism. Received into the Church. Persecution
for the Faith. Forsaking All for the New Religion. First Acquaint-
ance with the Apostle Brigham. His Ambitious Intrigues. His
Poverty. His Mission-work. Deceptive Appearances. My Moth-
er's Marriage. A Brief Dream of Happiness. That sweet word
" Home." The Prophet Smith turns Banker. The " Kirtland Safety
Society Bank." The Prophet and Sidney Rigdon Flee. A Moment
of Hesitation. Another " Zion " Appointed. Losing All for the
Church. Privation and Distress. Sidney Rigdon and his " Declara-
tion of Independence." He Excites an Immense Sensation. Mobs
Assemble, and Fights Ensue. Lively Times among the Saints.
The Outrages of the Danites.
URING the somewhat
public career which I
have led since my apostasy
from the Mormon Church,
I have often been asked
why I ever became a
Mormon. Indeed, I have
scarcely entered a town
where this question has
not been put by some one,
almost on the instant of
my arrival. It is the first
query of the newspaper
reporter, and the anxious inquiry of the clergymen, who
with one accord, without regard to creed or sect, have bid-
32 AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
den me welcome into the light of Christian faith, from out
the dark bondage of fanaticism and bigotry ; and I have
often answered it at the hospitable table of some enter-
tainer, who has kindly given me shelter during a lecture
engagement.
Curiosity, interest, desire to gratify a wondering public
by some personal items concerning me, are the different
motives which prompt the question ; but surprise is almost
without exception betrayed when I tell them that I was born
in the faith. Sometimes I think that the people of the out-
side world consider it impossible that a person can be born
in Mormonism ; they regard every Mormon as a deluded
proselyte to a false faith.
It is with a desire to impress upon the world what Mor-
monism really is ; to show the pitiable condition of its wo-
men, held in a system of bondage that is more cruel than
African slavery ever was, since it claims to hold body and
soul alike ; to arouse compassion for its children and youth,
born and growing up in an atmosphere of social impurity ;
and, above all, to awaken an interest in the hearts of the
American people that shall at length deepen into indigna-
tion, that I venture to undertake the task of writing this
book. I have consecrated myself to the work, not merely
for my own sake, but for the sake of all the unhappy wo-
men of Utah, who, unlike myself, are either too powerless
or too timid to break the fetters which bind them.
I intend to give a truthful picture of Mormon life ; to veil
nothing which should be revealed, even though the recital
should be painful to me at times, coming so close, as it neces-
sarily must, to my inmost life, awakening memories which
I would fain permit to remain slumbering, and opening old
wounds which I had fondly hoped were healed. Neither
shall I intentionally tinge any occurrence with the slightest
coloring of romance ; the real is so vivid and so strange
that I need 'have no recourse to the imaginary.
All the events which I shall relate will be some of my
BORN IN MORMONISM. 33
own personal experiences, or the experience of those so
closely connected with me that they have fallen directly
under my observation, and for whose truth I can vouch
without hesitation. To tell the story as it ought to be told,
I must begin at the very beginning of my life ; for I have
always been so closely connected with these people that I
could not easily take up the narrative at any intermediate
point.
I was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, on the I3th of Septem-
ber, 1844, and was the youngest child and only surviving
daughter of a family of five children.
My father and mother were most devout Mormons, and
were among the very earliest of Joseph Smith's converts.
They have, indeed, been closely identified with the Church
of the Latter-Day Saints almost from its first establish-
ment. They have followed it in all its wanderings, have
been identified with its every movement, and their fortunes
have risen or fallen as the Church has been prosperous or
distressed. They were enthusiastic adherents of Joseph
Smith, and devoted personal friends of Brigham Young,
until he, by his own treacherous acts, betrayed their friend-
ship, and himself broke every link that had united them
to him, even that of religious sympathy, which arnpng this
people is the most difficult to sunder.
My father, Chauncey G. Webb, was born in 1812, in
Hanover, Chatauqua County, N. Y. He first heard the
Mormon doctrine preached in 1833, only a very short time
after Joseph Smith had given the Book of Mormon to the
world, and had announced himself as another Messiah,
chosen by "the Lord" to restore true religion to the world,
to whom also had been revealed all the glories of "the
kingdom " that should yet be established on the earth, and
over which he was to be, by command from the Lord, both
temporal and spiritual ruler.
They the old folks embraced the new faith imme-
diately, and prepared for removal to Kirtland, Ohio, which
3
34 THE FIRST RELIGION OF w THE SAINTS.**
was to be the nucleus of the new church, the "Zion" given
by revelation to Joseph Smith as the gathering-place of the
Saints. They were naturally anxious to gather all their chil-
dren into the fold, and they urged my father, with tearful,
prayerful entreaties, to accompany them to the city of refuge
prepared for the faithful followers of the Lord and His
prophet Smith.
Like many young people, he had at that time but little
sympathy with religion. He had given but very little
thought to the peculiar beliefs of the different churches.
This world held so much of interest to him, that he had
considered but very little the mysteries of the future, and
the world to come. Of a practical, and even to some ex-
tent sceptical turn of mind, he was inclined to take things
as they_rfime to him r and was not easily influenced by the
rinarvellQjis__ox supernatural.^ If left to himself, he might,
probably, never have embraced Mormonism ; but he yielded
to the entreaties of his parents, and joined the Mormon
Church more as an expression of filial regard than of deep
reltgtogjT conviction, /'i'he Saints wef~ at thaCTime 1m
humble, spi ri tu al-mi n o3 , God-fearing, law-abiding people,
holding their new belief with sincerity and enthusiasm,
and proving their .position, to their own satisfaction at least,
from the Bible. f/They had not then developed the spirit
of intolerance which has since characterized them, and
tHough they were touched with religious fanaticfsm, they
were honest in their very bigotry. The Mormon Church,
in its earliest days, cannot be fairly judged by the Mormon
Church of the present time, which retains none of its early
simplicity, and which seems to have lost sight entirely of
the fundamental principles on which it was built. My
father, although not entering fully into the spirit of his
new religion at that early period of his saintly experience,
yet found nothing of the insincerity which he claimed to
have met in other beliefs ; and having embraced the new
faith, he was prepared to hold to it, and to cast his lot with
MY MOTHER'S CONVERSION. 35
it. So he went with his parents to Kirtland, in 1834, where
he found the first romance of his life in the person of Eliza
'Churchill, my mother, then a young girl of seventeen, just
blossoming into fairest womanhood.
Never was there a greater mental or spiritual contrast
between two persons. My mother was a religious enthu-
siast, almost a mystic. She believed implicitly in personal
revelation, and never doubted but that the Mormon faith p
came directly from "the Lord." She "saw visions and
dreamed dreams," and" at times it would have taken but
little persuasion to have made her believe herself inspired.
It was a religious nature like hers, dreamy, devoted, and
mystical, that, in other conditions and amid other sur-
roundings, had given to France a Joan of Arc. It must
have been the attraction of opposite natures that brought
together in so close a relationship the practical, shrewd,
somewhat sceptical man, and the devoted, enthusiastic,
religious girl. It was probably the very contrast that made
the young man feel such tenderness and care for the home-
less orphan girl, and made her cling to him, trusting her
helplessness to his strength.
Her early life had by no means been so sheltered as his,
and to her the thought of tender care and protecting watch-
fulness, through all the rest of her days, was unutterably
sweet and restful. If her dream could only have been v
realized- f But polygamy cursed her life, as it has that of
every Mormon woman, and shattered her hope.
had but a taste of their realization.
She was born at Union Springs, Cayuga County, N. Y.,
>n the 4th of May, 1817, but only lived there until she was
two years old, when her parents removed to Livingston
County, in the same state. When she was four years old
her mother died, leaving three little children, the youngest
a mere baby. Her father, finding it impossible to obtain
any one to take care of the three as they should be cared
for, was obliged, much against his will, to separate them,
36 HOW THE FIRST CONVERTS WERE MADE.
and put them in the charge of different persons, until such
time as he was in a situation to make a home for them
together. But that was destined never to be, and these
children were never reunited, although they have never
lost sight of one another ; and to this day the hearts of the
Gentile and Mormon sisters yearn towards each J2jjif_jind
the moreTortunate one suffers in sympathy with her sister's
sufferings^
My mother was given into the care of a family of the
name of Brown, with whom she staid twelve-years. Her
life with them was rendered most unhappy by the treat-
ment which she received, and from lack of sympathy.
Ambitious, and craving knowledge most ardently, she was
denied all means of procuring a proper education, and was
reduced to the position of a mere drudge. But her percep-
tions were keen, her memory retentive, and in spite of all
drawbacks she managed to learn something ; enough, in-
deed, to lay the foundation for the knowledge which she
afterwards acquired, and which stood her in good stead as
a means of support for herself and her children, after the
arrival of the Saints in Utah. Whatever came in her way
in the shape of reading-matter she eagerly devoured,
whether it was the torn bit of an old newspaper, the inev-
itable "Farmer's Almanac," or some odd volume of histo-
ry, biography, or fiction, which had found its way mysteri-
ously to the New York farm-house of other days ; but
above all, the Bible and Methodist hymn-books. These
she had read and re-read until she could repeat large por-
tions of them from memory. Wesley's beautiful hymns,
with their earnest, fervid tone, were her special favorites
among these religious songs, and her young heart glowed
as she listened to the poetic inspirations of Isaiah and
those other prophecies, which she believed, although she
could not understand.
When she was fifteen years of age, she united with the
Methodist Church ; and it was while she was in the first
PREACHING THE NEW RELIGION. 37
flush of her religious experience that the Mormon mis-
sionaries came to Avon, the town in which she lived,
preaching their new doctrines. My mother had very nat-
urally a great deal of curiojnt^ concerning this new reli-
gibn7"which was [railed at as a delusion^ and its prophet
and founder, Joseph Smith, who was called a hypocrite, a
false teacher, a blasphemer, ajnd^jejraQM^th^
Uame that could be heaped upon him, in the bitterness of
religious persecution. But she was forbidden to attend
their meetings, and it was many months before she was
able to listen to one of the sermons. f During this time she
had grown somewhat into sympathy with these people, and
had come to feel an interest in them greater than she
would have felt had she not met with such persistent, and,
what seemed to her, unreasonable opposition to her often
expressed wish to hear them and judge of their sincerity
and truth for herself. J
NEW RELIGION.
After a time, however, she found an opportunity of attend-
ing a two days' meeting, without the knowledge of her
friends ; and she listened eagerly to Joseph Young as he
expounded the new doctrine and dwelt upon the glories
of the " kingdom " which was to be speedily set up upon
the earth. Predisposed as she already was in its favor, it
286794
38 SUFFERING FOR THE FAITH.
is not strange that she was readily convinced of its divine
origin, and accepted it at once as the true religion. Before
the meeting was over, she was numbered among Elder Jo-
seph Young's converts, and was received into the Mormon
Church, being baptized by the apostolic hands of his brother
Brigham.
When it became known that she had become a convert
to the obnoxious faith, she was the object of bitter persecu-
tion. The family with whom she lived were especially
intolerant, and in their anger resorted to every expedient
to force her to give up her new faith. They confined her
in a cellar for several days, kept her upon bread and water,
and subjected her to other severities of a like nature. All
this opposition did not move her one particle. She remained
firm in her chosen faith, and was steadfast and true to her
convictions of right. All this severity of treatment she
rather gloried in. Was it not worth while to suffer perse-
cution, and be treated with contumely and contempt, for
the sake of the church that had been specially called by the
Lord to " build up the waste places of Zion " ? Would not
her reward be the greater by and by? So filled was she
with the new enthusiasm that nothing had power even to
render her unhappy ; as she says, she triumphed in perse-
cution and rejoiced in suffering.
When her persecutors found that neither arguments nor
threats could move her, they turned her out of doors, con-
sidering that they were doing only their duty, since it would
be a sin to harbor a Mormon. The thought of her extreme
youth and her unprotected situation did not move them in
the slightest degree. Their doors were shut against her,
as their hearts had always been.
Instinctively she turned towards the people with whom
she had so lately connected herself, and for whose sake
she had left home and friends ; they received her kindly
and hospitably, and she went with them to Kirtland, where
my father found her when he arrived a few months later.
WHAT BRIGHAM YOUNG ONCE WAS. " , 39
It was at this time that the friendship began between my
mother and^Brigltani Young? which lasted so many years
a faithful friendship on her part, met, as a matter of course,
by [unkindness and treachery on his side/] At thatJLime he
was young and zealous, and seemingly sincere. \ He was
one of the most successful of the early Mormon Mission-
aries, and was considered specially gifted.) He was an
ardent supporter and personal friend of JoSeph Smith, and
young as he was, had attained a high position in the Church
of the Saints, being the second of the twelve apostles, all
of whom were chosen by the Prophet Smith himself.
Some have considered that his zeal was assumed, and
that beyond the ambition of attaining a high position he
had no personal regard for Mormonism. It is believed by
many of the old Mormons that he always entertained the
hope of becoming Joseph's successor, and standing at the
head of the church. (^He has no natural religious nature;
indeed, he is at times a positive sceptic} He has made the
church a stepping-stong tn tpmpnml pm^pp r itv T and the
'Eormon people have been the pliant tools \yitll \\\}\ c ^
has carved his fortune.
In those days he was struggling with poverty, going on
missions, as the apostles of old were commanded to do, and
as all these new apostles did, in their first days of apostle-
ship, "without purse or scrip;" and to my mother the
"Apostle" Brigham was invested with all the attributes
which belong to an earnest nature, intensified by deep reli-
gious faith. In short, he was, as she regarded him, a
creature of her imagination, and utterly unlike his real self
as she came at length to know him.
The year following my father's arrival in Kirtland, and
his first meeting with my mother, they were married. The
first few months of their married life were peculiarly happy,
and they prospered beyond their most sanguine expecta-
tions. My father was a wheelwright by trade, and directly
on reaching Kirtland built a wagon manufactory, and
40 JOSEPH SMITH: PROPHET, SEER, AND REVELATOR.
started in business for himself. He was eminently suc-
cessful in his i ndertaking, and made money sufficiently
fast to suit his o vn ideas and ambitions. He built a cosy
little house, and carried my mother to it ; and there, for
the first time since she was a little child, she knew what
it was to have a home a genuine home ! not a mere rest-
ing-place, where she felt herself an intruder, but a place in
which she was mistress, over which love and she held
absolute and undisputed sway.
It was during that happy period, the only happy time in
her whole life, that she fitted herself to teach. She was
an indefatigable student, and she made the most and the
best of her time. At that time she studied to satisfy
her intense craving for knowledge, and as a pleasant recre-
ation, with no thought that she might some day have to
turn her studies to practical account. She had not then
been introduced^tQ the doctrine ofL!!_pIural wives-.-" -arid-its
rtteficfant r glories, 1 which, being defined, meant miseries
arid torture. And the definition has never been altered,
and never will be, until women's natures are most rad-
ically changed.
As I said before, my father
was prospering in worldly af-
fairs, and when it was "re-
vealed " to Joseph Smith that
the
ad^iflftflta
f* Prophet J'
he should add
IrTat of banker, he assisted
Smith in founding the " Kirt-
land Safety Society Bank,"
by promising to deposit all
^ his money therein ; in short,
JOSEPH SM,TH, T H/FOUND OK Mo R MomsM.g ivin g Smitha11 that he pOS~
sessed outside of his house
and shop towards completing the amount necessary for a
capital on which to start the new enterprise. When the
THE BANK FAILS, AND THE " PROPHET " FLEES. 4!
bank failed, which it did very shortly after its estab-
lishment, my father, of course, lost every cent which he
had invested. He was intensely disgusted With the whole
proceeding, which, if it had happened in the Gentile
world, would have been termed swindling, and Smith
would not have been easily let off by the mere calling of
names. Many Gentiles, who had suffered by the failure,
wenT~not so lenient as Smith's followers, and demanded
that the Prophet should answer to the complaint of swin-
dling before the United States court. / But, as usual, he
eluded the officers of justice, and all attempts to arrest him
were unavailing. <-' f ' PV**.w\A-i 'JAJ I/I j* ^^ ^
The poor Saints, although losing, many of them, all
their hard-earned savings, were still loyal to their leader,
and excused him on the ground that " he had lost the Spirit "
for the time, and the revelation was not of divine origin ;
although he was unconscious of that fact, and received it
in good faith. My father, however, not so ready to excuse
what seemed to him an act of premeditated dishonesty, and
having very little faith in "revelation" at any time, was
very bitter in his denunciations ; and it was only by my moth-
er's influence, who still clung fondly to her faith, that he
did not then renounce Mormonism. Although she has
never openly acknowledged it, I think that my mother has
since often regretted her steadfast adherence to the church
at that time. Her loyalty and persistence brought upon her
the unhappiness of her life, and finally plunged her into
such utter misery as only polygamous wives can experi-
ence. Her religion, that was to be so much to her, brought
her not one ray of comfort, but in after years blighted her
domestic life, and laid upon her a cross almost too heavy
to be borne. But I must do her the justice to say, that
through it all she has never complained, but has endured
her sufferings in silence, and met her woes with patience.
This unfortunate revelation of the Prophet's, together with
othersomewhat Questionable business transactions, and the
42 A NEW "ZION" ESTABLISHED.
consequent growing prejudice of the people of Ohio against
him and his followers, made it necessary for the Saints to
seek some other place, where they might build their " Zion."
It was certain that the Lord did not favor Ohio ; and about
that time he " revealed " to Joseph that the place he had
selected in which to establish His temporal kingdom was
Missouri. This was to be the Mormon Canaan, the land
Which they the chosen people of the Lord should enter
and possess. To be sure, He had revealed the very same
thing concerning Kirtland ; it was there that he declared
" He had established His name for the salvation of the na-
tions." But according to the Prophet's later explanation,
Satan was striving to break up the kingdom, and the spirit
of " apostate mobocracy " raged and grew hotter, until
Smith and his confederate, Sidney Rigdo'n, were obliged
"to flee from its deadly influence, as did the apostles and
prophets of old ; " and " as Jesus had commanded his fol-
lowers, when persecuted in one city, to flee to another," so
these two worthies left the " chosen city of the Lord " most
unceremoniously, under cover of darkness, pursued by of-
ficers of the law, and never returned to it again. But from
Missouri Smith sent messages and exhortations to those of
the Saints who still remained faithful, "to gather quickly
to Zion."
Very many members of the church apostatized at that
time, and the numbers of the faithful " chosen " were decid-
edly lessened. Among tb^R w 1 '" t"""i' Vnrf t ThnV"n was
my mother, who in her almostjanatical blindness.] accepted
the Prophet's explanation^ and was still willing to be led
by h : s revelations. My father was held by his affection for
her rather than by any conviction of the " divine leading "
of Smith, whom, indeed, he distrusted almost entirely ; and it
was in compliance with my mother's ardent wish to follow
her prophet, and to establish herself and family in Zion
amidst the Saints, that my father finally decided to em-
igrate with the remnant of the church to Missouri.
SUFFERINGS OF THE PERSECUED SAINTS. 43
He settled in Daviess County, about thirty miles from Far-
West, where the body of the Saints were located, and was
again tasting the sweets of prosperity and domestic comfort,
when the Missouri war broke out, and he was obliged to
remove his family, in the greatest haste, to Far-West for
their safety, leaving house and property to be confiscated
by an angry mob.
This was the second time, since casting his lot with the
Saints, that all my father's possessions had been suddenly
swept away /and this last would have discourged him sadly-,
had it not made him so indignant to see the injustice which |
was shown by Gentiles to the Mormons;) and he assisted I
in guarding the lives of the Mormon people, and the remant
of property which was left to them, until such time as
tljey could find another home.
During this time my mother's sufferings were intense.
^Many of the houses had been burned by mobs, and she,
and many other women in as severe straits as herself, were
compelled to live as best they could, exposed to the wind
and rain, and without any proper shelter, during almost the
entire winter, with two little children, one a baby only a
few months old, the other about two years old. ft In addition
to all the discomforts of the situation, she was always in
constant terror of an attack by the infuriated mobs, who
were waging a genuine war of extermination with the suf-
fering Saints. As is always the^case with a religious war,
the feeling was intensely bitter./' The Gentiles had no char-
ity for the Mprmons, and woula neither tolerate their faith
nor them.J(The Mormons returned the hatred of the Gen-
tiles with interest, and considering themselves the chosen
of the Lord, selected by Him to the exclusion of all the rest
of the world, of course argued that whatever they did could
by no possibility be wrong, and they returned their ill-treat-
ment with interest. /
Although there had been, always, a strong prejudice
against the Mormons in Missouri, as in other states where
44 SIDNEY RIGDON'S FAMOUS DECLARATION.
they had lived, it was not until after Sidney Rigdon made
his famous incendiary speech, at the commencement of the
foundation of the new Temple at Far-West, on the 4th of
July, 1838, that the feeling broke into anything like aggres-
sive hostilities.
Rigdon had embraced Mormonism in 1830, and had
been ever since that time an ardent Saint. He was a
Campbellite preacher in Ohio at the time of his conversion,
which was accomplished under the teachings of Parley P.
Pratt, a man who played quite an important part in the
ejarTy Mormon history. Rigdon was a very fluent speaker,
much revered by the Saints on account of his eloquence,
which, it must be confessed, was decidedly of the "bun-
combe " order. For a long time he was the intimate friend
and chief counsellor of Joseph Smith, was connected with
him in the Kirtland Bank swindle, and escaped with him
to Missouri.
It had been revealed to the Prophet Smith that another
temple must be built to the Lord in the new Zion, since the
one at Kirtland had been desecrated by falling into Gentile
hands, and Rigdon was chosen to make the speech on the
occasion of laying the first foundation-stone of this sacred
edifice.
The " Champion of Liberty," as Rigdon was called by
his admirers, was more bombastic and more denunciatory
than usual. He surpassed himself in invective, and mad-
dened the already prejudiced Missourians, who were only
waiting for some excuse to quarrel with their unwelcome
neighbors. Among other absurd things, he said :
"We take God and all the holy angels to witness, that
we warn all men to come on us no more for ever. The
man or set of men that attempts it, does so at the expense
of their lives. / The mob that comes to disturb us we will
follow until tfte last drop of their blood is spilled, or else
they will have to exterminate us. We will carry the war
into their own homes and families. No man shall come into
GREAT EXCITEMENT AMONG THE SAINTS. 45
our streets to threaten us with mobs ; if he does, he shall
atone for it before he leaves the place. We this day pro-
claim ourselves free, with a purpose and determination that
can never be broken. No, never ! No, never ! ! No,
never ! ! ! "
This speech fired the excitable nature of the Saints, and
they were aroused to a high pitch of warlike enthusiasm.
Already, in imagination, they saw Missouri conquered, and
the church in possession of the entire state. ) There could
be no doubt of the final 'esult, for this was the Promised
Land into which they had been led by the hand of the
Lord. >.
I With the superstition which characterizes this people j
they turned every accident or occurrence into some sign
from Heaven, and it was always interpreted to promise suc-
cess to them and confusion to their enemies. On this day
of celebration the Mormons had erected a liberty-pole in
honor of the occasion ; in the afternoon it was struck by
lightning, shivered to atoms, and fell, its flag trailing in the
dust. ..There was rejoicing among the Mormons ; that was
certainly an omen of the speedy downfall of their enemies.
It seems now as though if it must be considered an omen
of anything that it was prophetic of the ujrnntin^ nr\A
scattering of this people, so soon was it followedj^their
of bitterness between the two contending
factions grew more intense daily, and each party^was
eagerly watching for some acts of violence from the other.
The next month, at the election, the war commenced in
earnest. A man named William Peniston was candidate
for the legislature. The Mormons objected to him on the
ground that he had headed a mob against them in Clay
County. The Missourians, aware of this objection, en-
deavored to prevent the Mormons from voting, and a fight
ensued, in which the latter proclaimed themselves victo-
rious. Gallatin, the court town of Daviess County, was soon
40 THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
after burned by the Mormons. Then commenced robbing,
plundering, and outrages of every kind by both parties. It
was a season of the wildest confusion, and both sides were
blinded with passion, and lost sight of reason, toleration,
and, above all, Christian forbearance. It was a positive
reign of terror. Houses, bar-ns^ and haystacks were burned,
men shot, and all manner of depredations committed.
THK NIGHT OF TERROR.
It is impossible for me to say which party was the prin-
cipal aggressor ; probably there was equal blame on both
sides ; but I have been informed that Joseph taught his fol-
lowers that it was right, and "commanded of the Lord," for
them to take anything they could find which belonged
to their enemies, in retaliation for the wrongs which they
had suffered at their hands. I can the more easily believe
this to be true, because the spirit ot the Mormon Uhurch
has always been that of retaliation. The stern old Mosaic
law, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," is in full
force among them, and is not only advised by the. leaders,
but insisted upon by them. Indeed, they have added to its
severity, until now it stands, "A life for an offence, real or
THE DANITE BAND ORGANIZED. 47
suspected, of any kind." In support of this they refer to
the Israelites " borrowing " jewelry from the Egyptians be-
fore \Jfcey took their flight from Egypt ; and they quote,
" ~- fU * UQ -^' " "
hffl fulmar thcrcol; " and as
Savored- children,
in fact, his only acknowledged ones, they seem to con-
sider this text peculiarly applicable to the situation, and all
the excuse they need to give for any irregularities in the
way of appropriating other people's property. They are
merely coming into their inheritance.
At all events, the people were not slow to obey the com-
mand of the Lord and the counsel of Joseph, and they dis-
played their spirit of obedience by laying hold of every kind
of property which came within their reach. In the midst
of these troubles, Joseph came out to Daviess County to a
town called " Adam-ondi-Ahman^ named, of course, by
revelation, and meaning, when translated, " The valley of
God in which Adam blessed his children ; " said to be the
identical spot where Adam and Eve first sought refuge after
their expulsion from Eden. Upon his arrival, he called the
people together, and harangued them after this mild and
conciliatory fashion : " Go ahead ! Do all you can to harass
the enemy. I jiexer^felt^more of the spirit of God at any
time than since we commenced this stealing and house-
burning." My parents were living at Adam-ondi-Ahman at
that time, and were present when Joseph delivered this
/"peculiarly saint-like address/} ^\ U\\L^ ^t^h$/*^ If
About this time the Danite bands were first organized,
for the purpose of plundering and harassing the people of
the surrounding country. I have been told this by a person
who heard the oaths administered at a meeting of the band
in Daviess County. They were instructed to go out on the
borders of the Settlements, and take the spoils from the
"ungodly Gentiles ; " for was it not written, , M The riches of
the Gentiles shall be consecrated to the people of the house
of Israel?"
48 THE PROPHET SMITH TAKEN PRISONER.
Joseph Smith always denied that he had in any way au-
thorized the formation of the Danite bands ; and, in fact, in
public he repeatedly repudiated both them and their deeds
of violence. At the time of which I speak, however,
Thomas B. Marsh, who was then the president of the
w twelve apostles," together with Orson Hyde, who now
occupies that post, apostatized. Both subsequently returned
to the bosom of the church, making the most abject sub-
mission. Poor Marsh died, crushed and broken-hearted.
Hyde's heart was of tougher composition, and he still lives ;
but Brigham will never forget or forgive his apostasy.
While both Marsh and Hyde were separated from the
church, they made solemn affidavits against Joseph and the
Mormons in general, accusing them of the grossest crimes
and outrages, as well as of abetting the Danites and their
deeds. The cowardly Apostles afterwards declared that
these affidavits were made under the influence of fear.
That is very probable, but at the same time there can be no
real doubt that there was a larger amount of truth in what
they affirmed than jealous Mormons would be disposed to
admit.
The outrages committed by these Danites, and others
like them, caused the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri.
Joseph and about fifty of his followers were taken prisoners,
and between his arrest and imprisonment, and the final
exodus from the state, there was great suffering among the
Mormon people.
CHAPTER II.
FOUNDING THE NEW RELIGION. ASSASSINATION OF
JOSEPH SMITH.
The Saints expelled from Missouri. They cross the Mississippi into
Illinois. Forming a New Settlement. Arrival in Quincy. A Kind
Reception. The City of " Nauvoo " Founded. A New Temple Be-
gun. Great Success of the Foreign Missions. The Saints flock
from Europe. Thousands assemble in Nauvoo. The Prophet Jo-
seph applies for a City Charter. Nauvoo Incorporated. The Saints
Petition the National Government. The Prophet visits Washington.
His Interview with President Van Buren. He coquets with Poli-
tics. He Stands on the Edge of the Precipice. The Saints in Dan-
ger. The Prophet Smith Nominated for President. He tries to find
the "Golden Way." Mormon Missionaries preach Politics. The
Prophet looks towards the Pacific Coast. The Blind Obedience of
the Saints. The Real Devotion of their Faith. Gentile Opinions.
How Boggs was shot in the Head. The Spiritual Wife-Doctrine.
Dr. William Law Protests. Terrible Charges against the Prophet.
The " Nauvoo Expositor" The Prophet Surrenders. He is Mur-
dered in Jail.
SOFTER this, crime succeeded
crime, and the state of affairs
grew worse daily. The Mor-
mons were getting decidedly the
worst of the warfare, and their
opponents showed them no
mercy. At the massacre at
Haun's Mills, for instance, men,
women, and children were shot
down in cold blood by a com-
pany of the Missouri militia,
the houses plundered and
burned, and the clothing even
stripped from the dead bodies.
There had been inhuman murders in other places, men
4
f_ ___.
NAUVOO TEMPLE.
5O THE SAINTS EXPELLED FROM MISSOURI.
and women alike falling victims to the fury of the mobs ;
there had been a battle fought at Crooked River, and sev-
eral skirmishes between the Mormons and Missourians,
exaggerated reports of which had spread through the coun-
try like wildfire. The whole state was in arms against the
Mormons. The governor issued an order of expulsion,
thinking it the surest way to quell the disturbance, which
had almost grown beyond him, and gave the Saints three
months in which to leave the state. Every Mormon was
to be out of the state at the end of that time, except those
who were in prison. Of them the governor said, "Their
fate is fixed ; the die is cast ; their doom is sealed^'
As on the occasion of the removal from Ohio, there was
considerable apostasy in the church. Many persons grew
discouraged, and their faith wavered. In following Smith
they had been led from difficulty into danger, had suffered
persecution and poverty, and were now driven from their
homes to seek refuge in some more hospitable spot. Every
man's hand seemed turned against them, and they had
grown tired of perpetual warfare. If God had ever called,
He had surely deserted them now, and there was no use in
their longer undergoing trial and suffering.
Those who remained firm were still strong in the faith ;
stronger, if possible, than ever. Joseph was their Prophet,
and they clung to him and his revelations with unshaken
confidence. "Blessed are they who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake," was a favorite and comforting quota-
tion at that time./ They were cheered by frequent letters
from Joseph, written in prison, as they journeyed towards
Illinois, which was the next point towards which they turned
their feet, already weary with wandering. On receiving
the order of expulsion, the Saints pledged themselves never
to cease their exertions until every one of their faith was
out of the state ; and to accomplish this within the time
required, they worked unceasingly, through sickness, pov-
erty, and privation.
CRUEL PERSECUTION OF THE HELPLESS. 51
My mother has often described to me this enforced jour-
ney. She was always deeply moved, and never spoke of
it that the hot tears did not rush to her eyes, and her voice
quiver with indignation. The journey was taken in the
dead of winter. Many of the women and children were
already ill from exposure, yet they were obliged to leave
the state with the rest ; and although everything was done
for their comfort that could well be done, yet their suffer-
ings were most intense. They were robbed of their horses,
and were obliged to make their escape with ox-teams, cross-
ing those twenty-mile prairies, facing cold, wintry winds
without even a cover to the wagons. My mother held her
two infants close in her arms during all the long, tedious
journey, to keep them from perishing. She had but one
dress to wear, as she had to leave Daviess County in great
liaste, taking only her children with her ; and on her arrival
in Illinois she was entirely destitute, her clothing being lit-
erally torn in pieces. In the spring of 1839 all were safely
landed across the Mississippi River, where they were joined
in April, soon after their arrival, by Joseph and his fellow-
prisoners, who had " miraculously," as Joseph said, made
their escape from their enemies.
The joy of the Saints was very great at his arrival. The
waning courage was restored, wavering faith was strength-
ened, and they were all ready to enter the next scheme
which his prophetic soul should propose, and to follow
blindly and unquestioningly the next "revelation."
The feeling of the Mormon people towards the Missou-
rians is very bitter to this day, and they have never lost an
opportunity in all these years of injuring them whenever it
became possible. The memory of the indignities heaped
upon them, and the sufferings to which they were subjected,
is still most vivid. Even my mother, notwithstanding the
fact of her having apostatized, and having now no interest
or faith in the Mormon Church, can never forgive the Mis-
sourians. She says, "If the Mormons were the greatest
52 STEALING WOOD TO MAKE COFFINS !
fanatics on the earth, the Missourians cannot be justified in
the course which they pursued. There is no doubt they
were exasperated by the actions of the Mormons, and suf-
fered loss of property, and even life, at the hands of the
Danite bands ; but they need not, in the cruel spirit of re-
venge, punish the innocent women and children, for it was
on these that the blow fell the hardest. It was they, who
had no part in bringing on the trouble, who were to suffer
in retribution for the misdeeds of others."
Notwithstanding all that had taken place in Missouri,
some of the more enthusiastic Saints believed that it was the
promised land, and that some time they should come in and
possess it. Indeed, that belief has prevailed among some
of the older Mormons until within a very short time. Brig-
ham has preached it and promised it ; but now he says very
little about it, and when he does he is wise to add, " if the
Lord shall will it so." The present indications are, that the
Lord will not " will it so," and all the Saints have content-
edly accepted Utah as "Zion," in the face of "revelation."
In giving, thus briefly, a sketch of the "Missouri war," I
tell the story as I have always heard it, since I was a child,
from my parents, who were in the midst of it, and who
were rendered homeless and poor by it. Although always
hearing it from the Mormon side, I must, to do the narra-
tors justice, say they have never attempted to hide any part
of the provocation which the Saints gave ; and they now
hold Joseph responsible for it, by his, to say the least, unwise
teachings.
Itjsjiot very long since I was talking with a person who
was with the Mormons in Missouri and Illinois. Hie said
tfiaTJoseph not only advised his people publicly to plunder
from the Gentiles, but privately ordered them to do so. At
one time he was himself sent by the Prophet to steal lum-
ber for coffins. He went with a party of men down the
river, loaded a raft with lumber from a Gentile saw-mill,
and brought it up to the M City of the Saints." Another man,
STEAL FIRST AND PRAY AFTER! 53
now a bishop in the Mormon Church, told my mother that
he was deputed by Joseph to go and take some cattle, and
drive them to the city. As he was entering the town on
his return from his successful marauding trip, he was called
into a house, where there were sick persons, to anoint and
pray for them in connection with another elder. On meet-
ing this elder afterwards, he remarked, " I have often won-
dered that the Lord listened to our prayers in behalf of the
sick under such circumstances. The elder replied, quietly,
"/had not been stealing."
Had such teachings been given by the Gentiles, and fol-
lowed by their people, it would have been sin. But with the
Mormons it was always " the will of the Lord," and inHiiT
name they committed the crimes that produced disaster and
disgrace among the people of Missouri, and finally resulted
in their own expulsion from that state. Thus it was that
at length we find them driven out by violence from among
a people who at first had received them with the utmost
friendliness, and forced to seek refuge on the farther shore
of the Mississippi, despite the promise which Joseph had so
often given them, " in the name of the Lord," that Missouri
should be the abiding-place of the Saints.
Joseph, however, still continued to assert that the Saints
" should return again and build up the waste places of
Zion," and pointed out Missouri as the spot which was to
be the " central stake " from which he was eventually to
rule all America; but the fact remained that the people
must have homes until such good time as they might be
allowed to "come again to their own."
They had landed at Quincy, Illinois, and had been very
kindly received by the residents. On'their arrival they at
once commenced searching for a place to settle, and build
another " stake ; " and the place finally selected by the
Prophet was situated on the Mississippi River, about forty
miles from Quincy. ft was first called Commerce ; but this
name being considered altogether too matter-of-fact and
54 HOW NAUVOO, THE NEW ZION, WAS BUILT.
practical, it was named, by inspiration, NAUVOO, which,
being translated from the "Reformed Egyptian," the lan-
guage in w hick all revelations were first given, means
"The Beautiful.')
The new city grew rapidly ; another Temple was com-
menced by command of the Ldrd, and the people were
adjured not to cease work upon it until it was finished ; all
the Saints were commanded to gather there as soon as it
was practicable. Missionaries were sent to Europe, and
converts flocked from thence to Zion. Never were missioris
crowned with greater success than those that were estab-
lished in Europe by the Mormon Church. The elders went
'first to England, from there to Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Switzerland, France, and they even attempted Italy, but
with so little success that the mission there was speedily
abandoned. Indeed, the southern countries of Europe did
not seem to have taken kindly to the new doctrine of the
Saints, and evinced but slight interest in the establishment
of a "spiritual kingdom on the earth," and paid no heed
whatever to Joseph's revelations. But hundreds of con-
verts were made among the English and Scandinavian
people, and they all evinced a strong desire to " gather to
Zion," and considered no sacrifice too great to be made to
facilitate their emigration. ( Most of them were from the
poorer classes, but some ""among them were persons of
considerable wealth, and many were from the comfortable
middle class of farmers and trades people. '
The people of Illinois were inclined to be very friendly
with the Mormon people, and to make up by sympathy and
kindness for the treatment which the Saints had received in
Missouri. But, as has invariably been the case, the Mor-
mons, by their own acts, managed to turn these friends into
enemies, and to embroil themselves in more quarrels.
The people in the surrounding towns found them trouble-
some, and most undesirable neighbors ; for in spite of their
kindly reception, Joseph did not cease his injunctions .to
HARD-HEARTED FOLKS AT WASHINGTON. 55
"get all you can from the wicked Gentiles," and the conse-
quence was perpetual trouble and constant complaint.
Early on his arrival at Nauvoo, Joseph applied to the
Illinois legislature for a city charter, which was granted at
once. This charter was extremely liberal, and by its am-
biguous wording deceived the legislature, they considering
it straightforward and honorable, while really it gave Joseph
unlimited power in the government of the city, without regard
to state or national laws, and rendered it impossible that he
could be held prisoner, even if arrested. He had the right
to release himself: the charter provided for that.
Before the establishment of the city it was " revealed " to
Joseph that his people must importune at the feet of all in
authority for a redress of their wrongs in Missouri. They
commenced with the justices of the peace ; from them they
went to the state officers ; finally to the President himself.
They prepared very carefully, and, as far as possible, very
accurately, a statement of the losses of the Saints in Mis-
souri, and Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Elias Higbee
went to Washington with it, to endeavor to seek redress
through the agency of Congress.
Marlin Van Buren, who was President at that time, re-
ceived them with that peculiar suavity of manner for which
he was specially noted, that impressiveness which expressed
so much and meant so little, and listened to them with the
most courteous patience. But his answer was : " Gentlemen,
your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you." The
party returned to Nauvoo disappointed, but in no wise dis-
couraged, and exceedingly indignant with the government
and the entire American people, whom they considered
their enemies from that moment. From the lowest officer
to the highest, they considered that they had failed to meet
with the slightest sympathy, and there was no desire shown
to make any amends to these people. Joseph and the elders
indulged in more incendiary talk than ever ; but this was
now devoted entirely against the government.
56 SAINTS IN " HOT WATER ! "
"In the name of the Lord God of Israel," prophesied
Joseph, "unless the United States redress the wrongs com-
mitted upon the Saints in Missouri, in a few years the gov-
ernment will be entirely overthrown." And again : "They
all turned a deaf ear to our entreaties, and now the Lord
will come out in swift fury and vex the nation."
The troubles in Illinois culminated, as they had in Mis-
souri, in political difficulties. The people of Illinois were
growing exceedingly tired of their new citizens, whom they
had welcomed so warmly, since their kindness had been
returned with so much ingratitude by the Mormons ; but
the political leaders of the state endeavored to curry favor
with Joseph, and obtain his influence, since it had been dis-
covered that the Mormon vote was solid. Whigs and Dem-
ocrats had each tried to secure them, but Smith had his
own purpose to serve, and he used either Whigs or Demo-
crats as best suited him. Neither party could rely on him
or his promises, arid consequently both became exceedingly
hostile towards him, and were equally zealous in endeavor-
ing to limit his power. He was, indeed, rendered perfectly
independent of the state laws by the charter which the gov-
ernor so readily signed, without being aware what a blun-
der he was committing ; and the exertions of the Illinoi-
siahs were directed towards getting this charter repealed.
Anti-Mormon organizations were formed for the purpose
of inducing the legislature to cancel the charter, disband
the Nauvoo Legion, a military organization, of which Jo-
seph was commander-in-chief, and, if possible, to eventually
get rid of. the Mormons altogether. The feeling ran quite as
high as it had done in Missouri, although there were no such
deeds of violence as that state witnessed. It remained, for
some time at least, a political rather than a personal warfare,
and Joseph seemed for many months to maintain his position
in spite of every exertion of his enemies ; and, in fact, got
decidedly the best of them in every way.
Joseph's political career was, to say the least, an intricate
THE PROPHET NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT. 57
and an ambitious one. He aimed at the very highest posi-
tion which the country could give him. He inaugurated a
legislature at Nauvoo, in opposition to that of the state ; but
he took good care that it should be kept from the know-
ledge of all persons outside of the city, and this same legis-
lature did, in its way, the most remarkable work. One of
its acts was to nominate Joseph for the Presidency of the
United States.
Clay and Calhoun were at that time rival candidates for
the Presidency, and Joseph wrote to both of them, asking
them what course they would pursue towards the Mormons
in case they were elected. <: Neither of them answered in a
manner to please him ; they were altogether too indefinite,
refusing in any way to commit themselves to the Mormon
cause ; and he gave them both a severe castigation, and
withdrew his support and countenance from both parties ;
and with him, of course, went the whole body of the Mor-
mons.
He published his own views on the national policy in a x
pamphlet, and announced himself as Presidential Candidate.
His followers confidently believed that he would be elected.
They had no idea that he could fail to attain whatever he
attempted. Missionaries were sent all over the United
States, proselyting and electioneering, and the Saints cer-
tainly worked faithfully to further their Prophet's ambition.
In the legislative assembly he had those friends and allies
in training who were to form his cabinet when he should
reach the White House. Of this assembly, Brigham Young
was an important, active, and favorite member, and Joseph
prophesied wonderful things of him. It is said that he even
named him as his successor as leader of the Mormon
people. But I think that that story is a little more than
doubtful.
In the midst of all this seeking after political influence,
Joseph Smith must, I think, have had some idea of the
hopelessness of it all, and some presentiment at least that his
58 "THE LORD'S FINGER" POINTS WEST I
failure must be followed by another exodus of the Mormon
people, for as early as 1842 he began to talk of the superior
advantages of the Pacific valley as a settlement, and the
" Lord's finger " seemed turning slowly but surely in that
direction, and it was not long before the Prophet sent a
company of men to explore that, then, almost unknown
country, and not long after he began prophesying that in
five years' time the Saints would be located " away from the
influence of mobs."
The Saints, as usual, received the prediction in good
faith, and were ready to follow him wherever he should
lead, notwithstanding that doing so meant giving up home,
and property, and becoming poor, exiled wanderers. The
devotion of this deluded, persecuted people to their false
Prophet was almost sublime. In answer to his " Leave all
and follow me," came the self-sacrificing words, " Whither
thou goest we will go ; thy God shall be our God."
Mistaken, deceived, deluded as they were, the great body
of this people deserve some charitable regard, since they
obeyed the dictates of their consciences, and were willing to
suffer martyrdom for their religion. The great body of
them are not answerable for most of the crimes committed by
the command of the leaders, since they were ignorant of
them, and their hatred of the Gentiles is not so greatly to be
wondered at, since they suffered the persecution without
even knowing that there was the slightest cause for it, ex-
cept their objectionable belief. I feel that I must pay this
tribute to- the Mormon people. Naturally, they were a law-
abiding, peace-loving, intensely religious people; their
peculiar natures, touched a little with fanaticism, having
that mental organization that not only accepts the super-
natural, but demands it, made it the more easy for them to
become the victims of a man like Joseph Smith.
The belief that they were the very chosen of God ; that
He revealed Himself to them through their Prophet ; that He
took special note of their in-comings and out-goings ; that He
THE REAL INNER LIFE OF THE SAINTS. 59
led their way in ah their wanderings, sometimes in- thorny
paths, sometimes through pleasant places, made them pos-
itively heroic in their devotion. I hold that their earnestness
and singleness of purpose ought to win them a certain de-
gree of respect, mingled with the intensest pity that they
could become the dupes of such unscrupulous, overbearing,
unprincipled men as their leaders have proved themselves
to be. They have been blinded by fanaticism, and led by
false representations. Kept in a community by themselves,
forbidden any intercourse with the outside world, they
have known nothing outside of Mormonism except what
their rulers have chosen to tell them, and that has never
been the truth. They have believed that every man's hand
,was against them; that they were literally "persecuted for
righteousness' sake ; " and they have been taught that the
Lord commanded them to hate all persons not of their belief,
and that it was an act pleasing to Him whenever a Gentile
was put out of the way. Without being murderers at heart,
they have been taught that murder is a part of their religion,
a vital portion of their worship. I shall explain that belief
more fully presently, when I come to speak of the " Blood-
Atonement."
The Gentiles have had very little opportunity, until lately,
of mingling at all with this people ; and they have, quite as
naturally on their part, judged the Mormons to be a blood-
thirsty, cruel, dishonest, and licentious people, who not only
did not merit toleration, even, but ought, indeed, to be ut-
terly exterminated. No good could possibly come out of
Nazareth, they thought ; and a person avowing himself a
Mormon has not been so much an object of hatred as of
loathing and contempt.
Mind you, I am not upholding the Mormon faith ; I con-
sider it the falsest, most hypocritical^.and moot cmcl bflif'f
under the sun. Although its founder arrogated to it the
title of the " Church of Jesus Christ," there is nothing Christ-
like in its teachings or in its practice. ' Its leaders
60 POOR BOGGS IS SHOT IN THE HEAD.
have been, and still are, sujDrerneJy^eJfish^a^^
their personal aggrandizement, disloyal to the government
uhcler which they live, treacherous to their friends, revenge-
ful to their foes; insincere, believing nothing Which they
teach, and tyrannical and grasping in the extreme, taking
everything that their lustful eyes may desire, and greedy,
grasping hands can clutch, no matter at whose expense it
may be taken, or what suffering the appropriation may
cause. But the people themselves have no part in the
treachery, revengefulness, hypocrisy, or cupidity of their
leaders, and should be judged from an entirely different
standpoint.
f In 1842 Governor Boggs, of Missouri, was shot at and
wtJunded severely in the head. This act was suspected to
have been done at the instigation of Joseph, and the feeling
against him grew stronger than ever. It was with consid-
erable difficulty that his followers prevented his seizure and
forcible abduction into Missouri. He was very nearly in
the power of his enemies several times ; but the devices of
the Missourians were nothing compared to the wiles and
cunning of the crafty Prophet and his officers. The gov-
ernor of Illinois attempted to arrest him, but found the
warrant of apprehension set aside by the charter which he
himself had signed. In fact, it was found that the law was
powerless to touch the Prophet, and he could afford to set it
at defiance. With that charter to uphold him, and the
" Nauvoo Legion " to defend him, he, for a time, completely
baffled his enemies.
About this time an added reason was found for hating and
dreading the Mormon people and their influence. The
" Spiritual- Wife " doctrine was hinted at just at this juncture,
and this created even a greater disturbance than the political
difficulties had done, since this caused a large apostasy, and
divided the church against itself. The accusations that
some of the apostates brought against Smith were dam-
aging in the extreme.
THE DOCTOR'S WIFE MAKES AN UGLY " REVELATION." 61
One of his chief accusers was a man named William
Law, who had been his earnest friend and one of his coun-
sellors. The Prophet had had no stancher friend or
warmer defender than Law, and he was also highly es-
teemed by all the Mormon people, as well as by Smith him-
self. He strongly disapproved of some of Joseph's acts,
and finally felt obliged to withdraw from him altogether.
After his apostasy, he, with some other disaffected Mor-
mons, among whom were his brother, Wilson Law, Dr.
Forster, William Marks, and the Higbee brothers, all men of
standing and influence among the Saints, commenced to hold
meetings in a grove on Sundays. This grove was a mile
from the place where the Mormons held their regular ser-
vices ; yet parties of the Saints were accustomed to go to the
other meeting to hear what was said and report to the
Prophet. So he was kept well informed of the movements of
the apostates, and their attitude towards him and the church.
At one of these meetings, William Law electrified and al-
most stunned his listeners by testifying that the Prophet had
made dishonorable proposals to his wife, Mrs. Law, making
the request under cover of his asserted " Revelation," that the
Lord had commanded that he should take spiritual wives,
to add to his glory. He also stated that Smith made his
visit to his wife in the middle of the night, when he knew
her husband to be absent. Mrs. Law was present, and her
husband called upon her to testify as to whether he had
made the statement correctly. She corroborated all that
he had said, and added that Joseph had asked her to give
him half her love ; she was at liberty to keep the other half
for her husband.
The Higbees testified, at the same meeting, to having
frequently seen Joseph's horse standing for a long time be-
fore the door of certain* improper resorts. This statement
was certainly untrue, and was probably made under a mis-
take. The greatest excitement prevailed after this meeting,
and the feeling ran very high between the contending fac-
62
THE "NAUVOO EXPOSITOR COMES TO GRIEF.
tions of the church. Joseph and his adherents, on their
part, charged some of the apostates with gross immorality,
and they retaliated by saying they had only followed the
teachings of Smith. Criminations and recriminations were
hurled furiously at each other by the two parties.
BURNING or THE NU.WSP/
Law and some of his associates started a paper called
the "Nauvoo Expositor " which they intended to devote to
the criticism of Smith's policy, and the denunciation of his
character. As may be imagined, it was not a very long-
lived sheet, only one number being issued. Enraged by its
plain speech, Joseph and some of his followers destroyed
the building, broke the machinery, and threw away the
type, in their strenuous endeavors to suppress "the freedom
of the press."
Affairs had reached such a crisis, that to allay the ex-
citement and to explain some of his " peculiar " moral weak-
nesses, the Prophet found it necessary to produce the famous
"Revelation," giving the most unbridled license to all the
worst passions of their nature. This " Revelation " was in-
tended to silence the noisy clamorings of the Saints ; for who
HOW "CELESTIAL MARRIAGE" WAS INVENTED. 63
of them would venture to question the convincing " Thus
saith the Lord."
It was only given to the faithful in Zion. Its existence
was denied loudly, if in any way a whisper of it reached
the outside world, and the missionaries were cautioned to
keep utter silence upon the subject. Among the Saints it
was received most reluctantly. The women, especially,
felt that a cross was being laid*upon them greater than they
could bear, and many openly rebelled. They felt that some
great trouble was come upon them, but they did not
then know the intense bitterness of it, nor what the moral
results would be. The majority of them did not believe
that they would suffer personally from it ; but, alas ! they
little knew how easy it would be to convince a man that
positive wrong would become moral right, when all legal
restrictions were removed, or when the conscience could be
so easily soothed by the opiate of " Revelation."
Joseph's career, after producing his * Celestial Marriage "
cheat, and palming it off on his followers with the blas-
phemous "Thus saith the Lord," was very short. He was
induced to surrender himself to the authorities, and with 'his
brother Hyrum, the Apostle John Taylor, and the Apostle
Willard Richards, was placed in the Carthage jail.
It was feared by the Mormons, and by some of the Gen-
tiles, that attempts would be made to massacre him in prison ;
but Governor Ford, under whose protection he was, seemed
to apprehend no danger, and placed no extra guards about
the prison. He himself went from Carthage to Nauvoo, to
see personally into the condition of affairs there, and also to
assert his authority, but took no measures for a redoubled
care and watch over the prisoners. While he was away the
jail was attacked, and the Prophet and his brother Hyrum
assassinated. Their companions escaped with wounds.
The history of Joseph Smith is one of the most remarka-
ble on record. From an ignorant, superstitious farmer's
boy, he became " Prophet, Seer, and Revelator," founder
64 DEATH OF THE PROPHET SMITH.
of a new religion, which was to make his name known, not
only in his own country, but over the world ; made by " Di-
vine appointment" " God's Vicegerent upon the earth, and
Religious Dictator to the whole world." So much for his
spiritual titles. He was no less fortunate in earthly honors ;
being President of the "Councibof Fifty," chief of the legis-
lature of Nauvoo, and Mayor of the city ; and at last he
aspired to the Presidency of the United States a position,
it is needless to say, which he did not attain.
ASSASSINATION OF JOSEPH SMITH AND HIS BROTHER HYRUM.
It is safe to believe that no one man can wear all these
" honors " without growing somewhat dizzy under them ; and
it is no wonder that the Prophet Smith overreached himself
at last, and fell a victim to his overweening ambition and
stupendous self-esteem, which probably made him believe
that he could accomplish impossibilities.
CHAPTER III.
THE
REVELATION ON CELESTIAL MARRIAGE." TROU-
BLE AMONG THE SAINTS.
The Announcement of Polygamy. " Celestial Marriage." Joseph " sets
himself Right." Mrs. Smith is very Rebellious. Mrs. Smith's
Adopted Daughter. The Prophet too fond of Fanny. Mrs. Smith
takes _her in Hand. Marital Storms. Oliver Cowdery called In.
He goes and " Does Likewise." Joseph first Preaches Polygamy.
The Saints Rebel. The Revelation given in Secret. Eleven " Adopt-
ed Daughters " sealed to the Prophet. A Domestic Squall in the
Prophet's House. Nancy Rigdon Insulted by Joseph. Sidney's
Zeal Grows Cold. How Celestial Marriage was Introduced. Mr.
Noble begins to Build Up his Kingdom. The first Plural Marriage.
False Position of the Second Wife. John C. Bennett. His Profligacy
and Crimes. He Apostatizes and Writes a Book. Joseph Defends
Himself. Apostasy of an Apostle's Wife. The Prophet in Diffi-
culties. The Revelation on " Celestial Marriage."
FTER the Revelation on
Celestial Marriage was
publicly announced, in
1852, it was stated that
Joseph Smith first pro-
duced it in 1843 ; but there
were, no doubt, hints of
this new doctrine at a
much earlier date. It is
generally believed, and in
fact well known by many
of the old Nauvoo Mor-
mons, that he had it in
contemplation at a much
earlier date ; certain in-
discretions rendering it necessary that he should find an
excuse of some kind for acts that were scarcely consistent
5
EMMA SMITH, " THE ELECT LADY
66 THE PROPHET'S " PATERNAL " AFFECTION !
with his position as "Vicegerent upon earth," and set him-
self right, not only with his followers, but with Mrs. Emma
Smith, his wife, who objected very decidedly to some of his
prophetic eccentricities.
Mrs. Smith had an adopted daughter, a very pretty,
pleasing young girl, about seventeen years old. She was
extremely fond of her ; no own mother could be more de-
voted, and their affection for each other was a constant
object of remark, so absorbing and genuine did it seem.
Consequently it was with a shocked surprise that the people
heard that sister Emma had turned Fanny out of the house
in the night.
This sudden movement was incomprehensible, since
Emma was known to be a just woman, not given to freaks
or caprices, and it was felt that she certainly must have had
some very good reason for her action. By degrees it be-
came whispered about that Joseph's love for his adopted
daughter was by no means a paternal affection, and his
wife, discovering the fact, at once took measures to place
the girl beyond his reach. Angered at finding the two per-
sons whom most she loved playing such a treacherous part
towards her, she by no means spared her reproaches, and,
finally, the storm became so furious, that Joseph was obliged
to send, at midnight, for Oliver Cowdery, his scribe, to come
and endeavor to settle matters between them. For once he
was at his wits' end ; he could face an angry mob, but a
wronged woman made a coward of him at once.
The scribe was a worthy servant of his master. He was
at that time residing with a certain young woman, and at
the same time he had a wife living. He had taken kindly
to Joseph's teachings, although he by no means coveted
publicity in the affair ; and after seeing Mrs. Smith's indig-
nation he dreaded exceedingly lest Mrs. Cowdery should
discover that he was practising his new religious duties
with another woman.
The worthy couple the Prophet and his scribe were
THE "ELECT LADY" REBELS. 67
sorely perplexed what to do with the girl, since Emma re-
fused decidedly to allow her to remain in her house ; but
after some consultation, my mother offered to take her until
she could be sent to her relatives. Although her parents
were living, they considered it the highest honor to have
their daughter adopted into the Prophet's family, and her
mother has always claimed that she was sealed to Joseph at
that time.
The first public announcement Jo g pph F v< ?r made of his
belief in thejglurality of wives_was ^t ]S]'n"' t7r>r> j *" T ^^ In
"a serrnorT one Sunday he declared that it^ was perfectly right
in the sight ofj:he Lord for a man to havp as, pq^y wi\g
'as ne "pleased, if he could evade the laws of the land'.
" People of polygamous nations will be converted to the
church, and will desire to, gather with the Saints to Zion ;
and what will they do with their wives? We must have
polygamy among us as an established institution, and then
they can bring all their wives, with, them."
He referred to the Bible .tojmstain his position, and grew
\
rew \
npt..,.i ..
veiy Eloquent : on the subject. He seemed determined not
only to maintain the doctrine to his own satisfaction, but to
convince his people of its truth and its desirability.
As may readily be imagined, it caused the greatest excite-
ment and indignation in the church ; and many threatened
to abandon the faith. The women most especially were
aroused, and they declared they never would accept a doc-
trine so hateful. It was the first open rebellion against any
of the Prophet's teachings by his most devoted followers,
and he was wise enough to see his mistake, and to rectify
it. Evidently, as he said to certain fpllpwers T it wftfi " t ftr>
soon for the Lord to reveal Himself upon this subject."
The following' SabttSlh he arose'" ana saidhe wished to
retract what he had said the Sabbath before ; he was at
that time only trying the Saints, to see what they could bear.
The Revelation at first was made known only to a few of
68 ELEVEN " ADOPTED DAUGHTERS " OF THE PROPHET.
Joseph's most intimate friends, and they were solemnly
bound to keep its existence a secret; but in some way it
became known very generally that there was such a Revela-
tion, although it was not given to the world until 1852. It
is on this ground that Smith's* sons endeavor to palm the
Revelation on to Brigham, and deny that their father ever
intended to have polygamy become a church institution.
The elder Mormons, who were at Nauvoo, among whom
are my parents, know better than this, however, and also
know the exact time when the " Revelation " was first talked
of. .' Jf Smith was not a polygamist, his sons must allow that
he Was a libertine, or an advocate of free-love principles.
It makes little difference which ; the results are the same.l
The wife of the Prophet took no more kindly to this new
doctrine of Celestial Marriage than did the rest of the
-MewoTr~w^meh, and no woman~bf them all allowed her
objections" To become so widely known as Mrs. Smith. SfieT
new her husband's nature too well to believe in the Divine
rigrrr of the system, and she fought it persistently during
HfeTime;
At one time he had eleven young ladies living in his
family as adopted daughters, to whohThena3Tbeen sealed
Tkno^^ Sh' for~some timcTsup-
Ills iWJe'cl in having them there was purely a
charitable one. To be sure, some of them had parents liv-
ing ; yet there was some plausible reason always given for
having them under his roof, which none of the "Saints dared
to question, although many of them, especially those who
were growing disaffected, were dissatisfied with his reasons,
and suspicious of his motives. Very little was said about
it openly, until his wife saw something which aroused her
suspicions, and she remonstrated with Joseph for having
the girls there ; but with no effect. The girls should remain
on that point he was decided.
Unlike many of the Mormon w^omen, Mrs. Smith was not
one to accept a cross of this kind submissively. She by no
MRS. EMMA HAS A WILL, OF HER OWN. 69
means bowed her head, broke her heart, and silenced her
lips, and allowed her husband to pursue his licentious course
without opposition. When Joseph would not send away
the girls, she said very quietly, but with a determination
which showed she was making no idle threat,
" Either those girls leave
this house to-night, or I
do."
" Very well," replied her
husband, in a passion at
having his authority ques-
tioned ; " you may go, then,
for I intend them to stay."
Without another word
she left the house. No
sooner had she gone than
he began to consider the
consequences of her de-
parture directly it should
be known, and she would
, . , . , THE INDIGNANT WIFE.
keep neither it nor the
cause which provoked her to the step a secret. The pub-
licity of the affair was more than he dared meet. He was
not yet ready to encounter the storm it would raise. Great
as was his influence over his people, he did not dare risk
his popularity by such a bold movement as this. Conse-
quently he followed his wife, and prevailed upon her to re-
turn, by promising to dismiss the girls, which he did the
next morning. Th|s wag V. f r gpmnd triumph over his
practice of the divine ordinance.
Emma Smith was7 as may be supposed from the above-
narrated incidents, ail tiieigyjiic, strong-minded woman, i
possessing-a great influence over Joseph, whose superior
she was, buih menially and socially, when he married herQ /
She was fond and proud of her husband during the first /
years of his success ; but when there was any disagreement
70 THE PROPHET'S LIKING FOR NANCY.
'between them, she generally got the better of him, being
less passionate in temper, .and more quietly decided in man-
ner. /;5he forced her husband to respect her and her opin-
ions, although he was notoriously unfaithful to her during
all their married life. )
Several young girts left the church in consequence of the
dishonorable proposals which the Prophet made to them.
One of these was a daughter of William Marks, another a
daughter of Sidney Rigdon. Both these men Rigdon
especially had been his warm friends and supporters ; but
this insult offered to their daughters exasperated them be-
yond measure, and both withdrew from him. Marks joined
William Law and his apostate circle, and was as bitter in
his denunciation as Law himself. Rigdon removed from
Nauvoo, but still avowed himself a w true Mormon," while
he repudiated Joseph and his teachings. Other young girls
made affidavits to his offers of" Celestial Marriage," and their
statements were published in many of the leading papers all
over the country, creating the most intense excitement.
Joseph not_On_1y paiH his nrlHrpsgf ft tr> ihp yrmn.g npH un-
marned women, but he sought "spiritual alliance" with
many married ladies who happened to strike his fancy, fite _____
tattghl lliHIIl Ihat all former marriages were null and void,
and that they were at periect liberty lo make another choice
of a husband. The marriage covenants were not binding,
because they were ratified only by Gentile laws. These
laws the Lord did not recognize; consequently all the
women were free.
Again, he would appeal to their religious sentiments, and
v their strong desire to enter into the celestial kingdom. He
, used often to ^-ft"* '** thif m * nni * f while endeavoring to
/ n ' 1 XT
convince some avenng or unwilling victim t JNow, my
'd oocf manT
dear sister, it islue UUU ^Ulli liusbuiul Is 'd
very good man, but you and he are by no means kindred
spirits, and he will never be able to save j, r ou in the celesj
tial kingdom ; it has been revealed by-4he Spirit that you
ought to belong to me. 11
HOW THE WOMEN RECEIVEP POLYGAMY. 71
_
This sophistry, strange as it may' seem, rrad its weight,
and scarcely ever failed of its desired results. Many a wo-
man, with a kind, good husband, who loved her and trusted
her, and a family of children, would suffer herself to be
sealed to Joseph, at the same time living with the husband
whom she was wronging so deeply, he believing fondly
that her love was all his own.
One woman said to me not very long since, while giving
me some of her experiences in polygamy : " The greatest
.trial I ever endured in my life was living with my husTJantU-
and deceiving him, by receiving Joseph's attentions when-
ever he chose to come to me."
This woman, and others, whose experience has been very
similar, are among the very best women in the church ;
they are as p-Frminded and virtuous women as any in the
world. 1 They were seduced under the guise of religion, .. -
to a cross laid upon them by the divine will. /Believing
implicitly in the Prophet, they never dreamed oCquestioning
the truth of his revelations, and would have considered
themselves on the verge of apostasy, which to a Mormon
is a most dangerous and horrible state, from which there is
no possible salvation, had they refused to submit to him and
to receive his w divine " doctrines.
Some of these women have since said they did not know
who was the father of their children ; this is not to be won-
dered at, for after Joseph's declaration annulling all Gentile
marriages, the greatest promiscuity was practised; and,
indeed, .all seffSFoT morality seemed to have been lost by a
portion at least of the church. Shocking as alT*tKis may
appear, women that were sealed to Joseph at that time are
more highly respected tlian any others. It is said, as the
highest meed of praise which can be given, that they never
repudiated any of the Prophet's teachings, but submitted to
all his requirements without a murmur, and eventually they
will be exalted to a high position in the celestial kingdom.
72 THE FIRST " PLURAL, MARRIAGE."
Among the earliest converts to the doctrine of plural
wives was a Mr. Noble, who, more impressible, or, accord-
ing to Joseph, "more faithful" than any others, opened his
heart very readily to receive the teachings of the Prophet,
and was willing to reduce the teachings to practice. Joseph
had paid his addresses to Mr. Coble's sister-in-law, a very
worthy woman, and had succeeded in overcoming her scru-
ples so far that she had consented to be sealed to him.
THE FIRST PLURAL MARRIAGE.
He then advised Noble to seek a second wife for him-
self, and to commence at once to "build up his kingdom."
He was not slow in following his Prophet's advice, and
together the two men, with their chosen celestial brides,
repaired one night to the banks of the Mississippi River,
where Joseph sealed Noble to his first plural wife, and in
return Noble performed the same office for the Prophet and
his sister. These were the first plural marriagesJhaLever
took place in the MornKHrChurch. qnd they-w*M^-r>h1igrpfl
"to be very secretly performed, and kept hidden afterwards.
The young girl that Mr. Noble married went to live with
his first wife, and, as a matter of course, this arrangement
HEART-BROKEN AT HER DAUGHTER'S SHAME. 73
produced the grpatffi -misery fa bo^i , Qtttff fffg?J_
were eompellecPto keep a semblance of regard ; but they
hated each other with an intensity of hatred that cannot
possibly be felt outside of polygamy. The first wife pined .
gradually away, until she was a mere shadow of her former
Itself. Life for her was utterly' wrecked. Compelled to
share her home, her husband's affections, and his attentions
with another woman, and to keep the strictest silence
through it all, it is no wonder that the poor woman longed
eagerly for death as a release from all her woes.
Thecondition of the second wife was, if possible, less
envTable.^ A son having been born to her after her mar-
riage to Noble, she was compelled to see herself pointed
out as anobiect of pity, and her child branded as illegiti-
^matel She was in a cruelly false position before thcTworld,
"and ^she was powerless to justify herself; her lips were
sealed, and she, too, must suffer in silence. Her parents
were heart-broken aMheir daughter's shame. "~ They~weFer~
"-KviTTgln one of the easterii ytaiuy, but thoy came instantly to
Nauvoo to take their child home. She was compelled to turn
a deaf ear to all their entreaties to return with them, and she
could not tell them her secret. Her mother was nearly dis-
tracted when she was obliged to return home without her
daughter, heart-broken and disconsolate, and bowed down
with shame at her supposed dishonor. She remained at
Nauvoo, and the burden of her life becoming greater than
she could bear/^sb<rfa^'came insane, -4- a common fate of po-
lygamous wives,bythe way, and rem^medir maniac until
fleV deathy/Her son, "nb'w*TPman grown, and living in
Utah, waTtTTe first child born in polygamy. She was an
^j innocent, engaging young girl, and a great favorite until
\j /tthis sad affair occurred ; her sensitive spirit could not en-
dure the torture ofexistence, and she ^died ijhejfrcst
to polygamy.
^rfte frrst. w|fp died soon aft^i^..^iterajjj^_broken-hea
The husband has had many wives since then ; indeed, he
^4 VILL ANTES OF JOHN C. BENNETT.
has been an indefatigable disciple of the Celestial Marriage
system ; but his many wives have died one by one, until he
has been left alone. He is living still, and is pointed out
and referred to with praise as the first man brave enough
to respond to the call of Joseph Smith and become a polyg-
amist.
One of the first persons to be initiated into the plural-wife
doctrine, if not indeed Joseph's confederate in producing it,
was Dr. John C. Bennett, at that time Mayor of the city,
Major-General of the Nauvoo Legion, and a very great
friend of Joseph, f It is said that the pupil fairly outran the
teacher, and his success as special pleader for the system of
Celestial Marriage was so decided that he incurred the dis-
pleasure of the Prophet, and they quarrelled violently. He
taught the doctrine to some ladies whom Smith had intended
to convert himself, and thus coming directly in contact with
the Prophet and his schemes, a rupture was caused between
the worthy co-workers. /
Bennettapostatized. left Nauvoo, and wrote a book called
" Mormonism Exposed," in which he fully ventilated the
doctrine of spiritual wives whicli Joseph was about to intro-
duce into the church, and accused the Prophet of the,
grossest immoralities. "This ' exposd created a wide-spread
-*dtn"g"oT indignation, and, to save himself and ,his people,
Joseph was obliged to deny all Bennett's statements; and
several of the leading men and women denied them alsoT
although they knew perfectly well that the greater portion
of them was true. It is probable that the book would have
had a much wider influence had not Bennett's character
been so well known. He was a notorious profligate, and
was pronounced by Gentiles who had known him before he
embraced Mormonism to be " the greatest villain unhungyX
Joseph's only method of defending himself from Bef
nett's attacks was to assail him in return. The raven was
taunting the crow for being a blackamoor. He coupled
Bennett's name with that of a lady of high standing in the
AN INNOCENT WOMAN ACCUSED. 7.5,
Mormon community, in the most disgraceful manner, and
published the scandal to a large congregation of the Saints,
causing the utmost consternation and dismay. The lady in
question had always been considered above reproach ; never
before had suspicion touched her name by even a breath,
and the accusation which Joseph brought against her seemed
too horrible to believe. But the Saints could more easily
credit the scandal than they could believe for one instant
that their Prophet could be guilty of misrepresentation ; and
the general conclusion was, that the lady had fallen from her
virtuous estate, broken her marriage vows, and become a
creature unworthy of countenance or sympathy.
Her husband was away from home when the trouble first
commenced, but returning while the excitement was at its
height, his indignation and rage at the position in which his
wife was placed knew no bounds. He realized the situation
at once, and saw that his wife was suffering from the
Prophet's jealous anger, and was simply being used as a
means of revenge and retaliation on his enemy Bennett.
This has been the Mormon leaden?' rn^P npr nf ^'"g *Vir.g g /^T
from thejbeginning ; they believe most implicitly in vicarious > ' '
suiTcring, and it is with them always the innocent and help-
less who are punished for the wrong-doings of the more
powerful.
The husband of this unfortunate lady came at once to the
rescue of his injured wife's reputation. He " bearded the
lion in his den," and defended his wife's character in public,
hurling the lie at his leader's head, and incurring anathemas
in return. He did not mind them, however, but still main-
tained his wife's honor in the face of everything. He was
nearly insane with grief and rage, but he behaved nobly
through the whole affair. He was greatly attached to the
church, and could not make up his mind to forsake it, and he
grieved over this action of his Prophet, but yet found an ex-
cuse for him on the ground that he had " lost the Spirit," and
had been taken possession of by evil influences for a while.
6 AN ANGRY HUSBAND ATTACKS THE PROPHET.
/4
He loved his wife, and considered her terribly wronged and
sinned against, and he tried by all the tenderness in his
power to heal the cruel hurt which she had received. His
own regard for and belief in her turned the tide of public
opinion again in her favor, and she has been, if possible,
more highly esteemed than ever since that unfortunate
accusation. In course of time her husband, who is none
other than Orson Pratt, one of the twelve apostles, took
several plural wives, and became so warm in his advocacy
of the system that he is called " the defender of polygamy."
Mrs. Pratt has since apostatized, and is working nobly
against Mormonism and its peculiar system. No woman is
more highly regarded by Gentiles and Mormons than she.
Her husband even, although she has steadfastly refused to
live in polygamy with him, and has fought it from its first
introduction, still has a high regard for her, although he
looks upon her as lost beyond redemption. She is now
an elderly woman, but her energy has not abated one
whit, and she declares she will never relax her exertions
towards putting down/ polygamy while she lives. If her
husband is its " defender," she may be called its w de-
nouncer ; " and her/ work is the most certain of being
crowned with ultimate success.
The days that preceded the Revelation were exciting ones
in the church. Apostasy prevailed to an alarming extent,
and the numbers of the faithful were sadly depleted, and
many more threatened to leave the church, who were finally
prevailed upon to remain. So intense was the feeling that
in the summer of 1843 the Prophet, moved by pressure on
every side, dissatisfaction within the church and hatred and
indignation without, heightened by Bennett's exposd and
the corroborating accounts given by apostates, was com-
pelled to intrench himself behind a divine " revelation " to
shield himself from public odium and restore the wavering
confidence of his people.
It had always been a practice of Joseph, whenever he
THE "REVELATION ON CELESTIAL MARRIAGE." 77
met with any difficulty, to receive a "Revelation," which
immediately put everything straight. On the present occa-
sion he was equal to the emergency, and received that
celebrated " Revelation " which then and since has consti-
tuted the sole authority in the Mormon Church for the
practice of polygamy. It was at first only communicated
to a chosen few, and it was not until long after polygamy
had been practised more or less openly in Utah that Brigham
Young delivered it to the world in 1852. It was then pub-
lished in the " Seer" and also in the " Millennial Star"
under the title of
\CELESTIAL MARRIAG
A REVELATION ON THE~T'ATRTARCHAL ORDER OF MATRIMONY, OB
PLURALITY OF WIVES.
Given to Joseph Smith, the Seer, in Nauvoo, July 12th, 1843.
Of all the extraordinary " revelations " given by Joseph
Smith during his eventful career, this is, perhaps, the most
remarkable. It certainly prpdw^A-^^eper and more
lasting influence upon his deluded followers^than all his
other effusions put together, almough its language is as
ungrammatical as its tendency is immoral. The opening
clause is peculiarly absurd. The Book of Mormon, the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and countless " revela-
tions " had denounced polygamy, and stated how offensive
the conduct of some of the patriarchs in this respect had
been to " the Lord." Yet here Joseph is made to ask that
same "Lord" how he "justified" the very principle that
Joseph had all along proclaimed that " the Lord " held to
be " an abomination " ! The Prophet's sons of course point
to this fact, and say that it was impossible for their father to
be guilty of such an unparalleled contradiction. The clause
reads thus :
" Verily, thus saith the Lord, unto you, my servant Joseph,
that, inasmuch as you have enquired of my hand to know and
understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants as touching
78 GENTILE MARRIAGE ANNULLED.
the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concis
bines : Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer
thee as touching this matter : Therefore, prepare thy heart to
receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto
you ; for all those that have this law revealed unto them must
obey the same ; for, behold, I revenl unto you a new and everlast-
ing covenant, and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye
damned ; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to
enter into my glory ; for all who will have a blessing at my hands
shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing and the
conditions thereof, as was instituted from before the foundations
of the world ; and as pertaining to the new and everlasting cove-
nant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory ; and he that
receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he
shall be damned, saith the Lord God."
Having made this very pleasant announcement, the Rev-
elation goes on to declare that all contracts matrimonial
or other were null and void unless ratified by the Proph-
et :
ad. "And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law
are these : All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, onths,
vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that
are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of
promise of him who is anointed both as well for/ time and for all
eternity, and that, too, most holy, by revelation and command-
ment, through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have
appointed on the earth to hold this power, and I have appointed
unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and
there is never but one on the earth at a time pn whom this power
and the keys of the priesthood are conferred, are of no efficacy,
virtue or force in and after the resurrection from the dead ; for all
contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men
are dead."
The third clause is simply a reiteration of the sentiments
contained in the preceding ; but the fourth announces one
of the most peculiar tenets of Mormon theology. The
reader will see that in it the assertion is distinctly made that
if a man and woman are married by civil contract or accord-
THE "KEYS" GIVEN TO JOSEPH. 79
ing to the usage of any of the ordinary sects, although they
may be among the most faithful members of the Mormon
Church in every other respect, yet, after death, they shall
not enjoy exaltation in heaven, they shall not become gods,
shall not marry or have children, shall have no kingdom or
priesthood, but shall simply be as the angels servants and
messengers of the Saints. It reads thus :
4th. " Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and
he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with
her so long as he is in the world, and she with him, their covenant
and marriage is not of force when they are dead, and when they
are out of the world ; therefore they are not bound by any law
when they are out of the world ; therefore, when they are out of
the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are
appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants
to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an ex-
ceeding and an eternal weight of glory ; for these angels did not
abide my law, therefore they cannot be enlarged, but remain
separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition,
to all eternity, and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of
God for ever and ever."
Thus far the Revelation sets forth the uncomfortable fate
of those who do not strictly conform to the teachings of the
Prophet in matrimonial affairs. We now come to the other
side of the question the rewards which are to crown the
faithful. The reader will observe that the strictest obe-
dience is required to be paid to "him who is anointed," and
who carries the keys.
6th. "And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife
by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting-
covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise
by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power
and the keys of this priesthood, and it shall be said unto them,
Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection, and if it be after the
first resurrection, in the next resurrection ; and shall inherit
thi'ones, kingdoms, principalities and powers, dominions, all
heights and depths, then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book
8O THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL.
of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent
blood. And if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder
whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all
things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time and
through all eternity, and shall be of full force when they are out
of the world, and they shall pass by the angels and the gods
which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as
hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness
and a continuation of the seeds for ever and ever.
7th. " Then shall they be gods, because they have no end ;
therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because
they continue ; then shall they be above all, because all things are
subject unto them ; then shall they be gods, because they have
all power, and the angels are subject unto them."
This is the reward of the faithful. The Revelation, how-
ever, was intended to be comprehensive and final ; it was to
meet every case, and there was to be no appeal from its
decisions. The married couple being united in strict ac-
cordance with the Revelation, they are now assured of
salvation and exaltation in the world to come, provided they
commit no unpardonable sin. In the following x paragraph
that sin is defined, but the reader must bear in mind that
theblood of Gentilfs i g tt '* jrpnncant " hlood j the
of it, therefore, is no crime :
9th. " Verily, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife
according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of
promise according to mine appointment, and he or she shall com-
mit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant
whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no
murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come
forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation, but
they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto
the bufferings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the
Lord God.
loth. " The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall
not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye
commit murder, wherein ye shed innocent blood and assent unto
EXAMPLES FOR THE SAINTS TO FOLLOW. 8l
my death after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant,
saith the Lord God ; and he that abideth not this law can in
no wise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord."
In the italicized words, "but they shall be destroyed in
the flesh," is foreshadowed that terrible doctrine the
Blood-Atonement ; of which I shall presently speak more.
It was not long before the Saints were taught openly that it
was their duty to "destroy in the flesh " all upon whom the
leaders of the church frowned.
We come now to the examples which were held up for
the Saints to follow :
1 2th. "Abraham received promises concerning his seed and
of the fruit of his loins, from whose loins ye are, namely, my
servant Joseph, which were to continue so long as they were in
the world ; and as touching Abraham and his seed, out of the
world they should continue ; both in the world and out of the
world should they continue as innumerable as the stars, or if ye
were to count the sand upon the sea-shore ye could not number
them. This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham,
and the promise was made unto Abraham ; and by this law are
the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein He glorifieth
himself. Go ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham ; enter
ye into my law, and ye shall be saved. But if ye enter not into
my law ye cannot receive the promises of my Father which he
made unto Abraham.
ijth. " God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to
Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was
the law, and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore,
was fulfilling, among other things, the promises. Was Abraham,
therefore, under condemnation? Verily, I say unto you, Nay ; for
I, the Lord, commanded it. Abraham was commanded to offer
his son Isaac ; nevertheless it was written, Thou shalt not kill.
Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him
for righteousness.
I4th. " Abraham received concubines, and they bare him
children, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because
they were given unto him and he abode in my law. As Isaac
6
82 THE AUDACITY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were
commanded, and because they did none other things than that
which they were commanded, they have 'ente'red into their exalta-
tion, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones ; and are not
angels, but Gods. David also received many wives and concubines,
as also Solomon, and Moses my servant ; as also many others of my
servants, from the beginning of- creation until this time ; and in
nothing did they sin, save in those things which they received not
of me.
I5th. " David's wives and concubines were given unto him of
me, by the hand of Nathan my servant, and others of the proph-
ets, who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things
did he sin against me, save in the case of Uriah and his wife ; and
therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his por-
tion ; and he shall not inherit them out of the world ; for I gave
them unto another, saith the Lord."
The audacity of Joseph Smith in stating as a Revelation
from God, that "David's wives and concubines \ve\-e given
him of me by the hand of Nathan . . . m none of these
things did he sin against me," is scarcely conceivable, when
it is remembered that in the "divinely inspired" Book of Mor-
mon it is written, " David and Solomon truly had many
wives and concubines, 'which thing was abominable before
me, saith the Lord." " The Lord," however, whom Joseph
served, seems to have been as inconsistent in this as in many
other matters. But in case of -difficulty, Joseph was spe-
cially commissioned "to restore all things." Celestial Mar-
riage was more exactly defined; and that the whole concern
should run more smoothly, the keys of the kingdom on
earth and in heaven were handed over to the Prophet.
i6th. " I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee my ser-
vant Joseph, an appointment, and restore all things ; ask what ye
will, and it shall be given unto you, according to my word ; and
as ye have asked concerning adultery, verily, verily I say unto you,
if a man receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and
if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by
the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery, and shall be de-
THE "ELECT LADY" RECEIVES ADVICE. 83
stroyecl. If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and
she be with another man, she has committed adultery ; and if her
husband be with another woman, and he was under a vow, he
hath broken his vow, and hath committed adultery ; and if she
hath not committed adultery, but is innocent, and hath not broken
her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my ser-
vant Joseph, then shall you have power, by the power of my Holy
Priesthood, to take her, and give her unto him that hath not com-
mitted adultery, but hath been faithful, for he shall be made ruler
over many ; for I have conferred upon you the keys and power of
the priesthood, wherein I restore all things, and make known unto
you all things in due time.
1 7th. " And verily, verily I say unto you, that whatsoever you
seal on earth, shall be sealed in heaven ; and whatsoever you bind
on earth, in my name, and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall
be eternally bound in the heavens ; and whosesoever sins you remit
on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens ; and whoseso-
ever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.
iSth. u And again verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will
bless ; and whomsoever you curse I will curse, saith the Lord ; for
I, the Lord, am thy God."
After all this preamble, the keys committed to Joseph,
the relation of husfcands and wives under the new dispensa-
tion defined, " Celestial Marriage " instituted, and a great
many other matters discussed, we come to what was, no
doubt, prominent in the Prophet's mind all the while he was
dictating the Revelation to Elder Clayton, namely, how to
manage w the Elect Lady," Mrs. Emma Smith. Accord-
ingly she is made the subject of a special address. She
is told to " receive all that have been given to my servant
Joseph." She is forbidden to leave the Prophet, as she had
threatened to do if he carried out his " celestial " system,
and certain other very useful hints are given for her guid-
ance if she would remain in peace. One particular passage
is said to refer to a matrimonial scene in which a threat was
held out that the life of the Elect Lady should be terminated
84 A LITTLE MORE "REVELATION."
by poison. She is here commanded to " stay herself, and
partake not" of that which Joseph had offered her. It is,
however, only right to add that the Mormon exponents of
the Revelation say that this passage refers to an offer which
Joseph had made to sacrifice his own personal feelings, and
to accede to a divorce between Emma and himself. In
these few lines more is disclosed of the Prophet's domestic
life and difficulties than he probably was aware of. I give
these paragraphs in full, that the reader may judge for
himself.
f 2Oth. " Verily I say unto you, a commandment I give unto
mine handmaid Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto
you, that she stay herself, and partake not of that which I com-
manded you to offer unto her ; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove
you all, as I did Abraham ; and that I might require an offering at
your hand, by covenant and sacrifice ; and let mine handmaid
Emma Smith receive all those that have been given unto my
servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me ; and
those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be
destroyed, saith the Lord God ; for I am the Lord thy God, and
ye shall obey my voice ; and I give unto my servant Joseph, that
he shall be made ruler over many things, for he hath been faithful
over a fe^things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.y
2ist. \f l And I command mine handmaid Emma Smith to
abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But
if she will not abide this commandment, she shall be destroyed,/
saith the Lord ; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her
if she abide not in my law ; but if she will not abide this com-
mandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her,
even as he has said ; and I will bless him and multiply him, and
give unto him an hundred fold in this world, of fathers and moth-
ers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children,
and crowns of eternal lives in the eternal worlds. And again,
verily I say let mine handmaid forgive my servant Joseph his tres-
passes, and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she
has trespassed against me ; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless
lier, and multiply her, and make her heart to rejoice."
PRIVILEGES OF THE MORMON MEN. 85
The concluding clauses speak for themselves. The
reader will see tKat in the twenty-third the Prophet is com-
pletely set free from all responsibility, and left at liberty,
without let or hinderance, to follow the dictates of his own
tbe two concluding paragraphs the wildest
licentiousness isjpermitted. in the name of " the Lord," to
ic masculine portion of humanity, if believers in Joseph,
and the weaker sex are sternly warned of the penalties
of doubt and disobedience.
236. " Now as touching the law of the priesthood, there are
many things pertaining thereunto. Verily, if a man be called of
my Father, as was Aaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice
of him that sent me, and I have endowed him with the keys of the
power of this priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and
according to my law, and by my word, he will not commit sin,
and I will justify him. Let no one, therefore, set on my servant
Joseph ; for I will justify him ; for he shall do the sacrifice which
I require at his hands, for his transgressions, saith the Lord your
God.
24th. " And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood :
If "any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and
the first give her consent ; and if he espouse the second, and they
are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified ;
he cannot commit adultery, for they are given unto him. For he
cannot commit adultery with that which belongeth unto him, and
to none else ; and if he have ten virgins given unto him by this
law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him ; and they
are given unto him therefore is he justified. But if one or either
of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another
man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed ; for
they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, ac-
cording to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which
was given by my Father before the foundation of the world ; and
for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the
souls of men ; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that
He may be glorified.
25th. " And again, verily, verily I say unto you, if any man have
86 THE "ELECT LADY" GETS HER RELEASE.
a wife who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her
the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things ; then shall
she believe, and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed,
saith the Lord your God, for I will destroy her ; for I will mag-
nify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
Therefore it shall be lawful in me v if she receive not this law, for
him to receive all things whatsoever I the Lord his God will give
unto him, because she did not believe, and administer unto him,
according to my word ; and she then becomes the transgressor,
and he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto
Abraham according to the law, when I commanded Abraham to
take Hagar to wife. And now, as pertaining to this law ; verily,
verily I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you hereafter ; there-
fore let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and
Omega. Amen."
When Joseph released all other wives from their marriage
contracts, of course Emma was also released. It is said she
thought of making another choice, and would have done so,
but the Revelation came in time to prevent it. Joseph offered
to make the sacrifice, but the Lord told Emma to " abide and
cleave to my servant Joseph," who had been cunning enough
to insert these clauses in his "Revelation," so as to hold her
more closely. It is said that she was shown the first copy
of it, and burned it ; if so, there must have been another in
existence, for the one that Brigham Young gave in 1852 as
Joseph's revelation was identical with that given a few of
the chosen Saints in 1843.
I have entered somewhat more into detail regarding the
early history of Mormonism than I intended in the begin-
ning ; but I have considered it necessary to do so, in order
to show to my readers more fully the doctrines I have been
taught from my infancy, and to give them some idea of the
Mormon stand-point. T^hey can easily see how things may
become distorted when looked at from such a one-sided
"position?
\
CHAPTER IV.
AFTER JOSEPH'S DEATH. BRIGHAM YOUNG ELECTED
PROPHET.
Kindness of the Gentiles. Strangers in a Strange Land. My Parents
join the Saints in Nauvoo. They Purchase Land in the City. Are
shamefully Defrauded. Joseph's Unfaithful Friends. My Parents
left almost Destitute. I am Born in the Midst of Troubles. The
Saints Bewildered. Who should succeed Joseph? Sidney Rigdon's
Claims to the Presidency. He returns to Nauvoo. Has Dreams
and Visions. He Promises to " Pull Little Vic's Nose." The Apos-
tles hear of the Prophet's Murder. They hasten to Nauvoo.
Brigham begins his Successful Intrigues. He Settles Sidney Rigdon.
An Extraordinary Trial. Brigham's Idea of Free Voting. Wo-
men's Suffrage in Utah. Why Brigham gave the Franchise to the
Women. My own Experience as a Voter. Brigham dictates what
I'm to Do. I obey Quietly. How Sidney Rigdon was Deposed.
Brigham Rules the Church.
PON the arrival of the Saints
in Illinois they made Quincy
their first stopping-place, and
thence the majority of them
went at once to Nauvoo, the
new gathering-place.
My parents did not accom-
pany them, but remained in
Quincy two months. They
reached that city in a state of
almost utter destitution, with
barely clothing enough to ren-
der them decent, certainly not
enough to make them com-
fortable. Their reception by
the residents of the city, indeed by the people of Illinois
generally, was very cordial, and my mother often says she
88 THE PROPHET'S FRIENDS STEAL A LAND-GRANT.
shall never forget the kindness she received at their hands.
Literally, she " was a stranger and they took her in, hun-
gry and they fed her, naked and they clothed her." And
not only her, but her little ones. /
My mother was energetic ancVwilling, and she found work
in plenty, and managed to get together some of the com-
forts and necessaries of life, when, after a two months'
sojourn amid these hospitable people, they removed to Pay-
son, where my father built a carriage manufactory and once
more commenced business. After three years of remunera-
tive labor, during which time he had got his business fairly
established, he concluded to leave it and join the Saints at
Nauvoo ; he and my mother both the latter more especially
desiring to be once more in Zion with the " chosen peo-
ple." (My father had purchased five acre-lots in the City of
Nauvoo, and felt that he had a material as well as a spirit-
ual hold upon Zion. The deeds were properly executed,
and after making sure that everything was right during a
visit to the city, he made instant preparations to move his
V family thither. )
^ When he rettfrned with his family and prepared to take
possession of his property, he found it claimed by Dr. Fos-
ter, a friend and favorite of Joseph Smith, who pretended
to have^made a verbal contract for the land two years be-
fore.^ This, of course, brought the property into a dispute
which could only be settled by the church authorities, Joseph
himself presiding.) As a matter of course, there was but one
decision, and what that would be my father knew very
nearly as well before it was given as he did afterwards.
Joseph would not decide against his friend ; the rest, seeing
how his mind was made up, dared not; and the land was
declared to belong to Foster, who, by the way, such were
his regard and gratitude for his leader, apostatized not very
long afterwards, attached himself to Law and his party,
and finally removed from Nauvoo, denouncing the religion
', and its Prophet, and, indeed, carried his enmity so far that
\
CONTEST FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH. 89
he joined those miscreants to whose violence may be attrib-
uted the death of Joseph Smith.
My father was again stripped of his property, by the
treachery and unjust ruling of the very man whom he had
so faithfully served. He had enough money remaining,
however, to purchase other lots, and on the land thus ob-
tained he built two very comfortable houses, in one of which
I was born, as I before said, on the I3th of September,
1844, at the most tempestuous and most critical period in all
Mormon history.
Joseph Smith had been assassinated the previous July,
and his death, sudden and violent as it was, had almost
paralyzed the people, who were thus left without a leader,
and who were ill fitted to govern themselves, since they had
for so long a time given up their wills to the Prophet, fol-
lowing his instructions as obediently as the most tractable
children do their parents' behests. They had for so many
years depended upon him to guide them that they were un-
fitted almost to think for themselves. Life was a hopeless
muddle, and they saw no way of making it clearer. Then
their former friends had turned to enemies, and they began
to fear that they should be driven from their pleasant homes
in Illinois, as they had been from Missouri. And with all
the disturbance outside the church, there were heresy and
schism among themselves.
The question who should be the leader in Joseph's place
was exercising the church. The " First Presidency " was
composed of Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, and Sidney
Rigdon. Hyrum Smith was killed in prison with his
brother, and Rigdon, although he had not apostatized, had
grown cool in the faith, left Nauvoo, and was living at
Pittsburg, Pa., enjoying life outside of Mormondom, and
seemingly finding much pleasure in Gentile society. After
the Missouri episode his enthusiasm was very much chilled,
and he indulged in fewer rhodomontades against the gov-
ernment. When Joseph made his advances to his daughter
9
PULLING " LITTLE Vic's " NOSE !
Nancy, Rigdon was very much offended, and left Nauvoo at
once. As soon, however, as he heard of Joseph's death he
made all haste to return and secure for himself the " office "
ofTrophet, Seer, and Rcvclator," to which he claimed he
had been ordained. He was not received with enthusiasm
by~flie Gaiuty, aTid he very soon discovered that whoever
might step into the dead Prophet's shoes, he, for a certainty,
would not be allowed to wear them. There was nothing then
remaining for him to do but to assume that Joseph's mantle
of prophecy had fallen upon
his shoulders ; consequent-
ly, he revelled in visions
and dreams of the wildest
and most fanatical kind.
His prophecies were the
most wonderful that ever
were heard, and were so
very incoherent and incon-
sistent that serious doubts
of his sanity were enter-
tained. There were to be
tremendous battles ; blood
was to flow until the horses
waded in it up to their very
bridles. All the powers of the earth were to assail the
Saints, but Rigdon was to lead the faithful to certain vic-
tory. All the strength of earth was to bow before this little
band of people and their consecrated leader, and he was,
as a final act of triumph as he returned from the battle of
Armageddon, to call in England and "pull the nose of
little Vic."
What the young queen, then in the full flush of popular-
ity, had done to raise this modern Bombastes' ire, remains to
this day a mystery. It is needless to say that the battles
have never been fought, nor has her majesty's nose been
maltreated by Rigdon or any other crazy Mormon fanatic.
SIDNEY RIGDON.
BRIGHAM SHOWS THE CLOVEN HOOF ! pi
At the time of the assassination of Joseph Smith nearly
all the apostles were away on a mission. On hearing the
evil tidings from Zion, they hastened there without delay,
and Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Hyde, and
Heber C. Kimball arrived soon after Rigdon made his ap-
pearance, and while he was in the midst of his "revelations."
From the moment of their arrival his chances were smaller
than ever, although he still maintained, but in not so public
a manner as at first, that he held "the keys of David," and
that he intended to persist in the maintenance of his claims,
even if obliged to do so forcibly.
The man for the situation appeared at this juncture in
Brigham Young. Ambitious himself for the position which
Rigdon so earnestly coveted, fortune seemed to have placed
him exactly in the situation to attain it. He was so it hap-
pened by the merest chance the senior apostle, and that
gave him authority. Thomas Marsh, who was at one time
the senior, had apostatized; Patten, the second apostle, had
been killed by the mob, and this^made the third apostle the
first or senior of the " twelve." ^The third happened to be
Brigham Young ; so that, after all, it was a mere chance
that placed him where he is. Both the Pratts were far
superior to him in intellect ; and- they and Orson Hyde were
far ahead of him in mental attainments, such as they were.
He was a very plain man, entirely uneducated, and had
been noted for nothing except his fidelity to the Prophet and
the church and his hard-working disposition. But he was
shrewd enough to see his opportunity and to seize it, and
yet to do it in such a manner that neither his associates nor
the church itself had the least suspicion of his real plan.]
The first move was to have Rigdon's case settled. He
was summoned for public trial before the High Council,
and eight of the apostles appeared as witnesses. Brigham
Young played a very important part in this trial ; he opened
proceedings by accusing Rigdon of a determination to rule
the church or ruin it, and followed up the accusation by
92 SIDNEY HANDED OVER TO THE DEVIL.
declaring that he should do neither. All the events of his
life were passed in review, and although he was not present,
being detained, it was said, by illness, the case was by no
means deferred, and he was tried without an opportunity of
defending himself. At the motion of Brigham, he was
" cut off from the Church of Latter-Day Saints, and deliv-
ered over to the buffetings of Satan, in the name of the
Lord ; and all the people said, Amen."
There were about ten persons who ventured to vote in
favor of Rigdon, and they were immediately "suspended"
from the church for their temerity. This is the way in
which persons are served even now who venture to disagree
with Brigham Young. There is absolutely no such tiling
known among the Mormons as a free expression of opinion.
Whether it be on religious or political subjects, the decision
61 the people is governed" oy the wishes of the Jf resident.
The manner of voting in public assemblies is never varied.
Brigham prefaces all ceremonies of the kind by an address,
in\vmch lie manages to let the people know exactly how he
feels upon the subject under discussion, and they understand
that they are to feel exactly the same way ; and as there is no
question of choice, they make themselves fancy they do^e-
lieve exactly as he does. If they have any question of doubt,
they stifle it very quickly, and, if they are very good Mor-
mons, take themselves to task for their wickedness in enter-
taining a thought contrary to the opinion of their Prophet.
After the address, Brigham calls for a show of uplifted
hands, and requests every one to vote. The " contrary
minds " are then called ; but such is the singular unity of
this people that there is never a " contrary " mind among
them. To make this ceremony of voting more humorous,
the Prophet, in requesting all the people to vote, wittily
adds, "in one way or the other." This piece of pleasantry
on Brigham's part is quite appreciated by the Mormons, and
the "oneway" receives all the saintly votes, to the utter
.exclusion of " the other." Let any one attempt to take the
THE PROPHET BRIGHAM S LITTLE TRICKS.
93
Presidential joke au serteux, and it becomes anything but
pleasant for him. He is looked upon with suspicion, re-
garded as an enemy of the church and its ruler, and if he
escape serious persecution he may be considered especially
fortunate.
In politics there is about the same freedom of opinion, or
frfj** fvprpgginn, rnthmr.- Alth^n^h n ^mb^n "f r-4a
pendent action is kept up, since the people are not publicly
told which way they must vote, yeTthe bishops and ward-
teachers manage to make it understood very decidedly what
is ^^tprl r^f tv.^ Faithful " at th* p1 ffl [|rms. The expecta-
tions, itj^pejfraps qeetflfcss to state, are always realized.
I have often heard ladies in the ii-ast say mat they^con-
sidered Utah way in advance of the age in one respect at
least; that there the equality of the sexes was^ so far re-
garded that the ballot was in the women's hands, and that
And I know
* .-r-! i " cr""""*""*"''^^ '""" "" "' "~ **""-- r*
that for this one act Brigham Young is commended by
some of the leaders of the Woman Suffrage party, and he is
viewed bythem with a lenient ey^J
"acts oT~gross injustice. If these same radical reformers
only understood the reason that the franchise was extended
to Utah women, and the peculiar "freedom" and intelli-
gence with which they are allowed to exercise this privilege,
I think they would not be so scathing in their denunciations
of the Poland bill. To the men and women engaged in this
reform there seems to be no possibility that there can be
cases where positive harm would ensue when the ballot was
given to women ; they evidently believe that with universal
suffrage will be ushered in the millennium.
It may have that effect in other portions of the States, but
in polygamous UtahTTuTe3'"6ver by a treacherous tyrant
this very right, which "tfiey-eiaim will loosen. me leg*
political shackles by which women are bound, and render
them absolutely free, only binds the chains the tighter and
makes them greater slaves than ever. And the most hate-
94 HOW BRIGHAM MAKES THE WOMEN VOTE.
ful part is, that they are helping to tighten their own bonds,
and are doing it, too, under compulsion.
The reason of this wonderful act of "justice" on Brigham
Young's part can easily be given. When the Union Pacific
Railroad was completed, an(J the influx of miners and
other outsiders from the Gentile world began to flood the
Territory and make homes for themselves in the very midst
of Mormondom, the chiefs of the Mormon hierarchy grew
very fearful and apprehensive lest the power should pass
from their grasp into Gentile hands by the gradual change
of population. By -jjydopUflg... female suffrage^h'ey would
treble thfor voting power at onceT^ There was no longer
any hesitation ; the measure was adopted, and so general
and generous was it, that in Utah to-day every person of the
female sex, from the babe in the arms to the oldest, bed-
ridden, imbecile crone, has the right of elective franchise,
and is compelled to use it.
To illustrate the intelligence with which women vote, and
the freedom of opinion in political matters which is allowed
them, I think I can do no better than give my own first
experience in exercising the prerogative of a free woman.
It was the first election-day that occurred after the right
of suffrage had been, not granted, but commanded. I was
standing in front of my husband's office, talking with a
friend, when he came out. His first question, put before he
had offered either myself or my friend any greeting, was,
" Have you voted to-day ? "
"No, Brother Young, I have not."
" Then I suppose you intend doing so at once."
"Not at all," I replied; " I have no intention of voting at
all." \
"And why not?" he asked, somewhat angrily.
" Because I have not yet become sufficiently acquainted
with the political situation to understand what it is best to
do, and I prefer not to vote ignorantly."
" But I wish you to vote," was his peremptory reply.
HOW BRIGHAM'S WIVES ENJOY THE FRANCHISE. 95
"Excuse me, please, Brother Young," pleaded I; "I
don't know who or what to vote for, and I really had much
rather not." I was quite in earnest. I did not know any-
thing then of politics, and I must confess I had no interest
in them.
" Get into the carriage," com-
manded he, so sternly that I
knew I must obey, and further
parley would be useless. " I
want you to vote, and at once.
Mr. Rossitur will take you to
the polls and tell you how to
vote."
Mr. Rossitur, to whose care
I was committed, was Brig-
ham's coachman, and was to
be my political instructor. All
the information I gained will
never harm nor help me very
materially. I was driven to the polls, a ticket was handed
me, and hustled along without the opportunity of examining
it, and to this day I am in blissful ignorance of what or who
I cast my only vote for. I know, however, that among
other officers they were electing a delegate to Congress, and
I suppose I must have voted for George Q... Cannon. There
is an encouraging and inspiring picture for the advocates of
female suffrage, who are jubilant over the triumph of their
cause in Utah. A polygamous wife of the President of the
church conveyed to the polls by her husband's coachman.,
and compelled to cast the vote he gives her without an
opportunity of exercising her ludgment or her choice, and
ignorant even of what she is doing. By all means let us
have the suffrage in Utah, in spite of Judge Poland.
After the Council had disposed of Sidney Rigdon to its
satisfaction, and "all the people" had signified theirs by
saying "Amen," he turned about and prepared to fight
96 HOW THE "PROFIT" OF THE CHURCH BEGAN HIS REIGN.
them. His resistance, however, was short and feeble, He
returned to Pittsburg, and attempted to resurrect the " Lat-
ter-Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate? a Mormon
publication that had died some years before. His attempt
was futile, and he gave up the contest with his failure to
revive that sheet, and Mormonism has known little or noth-
ing of him since.
In the mean time the Twelve Apostles were to rule over
the church until such time as a change in the Presidency
should seem necessary. This was Brigham's first step, and
the rest came easily and naturally enough. To all intents
and purposes he was as much the ruler of the Mormons as
he is now, although he did not then arrogate so much to
himself. He knew very well that it would not do to de-
clare himself too suddenly ; so he quietly worked and
waited until he found himself in the position which he now
holds a position which has never been contested by his
followers.
He was always a hard worker, quite successful in making
converts, and the steady determination of his character,
which amounted to decided obstinacy, united with a schem-
ing cunning, helped him very much at this period of his
life.
He was shrewd enough not to attempt, as Rigdon had
done, to play the prophet ; he knew very well that in that
role he would not meet success. He announced that no one
should take Joseph's place, and to this day he maintains to
those who remember what he said then, and contrast his
past assertions with his present position as head of the
church " No one can take the place of Joseph ; he is
in his place as the spiritual head of the church, and will
always be there, through time and eternity."
" I am no prophet and revelator, as Joseph was," he used
to say to the Saints : " but Joseph left revelations enough for
you to follow for twenty years ; in the mean time, the Lord
will reveal Himself to those among you whom He may
HE HAS AN EYE TO THE CASH ! 97
choose so to honor, and there is no reason why you should
not all have revelations."
But, revelations or not, one thing he insisted upon : that
was, that the Saints were to "build the kingdom up for
Joseph," and that he kept constantly before them. He next
proceeded to make the church self-sustaining in a pecuniary
sense. Each member was to tithe himself or herself one
tenth of all their property, and place it in the hands of the
w Twelve " for the use of the church. This tithing fund Brig-
ham had absolute control of a control that he has taken
pains never to lose. He instituted other " reforms " in the
church, and everything he proposed the people acquiesced
in with a surprising readiness. They yielded to him,
seemingly, without being aware that they were yielding,
and he had his own way without opposition, while the poor
deluded Saints thought he was carrying- out their ideas, in
part at least. frhey_came under Brigham's yoke] without
knowing when triey btJlfTlheir necks to receive it, and in less
than six months after the Prophet's death his mastery over
the church was as assured as it is to-day.
7
CHAPTER V.
MY FATHER'S PLURAL WIFE. CHILDHOOD IN
POLYGAMY.
Childhood in Mormondom. A striking Contrast. The Sorrows of my
Earliest Years. How my Mother received Polygamy. Submitting to
the Rod. Clinging to Love and Home. Resigning all for Religion.
Strange ways of glorifying God. The Reward of Faithfulness.
The Prophet Joseph imparts a New Religious Mystery. The Break-
ing-up of a Home. Feais of Rebellion. The Struggle of Faith
against Nature. Seeking Rest, but finding None. Brigham's " Coun-
sels." A New Wife Selected. My Parents enter into Polygamy.
The New Bride, Elizabeth. The Marriage Ceremony. My Mother
Sealed. She is to become a Queen. Domestic Arrangements in
Polygamy. Bearing the Cross. A First Wife's Sorrows. " Where
does Polygamy Hurt ? " The Mormon Husband ; his Position and
Privileges.
OFTEN wonder if there
is a child in Mormon-
dom, born under the
flight of polygamy , who
"Knows what it is ta nave
a happy, joyous child-
hood, rendered more
happy and more joyous
by the smiling, calm con-
tent of the mother in
whose arms its tiny infant
form lies cradled. I fear
the cases are as rare as
happy women are.
True, childhood always has a certain careless happiness of
its own, that even the saddest surroundings cannot wholly
repress ; but even this happiness is embittered by the tearful
eyes that gaze into trustful baby ones, and the lips that
yWsi-^swioe.
RECEIVING THE FIRST PLURAL, WIFE. 99
quiver with pain, as they try to smile back into laughing
baby faces.,
In the nappy homes which I have visited since I broke
the chains that bound me, and came forth a free woman,
unshackled in thought and untrammelled in action, although
a wanderer on the face of the earth, with no abiding-place
where to stay my weary feet, I have been compelled to con-
trast the difference between ffrij^hnnd i" a tnnnnggmir
country and in a polygamous one ; and when I have seen
the mother's face grow almost divine in its radiant con-
tent as she smiled down into the face of the little one
sheltered so closely in her heart, I have felt my heart throb
and ache with jealous anguish for the little ones in Utah,
and above all for their weary-hearted mothers, to whom
maternity brings no such joy, and added love, and tender
care.
I was consecrated to sorrow by the Baptism of my mnth-
er's tears upon my baby brow. I never remember on her
face one such look as I see daily upon mothers* face^ fr>w.
Mybaby Ka*mIs~wTpe(i away" tears, my baby fingers stroked
a cheek furrowed by them, and my baby eyes never saw
beyond the mist in hers. I came to her when the greatest
misery of her life was about to fall upon her ; and that
misery came to her, as it came to all the women then, un-
<l^r Jhfijaiiafi-0. religion something that must be endured
for Crmsfs^jsaJbe^ And as her religion had brought her
nbthing~rJut persecution and sacrifice, she submitted to this
new trial as to everything that had preceded it, and re-
\w^> Qgivfd-- polygamy _gs a cross laid upon herp but which
J^-^strength would be given her~to~*bearT""
She had never questioned any of Joseph Smith's "reve-
lations," and she did not dare do so now, although this one
came to her like a sudden and heavy blow, hurting heart and
soul, and rendering the thought of life unendurable. Hith-
erto, although her sufferings had been severe, and her pri-
vations many, yet through them all she had been sustained
IOO LIVING UP TO HIS PRIVILEGES.
by her husband's love. That was hers, and together they
had shared poverty and tasted plenty. Their sufferings
had brought them closer together, and whether in plenty
or poverty, they had been happy in each other and in their
children, and had made a home, and a cheerful one,
wherever they had been, one in which the spirit of love
ruled supreme. Now, her religion told her that she was
selfish and wicked to try and keep this home and husband.
The one must be broken g anjd.ftesn1 atejcU foe other shared
with some one else. \Jhe Lord commandedjgS What a
blasphemy and satire on Him who is the God of Love,
that Tie should make His children unhappy, and wreck
all hopes- of peace and content, for His glory ! It seems as
though this one act of Smith's alone should have opened
the eyes of this deluded people, and shown them that their
false Prophet was not taught of God, as he pretended, and
they so fondly believed, but that he was impelled by the
demons of covetousness and lust. But their eyes were
blinded, and they could not see ; their reason was inthralled,
and they did not know it was bound ; their wills were obe-
dient to his, and he held them soul and body, and played
with them as though they were so many puppets, helpless
and lifeless out of his hands.
Being accounted among the specially " faithful," my par-
ents were among the first to whom polygamy was taught
by Joseph Smith himself, and my father was commanded
by him to " live up to his privileges," and to take another
wife.
At first, the thought of taking a second wife to share his
home with the one whom he had first loved, who had been
the object of his youthful dreams and of his manhood's
devotion ; who had stood by him, through every reverse,
with the courage, and consideration, and love which only a
strong-natured, tender-hearted, earnest-souled woman could
show under such circumstances ; who was, in every sense,
a helpmeet, and, above all, the mother of his children, was
HOW THE REVELATION WAS RECEIVED. IOI
hateful to him. It took a long time, too, to overcome his
aversion to the new system. He and my mother had many
a long, tearful talk over it ; and although they received the
doctrine, believing that it must be right, they could not for
some time make up their minds to put it in practice. In
the mean time Joseph was assassinated, and for a little time
they were left to each other in peace. But Brigham Young
was bound to carry out Joseph's revelations, and this one
relating to the plural wife system was strongly, though se-
cretly, urged upon the Saints. Both my father and mother
were visited by Brigham, and " counselled " in regard to
^the matter/ My mother has often said that the w Revelation "
Iwas the most hateful thing in the world to her, and she
Vireaded and abhorred it, but she was afraid to
\lest she should be found " fighting^^ainjitjthe J-jord^'' /The
tfrought thaTshe might be obliged to live in a polygamous
relation with another woman filled her with horror and fear ;
but she was assured by her religious leader, that the feel-
ing was merely the effect of her early training, which she
would soon outgrow under the benign influences of the
gospel. For several months she struggled with herself over
this subject, before she could think patiently of it for even a
minute. She wanted to have it made easy and plain to
her, for she could not bear to repudiate any of her beloved
Prophet's teachings. She agonized over it day and night;
she prayed incessantly to be given the true " spirit " of sub-
mission ; if it was God's will, she wanted strength to endure
it ; and she believed she should have it, for surely the kind
and loving Father would not impose upon his children bur-
dens greater than they could bear. She had not learned,
as she has since, that the God of the Mormon belief \vn^
flDlrthg heavenly Father whose love the Saviour tnuj^ht, hn+
a jealous God, a cruel, avenging Spirit, who demanded,
^blood-offerings to appease his" a" Wakened wrath. "He" was
"not trie tender PalClll, all'vviai, all-powerful; and all-lov-
ing, whom she reverenced and adored. There was little
IO2 ELIZABETH.
use in looking towards her people's God for help or com-
fort. Retribution, and justice untempered by mercy, were
all He had for His subjects, not children.
During all these months of wavering doubt and untold
misery, my father never attempted to influence my mother's
decision in the least ; she had her battle to fight, and he
his ; the end was inevitable for both ; but for all this the
contest was no less severe. Brigham's "counselling" be-
gan to assume the form of commands, which at last grew
"so imperative tnat ttiey were oblified-Jn-li^nhpypH - My
mother did not rebel ; she looked upon it as duty, and she
was determined to "do it silently and uncomplainingly, if
not willingly" and cheerfully. My parents consulted to-
gether regarding the choice of the new wife, and fixed
upon the person with surprising unanimity. They were
each anxious to help and comfort the other in this as they
had been in every other emergency of their lives. My
father wished, if he must take another wife, to choose^one
who should be agreeable to my mother, or rather as agree-
able as one woman could be to another under such circum-
stances ; and my mother was, for her part, equally deter-
mined not to oppose him in his selection. But opposition
was not necessary, as his choice fell upon the very person
whom my mother wquld have selected, had the task
rested with her alone.^/
A short time after my birth, a Miss Elizabeth Taft came,
with a younger sister, to live in our house. She was a
very pleasant, cheery, affectionate person, and all the fam-
ily became very much attached to her. Father, mother,
children, all quoted "Elizabeth," and she became almost
a part of our very selves. She was thoughtful of my
mother, and tender to us little ones, petting us and indul-
ging us in our childish whims, and we, in return, loved
her very dearly. She was a good woman in its highest
interpretation, and devotedly religious. Naturally enough,
seeing her so constantly, both my parents thought of her
"SEALED" FOR TIME AND ETERNITY. 103
as the new wife. If they must enter polygamy, they knew
they could do no better than to take her into the family, if
she could be induced to consider the subject in the same
light. My father made proposals to her, and my mother
seconded them. The thought of living in a polygamic rela-
tion with any one was very unpleasant to her, as indeed it
is to every true woman ; but she desired to live her religion,
and believing this to be a part of it, accepted my father's
proposal, and became his first plural wife when I was about
a year old.
Her parents were in Michigan at the time, and Elizabeth
wished to wait until their arrival ; but Brigham, who, as a
matter of course, was interested in the affair, counselled
the marriage to proceed, and of course it was considered
right and prudent to obey his counsel ; and as he was hur-
rying forward the endowments in the Nauvoo Temple, pre-
paratory to leaving for the West, the parties most nearly
concerned in the matter thought it best to hasten the nup-
tials.
My mother was to be "sealed " at the same time, as, ac-
cording to Joseph's Revelation, her former marriage, having
been performed in the Gentile form, was not binding. The
place of sealing was the Temple ; and there, one midwin-
ter day, in the beginning of the year 1846, my mother was
sealed to my father for "time and for all eternity," after which
she gave him Elizabeth as his wife according to the Mor-
mon marriage formula. It was with a steady voice and
calm composure that she pronounced the words that gave
another woman a share in her husband's love ; but it was
none the less with a heavy, breaking heart. '1 Iniik of-tty-
Who are happy in undivided h
__
husbands* unshared love ! What if your religion com-
manded you to give another woman to your husband as a
mre -, wiio was to have an equal right with you to his at-
tention and his love; who should bear his name, and be a
.- mother to his children ;/ that all this should be done "in the
-
104 BEAUTIES OF THE " CELESTIAL " SYSTEM.
or complaint on
name of the Lord." and without shrinkin
axe this home to j'ourself, and you will be
aKTe tn appfpriatp alT~~nf>vf>r
horror^ of Mnr-
TrTOmsmT
January that my father obeyed the " counsel " of
his Prophet and leader, and in March his new wife's par-
ents returned, and were shocked and grieved beyond meas-
ure to find their daughter married into polygamy ; yet, being
strong in the faith, and much attached to their church and
their religion, submitted without a murmur, like the good
Saints they were.
My mother was so quiet and uncomplaining in the posi-
tion which she had voluntarily assumed, that she was praised
by the officious brethren and sisters for submitting with
such good grace, and was told by them that great glory
awaited her as a reward, and aUo,^as she had so readily
made the great sacrifice, she would always be recognized
as the first wife, which, among the Mormons, is considered
an exceeding flieal honor^. Une ol the sisters, wno was a
strong advocate of the new " Celestial " system, said to her :
You will stand at the head of your husband's kingdom
as a queen ; no une can ever take your place Irom you, but
honored to stand by his side through the endless
'OU Will DC
ages dt" eternity."' It was by such .nonsensical talk and
e Mormon leaderstri(
ird promises asthese that the Mormon leaderstried
to make polygamy attractive to the women who were al-
ready married, and render them more willing to enter it.
Such absurdities may have weight with some worne^, but
they did not affect my mother^ nor render the cross s^ had
assumed any more easy to bear. Her husband's undivided
love during time was better than royal honors in eternity.
The new wife lived in the family, and to outward appear-
ance everything was unchanged. Only a few of the "very
faithful " knew of the new arrangement ; it was deemed
best to keep it a secret from the majority of the people, to
whom polygamy was not a fixed fact, and who were waver-
"DON'T YOU BELIEVE IN POLYGAMY?" 105
ing slightly in the faith on account of it. The time had
not yet come to promulgate the doctrine freely, and many
left Nauvoo for the West quite ignorant that the system
really existed in their midst.Q I think many of them never {
would have crossed those endtess plains, and sought shelter I
under the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, had they known
what unhappiness awaited them. \ But unchanged as our
family circle was to those outside it, within was unhappi-
ness and bitterness of spirit. It was much harder to endure,
even, than my mother had anticipated. Terrible as was
the thought, the reality was much more horrible. She
thought she had counted the cost ; she found she had, in
her ignorance, been unable to estimate it. Every hour of
her life her heart was torn by some new agony. She was
compelled to see many of the tender, wifely little offices,
trifles in themselves, that she had been accustomed to per-
form, done by other hands, and she herself always turned
off with the excuse, " You see, dear, you have the children
to attend to, and I did not wish to give you trouble."
Trouble ! as though anything done for him, with a heart
full of love, could be accounted as such ! That hurt her
almost as much as to see another doing what it had always
been her delight to do.
As is the custom of men in polygamy, my father fell more
easily into the new arrangement, and even found a certain
'comfort and content in it, and he wondered very mlUifl jhat
my mother could not be haprjyas well. Indeed, he was a
little impatient, after a while7 tnat sne would not sajTslier
was content and satisfied in the new relation.
" I don't understand it," he would say ; " you were willing
at first. What is the difficulty now? Don't you think Eliza-
beth a good, true girl ? "
"Yes, indeed," was always the reply ; for my mother was
too just a woman to do even a rival a wrong.
" Don't you believe in polygamy, then ? " he would ask,
determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
IO6 THE MORMON MOTHER AND HER BABY GIRL.
"Yes, I suppose so. I wish to live my religion," was the
dreary reply.
" Well, what is to be done about it? " was the next anxious
question.
" O, I don't know," my mother would say, in bitter de-
spair; "but I can't endure this life."
" And yet you entered it voluntarily. I don't understand
you ; you are strangely inconsistent."
Her remonstrance and his comfort never went beyond
this point. There was nothing more to be said. She had
protested with unutterable anguish against the life that she
felt was false and in direct contradiction to every law of
moral right, although she was told to look upon it as " di-
vine ; " and the only answer she could get was, " You are
inconsistent ; you entered the relation voluntarily." The
very truth of this reply silenced her, but it did not make
her burdens any lighter or easier to bear.
She saw that patient endurance was all that was required
of her, and all she could give. Her husband was hers no
longer ; she herself had given another woman the same
right to his care that she had ; and now she turned to all that
was left her in life that she could call her own her chil-
dren. Had it not been for us she would have prayed to
die. I was tin' baby, and she has said that at that time I
was the strongest tie which held her to life. If it had not
been for me, lying helpless in her arms, she would have
taken her life into her own hands, and put an end to it then
and there * But she could not endure the thought of leaving
me, her only daughter, her baby girl, alone and un-
shielded by a mother's care. My brothers, who were quite
large boys at that time, she thought would not miss her, nor
need her so much ; and many a time she has knelt with me
clasped fast in her arms, the tears falHn^ on mywondering
face, and prayed frantically that \ve both might, die. The
thoiiglU-4kaJ_sJie had brought a girl into the_world to suffer
as she was now suffering, to find her whole life's happiness
K DO YOU THINK I HAVE NO TRIALS?
.107
made a wreck by the religion which should be a stay and
a comfort, drove her almost wild. She had buried one
little girl, and I have often heard her thank God that He
had taken her to Himself before life became a terrible bit-
terness and burden. She often says, in referring to her
sufferings at that time, and the desperate state she was in,
she wonders she did not commit suicide ; what kept her *
from it she cannot tell to this day, unless the thought that
these polygamous relations did not end with time, but were
VC MHa _^^^^BaMHaMKMllMMMMI^ MM ^ |VV(MHMv ^^^ _
carried on through all eternity. " .
She had to keep a double guard on her tongue and on
her actions. She did not like to vex her husband, and
neither did she wish to grieve the young wife, whose position
ngw
BSi
was no pleasanter than her own. Besides, a husband
polygamy is very sensitive regarding the treatment of the
last wife by those who have preceded her, and she knew
that no act of hers would escape her husband's notice, even
had she been inclined to ill-treat her rival.
"DO YOU THINK / HAVE NO TRIALS?"
Once, very mildly and kindly, she tried to tell some of
her troubles to Elizabeth, and begged her not to add to her
sorrow by bestowing so many marks of affection on my
father in her presence. The young wife turned on her
quickly, and demanded, bitterly,
IDS EVEN WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.
w Do you think / have no trials ? "
"God forgive me, and help us both ; I know you have?
was my mother's quick and sympathetic answer.
After all, what could she say or do? She had influenced
the girl quite as much as my father had, believing she was
only doing what was right, and that the act, hard as it was,
would bring its own blessing with it^ 3&stead, it brought
what polygamy always does bring the curse of a wrecked
home and a life's unhappiness.
A gentleman visiting Salt Lake City for the first time
once asked me where polygamy hurt the most.
"It hurts all over, body and soul, mind and heart," was
my reply. "I can't tell a.^spot that it cloes not hurt.~
"It is even worse than I thought," he replied, with a
shudder.
The reply which I gave then I would give again. Never,
until a woman ceases to love her husband, can polygamy
cease to be anything but a series of cruel stings, alike to
pride and conscience.
I have tried to portray a little something of the misery
that fell upon our family by the introduction of polygamy
into it,^bjjt I have utterly failed to give an adequate idea of
i it.l fe pen can possibly depict the heart-breaking suffer-
JJ ings that are endured by women in this relation^andno one
can imagine or understand them who has not experienced
them. And yet, in spite of all this unhappiness, we were
accounted a moHeTfamily, and were pointed out as the best
"exponents, pj the' system! r'~* They are so united ! " was the
admiring verdict. This was due a great deal to my moth-
er's exertions and her conscientiousness. Having taken
this new mode of life as a religious duty, she was deter-
mined not to be found wanting in readiness to perform
whatever it required of her. A happy, contented spirit
she could not give ; but she could show patience, long-suf-
fering, and a calm, though by no means cheerful, face and
manner.
MEN GET THE BEST OF IT.
lop
Then, my father was very just in the treatment of his
wives. One did not fare better than the other in any re-
respect. If he purchased an article of wearing apparel for
one, he got its counterpart for the other ; in every par-
ticular they shared alike. His position was by no means
an enviable one ; still it was preferable to that of either of
his wives. Men, as I said before, always get the best of it
become more easiF
bhes, my lather appeared with both wives, and they de-
ferred to each other in the most charming way, both of them
being too sensible and too proud to show the slightest feeling
where it might be commented on. Then, too, in spite of
the natural bitterness of feeling between them, there was a
mutual respect and regard between them, and each was too
just to lay her troubles at the door of the other. Had these
two women, with their generous natures and firm princi-
ples, met on any other ground, they would not only have
" got along " amiably and quietly as they did, but they
would have been warm, earnest friends, and the respectful
regard would have grown into positive affection. As it
was, they had nothing but kind words for each other, my
mother, especially, pitying the young wife as she did her-
self. Elizabeth, was still kind to us children, and gained
the love which she has held ever since, and which she fully
"^reserved. Still the introduction of polygamy into our
midst was not a pleasant thing.' and we little pue^t &vgr> T
telt InstincfoHy * ^^kfcl^l^I^lC^
^^~B'ut w&lwere to be diverted from the contemplation of its
miseries by a new and absorbing excitement. The Mor-
mon people were again compelled to move, leaving their
beautiful new city in the " defiled hands " of the Gentiles ;
and in the very midst of our first family trouble and unhap-
piness came the command to seek another Zion, since this
could no longer be a shelter for the Saints.
CHAPTER VI.
FORSAKING DEAR ZION. WE FIND A NEW HOME IN
THE FAR WEST.
A New Home in the West. Dangerous Neighbors. Some very Un-
pleasant Stories. Seeking a New Home. Preparing to Depart.
Life at Winter-Quarters. A Lively Time in the Temple. "Little
Dancin' Missy." Bound for Salt Lake Valley. Life by the Way.
Songs of the Saints. A False Prophecy. " The Upper California."
Saintly Profanity. A Soul-stirring Melody. The Saints Excited.
Beside the Camp-Fires. The Journey Ending. Entering Zion.
The Valley of the Great Salt Lake.
N the spring of 1846 our
family left Nauvoo, with
the large body of the
Saints, to find a new home
in the West. The Mor-
mon people had become
quite as unpopular in Illi-
nois as they had been in
Missouri ; and collisions
between them and the
Gentiles were very fre-
quent.
Sometimes it was one
side that was the aggressor, sometimes the other. The
Saints were indignant at the treachery which resulted in
Joseph Smith's death. They held the United States gov-
ernment responsible for it, as well as for the troubles in
Missouri, and taught disloyalty to the government, and per-
sonal revenge on all who molested them/
The people of Illinois, in their turn, regarded the Mor-
mons as dangerous neighbors, and getting a hint of the
new doctrine of polygamy, looked jipon them as grossly
FLIGHT TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. Ill
immoral, and accused them of much greater crimes than^
tlrey really committed. All sorts of horrible rumors were
rife, and the Indignation of the people outside knew no
bounds.
The Mormon people realized, very soon after Joseph's
death, that they must seek a new home, and they looked
with a feeling of positive relief to the unexplored region be-
yond the Rocky Mountains. They believed that there they
would find a realization of all that had been promised them
by their murdered Prophet. At least they would be be-
yond all interference and molestation, and after all they
had suffered, they did not care how much space they put
between themselves and the Gentile world.
All through the winter of 1845 and '46, my father was
very busy building wagons for the purpose of transporting
the Saints and their property to their new and yet unknown
home ; for their destination was not definitely known to any
of them at that time. The Apostle Taylor advocated Cali-
fornia, and, indeed, announced that it would be the Saints'
objective point when they should leave Nauvoo. He wrote
an emigration song about it, and all .the way from Nauvoo
to Winter-Quarters, some of the emigrating party were
tunefully averring,
" The Upper California, O, that's the land for me ! " ,
Yet, in spite of Taylor's prophecy and the saintly singing
of it, they never reached California^
It mattered little to me,"at that period of my existence,
where we went. Home was home wherever my mother
was, whether it was east, west, or camping on the prairies
between. Of course I remember but little respecting the
exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo ; still there are indis-
tinct recollections of things that happened as early as that
which sometimes cross my mind, although they are very
dim. My first distinct remembrance was of Winter-Quar-
ters, which were then where Council Bluffs now stands.
ii2 "LITTLE DANCIN' MISSY."
My father built a log-house there, and we were compar-
atively comfortable. Our family consisted of my father,
mother, two brothers, myself, and Elizabeth, the new wife.
We were together nearly all the time, but when my father
went into Missouri to work a while at his business, and get
a little money ahead to take us to our new home, and set-
tle us, he took my mother, my younger brother, and my-
self, leaving Elizabeth the new wife and my oldest
brother at Winter-Quarters.
Notwithstanding the facts of the enforced emigration,
the uncertainty of their future, and sacrifices they had been
compelled to make, the migrating Mormons were not an
unhappy party, and they managed to make their stay in
Winter-Quarters lively, if not merry. As a people, they
have always mixed amusement with their religion in the
most amusing manner. Dancing was a favorite recrea-
tion with them, and all their balls were commenced with
prayer. That custom, by the way, is still continued, and
the blessing of " the Lord " invoked at every dancing party
which takes place in Mormondom. The Temple at Nau~
voo (I have heard) was used for dancing parties, and
it was then given out that the exercise was/a religious
oneJ It was taught to the Saints that recreation was
positively necessary. Everybody dances among the Saints
president, counsellors, apostles, elders, and all; and
they dance with an unction, too, that is very amusing, and
frequently ridiculous.
It was while on the way to Salt Lake, when I was only
about three years old, that I learned to dance. It was
when I was living in Missouri that I had my first lessons.
Dancing was the common amusement there, and I re-
member the negroes used to play. I was active and
lithe, and very ready at imitations, and had, besides, a
quick ear for music. I was petted by everybody, and the
negro musicians took a special fancy to " little dancin'
A BRIGHT GLEAM IN NIGHT'S DARKNESS. 113
missy," and they taught me several negro dances, which I
used to execute to the intense delight of my sable instruct-
ors, and the amusement of my friends. i/ ^H / '< ***,
Jhat winter^ in Mis.^onrij in mm of rhf brigh^ spots in '
my childhood ? f \ which I am especially fond of looking
back. It is, indeed, the only really happy time I can recol-
lect. My father was busy most of the time, and we lived
very pleasantly and comfortably, for that section of the
country at that early day ; my mother was more cheerful
than I had ever know r n her to be, and the atmosphere of
our home was peaceful. The second wife had been left at
Council Bluffs, and my mother had her husband's sole care
and attention, as she had had it in the old days before the
curse of polygamy was thrust upon her to embitter her whole
life, and rob her of all that a woman holds most dear, and
guards most jealously. Its shadow was over her still, and
she knew she could not escape from it ; but she would take
what comfort she could, and think no more of past or future
sufferings than she could possibly help.
In 1847 a party of the Saints left Winter-Quarters for
the Salt Lake Valley. My parents had intended to accom-
pany them, but my father was obliged to remain on account
of business, and to assist in the final departure of the main
body of the church. Brigham Young and his family went,
necessarily, with the first party. Brigham w r as now absolute
in authority, and he managed the affairs of the Saints so
arbitrarily that no one dreamed of interfering with him, or
gainsaying him in the least. He decreed that my father
should remain at Winter-Quarters, and as a matter of
course he obeyed. We were there another winter, and
all the while my mother's heart was setting most strongly
Zionward.
It was the 4th of May, 1848, when at last we were fairly
started for our Rocky-Mountain home. The hearts of all
the people were filled with eager anticipation, and they said
"good-bye" cheerfully and heartily to the civilized world,
8
114 PICKING FLOWERS BY THE WAY.
in which were centred all the memories of their past, and
turned gladly towards that unknown country beyond the
wild plains and pathless deserts in which were all the hopes
of their future.
My father took provisions that would last a year, by
practising economy, and we had two wagons and three
yoke of oxen ; there were six of us in the family our own
selves and Elizabeth. We joined with a train of two hun-
dred wagons, which was afterwards divided into compa-
nies of fifties. I suppose the journey must have been a
tiresome one to the older members of the party, but I en-
joyed it extremely. I ran along, during a portion of the
day, by the side of the wagons, picking the flowers by the
way, and talking to the different members of the train, for
I knew everybody, and was petted almost as much by my
fellow-travellers as I had been by my negro friends in Mis-
souri. It is a wonder that I was not completely spoiled ; I
daresay I should have been, had it not been for my moth-
er's sensible and judicious training. I was her idol, the
one object for which she cared the most in the^ world ; "but"
lor all that, she ruled me wonderfully, and I yielded her the
most implicit obedience,^vvmle giving Tier the most passion-
ate childish love and devotion.
""' I iLiiiLinbLi hei yii distinctly on this journey ! She occu-
pied herself a great deal with writing, keeping a literal
transcript of all that befell us on our journey, mingled with
the deepest religious meditation and poetic fancies. She
always wrote in a large book, which she afterwards de-
stroyed, when we arrived at Salt Lake City. I have always
regretted the destruction of that book, as I should have
liked it as a souvenir of that journey to the " Promised
Land." But she was so shy of having her feelings known,
and so fearful lest it might fall into some person's hands
who would not understand her, but who would jeer at her
for a sentimentalist, that she put it out of the way at the
very earliest opportunity. Among other things, she wrote
MY FIRST INTERVIEW WITH BRIGHAM YOUNG.
a song, which used to be sung in camp, and was a great
favorite ; but even that is lost. I cannot recall it to mem-
ory, and my mother will not, as she says it is much better
forgotten.
We rested every Sabbath, and always held services.
Sometimes we staid a week in camp, resting our tired
oxen, and recruiting our own strength. It was a pleasant
season of the year, and we could afford to travel leisurely,
A BLESSING FROM BRIGHAM.
as we had left Winter-Quarters so early that we had ample
time to reach Salt Lake Valley before the weather became
disagreeable, even if we made frequent stops. We had
plenty of provisions, too, and there was no fear of their be-
coming exhausted.
Brigham Young had returned from the new settlement to
accompany the emigrants and show them the way. We
travelled in company with him, and I attracted a great deal
Il6 SONGS OF THE SAINTS.
of his attention. The two families, Brigham's and our own,
had lived in adjoining houses in Nauvoo, and I had known
" Brother Young " from my birth ; he blessed me in my
infancy, and I was at one time as great a favorite of his as
any child ever could be ; which isn't speaking very enthu-
siastically of his affection, to be sure, since he is not noted
for fondness for children, even his own. I little thought
then what relation I should one day hold to this man, who
was older than my father. My future was not foreshadowed
in that summer journey in search of a home.
The Saints used to cheer their tedious journey by singing
from some point or other in the train. I could always catch
snatches of song ; and on Sunday, while we were encamped,
the whole body of the Saints would sing their hymns and
local songs together. Some of these I recollect very dis-
tinctly, and, even now, find myself humming snatches of
them, having taken them up quite unconsciously. One of
them I referred to before, by the Apostle Taylor, who at
that time was a famous hymn-writer for the Saints. This
one especially was a great favorite of the younger men in
the company, and if one voice began it while we were
journeying on, it would be taken up the whole length of the
train and sung with great unction. I give it as a specimen
of the style of hymns that was popular in the church.
" The Upper California, O, that's the land for me !
It lies between the mountains and the great Pacific Sea ;
The Saints can be supported there,
And taste the sweets of liberty,
In Upper California O, that's the land for me !
We'll go and lift our standard, we'll go there and be free,
We'll go to California, and have our jubilee ;
A land that blooms with endless spring,
A land of life and liberty,
With flocks and herds abounding O, that's the land for me !
LIGHTENING A WEARY WAY. Il7
We'll burst off all our fetters, and break the Gentile yoke,
For long it has beset us, but now it shall be broke ;
No more shall Jacob bow his neck ;
Henceforth he shall be great and free
In Upper California O, that's the land for me !
We'll reign,we'll rule and triumph, and God shall be our King ;
The plains, the hills, the valleys shall with hosannas ring ;
Our towers and temples there shall rise
Along the great Pacific Sea,
In Upper California O, that's the land for me!
We'll ask our cousin Lemuel to join us heart and hand,
And spread abroad our curtains throughout fair Zion's land.
Till this is done, we'll pitch our tents
Along the great Pacific Sea,
In Upper California O, that's the land for me !
Then join with me, my brethren, and let us hasten there ;
We'll lift our glorious standard, and raise our house of prayer ;
We'll call on all the nations round
To join our standard and be free
In Upper California O, that's the land for me ! "
Another one that the Saints used to sing a great deal
and one that was composed in Nauvoo, to be sung in the
Temple before the exodus was set to the pathetic air of
" Old Dan Tucker." I give what I can remember of it.
" In '46 we leave Nauvoo,
And on our journey we'll pursue ;
We'll bid the mobbers all farewell, '
And let them go to heaven or hell.
Old Governor Ford, he is so small
There is no room for soul at all ;
He neither can be damned nor blest,
Though heaven or hell should do their best."
This song, profane as it may seem, was sung, not once,
but many times, in Nauvoo Temple, and religious exer-
Il8 GLORY OF THE LATTER DAY.
cises in camp were never considered complete without it.
Why these two songs stand out more prominently in my
memory than any others with one exception, which I
shall presently mention I do not know, unless it was be-
cause the airs pleased me ; the first was bright, stirring, and
very easily caught ; the other was familiar to me in Missouri.
When I think of it now, two scenes always come to my
mind : one, of a little blue-eyed girl, dancing merrily under
the trees while a band of delighted negroes sang the gay tune
which the tiny feet were beating out; another, of the same
little girl, running along by the side of a covered emigrant-
wagon, with her hands full of half-withered flowers which
she had picked by the wayside, listening to the old song
with the new words, which she only half comprehended,
and involuntarily making her steps keep time to the music.
The other hymn which I remember was a great favorite
with the Saints, and whenever they sang it, it had the power
of awakening the wildest enthusiasm. It is of a style en-
tirely different from either of the other two. I can't help
quoting here a verse or two, it is so much a part of the
memory of this portion of my life.
" The Spirit of God, like a fire is burning !
The latter-day glory begins to come forth ;
The visions and blessings of old are returning ;
The angels are coming to vitfit the earth ;
We'll sing and we'll shout, 1 - with the armies of heaven ;
Hosanna ! hosanna to God and the Lamb !
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and for ever. Amen and Amen !
The Lord is extending the Saints' understanding,
Restoring their judges and all as at first ;
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o'er the earth is beginning to burst.
We'll call in our solemn assemblies in spirit,
To spread forth the kingdom of heaven abroad,
THE SAINTS AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE. Up
That we through our faith may begin to inherit
The visions, and blessings, and glories of God.
We'll wash and be washed, and with oil be anointed,
Withal not omitting the washing of feet,
For he that receiveth his penny appointed
Must surely be clean at the harvest of wheat.
Old Israel that fled from the world for his freedom,
Must come with the cloud and the pillar amain ;
A Moses, and Aaron, and Joshua lead him,
And feed him on manna from heaven again.
How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
Shall lie down together without any ire,
And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion,
As Jesus descends with his chariots of fire.
We'll sing and we'll shout, with the armies of heaven :
Hosanna ! hosanna to God and the Lamb !
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
For ever and ever. Amen and Amen."
This hymn always stirred the Saints to the very depths
of their natures. It was as appealing and sonorous as a
battle-cry, as exultant as a trumpet-note of victory. Without
understanding it, I was powerfully affected by it ; my cheeks
would glow, my eyes flush with tears, and my little heart
grow so large that I would almost suffocate. The sublime
exaltation of the Saints, as they sung this, was felt by me,
child as I was, though I could not comprehend it. I shut
my eyes now, and see a large company gathered together,
in a fast-falling twilight, on a wide plain, that seems as end-
less as the ocean ; the blue of the star-studded sky is the
only covering for the heads of this company. In the dusk
the white-covered wagons look weird and ghostly. Camp-
fires are burning; men, women, and children are clustered
together, and the talk goes back to the old days and the trials
and persecutions which these people have borne, and forward
120
THAT SOUL-STIRRING SONG.
to an independent and happy future, blessed of God and
unmolested by man. In the glow of anticipation, some one
strikes up this fervid hymn, the rallying-song of the Mor-
mons, and the wide plains
echo back the stirring strains.
I nestle by my mother's side,
awed and subdued, but con-
tent to feel the clasp of her
hand and meet the loving light
of her eyes. The song is over,
and " hosannas " and " amens "
resound on every side, and out
of the blue sky the stars smile
down on the wanderers with a
calm, hopeful light.
Never, to the very last, up to
the time of my abandoning Mor-
monism and leaving Utah, could
I hear this hymn unmoved ; and even now the very thought
of it thrills me strangely. I have heard it sung again and
again since then ; but it is, nevertheless, indissolubly con-
nected with that journey across the plains and over the
mountains.
Towards the last of the journey some of the Saints began
to be somewhat impatient, and begged to hasten onward.
We had occupied nearly the whole summer with the journey,
and probably crossed the plains more comfortably and with
less trouble or loss than any train which followed us. Start-
ing as early as we did, we could move as slowly as we liked,
with no dread of winter storms overtaking us. The last
stop we made of any length was at Weber River, where we
remained a week in camp, fishing, and getting ready for
the final part of our journey. Our wanderings were nearly
at an end ; only a few days more and we should reach our
new home the "Zion" of the promises, the resting-place
for God's people. Brigham, who did not often indulge in
SINGING THK RALLYING-SONG.
AGAIN ON THE WAY. 121
w revelations," said the place had been pointed out to him in
a vision, and in the shadow of the mountains the Saints
should hold their own against the entire world. The pic-
tures of the mountain-fastnesses which he drew for the
wandering people, and his assurances of their future safety
and constantly increasing power, filled them with anticipa-
tion and exultation. Already they saw the masses of the
converted from the Gentile world knocking at their doors
for admission ; this yet unbuilt city in the wilderness was to
be the Lord's dwelling-place on earth, and to Him here,
from every nation on the globe, sinners were to come flock-
ing, whose future glory would add to the brightness of His
kingdom here and swell His kingdom in heaven.
From their stronghold in the mountains they were to reach
out and grasp the whole world. " The fulness of the earth "
was to be the Lord's through them. Like the Covenanters
of old, they might have sung,
" For the strength of the hills we bless Thee,
Our God, our fathers' God !
Thou hast made Thy children mighty
By the touch of the mountain sod.
Thou hast placed the Ark of Refuge
Where the spoiler's foot ne'er trod ;
For the strength of the hills we bless Thee,
Our God, our fathers' God."
_Injspite of all that this devote^ ppople had passed farouffh.
they. still believed they were the "Chosen of God," to whom
it was given to ^Tmild the Waste places of Zion, and make
the desert blossom as the rose."
There was general rejoicing when at last the camp at
Weber's River was broken, and we were again on our way.
The spirit of prophecy broke loose and fairly run riot among
the leaders. The " Promised Land " was near, the " City of
Refuge " for the weary-footed Saints was nearly reached,
where God Himself would cheer his people. The rest of
122 THE REST AT LAST.
the journey was accomplished quickly ; lagging footsteps
hastened and heavy hearts grew light as they neared the
Mormon Canaan. It was destined not to be a land over-
flowing with milk and honey, but they had little care for
that, when, on the 2Oth of September, 1848, they reached
the Salt Lake Valley, and were welcomed to the Fort by
the little band who had preceded them into the wilderness.
They were travel-stained and weary ; but here was home
at last the " Zion " of their hopes.
CHAPTER VII.
OUR WELCOME TO "ZION." UTAH IN EARLY DAYS.
Our Welcome to Zion. Housekeeping under Difficulties. Our First
Home in Utah. The Second Wife's Baby. The Young Mother.
A Very Delicate Position. Doctors at a Discount. Brigham's Wife
turns Midwife. An Obedient Woman. Taking care of the Baby.
Practising Economy. The Path of the Crickets. Too much Cracked
Wheat. Building the First Mill. Brother Brigham Speechifies.
Tea at Five Dollars per Pound. Californian Gold Discovered. Build-
ing up Zion. Brigham's " Dress Reform." A Rather Queer Cos-
tume. The Women " Assert" Themselves . Clara Decker Rebels.
How the Prophet treats his Wives. I ask for some Furs, and am
Snubbed. How the Prophet doled out his Silk. Eliza Snow and Fan-
ny's Finery. The Prophet Snubs Eliza. He Combats the "Grecian
Bend." Dancing among the Saints. Polygamy Denied. How the
Saints received It. A Nice Little Family Arrangement.
TJR own imme-
diate family were
welcomed by
Elizabeth's par-
ents, who had
gone on with the
first body of the
Sa,ints, and were
living as com-
fortably as they
could under the
circumstances, in
the Fort. We
were their guests
but a short time ;
then we moved
into a tent and our covered travelling-wagon, which consti-
tuted our first housekeeping establishment in Utah.
GRECIAN BEND*
T2 4
TAKING CARE OF ELIZABETH.
We were quite in the fashion, however, as nearly all our
friends were living in the same way. My father commenced
immediately to build an adobe house, hoping to get us into
it before the winter set in. When it was finished it was re-
garded with admiration, and ourselves with envy, since no
one else had so fine a place. The reason of its superiority
was, that it was the second house in the place, and the
other was a miserable affair of a log-cabin, in contrast with
which our adobe structure was quite a palatial affair.
Shortly after our arrival at Salt Lake, Elizabeth added a
sonjfi fk p family. Thi'fi wan o timp nnd an nrr:urjiicFtf'^ r y
my_mther's spirit i but f*he> V>nr^ it hravply, and showed her-
self a true Christian, aj|(l P "hr^y^ and sympntb^t-Jr \voman.
r SKe took all the care of the mother and child, and was as
devoted to the former as though she had been a daughter.
If there was any bitterness in her heart towards her, she
certain1y~ai51iot show it at this crisis ot 1 he_ljTeT It was a
_ ion for her to be placed in, as any woman can
realize who will give a thought to the circumstances, a
woman caring for another during the birth of a child whose
fathef-tyileFown husband."""
For many years the Mormons rejected the aid of physi-
cians altogether. They applied oil, and "laid hands" on
all sick persons, without regard to their ailments. If a
person was ill, the elders were called, and they anointed him
with consecrated oil ; then they rubbed or manipulated him,
much after the manner of the modern M magnetic treatment,"
the elders praying audibly all the time.1 In cases of child-
birth, women used to officiate, and Brigham Young com-
pelled one of his wives, Zina Huntington, to learn mid-
wifery, in order that she might attend her husband's other
wives during their accouchements. The task was extremely
distasteful to her, as she was not particularly fond of nurs-
ing ; and as those to be cared for were her own rivals, she,
of course, relished the work still less. But she was a good,
conscientious woman, and her reverence for her husband
ANOINTING WITH OIL. 12$
for, strange as it may seem, she did reverence him
would not allow her to resist any commands he might place
upon her ; and her generous nature and strict sense of
justice would not allow her to neglect any one under her
care, no matter how distasteful the person might be to her.
She never carried her personal feelings into a sick room,
and always gave her patient the tenderest, most watchful,
and motherly care./ The world, Mormon or Gentile, does
not hold a nobler, truer woman than Zina Huntington
ANOINTING THE SICK WITH OIL.
In the absence of physicians, almost the entire responsi-
bility and care of Elizabeth and the boy, my half brother,
fell upon my mother. She has often said that in the care
she gave her at that time, she tried to make amends for
some of the bitterness of feeling she had shown before.
She never expected to be reconciled to the family arrange-
ment ; but as it was inevitable, she was determined to do
everything in her power to help everyone concerned in it,
and to make the new home in Zion as peaceful and har-
monious as possible. It was a difficult task ; but then po-
126 THE DELIGHTS OF w CRACKED WHEAT."
lygamy is made up of difficult tasks and trying situations.
There is nothing else in it, no one palliation for all the
woe. My mother grew very much attached to the child,
and he clung to her with loving affection. He is twenty-
six years old now, but he has always kept his love for
"Auntie," as he calls my mother, and she has an unflagging
interest in him. Indeed, all Elizabeth's children are fond
of my mother, and our two families have been more united
than polygamous families usually are. This has been due
to- the common-sense of the two mothers, who, the dupes of
a false system and a still falser religion, nevertheless knew
each thaifj2^Qth p r w ^ iW |n hlame for the mutual suffer-
ing. For twelve years they lived together under one roof,
eating at the same table, with not an unkind word passing
between them. It was a matter of conscience with both ;
they were neither of them resigned to the situation, but
they believed that it was "right, and they must endure it.
When we arrived at " the Valley " we found the people
practising the most rigid economy. The crickets had been
very numerous, and had almost entirely destroyed the
crops, devastating whole fields, until they looked as though
they had been scorched by fire. A few had managed, by
most desperate exertions, to save some of their wheat ; but
as there was only an apology for a mill, with no bolting
apparatus, this wheat was obliged to be eaten without being
sifted. When I have seen persons eating cracked wheat
as a delicacy, and heard them speaking of it with the sub-
dued enthusiasm which some people manifest when talking
of food, I have thought of the time when this delicacy was
the only thing that was seen on the tables at Utah for break-
fast, dinner, or supper, and I have come to the conclusion
that "delicacies" may, in time, grow monotonous.
To be sure, we brought flour and other necessaries from
the Missouri River in considerable quantity, enough to
have lasted us a long time, had we kept them exclusively
for our own use ; but on our arrival we divided with those
OUR FIRST WINTER IN UTAH. 127
who had none, and ate our share of the coarse bread. As
soon as possible a good mill was built, and the year after
we arrived we had our wheaten flour again. Of course
when once our small store of groceries was exhausted, it
was quite impossible to procure more in the Territory.
Everything was used most sparingly, and what had, in the
States, been looked upon as actual necessaries, were now
positive luxuries. It was a year of deprivation and self-
denial, but the Saints bore every cross with patience, and
were brave to the end. During the time no word of com-
plaint was heard, and not one seemed to regret the step he
had taken. There was an exultation and a spirit of free-
dom that amounted to bravado. Brigham added to this
spirit by his Sunday discourses in the Bowery, by such
language as the following :
" We are now out of reach of our enemies, away from
civilization, and we will do as we please, with none to mo-
lest. The Gentiles cannot reach us now. If they try it.
they will find themselves in trouble.'*
During the first year we had only the groceries we
brought with us ; but the following .year some kinds were
brought in from the States, and although the prices demanded
were fearfully high, yet buyers were found for all the arti-
cles. Tea sold for five dollars a pound, sugar for one dol-
lar and fifty cents a pound ; potatoes brought their weight in
silver, and potato-balls were brought from California, at a
great expense, to be used for seed.
It was at this time that the California mines were discov-
ered, and the gold-dust actually was more plentiful than
food or clothing, for a while.
The first winter was filled with a variety of occupations,
the men going to the canons for timber, building houses,
and taking care of stock ; the women knitted, repaired the
dilapidated clothing, and attended to the household duties,
necessarily in a very primitive fashion. There wasn't a
pair of idle hands in the entire settlement. The yarn which
128 DISAGREEMENTS AMONG THE SAINTS.
the women used for knitting was made from buffalo wool,
which we picked from the sage-bush on the journey. The
carding and spinning were also done by the sisters.
Our principal food, the first winter, was dried buffalo-
meat, very poor beef, and the coarse bread of which I have
spoken, made from the unbolted wheat. Occasionally, as
a very great luxury, we had dried fruit and a cup of tea ;
but this was only on state occasions, and at very long in-
tervals.
I am sorry to say that bickerings among this Saintly
queflt than amnng^the (jennies,
and that there were as many disputes over land and other
claims in "Zion," as ever there had been in "Babylon."
They were not above jealousies, either, this "chosen peo-
ple;" and, indeed, on our arrival at Salt. Lake we found
trouble between the Apostle John Taylor and Bishop Smart,
the two men whom Brigham Young had left in authority
when he left Utah for the States to fetch the remainder of
the Saints. Each had become jealous of the other, and
envious of his authority, and it required considerable skill
and tact to settle the apostolic quarrel and make matters
smooth again. Jedediah M. Grant was presiding, and
holding the two factions apart when Brigham arrived ; and
so well did he manage this most difficult task, that, as a re-
ward for his faithfulness and patience, Brigham made him
his second counsellor. It took some time to settle this and
other disputes, and often the entire Sunday service was de-
voted to the adjustment of difficulties between the brethren.
The Fort was by no means large enough to hold all the
people who had already arrived, and tents would be com-
fortable for only a few weeks. The work of building went
on as rapidly as possible, those who were able having log
or adobe houses, while others of less extensive means "were
obliged to content themselves with " dugouts," which were
nothing more or less than holes dug in the ground and
covered with willow boughs and earth.
THE PROPHET INVENTS DRESSES FOR THE GIRLS ! 1 29
Whpnj-hp rlnthingr wore out f as there was no cloth there,
ancTnowool to make it from, the men wore clothes made of
deer and antelope skins. It was at this time that Brigham
undertook to inaugurate a "dress reform " among the women,
and introduce a most unique Style! of Jit*, ufhuc.m^ . i^cii
the dress reformers of the East are likely to ttlll in
their attempts to present a sufficient quantity of novelties to
meet the demands of their patrons, I would most respect-
fully recommend to their most favorable notice President
Young's "inspired" dress, which was called the "Deseret
costume." i^r
It is a marked peculiarity of the Mormon Mogulf mat he
is extremely fond of interfering. J^o matter is too trivial for
his mind to dwell upon and consider. Nothing is of too
private or personal a nature for him to refrain from meddling
with it. From the cuisine of the poorest family in the Ter-
ritory to the wardrobe of the richest, nothing escapes him,
and whatever he may say or do, no one dares resent his in-
terference.
Not long after the arrival of the Saints in Utah, Brigham
conceived the idea of a uniform dress, by which the sister
Saints should be distinguished from the rest of the world,
and for a while he was enthusiastic on the subject of this
"dress reform." He not only introduced the idea of this
dress, but he planned it himself, and was as proud of his
costume as Worth is of any one of the most gorgeous gowns
which he sends out from his world-famed establishment.
Several of the sisters had adopted the Bloomer costume in
Illinois, and President Young had warmly approved of it.
He now wanted something more pronounced, and he held
meetings with the leading ladies who favored his plan, for
the purpose of deciding in what manner to introduce the
new costume. There was much excitement over it, and
most of the sisters were intensely curious concerning the
proposed style of it, when suddenly it was revealed to them
in all its beauty.
9
130
CUTTING OFF THE PETTICOATS !
The costume consisted of a short dress, which did not fit
the figure at all, but resembled very closely the modern gored
wrapper, such as is worn at the present time. It reached
about half way between the knee and ankle, and was worn
with long pantalets, made of the same material as the dress
itself. Over this was worn a long, loose sacque, of antelope
skin. This costume was certainly peculiar and distinctive
enough ; but it did not quite suit the Mormon Worth ; it was
not complete enough ;
so he added a hat
eight inches high,
with a straight, narrow
brim ; and then he
viewed his achievement
with complacent admi-
ration.
It must be confessed,
however, that the large
majority of the sisters
did not share his ad^
miration ; and even he,
although he strenuous-
ly urged the general
adoption of this cos-
tume, could induce but
very few of the sisters
to wear it. Even Mor-
mon women will assert
themselves in matters of the toilette^ and they refused,
most persistently, to make perfect guys of themselves. It
was a very unbecoming dress, both to face and figure ; there
was nothing graceful or beautiful about it, and probably the
female Mormons have never, in all their lives, come so
nearly being actually indignant with their Prophet as they
were when he endeavored to induce them to disfigure them-
selves by wearing this hideous costume.
THE DESKRET COSTUME.
w THE DESERET COSTUME." 13!
Some of the sisters, however, were quite energetic in
their efforts to bring about the desired dress reform, and
they cut their silk dresses and other expensive materials
after this pattern. It is true, silk was not very common
in Utah at that time, but a few of the more wealthy had
brought materials with them for future use ; and the first use
they made of them was to sacrifice them to one of President
Young's whims. They did it with an earnestness, and
even eagerness, that was beautiful to behold or would
have been, had not one been pained at their delusion.
But the " Deseret Costume " was not a success. The high
hat killed it at its birth. It is possible that without this
addition the rest of the dress might have been tolerated ;
but as every one who wore it was expected to don the hat
also, the short-dress mania was of brief existence. Of
course the material that was used for one of these dresses
was utterly worthless after that, as nothing could be done
with it. The dress was in so many pieces that the cut-up
cloth was good for nothing.
One or two of the Prophet's wives who wished to serve
the Lord and glorify Brigham, and who were determined
to live by "every word that proceeded out of his mouth"
persevered in wearing the dress, hat, pantalets and all,
long after every one else had abandoned it ; until at last
they were compelled to succumb to popular opinion and a
more prevailing fashion. That was the first and last at-
tempt of Brigham Young to institute a " dress reform,"
although he has never ceased inveighing in the strongest
terms against the follies and vanities of the feminine world,
and assailing the women who followed the fashions. It is,
indeed, a pet occupation of his when he is in exceedingly
bad temper ; and the Saints can easily tell when anything
has gone wrong with him during the week by the ferocity
with which he attacks the sisters on the subject of dress, in
the Tabernacle on Sunday. He does not seem to make a
very decided impression on his listeners, however ; even his
132 THE GRUMBLING PROPHET AND THE FURS.
wives and daughters following their own inclinations rather
than his teachings. The truth is, he says so much about it
that it is altogether an old story, and has lost all its impres-
siveness from its frequent repetition.
His chief topic is retrenchment in dress, and he pleads for
it *as earnestly as though it were a vital matter with him.
And he not only preaches economy in the Tabernacle to his
people, but he practices the most rigid parsimony at home
with his wives. Except by Amelia, a request for any article
of wearing apparel is the signal for all sorts of grumbling.
Once in a while, however, some of his wives will turn sud-
denly and give him an answer ; though, I must confess, the
occasions are rare.
Clara Decker, one of his numerous wives, was sadly in
want of some furs, and she did not hesitate to ask Brother
Young to supply her needs. He became positively furious,
and declared that her extravagance was beyond all endu-
rance ; she wanted to ruin him ; she was determined to ruin
him ; all his wives were banded together for his financial
downfall ; and so on, with endless abuse. She listened to
him patiently for a few minutes ; then getting tired of all
this abuse, she interrupted him :
"If you think, Brigham Young, that I care anything for
you, except for your money and what little I can get from
you, you are mistaken. I might have cared more once ;
but that was a long time ago."
She then turned and left the room, leaving him petrified
with amazement. A few hours after a set of furs was sent
to her room. She quietly took them, and the subject was
never referred to again.
The winter after my marriage with the Prophet, I myself
preferred a similar request, and was met by a similar torrent
of abuse. Not knowing that this was his usual manner of
meeting a request from his wives, and not having Clara
Decker's experience, I was perfectly overcome, and felt as
though I had committed the unpardonable sin in daring even
CLARA DECKER SPEAKS HER MIND.
133
to think of a set of furs, which, by the way, are actual neces-
sities in a Utah winter. I burst into tears, and sobbed out,
" O, don't, Brother Young ! "
I left the office and went home," puzzled and astonished
at this new revelation of my Prophet-husband's meanness
and coarseness. The next time he came to see me he
brought me my furs. I used them two seasons, when the
muff needed re-lining, and I ventured to ask him for silk for
BRIGHAM REFUSES MY REQUEST.
the purpose, thinking, of course, he could find no fault
with so modest a request as that. But it seems I had not
even then tested his full capacity for fault-finding. He
treated me to a tirade, longer and more abusive than ever.
He had got my furs for me, and yet I was not satisfied, but I
must come bothering him again. I knew that he had several
trunks full of silks, velvets, and laces, that he was keeping
for some purpose or other, and consequently the material
134 ELIZA SNOW IS SHOCKED !
for re-lining my muff would cost him nothing ; so I did
not feel that I merited the lecture I was receiving. I said
nothing, however, beyond making my request, and when he
had finished he cut off a quarter of a yard of narrow silk
from an entire piece which he had in one of the trunks, and
gave it to me with as many airs and as much flourish as
though he were presenting me with a whole dress pattern.
It is needless to say that my muff was not lined with that
piece of silk.
The trimming of dresses also comes in for a full share of
Brother Brigham's condemnation ; but he likes to have all
the scolding and fault-finding to himself. If any one else ven-
jjkely to dI3=~
agree with them, probably from pure contrariness^) "TTe-
member an incident that iIlustTate'5 Lliis, vvhkJi Luukplace at
family prayers at the Lion-house one evening. One of the
Prophet's daughters, Fanny, a very pretty, stylish girl,
came into the parlor wearing a black wrapper trimmed with
rows of red braid. The sight of this seemed very greatly
to exercise Eliza Snow, a proxy wife of Brother Brigham,
and she exclaimed in a shocked tone,
" Is it possible that I see one of Brigham Young's daughters
in a dress trimmed with red? I am more surprised than I
can tell."
Brother Brigham couldn't stand this invasion of his prov-
ince, and called out peremptorily,
" That dress is well enough. Let the girl alone ; she
shall wear whatever she chooses. I've seen you in more
ridiculous finery than that." And this to the woman who
was the first to adopt, and the last to relinquish, the hat,
pantalets and short gown of the " Deseret Costume ! "
Such is Prophetic gratitude !
On one occasion he was holding forth on the subject of
long dresses ; reviling them, of course, and holding up to
ridicule and contempt the women who wore them.
" The very next time," said he, growing warm with hii
BRIGHAM DECLARES AGAINST THE "GRECIAN BEND." 13$
subject, " that I see one of my wives with a dress on sweep-
ing the ground, I will take the scissors and cut it off."
The very next day, I was passing through a door in front
of him, when he accidentally stepped upon my train, which
was a very long one. Of course I expected my dress
to be sacrificed to the Prophet's promise, but to my great
surprise, he not only refrained from the threatened applica-
tion of the scissors, but from any comment, even so much
as an apology for his awkwardness.
One of his favorite amusements has been imitating the
Grecian bend for the benefit of the congregation, and it
pleased him so much, and seemed so highly entertaining,
that he kept up the practice long after " the bend " was out
of fashion. He indulges in the coarsest witticisms, and is
not above positive~vulgarity afT3~piufanil^, both in language*
ncT"rncmTir, orten maknlg' himself veiy offensive to me"'
more refined portiori~6f his a"udience.
~~~His own practice iy Ulilllely al variance with his teach-
ings, since he wears the finest broadcloth of the most fash-
ionable cut, drives the fastest horses, and rides in the most
elegant carriages in the Territory, and his favorite wife is
indulged in all the extravagances of the age. And yet a
large portion of the Saints seem to take no notice of these
inconsistencies, but receive all that he says as the strictest
law and the most unimpeachable gospel.
In place of a distinctive costume, which he hoped to make
the women adopt, the daughters of Zion fairly rival their
Babylonian sisters in gaiety and fineness of attire, and the
remotest allusion to the " Deseret Costume " is never heard
now in the City of the Saints. It was the last attempt at
dress reform in Utah.
Immediately on the arrival of the church in Utah, poly-
garny~w3s~urged upon the peo"pTe~: Having no feaT^Df-4hg
ptsige~vvorldMiiLLLhL - y HUJU uu fa iuiiufeTTfrom it7"tKey-
lauHside all cautionTand pi-cttduitUud piuLliurfttt ujjuily.
The plural-wives taken in Nauvoo were acknowledged for
136 LOOKING OUT FOR MORE WIVES.
the first time, and others were added. The men were con-
stantly urged to "build up the kingdom," and in order to do
that they were counselled to " take advantage of their privi-
leges." If they did not hasten to obey counsel, they drew
down Prophetic and Apostolic wrath onto their heads, and
were accused of not " living up, to the privileges. "___It^soon
became very unpopular for a man to have but one wife, and
he quickly found himself looking ^out lor another^ In fact,
^h~e~so"mewhat coarse song, which was much affected by the
Mormon men, described the state of affairs at the jntro-
duction of polygamy :
Some men have a dozen wives,
And some men have a score ;
The man that has but one wife
Is looking out for more."
Of course dancing-parties were frequent then, even when
there was nothing but the "Bowery" for a ball-room, with
the earth for a floor. Joseph Smith had told them that it
was the will of the Lord that they should " make them-
selves merry in the dance," and, like the consistent Chris-
tians they were, they determined that the Lord's will, in
this matter at least, should be done. They had danced in
the Temple at Nauvoo, they had danced w r hile crossing the
plains, and now they commenced again, in the only place
of worship which the city boasted, which was an open
space, overarched by boughs of trees. This served as
tabernacle and dancing-room while the weather permitted ;
after which the religious services were held at Brigham's
own house, the dances at the different houses.
Polygamy became so much the fashion, that ifa man
attended aparty^with only one, wifr, he felI~a?^^"M^^"^
humiliateo!7and would instantly selectsome unappropriated
young woman, and commence paymgheF^^ardcular and
"pemliai " attentions. He would dance with her, and in the"
intervals of the dance talk matrimony to his, usually, not
FOUR WIVES LIVING IN ONE ROOM !
137
uninterested nor unwilling listener ; the poor wife sitting
by, watching the progress of the courtshipwith heavy heart
and a consciousness oi what the result would be. A ladv-^
-friend, who had lived that experience, once said to me,
w I could write volumes on the misery I endured that first
winter in Utah." Another rmp. r^f^rringr to th^
pe"nbd, said, "I have divided my last crust with poly-
gamy."
THE BALL IN THE BOWERY.
It was horrible, the makeshifts that were obliged to be
resorted to, in order to start the system. A_jipighhor of
ours had four wives, and only one room to live in.
trie entire winter. It was used for sitting-room, kitchen,,
oearoom and parlor, and the interior arrangements defy all
description. No pen can portray the many ingenious
pedients adopted to preserve appearances. Modesty am
decencyforbid my throwing too strong a lig-htTon'
tatiorT
This was only one of -many, and was by no means excep-A
tional. The command had gone forth to take more wives,
and it did not matter at ail whether there was a place to put
them in ; they must be taken into polygamy. --- Jj. was kept
quiet from the outside world, and the elderswho were sent
out on missions were commanded to keep utter silence on
138 THE "EXTRA" WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
the subject. Rumors did get out after a while, especially
after the California miners began to pass through Utah.
There were no hotels at Salt Lake City at that time, and
the emigrants who stopped there to rest, before finishing
their journey, were compelled to become temporary in-
mates of Mormon families, where they found polygamous
wives and children as a matter of course. Naturally they
would grow curious after a time concerning these extra
women and children, and as the inquiries were sometimes
quite embarrassing, every subterfuge had to be resorted to
to keep the guests in ignorance of the system.
But, try the best they might, they could not prevent sus-
picions of the truth ; and it was not long before the mis-
sionaries, both in the States and in Europe, found themselves
terribly perplexed by all sorts of questions concerning the
truth of the reports that were coming thicker and faster
from Utah. They were ordered to deny the rumors, and
they all did so in the most emphatic manner, up to the very
time of the publication of Joseph's "Revelation," in 1852.
In Nauvoo it had been represented to those who had
been told of the new doctrine that it was optional ; that no
one need enter the relation unless he chose ; and, conse-
quently, although they felt it was a cruel doctrine, yet^most
of the womenflattered themselves that their husbands,
while they might receive it as a religious truth, would jiever
practice it. But wEen~the church was located in Utah ,
^way from everybody, where help could never reach "the
oppressed and miserable, "Hand from whence thenTwas no
jaosgibility of escape, then polygamy was noTongei^option-
al, but every man wascompelled to enter it, under pain
of Brigham's displeasure, and its results.
That was a miserable winter for the Mormon women ;
they felt that they had in some way been the victims of false
pretences, but they did not dare to blame anyone, for fear
of displeasing " the Lord." It was represented to them that
this was God's will, and they must submit, else they would
VICTIMS OF FALSE PRETENCES. 139
never see salvation. Many of them were exceedingly re-
bellious, and would have returned to the States had it been
possible; but they had no means, and no prospect of getting
any, and they could only stay on and endure in sullen
silence and inward rebellion, which, after a while, when
they found there was no escape, became a sort of hopeless
apathy, which was by no means resignation.
OlliLis, aUualLil Ijy Ll'Ue religious j'ervors like my
mother^- accepted the situation because they really be*~
lievecl it was commanded Jpy Ijod ; and while they were"
always unhappy in it, and considered it the greatest cross
that could possibly be put upon them to "BearTstill mgttFtfae
best of it, and made it a matter of conscience to be as pa-
-human
and charitable as it wa
nature to be under such circumstances.
Musi Uf llie 1 men took kindly to the
ackward about availing themselves
pie-set them by
pruFilcg
their Prophet and his counsellors, and the Apostles fulfilled
their duty to the utmost by setting an example to their peo-
ple in this respect.
The few Saints who had practiced polygamy in Nauvoo
had done so very secretly ; consequently, when we came to
Utah, and were he^pnd the reach of the government^ and.
as the leaders taughtus, no longer amenable to the laws of
the United States, there were some very strange family rev-
elations made. I will instance one, in the case of Lorenzo
Young an elder in the church and a brother of Brigham
and Mrs. Decker. Mr. Young, who had a wife and six
children all living, met Mrs. Decker, a very charming and
fascinating woman, who did not seem to think that the fact
of her having one husband, in the person of Mr. Decker,
prevented her from taking Mr. Young for another ; and he
seemed to find Mrs. Young no obstacle to his union with his
new love. Each of them had children married, yet both
declared they had never before met their affinity.
140 MEETING "AFFINITIES" LATE IN LIFE.
Mr. Young laid the case before Joseph Smith, and the
Prophet informed him that no doubt they 'were kindred
spirits, intended for each other from the beginning of the
world, and that the day would come when they would be
united by the bonds of celestial marriage. This was in
1837, which showed that the idea was in his mind as early
as that, although it was not reduced to a form and shown to
anyone until 1843.
Joseph having given them this much consolation, they
arranged matters to suit themselves, and seemed quite en-
chanted with one another. The only difficulty in the way
was Mr. Decker. It was a puzzle to know how to dispose
of him. But he and the world must both be deceived, and
appearances must be kept up. So the wife remained with
her lawful husband until_Jhg_R^yp'gt*Q;t T ^13 P1lt the
perplexingltnot ibr theinT and
Mrs7~D r ecktr was sealed to Brother Young, and Mrs.
Young to Mr. Decker, who by this means had two wives
given him in place of the one who was leaving him.
These mixed families were compelled to live in one house
until they left the States. They then separated. Their
children scattered every whej^jnt knnwjnjyjo whomjEgy
Lbelonge3T and, altogether disgusted and dissatisfied, felt
strangers than they did~wTth"their par-
ents, especially as fiJey~T3id~TroJ^JcnoW7*yosiliv!y T , what
name they were entHledTOnSear'. They were by no means
the only ones who were perplexed in the same way. There
had been a queer and intricate mixing up in Nauvoo ; it is
not at all strange if the attempt at straightening out was a
difficult one.
Joseph Smith's sons contend that he was not a polygamist ;
yet, with all the facts concerning his own life, and his en-
couragement of what would be considered in most commu-
nities the broadest kind of license, he either must have been
a polygamist or something infinitely worse. Certainly the
DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEIR FATHERS WERE ! 141
wildest doctrines of promiscuity, as taught bv certain
socialists of the present day, are no more startling than
^hose taught by Joseph bmith 1 and have been forced upon
the pepplti Uy liib'j^iicc^ssor, under the guise of polygamy,
or, " Celestial Marriage." >
CHAPTER VIII.
TROUBLES UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM.
The Sorrows of My Uncle. " It's a Hopeless Fix." A Woman's Ar-
gument about Polygamy. My Mother " labors " with a First Wife.
Wife No. 2 " Walks Off." Marrying a Widow and her Two Daugh-
ters. Mrs. Webb becomes a Wife No. 2. Wife No. i throws Brick-
bats into the Nuptial Chamber. She clears the Field of Extra Wives.
" Building up the Kingdom." The Atrocious Villanies of Orson
Pratt. How he has Seduced Innocent Girls. Brigham's Nephew
Rebels. Trouble in the Prophet's Family. Forgetting a Wife's
Face. A Woman who liked Polygamy.
HERE was literally no end
to the muddles in which
the Mormon people found
themselves while trying
to adjust their polygamous
affairs.
In our own family it was
very smooth sailing, as
there were no superfluous
members to be accounted
for, and the two wives
made the best of their un-
fortunate situation. But
the same peace did not
prevail in all families. I remember one family quite well
where affairs were strangely mixed, and in which the wife
exhibited a most amusing inconsistency.
A brother of my father, Milo Webb, had married a very
pretty and agreeable woman in Illinois, who was perfectly
THE SORROWS OF MY UNCLE.
J 43
devoted to him, and he returned her love ardently. They
were both members of the Mormon Church, and had lived in
the greatest harmony, with not the slightest shadow of dis-
cord, until 1846, when the " Endowments " were given in
Nauvoo Temple.
To those men who were considered worthy to be called
that holy edifice to receive the sacred rite of the Endow-
ments, polygamy was quietly taught as one of the require-
ments of religion, and these faithful brethren were counselled
not to appear with but one wife ; and of course after this
many felt ashamed to present
of their first and unbiassed choice, the mother of their c
fortunes, th
ad made her husband's
consid<JiLU tio saumce too great 1
no suffering~too~llUeiist; to 1 be endurea ; who hacTfiterally
taken him " for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer ; " had
clung to him in sickness and health, in poverty and distress,
1 as well as in plenty and comfort, and who fondly believed
that only death should part them.
If a man dared be true to his better nature, and present
himself for his Endowments with this wife alone, he was
ridiculed by the authorities for being so poorly provided for,
especially by Brigham and Heber C. Kimball, who seemed
always to supply the buffoonery for the occasions, and
warned that he need never expect to be received into the
celestial kingdom until he had entered polygamy, as it was
quite impossible for him to do so.
My uncle was"/a conscientious man and a devoted Mor-
mon, and, like my father, believing the command to be
from God, dared not disregard it. He made proposals of
marriage to a young girl named Jane Matthews, and she,
being taught by the leaders of the church, whom she con-
sulted in the matter, that, except as a polygamous wife, she
could not attain to exaltation in the future state, accepted
i 4 4
A FAMILY MIXTURE.
the proposal as the only means within her power of securing
salvation ; and the two, together with the wife, received
their Endowments, and were united in the "indissoluble"
bonds of " Celestial Marriage."
The wife had given only a reluctant consent to the ar-
rangement, impelled to this solely by a sense of religious
dutyjj*"^ "">t V>praiigpg]ie apprnvfil lif (H'tikerHt: Ifw"as
the first bitter experience of her married life, and she did
not accept it with the slightest spirit of resignation, but as
something inevitable. Neither she nor her husband real-
ized, in any degree, the magnitude of the undertaking, and
the young girl was still more ignorant of the situation.
Had they known how utterly wretched the future was to be,
I believe they would have hesitated a long time before they
assumed such relations with each other, even if they thought
they were perilling their salvation by the delay.
The new wife was brought to the home where so entire
happiness had reigned, and lived there until the church left
Nauvoo ; but what a changed home it was ! The spirits
of Peace and Love that had brooded over it so long, folded
their white wings and fled, leaving the demons of Discord
and Hate in their places.
It was hot long before the first wife discovered that po-
lygamy was a much more serious matter even than she had
supposed it to be, and that it grew constantly worse and
more unendurable, instead of better and more easily to be
borne, as she had been taught it would become. She grew
to cordially hate the young wife, and although they were
compelled to live under one roof, she could not even make
herself feel like speaking to her ; so they lived without ad-
dressing one word to each other. She grew nearly insane
_was wrought uplo~ such a fieiizy by -
jealousy and despair that she~~colimiilU;d llie-asL flagrant
"acts of violence.
~ 7 l'he poor husband found himself in a dilemma from which
he saw no way of extricating himself. He could not under-
HOW DO YOU MANAGT5 AFFAIRS?
stand how such really good women could behave so much
like fiends. Mmiher r>f th^m^had bad dispositions natu-
rally, yet both were perfect termagants under the new family
saw no way of setting matters right; so he applied to my
father for advice, he having taken his second wife but a
short time before. I do not know what advice he gave,
but I think he must have referred him to my mother, for he
came to her, begging her to assist him in bringing order out
of the domestic chaos.
"How do you manage these polygamous affairs?" he
asked, anxiously: "you do\ not appear to be very un-
happy."
" I cannot tell you how I manage," was my mother's re-
ply. " I am a riddle to myself; but I do assure you that it is
no easy matter to live in polygamy. Its ways are not f ways
of pleasantness,', nor are its paths 'peace.' Trials of every
description grow constantly more numerous."
w Yet you manage to preserve an outward appearance of
serenity, which is more than we do. I wish you would see
my wife and reason with her ; I believe she would listen to
you. Affairs are horrible with us : my wife hates Jane, and
it seems impossible to keep them together, since she will not
even try to conceal her aversion towards her. I don't see
how I am to keep them together, and yet I cannot afford to
build another house. It is a most hopeless fix, and I don't
see the way out."
Mj/L_mpther promised him that she would see his wife,
and try to induce her to bear her cross more patiently. hUit
wHaija. nypocrincai tasK it seemed to ner 1 While her own
breaking"
heart was breaking with
she had^p counsel pati
man who was bulleiiiit* JlUiii ui^Cise
seemed heartless and awrvZhSnnc
same canse
It
'iTcIutW and she could not shirk it. She upbraided herself
fer reluctance, and prayed for more of t^^Spirit. " jl
10
146 SHE WOULDN'T ENDURE IT ANY LONGER.
never occurred to her that the system was false and horrible
iii the extreme ; she only fejt that she was Jacking in grace
"and the (rue spiriFbf the Lord.
^ Very s'huilly ufteTmy uncle's" appeal to her, she visited his
wife, and found her weeping as though her heart would
break. Her first impulse was to put her arms about her
and weep with her. She felt every throb of that poor lacer-
ated heart, for her own was torn with the same anguish ;
and for a little while she forgot her mission, and her wo-
man's instinct predominated, while she indulgedin_j^-pfi^
sionate burst of teafsT
.but lifti lifted al what she feared was a rebellion against
her God, she soon quieted herself, although her heart still
ached with a pain which she could not banish or control,
and as delicately and tenderly as possible introduced the
object of her call. This brought forth a wild outburst of
indignant protest from my aunt ; and my mother listened,
not daring to show her sympathy with the passionate utter-
ances. There was quiet between them for a while after
this ; then my mother, having regained control of her voice,
said,
" But can you not see that it is your duty to submit to
the " Order " and be patient. You know very well that when
we cannot cure an ill, the only thing that remains to be
done is to endure it ; and we must not rebel against any
doctrine taught by our leaders, no matter how hard it may
be to live it."
"I don't believe ! I can't believe ! I won't believe ! that,
my\ duty to~stibmil Lu uliyiliiirg'oT'tne kind/' was the quick
answer ,^nade through stormy gusts of weeping. " I can-
not live with that woman in the house ; I had_raiherdie at
once. O, I wish I could ! I wish I could ! Do youknow,"
TbTTthwc^-sh^rtrhlg loUlid rtllli sudl sUddtfimess llidl iny
mother was fairly startled, " -I- shall ~4ak- measures to
jn^self of that nuisance if somebody doesn't take her away I
TcanTehdure It'! Twvrtt endure il aiTy longer P
I WILL NOT LIVE IN POLYGAMY. 147
Mother tried to reason with her, but she interrupted her :
" If any woman pretends that she is satisfied with polyga-
my/sKe is a hypocrite. I don't believe her ; and she knows
she isTiul opuakuijj the li ulk."
My mother knew that-^she designed this remark for her,
and that she resented her interference ; but she did not let
her see that she understood her, and determined to make
one more effort, though she felt; that it was absolutely hope-
less.
" We none of us love the doctrine now," she replied ; " but
yet we must submit to it as a part of our religion a duty
which that religion lays upon us ; &nd we may grow to like
it better by and by."
"Well," was the sharp retort, "it will be soon enough for
me to comply with its requirements when I know it to be a
duty. But at present tdo not believe it to be such, and I
cannot, nor will not, live in polygamy ; on that point I am
determined, and there is no use arguing with me, for I shall
not change my mind, I am sure, and I will not consent to
live in a state against which both conscience and common
sense rebel."
This ended my mother's only attempt as missionary in the
interests of polygamy. She had not been at all successful,
and she was only too glad to drop the subject ; for her heart
was not in it, and it must be confessed that in this case she
was a very unskilful special pleader.
There was no help for it ; the young wife could not hold out
against all the opposition that was shown her, even though
her husband made some pretence of standing by her, and
she was finally compelled to leave the house. She saw no
prospect of ever being able to live with her husband again,
and she concluded that the best thing for her to do was to
put as great a distance as possible between herself and him ;
so she went to Salt Lake with the first body of Saints.
As Brigham had taught the women, if they could not live
happily with a man, to " walk off," and leave him without a
148 SAVAGE AFFAIRS !
divorce, she, of course, felt freed from her former marriage,
and after a year or more she married Mr. Levi Savage, a
single man, with whom she lived very happily for about two
years, when she died, leaving one child, who is no'w grown
to manhood. Soon after Mrs. Savage's death, Mr. Webb
and his wife left the Missouri foV Salt Lake. The husband
died on the way, and his wife came on into the valley with
her children.
Mr. Savage was at that time feeling very much grieved
over the death of his wife, and was exceedingly pained
because she had never been sealed to him by the proper
authorities. He said, "I know she ought to belong to me,
and I will contend for her throughout all eternity." He
applied to the priesthood to have the sealing in the Temple
to my uncle revoked, that she might be sealed to himself.
He was told by the man who "holds the keys of life and
death," that he must wait until the Temple in Salt Lake was
completed.
Mrs. Webb, however, with wonderful inconsistency, con-
sidering her former feeling, opposed Mr. Savage's wish by
every means in her power, and contended that this woman,
whom she could not and would not live with, ought, now she
was dead, to belong to her husband ; and she said it was
very wrong indeed for Mr. Savage to try and rob her dead
husband of his rights and privileges. She evidently felt
that there was not the slightest doubt of her ability to endure
polygamy in a future state, although it was impossible to do
so in this life.
After a few years Mr. Savage married a widow and her
two daughters, and is still living with them, waiting, mean-
while, for the Temple to be built, when he hopes to have
this " spiritual controversy " decided in his favor ; for he has
not given up his first wife, though he has taken three others
to solace him temporarily until she can be given to him
spiritually. Judging from present appearances, he will have
to wait some time, as there seems no prospect of the Temple
being finished during this generation.
WIFE NO. I. THROWS BRICKBATS ! 149
Mrs. Webb found it a most difficult task to provide for
herself and her children, and becoming discouraged in her
attempts, listened with more patience to the doctrines of po-
lygamy than she had done in Illinois. She was instructed
that it was her duty to marry someone for time, that she
might raise up more children to her dead husband, to swell
his "kingdom." She took the instruction with a properly
meek spirit, and very shortly accepted the proposal of Bishop
McRae, a distinguished and prominent Mormon, and be-
came Mrs. McRae number two.
As may be imagined, Mrs. McRae number one did not
take kindly to the interloper, and, having a decided objec-
tion to polygamy, emphasized her objection by throwing
bricks into Mrs. McRae number two's window, when their
mutual husband was her guest. She varied her expressions
of opposition and protest by occasionally sending a pistol
shot, instead of a brickbat, through the window.
It may not be out of the way to mention, just here, that
the heroine of the brickbat and pistol was, and still is, the
President of the Female Relief Society in her ward, and
that one of her chief duties is to instruct the young sisters
in polygamy. I have never heard whether she had a
shooting gallery attached to the society rooms.
Her plan of action was quite successful, and she soon had
the field again to herself; for Mrs. McRae number two,
after adding two children to her husband's kingdom, de-
clined any longer to act as a target for Mrs. McRae num-
ber one, and left her husband voluntarily, and has since
lived in a state of widowhood. I have often wondered
whether she had any sympathy for Jane Matthews while
she was herself the object of persecution.
I have known all the actors in this polygamic drama,
except the two who died. I was too young to have any
but the most indistinct recollection of my uncle, and Mrs.
Savage, I, of course, could not remember at all. But the
rest I knew very well, all being intimate visitors at my
father's house.
BUILD UP THE KINGDOM I
"Build up the kingdom, build up the kingdom," has al-
been the watchword of polygamy. At Nauvoo it was
whispered into the ears of those who were considered strong
enough in the faith to receive it unquestioningly, but in Utah
it is hurled indiscriminately at all alike. " Build up the
kingdom, whether you can support it or not," is the almost
literal teaching. The pecuniary condition of a man is
never taken into consideration. He is expected to take as
many wives as he can support, {Hen take a few more to
support themselves and their children.
The Apostle Orson Pratt is one of the most persistent po-
lygamists in Utah, and he has nothing to give his wives for
their maintenance. They struggle on as best they may,
striving in every way to earn a scanty sustenance for them-
elves and their children. Some of them live in the most
wretched squalor and degrading povertyT HeJ"
ffoes on foreign and home missions, and gathers
thousands of unsuspecting victims to " z.ion.r i^SjLEay
i/"is his favorite subjectpand he^grgws^very eloquent while
discoursing upon it, quoting Scripture freely in ^.support o-
the glorious system, w
"BTthe
it, or that
duly lu
.fter""he has_oncecQn.vepteji
andhmarngd a girl y _ shr is left
to shift fo
starve and die of.,
Two, at least, have met this
fate T orifi a
English
whc>
THE APOSTLE ORSON PRATT,
" The Champion of Polygamy."
starved, body and heart, and
wllO, with herllttle" children,
''"'
husband was at Salt Lake, being w entertainjej^Jb j some
of his rich brothers in t
THE LITTLE "KINGDOM" OF THE PROPHET'S BROTHER.
He is still therecpgriiTpd defender ftf thf nnpn1 nf ruly-
gamy, and is quoted by every one as an authority ; his numer-
ous and more pressing duties prevent his caring for his family,
and nowhere in TTtahgj^he wives < j3ao^e wretched or neg-
lecte > dTt5r"chilciren more ignorant and uncared forrthantlW
j ti -, .^f^*"**-^. i - _
wives and children oT Orso
oPffie^Beauties arici glories-,"* n pmrygamt^us life, andjthe
best educatedjmd most able man, intellectually, in Utah.
Another polygan:rtsf^rnTe > T9wn^T5tcrmp^is"Jo^e^h Ytraag ,
brother to Brigham, and President of the Seventies. He
has busied himself in " building up his kingdom " ever since
Joseph Smith gave him that precious piece of counsel in
Nauvoo. When he was a young man, he married a girl,
and lived very happily with her until he learned from the
Prophet Joseph that it was not only his privilege, but his
duty, to enlarge his kingdom more speedily by marrying
more wives.
His first acquisition was a young widow, who listened
assentingly to his proposals of a " celestial marriage," and
soon after entered his family as a second wife. However,
the marriage with her did not avail him much, as she could
only be his for time. Her former husband died a Mormon,,
and she and her children
would belong to him in eter-
nity.
He was past the prime of
life, feeble in health, and com-
pelled to accept the support
of his brethren ; yet all this
did not deter him from doing
what was required of him
by his Prophet. About the
time that he married the
widow, he took a young girl
for his third wife, who was
. JOSEPH YOUNG, BROTHER OF BRIGHAM, AND
tO be hlS, and hlS PRESIDENT OF THE SEVENTIES.
152 BRIGHAM'S APOSTATE NEPHEW.
only, with no former husband "behind the veil " to come
up "in the morning of the resurrection" and lay claim to
herself and her children. All his wives lived in one house,
which had been built for him by the " Seventies," in return
for his spiritual ministrations in their behalf.
His first wife did not like the new family arrangement
any better than other Mormon women who were first wives ;
but as a matter of course, her liking or disliking was not of
the least consequence. She fretted herself ill over it, how-
ever, and was prostrated for months. She had toiled and
suffered with her husband for many long years, while they
were journeying about with the Mormons, and she could
not bear to have the dark shadow of polygamy cast over
the hitherto unclouded happiness of their domestic life. It
seemed a terrible injustice. Yet, knowing her husband's
devotion to the faith, she would not openly rebel, although
she complied with his demands, that she should receive his
other wives, with a feeling of intense bitterness, and lived
in this unnatural relationship with her husband and his other
wives.
It is impossible to depict her sufferings ; they can never
be known or realized outside of Mormonism. It is the very
refinement of cruelty, this polygamy, and its hurts are
deeper and more poisonous than any other wounds can be.
They never heal, but grow constantly more painful, until it
makes life unendurable. She was prostrated for months
with nervous debility, seeing all the time her family need-
ing her constant care, the care that only a mother can give,
and her husband all the while devoting his energies to
"building up his kingdom." It is only just to say that he
was as kind to her as the circumstances would permit.
After a few years the invalid wife recovered her health,
and has been permitted to assist in rearing her children to
respectable men and women who do not believe in poly-
gamy. One of her sons has apostatized, and once pub-
lished a paper in Salt Lake City, called "The Daily Press."
BROTHER BRIGHAM WAXES WROTH.
153
This paper was of course offensive to Brigham, containing,
as it did, some unpleasant truths regarding himself and
other authorities in the church, and he determined to put a
stop to its publication. Accordingly he sent for his brother
Joseph, and said, on his arrival,
" I want that ' Daily Press ' suppressed."
Joseph w did not know how it was to be done."
" I want you to use your influence with your son to ac-
complish my wish," demanded Brigham.
" I cannot do it," said his brother ; " my son will do as
he likes."
Brother Brigham grew angry. " You must put a stop to
the printing of that paper ; I will not endure the annoy-
ance from it any longer."
BRIGHAM'S BROTHERLY LOVB.
Joseph's spirit rose to the occasion. If Brigham was his
superior in the church, he was also a younger brother, and
he didn't like his peremptoriness of manner ; so he quietly
answered,
" I shall do nothing more about it than I have done. I
have said all to my son that is necessary, and if he does
not wish to follow my advice, he can go his own way, and
act according to his own judgment ; I most certainly shall
not interfere."
154 A YOUNG BRIDEGROOM OF EIGHTY I
Brigham was terribly angry, and he raved and stormed,
while Joseph listened quietly, and then walked out, making
no answer to his threats and railings. The Prophet evi-
dently did not succeed in influencing or terrifying either
brother or nephew, as the "Press" was still published, and
continued to win popularity. I w,as glad of its success, for the
sake of the brave young editor, and the mother who reared
him. She, at least, should find comfort and support in her
children, although everything else in life has failed her,
even her religion proving false and fatal to her happiness.
During his first wife's illness, Joseph added another widow
to his establishment. Her husband having been killed at
Nauvoo, she wished to assist him to build up a kingdom,
and so married Joseph for time. Shortly after another wo-
man applied for " salvation " at his hands, and " conscience "
would not allow him to reject her. When he was about
seventy years of age he added still another to his family,
being united to her the same day that I was married to his
brother Brigham, and is still, although over eighty years
of age, considered in the matrimonial market.
Joseph had a real romance in his youth, which connects
him, in memory and feeling at least, somewhat with my
mother's family. His first love, when he was very young,
was an aunt of my mother, for whom I was named. He
was passionately attached to her, but something occurred
to part them, and she died. Her memory has always re-
mained with him, and he has always loved her, in spite of
his extensive matrimonial experience. He told my mother
that he had had Jane, his first wife, baptized for her, and
sealed to him for her ; so she is to be his in eternity.
This venerable polygamist has nothing to support his
wives upon, or himself, for that matter, except what is
given him by the " Seventies." In most respects he is a
very good man, much more conscientious and honest than
his brother Brigham, of whose conduct towards the people
he does not approve ; but he has gone mad in his desire to
I MARRIED YOU TEN YEARS AGO !
155
" build_up his kingdom," and he considers it a duty to con-
tinue to raise up a young family, who must necessarily have
to " shift for themselves," both in childhood and later life.
They can have no father's care or attention, no matter how
much they may need it, and he evidently does not consider
how much misery he is entailing on these children.
Besides thewiye^slhaye mentioned, j^dojio.* ^know how_
many hej^^^een^e^led to, whom hrjjflrs nrrt^reTend to
"alter in the flesh, 7tm^jjom Eeexpects to "resurrect?
iTngdor
A very amusing story was told me of Brigham, by a lady
who vouches for its truth ; and although I cannot, of course,
corroborate it, I am quite ready to give it credence enough
to publish it. Brigham met a lady in the streets of Salt
Lake City, several years since, who recognized him, and
addressed him as Brother Young, greeting him quite cor-
dially.
He scrutinized her closely, with a puzzled expression.
" I know I have seen you somewhere," he said ; " your face
is very familiar, but I cannot recall you."
" You are right," replied she ; " you have most certainly
seen me before ; I was married to you ten years ago. I
have never seen you since," she continued, "but my mem-
ory is more retentive than yours, for I knew you the moment
I saw you."
Yerjjewjjiy^n-Qjfih^^ women,
were ready to listen with^uij^degree^of^patience to theTfirst
teacttiTYgs^of^^tHe doctrine of pnlyganv^T Th"eyre*belied
against it in-lbeir heart>yen if thev darecT-sa-v nothing G
against itjn^tbeir heart>yenif they darecT^say
th5r_dislike and_disgust of thesysteffif: StilTles^-worc thc}^
willing to advise or^g^LJtjieir^usbandsJoJntroduce it ; and
never was a woman, with one exception, heard to ~s'9y k -iie. --
156 A WOMAN WHO LIKED POLYGAMY.
was happy in it, even if they endured it with any degree
oTpatience. ^
The one exception of which I have spoken was an old
neighbor of ours, and quite a friend of my mother's, Mrs.
Delia Dorr Curtis. Both she and her husband were faithful
Mormons, but he had, for some time after polygamy was
taught, continued living "beneath his privileges." He was
constantly reminded of his remissness by the priesthood,
until at length he felt obliged to yield to their teachings,
and "obey counsel." When he mentioned the matter to his
/ wife, she made no objections, but, on the contrary, she en-
I couraged him in his decision, and proposed their niece, Miss
\ Van Orden, for his consideration.
^f Her husband was exceedingly pleased with her sugges-
tion. " She is the very one I should have chosen," he said
in reply. He instantly made proposals for his niece, and
she, being quite willing to marry her uncle, accepted the
proposals, and was sealed to him at once, Mrs. Curtis giv-
ing the bride to her husband with an alacrity and willing-
ness which were rarely seen in similar circumstances.
About three months after the celebration of the nuptials,
the first wife of this good elder came to visit my mother, and,
as is always the case when two Mormon women meet, and
are together for any length of time, the talk turned on to
polygamy, and during the conversation Mrs. Curtis re-
marked,
" Well, as far as I am concerned, I never have felt any
of the stings of polygamy."
" Do you wish me to believe," questioned my mother, in
surprise, "that you have seen your husband going through
a courtship and marriage with a young wife, have seen
him lavish attentions on her that have heretofore belonged
alone to you, and have never felt the pangs of jealousy?"
" Yes ; I wish you to believe all that."
" Well," said my mother, somewhat incredulously, " I
cannot comprehend it, and if I did not know you to be a
SHE DEFENDS THE SYSTEM. 15 7
most truthful woman, I should certainly say I did not be-
lieve you."
Mrs. Curtis grew quite eloquent on the subject ; she and
the other wife lived in one house, not a large one either,
and the relation between them was amicable in the extreme.
She had always been fond of Sarah ; she was fonder than
ever of her now.
"Why should there be so much trouble in it?" continued
she, waxing earnest; "the Revelation on Celestial Mar-
riage is from the Lord ; I know it, and every person might
have a testimony for themselves if they would cultivate the
Spirit ; it is wrong and absurd in us to rebel."
" Yes, to be sure it is," returned my mother, " if one
knows it to be true. I do not know it ; I merely believe it,
and I am not sure that I quite do that even. I try to be>
lieve it, and try to practice it, but I must confess to many
anxious days and sleepless nights on account of it."
Mrs. Curtis was horrified at my mother's lack of belief.
" Why," said she, " if I did not have a perfect knowledge
of the truth of polygamy, I should lose all faith in the other
principles of Mormonism, I fear."
" Not necessarily so," replied mother. " I still cling to
the faith ; I must not relinquish that ; but polygamy is a
hard cross to bear."
" Not at all ! not at all ! " asseverated Mrs. Curtis ; " if
you only have the Spirit of the Lord to enlighten your mind,
you will find no difficulty."
" Well, you certainly are an exception to the general rule,"
said mother. " and you are far in advance of me, though
I have struggled hard to inure myself to the system."
"Now let me tell you how we manage," persisted the
enthusiastic defender of plurality. "When my husband
intends going to Sarah's apartment, we first kneel down
and have prayers ; then he takes me in his arms and blesses
me, and after our usual good-night kiss we part, happy in
each other's love ; and why should there be any trouble? "
158 "KEEP YOUR EYES SHUT!"
"The story you are telling me seems incredible," said my
mother ; " if it is true, you are really enjoying a very pleas-
ant dream, from which I pray you may never awaken."
" O, no fear of that," was the quick reply. " I love Sarah
too well to ever regret giving her to my husband ; and you
might be just as happy, if you would take the right view of
the subject. I am sure, if Sarah had children, I should love
them as well as my own, and I really cannot see what there
is in polygamy to cause so much annoyance."
" Well," said my mother, as tl^ ^^ru/^gptin^pnfjprL K let
me give you this bit of advice \keep your eyes shut.!'
My mother did not see her friend again, or even hear
from her, for a very long time ; but she used often to refer
to her, and wonder whether " the stings of polygamy " had
reached her in all that time, or whether she was still as en-
thusiastic a devotee to the system as she was at the time of
her memorable visit.
Some years after Mrs. Curtis's visit, the mother of the
young wife became our guest. My mother, of course,
made instant and interested inquiries regarding the welfare
of the family. She was quite surprised when, in answer to
them, the lady replied,
" I do not know what to say or to think about Delia. She
behaves in the most peculiar manner ; we all think she may
be insane, and I am very certain she is, for no woman in
her right mind would conduct herself in the way she does."
"Why, what is the matter?"
" You know what a disciple of polygamy she professed to
be, and how earnest she was that Sarah should join the
family. She has turned completely about ; you would not
recognize in her the same person she was before we went
south to live. She raves wildly about polygamy, and says
as many things against it as she used to say for it. I never
heard anyone more bitter in my life. She abuses Sarah in
every possible way, you know how fond she used to be of
her, and whips her children shamefully. She has become
SHE YIELDED AT LAST TO NATURE. 159
so violent that Sarah cannot live with her any longer, even
if she dared to, and she does not, for Delia > absolutely ter-
rifies her in some of her rages ; so she is going to move
away. I never saw a person so entirely changed in my
life. It is terrible."
" What has happened to cause such a change ? " asked
my mother.
" I do not know, I am sure," was the sad reply ; " we
none of us know ; it is a perfect mystery to us ; but of one
thing I am quite assured : if she goes on in the way she is
going now, she cannot live long ; she will literally wear
herself out."
It was less than a year from this time that we heard of
her death. It was evident she had not been so strong as
she imagined, or else the "Spirit" had deserted her. The
end of this " happy " woman's life was not so different,
after all, from that of hundreds of her "unhappy" sisters.
She was another victim to polygamy, that horrible system
which crushes women's hearts, kills their bodies, and de-
stroys their s*ouls.
CHAPTER IX.
THE HARDSHIPS AND PERILS OF LIFE IN A NEW
COUNTRY.
" Killed by the Indians." How Apostates Disappeared. A Suspicious
Fact. How Brigham "took care" of the People's Property. The
Mormon Battalion. Brigham Pockets the Soldiers' Pay. How Prose-
lytes were Made. Scapegraces sent on Mission. My Father goes to
Europe. How Missionaries' wives are Left. Collecting funds for
the Missionaries. Brigham Embezzles the Money. The " Church
Train." Joseph A. Young as a Missionary. His Misdoings in St.
Louis. What Brother Brown said of Him. The Perpetual Emigration
Fund. How the Money was Raised. Cheating the Confiding Saints.
How Brigham Manages the Missionaries' Property. The " Church "
makes Whiskey for the Saints. The Missionaries bring home new
Wives. How English Girls are Deceived. My First Baptism.
IE first years of life in a
new country are full of
hardships, peril, and ad-
venture, and all these the
Mormon people met.
(I can remember listening
in round-eyed wonder and
terror at recitals of Indian
atrocities, for we were sur-
rounded by the wandering
Southern tribes, and they
were constantly thieving
from us, and a murder was
by no means an uncom-
mon thing. When a man
the general verdict, as a
left home
matter of
and failed to return,
course, was, "killed by the Indians." Did an
HOW APOSTATES WERE " KILLED BY THE INDIANS ! " l6l
exploring party visit the Territory, and fail to leave it
again, their fate, if it was ever alluded to at all, was re-
garded as " massacred by Indians."
It is a significant fact that most of the persons who thus
perished were Gentiles, apostates, or people who, for some
reason or other, were suspected by, or disagreeable to,
Brigham Young ; and it came presently to be noticed that
if anyone became ^ttrfed of Mof inoiitsni^rTmpatiento
i n cre^s1fi'g~~de^potism oI~the^te55erTand returned to the _
E^st^px started tsTdo soTTflrlrrvTrrtaMy was jnet by the In- 1
dians and killed befonTHe'had ^omTyerv farTT^" ~J
\~The effect was to discourage apostasy, and there was no-
one but knew that the moment he announced his intention
of leaving Zion and returning to "Babylon," he pronounced
his death sentence.) He was never discouraged from his plans,
nor was any disapprobation of his course expressed. The
faces were as friendly that he met every day, the voices
just as kind ; his hand was shaken at parting, and there
was not a touch either of warning or sarcasm in the " God
speed " and bon voyage. But he knew he was a lucky man
if, in less than twenty-four hours after leaving Salt Lake
City, he was not lying face downward on the cold earth,
shot to deatli..Jjy_^--iiriemjig..--Fie^^ball, while the stars
IdoTcecTsorrowfully down, silent witnesses, jQn..this deed of
iahuman^butchery, and a man rode swiftly cityward, carry-
ing, the news of the midnight murder to his master, who had
commanded him in the name of his religion to commit this
deed, and send an innocent soul before its Maker. " Ah,
poor fellow ; killed by the Indians," said all his friends ; but
Brigham Young and Bill Hickman or " Port " Rockwell
knew better.
The Indians have been convenient scapegoats and alter-
nate allies and enemies to Brigham Young. But he has
managed to make warfare, even with them, a profitable
thing for himself.
Indians are notoriously thievish ; the}'' will steal from
ii
l62 BRIGHAM " TAKES CARE " OF THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.
each other, and from their very best friends*, Civilization,
even, doesn't seem to take the taint from their characters ;
they positively can't keep their hands off what doesn't be-
long to them.
As a matter of course, the Mormons, being their near
neighbors, suffered very much from their depredations.
They would often steal an ox, or, indeed, a large number of
cattle, when they could do so with comparative safety ; the
owners would soon be on their trail, and would pursue them
until they reached them ; and sometimes both Mormons and
Indians would be killed.
( On occasions like these a proclamation would be issued,
by the "authorities," for the brethren to fit themselves out
for a campaign of indefinite length for the purpose of quell-
ing the M Indian disturbances," and suppressing the trouble ;
and Brigham, who always has an eye to the main chance,
generally managed in some mysterious manner to make
large sums of money out of these " wars," as they were
called./
Sometimes the manner of the money-making was not at
all mysterious. There is one case in particular which I
have often heard spoken of by my mother and other Mor-
mons, who would have disapproved of the proceedings, and
even called them dishonest, had they dared ; but none of
them ventured to connect such an adjective as that to the
Prophetic name.
At this particular time he became so very anxious for his
people's welfare, and so earnest in his endeavors to " pro-
tect " their property, that he sent Captain William Walls, of
Provo, with a company, to collect all the surplus stock from
the settlements south of Salt Lake, and drive them into the
city for safe-keeping, reserving only the necessary teams
and the milch cows. The orders were very absolute to
r drive every hoof that cdtild be spared."
At Cedar City, Iron County, there were three men who
as absolutely refused to give up their stock, as that was all
BRIGHAM STEALS THE CATTLE OF THREE SAINTS. 163
they had to depend upon ; for, being poor men, with large
families, they naturally preferred to keep what property
they had where they could look after it themselves, feeling
certain that they would take quite as careful an interest in
it as a stranger would.
The names of these rebellious men were Hunter, Keer,
and Hadshead. They insisted upon defending their prop-
erty, and the captain commanded them to be arrested and
put in irons, and then he started with them for Salt Lake
City, having previously secured all their stock. When they
BRIGHAM " TAKES CAKE " OF THE PEOPLE'S CATTLE 1
arrived at Parowan, they were chained together and confined
in the school-house, there being no prison or jail in the
place.
They were met by George A. Smith, who at that time
was on a visit to the southern settlements ; and he, thinking
the men were treated with unnecessary harshness, or-
dered their irons taken off, and them set at liberty and
allowed to return to their families without their stock,
however. These men, after suffering such indignities,
could live among the" Mormons no longer, and they left for
California.
164 THE PROPHET ROBS THE HELPLESS WOMEN.
Their stock, \vith a large herd of cattle collected in that
vicinity, was driven to Salt Lake City, where they remained
until they were in proper order for sale, when Brigham sold
every one of them to pay a large debt which he owed to
Livingston and Kincade, Salt Lake merchants.
^This was his somewhat novel method of "protection."
The cattle, to be sure, were out of the reach of the Indians,
but they were equally out of the reach of their lawful own-
ers, who neither saw them again nor any money which
accrued from the sale of themA
Some of the owners ventured to ask if they might be
turned in for tithing, but the inspired Prophet of the Lord
replied, "No ; if you had kept them, the Indians would have
stolen them, and you are as well off as you would have
been if I had not taken them." So was he, and several
hundred dollars better off, too.
This reminds me of another instance of Brigham's faculty
for "turning things to account," or, as a young Mormon
quite wittily said, "taking advantage of his opportunities ; "
although it has nothing to do with the Indians, yet it oc-
curred at an even earlier date, and was among the first of
his notoriously dishonest transactions.
At Council Bluffs, as early as 1846, he counselled five
hundred of his followers to enlist in the service of the United
States ; recruits being wanted at that time for the war in
Mexico. They went without a question, on being assured
that their families should be cared for. The church at that
time was camped on the Missouri River, on its way from
Nauvoo to Salt Lake.
/The Mormon soldiers commonly called "The Battalion"
7 sent all their pay to their families, to the care of Brigham
Young, and he cared for it so well that the poor families
never received it. John D. Lee brought the money which
was collected from the soldiers, amounting to several thousand
dollars, and gave it to Brigham. The families of these sol-
diers were, many of them, nearly starving, and all of them
HE DEFRAUDS THE SOLDIERS OF THEIR PAY. 165
were very poor, needing sadly the money that their hus-\
bands had sent them ; and in the face of all this destitution \
and suffering Brigham Young bought goods in Missouri to \
take out to the Valley, and if a soldier's wife ventured to I
ask him for anything, no matter how trifling it might be,
she was rudely repulsed, usually without the slightest ex-
cuse for not giving her what was rightfully her own.
C The men served in the army two years, receiving pay all
the time, which Brigham pocketed, and all the time their
families lived on the banks of the Missouri in the most
squalid poverty, while Brigham came to Salt Lake in the
most comfortable manner possible at that early day, and
lived on the provisions that he had brought with him,
bought with the money that was not his. j He lived in what
would be called luxury for the time andlhe place, by liter-
ally taking the bread out of the mouths of hundreds of
needy women and children.
When these men came to Utah, after having been honorably
discharged, they, of course, expected to find their families
there. What was their surprise on learning that they were
still at Winter-Quarters, and that no arrangements had been
made for bringing them to the Valley ! The President of
the church would not allow them to go for them until the
next spring, and when they did find them in such a wretched,
helpless condition, it is no wonder that so many of them
apostatized, and refused to believe in a religion whose chief
teacher could be capable of such heartless cruelty and mean
dishonesty.
fit is asserted, by those who have the best means of know-
ing, that this war put twenty thousand dollars in Brigham
Young's pocket ; and yet he is very fond of talking about the
cruelty and tyranny of the United States government in
forcing five hundred of the ablest Mormon men into its
service at a time when they were the most needed, and leav-
ing the weak and helpless to cross the plains without suf-
ficient protection. 9
l66 BRIGHAM YOUNG AS A MISSIONARY.
The Mormons have always been very enthusiastic on the
subject of missions. Probably no other church has done
so much both home and foreign missionary work as the
Church of Latter-Day Saints. They began by travelling
about the country, making converts wherever they could, in
the days when the entire church, could easily be numbered :
as they increased in numbers they extended their work
across the ocean, and now nearly all the work is done in
England, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
It is a very rare thing nowadays to hear of an American
convert, and the southern European nations never did take
kindly to the faith.
Brigham Young was among the very earliest of mis-
sionaries, and he was very successful at proselyting. He
was very different then from the haughty, arrogant blusterer
of to-day./ He and his brother Joseph were the first Mor-
mons that my mother ever saw, and I have very often heard
her describe the peculiar influence they exerted over her,
and the manner in which they impressed her. '
To her they seemed very humble men, of the most ear-
nest, devoted piety and intense religious zeal, travelling about
"without purse or scrip," meeting with ridicule, derision, and
persecution, while they preached "the gospel as taught by
Christ and his Apostles." They came to a house where
she chanced to be visiting, and, after seating themselves,
commenced singing one of those earnest, stirring hymns for
which the Mormons were at that time celebrated.
" Hark ! listen to the trumpeters,
They call for volunteers.
On Zion's bright and flowery mount,
Behold their officers.
Their horses white, their armor bright,
With courage bold they stand ;
Enlisting soldiers for their king,
To march to Zion's land.
A. CARRINGTON.
MORMON APOSTLES.
THE FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE MORMONS. 167
u We want no cowards in our bands,
That will our colors fly ;
We call for valiant-hearted men,
Who' re not afraid to die ;
Sinners, enlist with Jesus Christ,
Th' eternal Son of God,
And march with us to Zion's land,
Beyond the swelling flood."
They were fine singers, both of them, and they threw so
much fire and fervor into this song that my mother young,
enthusiastic girl of sixteen made up her mind on the spot
to enlist and follow this new army to Zion.
She was baptized and confirmed by Brigham Young
almost immediately, and to use her own language, w There
was nothing arrogant, haughty, or tyrannical, either in his
(Brigham Young's) or Heber Kimball's appearance, as they
pronounced, in the most fervent manner, such glorious
blessings upon me, a poor ignorant girl, with no one to
guide me, but who had given up my little all in this world
to follow their teachings, which to me at that time meant
the teachings of Christ."
No sooner had the Saints become fairly settled in Utah
than Brigham Young commenced sending the brethren off
on missions. He had, and still has, a peculiar way of man-
aging, quite original with himself. A few of the leading
members of the chureh were sent ; indeed, at that time one
or more of the apostles was kept in England all the while,
and different elders were sent to relieve each other, and to
assist the apostle in taking charge of the " Branches," and
starting mission churches, which were afterwards held in
charge by some resident brother, who was appointed elder.
In addition to these elders, any one who displeased the
Prophet was " sent on a mission " as a punishment. Did
the polygamous Prophet fancy a man's wife, he was sent to
the farthest possible point from Zion, to "enlist" souls for
the Mormon Church. If any young man is suddenly started
l68 A NEW DODGE OF THE PROPHET.
" on a mission " to preach the gospel and win souls to
Christ, it is safe to argue that " he has been a little wild,'
and is accordingly exiled for a while.
My father was sent to England not very long after our
arrival in the Valley, and he had charge while there of the
Sheffield branch of the churchu My mother and myself
lived part of the time in Salt Lake City with Elizabeth and
her family, and the remainder of the time in Payson. As
the missionaries are all expected to give their services, and
as they are obliged to go when ordered, whether they wish
to or not, the wives have to take care of themselves as best
they may. They certainly can expect no aid from their
husbands, and they never receive it from the church ; so, un-
less they can do something to support themselves while they
are left in this way, they are pretty sure to suffer discomfort,
and many times actual want. My mother was equal to the
occasion, however, and we got on better than most Mormon
families do whose " head " has gone on a mission. My
mother taught school most of the time, either in the city or in
Payson, and during all the time I studied with her.
Before sending his missionaries to England, Brigham one
Sunday addressed the people in the Tabernacle very much
after this fashion :
"Brethren and sisters, the time has been when we were
compelled to travel without purse or scrip, and preach the
gospel. We have had to beg our way of an ungodly world,
and have gone, like the Apostles of old, trusting the Lord to
provide for us. And," continued he, waxing excited over
his subject, " I have travelled on foot the length and breadth
of the United States with my shoes full of blood. Foot-sore
and weary, I have often arrived at a house and asked for a
night's lodging. I was hungry and cold ; yet I was turned
away ; and many a time I have shaken the dust off my feet
as a testimony against those people. But now I want the
elders to travel independent of the Gentile world." Then,
after reading the names of those whom he had selected to
go, he proceeded with his address :
ROBBING HIS OWN MISSIONARIES. 169
" Brethren and sisters, the missionaries must be supplied
with the necessary funds to defray their expenses. And I
want this whole people to come forward and donate freely
for this purpose. I do not suppose you are all prepared
to-day, but you can call at the office to-morrow and leave
the money with my clerk ; or we will have another meeting
for the purpose of receiving donations, and so give all the
opportunity of assisting in the noble work of sending mis-
sionaries to a foreign land."
As an answer to this appeal there was a large sum raised,
the people responding generously to this call for assistance,
and there was sufficient to carry all the laborers to their ap-
pointed fields. What was the surprise, then, of these men,
when calling on the Prophet previous to their departure, and
referring to the subject, they were coolly told by Brother
Brigham that there was no money for them "not one
cent " !
" But what are we to do ? " said the bewildered and dis-
appointed men, who had relied on this money to assist
them.
" You must go to Bishop Hunter ; I have nothing for you,"
was the careless and heartless reply.
Accordingly they went to the Presiding Bishop, and after
telling him their errand, and that they had been sent by
President Young, he informed them that there was a "church
train " of three hundred wagons going East, which would
take them to the frontiers for forty dollars apiece ; " and after
that," said the bishop, "you must get to your fields of labor
as best you can."
Now, the Mormon elders in those days were poor, and
could barely support their families when they were at home.
And to be informed, just at the last moment, when they had
supposed they were well provided for, that they must defray
their own expenses to England, was really a hard blow for
all of them. And yet such was their devotion to their
religion, that each one paid his forty dollars to ride to the
I7O SCANDALOUS DOINGS OF THE PROPHETS SONS.
frontier in the "church" wagons, and then made their way
to England at their own expense.
The Saints supposed that these wagons were sent out for
the purpose of bringing emigrants from the Missouri River ;
but on their return they were loaded with freight, for which
Brigham received twenty-five* dollars a hundred. Between
the amount paid for the passage of the missionaries and the
loads of freight on the return, this "church train" certainly
paid the head of the church very handsomely for that one trip.
Among the missionaries to England, during my father's
residence there, was Joseph A., the Prophet's eldest son, who
has recently died. He has always had the reputation among
the Saints of being a very " fast" young man. In order, if
possible, to cure him of some of his propensities for evil-doing,
his father decided to send him on a mission, to carry the light
of the everlasting gospel to the benighted nations of the earth.
xWhen men of family are sent, it is generally because Brig-
( ham wants something belonging to them which he cannot
\ get if they are allowed to stay at home ; and single men are
I often sent to convert the world, who are not capable of
Writing their own names in a legible manner.
But Joseph A. was sent because his father did not know
what else to do with him ; he had become so dissipated and
caused so much trouble at home.
On his way Joseph stopped a few days in St. Louis, after
which he went immediately to England. He was appointed
in my father's pastorate, he being at that time pastor over
several conferences. Everything was moving on harmoni-
ously, when another Mormon elder, named Brown, arrived
from America, telling some hard stories abouTJosfeph's con-
duct while in St. Louis.
<. Mr. Brown circulated the reports that Joseph had drank
immoderately, several times had been beastly drunk, and
had constantly and habitually visited most disreputable re-
sorts ; in fact, that his conduct while in that city had been
marked by the most profligate excesses, and that it had also
MY FATHER " MAKES IT RIGHT FOR JOE I " Ijl
been notoriously open, very little attempt being made on his
part to hide it. He seemed to fancy that his personality was
sufficient protection from scandal, and that the gossips would
not wag their tongues over the misconduct of a son of Brig-
ham Young. >
These reports shocked the English Saints very much, and
many of them were on the point of apostasy on account of
it. My father did not doubt that there was some foundation
for these stories, although he did not think the fellow could
JOSEPH A. YOUNG PREPARING FOR MISSIONARY WORK.
be so bad as he was represented ; and he considered it his
duty to take immediate steps to suppress the scandal, since
it was doing very great injury to the cause of Mormonism.
He accordingly represented this view of the case to Mr.
Brown, who listened earnestly, and seemed quite convinced
of the truth and justice of what my father had said. He
took his leave, agreeing to " make it all right for Joe."
172
YOUNG " BRIGGY " GETS INTO A FIX !
The following Sabbath, at the close of the services, my
father said, " Mr. Brown will now have the opportunity
to retract the scandal which he has put in circulation con-
cerning Joseph A. Young."
Mr. Brown arose before the thousands of people assem-
bled there, and acknowledged that he had misrepresented
the character of the Prophet's "beloved" son, and, in the
blandest manner possible, made it appear that Joseph was
perfectly pure, upright, and moral, and entirely above re-
proach.
The chief object of this farce was to prevent apostasy ;
another was to save the Prophet's son from infamy and dis-
grace. My father, on his return to America, learned that
Mr. Brown's reports were all true, and were not exagger-
ated in the least. Yet this dissipated libertine was consid-
ered sufficiently good to preach the truths of the Mormon
religion to "a world lying in darkness."
Brigham Young's sons
usually 'distinguish them-
selves while on their mis-
sions, rather by their aptitude
at getting into scrapes than
by the number of converts
which they make. Brigham
Jr. " the probable succes-
sor," or, as he is familiarly
called, " Briggy " succeed-
ed in distinguishing himself
in England. The story pop-
E. HUNTER, PRESIDING BISHOP. ularly told among the SailltS
is, that regarding himself,
without doubt, as a "scion of royalty," and with the egotisti-
cal assumption and the assurance which characterize his
father, and which he honestly inherited, he actually ven-
tured, in spite of the law, to drive the same number of
white horses before his carriage that the queen had on her
HE DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF IN ENGLAND. 173
carriage, and that he was arrested and fined a hundred and
fifty thousand dollars for the offence. The true account of
the matter is, that when driving in one of the London parks,
in a state of inebriety, he committed a trespass, for which
he was arrested and mulcted in the ordinary fine a few
shillings, I believe. Brigham, however, is said to have
profited by the exaggerated story, and to have made capital
out of it.
The donations that year had been unusually large, for
Brigham had announced his intention of " emigrating " a
larger number than ever before, and, as a consequence, the
"J^expetjial Emigration Fuml" must be correspondingly
increased.
" Brethren and sisters," he commenced one day, in his
most delicate and refined style, "you must retrench your
expenses. You have been travelling in a direct line towards
eternal damnation for a long time ; now you must turn
about, and show to the Lord and His holy angels that you
still desire to be numbered among His people. I intend,
this year, to bring over every Saint from the Old Country,
and you must take hold and help me. I want the sisters to
leave off their ribbons and finery, and stop running to the
stores. I want you, one and all, to_stop using^Je^^coffee,
andjwKiskey, and thejgapjqiey you would
thpsej.hinffs you must donate for the emigration of th
in Europe. Now is the time to manifest your faith by your
works."
All the Saints in the Territory were personally called
upon to assist in the work, and responded generously, if
not willingly. Poor women contributed their mites, and
poor men gave of their hardly-won earnings, that could ill
be spared, as they could barely support their families at the
best. In England, also, they were made to contribute, and
many a working man was compelled to donate an entire
week's wages. The English Saints gave willingly, and
suffered the privations caused by their generosity cheerfully,
174 THE PROPHET SETS UP A WHISKEY STILL.
as they confidently expected to be gathered to Zion that
year. But their suffering availed them nothing, and their
generosity was but ill repaid. It was years before many
of these patient, long-enduring Saints saw the Zion of
their hopes.
As the Prophet has a most decided objection to seeing any
of his followers becoming independent in worldly affairs,
either because he is afraid they will be able to act without
counsel or advice from him, and so get beyond his power
to manage them, or because he is jealous of .their pecuniary
success, since he has often said that he was the only man in
the Territory who knew how to make money or how-to use
it, he always finds some way to put a stop to their growing
prosperity. His usual method of doing this is by sending
them on a mission. Of course their business is at a stand-
still altogether as soon as the heads of it are away ; and it
either remains quiet ever after, or, if it is sufficiently lucra-
tive to make it worth while, Brigham manages to get it into
his own hands, and it is as completely lost to its rightful
owners as though they never had possessed it.
For a number of years, two men named Badley and
Hugh Moon worked a whiskey distillery in Salt Lake
City, and appeared to be becoming rapidly wealthy. They
were good Mormons, staunch defenders of Brigham Young,
ready in every good work with open purses and generous
deeds, and they were highly respected by the entire body
of Saints.
What was the consternation of the church, when, during
the delivery of a temperance sermon on Sunday, the Presi-
dent, waxing more personal, more eloquent, and conse-
quently more abusive, " cursed, in the name of the Lord,"
the men that ran the distillery !
They knew very well that these men paid their tithing
promptly, the greatest virtue a Mormon can possess, by the
way, and that they were foremost in all charitable works,
and they marvelled very much that the Prophet should deal
HE ADULTERATES THE WHISKEY TOO MUCH !
so hardly with them. His language was so abusive that
Badley, who was especially attached to the President Young,
shed tears during the denunciation. He finally finished his
anathemas by ordering them to take their families and go
on a mission to an unsettled portion of the TWritnry, lpayjnor_
their homes to "the church," which, of course, meant Brig-
As soon as they had gone, the Prophet removed the
apparatus for distilling a few miles from the city, and com-
menced making whiskey for the church. But, unfortu-
nately, the church whiskey did not prove to be so good as
that made by Moon and Badley, and the church distillery
was short-lived.
The men who were thus heartlessly ruined and unjustly
exiled never returned. Their homes were broken up,
their property taken from them, and themselves and their
families banished to the wilderness, to gratify the covet^.
niianfss nnH graspjng of an avariciorm Lyr{nffT"who c;orrL-
mitted this outrage, as he has all others, with a " Thus saith
the Lord."
Brigham's missions may be considered moral "Botany
Bays," where he sends those persons who in any way incur
his sovereign displeasure. It is an easy way of punishing
offenders ; and so common has it become, that lately, when-
ever a man is sent awax_ojn__thiserrand, the_sontajuees
mestlon^htcrTarises to every lip is,
In case of a certain trial which took place some years
since, Brigham had given his wishes to a portion of the jury
as to how the case should be decided. After retiring, those
of the jury who had received instructions from the Prophet
came to a decision very readily, while those who had not
been " interviewed " by him could see no justice in the
way they had decided, and consequently refused to agree
with the others.
Brigham was exceedingly angry at this, and took them
176 "MY WORD IS LAW HERE."
very severely to task for their disregard of his known
wishes.
"Well, Brother Brigham," said one of the obstinate jury-
men, "the law will sustain us."
" The law ! " said the Prophet. " What do you suppose
I care for the law? My word is law here. I wish you dis-
tinctly to understand that ; and," he continued, " those men
who decided against my view of the case shall pay the
penalty."
Very soon after that, one of these men, whose only fault
had been that he would not be coerced into committing
what he knew would be a gross injustice, was sent on a
mission to China ; another was ordered to Japan, a third to
the Sandwich Islands, and one quite old gentleman was
appointed to Las Vegas. This man having grown gray
in the service of the church, Heber C. Kimball ventured to
propose that, in consideration of his age, he be allowed to
remain at home, and his son sent on the mission in his
stead. The father was actually too feeble to be of any
service in building up a new place, and Las Vegas was
considered an important point to secure; so, after much
deliberation, it was decided that the son should go in his
father's stead. Seventy-five families were ordered to aban-
don their homes, and take their departure for a new and
almost unknown portion of the Territory.
They expended thousands of dollars in building, fencing,
an<revery~way beautifying and jmp
^
and jusTas theyweregettiiig^iiicely settled, and had made
i^ th<
pronounced it anjutterly unsuitaBIe^plam fti > -ar-^Stalceof
"ZIcmT' and ordered them all back_again ; so that the years
passed there^ an J all the expendituregTwere a^jotaTtoss^
After the son of the aged juryman had paid the penalty of
his father's sin, he returned to Salt Lake. He has ever
since fearlessly expressed his opinion of the Las Vegas
mission, in terms not very flattering to its originator, and
MISSIONARIES "ENLARGING THEIR KINGDOMS." 177
Brigham has been obliged to withdraw the hand of fellow-
ship from him, very reluctantly indeed, as he had been
a faithful servant to the President's interest for several
year
a comment on his often expressed contempt of the law
of lawyers, I wish to say just here that his son Alphilus
Young is at this present time a law student at the Univer-
sity of Michigan, sent there by his father to carry out his
own ambitious plans for his son's future, and also to have a
lawyer in the family, since he has ben forced to have so
much to do with the law in late years.)
It must not be supposed that none others are sent on mis-
sions except those who are to be punished, or got out of
the way for a while. Brigham Young is shrewd, and so
with these he sends every year prominent members of the
church. All the apostles, and most of the leading elders;-^
have been in the mission work, both in the States and in
Europe, and it is in response to their efforts that so many
converts have been made. -v
The period of my father's stay in England was one spe- \
cially marked for success in mission work. Very many of
the leaders of the church were there then, and mighty ef-
forts were made to secure converts. They worked day and
night with unabated zeal, and so great was their success,
the whole world marvelled at the number of converts who/
came yearly to Zion.
Inthemean time, the families of the
getting on as best they cmild at homp- deprived not only of
their husbands society, but of the support which they gave
~iKem wnen at nome, scanty enough in some cases, I
assure you, and yet just as much missed as though it had
been larger, since it was the all ; and above all, there was
the horrible shadow of polygamy hanging over them ; for
no wife everj^new how much her husband may have been /,
moved toXenlarge his kingdom," and the young English //
girls were^apt to be very much taken with the American /
12
178 THE "REVELATION" ON POLYGAMY PUBLISHED.
elders, and they in turn submitted without much struggle
to the fascinations of their youthful converts. pVery few of
the missionaries failed to bring home an EngHsh wife, or
at least to induce some young girl to emigrate to Zion, with
the prospect of becoming his wife on her arrival.}
At first potygamy was not preuched._ Indeed, so very
rrnrpfhl wprq thf elders not to mention the subject, or else
BO deny polygamy altogetlier, TliaT many of the girls Sup-
posed themselves to be thlT^fh*st-ftiTtHTrrty Vives ofthe menT
married"; and it was nof^mtil^they reached"
tah, ancTw"ere introduce'3To"fKeir husbands' *' other wjves/ 7 "
were undeceived .
strong was theleeling in England, that for some time
after polygamy was
openly practiced in
Utah, the missiona-
ries denied it, and
men who had four
and five waves liv-
ing quoted largely
from the Book of
Mormon, and other
church works, to
prove the impossi-
bility of the existence
of such a system.
At length, however,
they were obliged to
confess to the truth,
which they did by
causing the w Reve-
lation " to be pub-
lished in the "Millennial Star" the church organ pub-
lished at Liverpool. For a while it seemed almost as
though all the labors of the missionaries would go for
nothing, so many apostatized. By strenuous effort and
redoubled endeavor, however, many were still held in th*
DOING MISSIONARY WORK.
PRACTICING POLYGAMY FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE . 179
church. They were told that polygamy was optional ; that
while the leaders of the church, many of them, practiced it,
"for conscience' sake," since the Lord willed it, yet many
more had not entered the system, and probably never would,
and that no one need enter it, unless they felt themselves
especially " called by the Lord."
In England, as_in^A rnpr l ri1 i f ^fi mp " became much more
easily reconciled to the doctrine than the women". The
latter had many bitter 1 hOUrs 6Ver It; and yet each one, as"*""*
alt" their American sisters before them had dune, thought
her Husband would not take a polygamous wife, although
fre might believe in the theory, and uphold those of his
BrethTeh ~wficT conveHe^' tTTe Iffigoryiiito- pTcrcTtclT~~~TH;y^
"had to learn, in the intensest bitterness 'of suffering, what
other women had learned before them that their hus-
bands were like the majority of men, who ha
so persistently thrust in their way. g^fll
Even now the men who go on missions are very guarded
in preaching the doctrine, and advocate it only where they
are very certain that it will be received. They admit its
existence, but they by no means are willing to confess to
what an extent it is practiced ; and to this day many of them
win wives under false pretences.
/ It was only a few weeks since, a gentleman living in the
British Provinces, on a visit to some friends in New Eng-
land, spoke of a visit he had received quite recently from
a lady friend from England, a relative, I think, who had
become, converted to Mormonism, and married one of the
elders of the church, and was on her way to Utah with
him. She was a very lovely person, and in talking of her
new religion, concerning which she was very enthusiastic,
deplored the existence of polygamy as its only drawback
to a perfect faith. Yet she said her husband had told her
that it was only a doctrine of the church that was rarely
practiced, except by the older Saints, who had received the
Revelation directly from Joseph, and had considered the
iSo
I AM DIPPED IN A POND BY BROTHER TAFT.
adoption of the system a duty ; that in time it would be
entirely done away with, except in theory, and that at all
events she need have no fear.
Great was the surprise of the gentleman on learning that
she, who so fondly believed herself the only wife of her
husband, made Number 5 or 6 of his plural wives. The
poor girl had, w^thou^ dgyht^jearned the truth long before,
although her rjrjjie^no doubt/would prevent her from in-
TbrmTng herjjrifn^ hp^<a3ill i i ^he^^55d^DTe^^uped.
The Mormon mode of managing missions troubled me
very little during those early days. I missed my father,
and wished President Young would let him come back ;
beyond that I had little thought or care. I was busy study-
ing with my mother, and I of course was taught the ele-
ments of the religion in which she so firmly believed, and
on which she so greatly depended ; and, like all children
of Mormon parents, I was baptized when I was eight
years old.
The Mormon people do not baptize or "christen " their
infant children. When they are eight days old they are
"blessed," and they are baptized at eight years of age. I
was baptized by Bishop Taft, my father's second wife's
father ; and I was exceedingly terrified. I was taken to a
pond, and the bishop carried me in his arms, and plunged
me into the water ; and so great was the nervous shock that
I could not think of it without a shudder for years after.
My mother was glad when it was over, for I was made a
child of the church, and by this rite she consecrated me to
God and the Mormon faith. TozdI still hold loving,
trustful allegiance : as for, thq Mormon faith, 1 can UQX&L.
be too~thankiul that I have so entirely freed myself from
that held me,^5oTrl^and.bod^
CHAPTER X.
THE UTAH " REFORMATION." "A REIGN OF TERROR."
THE BLOOD-ATONEMENT PREACHED.
The Beginning of the Reformation. The Payson Saints Stirred Up.
What the Wicked " Saints " had been Doing Secretly. The Old Lady
who stole a Radish. Confessing the sins of Others. A System of
Espionnage. Brigham bids them " Go Ahead ! " The Story of Brother
Jeddy's Mule. The Saints receive a terrible Drubbing. Great Ex-
citement in Mormondom. How the Saints were Catechized. Indeli-
cate Questions are put to Everybody. My Mother and Myself Con-
fess. The Labors of the Home Missionaries. Making Restitution.
Everybody is Re-baptized. "Cut off Below their Ears" The
" Blood- Atonement " Preached. Murder recommended in the Tab-
ernacle. Cutting their Neighbors' throats for Love. A " Reign of
Terror " in Utah. Fearful Outrages Committed. Murdered " by the
Indians " ? Brigham advises the Assassination of Hatten. Murder
of Almon Babbitt, Dr. Robinson, the Parrishes, and Others. Blood-
shed the Order of the Div.
HILE my father was in
England on mission, my
mother was urged very
strongly to go to Payson,
a town about seventy
miles south of Salt Lake
City, and start a school
there.
She had taught in Kirt-
land, and in Salt Lake
City, and was considered
a person of superior at-
tainments by the Saints.
Her reputation as a teacher was quite extended among
them, and since her arrival in Utah she had often been
solicited to resume her profession. She had always hith-
ING THE SAINTS.
l82 STIRRING UP THE WICKED SAINTS !
erto refused persistently ; but now, finding her time some-
what unemployed during my father's absence, and wishing
to add to the family funds, which were running somewhat
low, she decided to accept the situation, which was fairly
thrust upon her. Of course I accompanied her to the
scene of her labors. I had never been separated from her,
and neither she nor I could endure the thought of being
parted.
It was, I think, in January, 1855, that a Mormon, named
Joseph Hovey, came to Payson to preach. He was a man
of an excitable temperament, a fanatic in religion, and he
succeeded in stirring the people up to a state of the most
intense religious enthusiasm. He held a series of meet-
ings, which were very largely attended, and such was his
peculiar magnetism, that he swayed and held the multi-
tudes who thronged to hear him, notwithstanding he was a
man of unprepossessing manner, little education, and no
culture. He commenced by accusing the people of all
sorts of misdeeds and crimes, and he denounced them in
the most scathing and the rudest fashion, and they trem-
bled under his fierce denunciations, and cowered before
him as before the face of an accusing angel. He accused
them of theft, of licentiousness, of blackguardism, of lying,
of swindling and cheating, of hypocrisy and lukewarm-
ness in their religion, and of every other sin, of omission
or commission, of which he could think. He represented
himself as the Lord's messenger, called by Him, and sent
to warn the people of Southern Utah of the horrors of their
situation ; their souls were in imminent peril, so weighted
were they with a load of guilt. " Repent, confess, and be
re-baptized," was his urgent call, " and all your sins shall
be forgiven you ; yea, verily, for so hath the Lord prom-
ised."
The excitement grew daily, and his work of " Reforma-
tion," as he styled it, went bravely on. Meetings were
held, lasting all day and Ia1,e into the night. It was reli-
THE OLD LADY WHO STOLE A RADISH ! 183
gious madness run riot. There seemed to be a sort of
competition as to who should confess the most and the
oftenest. The people of Payson had been considered as
good as average communities, but this " Reformation "
revealed the most astonishing amount of dishonesty and
depravity among them.
I was at one of the meetings, and I remember how
shocked I was as one after another arose and confessed the
crimes of w T hich they were guilty. It made a very vivid
impression on my childish mind, and to this day I can recall
the very expression of the faces and tones of the voices as
the owners professed their criminality. Many of them
confessed to stealing flour from a mill ; this, indeed, seemed
a common peccadillo ; others had stolen lumber for various
purposes ; and one man said he had stolen a sheep. I re-
member this man very distinctly ; there happened to be a
bit of wool sticking to his clothes, on the shoulder, and I
know I wondered if that was from the sheep he had stolen.
Some had taken potatoes, some turnips, some others
parsnips, others had taken all three ; one conscience-
stricken old lady, who felt impelled to confess, and could
think of nothing that she had done wrong, was immensely
relieved when she remembered that she had taken a radish
without permission ; she seemed, too, to derive much con-
solation from the fact that "'it had burned in her stomach
ever since."
Taking it all in all, it was a time of the wildest confu-
sion and the intensest ill-feeling. If there were any per-
sons \vho did not come forward readily, and acknowledge
their faults, some one would do it for them, telling their
brothers' and sisters' sins in the public congregation.
My mother did not approve of the state of affairs, and
would not countenance them any farther than she was posi-
tively compelled to do. It was dangerous to express any
disapproval of the proceedings ; so she was obliged to keep
quiet, although she would not take active part in the excite-
184 THAT TROUBLESOME MULE OF JEDDY'S.
ment. The most fanatical of these blinded enthusiasts did
not hesitate to threaten the lives of all who dared dissent
from them, and the person who failed to confess was looked
upon with suspicion. A close watch was kept upon the
actions of these persons, and every word that dropped
from their lips was noted. In fact, the entire church, with
few exceptions, was converted into a detective force, to
keep vigilant watch over those few exceptions who were
found to be " cool in the faith."
While the excitement was at its height, Brigham Young
was informed of Hovey's movements, and their results in
Pay son. The few who were not in sympathy with the ex-
citement waited anxiously for the Prophet to speak, expect-
ing, of course, that when he heard the state of affairs,
there would he a summary stop put to all these fanatical
proceedings. Many of the surrounding settlements were
very much exercised over the conduct of the Payson peo-
ple, thinking they were all going mad together ;. and they
also waited curiously to see what action Brigham would
take. He w r as at Fillmore, attending the legislature, when
he was told of the excitement at Payson, and his repl}' 1
was, " Let them go ahead ; they won't confess to more than
they are guilty of."
As may be supposed, this cavalier manner of treating
the matter surprised the more thoughtful of the Saints,
who had counted confidently on his interference ; but their
surprise increased tenfold, when, the very next winter,
1856, Brigham and his counsellors instituted a similar re-
form throughout the entire territory. It is said that this
latter Reformation was caused by President Jedediah M.
Grant losing his temper over a mule.
It seems that Brother Grant was to hold a meeting at Kays-
ville, and had invited several elders to accompany him.
To one of these elders he lent a mule, which should bear
him to the appointed place. When he arrived, the sharp
eyes of Brother Grant discovered that his mule was heated
THE BEAST CREATES A SENSATION. 185
and somewhat jaded ; and although he made no remarks at
the time, but, on the contrary, was suavity itself, yet he
did not let the brother go unrebuked. After every one had
spoken at the meeting, testifying to the utmost good feel-
ing themselves, and exhorting faithfulness on the part of
their hearers, Brother Grant arose for the last word. He
accused the speakers who had preceded him of inconsist-
ency and hypocrisy ; charged the bishop with inefficiency,
" SCENE DURING REFORMATION."
and his people with all manner of crimes, and then per-
sonally attacked the unfortunate brother for ill-treating his
mule. He called upon everybody to repent, and " do their
first works over again," or the judgment of God would
speedily overtake them. This was the beginning of the
famous Utah " Reformation," of which the local movement
at Payson was the immediate forerunner. It was the same
thing on a much larger scale ; confessions were the order
of the day, and accusation was as prevalent as confession.
1 86 A FEW DELICATE QUESTIONS.
It was a horrible time, and one that never will be forgot-
ten by those who were living in the midst of the excite-
ment. An impressionable twelve-years-old girl, I remem-
ber every detail with wonderful distinctness.
This tf Reformation" was more systematically conducted
than Hovey's revival ; a catechism was compiled by the
leading spirits of the church, and printed by their order,
and elders were appointed to go from house to house with
a copy of it, questioning the people. This catechism con-
tained a list of singular questions, many of which I dis-
tinctly remember. I dare only mention a few. They were
after this style :
"Have you ever committed a murder?"
" Have you ever stolen anything? "
" Have you ever been drunk ? "
" Do you believe in polygamy ? "
Many were grossly indelicate, others laughably absurd ;
yet every question was obliged to be answered on pain of
expulsion from the church. Men, women, and children
alike were catechized ; many of the little ones did not know
the meaning of some of the questions which were put to
them ; but they were obliged to answer them ; whether
understandingly, or not, it made no difference.
It was customary to catechize each member of a family
separately ; but an exception was made in our case, and
my mother and myself were examined together. There
was a great part of the catechism that I did not under-
stand, but I always answered as my mother did, feeling
sure that what she said must of a necessity be right. When
the questioning was over, I was exhorted by the visiting
elder to obey my parents, and to marry into polygamy
when a little older.
The elders that acted as "Home Missionaries," whose
duty it was to catechize the people, were astonished at the
grossness of some of the immoralities which were brought
to light. . The private history and secret acts of all were
" CUT OFF BELOW THEIR EARS ! " 187
unfolded. People were accused of sins which they never
had committed, and yet they were afraid to deny them.
Some of the elders were shocked beyond measure at the
sickening details revealed, and begged that a stop be put to
this mania for confession ; but the poor fanatics were urged
forward by their leaders, and they firmly believed that in the
fullest and freest confession lay their only hope of salvation.
They were goaded to the very verge of frenzy. Every
person throughout the Territory was commanded to be re-
baptized, even if their sins had not been very grave. It was
commanded, too, that every person who had committed a
theft should make good what he had taken ; and I recollect
a man returning some property to my father which he had
taken from the family while my father was in England :
some others confessed to having stolen the fence from the
farm ; so, it seems, we had suffered from the dishonesty of our
before presumedly honest neighbors. Throughout the whole
church there was a general time of accusation, confession,
restitution, and re-baptism.
There were many of the Mormon people who did not
approve of all this unhealthy excitement, and who foresaw
exactly what results would follow, yet not one of them dared
venture a protest. It would have been at the risk of their
lives, as it was publicly advised, not only by Hovey in Pay-
son, but by men in much more prominent places, to punish
such persons as ventured a disapproval by " cutting them off
from the church, below their ears"
It was during this excitement that the terrible doctrine of
the Blood-Atonement was first preached. So high did the
feeling run that people who were guilty of certain crimes
were counselled to shed their blood to save their souls.
Said the arch-fanatic Jedediah M. Grant, in the Tabernacle,
speaking of those who had apostatized or were in danger of
apostasy,
"What ought this meek people, who keep the command-
ments of the Lord, to do unto them ? * Why,' says some one,
i88 THE "BLOOD-ATONEMENT" PREACHED.
'they ought to pray to the Lord to kill them.' I want to
know if you would wish the Lord to come down and do all
your dirty work ? Many of the Latter-Day Saints will pray,
and petition, and supplicate the Lord to do a thousand things
they themselves would be ashamed to do. When a man prays
for a thing, he ought to be willing to perform it himself."
In the same sermon he said,
" What ! do you believe that people would do right and
keep the law of God by actually putting to death the trans-
gressors? Putting to death the transgressors would exhibit
the law of God, no matter by whom it was done. That is
my opinion."
Following the expression of his belief, he uttered the fol-
lowing fervent wish :
" I wish we were in a situation favorable to our doing that
which is justifiable before God, without any contaminating
influence of Gentile amalgamation, laws, and traditions, that
the people of God might lay the axe to the root of the tree,
and that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit might
be hewn down."
He was so in earnest that he would have the atonement
by blood commence at once. Listen to his disinterested
counsel :
" I say there are men and women here that I would advise
to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint a
committee to attend to their case ; and then let a place be
selected, and let that committee shed their blood."
On another occasion he said, speaking in his wild, fanati-
cal manner,
" We have been trying long enough with this people ; and
I go in for letting the sword of the Almighty to be un-
sheathed, not only in word, but in deed."
Brigham Young, not to be behind his counsellor, assured
the Saints that this doctrine of throat-cutting and blood-
shedding was pleasing to the Lord, and that it was a glorious
and soul-saving belief. He says,
HUMAN BLOOD TO BE SHED ! 189
"There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering on
the altar, as in ancient days ; and there are sins that the
blood of a lamb or calf, or of turtle-doves, cannot remit, but
they must be atoned for by the blood of the man."
Another choice bit from one of his Tabernacle discourses
is as follows :
" The time is coming when justice will be laid to the line
and righteousness to the plummet : when we shall take the
old broadsword, and ask, 'Are you for God?' and if you are
not heartily on the Lord's side, you will be hewn down."
In a sermon" preached from the text, the sweetest and
tenderest of all the commandments given by Christ, "Love
thy neighbor as thyself," Brigham Young put this peculiarly
Christ-like construction on the words :
" When will we love our neighbor as ourselves ? Any of
you who understand the principles of eternity, if you have
sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except the sin
unto death, should not be satisfied or rest until your blood
should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you
desire. That is the way to love mankind. Now, brethren
and sisters, will you live your religion? How many hun-
dreds of times have I asked that question? Will the Latter-
Day Saints live their religion?"
He also asked in the same sermon,
" Will you love your brothers and sisters when they have
a sin that cannot be atoned for without the shedding of their
blood? Will you love that man or that woman well enough
to shed their blood? That is what Jesus meant.
" The time will come when the law of God will be in full
force. This is loving our neighbor as ourself : if he needs
help, help him ; if he wants salvation, and it is necessary
to spill his blood upon the earth in order that he may b&
saved, spill it."
no wonder^that such language as this, pouredinto the
f-crazed .Saints, shouTd incite thern to
F5r*a while bloodshed and murder were
IpO A STORY OF THE "REFORMATION DAYS.
the order of the day. If any_iej-son or family were supposed
to be lacking in the faith, aird faITing^o~e^Hibitntie^usual
blind submission to the teachings of the priesthood, that
person or family was sure to be visited by some disaster
whipped, mobbed, or murdered, and their property de-
stroyed or confiscated to the use of the church. Some in-
stances came under my own observation, and I tell the inci-
dents from actual knowledge, and not from mere hearsay.
A merchant of Salt Lake City, an Englishman, named
Jarvis, was suspected of being cool in the faith, and to have
little or no sympathy with the fanatical proceedings which
attended the Reformation and formed its chief feature. His
store was entered one evening by Saints in disguise, he was
pulled over the counter by the hair of his head, dragged
into the street and thrown into the snow, his store plundered,
all the money taken away, his house set on fire, and his two
wives barely given time to escape with their children. As an
excuse for all this he was accused of having " spoken against
the authorities, and had entertained Gentiles at supper."
One of the wives of Mr. Jarvis wrote quite a thrilling
account to some of her English friends respecting their treat-
ment ; and as her story is so simply and yet plainly told, I
shall insert it here, as being the best description I can give
of it and similar scenes. It is dated from " Weston, Mis-
souri," the August following the year of the Reformation.
"After Mr. Grimshaw left Salt Lake, Mr. Jarvis made known
to Brigham Young his intention to leave the Territory and return
to the States, with his reasons for so doing ; but his letter was
never answered. Brigham made some allusion to it in public,
which seemed to convey the idea that he approved of the course
Mr. Jarvis had taken, rather than try to leave clandestinely. From
that time we began to dispose of our property, and dra*w everything
into as small a compass as possible. As the winter drew on,
various reports were circulated ; such as, that we intended to dis-
pose of our large house to the soldiers, and were buying grain to
store it for them. This is a ' capital ' offence in the Salt Lake
Valley, for the Mormons protest that no soldier shall sleep in Salt
" REFORMING A HERETIC ! " ipl
Lake City one night. It was also said that Mr. Jarvis had sworn
to take the life of President Young; that he was boarding States
officers at his house ; and many more such stories, as strange and
unlikely as they were untrue ; for when Mr. Jarvis wrote to Presi-
dent Young, he made the offer of all or any part of his property to
him first, if he chose to purchase it, and told him that he would
rather sell it to the church than to anyone else. Time passed on,
and we heard some whispers that something dreadful was going
to happen to us ; but we thought little about it, and felt perfectly
safe, until the I3th of January, 1857, wnen ? at half past six in the
evening, a man knocked at the front door, which was locked, and
DEALING WITH A WEAK BROTHER.
asked for some trifling article out of the shop. While Mr. Jarvis
was attending to him, two men walked in and hastily stepped
up to him. One of them caught him by the hair and by the
collar, and pulled him across the counter, saying, 'You are
my prisoner.' Mr. Jarvis said, 'For what? If you have any
charge against me, I will go where you wish.' To this no answer
was returned but oaths and curses. They dragged him on the
ground some distance, and then brought him back into the door-
way, all the time trying to strangle him, and threatening to
shoot him if he made any noise. One of them made a des-
perate kick at him but missed his aim.
Ip2 A LADY TELLS HER STORY.
" In the mean time Betsey and I were undressing the children ;
and hearing sounds of heavy footsteps and muttering under-
tones of strange voices and persons struggling in the passage, we
looked at each other, and rushed to the door, each with a child in
our arms. I succeeded in pulling open the room door in the pas-
sage, but I had no sooner done so than a* man who was holding
the door knocked me back into the* room, flat upon the floor, with
the baby in my arms, and, shutting the door again, held it fast.
Instantly I laid the baby on the carpet, and, with all my strength,
forced open the door, and found myself surrounded by a number
of ruffians, I believe five or six, v who were all in the dark, for
they had extinguished the candle, and I calling aloud for Mr.
Jarvis several minutes. In the end he, gasping for breath, an-
swered me.
" When I found where he was, I made a desperate rush at the
man who was holding him, and the fellow, lifting up his hand, let
go his hold of him, and he darted out of the open door like light-
ning, across the street, and" round the corner to a neighbor's house
to obtain assistance. He got to the door almost exhausted, and
begged for help ; but no one dared come until the master of the
house, who' was absent, ^returned. They fetched him, and when
he heard the particulars of the attack made upon us, he said, ' Sir,
you must leave my house instantly. I have no sympathy for you.
I would not protect my own father under the same circumstances.'
Mr. Jarvis said, 'What have I done?' The man replied, ' You
have done plenty ; you covenanted to serve the Lord, and you
are serving the devil, and I should not be surprised to see you with
your throat cut.'
"After Mr. Jarvis had made his escape from the fiends, I turned
to enter the house again, firmly believing that some of them were in
pursuit of him, and begged to know of the men on the spot what
they wanted. On stepping forward to enter the door, I found it
guarded by a man on each side, who pushed me backward into
the snow. I rose and again attempted to enter the house, but was
prevented in like manner, when I saw Mrs. M. coming out with
the babies in their night-gowns, one under each arm, to carry them
to a place of safety. When I found I could not, after several such
attempts, force an entrance, I ran round to the back door and got
in, but no sooner was I in than out again. I was tossed by the
same ruthless hands as before. Many a time I was knocked down
TERRIBLE STORY OF TWO WOMEN.
193
in the way I have described ; and one of my front teeth was
loosened, and my limbs most mercilessly bruised.
" Finding I could not enter to ascertain the state of affairs in the
house, I determined to let the neighborhood know, and for many
minutes stood shouting for help, until I was exhausted. I could
hear that the windows were all being broken, and the furniture
destroyed ; when I was appalled by hearing Mrs. M. shriek out,
4 O, Mrs. Jarvis, the house is on fire ! ' I instantly ran in des-
peration, and got in at the back part of the shop, and O, my
dear sister, what a scene ! Flames and smoke up to the ceiling;
BRUTAL ASSAULT UPON MRS. JARVIS.
the goods in the store, or shop, burning ; and two men, almost
suffocated, still intent upon the work of destruction carrying
lighted paper, and setting fire to everything .that would burn !
" The thoughts of my three boys sleeping up stairs ; my hus-
band, I knew not where, perhaps murdered, and seeing
no hope of saving the house for three rooms were then burn-
ing ; the thought that to-morrow I and mv children would
have no home, no shelter, and be penniless, with the snow two
feet deep, and not a friend that dare open the door to us, they
dare not do it, however much disposed they might be ; for they
were threatened with the same, and were told that if they heard
the cry of fire they were to take no notice ; all these things rush-
13
1^4 DOINGS IN THE DARK.
ing into my mind at once, I grew desperate, and forced my way
in at the front door, and implored the ruffians to let me fetch my
children down stairs. They muttered, ' There's none of them
there.' I said, ' Yes, they are asleep in bed.' Then he said,
4 Go.' On passing up stairs, I saw on one side the shop in
flames, and the room, the furniture, and windows broken, and our
clothes scattered about, on fire. I shrieked out, when a man
caught me by the throat, and I had to gasp for breath. I saved
my children in their night-dresses, and the oldest had to run out
with the snow up to his hips.
"When we found that the villains were gone, we put out the fire,
throwing water upon it ; and on one shelf was a large canister of
gunpowder, within six inches of the flame, of which I did not
know. I saved the house from being blown up, but I got my
hands severely burned. Four large windows were broken out,
one dozen chairs and a table destroyed ; a stove and three tables
broken ; carpets, clothes, and goods burned in the store ; and
many silver watches and other substantial things stolen, making
the damage sustained amount to nearly eight hundred dollars.
Every day after was a living death, a dying daily. We were
never safe for an hour. When we appealed to the authorities,
they advised us to be quiet about it, and ' let it slide.' And so
we did ; for we could obtain no redress.
" The outrage upon us was never mentioned in the newspaper.
We had to pocket the insult, and bear the loss ; and now we are
thankful we are out of it. We exchanged our property for land
in the States, hired conveyances, and left on the 22d of April.
We are now at Weston, eight miles from Leavenworth, where we
arrived without any interruption ; but we suffered greatly from
the heat. We shall remain here till Mr. Jams makes arrange-
ments for our future abode."
My father knew these people well in England ; they
were from Leeds, where they were highly respected. I
have met them quite recently in Burlington, Iowa, where
they are living in very comfortable circumstances. They
have outgrown all tendencies towards Mormonism, and are
now among its bitterest opponents.
This outrage is somewhat remarkable, because it was
THE PROPHET COUNSELS MURDER. 195
unattended by bloodshed, a most extraordinary circum-
stance, when so many were killed outright who had sinned
as Mr. Jarvis had. Innocent people suffered, and at that
time, no Gentile was safe in the Morrnon territory.
A cousin of mine, whose parents lived in Utah, married
a man named Hatten, in Illinois. When her mother emi-
grated with the Saints, she, of course, remained behind
with her husband, to her mother's great distress. After a
few years, Mr. Hatten decided to remove to California, and
he came by the way of Utah, so as to give his wife an op-
portunity of visiting her relatives, whom she had not seen
since the exodus from Nauvoo.
At that time it was considered a dishonor to have a
friend married to a Gentile she was regarded as lost.
And for a girl to be taken to California was a still deeper
disgrace.
My aunt and her husband were devout Mormons, and
they grieved over their daughter as over one dead. _My__
aunt prayed and wept for her and over her; and my
uncle the girl's lather even grew desperate nT~triy de*
span."" He LOii&ultg^Srignam as to the best course which
he should pursue, and the Prophet's ready reply was, "Put
HattefTbut of jne way. It is a sin and^a shame to jiave, so
gbodji woman^ dragged around the world by a Gentile. "
That was sufficient. ^ln a tew days came the startling
news that Hatten had been "killed by the Indians." He
had gone to "FnTmore on a visit, from which he was destined
never to return. The young wife was almost heart-broken
at the sudden loss of her husband, but she did not dream
what was his real fate until long afterwards. She 'sup-
posed he had fallen a victim to Indian cruelty, as the re-
ports told her; but when, after many years, she learned
the bitter truth, she fairly hated jhe religion that, had made
a martyr ofher husBand, ami-brought sorrow and affliction
could^jnot get away from it f however; there
was no place to which she_could go^_ghe had no friends
Ip6 " NOTHING TO DO BUT ENDURE ! "
elsewhere ; all the years that had intervened between her
husband's death and her knowledge of his real fate had
been passed in Utah, and she had severed herself in that
time most effectually from her former friends. There was
nothing to do but to endure ; and that she did, as patiently
as possible. A few years after her husband's death, she
married again, but not happily. However, she was speed-
ily released from this unhappy bondage. Heber C. Kim-
ball had seen and fancied her, and he went to Brigham
with the story of her unhappiness, and added, as he fin-
ished his recital, " She ought never to have married that
man. I designed her for myself.'"
"It is not too late," replied his friend, the Prophet; "you
can have her yet." And Jie made good his word by
divorcing her from her uncongenial husband, and bestow-
ing her on Heber. She was too indifferent to care what
became of her, and she became a Mrs. Kimball without a
protest. She and her two children are living in Utah now.
Another victim__io_Jiie Blood-Atonement was a young
man named Jesse Earl, a musician of rare talent and great
promise. He was a very intimate friend of the Prophet's
oldest son, Joseph, and had lived a great deal in the Proph-
et's family. The reason of his death has never been given ;
it was only said that his sinswere_r^ast forgivejiess^jexcept
Apostates were even more hardly dealt with than the
Gentiles. One of the old Mormons, named Almon Bab-
bitt, was " killed by the Indians," on his way to the States.
Mr. Babbitt was among the first seventy apostles appointed
by Joseph Smith; he had been among those who went up
to Missouri, to "Zion's Camp," and was an eloquent
preacher and advocate of Mormon doctrines. After Brig-
ham came into power, Babbitt became quite disaffected
towards the authorities, and left Utah to return to the
States, when he was overtaken by his doom.
Once in a while some person would become so con-
FRIGHTFUL MURDERS IN UTAH. 197
science-stricken for some sin he had committed, that he
would voluntarily seek to make the "Atonement ; " but those
were rare cases. I remember hearing of one at the time
of its occurrence. A Mormon named John Evan had shot
a man in Council Bluffs. He came at once to Salt Lake,
visited Brigham, and begged to atone for his crime in the
usual way.
Not long after that, he was on his way home one night,
when suddenly the report of a pistol was heard ; Mr. Evan
was found dead, and although it was currently reported
that he had committed suicide, it was well known by the
better informed that " he had only paid the debt," and given
his life for another that he had taken by violence.
The Potter and Parrish murders at Springville, and the
assassination of Dr. Robinson at Salt Lake, are notorious.
The Parrish brothers were murdered for apostasy, Dr.
Robinson because he was a Gentile whose influence was
extending in the Territory, so popular was he, and conse-
quently the authorities considered him dangerous.
More vividly stamped upon my memory than any other
of the horrible occurrences, is the murder of a woman
named Jones, and her son, in Payson. They were sus-
pected of falling away in the faith, and other grave charges
were brought against them, for which it was deemed neces-
sary that they should die. One night there was a great
commotion in the streets of the town ; pistol-shots were
heard ; there was a sound of hurrying feet, a murmur of
voices, and a subdued excitement, lasting all night. No
one dared to venture out to learn the cause, lest their curi-
osity should be summarily punished. In those days it was
dangerous to seek to know more than the priesthood chose
to tell. In fact, everything but a blind following of fanat-
ical doctrines wa
The morning following the night of ^whicrT 1 have spoken
put an end to the suspense. It was proclaimed everywhere
that the Joneses had been killed, and their dead bodies,
198 FIENDISH DOINGS AT PAYSON.
shockingly mutilated, were placed in a wagon, and ex-
posed to the crowd by being driven through the streets,
attended by a jeering, taunting mob, who could not cease
their insults though their victims were still in death. I did
not see the bodies, nor did my mother, although they were
driven past our door ; we both shunned the fearful sight.
But there were plenty of women who did look at them,
and who gloried in their death as a deed of service to the
Lord. Mrs. Jones was mixing bread at the time she was
shot, and the dough still remained clinging to her hands
after her death.
BLOOD ATONEMENT. SCENB DURING REFORMATION.
This was the way that " the Lord " was " worshipped " in
Utah in 1856 and 1857. T^havc^Jiear^ men sav. "IfJ[
apostatize, I hope some of my brethren will love me well_
"cnouglTtoslay me." The Saints are by no means a blood-
thiroty peuplu, "t)ot these are some of the results of the
teachings during the Reformation.
It may be a matter of wonder to many how honest-
hearted people could remain in a church that taught and
practiced so many and such fearful evils. Concerning the
murders, the majority of the people knew nothing, and sup-
posed that the Indians were the assassins, as they were
always told so. Yet some were sufficiently fanatical to
CAN BRIGHAM EVER ATONE? 199
believe that, if Brigham was the instigator, it was quite
right. "The ancient order of things was being restored."
I have heard many Mormons declare that they hoped,
some time, light would be thrown on these dark deeds, and
the murderers made to pay the penalty of their crimes.
But those who suspected that the authorities of the church
were implicated felt that their only safeguard was silence.
Those living in Utah during the Reformation, and seeing it
in all its horrors, as I did, know very well the spirit of the
teachings in the Tabernacle ; and although many may be
slow to impute the commission of crime to Brigham Young,
they cannot but admit that his teachings all tended to
make crime prevalent. And if they do not acknowledge
his direct agency, they must see that his influence all went
in the direction of the atonement of sin by blood. As far
as I am concerned, I do not hesitate to say that I believe
all these murders lie at his door, and that he will have to
be personally responsible for them. His hands are red
with innocent blood, his garments dyed with it, and no
"Atonement 5 * can ever wash out the damning spots.
CHAPTER XI.
"DIVINE EMIGRATION." T^HE PROPHET AND THE
HAND-CART SCHEME.
Early Emigration to Utah. The Prophet Meditates Economy. The
" Divine Plan " Invented. How it was Revealed to the Saints. They
Prepare to " Gather to Zion." How the Hand- Carts were Built. The
Sufferings of the Emigrants. On Board Ship. An Apostolic Quar-
rel. Base Conduct of the Apostle Taylor. The Saints arrive in Iowa
City. How the Summer-time was Wasted. Beginning a Terrible
Journey. Suffering by the Way. "Going Cheap." They reach
Council Bluffs. Levi Savage Behaves Bravely. Lying Prophecy of
the Apostle Richards. How the Emigrants were Deceived. Brigham
Young sends Help to Them. Two Apostles are Denounced. The
Prophet in a Fix. He lays His own Sins on the Backs of Others.
Preparing to Receive the Emigrants.
N the history of any people
there has never been re-
corded a case of such
gross mismanagement as
that of gathering the for-
eign Saints to Zion in the
year 1856.
Until this disastrous
year the emigrants had
always made the journey
across the plains with ox-
teams, under the charge
of some of the returning
elders, who were trium-
phantly bringing the fruits
of their labors in foreign vineyards to garner them in Zion.
The able-bodied walked, and those who were too young, too
old, or too, feeble to perform the journey on foot, went in the
t EMIGRANTS' LANDING-PLACE,
Castle Gardens, New York.
THE DIVINE EMIGRATION SCHEME. 2OI
wagons with the baggage. It was in tne same way that the
Saints themselves made their first journey across the plains,
and in the proper season of the year was a safe and a pleas-
ant journey. Tedious and wearisome, to be sure, but in no
way perilous, as plenty of provisions, bedding, and clothing
could be carried, not only for the journey, but sufficient to
last some time after the arrival.
The cost of emigration in this way was from 10 to 12,
English money, or nominally $50 to $60 in gold not
very expensive, surely, for a journey from Liverpool to Salt
Lake City ; but to Brigham, in one of his fits of economy, it
seemed altogether too costly, and he set to work to devise
some means for retrenchment. During the entire winter of
1855-56, he and his chief supporters were in almost con-
stant consultation on the subject of reducing the expenses of
emigration, and they finally hit upon the expedient of having
them cross the plains with hand-carts, wheeling their own
provisions ancj baggage, and so saving the expense of
teams. The more Brigham thought of his plan, the more
in love he grew with it, and he sent detailed instructions
concerning _it to the Apostle Franklin D. Richards, the
Mormon agent at Liverpool, who published it in the " Mil-
lennial Star? as the new " divine plan " revealed to Brother
Brigham by the Lord, whose will it was that the journey
should be made in this manner.
My father was in England when the " command of the
Lord concerning them " was given to the gathering Saints,
and their enthusiastic devotion and instant acceptance of the
revelation showed how entirely they entrusted themselves to
the leadership of their superiors in the church, implicitly
believing them to be inspired of God. They were told by
Richards, in the magazine, and by their missionaries in
their addresses, that they should meet many difficulties,
that trials would be strewn along their path, and occasional
dangers meet them, but that the Lord's chosen people
were to be a tried people, and that they should come out
202
PREPARING FOR THE PILGRIMAGE.
APOSTLE FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS,
Husband of Ten Wives.
unscathed, and enter Zion with great triumph and rejoicing,
coming out from the world as by great tribulation; that
the Lord would hold them in
special charge, and they need
not fear terror by night nor pes-
tilence that walketh at noon-
day, for they should not so
much as hurt a foot against a
stone.
It was represented to them
that they were specially privi-
leged and honored in thus
being called by the Lord to be
the means of showing His
power and revealing glory to
a world lying in darkness and
overwhelmed with guilt, de-
serted by God and given over to destruction. Considering
the class of people from whom most of the converts were
made, it is not at all strange that all this talk should impress
their imaginations and arouse their enthusiasm. Emotion,
instead of reason, guided them almost entirely, and they
grew almost ecstatic over the new way in which they were
called to Zion.
The United States government was beginning to trouble
itself a little about Utah ; and in order to make the church
as strong as possible, in case of an invasion, Brigham was
anxious to increase the number of emigrants, and requested
Apostle Richards to send as many as he possibly could.
To do this, the elders counselled all the emigrants, who had
more money than they needed, to deposit it with the Apostle
Richards for the purpose of assisting the poor to Zion. The
call was instantly and gladly obeyed, and the number of
Saints bound Zion-ward was thereby nearly doubled. In
the face of the disaster which attended it, it has been the
boast of some of the missionaries and elders that this was
BRIGHAM SUMMONS THE SAINTS. 2O3
the largest number that ever was sent over at one time.
So much greater, then, is the weight of responsibility which
rests upon the souls of those who originated and carried out
this selfish design, made more selfish, more cruel, and more
terribly culpable for the hypocrisy and deceit which attended
it from its conception to its disastrous close.
Great, however, as was the number of emigrants who
that year crossed the plains to Utah, as many, if not
more, have, during various seasons since then, traversed
the same route ; although, of course, for obvious rea-
sons, it is difficult to give approximate statistics. During
the summer of 1862 the same year in which Eliza Snow
and Geo. A. Smith, the fattest of all fat apostles, together
with a select company of Saints, wandered off to the
Holy Land in order to bring it within the dominions of
Brigham it was said that more Mormons were landed at
Castle Gardens than during any other previous year. I
cannot say whether this is true ; but it is a fact that only
a few weeks ago seven or eight hundred were landed in
New York, and every few weeks, all through the summer,
other ship-loads will arrive.
On the I4th of March, 1856, my father, who was at
Sheffield, England, engaged in missionary work, received
a telegram from Richards, telling him to come at once to
Liverpool for the purpose of taking passage for America in
the mail-packet Canada, which was to sail for Boston on the
i5th. He had no time to say good-bye to his friends, but
made his preparations hurriedly, and left Sheffield as soon as
possible. On arriving atLiverpool and consulting with Rich-
ards, he learned that he had been sent for to assist in the
proposed hand-cart expedition, and that his part of the work
was to be performed in the United States. He, being a
practical wagon-maker, was to oversee the building of the
carts. In twenty-four hours after the receipt of the tele-
gram his first intimation that he was to be called home
he was on his way. The passage was unusually rough,
204 "APOSTLES" EMBEZZLE THE FUNDS.
and he was glad enough to see the shores of America after
tossing about on the ocean for fifteen days. He landed in
Boston the 3Oth of March, and went immediately to Iowa
City, the gathering-place of the Saints prior to their depart-
ure for Utah, arriving there the loth of April.
He expected, of course, to go to work at once, and was
very impatient to do so, as it was very nearly the season
when the emigrants should start to cross the plains, and the
first vessel filled with them was already due in New York.
He knew that it would be a waste both of time and money
to keep them in Iowa City any longer than was absolutely
necessary ; besides which, after a certain date, every day
would increase the perils of crossing the plains. But when
he arrived, Daniel Spencer, the principal agent, was east on
a visit, and did not make his appearance until an entire
month had expired ; and there was all that valuable time
wasted in order that one man might indulge in a little pleas-
ure. What were a thousand or more human lives in com-
parison to his enjoyment? Less than nothing, it would
seem, in his estimation.
Not only were there no materials provided to work with,
but no provision had been made for sheltering the poor
Saints, who had already commenced to arrive by ship-loads.
Their condition was pitiable in the extreme ; they had met
nothing but privation from the time they left England. The
trials that had been promised them they had already en-
countered, but so great was their faith, that they bore it all
without a word of complaint, and some even rejoicing that
it was their lot to suffer for the cause of their religion ; they
were sure they should all be brought to Zion in safety, for
had not God promised that through the mouth of His holy
Prophet? Their faith was sublime in its exaltation ; and in
contrast to it, the cold-blooded, scheming, blasphemous
policy of Young and his followers shows out false, and
blacker than ever. To have deceived a credulous people
by wanton misrepresentation is wicked enough, but to do it
MISERIES OF THE OCEAN-TRANSIT. 205
"in the name of the Lord " is a sin that can never be atoned
for to God or man. It is the height of blasphemy, and I
fairly shudder as I endeavor to comprehend, in some slight
degree, the magnitude of such an offence.
They had been crowded and huddled together on ship-
board more like animals than like human beings ; their
food had been insufficient and of bad quality ; the sleeping
accommodations were limited, and there was not the proper
amount of bedding for those who were compelled to sleep in
the more exposed places. Some of the persons who saw
MORMON EMIGRANTS ON SHIPBOARD.
the emigrants, say that it was like nothing so much as an
African slave-ship, filled with its unlawful and ill-gotten
freight. The air in the steerage, where most of the emi-
grants were, was noxious, and yet these people were com-
pelled to breathe it through all the days of the voyage.
Many were too ill to leave their beds, and a change of
clothing was out of the question. The entire floor was
covered with mattresses, and it was impossible to walk about
without stepping over some one. Men, women, and children
were huddled in -together in the most shameless fashion.
Affairs were not much bettered when they arrived at New
2O6 STRANGERS PENNILESS AND HELPLESS !
York ; the Apostle John Taylor,- whose duty it was to pro-
vide for them there, was too deeply engaged in a quarrel
with Apostle Franklin D. Richards, as to which of the two
was higher in authority, to attend to these poor creatures,
who were thrown on his protection, penniless and helpless,
in a strange country. But everyone must understand that
his personal dignity must be attended to and his position
maintained, if all the poor Saints that were emigrated, or
dreamed of emigrating, should die of starvation and exposure.
I think the great body of Saints must have learned before this
time that it is by no means safe to trust to the tender mercies
of a Mormon Apostle. When, after a while, the Apostle
Taylor's imperative personal business allowed him a moment
in which to think of the unhappy emigrants, he started them
for Iowa City, where they arrived only to experience a
repetition of their New York sufferings, and see another
illustration of apostolic neglect. Nothing had been prepared
for them either in the way of shanties or tents, and they
were compelled to camp in the open air, their only roof a
sky that was not always blue. While in camp, there were
several very severe rain-storms, from which, as they had no
shelter, there was no escape ; they got completely drenched,
and this caused a great deal of severe illness among them.
They were unprotected alike from burning sun and pitiless,
chilling rain, and it is no wonder that fevers and dysentery
prevailed, and that hundreds of longing eyes closed in death
before they beheld the Zion of their hopes.
It would have been strange if the faith of some had not
wavered then ; yet none dared complain. There was noth-
ing to do but to go on to the end. They were thousands
of miles from home, with no means of returning, and they
were taught, too, that it would be a curse upon them to turn
their backs on Zion. So there they remained through the
long summer days, waiting helplessly until they should be
ordered to move onward.
At length my father saw his way clear to commence his
BUILDING THE HAND-CARTS. 2Oy
work, and he went to work with a will, pressing everyone
who could be of actual assistance into his service. But
here the trouble commenced again. He was instructed to
make the wagons on as economical a plan as possible, and
every step that he took he found himself hedged about by
impossibilities. The agents all talked economy, and when
one did not raise an objection to a proposal, another did,
and difficulties were placed in his way constantly.
They did not wish to furnish iron for the tires, as it was
too expensive ; raw hide, they were sure, would do just
as well. My father argued this point with them until at
last the agents decided to give up raw hides, and they fur-
nished him with hoop iron. He was annoyed and angry,
all the while he was making the carts, at the extreme parsi-
mony displayed. A thorough workman himself, he wanted
good materials to work with ; but every time he asked for
anything, no matter how absolutely necessary it was to
make the work sufficiently durable to stand the strain of so
long a journey, the reply invariably was, " O, Brother Webb,
the carts must be made cheap. We can't afford this expen-
diture ; you are too extravagant in your outlay ; " forget-
ting, in their zeal to follow their Prophet's instructions, what
the consequences would be to the poor Saints, if delayed on
their way to the Valley, by having to stop to repair their
carts.
As soon as was possible they started companies on the
way. My father strongly objected to any of them starting
after the last of June ; but he was overruled, and the last
company left Iowa City the middle of August, for a journey
across arid plains and over snow-clad mountains, which it
took twelve weeks of the quickest travelling at that time to
accomplish ; and in the manner in which these emigrants
were going it would take much longer. He also opposed
their being started with such a scanty allowance of provis-
ions. He insisted they should have at least double the
amount; but in this attempt, also, he was unsuccessful, and
2O8 GOING CHEAP !
one of the survivors of the expedition afterwards said that
the rations which were given out to each person for a day
could easily be eaten at breakfast. They consisted of ten
ounces of flour for each adult, and hallf that amount for
each child under eight years of age. At rare intervals, a
little rice, coffee, sugar, and bacon were doled out to the
hungry travellers, but this was not often done. Many of
the people begged of the farmers in Iowa, so famished were
they, and so inadequate was their food which was sup-
plied them by the agents. They were limited, too, in the
matter of baggage, and again my father tried to use his
influence, but all to no purpose ; so much might go, but not
a pound more.
Almost discouraged, and altogether disgusted with the
meanness and heartless carelessness which were exhibited
throughout the whole affair, as far, at least, as he had ex-
perience with it, he yet made one more -attempt to aid the
unfortunate travellers, whose trials, great as they had been,
had really not fairly begun. His last proposition was, that
more teams should be provided, so that the feeble, who
were not likely to endure the fatigues of the long march,
should have an opportunity of riding ; but he was met again
with the inevitable reply, " Can't do it, Brother Webb. We
tell you we can't afford it ; they must go cheap." It was
dear enough in the end, if human lives count for anything.
My father never speaks of those days of preparation in
Iowa City that he does not grow indignant. It might have
been averted had not Brigham Young been so parsimoni-
ous, and his followers so eager to curry favor with him, by
carrying out his instructions more implicitly than there was
any need of doing. They were only quarrelled and found
fault with, and reprimanded publicly in the Tabernacle
for their faithfulness to him, when it became necessary to
shield himself from odium in the matter. Nothing more
would have happened if they had obeyed the instincts of
humanity, and deferred a little to their consciences, and they
REMONSTRANCES OF NO AVAIL. 2Op
certainly would have been better off, as they would at least
have retained their own self-respect, and the regard of their
unfortunate charges, which, it is needless to say, they lost
most completely.
When some of the last companies reached Council Bluffs,
better known to most Mormons as "Winter-Quarters,"
there was considerable controversy whether it was best to
try and go any farther before spring. Most of the emi-
grants knew nothing of the climate and the perils of the
undertaking, and were eager to press on to Zion. Four
men only in the company had crossed the plains ; those
were captains of the trains Willie, Atwood, Savage, and
Woodward ; but there were several elders at this place
superintending emigration. Of these, Levi Savage was the
only one to remonstrate against attempting to reach Salt
Lake Valley so late in the season. He declared that it
would be utterly impossible to cross the mountains without
great suffering, and even death.
His remonstrances availed about as much my father's had
done in regard to their starting. He was defeated and rep-
rimanded very sharply for his want of faith. He replied
that there were cases where " common sense " was the best
guide, and he considered this to be one. "However," said
he, " seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you, will
help you all I can, will work with you, suffer with you,
and, if necessary, die with you."
Very soon after the departure of the last company of the
emigrants from Iowa City, my father, with the other elders,
started for the Valley in mule-teams, intending to return,
if they found it necessary, to bring succor to the poor wan-
dering people. In the company with my father were
Apostle Franklin D. Richards, and Elders W. H. Kimball,
G. D. Grant, Joseph A. Young, Brigham's oldest son, and
several others, all of whom were returning to Utah from
foreign missions, and all of whom had been engaged in
the expedition.
14
2IO SHORT SUPPLY OF FOOD AND CLOTHING.
They overtook the emigrants at their camp on the North
Fork of the Platte River, and camped with them over
night. Richards was told of the opposition which Savage
had made, and he openly rebuked him'' in the morning.
He then informed the Saints that " though it might storm
on the right hand and on the left, yet the storms should not
reach them. The Lord would keep the way open before
them, and they should reach Zion in safety." It maybe
that he believed all this nonsense himself. It\is to be hoped,
for charity's sake, that he did. If that were the case, how-
ever, it is a pity that he had not been endowed with a
little of Levi Savage's common sense. It would have been
much better for the Saints than all his vaunted "spirit of
prophecy."
It is a significant fact, that in the very face of his proph-
ecy, delivered to the victims of his zeal in the cause of
Brigham Young, he was anxious to hasten his arrival in
Salt Lake in order to send assistance back to -the patient
Hand-Cart emigrants, who, he must have seen, would soon
be in sore straits for food and clothing. The rations were
scanty, and would soon have to be lessened ; the nights
were chilly, and fast growing cold ; and already the seven-
teen pounds of bedding and clothing allowed to each one
were scarcely sufficient protection ; and as the season ad-
vanced, and they approached the mountains, it would be
totally inadequate. It was fortunate that they did not know
the climate of the country, and the terrible hardships to
which they were to be exposed, else their hearts would
have failed them, and they would have had no courage to
have recommenced the journey. My father realized it, and
so did most of the party with him ; yet they had no idea
how horrible it was to be, else they would have insisted
upon their remaining in camp until spring. Even the usu-
ally indifferent heart of Joseph A. was touched, and he
hurried on to impress upon his father the urgent need for
immediate assistan.ee. for those poor, forlorn creatures whom
BRIGHAMS RESPONSIBILITY. 211
he left preparing to cross the mountains, where they would
of a surety meet the late autumn and early winter storms,
and where so many of them must of a certainty perish of
exposure and hunger. He had no faith in the apostolic
prophecy, which seemed a mockery to all those who knew
the hardships of the journey which lay before these faithful
souls before they could reach the Zion of their hopes.
My father had been four years absent from us, yet such
was his concern for the poor people whom he so recently
left, and who had been his care for so long, that he could
only stay, to give us the most hurried greetings. Jiis_glad-
ness at his return^ and our^ responsive joy, were marred by
fire"thougHt of the sufferings andprivations of those ear-
ne^trrimple-hearted Saints, 'Who Had literally ^ leiTaTfTTrfbl-
low the beck oi one whom" they" supposed ^to be "the Prophet
oTrhe-fcurU. ' Afiei all 'these yearToT absenceT-frr-rM
"staid IvviTtfays with us, as short a time as it could pos^"
sibly take to get the relict-train ready witn the supplies.
44y^^righam-OTmg^riTrai'aiid^uii&LiuiiLuiiBfr have
been touched, for he really seemed for a while to forget
himself in the earnestness with which he pushed forward
the preparations for relief. He fairly arose to the occasion,
and held back nothing which could contribute to the com-
fort and welfare of his poor, forlorn followers. Yetjie^waa
only acting as both justice and decency commanded that he
jhould act. He was the cause of all this terrible suffering^
"and he iclt mat he should be made answerable. Such a
transaction as this could by no means remain unknown. It
would be spread over America and Europe, and used as a
strong weapon against Mormonism and its leader, already
unpopular enough. He realized the mistake he had made
when too late to rectify it, and, with his usual moral cow-
ardice, he set about hunting for somebody on whose shoul-
ders to shift the blame from his own. Richards and Spen-
cer were the unfortunate victims, and he turned his wrath
against them, in private conversation and in public assem-
212 SHIFTING THE BLAME.
blies, until they were nearly crushed by the weight of op-
probrium which he heaped upon them. He was nearly
beside himself with fear of the consequences which would
follow, when this crowning act of selfish cupidity and ego-
tistical vanity and presumption should be known. Love of
approbation is a striking characteristic of this Latter-Day
Prophet T and he puffs_and__swells with self-importance at
every_word he receives, even of the baldest, most insincere
jlatterv, and he^ringes and crouchesm as servilelTmari^
ner as a whipped cur, when any adverse criticism is passed
uporT^ither Ins -personnel or his actions. A moral as well
as a physical coward, he dares not face a just opinion of
himself and his deeds, and he sneaks, and skulks, and
hides behind any one he can find who is broad enough to
shield him.
My father's disgust at a religion which submitted to such
chicanery, and his distrust of Brigham Young, were so
great, that he was very near apostatizing ; but my mother
again held him to the church. She argued and explained ;
she wept and she entreated, until he said no more about it.
But though, for her sake, he took no steps towards leaving
the church and renouncing the faith, he felt daily his dis-
gust and distrust increasing, and he never again believed
so strongly in the Mormon religion, and ever after regarded
Brigham with much less awe and respect than formerly.
CHAPTER XII.
BRIGHAM'S HAND-CART SCHEME, CONTINUED. FAIL-
URE OF THE "DIVINE PLAN."
Arrival of the First Train. Fearful Sufferings of the Emigrants.
Women and Girls toiling at the Carts. The Prophet's "Experi-
ment." Burying the Dead. Greater Mortality among the Men.
Arrival of Assistance. Hand-Cart Songs. Scenes in the Camp of
the Emigrants. How every Prophecy of the Elders was Falsified.
How the Tennant Family were Shamelessly Robbed. One of the
Vilest Swindles of the Prophet. Mr. Tennant's Unhappy Death.
His Wife Views the " Splendid Property " Bought from Brigham.
Brigham Cheats her out of her Last Dollar. She is Reduced to Ab-
ject Poverty. The Apostle Taylor Hastens to Zion. Richards and
Spencer are made Scapegoats. Brigham evades all Responsibility.
Utter Failure of the " Divine Plan."
HE first Hand-Cart Com-
panies, which had left
Iowa City early in the
season, arrived in the Salt
Lake Valley the last of
September. They were
very much fatigued, and
were greatly rejoiced when
their journey was ended.
The entire company had
waded every river on the
route to Salt Lake, and,
as a consequence, the
health of almost every
man and woman was com-
pletely broken. The married women suffered the least, as
they only had to assist their husbands in pulling the hand-
"SOME MUST PUSH, AND SOME MUST PULL.'
214 THE CAMP OF DEATH.
carts. The young girls had to pull theirs unassisted, and
they were literally worn out with the exertion. The chil-
dren were placed on the carts when they became tired, and
so added weight to already overburdened wagons. It was
when the second of these companies came in thaU Brigham
Young was heard to say, as he rubbed his hands and
smiled with overflowing complacency, "This experiment is
a success."
Alas for Brother Brigham, this remark was overheard by
some of the emigrants, and it is needless to 'say that their
faith in "inspiration," and "revelation," was very much
weakened ; and the subsequent adventures 6f their friends
and companions, whose arrival had been delayed, by no
means tended to reassure them, or restore their waning be-
lief. It was enough to be the victims of a heartless and
mercenary experiment ; but to be deluded into the belief
that it was by the direct revelation of the will of the Lord
made it harder to bear, and there was much bitterness of
spirit expressed when the people who had endured so much,
and gloried in the endurance, because jp sn doing thty
were obeying_tljf commands of ^nd. Iqarned-thai-tkeir suf-
fenngs were borne merely to help filMhe purses of a false
pfopiiul and IjE
When the relief train reached Captain Willie's company,
they were camped on the Sweetwater, near the Rocky
Ridges. They had eaten their last provisions, and death
was staring them pitilessly in the face. The camp was
filled with dead and dying. There was no help for the
latter, and the poor souls had lost all desire to live. They
were waiting, with almost apathetic indifference, for release,
while those dearest to them were doubly agonized because
they must see the loved ones perish, and they were helpless
even to bring comforts to them, or make life easier while it
lasted. Those who were strong enough, dug one large
grave in which all the dead were laid together. It was
the best they could do ; but their hands were no less tender
THE LAST, LONG SLEEP.
2IS
and loving, their hearts no less sore, than if the last
rites had been as imposing as those of royalty itself. The
only thing they could do to prepare their dear ones for the
grave was to close the eyes, the loving eyes that, to the
very last, had turned longingly Zion-ward; to fold the
pulseless hands over the silent hearts that, through all the
hardships and toil, had kept their trust firm and their faith
bright ; to straighten out the tired feet that, bleeding and
RELIEF IN SIGHT.
sore, had yet toiled joyfully along the rugged path that led
to the fair Canaan of their dreams ; to smooth the tangled
hair away from haggard faces, where the lines of care lay
heavily, and yet through which the light of peace divine
shone serene and pure ; to arrange as decently as possi-
ble the tattered garments, which were their only clothing
for the tomb, and to lay them, coffinless, in their cold bed
in the Rocky Mountains, in their last, long sleep ; then to
2l6 STARVATION BEATEN AWAY.
go away and leave them there, with the relentless winter
storms beating upon them, and no stone to mark their rest-
ing-place. The road from Winter-Quarters to Salt Lake
was a via dolor osa indeed.
Thirteen had died in Willie's camp the day that succor
reached them ; two more died the next day ; and all were
buried in one grave. The men succumbed to death before
the women. The cause, no doubt, was the greater weari-
ness on account of their more arduous exertions, and their
wonderful self-denial for the sake of their wives and chil-
dren. They would work just so long as they could, then
fall dead in front of their carts, their hands still holding
them tight in the tenacious grasp of death. There was no
time for mourning or delay. Hurried graves were dug,
and the bodies placed therein, hastily covered, then the
survivors must press on again. Wives left their husbands,
husbands their wives, parents their children, and children
their parents, under the frozen earth of the desert and
mountain ridges.
When the poor Saints knew that assistance had really
reached them, that starvation was beaten away and death
held at bay, their joy knew no bounds. They cried like
children, men as well as women, and burst forth into prayer
and songs of praise. They attacked the food like famished
animals, and ate it with a wolfish greed. The scene is one
that can never be adequately described. It was full of a
terrible pathos. It told of a suffering that never can be
comprehended except by those who endured it. The
clothing and bedding were then divided between them, and
they were made comfortable as the)'' could be under the
circumstances. That night, for the first time for many
weeks, the sounds of rejoicing were heard through the
camp. They were not forgotten of the Lord, nor deserted
by his people ; and again they found heart to sing their
hand-cart hymns which had been written for them by some
enthusiastic members of the train.
THE HAND-CART SONGS. 2 17
Contrast one of their songs, if you please, with the situa-
tion when relief from Salt Lake reached them :
" We're going to Zion with our carts,
And the Spirit of God within our hearts ;
The old, decrepit, feeble dame
Will lend a hand to pull the same ;
For some must push and some must pull,
As we go marching up the hill,
Until we reach the Valley, O !
" Our maidens, they will dance and sing,
Our young men happier be than kings,
Our strength increasing every day,
As we go travelling up the way.
Yes, some must push and some must pull,
As we go marching up the hill,
Until we reach the Valley, O ! "
Rough in phraseology, and rude in structure, it yet
shows the spirit which animated the converts when they
first started on their pilgrimage to the promised land.
Another favorite song had a stirring chorus, as follows :
u Hurrah for the camp of Israel !
Hurrah for the Hand-Cart scheme !
Hurrah ! hurrah ! 'tis better far
Than the wagon and ox-team."
In this song the " divine plan " was extolled with all the
enthusiastic fervor with which it was first expounded to
them by the elders in England. It is needless to say that
these songs were written in the first glow of the furor, be-
fore any of the hardships even of the sea-voyage had been
encountered. They were not sung after the first encounter
with a mountain storm ; that took the heart out of them.
Even in the rejoicing at their deliverance, they sang only
the hymns, making no attempt even to revive the spirit of
the hand-cart songs.
2l8 TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS.
After seeing Captain Willie's company made comforta-
ble, the relief train started east again in search of Captain
Martin's company. This they found in camp at Grease
Wood Creek, twenty miles from Willie's camp. The suf-
fering in this company was quite equal to that of the com-
pany just relieved, and precisely the same scenes were en-
acted. They were wild with joy, and men and women fell
on the necks of their deliverers with sobs and kisses, call-
ing them their saviours, and invoking blessings of all kinds
on their heads.
The camp was filled with dead and dying, and many had
been left behind that day, having fallen exhausted in the
way. The storm had been blinding, and their companions
could not stop for them ; they could only hasten on while
daylight lasted, making their slow, painful progress to-
wards the haven of their rest. My father and his com-
rades spent the night in searching for those that were left
behind, and bringing them into camp, where they were
tenderly cared for. Many of them died very soon after
being brought in ; others lived, but they were maimed for
life, feet and hands, in many cases, having been literally
frozen off. This was the people, "the chosen people of
God, for whose benefit the Indians, the seasons, nay, the
very elements themselves, should be controlled." Their
belief in " prophecy " must have been severely tried by
this shock.
Everything had happened to them to make their journey
hard. Their carts had broken down repeatedly, as my
father had prophesied they would, and a great deal of de-
lay had been caused by the frequent stopping for repairs ;
their cattle had stampeded, so that their supply of milk and
fresh beef was cut off, and only oxen enough left to allow
one yoke to a team ; some of the men who dropped behind
the others, wearied with the journey, were eaten by wolves ;
very many had died, and others were hopelessly crippled ;
the winter had set in earlier, and with severer storms than
EATEN BY THE WOLVES. 2Ip
have ever been known in all the Utah experience. It seemed
as if the Lord were punishing priest and people, the one for
the audacious assumption of power, the other for blind belief
in, and dependence on, earthly promises, even when pur-
porting to come from Him. Blasphemous presumption and
foolish ignorance were alike hateful in His sight.
-Richards had promised the people that they should find
supplies at Laramie, but he was unable to reach there with
them, and on their arrival the Saints found only a message
telling them that the supplies would be at South Pass. It
was with heavy hearts that they went on their toilsome way,
more discouraged than ever they had been before. The
swift-falling winter storms made matters worse, and it is
only a wonder that so many survived as did, that every
one did not perish before aid could reach them.
The day after reaching Martin's camp, the party from
Salt Lake pushed on about thirty miles farther east, walk-
ing most of the way, through a blinding snow, to meet
Captain Hunt's wagon train. They found the people con-
nected with this but very little better off than the Hand-Cart
companies ; they were suffering severely from the intense
cold, and many had their limbs frozen. Captain Hunt
might have hastened and reached Salt Lake City earlier,
but he had been expressly forbidden to pass the hand-carts,
which shows conclusively enough that those very persons
who sent the emigrants off at that unfavorable season feared
for the results. This was the last company that was to be
relieved, and so my father and his companions remained
with the train until it overtook the hand-carts at Devil's
Gate.
At this point the train was unloaded, and all the goods
which were going to Salt Lake City, that could actually be
spared, were left there for the winter, and the wagons were
filled with the sick and feeble emigrants, who could never
have reached the Valley but for this aid. The progress
was necessarily slow, but the people were so much more
22O ANOTHER PROPHETIC BLUNDER.
comfortable that the time did not drag so heavily. There
were very few deaths after the mountains were well crossed,
and a milder climate reached, and those who were ill grew
better, although the majority of them have never been well
since.
At Fort Bridger, one hundred and thirty miles from Salt
Lake City, the emigrants were met by an order from ^rig-
ham Young to winter there and at Fort Supply. A/gen-
eral feeling of dismay spread over the camp, in spite of the
joy with which the Saints received the added supplies of
food and clothing. To be so near their destination, and
yet to be kept from it, seemed doubly hard, after all the
sorrow and hardships they had met and endured on their
way. It did indeed seem as though the way to the land of
promise was closed, instead of being opened to them. Were
they, like Moses of old, to die in sight of their Canaan?
Had they been brought all this way only to perish just out-
side the walls of their Zion ?
The places designated by Brigham were totally unfit to
winter in. Should the poor Saints, in their feeble and
emaciated condition, attempt it, it was more than likely
that they would perish before spring. Seeing the utter im-
practicability of the plan, and touched by the distress of
the poor people, who were again to be made the victims
of a prophetic blunder, two or three of the relieving party,
among them my father, came at once to the city, travelling
day and night, to have arrangements made to bring them
to the Valley.
They were successful in their mission, and an express
was at once despatched to bring the waiting Saints home.
When at length they arrived, they were met with gladness,
and given the warmest welcome. The people in Salt Lake
City opened their houses to them, and took them gladly in,
giving them the best and the kindest care. Those of
the Hand-Cart companies, who had come in first, crowded
round them, and met them with tears of rejoicing, in which
MEETING OF HAND-CART COMPANIES. 221
sorrow mingled. It was then that they began to realize
their loss. As one after another of their old companions
came up, and missing some familiar face, inquired for the
friend so dearly beloved, always the same sad answer came
" Died on the Plains." Sixty-seven were left on the way
from the Missouri River to the Valley, which was about
one sixth^pXjthe number whirl) started. ^
XTremember distinctly when these companies came in ;
their wretched condition impressed me at the time, and
I have seen many of them since, poor crippled crea-
tures, stumping about the city, trying to do enough work
ARRIVAL OP "HAND-CART COMPANIES" AT SALT LAKE CITY.
to keep soul and body together ; more than that, they were
not able to do. I have heard, too, from some of them, the
most harrowing stories of their journey, that terrible, fatal
journey, which was one of the very worst blunders that the
Prince of Blunderers, Brigham Young, ever made.
The recollection is made more vivid because my young-
est brother, Edward, who went out with a team to assist the
emigrants, got lost in the snow, and for a week we
supposed him to be dead. After wandering for some days
in the mountains, with both feet badly frozen, he was
found by a mountaineer named Battiste, who kept him,
222 THE PROPHET'S DISINTERESTED GENEROSITY.
and cared for him most kindly, until the arrival of my
father, who had heard, while with the train, that he was
missing, and had gone at once in search of him. It was a
narrow escape, and the terrible expedition came near prov-
ing a tragedy to us as well as to so many others.
Among the emigrants was a x very wealthy gentleman of
the name of Tennant. He and his wife were among the
early converts, and were very earnest Mormons. They had
for a long time been resolved to come to Zion. and when
the Hand-Cart scheme was introduced they decided to join
that company. Humble followers of Christ, they thought
they could in no better way show their love for Him and
their devotion to their religion, than by such an act of self-
sacrifice as this. Possessed of ample means to have crossed
the ocean and travelled in the most comfortable and even
luxurious manner, they nevertheless chose to go in this
way, with the poorest of the Saints, and share with them all
the hardships and dangers which should attend this toil-
some, perilous journey.
Mr. Tennant gave liberally to the emigration fund, in
order that as many poor Saints as possible might make the
long-anticipated pilgrimage to Zion, and both himself and
his wife provided liberally for the comfort of their poor fel-
low-travellers. A short time before the emigrant company
left England, the Apostle Richards, in one of his eloquent
dissertations on the "plan" and its divine origin, said that in
order to assist the poor to emigrate, President Young had
given to the Emigration Fund Society an estate in Salt Lake
City, to be sold for its benefit. He dilated largely upon the
disinterested generosity of the Prophet, and his desire that
as many as possible of his faithful followers should be gath-
ered to Zion during that season. Fired by this act of
extreme kindness on the part of his revered leader in the
church, Mr. Tennant at once bought the property, and paid,
it is said, thirty thousand dollars down for it. There is
little need, perhaps, of saying that that was immensely more
SAD DEATH OF MR. TENNANT. 223
than its real value ; but that fact its purchaser was not aware
of, as it was glorified by all the apostolic eloquence be-
stowed upon it, quite beyond recognition.
On the voyage , and during the journey across the States,
and the tiresome waiting time at Iowa City, no one was
more beloved than Mr. Tennant and his gentle, estimable
wife. Sharing alike with the poorer Saints, no word of
complaint ever passed their lips. They never for a moment
seemed to regret their decision to emigrate at this particular
time, but accepted every fresh hardship as a trial to their
faith, sent by God Himself to test them, and prove their
worthiness to enter His glorious kingdom on earth. They
moved among their companions with kindly faces and words
of cheer and comfort. They encouraged endurance by their
example, and made the forced discomforts of some of the
party seem easier to bear by their voluntary assumption of
them. As far as they could they alleviated the distress
which prevailed, and were always ready to perform any.
deeds of kindness.
The journey with the hand-carts was doubly hard for
them, unused as they were to exertion; and day after day
the wife saw the husband slowly succumbing to fatigue and
disease, and she powerless to assist him. But, though his
strength waned and his health failed him, yet his courage
and his faith remained steadfast and fixed. Whatever came
he believed would surely be right, and though he struggled
manfully to keep up until he should reach Zion, yet he was
overcome, and died at O'Fallon's Bluffs, literally of ex-
haustion. His last thought was for his sorrowing wife, and
his last word was of comfort and consolation to her. He
had one thought to make the parting easier he had pro-
vided a home for her in Zion ; Brother Brigham held it in
trust for her, and she would find the comforts to which she
was used, and rest and peace in the Valley with the chosen
people.
The bereaved wife clung wildly to her husband's remains,
22 4
A VILE SWINDLE BY BRIGHAM YOUNG.
with the most heart-broken lamentations. To have him die
was a misery in itself; but to see the slow, cruel torture
which he underwent, and to watch him slowly dying such a
horrible death, was almost unbearable. For a time it
seemed almost as though she must be left there with him ;
that her soul would follow his. Happier would it have been
for her had that fate been hers. The cold earth and pitiless
winter storms would not be so cold and so pitiless as the
world was to her, after this loving protecting arm was taken
from her. A woman, unused to toil and hardship, nur-
tured in luxury, reared in tenderness and love, she was left
alone to battle single-handed with the world. And__such a
world ! whose ruling passion wag av^rice 1 apd_whos de-
"was anotner j s torture* tip umlil nf Muiihnii i mil
ruled over by a graspinr. Ifrhfrmis. hrnrtlcfiP tyrant,
who laughed at a womanV sorrows apd flouted at her
wrongs. I think ii she had known all that was to ronow,"
she would have lain down on the plain by the side of her
dead husband, and endured the torture/of a horrible, slow-
death, rather than have gone on to the years of suffering
which lay before her.
It is fortunate, indeed, that the future is so closely veiled
to us ; else we should all lose heart and courage in this un-
equal struggle called life, and lay down our weapons, con-
vinced that it is of no use to struggle longer. Providence
deals wisely with us, after all, and we are forced to admit it
at every step of our lives.
The hurried funeral rites were over, and the man who had
been so great a benefactor to the people among whom he
had cast his lot, was left sleeping his last sleep in a strange
land, and the sorrowing party resumed their weary way,
saddened by this affliction. Qn_the arrivalat Salt Lake
Mrs. Tennant at once proceeded to look-after .her property .
The " magnificent estate" for which, her husband had paid
DISGRACED FOR LIFE. 225
and out of repair, and worth not a tenth part of what had
been paid foi -tfrr^ - _
She was shocked and troubled at what seemed such a
piece of swindling on the part of the President and the
church authorities, although at first she was inclined to ex-
onerate Brigham Young and blame Apostle Richards for
misrepresentation ; but an audience with Brigham soon con-
vinced her that he was at the bottom of the whole affair,
and slue felt bitterly enough towards the man who, under the
guise of religious benevolence, would be guilty of such a
" uf Li JLkUl V . Jj,ven this poor shelter was not iett her
very long. The^place^ and ? indeed, most r>f ft* va1i]ahlt
things which, her ^"shnn^ h?H sent to make their home in
TZioiimore comfortable, were taken for tithing and on other
pretences, and in a very few months this woman was com-
pelled to go out to daily labor to earn her bread, her rightful
property going to fill the already overflowing coffers of the
" Prophet of the Lord." Indeed, the entire Hand-Cart expe-
dition was a good speculation"^ thp President^ and helped
replenish the
There is no doubt that Young did repent of this foolish
step of his, but it was not at all on account of the suffering
and misery which he entailed upon so many innocent per-
sons, but because he knew that an act of that kind, becoming
public, would make him and his religion more unpopular
than ever, and they were already in sufficiently bad odor
with the outside world. He could ill afford to make such a
blunder. It would also work against his influence with the
Saints themselves, and he was always jealous of his author-
ity over his people.
The Apostle John Taylor arrived home before either
Apostle Richards or Elder Spenser, and he, as a matter of
course, told his own story, throwing all the blame upon his
two co-workers, so that when they arrived they found the full
torrent of the Presidential wrath turned against them. They
were sadly hurt, for, in their zeal to carry out instructions
15
226 RICHARDS RESTORED TO FAVOR.
and gain the approbation of their leader, they had, they
affirmed, all through the affair, acted against the dictates
of humanity and their own consciences.
He was loud in his denunciations of them ; he cursed
them "in the name of Israel's God;" he ridiculed them in
public until they were compelled to hide their heads in very
shame. Their sole fault was, they had been too faithful to
him. Spenser never recovered from the disgrhce ; he always
remained a broken-down, helpless man, seeking no favor,
expecting none, not even decent treatment, from his master,
until, after lingering for ten years under the prophetic baji,
he died heart-broken. Richards has, in a degree, overcome
the President's feeling towards him, and is gaining favor
all the time, but he will never stand as high as he did before
this most unfortunate exhibition. The people will never
forget his share in it, and those who came to Zion, influ-
enced by his eloquent appeals and encouraged by his
prophecies, associate him naturally enough with that unhap-
py experience. Then, although Brigham Young has par-
tially restored him to favor by certain acts and kindnesses
granted to him, yet he has never taken back any of the
anathemas which he showered upon him, and they are by
no means forgotten by those who heard them, and have a
certain influence even now in forming public opinion.
Notwithstanding the terrible consequences of this " divine
plan," its originator did not wish to acknowledge that he
had in any way been mistaken. The plan, he argued, was
all right ; it only went wrong through mismanagement, and
he would prove its feasibility to the satisfaction of every
Saint in the Territory. The plan was "divine," and he
would "sanctify it to the glory of the Lord."
So in the April following he sent a company of elders on
a mission, compelling them to go with hand-carts. These
were properly made, of good material, strongly finished,
with iron tires, and everything to make them durable. They
had plenty of provisions ; so they would not be reduced to
A MISERABLE FAILURE. 227
the necessity of eating their own shoes nor biting their own
flesh in the mad frenzy of starvation, as many a poor fellow
did in the expedition whose w divinity " they were sent out to
prove. The season was favorable, and there was no danger
of their being overtaken by terrible mountain storms, under-
neath which they would be buried. They were all robust
young men, too ; better fitted to endure a journey like the
one ordained for them by their Prophet, than the feeble old
men and women, the young wives, mothers, and maidens,
and the tiny, toddling children, who formed a great portion
of the other company. Then they started fresh, not wearied
already by a rough sea-voyage, a journey thousands of
miles across the Continent, to the final starting-point, nor
reduced by hunger and exposure. They had the advan-
tage in everything, and yet, although their expedition was
by no means fatal, it was very far from being a "success,"
such as Brigham expected it to be.
On his way to Chiqago my father overtook them at Devil's
Gate. He found them completely jaded and worn out. In
truth, they were almost dead from weariness. They trav-
elled slowly, making long stops to rest, and finally they
reached the Missouri River in a perfect state of exhaustion.
They left their carts there with the utmost willingness,
showing wonderful alacrity at abandoning a " divine "
scheme. To this day they all aver they cannot bear to hear
the word " Hand-cart " mentioned. It was the last time the
w experiment " was tried, and after this but little was said
regarding the divine origin of the plan ; and it is a signifi-
cant fact that no one has preserved more utter silence on
the subject than the " Revelator," Brigham Young.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS' MASSACRE. VENGEANCE
IS MINE: I WILL REPAY."
The Results of the Reformation. The Story of a Fiendish Deed.
The People's Mouths Closed. How the Dreadful Crime was Hushed
Up. Judge Cradlebaugh's Efforts to Unravel the Mystery. Who
weie the Guilty Ones ? The Emigrants on the Way to Utah. The
People Forbidden to sell them Food. They Arrive at Salt Lake City.
Ordered to Break Camp. In need of Supplies. Who was Ac-
countable ? Why the Mormons hated the Emigrants. The Story of
Parley P. Pratt. How he Seduced McLean's Wife. Their Journey
to Cedar City. Hungry and Weary, but still Pressing On. They
Reach the Mountain Meadows. Attacked by "the Indians." The
Emigrants Besieged. Dying of Thirst. Two little Girls shot by the
Mormons. An Appeal for Help. The Last Hope of the Besieged.
Waiting for Death.
F all the numberless atroci-
ties that succeeded the Utah
Reformation, and were the
r direct outgrowth of the
teaching of the revolting
doctrine of the " Blood-
Atonement," nothing ap-
proaches in fiendish bar-
barity the Massacre at the
Mountain Meadows, where,
on the 1 7th of September,
1857, a company of emi-
grants from Arkansas and
Missouri, on their way to
California, were assassinat-
ed in the most cruel and treacherous manner, by a band of
disguised Mormons and Indians, under the leadership of
officers of the Mormon militia.
Nearly eighteen years have passed, and until within a
A HORRIBLE DEED OF BLOOD. 22p
comparatively short time, little has been definitely known
concerning the details of the massacre, either by the Gen-
tile world, or by the mass of the Mormon people, who, to
give them the justice which they deserve, would have
shrunk with horror from the very idea that the commission
of the terrible deed could be laid to the charge of their be-
loved church.
I was but a child at the time, but I recollect, perfectly,
hearing that an emigrant-train had been attacked by the
Indians, and all members of the band, with the exception
of a few of the smaller children, killed ; and I remember,
also, seeing these children, who were said to have been
taken from their Indian captors by Mormon officers, and
were to be cared for by the Mormon people. I suppose
the remembrance is the more vivid because, before their
arrival in Utah, the people were forbidden by Brigham
Young and his elders to sell them anything during their
journey through the Territory, and this was so unusual a
command that it was a matter of wondering conjecture to
most of the Mormons, although no one dreamed of ques-
tioning the justice of the Prophet's mandate.
Young as I was, I felt the mystery that shrouded the whole
horrible transaction, and I knew instinctively, as did many
others, that something was being hidden from the mass of
the people, by their leaders, which it was not deemed pru-
dent to reveal ; but the terrible truth was not then even
suspected by the faithful Saints. I can understand now,
as I could not then, why all wonder concerning this whole-
sale murder was speedily hushed up ; why any definite
mention of it was avoided by the leaders in the church ;
why, when it was spoken of at all, it was with cautious
manner, apprehensive glances, and in whispered tones
under the breath.' Priests and people alike hesitated to
approach the dreaded subject, and there was an almost su-
perhuman endeavor on the part of the church authorities
to erase all remembrance of it from the minds of their fol-
23O THE PEOPLE S MOUTHS CLOSED.
lowers. But occurrences of this kind are not easily for-
gotten, and the memory of that bloody and unprovoked
butchery is still fresh in other minds besides my own, re-
tained there so distinctly that neither time nor eternity can
obliterate it. The very mystery which veiled it made it
more awful to me, an imaginative, excitable child; and
though I followed the example of my elders, and never
spoke of the subject, even to my mother, it haunted me
perpetually, and I grew absolutely terrified at the con-
stantly recurring fancies which I drew of it.
Although the people were so quiet, since there was a
tacit understanding that they must be so, yet their eyes nor
ears were never closed, and thought was by no means idle.
Indeed, as the years have rolled on, what was at first a
vague suspicion, which it seemed a sin to entertain, has
grown to a horrible certainty, until to-day it stands forth;
stripped of all its first mystery, fearfully vivid in its mon-
strosity, the foulest of all the foul blots upon the unclean
page of Mormon history. It was a deed unparalleled in its
atrocity ; unapproachable in the treachery employed by its
perpetrators ; more horrible in its sickening details than
the butcheries by the most barbarous savages ; the work
of fiends rather than of men ; and yet so successful has
been the "quiet" policy of the Mormon leaders, that I find
the extent of its horrors but dimly understood east of the
Rocky Mountains.
Attempts were made by Judge Cradlebaugh to discover
the perpetrators, and, above all, the instigators of this deed,
and bring them speedily to justice ; but with a Mormon
jury, blinded by their bigotry, who were taught from the
pulpit that allegiance to the church and Brigham Young
was paramount to all their duties and obligations to the
government of the United States, whose citizens they
claimed to be, that perjury to that government would be
forgiven by the priesthood, indeed was counselled by it,
and that no Mormon was to be delivered over to Gentile
WHO ORDERED THE MASSACRE? 231
justice, no matter what his crime might have been, nor
how distinctly it was proved, it followed naturally enough
that the efforts, earnest and untiring as they were, were
utterly fruitless.
Judge Cradlebaugh's last attempt to ferret out the affair
was made in 1859 ; and since that time no action has been
taken by the government until last autumn, when the long-
smothered suspicion broke forth into audible accusations,
and in this new burst of popular demand for justice, the
supposed leaders were arrested. I inadvertently said " sup-
posed " leaders ; but it has been shown beyond the possibility
of a doubt that John D. Lee, a major in the Mormon mili-
tia, and one of the most active and zealous of Brigham
Young's devoted adherents, led the attack in person ; that
many of the victims fell by his hand ; and that he, assisted
by Bishop Haight and the notorious Dame, acted under
instructions from "a higher authority" The plans of
massacre were fully matured, at a council held at Parowan,
by Brigadier-General George A. Smith, first counsellor to
Brigham, and a fit servant for such a master, Colonel Wil-
liam C. Dame, Bishop of Fillmore, Lieutenant-Colonel
Haight, President of the Cedar City w Stake of Zion,"
Bishop Higbee, and John D. Lee.
Of all these men, Lee, who is now under arrest, has
been the most closely identified with the massacre, in the
public mind, until he has grown to be an object of popular
aversion, shunned and dreaded. It may seem childish,
but so strong a hold had this affair taken on my imagina-
tion, that I have never been able to shake off the feeling
of terror with which it filled me ; and when, last autumn, I
was told of his arrest, and knew that he was safe inside
prison walls, I positively experienced a feeling of relief
and personal safety, as great as though some enemy of my
own had been rendered powerless to harm me. I had
never even seen the man ; but knowing the record of his
crimes, and always hearing of him in connection with
232 THE BEGINNING OF A TERRIBLE STORY.
some deed of bloody brutality, my horror and fear of him
never diminished, and he remained, what he had always
been, the ogre of my childish fancies.
It is a horrible story, sickening in its every detail ; but it
cannot be told too often, until it shall be known all over the
country by every person who is ignorant of it now.
It was early in September, 1857, when it was first an-
nounced in Salt Lake City that a large emigrant party from
Missouri and Arkansas had entered the Valley on their way
to California. As soon as the announcement was made, a
command was issued by the President of the church, that
nothing was to be sold to any member of this party, on the
pain of death. The command was most arbitrary, and was
totally without precedent, showing beyond a doubt the ani-
mus of Brigham Young towards this party, and rendering
it much easier to believe that the terrible tragedy which fol-
lowed was approved, if not instigated, by him.
Salt Lake had been for a long time the depot for obtain-
ing fresh supplies prior to crossing the deserts which sepa-
rated Utah and California. Every emigrant train which had
crossed the plains for some years, had made this a resting-
place, and taken a fresh start from here for the remainder
of the tedious journey. M^cj^jn^njy_^as_Jef\in this way
inth-MQrmoncpuntrv. and, as_
This train, like all that had gone before it, had laid their
plans to supply themselves for their journey at Salt Lake
City, and had only brought a sufficient quantity of provis-
ions to last them until they reached that point. Greatly to
their surprise, they found themselves unable to purchase
anything, and, in addition, were peremptorily ordered to
break their camp at Salt Lake and move on. All through
the country of the Saints they were met with sturdy refusals
to sell them anything. Men who would gladly have placed
a quantity of provisions at their disposal dared not do it,
fearing to disobey their Prophet's mandate. In vain the
WHY WAS BRIGHAM YOUNG SILENT? 233
emigrants offered them money, wagons, personal property
of all kinds. Brigham's law was not to be broken, and the
person who should venture to disregard it pronounced his
own death sentence. Now and then, however, one more
humane or more daring than the rest, came to the camp
at night with a small amount of provisions all they could
bring without danger of detection ; but what was this little
to one hundred and fifty hungry men and women, to say
nothing of the little children who were to be fed? It might
have met a present want, but it did nothing towards pro-
viding for future needs. Starvation was staring them in the
face while they were journeying in the midst of plenty, for
it is a notorious fact that the harvests never were more
plentiful in Utah than they were that year.
<1 Whatever^ may have^been Brigham Young's connection
wTthlhe niassacrejtselfT whether^TWas^one^at his insti-
gation or merely witli his connivance, hjmas, tn all in-
tents and purposes, the mn^nr ^pf these people, and
should beheld responsible forthjejtJuiea. What right Jap^
he, the governor of the Territory of Utah, appointed to office
by the United States Government, amenable to its laws as a
citizen, much more so as an office-holder, bound by an oath
of loyalty to protect every person within the limits of his
territory, to refuse food to peaceful, law-abiding citizens of
the same government, knowing, as he did, that here was
their only opportunity to obtain it, and that certain death
was their fate if compelled to cross the desert with the scanty
rations which remained to them ?
The treatment of these people from the moment of enter-
ing Brigham Young's dominions until the final tragedy, was
so barbarous, and attended with so many horrors, that the
Mormon people, contrary to their usual custom, feel obliged
to offer some excuse in extenuation. But all the reasons
which they give, when combined, are entirely insufficient to
justify the deed. Yet, such as they are, they shall be
given.
234 LONGING FOR THE SPOIL OF THE SLAIN.
The " Reformation " was over, and the doctrine of the
"Blood-Atonement" was still in full force. Young and his
confederates were infuriated because United States troops
were ordered to Utah. They considered this act of the gov-
ernment an open insult, and they revenged it on the first Gen-
tiles whom they could reach.' The train was one of the
largest and richest that had ever crossed the plains. The
value of their wagons, horses, and stock alone was said to
be $300,000, and the women of the party had rich, full
wardrobes and elegant, costly jewelry. J3righam, as you
_
them in some way or other, either honestly or other-
wise, generally otherwi
A part of the emigrants were from Missouri, and the
Mormon people will never regard the Missourians in any
other light than that of the bitterest enemies. They had
never, in all the years, forgotten the persecution which they
received at their hands, and Joseph Smith's death they con-
sidered unavenged. It was reported that in the train was
a man who had openly boasted of having been present at
the assassination of Smith, and that he as openly threatened
to take the life of the present prophet. This story is gener-
ally believed to be utterly without foundation, circulated by
the Mormon leaders to stir up the wrath of the people
against the emigrants, and to exonerate themselves, if their
share in the slaughter of these people should ever become
known. The Arkansas members of the train, also, were
objects of Mormon vengeance. Parley P. Pratt, one of
the twelve apostles, and also one of the brightest intellect-
ual lights in the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, was
sent on a mission to California, where he proselyted with
such vigor that many converts were made ; among them a
Mrs. Eleanor McLean, wife of one Hector McLean, and
the mother of three children, who was induced to embrace
Mormonism and polygamy as embodied in the person of the
APOSTLE PRATT SEDUCES MRS. MCLEAN.
235
seductive apostle. The command to "leave all and follow
me " was readily obeyed, especially as she was personally
to add to the missionary's
present pleasure and future
glory, by becoming one of his
numerous plural wives.
As there was no authority
to marry them in a " legal "
manner in this Gentile state,
they were obliged to defer
that ceremony until their ar-
rival in " Zion." But in cases
like this, which were often
occurring to the missionary
. , ., . j , . PARLEY P. PRATT.
baints, it was considered quite
proper for the pair, who were in haste to wed, to w covenant
together," and thereafter to be regarded as man and wife,
without ministerial or judicial aid, until such time as they
could celebrate their nuptials in the presence of saintly
witnesses, and after the true saintly fashion. This cov-
enant the Apostle Pratt and Mrs. McLean were not slow
to make.
The news soon reached the husband that his wife was
going to Utah with the Mormon Elder, and intended taking
the children with her. This last design McLean frus-
trated by sending them to some relatives in one of the
Southern States. He then informed his wife that she was
at liberty to go where she chose, but that she must go alone,
as he had placed the children beyond her reach.
She came to Utah, and immediately on her arrival was
sealed to Parley, after having lived under a covenant with
him for months. The mother-heart, however, yearned
for her children ; neither her new religion nor the fractional
part of an apostle could fill the void left by the separation
from them, and she determined to gain possession of them
and bring them also to Utah. After much entreating, she
236 THE ADULTERESS STEALS HER CHILDREN.
succeeded in inducing her new husband to go to the States
with her for the purpose of finding them. She went alone
to the place' where her children were at school, leaving
Pratt in Arkansas, which, by the way, was her husband's
home. On reaching the town where her children were,
she was obliged to assume a disguise, as McLean was
there, having followed his children from California. She
used every stratagem to obtain them, but only succeeded in
carrying away one. She quickly made her way with him
to Arkansas, and joined Parley, who was awaiting her there.
Together they started to return to Utah, but were overtaken
by McLean, who, maddened by the breaking up of his
home, the seduction of his wife, and the abduction of his
child, determined to wreak summary vengeance on the man
who, under the guisePoi religion, afld_ln the^"najneof Jjie
Cord, whom he constantly blasphemed ^y TaTong His holy
his polluted lips, had wrecked his whole life's"
ing examined before a magistrate, Mrs. McLean Pratt
assumed all the responsibility of the abduction of the chil-
dren, and the Apostle was honorably discharged. His
friends, however, apprehended danger, and advised him to
escape, if he could, for McLean was a violent man. They
also offered him a couple of revolvers for his defence.
The Apostle fled, but McLean was on his trail. At
length the wronged husband came within' sight of his ene-
my, and pursued him like the avenger of blood. Pratt
left the public road, endeavoring to reach a house not far
distant; but McLean was too swift for him. Following
him closely, with revolver drawn, he fired at the saintly
seducer, but failed to touch him. Furious at Pratt's escape,
McLean urged forward his horse, and, as he passed his
enemy, made a lunge with his bowie-knife, and gave him a
fatal thrust in his side. The wounded man fell from his
horse instantly, and McLean fired again at the guilty
wretch as he lay bleeding on the ground, and the ball pen-
etrated his breast.
DEATH OF THE ADULTERER, P. P. PRATT. 237
The bloody deed performed, McLean returned to Fort
Smith, walked through the town with his friends, and in
the evening took the passing steamer for the South. He
took his child and left the mother to return to Utah, now
ASSASSINATION OF PARLEY P. PRATT.
doubly widowed and childless. The people of Arkansas
upheld McLean, and it was considered that he had only
done his duty in ridding the world of such a wolf in sheep's
clothing.
But the Mormons were deeply infuriated ; they held every
Arkansas man personally responsible for the murder of
their Apostle, whom they at once canonized as saint, and
worshipped as martyr, and whose name, to this day, is
spoken with reverence by them ; and the fact that any of
these emigrants were from that state, gave them, as they
thought, an opportunity of revenging Pratt's death, at the
same time that they avenged the murder of their Prophet.
Many of them, too, were from the immediate neighborhood
where McLean resided, and where Pratt was killed ; and
at least one of the number was said to have been interested
in his assassination. The fact that Pratt had brought his
death upon himself w r as not taken into consideration. They
238 "MOUNTAIN MEADOW DOGS" ON THE TRAIL.
found no palliation for McLean's action in. his wrecked
home and blighted life ; though no persons in the world are
so quick to resent any, even fancied, interference with their
families as the Mormons. Yet this is saintly consistency.
At the Parowan council, of which I have spoken, the
mode of action was fully determined upon, and the plan of
attack matured to the minutest detail. Meeting with the
most inhospitable treatment, and unable to obtain provis-
ions, the emigrants were fairly driven from camp to camp,
until they reached Cedar City. They camped here only
one day ; but during their stay they were allowed to pur-
chase fifty bushels of tithing wheat and have it ground at
John D. Lee's mill. But this was an insufficient quantity,
and would be exhausted several days before they could
reach the nearest point in California where food was obtain-
able, even if they travelled with the utmost speed, and put
themselves on the shortest possible rations.
From Cedar City they proceeded south-west less than
forty miles, and camped at the Mountain Meadows, which
they reached after a five . days' journey, so exhausted
were they. It was a most cheerless and dreary spot,
and so hemmed in that if attacked they would be com-
pletely at the mercy of their assailants. The Meadows are
about a mile and a half long and a mile wide, and are shut
in on every side by mountains j but at the lower end they
converge and form a canon. Cane Spring is situated just
at the mouth of this canon, and about thirty rods above this
spring, a mound, two hundred feet long and one hundred
feet wide, shuts out all view. In the midst of this gray des-
olation of nature, the emigrants settled themselves down
for a few days' rest and final preparation before they re-
sumed their perilous journey.
Beyond the annoyance they had experienced by the
withholding of provisions, and their enforced march from
camp to camp throughout the Mormon territory, they appre-
hended no ill-treatment from the Saints. I do not think the
JOHN D. LEE, BISHOP IN THE MORMON CHURCH AND LEADER
THE MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE
Has nineteen wives and sixty-four children.
THE EMIGRANTS ATTACKED BY MORMON FIENDS. 239
fear of personal danger had entered their minds at all, and
they were resting quietly at the Meadows, when, on the
morning of the loth of September, while the women of the
party were engaged in preparing breakfast, and the men
in caring for their stock, they were suddenly attacked by
the Indians. Seven were killed and fifteen wounded at
the first fire.
As unexpected as the attack was, they did not lose for
one instant their coolness and presence of mind. Had they
done so, the massacre would have been general, and the
entire party killed on the spot. But with a promptness
unparalleled in the history of any border warfare, these em-
igrants wheeled their wagons into an oblong corral, and
with almost lightning-like rapidity threw up the earth from
the centre of the corral against the wagon wheels, making
an excellent and almost impenetrable barricade.
It had been decided at the Parowan Council to make the
attack at Santa Clara Canon, at the point where it is crossed
by the California road, and where the perpendicular walls,
which it was impossible to scale, and the blockade of their
own wagons, would preclude the possibility of the escape
of a single soul. But the Indian allies, "The Battle Axes
of the Lord," became impatient, and precipitated the attack.
The liberal promises made to them by John D. Lee, the
Indian-Agent, of blankets, clothing, rifles, ammunition, and
trinkets, excited their cupidity ; and so eager were they to
obtain the promised spoils, that they could not wait to carry
out the original plan.
As soon as the barricade was finished, the first fire of the
Indians was returned, and three of the assailants were
wounded. They had crept very close to the train, not
dreaming a repulse possible, and lay concealed in the brush
along the side of the creek. Two of the Indians died, not-
withstanding they were taken to Cedar City, where their
wounds were anointed with consecrated oil by Bishop
Higbee. For once, at least, the " laying on " of " saintly "
240 LEE INCITES THE INDIANS TO MURDER.
hands was not efficacious, and the mortal wounds refused to
be healed in spite of persistent priestly prayers.
The leaders of the Mormon militia, at Cedar City, were
thrown into a state of excitement by the arrival of an Indian
runner, bringing news of the unsuccessful assault, and they
at once commenced collecting their forces to go to the
Meadows to the assistance of their allies. It is said that
Haight told a man that orders had come from headquarters
to slay every person in the train. The Cedar City forces
being considered inadequate, Lee sent to Washington for
re-enforcements. When the troops were within a short dis-
tance of the Meadows, they were told that the entire com-
pany was to be killed, with the exception of the children
who were too young to remember.
The Mormons were disguised as Indians, and so sjagcess-
fullY that the unfortuate besieged had^noTdea~ThgfTheir be-
siegers were whitemen. The very knowledge 01 this* would
have disheartened them more than all the perils of their
situation had power to do, when they supposed they had
only a savage foe to meet, whom they hoped speedily to
repulse. Safely intrenched behind their barricade, they
suffered only for lack of water. The spring was only about
forty rods distant, and yet they dared not venture to go
to it, and the water was as unattainable as though it had
been miles away. Every attempt to obtain a supply was
frustrated by the reports of cruel guns, hidden behind
mounds of earth. The whole rim of the basin formed by the
circling hills was a masked battery sending forth destruc-
tion every time a form was seen inside the barricade. At
first it was supposed only the men were in danger, and a
woman of the party stepped outside the corral to milk a cow.
She fell pierced with bullets. At length, their thirst be-
coming intolerable, they decided to send two of the little
girls to the spring for water. Surely, they reasoned, they
will be let to go unharmed ; their youth and innocence will
be their safeguard ; the most barbarous savage would cer-
tainly be touched, and the hand of destruction stayed.
TWO LITTLE GIRLS MURDERED BY MORMON DEVILS. 24!
It might have been, had it been savages with whom they
were contending ; but no feeling of pity for even the chil-
dren could enter the hearts of -these "civilized" white men
who were engaged in the "religious" warfare, and shot
down their innocent victims in the name of the Lord.
Hand in hand the little ones advanced towards the spring,
dre^secMn while, fit lubca fur" such lambsot.>aerrftc&
Suddenl)TcamS"the ~cracIT7)f SCoTe's oi riHesTand the tiny
THB MUKDER OF Two LITTLE GIRLS.
bodies fell, fairly riddled with bullets, in the very sight of
the frantic parents. It was deeds of this kind which, ac-
cording to John D. Dee^ " glorined tlif name of j^rae! 7 *"
God."
Then the emigrants knew they could not expect mercy ;
but their courage did not fail them. If aid could only reach
them ! If there was any way in which they could make
their situation known ! They might hold out a few days,
16
242 NO MERCY TO BE SHOWN !
though starvation and the slow, keen torture of unallayed
thirst stared them in the face. After four days of siege,
they drew up a prayer for aid, telling how they had been
attacked by the Indians, and how they were then surrounded ;
it contained a list of the emigrants' names, their age, place
of birth, and residence at the time of the emigration. The
number of clergymen, physicians, and other professional
men were given ; also the number of Freemasons and Odd-
fellows, with the rank of each and the name of the lodge to
which they belonged. The letter was addressed to any
friend of humanity ; and it was a heart-rending cry of dis-
tress from souls in mortal straits. Such a cry as that could
not go unheeded ; it must be answered by speedy relief. It
was the only expression of despair that ever came from the
brave hearts in the corral ; but it told of torture beyond de-
scription ; of suffering that exceeds imagination.
But how should it find its way outside the barricade?
How could the world be made to hear this agonized appeal ?
No sooner was the petition finished than three men all
honor to their bravery ! volunteered to break through the
camp, dash past their enemy, and cross the desert to Cali-
fornia. They more than suspected by this time that a por-
tion of their assailants were white men, and they knew they
were in more danger from them than from the Indians. It
is said that, before these men started on their perilous and
almost hopeless undertaking, the entire party knelt down,
and an old, white-haired Methodist pastor prayed for
their safety. They left the corral in the night under cover
of the darkness, and passed their besiegers in safety. But
in some way their flight was discovered, the Indian run-
ners were placed on their track, and they were mercilessly
murdered. The first one was killed while lying asleep
from exhaustion, by an Indian named Jackson, who has
since boasted of the deed, and who, in years after, led a
person to the spot where he committed the murder ; the
body had been burned, but the charred remains of the skull
and larger bones marked the spot.
FIEND-LIKE DEEDS OF CERTAIN MORMON WRETCHES. 243
The appeal was found near the dead body of the man by
Jackson, who gave it to a Mormon gentleman ; he kept it
for some time without allowing any one to know that it was
in his possession ; but one day he showed it to one of the
men who was nearly concerned in the massacre, and he
deliberately tore it in pieces on the spot. Its first possessor
has no sympathy with the deed, and expresses himself
ready to come forward at any time and testify to the con-
tents of the letter, of which he is perfectly well aware. In
speaking of it to a gentleman connected with t the western
press, he is said to have exclaimed, " I believe that if the
Masons and Oddfellows knew how many of their brethren
were in the train, they wouldn't let the accursed murderers
go unpunished." It must be that in some manner they
will be punished.
" The mills of the gods grind slowly,"
to be sure, but they grind with exactness, and retribution is
certain to follow crime sooner or later.
The other two men were overtaken at Virgin Hills,
stripped of their clothing, and told to run for their lives ; a
shower of arrows was sent after them, wounding them
severely; one could scarcely crawl, and his captors soon
overtook him, and, binding him to a stake, piled fagots
about him and set fire to them, and exulted with fiendish
glee over the death-agonies of their victim.
The last one made his way to the camp of the Vagas
Indians, who, pitying his condition, gave him clothing and
food. He then tried to make his way to California, but was
met by Ira Hatch and his band of Mormons and Indians,
and was put to death by slow torture.
In the mean time the condition of the besieged grew worse.
Day by day passed, and their sufferings constantly in-
creased ; still they kept courageous hearts, and looked for
the help that must come. Their food was nearly gone, their
increasing thirst was rendered more unendurable, because
244 WITHOUT HOPE!
just beyond they could hear the ripple of the water, as the
little brook danced on in merry mockery of their sufferings.
And yet not a murmur of complaint was heard ; men and
women looked calmly into each other's eyes, and parched lips
spoke words of cheer and hope, to which, alas ! the heavy
hearts did not respond. On one thing they were determined ;
they would die, but they would never surrender. Their
wives and children should never be given over to such mercy
as they would meet at the hands of their brutal enemies.
CHAPTER XIV.
BETRAYED AND MURDERED. TRIAL OF JOHN D. LEE.
The "White Flag of Peace." Friends in the Distance. A Cruel
Deception. Mormon Fiends plan their Destruction. John D. Lee's
Crocodile Tears. " Lay down your Arms, and Depart in Peace." A
Horrible Suspicion. The Massacre. The Scene of Blood. No
Mercy for Women and Children. Robbed and Outraged. Mur-
dered by Lee's Own Hand. The Field of Slaughter. Dividing the
Property of the Murdered Ones. Taken to the Tithing-House.
Haunted by Spectres. John D. Lee's Trial. Instigated by Brigham.
No Justice in Utah. Lee's Confession made to Shield the False
Prophet. Eight Mormon and Four Gentile Jurors. What was to be
Expected.
'HE morning of the i7th of
September dawned. The
hearts of all the doomed
party were sick with de-
ferred hope. Suddenly a
cry of relief broke from
the corral. A wagon,
filled with white men,
bearing a white flag, was
seen coming down the
Meadows. Succor was at
hand. Their terrible tor-
tures were over. Strong
men wept like children at
the thought that their be-
loved ones, for whom they
had agonized through all those dreary days and nights of
siege, were safe at last.
The deliverers were none other than John D. Lee and
the officers of the Mormon militia. Immediately upon
MURDERED BY LEE'S OWN HAND.
246 CRUELLY BETRAYED.
their appearance the "Indians" ceased firing, and, in their
fancied security, the besieged emigrants rushed outside the
corral to meet their rescuers. How their hearts warmed
towards Brigham Young and the Mormon people. All the
wrongs they had suffered at .their hands dwindled into
insignificance before this last crowning act of humanity.
Into the sympathizing ears of their saviors they poured the
terrible story of their sufferings . Lee is said to have wept
while listening to the recital, and, at the end, assured them
of his deep sympathy, and promised all the relief in his
power.
How much he would be able to do for them he was una-
ble to say until he had consulted with the Indians, and he
went back, and pretended to hold a consultation. The
people were sure he could save them, since he was Indian
agent, and must necessarily have much influence over them,
and their joy was unspeakable. He soon returned with the
welcome news that they were free, but on condition that
they would lay aside their arms. There was no thought
of treachery in their hearts, and, without a moment's hesita-
tion, they complied with the strange conditions. They laid
aside their trusty rifles, that had stood them in such good
stead during all the days of the siege ; they gave up re-
volvers and bowie-knives, faithful companions on their
dreary journey, and came forth from their intrenchments
unarmed, and as defenceless as the children themselves.
As they issued from the corral a guard of soldiers was
drawn up to escort them to a place of safety. The men
were separated from the women and children, and were
placed in front, while the latter were in the rear. It seems
almost strange that no suspicion of their deliverers entered
their minds at this. But why should even curiosity be
aroused? The white flag was waving over their heads,
and they were under the protection of United States militia.
Where that flag waved, they were safe and free.
Notwithstanding their exhaustion, and their weakness
FIENDISH BRUTALITIES. 247
from hunger, they marched joyously along, exulting in
their regained freedom, when suddenly the troops halted,
and the fatal order to fire was given by Lee, and repeated
down the line by all the under officers. In an instant it
flashed across the helpless victims how cruelly they had
been betrayed, and, with shrieks of the wildest agony,
they fell bleeding to the earth. Young and old shared the
same fate. Gray-haired men and beardless boys were
alike cut down. The Indians, who were ambushed near
by, joined the Mormons in the work of slaughter, until not
one of all the men was left.
And what of the helpless women and children? All the
womanhood within revolts at the thought of their horrible
MURDERING THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
fate, and my woman's soul cries out in agony at the recital
of the sufferings of these helpless ones. Some of them
were killed by their husbands, fathers, or brothers,
happy souls, who thus escaped the most cruel torture.
Death was nothing, compared to the fiendish brutalities
which they suffered before they were allowed to die>.
Some of the women were too ill to walk. They were
taken outside the corral, driven up to the scene of the mas-
sacre, stripped of their clothing, shot, and their mutilated
bodies thrown down in a pile, with the rest.
248 MURDERED BY LEE'S OWN HAND.
To the honor of many of the men be it said, the
younger ones, especially, they refused to join in this hor-
rible work, and some of them made efforts to protect these
helpless women from their fiend-like tormentors. I used
often, while living in Payson, to see a man named Jim
Pearce, whose face was deeply scarred by a bullet wound,
made by his own father, while the brave young fellow was
trying to assist a poor girl, who had appealed to him for
succor. Another girl threw herself on her knees before
Lee's son, and clinging to him, begged for mercy. His
heart was touched, and he promised to spare her, but his
father shot her while she knelt. Lee also shot another girl,
who had drawn a dagger to defend herself from him.
Even the children were not spared. They shared the
horrible fate of their parents. In vain they begged for
mercy. The bloodthirsty brutes to whom they knelt had
no feeling of pity or compassion. They laughed at their
entreaties, and mocked their terrified cries. Their little
throats were cut, and their bodies thrown carelessly in a
heap. Only seventeen of those supposed to be too young
to remember any of the occurrences of this fearful day
were saved ; and of these seventeen, two were disposed of
after reaching Salt Lake City, for making some remarks
concerning the massacre, which showed an intelligence
beyond their years. It is said on how good authority I
do not know that Daniel H. Wells, mayor of Salt Lake
City, one of the First Presidency, Second Counsellor to
Brigham, Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion, killed
one of these babes with his own official hand. As I said
before, I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this rumor,
but those who know the man best are the most ready to
believe it. He is certainly capable of an act like this.
The whole affair lasted but about half an hour, when the
assassins rode away, carrying all the clothing and baggage
of the emigrants, leaving the bodies to the wolves and
ravens. But they were past hurt now, and wolves' fangs
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE VICTIMS.
249
or ravens' beaks were powerless to harm, although they
might lacerate the already mutilated bodies until they
should be past all recognition. A person who visited the
field of slaughter eight days after the massacre gave the
following account of it. He said men, women, and children
were strewn over the ground, or were thrown into piles.
Some were shot, others stabbed, and others had their
throats cut. They were entirely stripped of clothing, and
their bodies were mutilated by the wolves. There were
SCENE AFTER THE MASSACRB.
one hundred and twenty-seven bodies in all. These, with
the three men who were killed while undertaking to bring
assistance, another who was shot outside the corral, but
whose body could never be found, and the two children
who were murdered at Salt Lake City, made one hundred
and thirty-three victims of this fearful and unparalleled
assassination.
The spoils were carried to Cedar City, and placed in the
tithing-office there, after the Indians had received their
share. It is told by a man, who then was a mere boy, that
250 SELLING THE EMIGRANTS* PROPERTY.
the night that the spoils were brought into town he and
two companions slept in the tithing-office. The cellars
were filled with everything that had been taken from the
emigrants, and the bloody garments, stripped from- the dead
bodies, were thrown down ori the floor. One of the men
connected with the massacre came in, and threw himself
down to sleep, without perceiving the boys. Scarcely had
the place become quiet with the peculiar, painful silence
which night brings, when suddenly the room they were in,
and the cellar beneath it, where all the plunder was stored,
resounded with cries, groans, sobs, and the most piercing,
agonized shrieks. The guilty man jumped from his couch
and fled out into the night, locking the doors after him. In
vain the terrified boys tried to force the lock. It remained
fast and firm, and still the wails and cries pierced the air.
They were almost dead with terror, and, clambering up to
the roof, managed to escape from the haunted spot. Noth-
ing can induce this man to believe that his imagination
played him a trick. " I know," he says, " that the spirits
of these foully-murdered men and women were in the
tithing-house that night." It is not the first time, by any
means, nor the last, that a Mormon public building has
been haunted.
The property of the emigrants was sold at public auc-
tion, in Cedar City, by Bishop John M. Higbee, and they
were readily bought by the eager saints. To this day,
jewelry is worn in Salt Lake City, and teams are seen in
the streets, that are known to have belonged to the fatal
emigrant train. A lady in Salt Lake City was one day
showing a silk dress and some jewelry to some friends, in
the presence of one of the children who had been saved
from the massacre. The little one, on catching sight of
the dress, burst out into a frantic fit of weeping, and be-
tween the sobs cried out, " O, my dear mamma ! That is
her dress; she used to wear it. Where is my mamma?
Why doesn't she come for me ? " It is said that other chil-
TRYING TO CONCEAL THE CRIME. 251
dren identified clothing and trinkets which they had seen
worn by members of the party. Indeed, these children
remember more than their captors fancy ; else they would
not have been allowed to have left the Territory, as many
of them have done, having for the most part been returned
to their friends in the States.
My valued friend and travelling companion, Mrs. Cooke,
had two of them under her charge for some time, and she
has told me that they recognized John D. Lee, and one of
them said one day, very quietly, but very determinedly,
" When I get to be a man I will go to the President and
ask him for a regiment of soldiers, and I will bring them
here to kill the men who murdered my father and mother
and brother, but I \vill kill Lee myself. I saw him shoot
my sister, and I shall not die happy unless I kill him." Mrs.
Cooke says they used often, in their childish prattle, to tell
events of the massacre, which showed that they knew per-
fectly what part Lee and his confederates had in the affair.
On their return from the scene of the massacre, the lead-
ers determined to conceal the crime, but although they
kept quiet a year, after that they were unable to refrain
from speaking. Lee himself was the first to disclose the
fate of the party. Like the Ancient Mariner, he went up
and down compelling every person whom he met to listen
to his story of an emigrant train that had been murdered
by the Indians. By and by it was faintly rumored that the
Indians were not alone in their work of destruction, but
that they were assisted by the white men. Then the ru-
mors grew louder, and some of the participants, overcome
with remorse, confessed their complicity in the crime.
A short time since a man died in Sevier Valley, who was
at the Mountain Meadows. He always imagined that he.
was followed by spectres, and he grew haggard and worn
from constant terror. " Brigham Young," he used to say,
" will answer for the murder of one hundred and twenty
innocent souls sent to their graves at his command." On
252 "THE COLD CALM FACES OF THE DEAD,"
his death-bed he besought those watching by him to pro-
tect him from the spirits that were hovering near him,
waiting to avenge themselves, and he died in the fearful
ravings of a horrible terror. Another man, much younger
than the one referred to above, was also literally haunted
to death. "Would to God," he would cry in the bitterest
agony, " that I could roll back the scroll of time, and wipe
from it the damning record ; the terrible scenes at Moun-
tain Meadows haunt me night and day. I cannot drive
them away." He has been known to drive out for a load
of hay, and return quickly in terror, leaving his team in
the field. He used to say that the cold, calm faces of the
dead women and children were never out of his sight.
And what of the mangled bodies, and " the cold, calm
faces " that were left upturned to the September sky? They
were the prey of wolves and vultures ; but the bones were
collected by an old Mormon, who had no sympathy with
the deed of blood, and buried in the hollow they had dug
inside the corral. It was a literal labor of love. Alone
he performed the last act of kindness, a task which was
disagreeable enough, and one that of necessity was done
hurriedly. The wild beasts again dug up the bones, and
they were strewn all over the plain ; there they remained
until 1858, when the government sent General Carlton to
bury the bones decently. A large cairn of stones was
built by the soldiers to mark the resting-place of the re-
mains, and General Carlton erected a cross of red cedar,
on which was inscribed the words, "Vengeance is mine, I
will repay, saith the Lord." At the other end of the mound
was a stone, with the inscription, " Here, one hundred and
twenty men, women, and children were massacred in cold
blood, early in September, 1857. They were from Arkan-
sas." The cross was destroyed by the order of Brigham
Young, after a visit to the spot. It was the first promise
of payment that he ever rejected ; and this, in spite of his
destruction of it, will yet be forced upon him.
THE TRIAL OF JOHN D. LEE. 253
The trial of Lee, which has taken place since the fore-
going narrative was written, shows more clearly than any-
thing I can say, the ascendency which Brigham Young has
over this people, and the utter futility of expecting any-
thing like justice in a court where this man's followers are
allowed to sit on a jury.
Of what value, think you, do they regard any oaths
which they may take to serve with fairness, and to be un-
biassed, except by such testimony as may be offered in
court? If they are good Mormons, they have received
their Endowments ; and the oaths which they took when
they went through with that rite, are a thousand times more
binding than those that they take in court, which they re-
gard as a mere form, without meaning, and which they
are not only allowed by the church to violate, but which
they are bound to break, unless the cause of the church
can be furthered by keeping them, in which case nothing
can exceed their loyalty.
Unsuccessful as the trial was, it yet has been productive
of one good result. It has forced the details of this fiendish
massacre upon the attention of the entire community. There
is no journal in the country, no matter how small or unob-
trusive, which has not had brief but concise reports of
the trial, and which has not expressed decided opinions
upon the result.
A greater farce was never played before a larger or
more disgusted audience than this which has just ended in
Utah. It is a sarcasm upon justice, a gross, hideous bur-
lesque from beginning to end. I have seen surprise ex-
pressed at the termination in some of the eastern journals.
That shows how little they understand the autocratic man-
ner in which the Territory is ruled by Brigham Young,
and how impossible it is, under existing laws, to bring to
justice any of his followers. I could have prophesied what
the ending would be from the moment in which the jurors
were drawn. Eight Mormons and four Gentiles, what
could it be but "disagreement?"
254 EIGHT MORMONS AND FOUR GENTILES.
As earnest as the prosecution was, and as determined to
sift the matter to the very bottom, and get at the real truth
of the case, without regard to whoever might be implicated,
it was balked in every endeavor, not to prove the guilt of
the prisoner, and others higher in authority than he, but to
influence the jury to act according to the evidence. In the
face of the most conclusive evidence, which the defence
were utterly powerless to refute, and indeed did not even
attempt to move, the Mormon jurors voted solid for acquit-
tal, and, to his .endless shame be it recorded, induced one
Gentile to vote with them. The other three stood firm,
and would neither be coaxed nor bribed. They saw the
right, and refused to desert it. Their companion, as many
another has done, sold his principle for Mormon favor.
He was in love with a Mormon girl, and hoped, by pan-
dering to the Mormon leader's desires, to obtain her. It
will be but a step further into the Mormon Church, and
when he has taken that step, and gone through the Endow-
ment House, he will be in the place where he properly be-
longs, and no doubt will make a willing tool for the priest-
hood to use.
The trial strengthened the accounts which have already
been given of the massacre; and, in fact, established the
truth of the whole horrible affair, in its most brutal detail,
and so fully that the defence did not attempt to overthrow
the proof, but spent its time in assailing the witnesses, and
trying to prove that the emigrants poisoned an ox, and
then attempted to sell it to the Indians, who found out the
treachery, and massacred the party, while Lee and others
wept and wrung their hands, and prayed that the lives
might not be sacrificed.
The prosecution proved that Brfgham Young gave orders
regarding the disposal of the property of the murdered
party, and ordered the men who brought him the news to
say nothing about the matter even to each other. Abso-
lute silence was imposed upon them, and the ones who gave
MAKING LEE THE SCAPE-GOAT. 255
them the orders, themselves followed the "counsel" which
they gave. The defence failed utterly to prove that Brig-
ham was ignorant of the affair, and even his deposition,
from its very weakness, inconsistency, and contradictory
statements, strengthens the prosecution, and establishes
more firmly in the popular mind the belief in his complicity
in the matter, and his approval at least, if not his actual
instigation.
There was a feeling throughout the trial that Brigham
Young and the Mormon Church were arraigned in the per-
son of John D. Lee, and the defence exhibited their under-
standing of the case, by endeavoring to clear the authori-
ties, and paying very little heed to the real defendant in
the case, rather allowing the odium to rest on him than to fall
where it more properly belonged. For although Lee merits
well the title which he bears, that of "Butcher Lee," there
is no doubt that he was acting under orders from head-
quarters, and that his blind and unquestioning obedience
was the effect of religious fanaticism.
It was expected that his confession would reveal beyond
a doubt the truth of the whole matter, and place the blame
where it had belonged. It was well known, that since his
cavalier treatment by the church, he had been impatient
of the odium which he had borne for so long a time, and
had threatened openly to " shift the responsibility from his
own shoulders, and place it on those whose business it was
to bear it." His wives and children, hating the disgrace,
and questioning the President's right to make a scape-goat
of their husband and father, urged him to make a full con-
fession, and take only what of blame belonged to him.
The document was prepared, and was about to be made
public, when consternation seized upon his counsel. They
labored with him, and brought such influence to bear upon
him, that the unsafe paper was destroyed, and another sub-
stituted in its place, in which Lee merely gave the details
of the massacre, but failed to implicate any of the higher
ecclesiasts.
256 NO JUSTICE IN UTAH.
The trial had been appointed for the I2th of July, in the
Second District Court, held at Beaver, Southern Utah,
before Judge Jacob S. Boreman, who had been trying for
some time, ever since the passage of an act of Congress,
the 23d of June, 1874, which presented clashing between
Federal and Territorial officers, to have some action taken
toward punishing those persons who were shown to have
been engaged in this Mountain Meadows assassination.
Judge Boreman's attempt to bring the Mountain Mead-
ows' assassins to justice, the first that had been made since
the failure of Judge Cradlebaugh's essay to find indictments
against any of the persons connected with the massacre,
resulted in finding a joint indictment against William H.
Dame, John D. Lee, Isaac C. Haight, John M. Higbee,
Philip Klingensmith, William C. Stewart, Samuel Jukes,
George Adair, Jr., and some others, for conspiracy and
murder. Warrants for their apprehension were issued,
but after a long search only two were apprehended Lee
and Dame.
Then came another long delay. It was almost impossi-
ble to obtain witnesses to testify. This was the same
trouble which had sixteen years before beset Judge Cradle-
baugh ; and District Attorney Carey, who prosecuted the
case for the people, was almost discouraged lest he too
should fail to sustain his case. " Hold your tongues " has
been so long a vital lesson, that the Mormon people find it
difficult work to wag them. Over one hundred subpoenas
were issued, but it was impossible to collect the witnesses.
Some of the least important obeyed the summons, but those
who knew the most about the affair, and whose testimony
would be of the most vital interest and service, failed to put
in an appearance. Among these, and the witness above
all others on whom the prosecution relied, was Philip Klin-
gensmith, formerly a bishop in Cedar City, a participant in
the massacre, who wished to ease his conscience by a full
confession. He had been known to talk very freely to out-
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS. 257
siders on the subject, and it was he who was driven in such
terror from the Cedar City tithing-house the night after the
spoils had been brought thither. Another participant,
named Joel White, was also among the missing, but, for-
tunately for the prosecution, both were finally found, and
brought to Beaver.
The first week was devoted to legal skirmishing, and the
preparation of Lee's confession. The counsel had agreed
that he should confess fully. It was known that the men
who appeared as actors on this field of carnage were but
instruments in the hands of their authorities who had
planned this deed, and the object of the prosecution was to
obtain a knowledge of the instigators of this " deed of
deathless shame."
Failing in this, and feeling assured that Lee was not act-
ing in good faith,, they refused to receive the statement.
His own counsel, Wells Spicer, Judge Hoge, and W. W.
Bishop, were anxious to save their client, no matter what
other guilty parties might suffer. They were true to his
interests, and had they been acting by themselves, there is
little doubt that the confession would have been complete,
and would have implicated the whole of the First Presi-
dency. But fearing this, the church attorneys, Sutherland
and Bates, obtruded their services upon the defence, solici-
tous to shield this precious trio, Brigham Young, George
A. Smith, and Daniel H. Wells, no matter at whose 'ex-
pense. They worked upon Lee's feelings to such an extent
that they evidently induced him to withhold his original
statement, and substitute in its place a partial and pal-
pably incomplete confession. I am certain that this is the
case, and my belief is strengthened by contrasting the
opening of the statement, with its somewhat indignant tone,
and the air of sincerity with which it is invested, with the
cautious, calculating, insincere tone of the latter portion.
The statement opens as follows :
258 JOHN D. LEE'S CONFESSION.
" It now becomes my painful, though imperative duty, to chron-
icle the circumstances that led to, and fully describe that unfortu-
nate affair, known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in Utah
history, which has been shrouded in mystery for the last fifteen
years, causing much comment, excitement, and vindictive feeling
throughout the land. The entire blame has rested upon the Mor-
mon people in Utah. Now, in justice to humanity, I feel it my
duty to show up the facts as they exist, according to the best of
my ability, though I implicate myself by so doing. I have no
vindictive feelings whatever against any man or class of individ-
uals. What I do is done from a sense of duty to myself, my
God, and to the people at large, so that the truth may come to
light, and the blame rest where it properly belongs.
" I have been arrested on the charge of being engaged in the
crime committed at the time and place referred to. I have been
in close confinement over eight months since my arrest. I was
in irons three months of the time during my confinement. For
the last seventeen years in fact, since the commission of the
crime I have given this subject much thought and reflection.
I have made the effort to bear my confinement with fortitude and
resignation, well knowing that most of those engaged in this un-
fortunate affair were led on by religious influences, commonly
called fanaticism, and nothing but their devotion to God, and their
duty to Him, as taught to them by their religion and their church
leaders, would ever have induced them to commit the outrageous
and unnatural acts, believing that all who participated in the lam-
entable transaction, or most of them, 'were acting under orders
which they considered it their duty, their religious duty, to
obey. I have suffered all kinds of ill-treatment and injury, as
well as imprisonment, rather than expose these men, knowing the
circumstances as I do, and believing in the sincerity of their mo-
tives, as I always have done ; but I have a duty to perform, and
have, since I was arrested, become convinced that it was not the
policy of the government, or the wish of the court, to punish
those men, but rather to protect them, and let the blame rest on
their leaders, 'where it justly and lawfully belongs.
" After much thought and meditation, I have come to this con-
clusion : that I would no longer remain silent on this subject, but,
so far as I can, bring to light the circumstances connected there-
BRIGHAM YOUNG'S COMPLICITY. 259
with, and remove the cloud of mystery that has so long obscured
the transaction, and seemed to agitate the public mind. Believing
it to be my duty as a man, a duty to myself, to my family, to my
God, and to humanity, to cast aside the shackles so long holding
my conscience, I now submit the facts, so far as I know them,
stating nothing from malice, or for the purpose of revenge, with-
holding nothing that I can state of my own knowledge, and will-
ing that the world may know all that was done, and why the
acts were committed."
In this introduction, Lee plainly accuses the leaders of the
church. The men "were acting under orders." Whose?
They could not have emanated from the local officers of
the church, since it would have been in no wise a "reli-
gious duty " to obey orders from men who were no higher
in authority than themselves. Alas for Lee's " conscience,"
the shackles were more firmly bound than he supposed.
His sense of duty to his family, his God, and humanity
was blunted by the superior sense of duty to the church,
and he failed utterly to do what he had so faithfully prom-
ised in the opening sentences of his confession.
After the disappointing delay caused by the preparation
of Lee's confession, the trial went steadily on to the end.
The prosecution brought forward about twenty witnesses,
who corroborated the incidents of the massacre, and testi-
fied that the feeling against the party was aroused by
George A. Smith, who everywhere preceded the train, and
forbade the people selling them anything, under pain of the
church's displeasure.
It was shown, too, that when, on being refused food at
Cedar City, the last place at which they stopped, they asked
where they could obtain it, they were told, at Mountain
Meadows ; which assists in establishing more fully the fact
that the whole affair was premeditated, and that the party
were deliberately led to their destruction.
But it remained for Philip Klingensmith to give the most
thorough and vivid account of the whole massacre, from
26O "l FIRED AT MY MAN."
its very beginning, when the first plans were laid, until the
day when he and Lee, and a man named Charley Hopkins,
met in Brigham Young's office. He received them very
cordially, took them to his barn to show them his fine
horses, and treated them with great hospitality. He told
Klingensmith, who had charge of the property, to turn it
over to Lee, as he was Indian agent, and the disposal of it
more properly belonged to him. He then turned to them,
and said, "What you know about this affair do not tell to
anybody ; do not even talk about it among yourselves."
Klingensmith, with some others, strongly opposed the
destruction of the emigrants, and made every effort to pre-
vent it, but to no purpose ; for Lee had received instructions
from headquarters^ and their fate was decided. The de-
scription of the attack, the steady repulse, the decoy from
the corral, and the wholesale assassination, was given ex-
actly as it has been narrated, scarcely varying at all, even
in the slightest detail, ending with the interview with Pres-
ident Young.
Five participants in the massacre appeared as witnesses
during the trial, but not one of them, with the exception of
Klingensmith, admitted that he fired upon the emigrants.
In his cross-examination, Judge Sutherland said, "I sup-
pose you fired over the heads of the emigrants ? " "I fired
at my man," was the reply, " and I suppose I killed him."
I think the transaction has never seemed so horribly real
to the outside public, as it has since this man's testimony
was published to the world. Given as it was by a remorse-
ful participant, under the solemnity of a judicial investiga-
tion, it impressed the people with its reality, and the press
of the country has been unanimous in its expressions of
horror, and its desire that vengeance should fall speedily on
the heads of the guilty instigators.
The pitiful defence only deepened the feeling of indigna-
tion, and when, in the face of all the evidence, that was
entirely unrefuted, the jury disagreed, I think the eyes of
THE PITIFUL, RESULT. 26l
the nation were at last opened to the utter futility of ex-
pecting justice to be done, when Mormons are on trial in a
Mormon community.
The end is not yet. One of the chief instigators, George
A. Smith, has passed on to a higher tribunal, where Jus-
tice is not blindfold, and from whose decisions there is no
appeal. The other is left, for what fate no one yet can tell.
It may be that his punishment will not be given him here ;
that no earthly judge shall ever pass sentence upon him.
But, for all that, retribution is none the less certain, and the
measure of suffering which he has meted out to others shall
be meted out to him.
In the mean time Justice will not rest. The spirit of the
nation, fully aroused, demands a fairer trial, and it will have
it. A jury must be found who shall not be bound by the
shackles of bigotry, and held by oaths of disloyalty which
they dare not break, but who will do their duty honestly,
faithfully, and loyally. Then, and then only, shall truth
triumph, and hypocrisy and wickedness meet their just
reward.
CHAPTER XV.
THE BLOOD-ATONEMENT. THE DESTROYING AN-
GELS. DANITES AND THEIR DEEDS.
Sweet, Saintly Sentiments. " He ought to have his Throat cut." Too
many Gentiles About. The Spirit of " Blood- Atonement " still Cher-
ished. Present Position of Apostates. How they used to be "Cut
Off." " Cutting Men off below the Ears." How "Accidents" hap-
pened to People who " Knew too Much." How Mr. Langford ex-
pressed his Opinion too Freely. Mormon Friends kindly advise him
to " Shut Up." " Be on your Guard ! " Poetry among the Saints :
a Popular Song. Human Sacrifices Proposed! How Saints were
taught to Atone for their Sins. " Somebody " ready to shed their
Blood. "The Destroying Angels:' 1 ' 1 who they were, and what they
Did. Saints told to do their own " Dirty Work." People who " ought
to be Used Up." Murdering by Proxy ! Brigham Ycung proved
to be the Vilest of Assassins. Hideous Crimes of Porter Rockwell
and Bill Hickman. How Rockwell tried to Murder Governor
Boggs. Hickman Confesses his Atrocious Crimes. Six Men Robbed
of $25,000, and then "Used Up." Another Frightful Assassination.
A Council of Mormon Murderers. The "Church" orders the Assas-
sination of the Aikin Party.
IT is only a very few weeks
since two prominent officers
of the Mormon Church were
overheard in the street, in
Salt Lake City, angrily dis-
cussing some person who
had "broken his covenants."
Said one,
"He ought to have his
throat cut."
"It wouldn't do," replied
the other; "there are too
many Gentiles about."
It is now nearly twenty
years since the eventful
s S^^s.yl
IJ^A.^ 'IN,V&
$t ; ;.', "^ ; - .,;-:.,; ,,,. ..,>;$ A \ %
SWEET, SAINTLY SENTIMENTS. A LITTLE MURDER. 263
" Reformation " and its horrible teachings, and the effects are
still felt. The principles that Young, and Grant, and
Kimball, and their fellows taught then have not been for-
gotten in all these years that have intervened, and it is only
the presence of a large " Gentile " element that prevents
the full exercise of the " Blood- Atonement."
There never has been any real and impartial trial by jury
in Utah. No twelve men could be found and sworn in who
would dare to render an unbiassed verdict. This has been
repeatedly seen in trials which have taken place. So true is
it, that hundreds of Gentiles who are conscious of the justice
of their several causes, would never think of bringing them
into court during the existing state of affairs. They know it
would be useless. Prejudice runs high ; in fact, so high that
outsiders are perfectly incapable of realizing it. Still, murders
have been fewer of late, for President Young knows that the
eye of Uncle Sam is fixed with no small degree of sternness
upon the City of the Saints ; and, more important still, Deseret
has not yet been admitted into the Union as a State !
Yet the spirit of assassination still remains ; and were it
unchecked, hundreds would be added to the already appall-
ingly long list of men and women foully dealt with and
sent into eternity without a moment's warning, for no crime
at all except for daring to differ, if ever so slightly, from
those in authority. If any person, deceived by the present
peaceful attitude of the Mormon leaders and their constant
boast that crime is almost unknown among them, thinks
that they have altered in their real views at all since the
days when they first advocated the " Blood-Atonement," he
is very much mistaken. The feelings that they have been
obliged to hide are bitterer because they have not dared to
show them.
An apostate nowadays is comparatively safe from any
deeds of violence on their part. The most they can do is
to abuse him through their newspapers, and curse him in
the church, and give him over to the tender mercies of
264 LIFE IN DANGER. GENTILES, BEWARE!
Satan ; but as " Deseret " newspaper abuse is rarely heard
outside of the church which it represents, and as the curs-
ing does not produce physical hurt, and as Satan's mercies
are to the full as tender as theirs, the Gentile does not mind
anything about the whole of it, but goes on his way qui-
etly enough.
But twenty, fifteen, even ten years ago, an apostate's or
Gentile's life was worth absolutely nothing. It was difficult
to tell which of the two they hated with the most deadly
hatred. The doom of either was irrevocably fixed, and it
came, swift and sudden, often before he knew that danger
menaced him. It did not need actual knowledge of a man's
defection from the church, or that his disapprobation of the
course pursued by leaders should be openly expressed ; it
was enough that he should be merely suspected, and his
.fate was just as certain, coming swift and sure, before he
had even an opportunity of defending himself.
A strict surveillance was kept over the movements of any
: stranger in the city, and if his words or actions displeased
.the Mormon spies, he never got far beyond city limits on
.his onward journey before some sad accident befell him,
which left him lying dead by the road-side. It was well
when a stranger had any person to caution him against any
expression of his mind against the people or their religion ;
above all, against their beloved institution of polygamy, for
they are very sensitive on this point, hating and dreading
criticism in the very thing, above all others, that provokes
and invites it. In this case he might escape with nothing
more terrible than the consciousness of a spy dogging his
every footstep and listening to every word.
In the autumn of 1863, Mr..N. P. Langford, of St. Paul,
Minnesota (the author of the "Yellowstone Articles," pub-
lished a few years since in Scribner's Magazine) , in com-
pany with several others, started from Montana for Salt
Lake City. While on the journey they fell in with a party
of Mormons, numbering eight, all men, and all bound
HOW A GENTILE WAS " SHUT UP." 265
for Salt Lake City. The two parties travelled together the
remainder of the way, and became very friendly. As a
natural consequence of this companionship, the talk turned
upon Mormonism, and the arguments between them were
frequent and interesting.
One of the Mormons, named Cunningham, was a very
intelligent man, and, while contending that his was the
only true faith, would argue with Langford, without show-
ing any ill feeling a very uncommon thing for a Mormon
to do, by the way, since they are usually so very intolerant
that they will not listen to an opponent with the least degree
of patience, but, at the first sign of opposition, lose temper,
and, instead of fairly arguing the question, shower anath-
emas on the one who has dared to call their religion in
question. It must be a weak position that can only be de-
fended by vituperation.
At night, while round the camp-fire, the Mormons would
sing of Brigham as "the word of the Lord," and what
Langford called a " string of nursery rhymes," in which
Cunningham would sing the solo, and the rest the chorus.
The idea conveyed in these rhymes, was, that only in Mor-
monism was happiness to be found, and that they were glad
that they were Mormons.
After the party arrived in Salt Lake City, Cunningham
called Langford on one side, and said to him, "You boys
seem to be pretty good fellows, and I do not wish you to come
to harm, and will give you a word of advice. Here in Salt
Lake, you must not express yourselves about Mormonism
as you have when you have talked with me ; for, if you do,
your lives won't be worth a cent."
"Why so? " asked Langford.
"Because you will be assassinated," was the reply.
Langford thanked him, and followed his advice. Soon
afterwards he mentioned the fact to a Gentite with whom
he had business, who in reply said, "You must do as he
says, or you will never leave the city alive. Do you see
266 M HE IS A MORMON SPY ! "
that man with a gray coat? He is a Mormon spy, and is
evidently watching you, and will watch you as long as you
remain in the city. I say, as your Mormon adviser did,
Be on your guard."
During all the time that Langford was in the city he was
followed by this man, and he said he felt sure that if one
word in disparagement, or criticism, of. the Mormon peo-
ple, or their religion, had crossed his lips, he would have
been a dead man. He followed the advice he received,
however, else the readers of Scribner would not have been
so charmingly entertained afterwards, as they were by his
readable articles.
It may seem like digressing somewhat, but I cannot re-
frain from quoting the " nursery rhymes " which the Mor-
mons sang by the camp-fire, and which evidently impressed
Langford with their absurdity. These rhymes are printed
in the Mormon Sunday-school song-book, and are sung in
Sunday-schools and religious meetings to the tune of " The
Bonny Breast Knots." They are a most remarkable piece
of religious composition.
" What peace and joy pervade the soul,
And sweet sensations through me roll,
And love and peace my heart console,
Since first I met the Mormons !
" They sing the folly of the wise ;
Sectarian precepts they despise ;
A heaven far above the skies
Is never sought by Mormons.
" To Sabbath meetings they repair ;
Both old and young assemble there,
The words of inspiration share :
No less can suit the Mormons.
" At night the Mormons do convene,
To chat a while, and sing a hymn ;
And one, perchance, repeat a rhyme
He made about the Mormons.
SING, "DADDY, I'M A MORMON!" 267
" The Mormon fathers love to see
Their Mormon families all agree ;
The prattling infant on his knee
Cries, ' Daddy, I'm a Mormon ! '
" As youth in Israel once decried,
To wed with those that Heaven denied,
So youth among us now have cried,
' We'll marry none but Mormons.'
" High be our heaven, the Mormons cry,
Our place of birth, and when they die,
Celestialize and purify
This earth for perfect Mormons.
" So, while we tread the foeman'sv ground,
We'll make the trump of freedom sound,
And scatter blessings all around,
Like free and happy Mormons.
[ Chorus to each verse.~\
" Hey, the merry, O, the busy,
Hey, the sturdy Mormons ;
I never knew what joy was
Till I became a Mormon."
I have heard women singing this chorus in some meet-
ing, because they dared not be silent, when their faces
belied the words of the song, and who I knew hated the
life which they were compelled to live, and who had seen
nothing but the most abject misery since they had entered
it; whose lives were one long, terrible torture, and who
would have been perfectly happy had they seen any way
of escape from it.
The dangers of non-Mormons in 1863, great as they
were, were much less than in days just succeeding the
"Reformation," which days have been rightly called "The
Reign of Terror." It was a terrible time, indeed, and one
fairly shudders to recall the blood-curdling atrocities that
268 DESTROYING ANGELS.
were committed at that period. All " in the name of the
Lord," too, and as an exercise of religious faith. The
Spirit of the New Testament, the Christ-like spirit, breath-
ing out "peace on earth, good will to men," seemed en-
tirely lost. The " Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-
Day Saints " forgot the sweet song of good-fellowship and
love that the angels sang at the birth of Him whom they
professed to follow, and by whose name they were called.
The angry denunciations of fanatics and religious tyrants,
and their servile followers, demanding blood and calling
loudly and openly for the sacrifice of human life, and the
destruction of all who dared to differ from them, drowned
the angel voices.
The old Mosaic spirit of retribution was abroad in all its
most fearful force. " Altars of sacrifice " were loudly recom-
mended, and the victims were advised to place themselves
thereon voluntarily ; if they would not become willing sac-
rifices, they became involuntary ones, for " somebody" took
the matter in hand, and saw that the " atonement " was
made.
Usually this mysterious " somebody " was one of the
" Danites," or " Destroying-Angels," a band of men regu-
larly organized for the purpose of putting obnoxious per-
sons out of the way. It is said that the band had its origin
in Missouri, in the early days of Mormonism, before the
settlement of Nauvoo. But they never became so very
notorious until the "Reformation " times, when their peculiar
talents were called into play, and their services into con-
stant requisition.
As loudly as the Mormon leaders talked to the people
about doing their " dirty work " themselves, they, neverthe-
less, shrank from soiling their own fingers ; so they em-
ployed others to do their own share, and contented them-
selves by saying that such a person ought to be " used up,"
and thinking no more of it until they received the news of a
mysterious death. In this way Brigham Young has " man-
THE MYSTERIOUS SOMEBODY !
aged " a great many murders, of which he would probably
avow himself entirely guiltless, since his hand did not per-
form the deed. But though his hand may have no blood-
stain to haunt him, yet his heart must be terribly weighted
with the load of guilt, which he cannot shake off, let him
try as hard as he may. To look at the man, rosy and
smiling, comfortable in every particular, you would never
take him to be the hard, cruel despot he is. He looks
.clean enough outwardly, but within he is rilled with moral
rottenness to the very core.
Among the men he has employed, the most notorious are
Orrin Porter Rockwell, known familiarily as " Port" Rock-
well, and William, or, as he is called, " Bill " Hickman.
" Port " was an old friend and ally of Joseph Smith, hold-
ing very much the same relation to him that " Bill Hick-
man " has held to the present Prophet. Among other
things of which he was accused, was the murder of Gov-
ernor Boggs, of Missouri.
Joseph Smith and he were
both accused, the former
of instigating the murder,
the latter for committing
it ; but Smith got free
without a trial, through
some quibble of the law,
and Rockwell proved that
he was in another place at
the time of the attempted
assassination. He was
always near the Prophet
in the time of danger, and, in return, Joseph promised
" Port " that so long as he wore his hair uncut his life
should be safe. So he still wears his hair long, in braided
queues down his back, and he says that he shall live until
every enemy of Joseph Smith is killed.
His evil deeds will probably equal, if not outnumber, Bill
BRIGHAM'S "DESTROYING ANGEL," "PORT"
ROCKWELL,
27O CONFESSION OF THE MURDERER HICKMAN.
Hickman's ; but the latter, either touched with remorse at
the remembrance of all the crimes which he had committed,
or else annoyed because Brigham was so avaricious and
parsimonious, and did not give him money enough, or be-
cause he thought to save his own neck, turned State's
evidence against Brigham and the other Mormon leaders,
and made what he calls a " full confession " of his crimes.
The list of them is perfectly appalling, and he claims that
he did them all at Young's instigation.
Among the most famous of the murders was that of
Lobbs, and the massacre of the " Aiken party" a deed that
stands in cold-blooded atrocity and treachery next to the
" Mountain Meadow Massacre," and in which Port Rock-
well figures also. It was a deed that could be committed
by no one except the fanatical Mormons, who were drunk
with " Reformation " excitement, and filled with an insane
desire for blood-shedding.
A party of six men, on their way from Sacramento,
which city they had left in May, 1857, going, as it was sup-
posed, to join Johnston's army. A part of the way they
travelled with a party of Mormons who were ordered home
from Missouri to assist in the "Mormon war."
The Mormon party took a great liking to them all, and
the relations between them were very amicable. John
Pendleton, one of the Mormons, said in his testimony,
w They were kind, polite, and brave, and always ready to
do anything that was needed." Unfortunately for them,
they got impatient at the slowness with which the Mormon
party travelled, and so they left it, and hurried on. At
Raysville, a town about twenty-five miles north of Salt
Lake, they were all arrested on the charge of being gov-
ernment spies. A few days after their arrest, the Mormon
party came in, and Pendleton, it seems, instantly recog-
nized their horses in the public corral. He at once in-
quired what it meant, and on being told that the party had
been arrested as spies, he replied, with an oath, that it was
THE BISHOP " USES UP " A FEW MEN ! 27!
impossible ; that they knew nothing about the army ; that,
in fact, they had been their companions nearly all the way.
" Can't help it ; we shall keep them," was the reply. When
it is remembered that they had property with them to the
amount of twenty-five thousand dollars, I think their deten-
tion will be fully explained.
They were tried as spies, and nothing being proved
against them, they were promised safe-conduct out of the
Territory, but they must be sent by the southern route.
Four of them went, leaving the other two of their party in
the city, accompanied by Rockwell, John Lot, a man of the
name of Watts, and one other man. At Nephi, one hun-
dred miles south of Salt Lake, Rockwell informed Bishop
Bryant that the party were to be w used up " there. A
council was held, and the Bishop appointed four more men
to assist the four who had the men in charge. Among
these last appointed was the Bishop's own counsellor, Pitch-
for, and a man named Bigbee, who is now a Bishop.
This part} r of four started early in the night, while the
Aikens' party did not leave until daylight. When they
reached the Sevier River, Rockwell said he thought they
had better camp there, for they could find no other camp-
ing-place that day ; so they stopped. Very soon the other
party, who had been lying in wait for them, approached,
and asked permission to camp with them, which was readily
granted.
The men were tired, and removing their arms, they were
soon sound asleep. Their treacherous companions hovered
over them like greedy birds of prey. Why didn't something
warn those men of the terrible fate that was in store for
them? But there came no voice of warning, and still they
slept on as peacefully and as trustfully as though in their
own homes among those who loved them ; and still the
assassins hovered over them, waiting for what they did not
know. They discussed the manner in which the deed
should be done, and decided not to use fire-arms. Armed
272 TOO TRUEl THE STORY OF A BLOODY DEED.
with clubs, they crept stealthily up to where their sleeping
companions lay, and dealt furious blows at them while they
slept. Two of the men died without a struggle ; John
Aiken was but slightly wounded, and rose to his feet to de-
fend himsef, but received a shot from the pistol of one of the
men which laid him senseless. ; A man called the " Colonel,"
believing the whole party were attacked by robbers, made
his way into the bush, receiving as he went a shot in the
shoulder from M Port " Rockwell's pistols. He succeeded in
MURDER OF AIKEN PARTY.
evading his pursuers, and made his way to Nephi, twenty-
five miles distant, and arrived, pale and drenched with
blood, at Bishop Foote's, whose guests the party had been
during their stay in Nephi. He told his story, which was
listened to with a surprise and horror that were well
feigned.
The three bodies were thrown into the river ; but in some
miraculous manner, in spite of his wounds, John Aiken
managed to get ashore, and, hiding in the bush, he heard
one of the men ask Rockwell "'if all the damned Gentiles
were dead; " to which the other replied, that they were, all
"THEY WEPT LIKE CHILDREN!" 273
but one, but that he ran away. Aiken lay quietly until he
heard the assassins leave; then he made his way, as best
he could, through the cold November night, drenched with
water, sorely wounded, and with very little clothing, back
to Nephi. He knew who were his attempted assassins, and
he knew that to go to Nephi was to go directly back into
the jaws of death ; but he did not know what else to do ; so
he plodded painfully on until he reached the town, where
he sank fainting at the door of the very first house which he
reached. The woman of the house was surprised at his
appearance, and told him that another one was at Bishop
Foote's. "It is my brother ! " he exclaimed, and moved away
from the door. No one attempted to stop him ; all were
too much shocked at his appearance and manner, and he
reached Bishop Foote's in safety, where he found not his
brother, but the "Colonel."
The meeting between them was heart-rending. They
wept like children, and, falling into each other's arms, em-
braced one another with all the tenderness of women. And
the Mormon men looked on and coolly decided upon the
manner of their death.
Bishop Bryant came with condolences and regrets at their
own misfortunes and the sad fate of their friends, extracted
the balls, dressed the wounds, and advised them to return,
as soon as they possibly could, to Salt Lake City. In the
mean time the murderers were in Nephi, concocting a new
plan of assassination. It is said that the men had saved a
watch worth two hundred and fifty dollars, and a pistol.
When they got ready to leave, a bill for thirty dollars was
presented to them, which, having no money with them, they
promised to settle directly on their return to Salt Lake.
They were told that such an arrangement could not be
made; so Aiken said, "Well, here is my watch and my
partner's pistol ; you can take which you choose." With-
out hesitation the Bishop took the pistol ; so leaving the men
entirely unarmed. As he gave it to Foote, he turned to
18
274 GETTING RID OF THE CORPSES !
his friend and said, with the tears rolling down his face,
" Prepare for death ; we shall never leave this Valley
alive."
Previous to their departure, John Aiken had commenced
to write an account of the affair ; but it moved him so that
he was utterly unable to proceed with it, and so he got a
son of Bishop Foote, who had proved a good friend to them,
to finish it for him. This account, by some mysterious
good fortune, has never been destroyed.
They had got but a few miles from Nephi when the
driver of their wagon a Mormon, and in the plot stopped
in front of an old cabin, and saying that he must water his
horses, unhitched them and led them away. Instantly, two
men stepped from the cabin, and before the doomed men could
realize the situation, fired at them, killing them instantly ;
they were then taken from the wagon, and, loaded with
stone, put in a "bottomless spring," such as is often seen
in Utah.
While this atrocious act of villany was going on, Rock-
well and his men had returned to Salt Lake, and taking the
remaining ones of the party, had started southward with
them, plying them with liquor constantly. One of them,
named Back, feigned drunkenness ; but the other man was
absolutely insensible when they reached the " Point of the
Mountain," where it had been decided to make away with
them ; or, in Danite parlance, "use them up." They were
suddenly attacked with slung-shot. The drunken man was
quickly despatched, without the slightest trouble ; but Back,
who had been suspicious of his companions, and had been
on the lookout for treachery, leaped from the wagon, and
succeeded in outrunning his pursuers and in evading their
bullets. He swam the Jordan, and came down to the city,
where he told the whole story, creating a tremendous ex-
citement. Brigham was terribly exercised, and sent at once
for Hickman, telling him, in his usual refined manner,
" The boys have made a bad job putting a man out of the
BRIGHAM'S IDEA OF "A BAD STINK!" 275
way. They all got drunk, bruised up a fellow, and he got
away from them at the Point of the Mountain, came back
to the city, and is telling all that has happened, which is
making a bad stink."
He then told him that he must find that man and use him
up ; that, first of all, he was to go and find George Grant
and William Kimball, both of whom were " generals " in
the Utah militia, and consult with them about having him
taken care of. Hickman found the " generals " decidedly
disgusted at "Rockwell's mismanagement of the affair," as
they termed it ; that something must be done, and that at
once, and asked if Brigham had sent him up. On being told
that he had, they informed him that they had arranged
everything, and only wished him to carry out their arrange-
ments and follow their instructions.
They had planned with a man with whom Back had
stayed a great deal on his first arrival in Utah, and in whom
he had implicit confidence, to invite him to visit him. He
was to come to town to fetch him to his home, which was
about twelve miles from the city, and Hickman was to meet
them on the way and despatch Back. He was to go a cer-
tain road, which was very quiet, being but little travelled,
was to drive white horses, and was to go very fast. Hick-
man and another man named Meacham started out a little
before sundown, and rode to the appointed spot. About
dusk, the wagon with the white horses came swiftly along ;
the two men were talking interestedly, and the poor victim
of this treacherous plan was entirely off his guard : sup-
posing himself to be with a friend, no thought of harm had
entered his mind, and he was entirely unprepared for his
cruel fate. Hickman and Meacham stepped suddenly out
into the lonely road, and called to the driver to halt, at the
same time firing at Back, shooting him through the head,
and killing him instantly. The body was put into a ditch,
a rag hung on a bush to mark the spot, and the assassins
returned to George Grant's house to report their success.
276 CRYING FOR VENGEANCE FROM THE GRAVE !
They found Grant, Kimball, and Port Rockwell all there, and
after hearing the result of the expedition, all took spades
and went out and buried the man. The next day Hickman
gave an account of the affair to Young, who expressed him-
self as delighted that he had been put out of the way.
It was fourteen years before the truth of this affair was
known. It was for a while shrouded in deep mystery, and
the blood of the innocent victims cried out for retribution
unheeded and unnoted for all those years. Now their fate is
known beyond a doubt, and foremost in the list of assassins
stands the name of Brigham Young.
CHAPTER XVI.
FRIGHTFUL DEEDS OF BLOOD. MORMONISM IN ITS
TRUE LIGHT.
The Yates Murder. Brigham and the Leading Mormons Arrested for
the Crime. Mr. Yates accused of being a Spy. He is Arrested and
his Goods Seized. Bill Hickman takes possession of the Prisoner's
Body. Brigham Embezzles his Gold. Another Saint steals his
Watch. Hickman carries him to Jones's Camp. He is murdered
there while Asleep. Hickman asks Brigham for a Share of the
Spoil. The Prophet refuses; sticks to every Cent. Hickman's
"faith "in Mormonism is Shaken. His fellow-murderer Apostatizes
Outright. How Bill was finally " paid in Wives." He tries a little
matter of Seventeen. Fiendish Outrage at San Pete. Bishop Snow
contrives the Damnable Deed. The fate of his Victims. A Myste-
rious Marriage. The Feather-beds and the Prophet. Mrs. Lewis
comes to Live with Me.
BOUT this time, when the
Aiken party were cut off,
as I have just related, by
Brigham Young's express
command, another horrible
murder was perpetrated
under circumstances of
equal atrocity, which has
since attracted a consid-
erable amount of public
attention.
The reason of the Yates
murder becoming so noto-
B RIG H AM YOUNG'S FARM-HOUSE. ri US WaS nOt because it
was so much worse than
hundreds of other murders which have been committed in
278 BRIGHAM EMBEZZLES THE VICTIM'S GOLD.
Mormondom, but because Brigham Young and other Mor-
mon officials were arrested as the murderers. Hickman
turned State's evidence, and it is from his own account that
I take the leading facts of the assassination.
Yates was a trader on Green, River, and was accused by
the Mormons of being a government spy. In those days,
if no other charge could be brought against a person, he
was called a "spy;" and this, of course, gave sufficient
reason for putting him out of the way very summarily.
The Mormons were also annoyed because, although among
his stores he had a large quantity of ammunition, he would
not sell it unless the purchasers bought other goods. They
then accused him of supplying the army, and arresting
him, carried him to Fort Bridger, while they took posses-
sion of his store, stock, &c.
Hickman was detailed to take the prisoner to the city,
and Yates's money nine hundred dollars in gold was
given him to carry to Brigham Young. His watch was
"taken care of "by some one at Bridger. Hickman was
accompanied by a brother of his, a Gentile, who was on a
visit to him ; Meacham, the one who was connected with
him in the murder of Back ; and a man of the name of
Flack. On their way they were met by Joseph A. Young,
who informed them that his father wanted Yates killed, and
that he, Hickman, was to take him to Jones's camp, where
he would receive further orders. The party arrived at
camp that evening about sundown, and that night Yates
was murdered as he lay asleep by the camp-fire.
Hickman and Flack carried the news and the money to
Brigham. He was very affable until Hickman suggested
that, as they had been to much expense, he thought part of
the money ought to come to them. His manner changed
at once ; he reprimanded the men very severely, and told
them that the money was needed for the church ; it must go
towards defraying the expenses of the war. Flack aposta-
THE DEVIL'S DIRTIKST WORK. ANOTHER "ANGEL!" 279
LL HICKMAN, BRIGHAM'S "DESTROYING
ANGEL."
tized at once ; renounced .Mormonism on the spot ; it evi-
dently didn't "pay" well enough to suit him, and Hickman
himself was disgusted with the meanness of his master.
He said that Brigham never
gave him one dollar for all the
" dirty work " he had done for
him ; he never made him the
slightest present. But he paid
him, it is said, in wives. I
think he had seventeen, and a
large number of children.
It was a class of men like
this that the Reformation
brought to the surface, and
capital tools they made for a
corrupt and bloodthirsty priest-
hood. They were earnest dis-
ciples of the " Blood- Atonement," and could slay an apos-
tate or a Gentile with no compunctions of conscience. Yet,
bad as they were, they did not equal in villany the men
who employed them, and then refused to pay them.
Everything, even the most trifling, that a person did,
which was at all offensive to any member of the priesthood,
was accounted apostasy, and punishment administered as
speedily as possible. Hundreds of innocent victims have
been sacrificed in this way, merely to gratify a petty, per-
sonal revenge, or to remove some person who chanced to
be distasteful. Fanaticism and bigotry were at that time at
flood tide, and some of the most revolting and heart-sick-
ening crimes were committed. Many of them were un-
known outside the places where they occurred, and so
common were they that, beyond an involuntary feeling of
horror, and a vague sort of wonder as to who would be the
next victim, nothing was thought of them; until, after the
excitement began to die away, and the people had time to
recall the scenes of horror, they began to realize, to a cer-
28O HORRIBLE CRIMES IN THE SETTLEMENTS.
tain extent, what they had been passing through. Some
of the crimes were almost too shocking even to mention ;
they could not be given in detail.
Among the victims to priestly hatred and jealousy was a
young man about twenty years of age, in San Pete County,
named Thomas Lewis, a very quiet, inoffensive fellow,
much liked by all who knew him, very retiring in his man-
ners, and not particularly fond of gay society. He lived
with his widowed mother, and the very sweetest, tenderest
relations that can exist between a mother and child existed
between them.
Contrary to his usual habit, he attended a dancing-party
one evening at the urgent and repeated entreaties of his
friends, and during the evening he was quite attentive to a
young lady-friend of his who was present, and with whom
he was on terms of greater intimacy than with any other
in the company. She knew his shy, retiring disposition,
and seemed to take pleasure in assisting him to make the
evening a pleasant one ; just as any good-natured, kindly
girl will do for a young fellow whom she likes, and who she
knows is ill at ease and uncomfortable.
It happened that Snow, the Bishop of the ward in which
the Lewis family lived, had cast his patriarchal eye on this
young girl, and designed her for himself; and he did not
relish the idea of seeing another person pay any attention to
his future wife. He had a large family already, but he
wished to add to it, and he did not choose to be interfered
with.
Lewis's doom was sealed at once ; the bewitched Bishop
was mad with jealous rage, and he had only to give a hint
of his feelings to some of his chosen followers, who were
always about, and the sequel was sure. He denounced
Lewis in the most emphatic manner, and really succeeded
in arousing quite a strong feeling of indignation against him
for his presumption in daring to pay even the slightest atten-
tion to a lady who was destined to grace a Bishop's harem.
THE SAN PETE OUTRAGE. 28l
The closest espionage was kept upon him by the Bishop's
band of ruffians, and one evening a favorable opportunity
presented itself; he was waylaid, and the Bishop's sentence
carried out, which was to inflict on the boy an injury so
brutal and barbarous that no woman's pen may write the
words that describe it.
He lay in a concealed spot for twenty-four hours, weak
and ill, and unable to move. Here his brother found him
in an apparently dying state, and took him home to his
poor, distracted mother, who nursed him with a breaking
heart, until after a long time, when he partially recovered.
He then withdrew himself from all his former friends, and
even refused to resume his place at the table with the family.
He became a victim of melancholia, and would take no
notice of what was occurring around him. He staid with
his mother for several years, when he suddenly disap-
peared, and has never been heard of since ; his mother and
brother made every effort to find him, but they could not
obtain the slightest clew to his whereabouts.
Whether this victim of priestly rule is dead or living must
for ever remain a ,mystery. It is probable that the emis-
saries of Bishop Snow have put an end to his existence.
Yet during the whole of this affair the bishop was sustained
by Brigham Young, who knew all about it. He has held
his sacred office as securely as though the stain of human
blood was not on his conscience ; he has been sent on a
mission to preach "the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ to
the poor benighted nations of Christendom," and he has
also taken more wives, which were sealed to him by
Brigham Young in the Endowment House.
_But_a_still_greater marvel is, thatthe^_jotlier_of_Biah.op
Snow's poor victim still retains her faith in Mormonism, and
since the cruel and disgraceful tragedy whiV.^_^pl'lvvVi )'"i "^
her-auUj'TTas beensaled__toBrigharn Young as one of his
Hs~ri'oTpitv that moved flim to marry her, nor a de^"
sire to comfort her and lighten her burdens ; but it was because-
uiii thai lie C&uld advance nis own mierests.
282 A MATRIMONIAL WATER-COURSE !
Mrs. Lewis is never mentioned among his wives, yet he was
sealed to her about two years after his marriage to me.
Brigham's matrimonial experiences hardly find a place here,
but as Mrs. Lewis's alliance with the Prophet came about in
a way through this tragedy, it may not be out of place even
in this chapter on " Blood-Atonement."
San Pete was filled with so many sad memories to Mrs.
Lewis, after the terrible fate of her son, that she could not
remain there, reminded as she constantly was of the affair ;
so she removed to Provo, where she bought herself a very
pleasant home, and, being a woman of considerable wealth,
was living very comfortably, when Brigham commenced
building a factory so near to her that it spoiled the beauty
of the place and made it quite unpleasant. The agents then
proposed to bring the water-course through her front yard
an arrangement to which she objected most emphatically.
The agents, shocked at her unwillingness to have her prop-
erty spoiled for the sake of Brother Brigham's factory,
rushed in breathless haste to the Prophet, and told him of
Mrs. Lewis's rebellion. He instantly formed a plan of in-
ducing her to surrender. He went at once to Provo, and
presented himself to Mrs. Lewis with an offer of marriage,
saying at the same time, " I know you have had a great
deal of trouble, Sister Lewis ; you have suffered much for
the sake of the gospel, and I pity you. I desire to do some-
thing for you ; I wish in some way to comfort you ; so I
think you had better become a member of my family."
/* She was an old lady, with children all grown, and was
perfectly independent of them or any one, and certainly had
no need to marry for support. As the Mormons believe
that no woman can enter heaven except some man go
through the ordinances with her, very many are sealed in
their old age to secure salvation ; but as her husband had
been a good Mormon, and they had attended to all the im-
portant matters, she was saved without prophetic interven-
tion. She had no need to marry for a husband who should
;L
THE PROPHET MAKES LOVE TO THE WIDOW.
283
look out for her welfare, as her children were ready and
willing to do anything she needed done in the way of busi-
ness. So she informed Brother Brigham that she didn't see
why she should marry at all.
But Brother Brigham assured her that he wanted to marry
as well for his own happiness as hers. He wanted her
always near him, and it should be his first pleasure and
business to look out for a nice place of residence for her,
where he might look after her constantly. In fact he played
the devoted and anxious lover with all theTearnestness ol a
youth
ho is wooing his first innamorata, an
The Prophet'searnestness was not without effect, and
Mrs. Lewis took her lover's proposal into serious considera-
tionTwhile he waited^anxiqusly for an answer, with one"eye
on the co vetecL front y nrf ^ * hi * ^^^ r Spring at thp w^^^wj-
jwho actually concluded tn ar.rept; his prQposals. an^ absurd
as it may seem, became o^ of ^ i>g "'""* ^
1 He was asnamed of himself after it was all over, and
requested his bride to say nothing about " the transaction
between them," as it was better that, for the present at
least, no one but themselves should know anything about it.
"They would not understand, you know," murmured he in
his most drivellingly sweet accents. r hetrouble was,
tr>r>
saw the water-course running through the oncjrejttvfront
yard 7>TffieJtasT"Mrs. Young'sThome.
IrOTvefyshort time he began to talk about his farm-house,
and extolling it as a most desirable residence. I was living
there at the time, yet he said " it was plenty large enough
for two families, and everything was arranged with such
perfect convenience ; " so he begged that she would move
there at once. He grew eloquent over the beauties of the
situation, and said, " It is a perfectly splendid place, the
nicest farm-place I ever saw in my life. I would give any-
28 4
AN OLD GOOSE AND HER FEATHER-BEDS I
thing if my duties would permit me to live there ; but I am
kept away by circumstances, and cannot even think of it as
a permanent residence, ardently as I long to do so." He con-
tinued, "You can raise all the fowls there that you desire ; it
is a beautiful place for raising ducks and geese, and you
may make as many feather-beefs as you wish."
What greater inducements could he hold out to her?
Dear to every old housekeeper's heart are her plump, soft,
billowy feather-beds. We moderns are stifled by them ;
they are oppressive, and suggestive of dust ; but she pats
their rotundity with loving hands ; gives them many punches
BRIGHAM WOOING WIDOW LEWIS.
of affection, and builds a structure that is wonderful to be-
hold in which she hospitably smothers her chance visitor,
and, while he is sweltering in its embraces, tells him
proudly that " that bed is live geese ! " The pride of Mrs.
Lewis's heart was her feather-beds she wavered.
Her sons were very reluctant to have her leave her own
home, and expressed themselves quite strongly on the sub-
ject when she mentioned it to them and asked their advice.
Yet, in spite of their disapprobation, she concluded to go.
Her husband was also her Prophet, and it might be that he
spoke from inspiration. At all events, she would give heed
TOO BUSY TO SEE HIS NEW WIFE !
to his words, and regard his wishes ; else what punishment
deaf tocher children^; protestations, who, by the way/cuTT "' '
ard the call to the farm as
Weneither of us likecTTliis arrangement
firm believers in the theory that no one hcmse
yet built large enough for two families. Yet we knew
that it would not be wise to say anythi-ng to Brigham ; so
we were as quiet as w r e could be, and awaited his own time
for our separation, Mrs. Lewis was a very kind, patient
woman, and I got very fond of her, and we got on admira-
bly together in our forced companionship, and managed to
live together until my house in the city was finished, which
was about four months after she arrived at the farm.
She said that she told Brother Brigham, most decidedly,
that she had strong objections to moving into a house with
another family, and he told me that he was intending to
have me go to the city immediately, and that I would prob-
ably be gone before she arrived at the farm. She post-
poned her removal for some weeks after that, hoping
that I w r ould have gone by that time, and the coast entirely
clear. She found on her arrival that Brigham had grossly
misrepresented, affairs at the farm. Nothing at all was as
he had described it to her. This hoary old Claude Mel-
notte deceived his ancient Pauline most cruelly in the vivid
pictures which he drew of the elegance of her future resi-
dence.
She made it her first business to visit the Prophet and
ask for some repairs to be made, which, by the way,
were sadly needed, but he declared that he had no time
to attend to them the same answer that he had made to my
requests ever since I had lived there. _A busier man than
Brigham Young, when hejwishes to be particularlyenF""^
HIM '1j ^rrn-juTrr "jam, ' I- believe; and his business is
Always trTemost pressing, when any ot his wlves~ask him.
to do anything for their comtbrt. ~|
286 HOW BRIGHAM CHEATED THE OLD LADY.
When she had lived at the farm a year, she told me that
BlJglicUli lidd liPVflr keen trT see her nnr.p during all
time: but that hq fond g
was using it for factory purposes^ The water-course ran
through her yard, her house was made an ofrice,jmd the
Jvhol^^ajEe^yjaa,SQjch^Ja^d- and so entirely spoiled as a
residence, that she never r.nuld pn then; agai" tfl-tivg Sh
must, whether she would or not, live there until Brigham
choseTto move her someaadiere else, or until nerrrnlHren
could find some phicejbr her to go t;p^ She supports herself
entirely, independently of the man who has swindled her
out of her home and her property ; and the only, assistance
she receives is from her children, who are very kind to her,
annoyed as they were at her for giving up her home, and,
above all, allowing it to fall into Brigham Young's hands.
His duck-and-g-Qpgg g*y wai p 11 "nif^pfogo"*^^ rna^
use of merely to induce her to go to the farm ; and when
she got there she very soon found that she would have _
those lovely feather beds, not, at least, by raising the._
fowls to supply the feathers. The Prophet's imagination
had evidently run away with memory when he ardently
painted the glories of the farm to his bride. This poor old
lady was made a tool for the gratification of Brigham
Young's avarice, as her son had been the victim to one of
his followers jealous an^er. _She has little tn |^y p Mr>r-
monism for. Its two leading doctrines, the "Celestial
Marriage- " and " Blood-Atonement," nave, pretty thoroughly
shut out happiness from her life, and rendered her in her old
age lonely and dependent.
A man named Thomas Williams came early to Utah, was
a good Mormon, and embraced polygamy. He was a
lawyer, and had acquired both wealth and influence in his
profession. He was, however, a very independent man,
and a man of very decided opinions. He had differed from
Brigham on many political questions, and he was a warm
friend and staunch adherent of Judge Stiles, who had drawn
"DAMN MORMONISM, AND ALL MORMONS!" 287
upon himself the displeasure of the " boys " by his just and
impartial judgments. Indeed, Williams had his office
with the judge, and that was a crime, when Judge Stiles's
standing was taken into consideration. Williams was also
in possession of knowledge concerning some murders that
had taken place, had spoken very openly of them, and was
becoming actually dangerous to Brigham and the other
leaders, so dangerous that Brigham went to his parents
and complained of him and his acts, and ended by saying,
" If Tom don't behave himself, and stop making me trouble,
I must have him attended to."
Soon after that Williams apostatized, and expressed him-
self very openly concerning the Mormon church and its
leaders, although he knew that it must come to their ears,
and that they would try, at least, to punish him for what
they would consider his wickedness and profanity. He
seemed to have lost all fear, as he had previously lost all
belief in or respect for them. He started for California
soon after his apostasy, designing to stay there, and to send
for his family to join him, so soon as he should be fairly
settled.' He was waylaid and killed by the "Indians" on
the plains. His body was fearfully mutilated, and left
hanging for the birds of prey. It was very well known,
however, at Salt Lake, that the "Tnclians " eTi^a^ethTTrThls"
assassination were white, and that Williams was murdered
by the express order of the church authorities, who knew
that he would prove a most dangerous enemy.
His fate was a direct contradiction to Brigham's famous
sermon on apostates, preached a few years before. Here
is what he says about " independent apostates."
"When a man comes right out like an independent devil,
and says, 'Damn Mormonism, and all Mormons,' and is off
with himself to California, I say he is a gentleman, by the
side of the nasty, sneaking apostates, who are opposed to
nothing but Christianity. I say to the former, 'Go in
peace.'"
288 THE PROPHET AND HIS BOWIE-KNIFE.
Williams was certainly independent enough, but his in-
dependence did not save him.
In this same sermon, which was preached particularly
against the " Gladdenites," as the followers of Gladden
Bishop were called, a man who differed from Brigham in
certain points of the Mormon belief, and who would not
concede that he (Young) was the proper successor of Jo-
seph Smith, he said,
"When I went from meeting last Sabbath, my ears were
saluted by an apostate preaching in the streets here. I
want to know if any one of you who has got the spirit of
Mormonism in you, the spirit that Joseph and Hyrum had,
or that we have here, would say, 'Let us hear both sides
of the question. Let us listen, and prove all things.' What
do you want to prove? Do you want to prove that an old
apostate, who has been cut off irom the church thirteen
times for lying, is anything worthy of notice? We want
such men to go to California, or anywhere they choose. I
say to these persons, 'You must not court persecution here,
lest you get so much of it you will not know what to do
with it. Do NOT court persecution. We have known
Gladden Bishop for more than twenty years, and know him
to be a poor, dirty cuss.'
"Now, you Gladdenites, keep your tongues still, lest
sudden destruction come upon you. I say, rather than that
apostates should flourish here, I will unsheathe my bowie-
knife , and conquer or die. Now,_you nasty apostates,
clear out, or judgment will be laid to the line and righteous-
ness to the plummet. If you say it is all right, raise your
hands. Let us call upon the Lord to assist us in this and
every other good work."
"I will unsheathe my bowie-knife," has been a favorite
threat of his, and it has been unsheathed hundreds of
times. But some one of his Danite followers is called upon
to use it, and when the murders are laid at his door, he
DROWNED IN THREE INCHES OF WATER. 289
stands coolly and boldly up, and his lying tongue says, I
did not do these deeds.
For six or seven years, the spirit of slaughter seemed to
stalk about in the beautiful Utah valleys, and human blood
was shed on the slightest provocation. Did one man bear
a grudge against another, he died in some mysterious man-
ner, a Mormon court of investigation could never discover
how. Was a man obnoxious to any of the church officers,
he disappeared, and was never heard of again ; or, like
John V. Long, a clerk in Brigham's office, who was the
only person who heard the conversation between Brigham
and the messenger sent from George A. Smith, just before
the Mountain Meadow massacre, and who -wrote out the
instructions which the man was to carry back, was found
dead in a ditch, " dr -owned" in three inches of "water, "ac-
cidentally," of course, since that was the decision of the
Mormon jury. Did a man suspect his wife of infidelity,
either she or her suspected lover, or both, fell a victim to
his fury. Sometimes the suspicion was without foundation,
but would be discovered too late, as in the case of the hus-
band who murdered a Dr. Vaughan in San Pete for sup-
posed intimacy with his wife.
The man was an enthusiastic Mormon ; his wife, a lovely
woman, whose reputation had always been irreproachable.
Dr. Vaughan was a friend of both, until the husband fan-
cied that he was too fond of the wife. He went at once
to Salt Lake City, took counsel of the Prophet, returned
home, and shot the doctor dead as he was leaving church.
He found out afterwards that his suspicion was unfounded,
and that he had murdered an innocent man, who had never
wronged him, even in thought. He was haunted by re-
morse until his death. Yet he had only followed the teach-
ings of his religious leader.
Such were the results of the teaching of the Blood-
Atonement doctrine in Utah.
CHAPTER XVII.
TROUBLES IN OUR OWN FAMILY. LOUISE COMES
UPON THE SCENE.
Increase of Polygamy. Marrying going on Day and Night. "Taking
a Wife and Buying a Cow." A Faithful Husband in a Fix. How
Men get " Married on the Sly." How Wives were Driven Crazy by
their Wrongs. My Father Marries Considerably. He " Goes in "
for the Hand-Cart Girls. Marries a Couple to Begin with. Takes a
Third the same Month. Rapid Increase of his "Kingdom." How
the Girls Chose Husbands. Instructing the New Wives in our Fam-
ily. Louise doesn't want to Work. My Father goes on Mission
Again. Louise Flirts and Rebels. She is Scolded and Repents.
Goes to Bed and Weeps. Bestows her Goods on the Family.
" Lizzie " Interviews Her. She Poisons Herself. Is a " Long Time
Dying." She gets a Strong Dose of Cayenne. Is sent on her
Travels. The' Last we Heard of Her.
OTHER immediate ef-
fect of the " Reformation "
was to increase the prac-
tice of polygamy. To alter
an old rhyme to suit the
hen were those wed who
never wed before ;
nd those who once were w<
now wed the more."
Marrying and giving in
marriage was carried on
to such an extent, that, as
in the old days of the first
"Endowments " in Nauvoo
Temple, the ceremony of sealing was literally going on
day and night. "The man who refuses to enter poly-
ONLY A Wire OUT OF THE WAY.
NO HEAVEN WITHOUT POLYGAMY. 2pl
gamy will^e eternally damned," announced Brigham
^foung trom the Tabernacjg. "^Who marries but of the
(^fdi^'fflallTes^fgr^lieTr,'' supplemented Heber C. KimBairT
Polygamy was preached from the platform, and taught by
the ward-teachers in private. It was not only advised, it
was commanded, and no one dared of disobeying the pro-
phetic mandates.
There was scarcely a family in the Territory at that time
which was not increased by a plurality of wives. Men
married in the most reckless fashion, with nothing in the
world on which to support their families. Girls went to the
Endowment Ilpuse,, in JLhe^jaa^ning^Jo^kg, tjhe ir "Endow-
incuts, wttrTlno""iclea of marrying, and came away'irTthC"
afternoon sealed to some brother whose fancy they had
taken, or who, being advised by Brigham or Heber to avail
"himself of his "privileges," had left the matter in apostolic'
hands, and submitted to everything, even to the choice of a
wife.
Wives did not know when their husbands would bring
home another woman to share their home and their hus-
band ; for the clause in the " Revelation " that declared that
a man should seek his wife's consent to a plural marriage,
and that she should herself give the new wife to her hus-
band, " even as Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham," was merely
a dead letter, and was not minded in the majority of cases.
Indeed, the men many times did not consider it. at all neces-
sa7ylio~inTbrm tKewives^oflheir intentions, nnri tht^ pnnr
T women wuultt know IToTnTn^o^trie"!!^ marriaga^until the
husband brought home his latest acquisition, or until she
was informed of it by some outsider.
Tho"se were the days when even the most trussing wives ^
lost fajth_JJL_ thelr^Tiusbancls ij; L^lieja--oternn , oft-repeated
promises were broken, evidently without the slightest qualm
of conscience ; when the tender, watchful affection of the
husband and father was swallowed up in mad desire of
ONLY A WIFE !
possession of the brute. There weretragedies enacted then
that thg. w" r1 ^ ppver will )y*ar of | wf>roen die?~oT~broken
hearts, and their sad fMtpshrjngbt nn pflnfr. or
or remorse to the men whawere as much, the murctef ers as
tKoTTgJTt^y had deliberately taken their lives with the knife,
the ! bullet^, or the poisoned cup.
" Only a wife " out of the way ; and what did that matter ?
plenty more Were to be naa lor the asking. " T thjpk ^0
more of taking a wife than I do of buying a cow," was OQE
of Heber Kimball's delicate remarks, made from the stand
in the Tabernacle to a congregation of several thousand.
Most of his hearers thought even less of it, for they would
have had to pay money for the cow ; and as for the other,
he had only to throw his handkerchief to some girl, and she
would pick it up and follow him.
All the finer feelings and sensibilities of man's, nature
were kilted by this horrible sjystem. Hpj-pgarHf>4 women's
suffering with utter indifference ; he did not care for their
affection ; their tears bored
Tguchea Illni. He"
which h^ucg^ba&JjQf. the ^Xj, and spoke jpf his. wives as
"my womtM^-fomy* heifjejc&y^ or, if he, a Heber Kimball,
my cowe." He was taught that they__were_Jus inferiors,
dependent on hmT'rMr pv^ryilirfigj pypn.-/m Oiiiii^fjjfiirp ex
^ he considered that it was sufficient that he gave
"them his name ; the rest they might get for themselves. He
believed that the Mormon Church was to bring about the time
"when seven women shall lay hold on one man, begging to
be allowed to be called by his name," and should promise to
eat their own bread and wear their own apparel. The latter
they have been not merely allowed but obliged to do ever
since they entered the system, and poor and scanty have
been both bread and apparel in the majority of cases. It
makes, in short, a brute of what might be a man.
I know a first wife who was driven to such utter despera-
HOPE GONE FOR EVER !
293
tion by the total neglect of her husband, that she determined
to take her own life, since it had grown such a burden that
it was intolerable to bear.
One night, in the dead of winter, the snow falling thick
and fast, and the wind sweeping down the mountains and
through the canons, cutting to the very bone, as only a
mountain wind can, she wrapped a tattered 1 shawl about
her, and rushed madly through the night and the snow to
the river, intending to lay down her life and her miseries
LIFE A BURDEN.
together. With a wild prayer for mercy, she was about to
throw herself into the water, when she was restrained by a
strong, imperative hand, and her husband's voice, hissing
angrily in her ear, bade her go home and not make a fool
of herself.
He was on his way home, or, rather, to his first wife's
house, for a change of linen, that he might attend his second
and more favored wife to a party, when he caught sight of
the flying figure, and, suspecting her intentions, followed her
swiftly, and was just in season to prevent her from taking
the fatal step.
294
MARRYING ON THE SLY.
He had no word of^ympatkvJbx. hrr ; nn _the_ contrary.
he was angered at what he called her objsjEJn^c^J^and de^
.ternrirTStionlEo make^a fool of herself." Her anguish of
heart brought no response of tenderness from him ; he ma9e
"Tier returnhorneVjet the articles of apparel which he wished,
uT3"assTst him in his preparations for taking herrival out
for the"~ g '
is so strong in every woman utterly lailed her, and she went
away to seek the death she coveted, leaving her little baby
wailing piteously in its cradle.
My mother had a friend whose husband had, for a long
time, withstood the desires and counsels of the priesthood,
and had incurred their marked displeasure by neglecting
for so long to "live up to his religion," and "avail himself
of his privileges." At the time of the Reformation, how-
ever, he did not dare neglect his " duty " any longer, and
decided to take a second wife. Neither did he dare tell his
first wife of his determination, for he knew how entirely she
loved and trusted him, and he knew, too, how bitter an
opponent she always had been to polygamy. He knew as
well how many times he had assured 'Tier that she had noth-
ing to fear ; that he would be faithful to her, as he had
promised to be in the old days when he married her, and
before God had vowed to " cleave to her only until death
should them part." And he felt how bitter would be her
sorrow, how justly indignant her feelings towards him, how
intense her anger, and he did not dare to brave it all ; so he
stole quietly away to the Endowment House one day, leav-
ing his true and confiding wife illjn her bed, and fresh from
Rer sick I'Oum, look. Lhe blasphemous vows wEicrT claimed
Jojbjnd Jijm"T(raiiuLliei wuiiJcUi fui tiTfie_anidrf^eternity.
_
The first wife knew nothing of what had transpired until
ing that she must find it ouF sooner or later, thought it her
duty to break the news to her as quietly as possible.
She was almost maddened by the intelligence, and at first
GOD HELP ME IF IT'S TRUE ! "
295
she utterly refused to believe it. \\. coulcLngtbe possible_that
the husband of her youth, thejnarijwhorn she had so loved
and trusted, wouj3T^trayJbrJ^^ advantage
of her illness to skulk away and take another wile, ancl
tKafTToo, after* all rTTsTepeated promises to her.
"It can't be true," she cried," wringing her hands, and
growing deadly pale. "It t'sn't true ! I can't believe it. I
won't believe it. O my God, help me if it is true. Tell me
that it isn't ; that you are mistaken."
But no such assurance could be given her, and her friend
tried in the gentlest manner to comfort her ; but what con-
solation could she bring that would heal a shattered faith
or bind up a broken heart?
This story has had-inany^^jriany repetitions since then,
until now it has got f bp " qn n1d,oid story OiLeii told.""
It was all very well for this man to take this step as~a
religious duty, if he had been sincere. But would he, or
would any true man who believed fully that he was obey-
ing the revealed law of God, and doing what he did for
conscience' sake, be afraid to meet any opposition, from
whatever quarter it might come ? Is not this very lack of
courage a tacit acknowledgment that he does not believe in
its divinity at all, and that conscience stings, rather than
approves him for his cowardly act?
Another wife, whose husband had promised her as faith-
fully that he would not take another wife, did take one in
the same way, and under precisely the same circumstances.
jDnJiejinng^hejiew^^
in the insane hospital. Still another, who was as bitter an
either
"crT'Trnrsysteiii of" 7 " Celestial Marriage
oi*~trTe~TrtrIeF two! was one day invited^ byTieFTiusKand to ">
go for a drive. Touched by this unusual act of kindness,
for he had been anything but kind to her, since he could
not obtain her consent to his taking another wife, she
quickly made herself ready, and went with him. He
drove her to the insane asylum, and left her, and_
2p6 DISPOSING OF THE HAND-CART GIRLS.
still an inmate ^f tbP pln^p. n1tb" 1inrVl
I could cite hundreds of such cases that occurred during
the first years that directly iollowecl me Reformation, "antr~
UiUL have 1 multiplied since, until the recital oi them would
"till a large volume ; but I will, instead, Ttejl- a Httl-e what the""
* Reformation," and -the subsequent "(Celestial Ordinance^
fever, did for our own family.
II added several more to our circle in a very short time.
My father was counselled, as were most of the Mormon
men, to take some of the " Hand-Cart girls," as they must
be provided for some way. My mother had already had
her burden given her ; and after she had been obliged to see
another woman taking the love and care that by right be-
longed to her, and her alone, she grew indifferent on the
subject, and declared that a lew wives, more or less, would
make little difference to her now, and she would be as well
satisfied with one fourth of a husband as with one half.
JThat is generally the way first wives argue; if there js
to be a plurality of \vives, it may as well be half a dozen
as one. The hurt comes with ihe first pmrai wile f no suP
fering can ever exceed the pain she feeTsJhen.
The i5e"C6rid wiie~was made ill, "however, by the new
arrangement ; it was the first time she had felt the hurt of
being superseded ; but she bore it very patiently, and made
no complaint. After she recovered from her illness, she
joined my mother in her^ efforts to make friends with the
other wives, for two had already been added to the family,
and placed under the same roof with us.
The Hand-Cart girls, not being disposed of rapidly
enough to. satisfy the authorities, they urged them to make
proposals to the brethren, which, by the way, they were
not at all backward in doing. One young lady selected
"our" husband, to use my mother's expression; and to
quote from her description, "as it was done in obedience to
counsel, we extended our arms to receive her, the third one
RAPID INCREASE OF MY FATHERS KINGDOM.
297
that we had welcomed within the month. Our 'kingdom'
was increasing, but each individual share of husband was
growing 'small by degrees and beautifully less.' "
This last acquisition proved to be anything but an agree-
able one, and she made plenty of trouble for us all. When
she offered herself to my father, after having been coun-
selled by the* authorities to do so, he received her proposi-
tion somewhat coolly and cautiously, for, to tell the truth,
he would much have preferred to make his own selection,
and Louise (for that was her name) would, most emphati-
cally, have not been 'his choice. Yet he would have been
openly ridiculed, and held up to derision in the Tabernacle,
had he ventured to refuse ; so there was nothing to do but
to take her, and make the best of it.
THE NEW ADDITION.
He had been so long absent that his affairs were by no
means in a flourishing condition, and he needed all the as-
sistance he could obtain from his wives. My mother and
Elizabeth were both hard-working women, and as hard as
they had labored during their husband's absence, they did
298 LOUISE FLIRTS TOO FREELY.
not relax their exertions in the slightest now that he had
returned. My mother took the young wives at once under
her protection, and commenced teaching them to be useful.
The two first ones proved very nice girls, and worked with
a will, showing a great readiness and aptitude at learning,
and a genuine desire to do their part.
But the "free-will offering," as Elizabeth and mother
always called Louise, did not love work, and she would
not do it. She said she was a milliner, and had once been
an actress, and declined "to soil her hands with menial
labor." That was her speech in refusing to assist about
tljfiJiousehold work.
There_wafL nnme lin-ia fnVt^n in ttr" riir ring-
household machinery on account of this ; but
men are expected to exercise patience, and there was very
little fault found audibly, although it was quite apparent
that the new wile Was unhappy, and that all the rest weflT
> cft5gTISted with h,ej e?fifljmga anrj indnrpnrp. whirTT
amounted to laziness.
My father was appointed to another mission in the States,
directly after he was married to Louise, and he left his
entire family living all together on a farm about seventy
miles west of Salt Lake City.
During his absence Louise made herself disagreeable in
every possible way. It actually seemed as though she had
made up her mind to annoy us all as much as possible, and
that she tried every expedient she could devise to accom-
plish her intentions.
My mother was particularly annoyed by her familiarity
with the men employed on the farm, and remonstrated
with her on her undignified behavior. She was very im-
pertinent, although mother had spoken to her in the kind-
est possible way, and informed her that she should do as
she pleased ; that she was my father's wife, and her rights
in the house were equal to any other person's.
Fortunately, my father remained away but a short time,
MALINGERING ! 299
and on his return he was speedily made acquainted with the
state of affairs. He disapproved of her conduct quite as
much as my mother had done, and treated her with such a
marked coolness that she demanded the cause. He told her
that he was greatly displeased with her, annoyed particularly
at her lack of respect for herself, him, or his family, and
that he did not feel at all like acknowledging her as his wife
unless she would most decidedly behave in a more becoming
and dignified manner.
She was very penitent, and promised all sorts of things if
he would only allow her to remain in his family ; she went
about the house the very personification of grief and humil-
ity, until my father was called by church business to Salt
Lake City. No sooner was he fairly started than she deter-
mined to create a sensation in the family.
She shut herself up in her room, after announcing that
she wished to be left quit and not intruded upon by any one.
However, one of the younger wives entered her room on
some pretext or other, and found Louise in bed.
" Are you ill ? " she inquired.
"O, no; only heart-broken !" was the reply, in the most
doleful tone which she could possibly assume, and a great
display of grief in the shape of a pocket-handkerchief which
she applied to her eyes, then flourished in the air, and then
returned to her eyes. After some more conversation, Eliza
came out with a pair of valuable ear-rings in her hand.
Mother asked her where she got them.
" Louise gave them to me," was the reply.
" Isn't that a sudden freak of generosity ? " inquired my
mother.
"She says she shall never want them any more, and she
cried when she said it," was the answer.
Louise had always seemed to like Eliza better than she
did any of the other wives, and my mother at once fancied
that there was some trickery going on, and that Louise was
trying to win Eliza over to her. I was a little curious my-
30O HOW I GOT A WATCH AND CHAIN.
self, as girls of thirteen are very apt to be when anything
unusual is going on in the family which they do not fully
understand ; so I determined to visit Louise myself, and see
what was the matter with her.
She was very pathetic in her conversation with me, and
made me quite miserable by the recital of her wrongs.
Somehow I felt as though I was personally to blame for all
her misery, and yet I didn't see how that could be. She
gave me her watch and chain, which I had always admired
and coveted, and told me she had done for ever with such
gewgaws. I was so delighted with the jewelry that I quite
neglected to be properly sympathetic, and rushed off to show
my gift to my mother, and tell her what Louise said.
She began to be a little startled by this new development
of affairs, and aske4 Lizzie, the third wife, to go up to her.
Lizzie -was not a great favorite with Louise, and my mother
did not anticipate that she would receive such fine presents,
to say the least. She came back, saying that Louise said
she was going to die, a'nd then she wished her wardrobe
divided among the family. She also wished that my mother
would come to her. She at first felt inclined to refuse, but
upon consideration, and being urged by the different mem-
bers of the family, she went, and found her groaning with
pain, real or pretended. She couldn't tell which then.
"What is the trouble? " she asked.
"O,"said Louise, with a groan, "I am dying. I shall
never cause any more trouble in your family."
" It is not right for you to talk in that manner," replied my
mother; "if you are ill, I will do all I can to relieve you."
" I don't want anything done ; I only want to die : my
husband does not love me, and I cannot live ; all I desire is
death," wailed the woman.
"It is not always so easy to die when we desire," was my
mother's somewhat crisp reply, as she was a- little annoyed
by what she considered Louise's " foolishness."
"But I have made sure," answered she; "I have taken
poison."
THE HUSBAND " SETTLES " THE MATTER. 30!
" You surely cannot be so wicked as that," was mother's
surprised reply. "You are certainly telling me a falsehood."
Louise called on all heaven to witness the truth of what
she had said, and made so many solemn asseverations to the
truth of her having poisoned herself, that my mother began
to fear that she had really done so, and that the affair was
much more serious than she had supposed, for she had really
no idea that Louise would do so desperate a thing as that, for
she seemed altogether too fond of the good things of this life
to relinquish them voluntarily. We had all considered be-
fore this that Louise was giving us a taste of her dramatic
powers, and that it was a piece of very poor acting, after all.
But if she really had taken her life into her own hands,
determined to throw it away so recklessly, she must be
looked after at once.
So everything that could be thought 'of as an antidote to
poison was given to her ; she all the time groaning and
screaming with pain. There was no physician within thirty
miles, and our nearest neighbor lived five miles away. My
brother was summoned from the hay-field, where he was at
work, and sent for our father. There was not a horse to be
had, as it happened, and my brother started on foot to try
and overtake father, who had set out on horseback some
hours before. He would necessarily travel very slowly,
however, as he was driving cattle. The boy had to climb
high mountains, and consequently made but slow progress ;
yet, on descending, he ran as fast as possible, and suc-
ceeded in overtaking his father when about fifteen miles
from home. He was perfectly exhausted by his efforts, and
fell fainting at his father's feet, after he had managed to gasp
out, "Father, Louise has poisoned herself!"
It was some time before he recovered sufficiently to tell
the whole story, which my father instantly pronounced a
hoax. " However," he said, " I will go back and settle the
difficulty."
During all the time that elapsed between my brother's
-3O2 IT'S YOUR FAULT I'M NOT DEAD !
departure and his return with his father, Louise was con-
tinuing the tragedy in a way that was calculated to frighten
the whole family. She reached out her hand and bade us
all farewell, at the same time exhorting us to greater piety.
She said it had been her desire to do right, but she knew
she had failed in her most earnest endeavors ; this she
regretted, as she was now nearing her end, and had no
means of rectifying her past wrong-doing. Yet she wished
to die in peace with all, and she forgave the wrongs she had
received at the hands of some members of the family.
After talking on in this strain for some time, until, indeed,
she had exhausted the topic and could find no more to say,
she tried her hand at acting a kind of -stupor ; from which she
soon aroused, however, and recommenced her exhortation,
and ended by informing my mother that she had never
understood her, and had never sufficiently appreciated her,
and that she would rather die than be the cause of con-
tention.
My mother at last was beginning to understand her most
thoroughly now ; and losing all patience with her, and feel-
ing very indignant at her shallow attempt at deception, which
was beginning to be very patent to us all, said,
" It seems to me you are a long time dying, Louise ; I feel
quite satisfied that you are deceiving us all, and as I do not
care to be duped any longer, we'll call the farce ended for
you can't make a tragedy of it, try hard as you may."
" It is your fault that I am not dead," Louise answered, her
eyes flashing suddenly, and a great deal of the old-fashioned
spirit in her will ; f * if you hadn't administered an antidote,
against my will, I should be dead now."
We none of us could restrain a smile at her mention of the
w antidote," for salt and water, salt and vinegar, and mustard
and water, were the only medicines we had given her.
With these very simple remedies, none of which had the
slightest effect on the patient, my mother's " medicine
box" was exhausted, and there was nothing else which she
could do, except to abandon the case, which she did.
THERE S NOBODY DEAD I 303
Her friends, the hired men, came in at night anxiously
inquiring after Louise. We were all totally undeceived by
that time, and one of the wives replied to their questions,
that they need have no fears about her, as she no doubt
would outlive all the rest of the family ; and 'they had all
decided to " leave her for Mr. Webb to deal with." The
men thought this very heartless, and said they had feared
they should find her dead.
My mother, who had overheard the last remark, replied,
rather sharply, that nothing would kill her unless it was
the mixture she had administered, for she was positive that
she had taken no poison. Her object had been to frighten
the family, and she had succeeded admirably. She had
turned the house topsy-turvy, and sent Edward off on a
wild-goose chase, and we were all getting quite angry.
About nine o'clock in the evening my father returned.
My mother met him at the door.
" There's nobody dead ! " was her greeting.
" I didn't expect there was," he replied, passing her and
entering Louise's room.
"What are you in bed for? " was his inquiry.
At first she declined to reply to him, but on his repeating
the question, and insisting on an answer, she told the same
story that she had told to the rest of us. He was as scep-
tical regarding the truth of it as the rest of us had been,
but said that he would suggest the free use of cayenne pep-
per, and asked my mother to make her some tea of it. I am
afraid there was a little malice in her heart, as she asked if
she might make it as strong as she liked.
"Yes," he replied; "give her a strong dose. She shall
have enough to make her sick of her nonsense."
There was no further assurance needed, and I fancy
there never was a stronger decoction mixed than the one
my mother prepared for the impostor. At first Louise de-
clared she would not take it ; but my father insisted upon
it, telling her that he knew nothing better for people who
304 A BIG DOSE OF CAYENNE.
had poisoned themselves, and she was compelled to swal-
low the whole of it.
There was no need, after that, for her to pretend illness,
for she was sick enough for one hour to thoroughly frighten
her, and to satisfy the rest of the family, who felt that she
deserved just the punishment* she was getting for the de-
ception she had practiced, and the fright she had caused,
which was genuine for a while.
My mother was specially angry because my brother was
made very ill by his long run after his father, and he came
very near losing his life in consequence. After Louise had
recovered somewhat from the paroxysms of pain into which
she had been thrown by the cayenne pepper, my father had
a serious talk with her, and told her that she must no longer
consider herself a member of his family. Her conduct had
been such that she had forfeited all right to consideration,
and he would not have such a woman as she had proved
herself to be in the house with his wives and his young
daughter ; so she must go away and find a home for herself
elsewhere.
She had not expected this, and she suddenly changed
her tactics, and begged to be allowed to remain in the family
in any capacity whatever. She confessed that she had
been trying to frighten us all, and that she had taken no
poison, but had got up the scene in order to create sympa-
thy for herself. She professed great sorrow at her actions,
and again pleaded to be allowed to remain.
But my father was inexorable ; and, in spite of tears, en-
treaties, and protestations, she was taken to Salt Lake City,
and we none of us ever saw her again, although we heard
of her several times. She married again in a very short
time, and in three weeks was divorced from her second
husband, to whom she had been sealed "for time and eter-
nity." After leaving this husband of three weeks, she
went to the southern part of the Territory, and married
another man, whom she persuaded to take her to St. Louis.
MONEY AND WIFE GONE !
305
While there she suddenly went away one day, taking her
husband's money and leaving him behind. When next
heard from, she was on her way to England. Her last hus-
band made no attempt to follow her, but returned to Utah
without either money or wife, yet entirely reconciled to the
loss of one, since it had been the means of ridding him of
the other.
Louise was the only one of all my father's wives who
ever made the least trouble. The rest of them were good
Women, doing their best to make thing's pleasant. They
did not like a polygamous life, and only endured it because
they thought they must. They were n o t Ji a ppy women,
In polygamy are happy, however loudly they
may claim to be, and they made no pretence of being.
JSI either did they quarrel with each other, or complain ot^
one another to their husband. Whatever difficulties, they
might have they settled among themselves, and did not
trouble any outsi^^ra. Tn fact, in my father's family the
best side of a polygamous life was shown, but the best side
was by no means a bright one.
This episode of Louise shows the absurdity of marrying
without previous acquaintance, ana also tne miseries trTaT
maybe endured by other wives when there is one bad
woman in their midst.
20
CHAPTER XVIII.
INCREASE OF POLYGAMY. MIXED-UP CONDITION
MATRIMONIAL AFFAIRS.
OF
Christ alleged to be a Polygamist. The Men to save the Women.
Making "Tabernacles" for little Spirits. The Story of certain Ladies
who were Deceived. They Discover a Mystery. Their Fate. Or-
son Hyde's False Prophecy. Throwing Mud at Apostates. Death
preferred to Polygamy. Frightful Intermarriages. Married his
Mother-in-law. A Man who Married his Wife's Grandmother,
Mother, and All. Marrying a Half-Sister. Marrying Nieces and
Sisters. How Emigrant Girls were Married Off. Frightful Story of
a Poor Young Girl. Polygamy and Madness. One Woman's Love
too Little. How English Girls were Deceived. How Claude Spen-
ser committed a Damnable Wrong. A Girl who was Martyred for her
Religion. How the Bereaved Husband Acted. A Man with thirty-
three Children. " They never cost him a Cent." A Many- Wived
Saint. Mixed-up Condition of Marital Affairs.
HE '^Reformation " was pro-
ductive of nothing but
"evth The most revolting"
and blasphemous doctrines
were taught, and between
Blood-Atonement, Massa-
cres of the Gentiles, and
the worst phases of Polyga- '
mous Marriage, there was
nothing good in the Terri-
tory. The whole system
of Mormon religion was a
mass of revolting crime
and wickedness. Bigotry
was at flood-tide, and fa-
jiaticism ruled reason. The very thought of it brings a
shudder. The most ho7nr3te~things'weTe~ taught from the
THE MEN TO SAVE THE WOMEN. 307
pulpit, and decency was outraged every time a Mormon
leader opened his mouth to speak.
They were all maniacs on the subject of Celestial Mar-
of i{ did floj stop witfr mere absurdities ; it became the most
fearful profanity. There was not a pure character mult"" 1 '
the Bible history which their dirty hands did not besmear,
and their foul tongues blacken. Not content with bringing
up "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," and David and Sol-
omon, as their examples in the practice of polygamy, Brig-
ham Young, in one of his sermons, delivered during the
intensest heat of the excitement, declared that "Jesus
Christ was a practical polygamist ; Mary and Mai Lha, lire
sisters of Lazarus, were his plural wives, and Mary Iviag-
dalen was another. Also, the bridal feast at Cana of Gal-
ilee, where-Jtssti^-tuTned Ihe Water into wirifi, W33 6n the"
occasion of one of his own marriages.
They appealed to women through their maternal as well
as through their religious natures. Not only did they teach
them that they could never be saved except by the interven-
tion of some man, who should take upon himself the duty
of resurrecting them at the last day, but they were also
told that floating through space were thousands of infant
spirits, who were waiting for bodies ; that into every child
that was born one of these spirits entered, and was thereby
saved ; but if they had no bodies given them, their wails
of despair would ring through all eternity ; and that it was,
in order to insure their future happiness, necessary that as
many of them as possible should be given bodies by Mor-
mon parents. _Jf_a__yvoman refused to marry into poly-
gamy, or, being married, to allow her husband to take
other wives, these spirits would rise up in judgment against
"her, because she had, by her act, kept them in darkness/
No one dared to neglect the counsel of the priesthood.
Whoever ventured to do so was charged at once with apos-
tasy. Men and women alike were ruled by the arbitrary
308 MAKING "TABERNACLES" FOR LITTLE SPIRITS.
will of one man. There is no despotic monarchy in the
world where the word of the sovereign is so absolute as in
Utah. And never, in the whole history of Mormonism,
has the despotic rule been so arbitrary as it was during
the period of, and for a short time after, the Reformation.
It was a terribly trying time for women a time that
they have never forgotten. More misery was crowded into
a few months than they had endured before in a lifetime,
and the misery that began then will be life-long. No one
outside of Utah and Mormonism can understand it in the
least, because nowhere else is there a possibility of such
wretchedness to exist. Only women living in a polyga-
mous community, under the rule of a religion whose funda-
mental principle is the plural-wife system, can fully take in
the utter helplessness and hopelessness of the situation a
situation from which escape, at that time at least, was next
to impossible.
If they did escape, the tongue of calumny pursued them
relentlessly, and the vilest reports that the tongues and
hearts of vile men could devise were spread concerning
them.
In 1856, during the Reformation, and when converts
were pouring into Zion almost from every quarter of the
earth, were several lovely and refined ladies, who had been
drawn thither by the seeming earnestness and deep reli-
gious fervor of the Mormon people whom they had seen.
Especial pains had been taken to bring these ladies into the
church, for they were a much finer type of women than are
generally found among the later converts, and nothing was
ever told them of the existence of the plurality system.
Among the converts were a Miss Potter, Mrs. Brownhead
and three daughters, and Miss Stayner, who were filled
with enthusiasm concerning their new faith, and came to
Zion most zealous Saints.
But when, on their arrival, they discovered that poly-
gamy was in open practice, they were distressed beyond
ORSON HYDE S LYING PROPHECY. 309
measure, and sought immediate refuge in the military camp.
They were women, all of them, of fine social standing, and
had left hippy" and lUJLUiluus .huiii.Bb 10 CoMe 1 16 Zion, im-"
pelled by a sense of religious duty. The beastly god
which the Mormons so devoutly worshipped had never been
even alluded to in their presence.
As a matter of course, their flight enkindled Mormon
wrath, and for a while it burned fiercely. They heaped
every term of opprobrium upon them that they could think
of, and defamed them in every possible way. There was
nothing too gross or too indecent for them to say concerning
them ; and in addition to this wholesale defamation of their
characters, they were properly cursed, according to the
Mormon liturgy, and all manner of evil was prophesied
concerning them. Orson Hyde was inspired one Sunday,
in the Tabernacle. tn~Toretfl| fRfff *V Q , i^i 1 h? rrnphrnfrl
that they would perish miserably on the way to California,
where they had gone under the protection of Colonel Stej>
toe and his command. It was, no doubt, a great disappoint-
ment to the Apostle that, -in spite of his prophecies, they
arrived safely in California, were married to men of wealth
and position, and are now happy wives and mothers, with
no thought of Mormondom to mar their happiness, except
an occasional burst of thankful feeling that they succeeded
in escaping from it. It may be a satisfaction for my read-
ers to know It is certainly for me to tell that he not only
proved a false prophet, but was publicly punished by one
of the officers for the scandalous reports he had put in
circulation regarding these ladies.
Calumny and scandal are among the readiest of the
Mormon weapons, and its leaders are specially skilled in
their use, as every person who has ever thwarted Brigham
Young, or one of his satellites, knows to his or her sorrow.
They not only lie themselves, but they hire others to do it
for them. Occasionally, in this game of mud-throwing,
they get bespattered, but not until they have bedaubed their
3IO MARRIED HIS OWN SISTER !
victim very thoroughly. It is no wonder that suicides have
been so common among the Mormon women : if they left
*Zion," it must be at the sacrifice either nf life or repu-
tation, and in the hopeless apathetic state into which they
were sunk, it was easier to die than to struggle^ ~
' " i3ftti Woman, who arrived from England during the " Ref-
ormation," and who was to be rushed into polygamy, actually
killed herself rather than become a plural wife : she had
been given to a Mr. Goodsall, and was living in his family,
awaiting the time when she was to be sealed ; and one
morning, but a few days before the time appointed for the
ceremony, she was found with her throat cut, a razor lying
by her side. She saw nothing but wretchednesjsLjafiJbre
her, and put an end to her life rather than follow priestly
" counsels." It was better so than to face the misery life
would bring.
Even the laws of consanguinity were not respected at
tlnt_t*Ttih1f* timf and relatives intermarried in a manner
that would shock even the most lax-moralled community.
Uncles and nieces were married ; one man would marry sev-
eral sisters ; and it was a very common thing for a mother
and daughter to have the same husband. In one family,
at least three generations were represented among the
wives grandmother, mother, and daughter; and a case
actually occurred in Salt Lake City where a man married
hi.s half sister, and that, too, with the full knowledge ancl
approval of Brigham Young. The man stood high in the
Mormon Church, and George D. Watt was quoted all
through the Territory as a good Saint. He certainly
availed himself of his privileges to the fullest extent. He
has since apostatized.
Bishop Smith, .of -Brigham City, marriedjgm-Q.f jiis own
nieces. Bishop Johnson, of Sgringville, outdid his brother
Thf*""firit one was the daughter
of an elder brother ; the other five were sisters, and daugh-
ters of Lorenzo Johnson. He first married the eldest one,
HOW PATRIARCH BROWER WENT A-COURTING ! 31!
Mary, who was only fifteen at the time ; then he asked that
all the others might be given to him, to be sealed to him
when they should grow up. The 3'oungest one was only
two years old . at the time that her fatherpromiseci her to
her-mcte^and She Was onl^jdbou^yi^teen^^hen she^vas
sealed to him.
All this is sanctioned by the President; else, of course, it
would not occur ; and h,e_does not hesitate to say that he
sees no rpnsrm W hy pprsnns who ^rt> rifely
not marry ; they c^rtainl^onghi- to thinfr mnrp of pnrV.
man ot strangers ; and all that he can SPP that stands in the
" way ot such marriages being of very frequent dccurrence
is popular prejudice. He has said that he, as far as he is
personally concerned, would not enter upon such a rela-
tionship, but prejudice alone, and not principle, would re-
strain him.
There are very many families where two or more sisters
are plural wives to one man. This is the case in Brigham's
own family. Among his first plural wives were ' Clara
Decker and Lucy Decker ; and two of his daughters,
Luna and Fanny, are the wives of George Thatcher;
two, Mary and Caroline, were married to Mark Croxall,
and two, Alice and Emily, to Hiram Clawson.
Among the early emigrants were two Scotch girls, sis-
ters, named McDonald. They had been but a few days in
Salt Lake City, when a Mr. Uriah Brower, a would-be
patriarch, presented himself before them with an offer of
marriage. One of the girls favored the suit, but the other
was more capricious, and not so easily suited with the pros-
pect of a polygamous life. She hated the man for pro-
posing marriage, herself for being an object of his patri-
archal passion, and w r as annoyed at her sister for her willing-
ness to accept him. She had yet to learn that women are
by no means free agents in Utah, and have__yj
in the settlement oT llieh owiF affairs ; their destinies
their own hariHs", but aie "entirely Ul the mefcy.of
312 STORY OF A DESOLATE WOMAN.
some man's caprice, or the commands of the priest-
hood.
Her lover was determined ; and seeing that it was abso-
lutely of no use for her to go on saying " No," since she
must succumb, sooner or later, she gave an indifferent con-
sent, and was sealed to him at the same time with her
sister. She was miserably unhappy, and the very next day
she applied for a divorce from him, saying she could not,
and would not, remain his wife. She obtained the divorce ;
but, having no parents and no home, she was forced to live
wherever she could, and she found existence anything but
an easy o-r pleasant task. In a short time another good
brother, seeking to enlarge his kingdom, offered to take
her ; and she, poor girl ! nqLJcnowing what else to do, and
almost desperate in her loneliness and desolation, consented
to marry a second time in polygamy.
Her new husband already had thrcre wives, and she was
placed in the same house with them. Her situation then was
worse than even before. Being the last comer, all the rest
turned against her, and she had to endure the hatred of
them all. She was ill-treated in every way, but for a long
time bore all the wrongs which were inflicted upon her in
silence. After the birth of her child, she determined to
leave at all hazards ; so again applying for a divorce from
her second husband, which was as easily obtained as her
first one had been, she took her child and went away to
earn a living for herself and him. She went out to ser-
vice ; she did washing and cleaning ; indeed, she left no
stone unturned to obtain an honest livelihood, and bring up
her child properly.
After a time her first husband presented himself, and told
her that as he had married her "for time and for eternity,"
he should hold her to the first marriage contract ; that he
could do so, since her second husband was no higher in
the priesthood than he. He insisted on her returning to
him ; and the poor woman, seeing no way of escape, was
INSANE !
313
sealed again to him, and was taken to his home, a misera-
ble, comfortless placeTwhere he had live wives aln
living" in^povert^and the most terrible degradation. Hud*
died tog^th^4tke-s^rrnany animals, they respected neither^
thtr-hrws of decency ntU HioialiLy. Hannah was there but
a short time betore-"5frFl5ecame hopelessly insane. She is
living still, but the light of reason has gone out for ever,
quenched by the horrors of a system which she always
THE HAPPY HOMH OF A POLYGAMIST.
loathed. Her sister, Margaret, still drags on a miserable,
hopeless existence, not much better off than the poor, un-
fortunate maniac. She is a moral and physical wreck, and
owes her depraved condition to the cause that made her
sister a mental ruin.
Ljfe_0ened brighUy__ejipjigh4W-tfreT3e^^
among the Scottish hills, but the curse of Mormonism
found them"~Tnnr~and then there was nothmffjiitLwretch-
edness anT~despair for
Incidents like these have multiplied from the beginning
314 CLAUDE SPENCER DOES THE DEVIL'S WORK.
until now ; and yet, in the face of all this misery, the world
is assured that Mormon women are comfortable and con-
tent ; that they find no fault with polygamy ; indeed, that
they prefer the system rather than dislike it ; and the world,
against all reason and common sense, believes what it is
told.
Elder Orson Spencer, now dead, one of the strong pil-
lars of Mormonism, whose letters and theological works
are much quoted among the Saints, while on his first mis-
sion to England became the guest of a gentleman of con-
siderable property and good social position, and the father
of two interesting daughters, both of whom were recent
converts to the Mormon faith. The young ladies were
finely educated, possessed of more than ordinary tal-
ents, and had always been tenderly attached to each
other.
When the young missionary from Zion became an in-
mate of their father's house, they, with all the zeal of new
and enthusiastic converts, vied with each other in showing
him every hospitable attention, for the sake of the glorious
gospel which they supposed he came to preach, and before
very long the elder of the sisters found herself becoming
deeply interested in him for his own sake.
The interest was apparently mutual ; it ripened into
love. Mr. Spencer made a formal proposal to the father
for the daughter's hand, and very soon after the lovers
were married. The young wife was perfectly happy ; she
was devoted to her husband, and it seemed to her that life
could hereafter hold nothing but happiness for her, she
rested so securely in her husband's love, that his care
would compass her about, and his strength sustain her, all
through her days. She was living her first romance, and
sweet enough she found it. Ah, if the hard reality had not
been so soon to follow it ! But Mormon marriage soon kills
all the romance of a woman's nature, and either kills her
at the same time, or leaves her hopeless, apathetic, her finer
MAKING LOVfe TO A SISTER-IN-LAW. 315
nature crushed within her, bearing life because she must,
and not because it holds anything for her of love, or care,
or sweet tenderness of any kind. It is oftener this way
than the other ; alas, for the poor victims that such is the
case
Mr. Spencer had lived among a people who teach and
practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives. His own
father had brought home eight brides to grace his domestic
circle, four of them in one day. The high-priest of his
religion, the man to whom he had always listened as the
mouthpiece of God, not only preached that it was the
privilege and duty of every Saint to wed many wives, but
practiced what he preached.
No wonder, then, that the disciple believed he should be
living beneath his privileges if he contented himself with
the love of one woman. His sister-in-law was a remarka-
bly pretty girl, and fervent in her devotion to the new faith
she had espoused. In time, perhaps, if caution was exer-
cised in the manner of teaching, she might be won to a
cordial belief in the doctrine of plural marriage a doc-
trine which the missionary Saints, with damnable wisdom,
had not proclaimed openly in England at that date.
This young brother, imitating the prudent course of his
colleagues, preached only those truths which he thought
would be received most readily. Such portions of the gos-
pel as might be considered hard doctrine by the new con-
verts he left to be learned by them after their arrival in
Zion. His growing admiration for his charming sister-in-
law he kept to himself; but when the time arrived for his
return home with his wife, he had succeeded in making ar-
rangements for her sister to accompany them. In the mean
time, however, another young lady, also a new convert,
had attracted his favorable notice, and as she was to form
one of a large company who were about to start for Amer-
ica, he kindly, and disinterestedly, of course, offered to
take her under his own care.
3l6 DEATH TO THE SOUL !
During the voyage across the ocean, and the hurried
journey through the States, nothing worthy of note oc-
curred. True, Mr. Spencer was very attentive to the young
ladies who were travelling under his protection ; but his
young wife loved him too well, and believed in him too im-
plicitly, to have any thought 'that he was actuated by other
motives than brotherly affection and Christian kindness.
At the Missouri River, where the emigrants took leave of
civilization, and commenced their long journey over the
plains, the members of the little party were thrown more
closely together than before ; and now even the all-confiding
wife could not fail to see that her husband demeaned him-
self as a lover towards the two girls, her sister and her
friend, and that they by no means discouraged his at-
tentions.
Her reproachful questioning regarding his conduct
brought out an explanation of the doctrines of plurality, and
an avowal of his intention to marry the girls as soon as they
reached Salt Lake. He said that they had both embraced
the great truths of their religion fully, and were willing and
anxious to be sealed to him as their savior for time and
eternity. The poor wife, with all her faith in her husband,
her sister, and her religion, shattered at one blow, but,
alas for her, with a heart throbbing with a love that could
not die, never rallied from the shock she received when
her doom was thus pronounced by the lips of the one
dearest to her.
Day afterday, as they continued their toilsome journey,
her strengttrHeclined, and^it was 1 eTidenf, even to the eyes
oT~strangeTg7THat she was cryiTrg? -Her_hgfoand. however.
_saw nnthin&jvyjisjTjoiibled with no anxieties/lHe was-too
much absorbed inKi? loVG f6r the two giHsTwhose souls
he proposed to save, to have "any Lime ui LhuugtYrTo" spare
for his dying wife. The days lengthened into weeks, and
still the lamp of life burned lower, while the love that had
outlived faith and hope was yet strong enough to torture
LAST HOURS OF A DYING WIFE.
317
her with vain longings to hear again the tender words that
were never spoken now, and to lean, in her mortal weak-
ness, on the arm that she, so short a time ago, had fondly
hoped would be her support, even down to the brink of
death. It is easy to say of love unworthily bestowed,
" I would pluck it from my bosom,
Though my heart were at the root : "
but many a wronged and forsaken wife could tell you that
these are only idle words.
KKN-HBARTKD.
Many may wonder if the dying girl's sister had no com-
punction, no remorse for the part she was playing in this
tragedy. None ; for so completely was she carried away
by the fanaticism with which she had been inspired, that she
actually believed she was doing God service in trampling
on the holiest feelings of her own nature, and inflicting
upon her sister the most cruel wrong that one woman can
suffer at the hands of another.
The weary journey was ended at length, and the wan-
derers reached the Valley which was henceforth to be their
318 AN "ARISTOCRAT." OH!
home. The wife lived only just to enter the city, of which
she once fondly dreamed as a heaven upon earth. From
the Zion of her earthly hopes she passed nn tr> *b p H ' 11P ^ nn j
"wrlere the mercy and love of a God kinder than the one
^h"e""h"ad been taught to worship healed every earth-wound,
trtr"l5rbught infinite peace to the broken heart.
Just two weeks from the day of her death there was a
double bridal in Salt Lake City. The bereaved and sor-
rowing husband was united in marriage to the equally
afflicted sister and her friend, the young lady who accom-
panied them from England. I have often wondered if there
was a ghost present at that bridal, and if the white, dead
face of the wronged and murdered wife did not look in sad
reproach at them all as they took upon themselves the vows
that bound them together, not only for time, but for eternity.
In a party from England which followed this other com-
pany very shortly, was a family named Right, who had,
among other children, two lovely daughters. Such girls as
they bright, refined, and pleasing in manner and dispo-
sition could not remain long without lovers in a place
where marriageable men were so plentiful as in the Mormon
Zion. They were very intimate with Brigham Young's
family, and it was not long before the elder became the
plural wife of David Candland, a prominent Mormon elder,
and a confidential friend of the Prophet. He had had many
wives, but only two were living at the time of his marriage
with Miss Right. He had thirty-three children, who, he
boasted, had never cost him a cent, and the pretty young
wife was installed as " mother" over his not very promising
Ibrood. He was, as he was pleased to term himself, an
' " aristocrat," and would not descend to the performance of
menial labor ; but, as the family must live somehow, the
wives have to get along as best they can, but they live in the
depths of poverty and degradation, while he enjoys prophetic
favor, stands high in the church, and is a Beau Brummel in
dress. He has recently commenced the study of law, prob-
ably at the Prophet's instigation.
HOW LITTLE GIRLS WERE MARRIED.
319
The other sister became the fourth wife of Mr. Charles
Bassett, at that time a prominent merchant in Salt Lake.
The third wife was cast aside to make room for her, and for
some time she was the favored one, indulged in every whim,
and petted and flattered until her head was nearly turned.
But, as has happened with other favorite wives, her reign
was short, and she was compelled to stand on one side and
seeanoLb^ta^^^T 10 ^ Mr~ti^H- w hen he tired of his
fourth victim, married his niece and adopted daughter a
mere girl, only fourteen years old. She is the present favor-
ite, and everything that she can possibly desire is lavished
upon her nothing is too fine or too expensive for her; and,
in the mean time, the woman whose place she took and
who was herself the usurper of another woman's kingdom
goes out to work to support herself and her children. Her
eldest daughter a girl just in her teens, not much older
than her father's new wife has been compelled to go out
to service.
This is the fate (and not an uncommon one) of two young
girls who supposed they were marrying two of the best men
in the "kingdom." These men were popular preachers, as
regular as the Pharisee in attending to all their religious
duties, and loud and earnest in their defence of the glorious
institution of polygamy, which "institution" they so brightly
adorn. '
CHAPTER XIX.
THE MYSTERIES OF POLYGAMY. WHAT THE WIVES
COULD TELL.
Incestuous Intermarriages. A Widow and her Daughters married to the
same Man. " Marrying my Pa." The " U. S." Government Con-
niving at Mormon Iniquities. Beastly Conduct of Delegate George
Q. Cannon. Polygamists Legislating for Bigamists. Mother and
Daughter fighting for the same Man ! It is Wicked to Live with an
Old Wife. A Young lover Ninety Years Old! A Bride Eleven
years Old ! Brides of Thirteen and Fourteen Years ! I receive an
" Offer " when Twelve Years Old ! Old Ladies at a Discount : Young
Women at a Premium. Respect for the Silver Crown of Age. Heber
gives his Opinion. " Why is She making such a Fuss ? " Seeing One's
Husband Once a Year. The Rascality of Orson Hyde towards his
Wife. When Rival Wives make Friends. A Very Funny Story
about an Apostle and his Wife. Rights of the First Wife : Brigham
Young in a Fix. He treats an Early Wife to a Dance. Amelia in the
Shade. The Prophet becomes Frisky t Poor, neglected Emmeline.
How Polygamy was once Denied. A Mistake which a French Lady
Made. Milk for Babes.
HE marriage of mother
and daugllUJl 10 Ufte man"
was of so common an
occurrence that it ceased
to be regarded as any-
thing out of the ordi-
nary course of events.
f"Ka3 some school-
mates, two sisters, whose
mother was married to
a Mr. McDonald, and
when she gave herself to
him, it was with the ex-
press understanding that
the daughters should be
sealed to him as soon as they were of a proper age. The
little girls knew of the arrangement, and used to talk very
ORSON HYDE AND FORGOTTEN WIFE.
A PRETTY DELEGATE TO SEND TO CONGRESS I ?2I
openly of "marrying Pa," and irj_very much the same way
they Would speak ot theirintention to take tea with a friend.
That mother must have taken a great deal of comfort with
her children ! Fancy her feelings ; knowing- that R^ a^
bringing up her daughters as wives for her own husband !
Wives 'amTnTolliers, living outside of polygamy, can any-
thing be more revolting to your ideas of womanly purity,
more thoroughly opposed to all the sweet tenderness of the
maternal instinct, than cases like this? And yet, horror-
stricken as you are by them, they are by no means excep-
tional, but are of frequent occurrence. And it is in your
own country that these outrages against all womanhood
occur, under your own government, upheld by your own
chosen legislators tacitly, at least since in this time, as
in the days of Christ's actual presence on earth, those who
are not for are against. . And if your government and its
rulers refuse to do, or even fail to do without refusing, any-
thing to eradicate this foul blot upon national purity and
honor, why, they are in so far encouraging its presence, and
rendering it daily more difficult of eradication.
For the tide of evil that set so strongly in those terrible
days of 1856 has never been stayed. It still rolls on with
all the added filth and abomination which it has gathered in
its course, until it is one reeking mass of the foulest im-
purities.
Incest, murder, suicide, mania and bestiality are the chief
"beauties" of this infamous system, which are so glow-
ingly alluded to by its eloquent expounders and defenders.
And George Q^. Cannon, one of its ablest apostles,
himself a practical polygamist, being the husband of four
living wives, three of whom he grossly neglects, goes to
Washington from Utah as Congressional Delegate from that
Territory, and helps to make the laws which send George
Smith, of Massachusetts, to State Prison for three }^ears for
the crime of having two wives ! Is it that bigamy is a pun-
ishable offence, and poly gamy is not? If so> George Smith
21
322
BIGAMY VerSUS POLYGAMY.
APOSTLE GEORGE Q. CANNON,
MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
[Has four wives and thirteen children. ]
has only to take two more wives and he can, perhaps, enjoy
the confidence of the government and the protection of its
laws as fully as the Apostolic George Q^
If the gentleman in Mem-
phis, Tennessee, who has
' recently been indicted for
marrying his deceased wife's
niece had only married six
of his own nieces, he might
now be enjoying his liberty
and his youthful brides' so-
ciety, with all the freedom
which is accorded to Bishop
Johnson, of Utah that is,
if he, too, had lived among
the Saints in Utah.
The relation between
mother and daughter, when
one becomes the rival of the other, is by no means the
pleasantest in the world, and it is usually the case that the
mother has much the worse time. She sees herself neg-
lected for a younger and fairer woman by the man in
whose service she has expended both youth and beauty, and
sees the daughter whom she has so carefully and tenderly
nurtured, and who should now be her stay, and her comfort,
and the pride of her maternal heart, usurping her place in
her husband's affection and in her home, and striking a
blow at her happiness that is fatal. She can turn neither to
husband nor daughter for comfort, and the religion which
should be her stay is but a mockery, since it brings all the
misery and desolation into her wrecked life.
The leaders of her religion teach openly that it is not
right for husbands to live with their wives after they are
advanced in years ; and they also teach that a man is mar-
riageable until he is a hundred years old. This has always
been a strong point with them, and in urging polygamy, in
OLD WOMEN AT A DISCOUNT. 323
the " Reformation " times, they used to
to choose for their husbands men of experience, who would
have the power of resurrecting them, rather than a young
man WtRJs^"'pos7fidTiiir^ "fixed'. They
carried the practice of this doctrine to the same extreme that
they carried everything else.^On^^nlh,uaiasticelder secured
for a wife a girl ofeleven years, and bridesoi' thirteen and
fourteen were often seen, especially in Southern Utah, where
lEeexcitement was most intense, and rose almost to frenzy.
I was about twelve years of age, and my father had several
offers for me from different church dignitaries ; but however
easily he might be beguiled himself into the snares set by
the lecherousTeaders of Mbrmonism and poly gamy jTeTiacT
~nb idea of making his little girl a victim ; and though I was
duly advised by teachers and catechists to marry into poly-
gamy when I was a little older, I gave very little heed to the
advice, and set about making my own romance, just as girls
everywhere do, in my imagination.
It is painful to one used to the finer courtesies of life to
see how age is neglected in Utah, and the want of respect
that is shown towards it, especially towards women, who
have passed out of the sunshine years of life, and are enter-
ing the shadow. When I came East, one of the strangest
things to me was the deference that was paid to age, it
was so unlike anything I had been used to ; and when I
saw an old couple clinging together, with no dread shadow
of polygamy between them, with only the prospect of death
to part them, I have been thrilled through and through with
the sweetest, strangest emotion. I could scarcely believe
my own senses ; it seemed impossible that irj this world such
devotion could exist, and I could only wonder and weep,
and thank God that, in the world that I had been taught to
look upon as so wicked and depraved, there was such a
thing as love, and devotion, and thoughtful care for women,
and that every added wrinkle or silver hair brought more
tender care and tenderer devotion. In the light of affection
324
WHAT IS SHE MAKING SUCH A FUSS FOR?
like this, well-tried and long-enduring, the hateful form of
polygamy would rise up before me more monstrous, more
hideous, more revolting than ever.
Think, in contrast to this, of a woman who has lived with her
husband during all the years of her fresh and mature woman-
hood, being left alone, when she becomes deserted by the hus-
band whom she has loved so well and so long, at the com-
mand of the priesthood ! Heber Kimball used to say, when he
knew of a woman grieving over the neglect of her husband,
"What is she making such a fuss for? She has no business
with a husband." Who can blame the disciples when the
leader sets the example? Brigham Young's first living
wife, his only real and legal wife, a woman of his own
age, is entirely neglected by him, and long ago ceased to
be his wife but in name.
Sometimes these old and middle-aged ladies do not see
their husbands once a year, and yet they may not live half
a mile apart. A few years
since, at a large party at the
Social Hall in Salt Lake
City, Orson Hyde, one of the
twelve apostles, met the wife
of his youth, the mother of
many of his children. He had
escorted some of his younger
wives there, and she came
with a friend. It chanced that
they were seated near each
other at the table, and were
compelled to speak ; they
shook hands, exchanged a
very commonplace greeting, and that was all that passed
between them. Neither is this an isolated case ; it very
often occurs that an elderly lady attends a party with
friends, and meets her husband there with one or more
younger wives ; and sometimes both she and they have
APOSTLB ORSON HYDE.
THE NEXT ADDITION TO HIS KINGDOM:" 325
to watch their mutual husband while he plays the agree-
able to some young girl who has taken captive his wander-
ing fancy, and whom he intends to make the next addition
to his kingdom.
It is then that wives, who have heretofore been rivals,
join their forces against a common enemy ; and the young
woman who is engaging the attentions of the already much-
married but still marriageable beau, is sure to suffer at the
hands of the new allies, who have so recently struck hands
in a common cause. She, of course, knows this instinc-
tively, and she revenges herself by "drawing" on her admirer
by every art in her power, until he becomes so marked in
his devotion that the entire company know, as well as the
wives themselves, what his intentions are ; and, in addition
to the pique caused by his neglect, they have to endure the
congratulations of friends upon the approaching alliance.
In cases like this, the first wife does not feel so much pain
as the younger one, and the whilom favorite, who, no
matter how she has snubbed her before, comes now to seek
her sympathy. She would be something more than human,
if, with the sadness of her heart was not mingled a little
feeling of pleasure that she was getting her revenge in see-
ing the jealousy and suffering of her late rival.
To return to the encounter between Hyde and his wife.
There is a little romance attached to their separation which
I have just been reminded of. When Joseph Smith first
taught polygamy, and gave the wives as well as the hus-
bands opportunity to make new choice of life-partners, Mrs.
Hyde, at that time a young and quite prepossessing woman,
became one of the Prophet's numerous fancies, and he took
great pains to teach her most thoroughly the principles of
the new celestial doctrines. It was rumored, at the time,
that she was an apt and willing pupil. Hyde was away on
a mission at the time, and when he returned, he, in turn, im-
bibed the teachings of polygamy also, and prepared to
extend his kingdom indefinitely. In the mean time it was
326 THE DANCING-PARTY. IN A FIX.
hinted to him that Smith had had his first wife sealeJ to him-
self in his absence, as a wife for eternity. Inconsistent as it
may seem, Hyde was in a furious passion. Like many
other men, he thought it no harm for him to win the affection
of another man's wife, and make her his " celestial " spouse ;
but he did not propose having his rights interfered with even
by the holy Prophet whose teachings he so implicitly followed,
and he swore that if this was true he would never live with
her again. But he did live with her for several years after
the exodus from Nauvoo and the settlement of Utah.
Finally, the old affair was revived, and I think Brigham
himself informed his apostle that she was his wife only for
time, but Joseph's for eternity ; and as she was no longer
young, and other wives were plentiful, he left her to care
for herself as best she could.
Although the Mormons have from the very commence-
ment been very fond of parties, and of amusements gen-
erally, they are much more enjoyed by the men than
by the women, although both attend. Occasionally some
very curious scenes are witnessed, which, after all, are
not at all amusing to the persons most nearly concerned.
For instance : a man takes two wives to a ball, and, if
he be a lover of peace, he is at his wits' ends how to
preserve it. He must treat each one alike, as nearly as
possible ; dance with each one an equal number of times,
and see that each one is equally well served at supper. The
beginning of sorrow comes with the vexed question, which
he shall dance with frst. That, however, is quite easily
settled, since custom, or, rather, Mormon etiquette, demands
that he shall give the older wife the preference. It may be
she is not the favorite; but that does not matter: on this
one point etiquette is rigid, and even the Prophet himself
dare not defy it.
He had invited Amelia, the present favorite, and Emmeline,
whose place in the priestly heart Amelia had taken, to
attend a ball with him. It was a very strange thing to do,
"BRIGHAM, WON'T YOU DANCE?" 327
for generally, when Amelia went with him, he devoted
himself exclusively to her. But on this occasion he had
brought Emmeline along, too. Early in the evening, one
of the committee of management came bustling up, with a
"Brother Brigham, won't you dance?"
"Well, I suppose so," was the reply. Then he hesitated
for a moment. There sat both Emmeline and Amelia, the
former looking quietly unconscious, yet wondering very
much, as she afterwards told me, " what Brother Brigham
would do," and enjoying his dilemma immensely, while the
BRIGHAM IN A QUANDARY.
latter looked very stately and dignified, and also threaten-
ing. There stood the Prophet, inclination pulling him one
way, etiquette and duty the other. He hesitated a moment
longer; then, walking up to Emmeline, said, ungraciously
and gruffly, "Come along and dance ; " and, without offering
her his arm, walked on to the floor, leaving her to follow.
As is the custom at balls which Brigham and Amelia
grace with their presence, one of his satellites instantly
begged for the honor of Amelia's hand in the dance, and
led her at once as vis-ti-vis to her husband. During the
328 "I'j.T, DANCK WITH MY WIFK."
entire dance he did not address one word to Emmeline, and
was evidently made very wretched by the demeanor of
Amelia, who snubbed him most decidedly, and would take
no notice of all his attempts to win her back to good humor.
At the end of the dance he led Emmeline to her seat as
hastily as possible, left her without a word, and endeav-
ored, with all the art which he possessed, to propitiate his
angry favorite. Presently, the ubiquitous manager was at
his elbow again :
" Another cotillon, Brother Brigham ; will you dance
again ? "
"With pleasure," answered the delighted President.
Then, turning quickly to Amelia, he offered his arm in the
most impressive manner, saying,
" Noiv I will dance with my wife ;" and led her off in
triumph, as pleased as any young fellow at the opportunity
of showing his devotion to her. He was vivacity itself
during the dance, and finally succeeded in "coaxing a smile
from the capricious tyrant of his heart. As deeply hurt as
Emmeline was by his rude boorishness of manner towards
herself, and the insult conveyed to her by the remark to
Amelia, which she overheard, she could not help being
pleased at seeing the punishment he was receiving at the
hands of the outraged favorite.
A system that engenders feelings like this can surely not
be called, with any degree of propriety, a heavenly system,
and religion is outraged every time, its name is used in
connection with it. It panders to the baser passions of
men, and crushes the graces of Christian faith and chanty
out of every woman's heart. It engenders malice, and
strife, and envyings, and hatred, and backbiting, and all
that is worst in the masculine or feminine heart. It makes
men selfish and mean, and women wretched and degraded.
It takes from one the dignity and poise which come from
absolute self-control, and from the other the sweet, refined,
womanly assurance which comes from self-respect. Talk
HOW JOHN TAYLOR LIED AT BOULOGNE. 329
of its " celestial " origin ! It is the devil's own device for
rendering men and women both less godlike and pure.
And the cunning of his device is shown in the religious
mask which he puts upon its frightful face, and the Chris-
tian robes with which he hides its horrible deformity.
It began by deception, it has been fostered by lies.
When the first rumor of its existence as a religious ordi-
nance among the American Saints was first exciting Eu-
rope, and the American missionaries were assuring their
converts that the rumor was false, and was started by tneir~
"enemies to injure them and their cause, the most eloquent"
and remarkable denial of it was made by the Apostle John
Taylor, at Boulognc-sur-Mer, where there was at that time
quite a large and successful mission.
' The Apostle Taylor was the husband of five wives, all liv-
ing in Salt Lake ; yet that slight matter did not hinder him
from most emphatically repudiating the charge brought
against the church. He quoted from the Book of Mor-
mon, dwelling particularly on the passage that expressly
commands that a man shall have but one wife ; then mentions
the Bible command that a man shall take a wife and cleave
to her only; and made the sermon so strong and so con-
vincing that no further proof was asked by those who
heard him. His manner was impressive. He was sor-
rowful, he was indignant, he was reproachful; he was elo-
quent, and fervent, and almost inspired, thought those who
heard him. He was logical and convincing in what he
said. In short, hewas a consummate hypocrite, lying in
of (rffdtft a j^ntHing 1 pf^pl^j with n
an unblushing fac
fle employed a French lady one of his converts, and
a most charming and cultured person to translate the
sermon for him into her own language. He then had it
published, and distributed largely through the country.
Very many were kept from apostatizing by this tract, and
a large number announced their intention of at once
330
A CONSCIENCE-STRICKEN WOMAN.
gathering to Zion. Among them was the lady who had
translated the sermon for Taylor, and who, influenced
by the spirit of the discourse,
and the seeming earnestness
of the missionary, had be-
'come more zealous than ever
in her devotion to her new
and ardently beloved faith.
Imagine, if you can,Jier
horror OP
APOSTLE JOHN TAYLOK.
[Husband of Six Wives.]
which found her there, and
discoj(ere^\hat m she not only
had been grossly deceived..
but,in her ignorance, had
helpecT to deceive so many
others ; for it was through the
influence of her translation of Taylor's denial that nearly
all the party with whom she emigrated had come.
Shlfapolstatized at once, but she was conscience-stricken
at the part she had so unwittingly played, and could not be
comforted. A more remorseful, grief-stricken woman was
never seen, and she felt all the more deeply the harm that
had been wrought, when she saw how powerless she was
to undo it. No effort of hers could ever bring these un-
happy people from the infamous community in which they
found themselves, and a part of which they were destined
to become. For with them, the men especially, as with all
others who remain under the baleful influence long, the
end was certain. They first endured, and then embraced ;
pity was left out altogether, although God knows there is
no condition that calls for pity as does that of the polyga-
mous wife. The lady herself left Utah, but her people
were forced to remain. I wonder how those poor wives,
decoyed into a strange country by priestly promises, and
deceived by priestly lying, could bear ever again to look in
WHEN THE TRUTH BECAME KNOWN. 331
the face, or listen to the voice, of the man who had so
wickedly misled them.
When the missionaries were asked why they denied so
stoutly the existence of the system, when it must be sooner
or later discovered that they were falsifying, they excused
themselves by saying that the people could not then stand
such strong doctrine, and they must give them only what
they could safely take ; that in good time the Lord would
open their hearts to receive his truth, the "good time"
which the brethren referred to being after they had left
their own country, crossed the United States, and put
themselves outside the pale of civilization, and were lit-
erally in the power of the church. When they had gone
so far that retreat was impossible, then they would tell
them the truth, knowing that they could not choose but
listen.
As long as they possibly could they denied it in the mis-
sions abroad, but, by-and-by, it became so notorious that it
must be acknowledged; and in the face of all the denial,
all the asseverations that there was no such institution, and,
according to the laws of God and man there could be no
such institution, the Millennial Star suddenly published
the " Revelation," having given no warning of what it was
about to do.
The excitement among the Mormons through Europe, in
England especially, was intense, and it took all the elo-
quence and sophistry of the entire missionary board to pre-
vent a general apostasy. Hundreds did leave the church,
and many more were on the point of doing so. But the
ingenuity of the Mormon Elders, which seems never to fail
them, came to their rescue. They explained that this "Rev-
elation " forced no one into polygamy ; it only established it
as a church institution that might be availed of by anyone
who chose to enter the "Celestial Kingdom," but that it was
entirely optional. In fact, the same arguments that were
used to win single and special converts were used to con-
332 THEY CALLED IT, OPTIONAL !
vince the masses ; and, strange as it may seem, all this
sophistry had actual weight, and many worthy and sensible
men and women stayed by the church who would have
abandoned it in disgust, had they known the truth as it was
forced upon them afterwards. But, as I said a little while
since, the system begun in deception and fraud fattened on
lies apd treachery. May it meet with a speedy death,
brought on by a surfeit of its favorite food.
CHAPTER XX.
BRIGHAM BUILDS WAGONS BY "INSPIRATION." THE
CHURCH SETS UP A WHISKEY-STORE.
Saying " Yes " under Difficulties. A Woman who Meant to have her
Way. Two Company : Three None. Building Wagons by Inspira-
tion. My Father despatched to Chicago. He gets rid of his New-
Wives. My Brother sent to the Sandwich Islands. My Mother tells
her own Story. She Returns to Salt Lake City to see my Father.
Wifely Considerations. She finds two other Ladies at her Husband's
Bedside. He likes a good deal of Wives about Him ! A Heart dead
to Love. Brigham " asks no odds of Uncle Sam or the Devil." He
proclaims Martial Law. Fiery Speeches in the Tabernacle. Prepar-
ing for War. Government Troops Arrive. The Saints quit Sail
Lake City. The Church Distillery. Brigham shamelessly Robs my
Father. He fills his own Pockets. My Father, being without Funds,
takes his Sixth Wife.
OME time before our
family bereavement by
the loss of Louise, my
mother and I went to
Skull Valley, about
seventy miles from Salt
Lake City, where my
brothers were keeping
a herd-ground.
We had intended to
go by ourselves ; but
one of the young wives,
who was very much at-
tached to my mother,
begged to be allowed
to go. She appealed
first to my father, and
he, in turn, referred her to my mother.
ORMONS BURNING A GOVERNMENT TRAIN.
334 THE FIFTH PART OF A HUSBAND.
I shall never forget the look of desperation on my moth-
er's face, the hunted look in her eyes, as she came to me
after the request had been made and before she had given
her answer. She told me of the new proposal, and
added, in a bitterer tone than I had ever heard her use
before,
" Why can't she see and understand that I want to make
my escape from this confusion and trouble, and go away
alone?"
But she could not see, and as she was kind and affec-
tionate, and my mother was quite well aware of her regard
for her, she could do nothing but say "yes," although it
was a great cross for her to be obliged to do so.
Here was the end of all her sweet dreaming. She had
thought to go quietly away, taking me with her, and we
two living with " the boys " at the herd-ground. To be
sure, there was only a log-cabin there ; but what did that
matter? She would rest in her children's love, which at
least was her very own ; and with them about her, she
would forget, as far as possible, the horrible system that
had brought so much unhappiness to her. Fond as she
was of my father, it was much easier for her to be separated
from him in this way, than it was to be under the same
roof, and see him bestowing attentions, that used to be hers
exclusively, on others. Dear as the husband was, yet she
took very little comfort with a fifth part of him ; and she
longed to get away where she could live in memory the old
happy days over again, and, with her children's arms about
her, forget the suffering the later years had brought, ig-
noring all but the very present, and close her eyes to the
future, which promised but little better, after all, since what
was her greatest cross here was to follow her into the
hereafter.
I wonder sometimes, knowing as I do now what she
suffered, and realizing it as I could not then, that she did
not cry out in the bitterness of her sorrow, as one Mormon
GOING TO SKULL VALLEY. 335
woman whom I know did, " O, if I could only believe
n ft nri eternal sleep, I think I should be better
able to pn^jirp ; but fr> fl"'nk that we have got to live on
eTernally under this curse of polygamy, almost drives me
mad.*"' Ur like anotner, equally desperate and miserable^
" I would kill myself if I thought death would end my mis-
ery ; but as long as I must suffer, it might as well be here
as anywhere. O for the anticipation of one hour of peace
and rest ! "
Ever since my father's return from his mission my mother
had begged to be allowed to go away, to have a home by
herself; but somehow my father could not bring himself to
let her go until now. She was the balance-wheel in the
domestic machinery, and things seemed to go smoothly
when she was round about. She was always prepared for
any emergency; and both my father and the other wives
instinctively turned to her when anything was wrong. She
was so strong, so helpful, so self-reliant, and so patient,
that she seemed, some way, the protector of us all. I think,
if my father had not seen her so very much in earnest, and
so determined to go at all hazards, that his consent would
not have been won ; but finding it useless to oppose her, he
gave a reluctant consent.
Then there was a little season of quiet joy between us
two ; for we did not dare make any very open demonstra-
tions, for fear of hurting the feelings of those whom we were
going to leave behind us. Our joy was short-lived, how-
ever, for it was decided to take a third with us ; and though
we liked her, yet she would be what the children call a
" spoil-sport ; " and we didn't want any one outside of our
very selves.
So we went, we three, leaving the others in Salt Lake
City, where they did not remain long after we left, but, to
my mother's great annoyance, followed soon after to Skull
Valley.
Very soon after our removal, Brigham conceived the idea
336 MAKING ROOM FOR THE OTHER WIVES.
of establishing an express company, and called on my father
to go to Chicago and superintend the construction of wagons
and carriages for this purpose. They were to be built after
plans which Brigham himself had drawn from "inspira-
tion," and he insisted that the designs should be closely and
faithfully followed ; so he sent my father to see that this was
done, he being a practical wagon-builder.
Like the labor he had been engaged in for the four
previous years, we expected that this would be called
"mission" work, ajjOJETwas no! to receive
services ; they were to be given for fhegood of the " king-
jioiftr*- This would mnl:^ the fifth veaT ^ hfH < -p'"-- n*y
from, us, working for the "church
th> hftiiftf fg if bin Iqfrqrs;. He had no time, of course, to
devote to his family, or to labor for its support ; he must
give his strength, and his time, and his labor to Brigham
Young. During the three months that he had been at
home, he had added as many wives to the family-circle ; but
there were no added means with which to care for them ; so
that now, when he was called to go away and leave them
for an indefinite length of time, it was considered expedient
to send the whole family to us, tp 7 remain during his ab-
sence.
More log-rooms were added to the cabin, and down came
the whole flock, so that we were all together again. My
mother has said, since then, that she never, in her whole
life, felt so rebellious as she did then. She had become so
entirely disgusted with polygamy, that even the fact that it
was an important adjunct to the religion to which she was so
devoted, did not reconcile her to it one bit. She hated it;
she hated everybody connected with it ; and she dIH not care
"tf^sTie^never saw liei rmsTSand again in the world. She
woaW not pray for nis saie return," lor she saicT s"he~~3id not"
desire it, and she would not add heartless prayer to her list
of hypocrisies?
She kept all tfitsr rebellion within her own heart, and I
SENT TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 337
am sure that none of the wives knew at all the depth and
intensity of her feelings at that time. An added sorrow to
my mother came, when, about the same time that my father
went to Chicago, my eldest brother was sent on a mission to
the Sandwich Islands. She mourned his departure deeply,
and even I could not comfort her. He was sent for five
years, that was the time designated in his order, and
my mother was so broken in health and spirits that she did
not believe she should be alive when he returned. He was,
however, immediately recalled on account of the opening of
the Mormon War, with all other missionaries away from
home.
In the autumn we heard that my father was coming
home ill ; he had got " leave of absence " from the head of
the church, and was coming home to be taken care of. As
soon as we heard the news, my mother suggested to Eliza-
beth that she should return to Salt Lake City, and prepare
for his reception at the home there. She went at once, and
my mother was going on quietly with her many duties, when
a messenger arrived in haste from the city for my mother, to
convey her to the husband who was calling for her.
I think I shall let her give the incident in her own
words :
"At first I declined going; so rebellious was I, and so
bitter, that I actually felt that I could not go. There was a
momentary feeling of triumph, that, in sickness or in trouble,
my~~husbaiid turned lo me, his 6ne~7rue wife, for relief
and CotTlfoTt; that, however he might regard his younger
wives while well and comparatively prosperous, he had no
thought for them now ; yet this feeling failed to move me,
as instantly, choking it almost before it became a defi-
nite thought, came the bitter impulse 'Let him alone ; leave
him to suffer : you have not been spared ]~ why should you~Be
^ei-dml lliaii he lias been;* Let him leel what it is to
need, and long for, and even starve for some one's love and
care, and yet have it denied him in all his longing and his
22
33 THE MUCH-MARRIED MAN FALLS SICK.
need ; ' and for a moment I was actually glad that I had
the power to inflict this pain.
" ' Let one of the other wives go,' I replied to the messen-
ger's repeated and more urgent request. ' I don't see how
I can leave.'
" ' But you must,' was the imperative reply of the man ;
'your husband is very sick, and has sent for you, and I
shall take no one else.'
" In a moment I relented. I felt ashamed of my selfish
heartlessness ; something of the old-time feeling came over
me, and, with a sudden revulsion of emotion, such as only
women ever feel, I was as anxious now to go to him as I
had before been indifferent. After all, he was my husband,
mine as he could never be anyone's else. I had a claim
on him that none of the rest had, and he had a claim on me
too. It seemed now as though I could not get to him
quickly enough. I made my preparations in feverish haste,
with fingers that trembled with nervous impatience, and in
a short time was on my way.
" The journey seemed so long and tedious ! and yet we
made it very quickly; but to me, whose heart outran the
very swiftest conveyance, it was inexpressibly tiresome. I
expect I wearied the patience of my driver by requesting
him constantly to 'go faster,' and perpetually asking if we
were not almost there. Lectured to myself the pleasure
of having my husband, for a TittleTwtiilt: everTr~aTTl:ny own
again. I would make the most of it. I would forget,
there had~~verbeen-the-stigntest
sHadbW between u?
Polygamy should, in that sick c ha na-
me ; he had chosen me out of all
panion of his sick hours. Th his "sick-room, at least, my
sway should be absolute, and I would not give up one bit
of my authority to anyone else. There, at least, as in the
days of long ago, he should be ' mine, mine only ; ' but,
alas ! he could never again be * for ever mine.' In spile of
A GOOD DEAL OF WIVES. MUCH ATTENTION ! 339
my impatience, I was more really happy than I had been
for years. I felt more like myself than I had since that fatal
day in Nauvoo, when, after long and prayerful consultation,
we decided that duty and right demanded that we should
enter polygamy, and made the choice of the first plural
wife. I was coming to my own again, and my life was
positively glorified by the thought. His illness, rather than
distressing, gladdened me. I should have, of course, the
exclusive care of him, and he should miss nothing of the old
love and tenderness in my regard for him. For the time,
at least, we should be all in all to each other.
A GOOD DEAL OF WlVKS: TOO MUCH ATTENTION.
" We arrived at last, and I hurried to the sick-room of my
husband, with my heart full of tenderness for him, my eyes
brimming over with loving tears. But, in my dreamings,
I had forgotten, or had ignored the fact, that others had the
same right to minister to him, to care for him, to remain
with and watch over him, that I had ; and when I entered
the room, the tenderness was driven from my heart, the
tears from my eyes, and I stood there a polygamic wife, in
presence of three of my husband's other wives, who had the
340 A SHARE OF A HUSBAND !
same privileges of his room that I had, and who were doing
their utmost to make the invalid comfortable.
"I was a good nurse, and, on account of my experience,
the others deferred to my opinions and advice, but insisted
upon sharing my labors. My husband made no objections ;
indeed, I daresay he would have been contented had the
whole five of us been dancing attendance on him. I worked
faithfully and hard in the sick-room, but very mechanically,
and, in a dazed, bewildered sort of way. All the heart
had gone out of my work. Feeling seemed entirely dead.
I hadn't thejslightest emotion torthe man who lay before
jnejhere, and I was as indifffirrr^TlI^^ though he
had been an,, ejotire .stranger.
w I don't think it was heartlessness ; I know it was not.
It was because my heart had been tortured into numbness.
and Ijio-lojnger had any jgpjw^r^o^feeT Ifne had died, I
do not think I^sKould have shed a tear. The fountain of
tears was absoj_u^d^frezen_ 2 _and not one would have rioweoT
had he lain before me cold, and mute, and motionless^ I
should have been as rigid as the white face set in death, on
which my dry eyes would have looked vacantly and wonder-
ingly, as on some strange, unaccustomed features.
" I did not wish that he might die ; I was simply indiffer-
ent. With the last flickering light that burned up so brightly
for a little while, until it entered the sick-chamber and was
met by the chilling breath of the ghostly presence of poly-
gamy, my life's romance went out for ever. The life or death
of one man could not change the face of the world to me.
Where I had thought I was strong, I was weak ; my dream
was broken ; life was henceforth a dead level of mere exist-
ence. My only thought was to get away. I took my
daughter, as soon as I could with decency leave, and went
on a visit to some relatives in Southern Utah, saying fare-
well to my domestic circle, without one regret."
Yet even this separation was of short duration, for just
about that time came the famous " move to the South,"
"NO ODDS OF UNCLE SAM OR THE DEVIL." 34!
which every Salt Lake City resident will remember many
of them to their sorrow.
In 1857 there was a prospect of United States troops
being sent to the Territory, and Brigham determined to
resist them. In a public speech on the 24th of July, the
day celebrated by the Mormon Church as the anniversary
of their first entrance into the Valley, he said, "God is with
us, and I ask no odds of Uncle Sam or the devil."
When it was ascertained beyond a doubt that the United
States troops were on the way, he counselled every warlike
preparation to be be made. Business was suspended ; an
adobe wall was built back of the city for protection against
REMAINS OF ADOBE DEFENCES.
Johnson's army ; the elders on missions were ordered home
at once, and all the people turned their attention to the task
of repelling the invasion. "For," said Brigham, "they
SHALL NOT enter the Valley." He issued a proclamation,
forbidding all armed forces from entering the Territory,
and martial law was also proclaimed.
The latter part of the winter the Mormons received a visit
from Colonel Thomas S. Kane, of Philadelphia. He had be-
fore this proved his friendship for the Saints, and was respect-
ed and listened to accordingly. It is supposed the colonel
convinced Brigham that he was not yet strong enough to
conquer the United States, and advised a change of tactics.
34 2 THE SAINTS GO SOUTH.
At all events, directly after his departure, Brigham began
to talk of going south ; he said he did not know where he
should go; perhaps to the desert "wherever the Lord
should direct."
Satisfied that it would be better not to fight, I suppose he
thought when the snow melted it would be impossible to keep
the army out ; therefore he issued orders to the Saints to
pack up and take their flight. They obeyed the command,
some going only thirty miles, others going three hundred ;
in fact, they were scattered along all through the southern
settlements. In direct contradiction to his assertions made
in the Tabernacle, everything was left standing not even
a tree or a stack of hay being burned. This move south
brought our family together again under one roof, and we
remained together until the church was recalled.
After the departure of the Saints from Salt Lake, the
troops passed through ; but they interfered with nothing :
no spirit of retaliation was shown for all they had endured
through the past winter.
Nearly the entire summer was spent in the move south,
and in August, Brigham notified the people that he was
going back, but that " others might do as they pleased."
All that could do so returned to their homes at once ; others
went when circumstances would permit ; having been living
from March until August in tents, wagons, or in the open
air, they were glad to return. The people \vere poor, and
dependent on their labor for sustenance, and could not well
afford the time for this flitting ; yet they obeyed Brigham
implicitly, asking no questions and hazarding no objections.
With the return to the city our family was again divided.
My mother was urged to go to Pay son, and re-open her
school, which she had relinquished on my father's return
from Europe. She decided to do so, and the people fur-
nished a dwelling-house for her, and she and I commenced
living our old cosy life again. We had occasional visits
from different members of our family, and the first summer
BRIGHAM PUTS MONEY IN HIS PURSE. 343
that we were there, one of the younger wives, while on a visit,
increased our already somewhat numerous family by giving
birth to a daughter, and, in addition to her school duties, my
mother performed the several offices of cook, housekeeper,
and nurse, until she was able to return home.
In the mean time, affairs in Salt Lake City had assumed
their usual quiet. The troops were camped about forty
miles from Salt Lake, in Cedar Valley. They called the
station Camp Floyd. While they remained in the Terri-
tory, some of the Saints, wishing to dispose of their produce,
sold a large quantity to the troops, and were well paid for
MORMONS SELLING PROVISIONS TO UNITED STATES TROOPS.
it. Brigham heard of it, and the very next Sunday forbade
their selling any more, and cursed all those who had had
dealings with our enemies, as he called those men who had
respected the honor of their government and spared the
people who had so injured them.
It was not long before it was whispered that Brigham had-
agents in Camp Floyd selling tithing flour and lumber ;
taking large contracts, and obtaining large prices. But in<
the meanwhile he did not relax his severity towards his
people. The bishops were ordered to withdraw the hand
of fellowship from every person in their wards who traded,
at Camp Floyd. It was a sure sign of apostasy to Be
344 THE CHURCH LIQUOR STORE.
seen there at all, on any errand whatever ; yet the church
teams started from the tlthing-office, loaded with flour, in
the night, and it was known that Brigham received large
sums of money from the government in payment.
In this, as in everything else, he was determined to have
the monopoly. If there was a^iy money to be made, he
must make it. He could not endure to see a dollar go into
another man's pocket. I believe the sight was positive
pain to him. This incarnation of selfish greed is made
absolutely miserable by the prosperity of another, and he
takes speedy measures to put a stop to it, as he did in the
case of Moon and Badly, the distillers, whom he sent to the
south on missions, and also in the affair with Mr. Howard,
whose distillery he took possession of in the same manner,
after having declared that it ought to be burned down, and
the machinery destroyed.
After Howard was well out of the way (in England, I
think) , Brigham started the distillery again in the "church's "
interest, which, as he represents the church, meant him-
self. And over the door he placed as a sign the All-seeing
eye, with the inscription, " HOLINESS TO THE LORD. Zi-
ON'S CO-OPERATIVE MERCANTILE INSTITUTION. WHOLE-
SALE LIQUOR-DEALERS AND RECTIFIERS." His whiskey
was not nearly so good as Howard's, but he got as much
money for it ; so what did he care about the quality ?
More fortunate than either Mr. Moon or Mr. Badly,
Mr. Howard returned from his mission ; but he has ever
since been an enemy to the Prophet, who, by the way, still
runs the distillery.
Mention having been made of the President's " Improved
Carriages," I think they deserve a more extended notice,
coming, as they do, under the head of Brigham's sublime
failures. He had purchased the contract for carrying the
mails from Independence, Missouri, to Salt Lake City; so
he decided to run an express between these two points, to
be called "B. Young's Express," for the purpose of carry-
BUILDING CARS BY INSPIRATION. 345
ing passengers, freight, and the mails. He wanted the
assistance of my father in preparing the train, and although
the latter was very much averse to leaving his family again
so soon after his return to them from his four years in Eng-
land, yet he was, of course, overcome by the pressing elo-
quence of his leader.
It was very necessary that he should enter at once into
some lucrative business, as his family was large, increased
recently by the Prophet's orders ; and when he informed
Brigham of the necessity of instant and remunerative labor,
he was informed that this would be the most profitable un-
dertaking in which he could engage, and gave him to
understand that he would be well remunerated for his ser-
vices.
It is by this time a well-established fact among the
Saints taking his word for it merely that Brigham
Young knows how to do everything. Therefore no one
will be surprised to learn that he understood all about
wagon and carriage building, and nothing could be more
natural than that he should produce plans representing the
manner in which the carriages should be built. These de-
signs, with the most minute instructions, covering several
sheets of foolscap, were laid before my father, and he ven-
tured to suggest that there might be some slight alterations
which would be for the better ; but he was met with the
sharp and abusive reply, that " there must not, on any con-
sideration, be the least variation from this plan." Brigham
insisted that it should be adhered to in every particular.
He became very much elated, and made use of all his
magniloquence in describing the ease and comfort with
which passengers might cross the plains in one of his car-
riages, saying, " They will be just as comfortable as though
they were at home in their own parlors."
Father said no more, but .pocketed the plans, and started
East with them, quite certain what the result would be.
When he arrived in Chicago he presented the Prophet's
346 EXCUSE FOR A BAD "REVELATION."
model to every carriage-maker in the city, and they only
laughed very heartily over it. They said they had never
seen anything like it, which was true enough, as it bore not
the slightest resemblance to anything on the earth, or in
the heavens above, or the waters beneath. It was most
decidedly "unique and only.". They all declined to under-
take the work, knowing that it must prove a failure. Fi-
nally, however, a Mr. Schuttler, being anxious to secure
the Utah trade, consented to try two of them, on condition
that my father should render constant assistance, not feel-
ing exactly safe to proceed in so important an undertaking
without the aid of a Mormon who was supposed to know
more about it than himself. The orders were to build four-
teen carriages, besides a train of wagons. Schuttler's
wagons being ordered by the Prophet, of course there was
no difficulty about them.
When the two carriages were ready for transportation,
they entirely filled a railway car. If my father had fol-
lowed directions, and had the entire fourteen made, he must
have chartered seven cars to convey them to the frontiers.
These nondescript affairs were the amusement of all the
passengers on the train. As they found no passengers at
the frontiers, except " Uncle Sam's troops," the carriages
were filled with freight ; and I believe the wreck of one
of them reached Salt Lake City the following year, after
peace had been made with the government. The Prophet
was satisfied with the two, and ordered no more built ; his
w revelation " had proved a great failure, and owing to the
rebellion, the mail contract was taken from him. He laid
the entire failure to the United States troops, although it
would puzzle a person of less acute perceptions than he to
discover how the one had anything to do with the other.
When a " revelation " fails, there must be some excuse,
some reason for it, and President Young is never at fault
for one ; whether a valid one or not, it seems to make little
difference.
THE "PROPHET PROFITS BY HIS FAULTS.
347
Those who were so fortunate as to see one of those car-
riages in its entirety, say that no one could form any idea
of them without seeing them, and that the only way to
get an adequate idea of the size would be to take the di-
mensions of a " Prairie Schooner," and multiply them by
five.
The wagons proved a success, as they were loaded with
freight for Salt Lake merchants, for which they paid twen-
ty-five cents a pound ; and those wagons that came through
with my father brought no less than five thousand two
hundred and fifty dollars' worth of freight for the Prophet.
RIGHAM'S FOLLY. "THE PRAIRIE SCHOONER.'
It is a poor plan that does not enrich him ; he seems,
in some way or other, to make money out of his very
failures.
After my fathers recovery from his illness he presented
his accounts for the Prophet's inspection, and expected an
immediate settlement, and his promised pay ; instead of
which, he was quietly informed that his services were to
be a gratuity to the church, and at the same time he was
presented by the Prophet with a bill from the express com-
pany for bringing his trunk of clothing through.
" While in Chicago, he had sent two hundred and fifty
pounds of freight home for the family's use, and they
would not let my mother have it until she had paid the full
348 MY FATHER MARRIES HIS SIXTH WIFE.
freight-charges. 1$he clerks told her that "this was Presi-
dent Young's order, and they dared not disobey." Mother
afterwards said that she believed the clerks saw the injus-
tice of the whole proceeding, yet were powerless to do
otherwise than according to their orders.
A man that hajj littmyHj^w-arn himself nnt in thft service
of Brigham Young could not be permitted to send a few_
of the necessaries of life to his family, nor even a trunk of
linen, used on a journey For this man, without paying"
freight, and that when they came in wagons which he had
helped to build, and that gratuitously, for the aggrandize-
ment of the church, or, to be more exact, of the man who
was constantly crying, " Give,.^iv*!land was yetjieyer
satisfied. A man of our acquaintance, .who had been sim-
larly swindled, said, in* referring to the subject, '"Brigham
Youngjy 11 ^ roll^the King of heaven of His
els if
Twas the unfortunate termination of this " business ar-
rangement " with the Prophet that decided my mother to
resume teaching again ; but when my father was again in
business, he was so urgent that my mother should return
to Salt Lake, that, a little while before my sixteenth birth-
day, we went there again to live.
CHAPTER XXL
GOING THROUGH THE "ENDOWMENT-HOUSE." I TAKE
THE MYSTERIOUS BATHS.
No Physic among the Saints. I am taken Sick. Heber C. Kimball rec-
ommends " Endowments." How Brigham Murdered his little Grand-
daughter. The Prophet wants a Doctor. Being " administered "
To. I am Re-baptized. Receive my Endowments. How Saintly
Sins are Washed Away. Undignified Conduct of Elders. The Or-
der of Melchisedec. How I was " Confirmed." To become a Celes-
tial Queen. I go down to the Endowment-House. The Mysterious
Ceremonies Described. The Veil at last Lifted. The Secrets of the
Endowment-House Exposed. I enter the Bath. Miss Snow Washes
Me. She Anoints Me All Over. I dress in a Bed-gown. The
*' Peculiar Garment " of the Saints. What the Mormon Girls do
about It "Going through" without a Husband. "A Great Shout-
ing for Sarah ! "
HEN I was about sixteen
years old, I was very
ill, and my mother, her
fears for the life and
welfare of her only
daughter always on
the alert, became very
anxious, and, indeed,
almost ill herself in
her concern for me.
According to Mormon custom, I was
" administered to " by the anointing and
laying on of hands, but all to no avail.
Bishop Taft, the one who had baptized
me in my childhood, Isaac Groo, the
Bishop's counsellor, and Elder Samuel
Hardy labored earnestly and long, and " wrestled in
TAKING MY ENDOWMENTS
BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
35 BRIGHAM MURDERS HIS GRANDDAUGHTER.
prayer" over me, all to no avail. I grew worse, rather
than better, and my family feared I should fall into pul-
monary consumption.
The idea of employing a regular physician seemed never
to^5ccur to any of thern! Indeed, at that time it was con-
-srttere"3 the surest sign ol a weakening of faith to resort to
medical aid, and no Mormon in good standing would ever
entertain the suggestion for a moment. Latterly, however,
a great deal of this nonsense has been done away with,
under the subtle Gentile influence that is working through-
out Utah, in Salt Lake City more especially, and some of
the young Saints are actually studying for the medical pro-
fession. Brigham used to denounce physicians in the most
wholesale manner in the Tabernacle, and declare that they
should never enter heaven, but that he would himself close
the doors against them.
He was so bitter at that time that he would allow none
of his family to employ medical aid in any emergency. A
little granddaughter of his, a child of one of his daugh-
ters, took some poison that her mother had prepared to
exterminate rats with. Brigham was sent for, and when
he arrived he found a physician there, preparing to admin-
ister to the child in the usual manner. He rudely turned
him out of doors, saying that he would care for the child
himself; that no doctor should be allowed to worry her;
and his "care," as usual, consisted of the laying on of
hands not a very energetic or efficacious mode of treat-
ing a poisoning case. The agonized parents dared not
interfere, and in a fe^
most terrible agony^and distress, an inno
aneToTg u Liy . -
was Brigha^TouTT^weTr ITnglTnm Young ill is
another person. In his variableness of opinion he reminds
one very forcibly of the dignitary treated of in the some-
what profane epigram,
DOCTORING THE PROPHET ! 35!
" The devil was sick ;
The devil a monk would be :
The devil got well ;
The devil a monk was he."
Whenever he has any ailment, a doctor is summoned at
oiiCj__cinU-c!Til < irig his illness, a little over a year* Since, he
"e"mpluyed~ at least halfa dozen, keeping Lhun iu LUiisiaiil
consultation, so great was his terror, and so absolute his
horror of fatal consequences.
But when I was so ill, the Prophet was in the best of
health, and was indulging in the bitterest invectives against
physicians and all who employed them ; and my mother,
great and all-pervading as her affection was for me, and
anxiously troubled as she was concerning my restoration
to health, would have been shocked and grieved beyond
measure, had any one proposed to her to seek medical
advice concerning my condition. I was "in the hands of
the Lord," and I was to be left there, for Him to do with
me as He would.
When it was found that being " administered to " did no
good in my case, Heber C. Kimball advised that I receive
my " Endowments," promising that then I should surely be
fully restored to health. This was considered as a very
great favor, since, outside of Brigham Young's and one or
two other official families, no young persons are given their
Endowments. My mother was overjoyed, and considered
the bestowal of this honor a special interposition of Prov-
idence on my behalf. As a matter of course, I shared her
feelings most fully. I had always been taught to anticipate
the time when I should receive my Endowments as the most
important epoch of my religious life, when I should be
taken fully into the bosom of the church.
It was necessary, in order to receive these rites, that I
should be re-baptized. Remembering my childish experi-
ence, and the terror which I suffered, I must confess that I
352 I AM DIPPED AGAIN.
dreaded, in my weakened state of health, that portion of
the ceremony, and I grew quite nervous over it before the
day arrived on which that rite was to be performed. I was
reassured on one point, however. The pond experience
was not to be repeated, but I was to be baptized in the
Twelfth Ward font, which made it seem much less formi-
dable, and divested it of half its terror.
On the day appointed I was taken to the Twelfth Ward
meeting-house by my mother, where we met Isaac Groo,
who was to baptize me. I was half frightened, and wholly
awed, and very nervous; but my ardent desire for the re-
establishment of my health gave me a sort of bravery and
MORMON BAPTISM.
endurance, so that I was quite calm, and behaved myself
very well, considering the unnaturally excited state which
I was in.
The ordinance of baptism, as administered by the Mor-
mons, does not differ very materially from that of the Bap-
tist churches. It is always by immersion. Nothing else is
ever considered efficacious. It must be a literal "watery
burial," and a resurrection therefrom. The officiating elder,
with his candidate for the rite, repairs to some place which
has been previously appointed, and where there is a suffi-
cient quantity of water to immerse the entire person. Not
WATERY ! 353
the least portion of the body must be left above the purifying
fluid, else it could not be termed a " perfect burial with
Christ." In the early days it was necessary to perform this
ordinance in the open air, in some river or pond ; but lately
fonts have been built in most ward meeting-houses, so that
it can all be done under cover, and there is less danger of
suffering ill results from exposure.
The elder officiating takes the candidate by the hand and
leads him or her, as the case maybe down into the
water, until a sufficient depth is attained ; he then raises his
hand, and, calling the person by name, commences the
ceremony as follows : " Having authority given me of
Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen." He then plunges
the candidate under the water, bringing him forth into the
newness of life, and fully prepared to enter upon a series of
ordinances, all of which are attended with covenants calcu-
lated to bind the person more strongly to the church.
Following the baptism comes the confirmation, or the
laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. It
is usually administered directly after the first rite, and at
the same place ; but I was so ill and weak that I was taken
directly home, and the elders came there to confirm me.
They were Bishop Taft and Isaac Groo, and they certainly
gave me every cause to be thankful to them for the prodi-
gality of their promises. I certainly never have had occasion
to be grateful on account of their fulfilment.
In the Church of Latter-Day Saints the " Melchisedec "
and " Aaronic " priesthood are authorized to perform the or-
dinance of baptism, but the latter has no power to administer
in spiritual things. Hence only a priest after the holy order
of the Son of God, or the order of Melchisedec, can per-
form the ordinance of confirmation, or laying on of hands
for imparting the Holy Ghost, which is to lead the new-
born Saint into all truth, and teach him the things to
come ; thus protect him from all falsehood and imposition,
2 3
354 RECEIVING GIFTS AND GRACES.
and placing him in the most perfect state of progression
which, if real, would be a state of the highest felicity and
most assured salvation.
Two or three elders lay their hands upon the head of the
person to be confirmed, one of whom acts as a mouthpiece
for the rest, and pronounces the blessings and promises,
generally exhausting his full list of mercies upon him whom
they are receiving into full Sainthood. There are two
essentials in this ordinance which are never omitted "I
confirm you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
MORMON CONFIRMATION.
Latter-Day Saints," and, "I also confer upon you the Gift
of the Holy Ghost."
Oftentimes the elder becomes so thoroughly filled with
inspiration that he cannot cease his blessing until he has
sealed the young Saint up to eternal life, with a perfect
assurance that he shall " inherit all the blessings of Abra-
ham, Isaac, and Jacob, with a fulness of the holy priesthood
after the order of an endless life ; " thus placing him be-
yond the possibility of falling from grace or missing the
celestial gate : though he may wander from the fold and
become bewildered in fogs and darkness, yet in the consum-
mation of his mission to earth he will find his way back to
GOING TO THE ENDOWMENT-HOUSE. 355
the fold of Christ ; and as it is supposed that the Word of God,
spoken by the mouth of His servant, cannot fail, will inherit
thrones, principalities, and dominions, be made King and
Priest unto God and His Christ, and reign upon the earth.
The person, having reached this high plane in the king-
dom of God on the earth, is considered properly prepared to
receive the higher and holier ordinances, which are to be
kept entirely secret, and are accompanied by the strongest
and most binding covenants, which cannot be broken with-
out incurring the severest penalties.
I was promised everything that I could wish ; indeed, I
was quite overcome by the magnitude and number of special
blessings that was promised me. First of all, as that was my
most earnest desire, I was to have perfect health bestowed
upon me at once. I was to go on w from grace to glory,"
in full saintship, and my last days were to be better than
my first. I am glad to say that this portion of the blessing
promises to be fulfilled, although by no means in the man-
ner that was intended when the blessing was bestowed. I,
of course, could not be a King or Priest, but I should be a
"Celestial Queen," with all the glory, emoluments, and
perquisites which attend that very exalted, but somewhat
mythical, position. Having thus settled my future to their
evident satisfaction, they left me fully prepared to receive
my Endowments.
I was now all eagerness to receive my Endowments. If
the first step could have so sudden and marked an effect on
me, what would not the greatest, the most important step of
all, do for me ! My faith in it and its virtues was almost sub-
lime. I could scarcely wait for the next day to come the
day that had been appointed for me to enter into the full
fellowship of the church, the full glory of the Lord, and the
eternal heirship to heavenly things.
The morning came, however, and, with a heart filled
with hopeful anticipation, I took my way to the Endowment-
House [carrying a lunch and my Temple-robes, which had
35^ PREPARING FOR THE CEREMONY.
to be specially prepared for this occasion] , where, in the
absence of a regular Temple, the rites were performed. I
expected something solemn and awful ; something elevating
to the spirit, and ennobling to the mind. How I was disap-
pointed, everyone who has entered the Endowment-House
with feelings similar to my own will understand. In place
of the awjs-which I expected to find the rites enj nw pd with,,
tKey^vvere ridiculous and farcical in the extreme.
_J-4iaYjiea*4-peisuiis ypealc of the solemnity of their feel-
ings on the occasion of taking their Endowments, but, with
all respect to their truthfulness, I am always incredulous in
THE ENDOWMENT-HOUSE.
the extreme. I think either their imagination must have
got the better of their common sense, or they could have
had very little of the latter commodity to begin with, else
they would have seen through the very thin tissue of ab-
surdities which they are obliged to witness with unmoved
features, for to laugh in the Endowment-House would be the
most fearful sacrilege. For my own part, I was in a most
uncomfortable frame of mind. I wanted to laugh ; every-
thing seemed so ridiculous ; and yet all the while I was
conscience-stricken at my own levity. I thought it must be
my own wicked heart, and not the rites themselves, and I
OFF WITH OUR SHOES ! 357
was constantly upbraiding myself for lack of spiritual grace ;
and yet I could not alter my feelings in the least. The only
thing that in any degree overcame my disposition to laugh,
was the horror at the oaths which I was obliged to take.
They were fairly blood-curdling, they were so awful ; and
even now a shudder runs through my whole frame as I
recall them.
The Endowment rites are nothing more nor less than a
drama, founded partially upon the Bible, but more upon
Milton's Paradise Lost. It represents the Creation, the
Fall, and the final Restoration of Man to his first glory. To
speak in stage parlance, the " different lines of business "
are taken by the leaders of the church, who always sustain
the same characters. The following is a list of the dramatis
2>crsonce at the time that I took my Endowments :
ELOHIM, or Head God, . . . . Brigham Young.
JEHOVAH, Heber C. Kimball.
JESUS, Daniel H. Wells.
MICHAEL, or Adam, W. C. Staines.
SATAN, . . . W. W. Phelps.
APOSTLE PETER, Orson Pratt.
APOSTLE JAMES, John Taylor.
APOSTLE JOHN, Erastus Snow.
WASHER, Dr. Sprague.
CLERK, David O. Calder.
EVE, Miss Eliza R. Snow.
TIMOTHY BROADBRIM, a Quaker, . . Wilfred Woodruff.
DEACON SMITH, a Methodist, .... Orson Hyde.
PARSON PEABODY, a Presbyterian, . . Franklin D. Richards.
ELDER SMOOTH-TONGUE, a Baptist, . . Phineas H. Young.
FATHER BONIFACE, a Catholic, . . . George A. Smith.
When I entered the Endowment-House, I was made, first
of all, to take off my shoes, for the place was too holy to be
desecrated by outside dust. Having done this, I gave my
name and age, the names of my parents, and date of bap-
tism and confirmation, to the officiating clerk, who entered
them all in a large book. Several other persons of both
358 SISTER, PASS ON
sexes were present, and after all had been similarly cate-
chized, and their answers noted, we were asked to produce
our bottles of oil, for we had been instructed, among other
things, to bring with us a bottle of the best olive-oil : these
were taken from us ; our bundles of clothing were handed
to us again, and we were told to '" pass on."
We entered a large bath-room, which was separated in
the middle by a heavy curtain, for the purpose of dividing
the men from the women. The men passed to one side of
the curtain, the women to the other. In our room were
several large tubs filled with water, and Miss Eliza R. Snow
and two or three other women were in attendance. I was
received by Miss Snow, who placed me in one of the tubs,
and washed me from my head to my feet, repeating certain
formulae to the effect that I was washed clean from the blood
of this generation, and if I remained firm in the faith, should
never be harmed by any of the ills that beset the world, and
which soon were to be showered in terrible profusion upon
the earth. -Plagues, pestilence and famine should cover
the earth, and be let loose in its every corner, but I should
be passed by unscathed, if I was true to my religion the
only revealed religion of God. After I had been wiped dry,
she proceeded to anoint me with olive-oil. As she did so,
she repeated, solemnly,
*' Sister, I anoint your head, that it may be prepared for
that crown of glory awaiting you as a faithful Saint, and the
fruitful wife of a priest of the Lord ; your forehead, that your
brain may be quick of discernment ; your eyes, that they may
be quick to perceive the truth, and to avoid the snares of the
enemy ; your ears, that they may be quick to hear the word
of the Lord ; your mouth, that you may with wisdom speak
the words of eternal life, and show forth the praise of the
immortal gods ; your tongue, to pronounce the true name
which will admit you hereafter behind the veil, and by which
you will be known in the celestial kingdom. I anoint your
arms to labor in the cause of righteousness, and your hands
I AM WELL OILED. 359
to be strong in building up the kingdom of God by all man-
ner of profitable works. I anoint your breasts, that you
may prove a fruitful vine to nourish a strong race of swift
witnesses, earnest in the defence of Zion ; your body, to
present it an acceptable tabernacle when you come to pass
behind the veil ; your loins, that you may bring forth a
numerous race to crown you with eternal glory, and
strengthen the heavenly kingdom of your husband, your
master, and crown in the Lord. I anoint your knees, on
which to prostrate yourself, and humbly receive the truth
from God's holy priesthood ; your feet, to run swiftly in the
ways of righteousness, and stand firm upon the appointed
places. And now I pronounce your body an acceptable
temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit."
As may be imagined, I was literally besmeared with oil
from my head to my feet. I breathed it, smelled it, tasted
it ; it ran into my eyes, and made them smart fearfully, and
dripped in any but an agreeable manner from my hair. I
was fairly saturated with it ; was cognizant of nothing else ;
and I was so nauseated from it that I could scarcely go on
with the ceremonies. I got a distaste for it then that I have
never got over, and to this day even the sight of it makes
me ill.
After the washing and anointing, I was given a garment
which I was to^d to put on, and charged, after once assum-
ing it, that I must never leave it off. When it became
necessary to change, I must take off one side, then put
the fresh one in its place ; then I could drop the soiled one
altogether, and get the fresh one on as soon as possible.
So long as I wore it, I was free from danger, and even from
death. Disease should not assail me, and neither shot nor
the assassin's knife should have power to harm me ; all
should be turned one side. Every good Mormon wears this
garment, and is very superstitious about allowing it off. It
is said that Smith never would have been killed had it not
been that he left off this charmed garment when he went to
360 " POMPS AND VANITIES " OF THE MORMON GIRLS.
Carthage. Had he allowed it to remain on, the balls of
the murderers would have been utterly powerless to harm
him.
There is nothing elegant about this garment ; on the con-
trary, it is quite ugly, and the young Saints who assume it
dislike it terribly for its plainness and awkwardness. In
shape, it is like a child's sleeping-robe, with the waist and
drawers combined, and reaches from the neck to the feet.
It is of white, bleached muslin, and untrimmed. Latterly,
some of the younger daughters of Brigham Young, and
other young ladies of the Mormon bon ton, have instituted a
reform, and, to the horror of the older ones, who are not
given over to the "pomps and vanities," &c., have had
their garments cut shorter, low in the neck, and short-
sleeved, and elaborately trimmed. Of course the majority
of the people, who have known of this innovation, have
been terribly scandalized ; but all to no avail. Mormon
girls, like girls of the world, object to making guys of
themselves ; and neither " counsel " nor ridicule can affect
them when once their minds are made up on the subject of
dress. They will suffer for that what they will not for their
religion.
Mine, of course, was made after the true orthodox fashion.
Over it I wore a white night-gown and skirt, and on my
feet white stockings and white linen shoes. My Temple
robe was the last to be donned. It is a long, loose, flowing
robe of homespun linen, falling to the ankle, and at the
top plaited into a band, which passes over the right shoulder,
and is fastened under the left arm ; it was girdled by a
white linen belt : the cap, which accompanies it, is a simple
square of linen, or muslin, gathered in one corner to fit the
head ; the remainder falls down over the back of the head,
like a veil.
While all this washing and robing was going on on one
side of the curtain, the same things were being done on the
opposite side. I suppose we could hear the murmur of
SHOUTING FOR SARAH ! 361
voices and the splash of water; but everything was quiet
and subdued, and the most perfect order reigned.
When we were all ready, a name was secretly given to
each one of us, which was the name by which we were to be
known in the celestial world, and which was to be told only
to the man who should take us through the veil. If a
woman was married, her husband took her through ; if not,
some brother kindly performed the office for her, and he
was rewarded for hia^kindness by having the young Saint's
celestial name whispered confidingly in his ear. I was not
married ; so Elder Samuel Richards took me through, and
I told him my name, and, by the way, he was the only
person who ever knew it until after my apostasy, as I never
told it to either of my husbands.
THiTirlirvrjitbit n~ thr hnrhnnd In i In " IT -11111 rrl " Vih
wife by her Endowment name, so it is rat^ej necessary that
he should know it. Consequently, when he fa
her, she is permitted to whisper her name to him through
the veil, and after that it must be spoken no more between
them until he shall call her by it on the morning of 'the final
resurrection. If the Mormon doctrine were true, there would
hf^a tpighty ghfHJtJPg for "Sarah" af ffraf ti'mn, in nunpy
person whose name I have heard was always called the
same. It was the name that was given me, and I have
known many others who received it. It certainly will make
the husband's work at that time much lighter, since he need
il"
CHAPTER XXII.
WE CARRY ON THE ENDOWMENT DRAMA. I AM
FULLY INITIATED. '
In the Endowment- House. How the " Kings r.id Priests " appeared in
their Shirts. The poor Fellows "feel Badf" The "Gods" hold a
Conversazione. Michael is sent down to Earth. The " Tree of Life."
How Raisins grew instead of Apples. Not good to be Alone. The
Rib abstracted and little Eve made. The Devil dressed in "Tights."
John D. Lee once a Devil. Eve's Flirtation. She eats Forbidden
Fruit. Tempts her Husband. Fig-leaves come into Fashion. We
.hide in Holes and Corners The Devil is Cursed and we are Lectured.
The Second Degree. Story of a Pugnacious Woman. The Terri-
ble Oaths of the Endowment-House. Pains and Penalties. Signs
and Grips. ; ' Good-bye ! " Brother Heber gives me Advice.
FTER our names had been
given us, Miss Snow an-
nounced that we were
ready, in answer to a ques-
tion from the other side of
the curtain. We were ar-
ranged in a row facing it,
when it was suddenly with-
drawn, and we were stand-
ing face to face with the
men. The sight that met
our eyes was very funny,
and I had all I could do
to keep my features de-
cently straight. I looked
out from under my eyelids,
for I did not dare give a good, square, honest look ; it would
have been altogether too much for my gravity ; but from
my stolen looks I found that the men, over their new gar-
L OF THE ENDOWMBNT-HOUSB.
THE "KINGS AND PRIESTS" IN THEIR SHIRTS. 363
ment of protection, wore a shirt only. On their feet were
white socks and white linen shoes. The cap was of white
linen, in shape exactly like those worn by stonemasons,
and tied by a knot in front. They were certainly no more
beautiful in appearance than we women, and, as is gener-
ally the case in embarrassing circumstances, were much
less at their ease.
We were all conducted into another room, where we
were seated opposite each other. We remained quiet for a
few moments, getting used to the situation and our clothes,
I suppose. Suddenly the silence was broken by voices in
conversation. The persons who were carrying it on were
concealed ; but by listening intently we discovered that it
was Elohim in conversation with Jehovah, and he was de-
scribing the creation of the world. His description was
taken mainly from the first chapter of Genesis. The Gods
then decide to visit the earth and see the works of their
hands. This they do* and seem quite satisfied with the
results of their labors ; but they decide that it is necessary
to place a ruler over the brute creation, since they must be
governed and brought under the control of a superior order
of intelligence.
The Gods continue their discussions, and Michael the
Archangel is called and given control of "the earth and
all that therein is." The brute creation is to be subject to
him ; the fruits of the earth shall yield abundantly for his
sustenance. Of all these he is free to partake, with one
single exception : he shall not eat of the fruit of a tree
which stands in the middle of the garden.
This tree is represented by a small evergreen, on the
branches of which are tied apples, raisins, oranges, or
bunches of grapes, as may happen. The fruit on the oc-
casion of my passing through was raisins.
Michael or Adam, as he is now called finds his new
abode rather a lonesome place, in spite of its beauty ; and
even the knowledge of his power over all about him does not
THE RIB ABSTRACTED LITTLE EVE MADE.
prevent him from longing for companionship. The Gods,
too, decide that it is not good for him to be alone ; and as
there is nothing on earth that is sufficiently near an equality
with him to be admitted to an intimate friendship, it is de-
termined to give him a companion created specially for him.
A profound slumber falls upon him, and we were all told at
that time to feign sleep also, which we did. Elohim and
Jehovah then make their first visible appearance, and go
through the form of taking a rib from Adam's side, and on
the instant appears Eve, in the person of Miss Eliza R.
Snow.
At this point we were told to wake up, and instantly
every Adam present appro-
priated to himself an Eve,
and, led by the chief Adam
and his bride, we all marched
about, looking at our new
kingdom and marking all
its beauties. It was then
that Adam became separated
from Eve, and wandered off
by himself, very much after
the fashion of husbands of
the present day; and while
he was away, Satan entered
and commenced a desperate
flirtation with the coy and
guileless Eve. The Garden of Eden is represented by
painted scenery and furnishings.
It requires some imagination to invest this place with
all the beauty that is supposed to have belonged to the
original garden ; but as it is the best Eden that can be
provided, we, like all the rest of the Saints, were obliged
to be content with it. Satan was for many years rep-
resented by W. W. Phelps, who has recently died. Much
to his own surprise and great chagrin, he saw his end
APOSTLE WILLARD WOODRUFF.
["Timothy Broadbrim."]
A FIRST-RATE DEVIL. 365
approaching ; for he had always claimed to be immortal,
and on a seal-ring which he wore while in the Endowment-
House was inscribed the blasphemous legend,
" The Lord and I
Shall never die."
I do not know who has succeeded him ; but I know that
in the Temple at Nauvoo, John D. Lee used frequently to
assume the character, and I have heard old Mormons say
that " he made a first-rate devil." I think no one who has
watched his career will doubt that. Since, however, Brig-
ham has recently cut him off from the church, it is hardly
probable that he will ever again be able to make his ap-
pearance in his old character at the Endowment-House.
Satan was dressed in a tight-fitting suit of black, slashed
with pink, pointed shoes, helmet, and a hideous mask.
His costume, with the exception of the mask, resembled
very closely the dress always worn by the stage Mephistoph-
eles. I think he must have had different costumes, since
it has been described several times, and the descriptions
have varied in every case.
Eve seemed decidedly pleased with his attentions, and
prattled on to him in artless gaiety. He, in turn, showed
her the tree of the forbidden fruit, and tempted her to taste
it. She did taste it, and finding it pleasant, offered it to
Adam, who, by the time the mischief was done, returned
to look after his wife. It required but little coaxing on her
part to induce him to take the fruit, and he also found it
agreeable. At this juncture they seemed to discover their
condition of supposed nudity, and instantly they produced
white linen aprons, with fig-leaves stitched upon them, and
proceeded to put them on. All the rest of us did the
same.
The pattern of this apron, by the way, was said to have
been given to To^ph S" 1 ' 11 * 1[ y '''T'Oati^n It was a square
"bt white linen, measuring about eighteen inches, on which
366 FIG-LEAF FASHIONS.
were to be sewn nine fig-leaves cut from green silk. Those
who first took their Endowments had their aprons made
after this model ; but there were afterwards many inven-
tions sought out for improving the Lord's pattern, one of
which was to paint them. Over these painted aprons fancy
fairly ran riot. The borders would be whatever color the
person making them might choose, and were red, yellow,
or blue, as the caprice dictated, with white centres filled
with green leaves. The shape of these leaves was as varied
as the people who wore the aprons. Some resembled the
oak leaf, some the fig, a part the burdock, and others were
like nothing else that ever was seen under the sun. A com-
pany going through their Endowments thirty years since,
presented, it is said, a decidedly fantastic appearance.
Alter trying every conceivable mode of making the aprons,
they have settled down to the " revealed pattern " as the
best every way.
After the aprons were on, the voice of Elohim was heard
calling Adam ; but he was afraid, and hid himself with Eve.
All the rest of us were supposed to follow their example,
and there was a most undignified scurrying behind sofas,
chairs, or any other article of furniture that was convenient.
It was like nothing so much as the old game of "hide-and-
seek," and it was a rare piece of fun to see men and women
scudding in every direction about the room. It was like a
good old-fashioned frolic to me, and I actually laughed
aloud, much to my discomfiture and Heber Kimball's horror,
who reproved me afterwards, and told me it was very
wrong. "For," said he, "these things are sacred, and
make me feel as solemn as the grave, and I can scarce re-
frain from shedding tears every time I see them."
I was properly penitent, but I know I thought at the time
how very easily Brother Heber was moved.
The devil was then cursed, and he fell upon his hands
and knees, and wriggled and hissed in as snake-like a man-
ner as possible ; we were all brought out from our several
FIRST DEGREE. THE DEVIL IS PUT TO FLIGHT. 367
hiding-places, the curse was pronounced upon us, which
doomed us to leave the beautiful garden, and earn our bread
by the sweat of our brows. We were then driven into
another room, which was called the world ; and then we
had taken our "First Degree."
We found the world a very bewildering place. We were
drawn hither and thither, and tossed about by every con-
flicting wave of circumstance. Our friend, the devil, did
not leave, but was our constant visitor, urging us to new
deeds of sin. We were waited upon by representatives of
the different sects, each descanting upon his peculiar plan
of salvation, and its advantage over all the rest. The
Quaker advocated his non-resistance doctrine. The Meth-
odist gave a graphic, but not very refined description of
the future torments of those who did not take his road to
heaven. The Presbyterian gave his belief in foreordina-
tion and election in the very terse lines,
" You can if you can't ;
If you will you won't ;
You'll be damned if you do ;
You'll be damned if you don't."
The Baptist expatiated upon the virtues of immersion
and close communion, and insisted upon predestination
as the principal basis of religion ; the Catholic called for
observances of fasts and prayers to the Virgin Mary.
Each grew more clamorous in recommending his special
creed, and the discussion waxed fast and furious, even the
peaceful Quaker shouting his " good will to men " with a
red face, an angry voice, and excited manner, when Satan
entered, filled with delight at the disturbance, end urging
them on to renewed contention.
Then the apostles began to visit the earth, and comfort
its afflicted tenants with plans of the true, revealed religion
that was to be their salvation. They put the devil to flight,
and the representatives of the " false religions " cowered
and shrank away before the truth which they brought.
368 THE MYSTERIOUS OATHS AND SIGNS.
We were then given certain signs, pass-words, and grips,
arranged in a circle, and told to kneel ; the women were
also required to cover their faces with their veils; then we
were bidden to raise our right hands heavenward, and take
the oath of implicit dBediencC and ""inviolable secrecyT JThe
"women" promised Entire sub jectioirTo^tlielrhusba^s* will ;
.-the 'men ttlat they~would take no w^oTir3Tr'as~a wife without
the express permission of the priesthood. We all promised
that we would never question the commands of our authori-
ties in the church, but would grant them instant obedience ;
we swore also to entertain an everlasting enmity to the
United States~government, and to disregard its laws so far
as possible ; we sworethat we would use ev^ry exertion 16
* avenge the death oTour Prophet Joseplx_JBjnith and his
brother Hyrum upon the Cjgntile race, by whose means they
were brought to their unhappy fate, and to teach our chil-
dren to foster this spirit of revenge also ; and last of all, we
s^voFe never to reveal" the mysteries" of the Endowment
~House.~~
Thcjgeaking of this latter oath was to be followed by the
most horrible penalties ; torture of the mosf excruciating
kind was to be inflicted upon anyone who should disregard
this ualh Ills' bowels should be torn from him while he was
' yet alive ; his throat should then be cut from ear to^ear ; his
heart and his tongue cut out ; and in the world to come he
should inherit eternal damnation. There should be, nor
could be, no chance of salvation for him.
These promised penalties are by no means mere forms of
words, given merely to add impressiveness to the ceremony.
The " Blood-Atonement " shows that they are carried out,
and hundreds of cases could be cited in addition to those
already given, to prove that the Endowment-House penalties
are by no means dead letters in the Mormon Church law.
The cutting of every Gentile and apostate throat, and the
" sending to hell across lots," that have been so openly and
emphatically urged from the stand by Brigham Young and
THE SECRET OF THE VEIL. 369
others, is only a public expression of the mysteries of the
Endowment oaths.
Brother Heber endeavored to add weight and emphasis
to this horrible rite by delivering a discourse to us on the
duty of keeping quiet, even to our husbands or wives, on
the subject ; from the time we left the room we were in, the
transactions therein must not be mentioned, or even hinted
at, to anyone. He then entered upon a dissertation of the
glories of the Celestial Kingdom, and fairly outdid himself
in coarseness and vulgarity. It was then announced to us
that the talk finished the ceremonj' of the " Second Degree,"
and we were told to enter the next room, for the purpose of
having the " Third Degree " of the Order of Melchisedec
Priesthood conferred upon us.
In this room a portion of the scenes of the last were re-
peated : the devil encouraged the ministers of the conflicting
denominations to visit the new inhabitants of earth, and urge
their religions on them once more. The apostles stop the
proposed visit, and explain still further the doctrines of the
true faith ; they organize a new church, which is, of course,
the " Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints."
Our Temple robes were changed ; resting afterwards upon
the left shoulder and fastening under the right arm which
was a sign that we were now received into the true church,
and subject to the will of its leaders. Another grip was
taught to us, and we then received the " Third Degree,"
and were ready to " pass through the veil."
The men, of course, went through first, and they were
permitted then to take us women through.
The room we were in was divided by a muslin partition,
in which was a door; in this door was a hole just large
enough to pass the hand through, and over this hole was a
curtain of muslin. The persons who were behind this mus-
lin partition which was supposed to represent "the veil"
were invisible to us, although they could see us dis-
tinctly.
24
37 WHAT THE WOMEN WHISPERED TO THE MEN.
A man approached the door as if seeking admittance, and
the Apostle Peter, appearing at the opening, asked who
was there and what was wanted. He was told that some
one wished to enter. The applicant was told to come near,
and, as he approached, hands came through the opening in
the door, and cut a mysterious 1 mark on each breast of the
man's garment, another over the abdomen, still another over
the right knee. The garments of all the applicants were
treated in the same mysterious manner, and the women were
told to copy them in their own when they went home. It
was also commanded them that whenever other garments
were made, these marks must be placed on them.
After the garments had been cut, the applicant for ad-
" mission gave the last grip which had been taught them,
through the slit in the partition, and whispered his or her new
name to those behind who were waiting to hear it, and was
then permitted to go "behind the veil." The women were
then taken through, the married ones by their husbands ;
I, as I have before said, by Elder $amuel Richards, brother
of Apostle Franklin D. Richards, of Hand-Cart memory.
Several remained to be sealed, but as I had not that cere-
mony to go through, I was permitted to go away.
I was perfectly exhausted by what I had passed through,
and quite dissatisfied. It was so different from what I ex-
pected that I was saddened and disappointed by it all. My
feelings of the morning had undergone a most radical
change. I was no longer buoyed up by the enthusiasm of
religious fervor ; that had died away, and I was as hopeless
and apathetic as I had before been eager and buoyant.
I was too tired to go home at once ; so I went to Heber
Kimball's to rest. When he returned from the Endowment-
House he found me there, and he asked how I felt since I
left the House ; if I had found peace and help. I told him
no ; that I felt worse, if possible, than ever. It was then
that he reproved me for the levity which he had seen me
show, and told me he feared I did not take my Endowments
HOW TO BURY A SAINT.
371
in the right spirit. I began to think that that might be the
case, and that the fault lay with me and my understanding,
and possibly the ordinance was not such a farcical proceed-
ing as it had seemed to me ; and I took the reproof so humbly
and with such good grace, that Brother Heber grew abso-
lutely hopeful for me.
It is claimed that the
mysterious rites were taken
from Masonry, and that
the Endowments are a
direct outgrowth of the
secret society. Brigham
Young delights, I know,
to speak of it as "Celes-
tial Masonry," but I am
very sure all good Masons
would repudiate it and its
teachings.
In regard to the oaths
of secrecy which I took at that time, I do not consider that
I am doing anything wrong in breaking them; I am sure I
shall in no way be held accountable for so doing. I took
them because I felt that I must. I did not know what I
was promising until after the oath was given me, while
I listened with uplifted hand. I was bound to secrecy, but
I feel that right and justice demand that I shall break these
bonds. I consider it a duty to expose, as far as I possibly
can, the wickedness, cruelty, blasphemy, and disloyalty of
the leaders of the deluded Mormon people.
All Mormons who have received their Endowments are
buried in their robes caps, shoes, apron, and all. It is
held necessary in order to insure their entrance into the
Celestial Kingdom. One of the authorities in the church
was once asked what would become of the Mormon children
who should die before they were old enough to receive their
'APOSTLE" HEBER C. KIMBALL.
372 HOW BAPTISTE " DISAPPEARED."
Endowments, and consequently were buried without the
robes.
He replied that their parents, or whoever had the power
of resurrecting them, must prepare the clothing, and when
their dead came out of their graves they were to clothe them
with the sacred robes.
A few years since a man named Baptiste was discovered
robbing the dead of their garments, and as a matter of
course the greatest excitement prevailed. He was imme-
diately " made away with," his house searched, and a large
number of robes discovered. Some said that he was put on
a little island in the lake, and left to perish. Others said
that Porter Rockwell looked after his interests. But cer-
tain it is that he " disappeared," and was never seen again.
The garments were identified, and the friends of the dead
began taking up the bodies and replacing the robes. Brig-
ham ordered them to desist, telling them that "under the
circumstances their friends would be taken care of in the
resurrection ; " so most of the robes were never restored.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE PROPHET MAKES LOVE TO ME. I HAVE OTHER
VIEWS.
The Prophet Casts his Eye on Me. He Objects to My Beaux. " A Low
Set Anyway." I Didn't Want to Marry the Prophet. He Considers
Himself an Irresistible Lover. My First Drive with the Prophet.
I Join the Theatrical Corps. How We " Got Up " our Parts. How
" Fun Hall " was Built. The Prophet Erects a Theatre out of Temple
Funds. How Julia Deane, the Actress, Fascinated the Prophet. How
Brigham Cheated the Actors in his Theatre. The Girls Grumble over
their Scanty Fare. They Want Something Good to Eat. My New
Beau. Love at First Sight. I am Engaged to My First Husband.
OON after I took my
Endowments, Brig-
ham Young showed
his consciousness of
my existence. He
had always seen me
frequently, but had
regarded me and
treated me as a child.
He seemed suddenly
to realize that I had
grown to be a young
lady, and the first
intimation he gave
of it was by interfer-
ing with my beaux.
Like most girls of my age, I was very fond of gay socie-
ty ; liked honest admiration and attention ; and I should like
to know what girl of seventeen does not, whether she be
Mormon or Gentile?
I was at that time quite intimate with Emmeline Free's
children, and I knew nearly all of the rest of Brigham Young's
Mv FIRST APPEARANCE IN BRIGBAM'S THEATRE.
374 " A LOW SET ANYWAY ! "
children ; but Emmeline's were nearer my own age, and
circumstances had thrown us more together. Emmeline
had a younger brother, Finley Free, who was at one time a
great friend of mine ; indeed, as many boys and girls before
us have done, I suppose we fancied we were in love with
each other. Finley was a jolly fellow, full of fun, and we
agreed capitally. Emmeline used to throw us together in
every possible way, for, I suppose, like most women of
a somewhat romantic turn of mind, she was fond of match-
making, and having no other convenient couple at hand,
she amused herself with us.
Brigham saw me often at Emmeline's, and twice at the
theatre, always with Finley Free. He was always very
pleasant to me, and I quite liked him, until one day he went
to my mother, and told her that he wished her to stop my
going about with Finley Free ; that I ought not to have any-
thing to do with "those Frees ; " they were " a low set any-
way," and didn't amount to anything, either the boys or
girls a rather peculiar remark for him to make, when his
favorite wife at that time for that was before the reign of
Amelia opened was one of those selfsame Frees of whom
he spoke so contemptuously to my mother.
Of course I didn't like this interference at all, and I con-
sidered myself quite a martyr to the Mormon priestly rule.
I expressed my opinion of the Prophet very freely, and, I
have no doubt, very foolishly, and I spoke of him in a man-
ner that fairly horrified my mother, who considered me
nearly as profane and blasphemous as if I had found fault
with the overrulings of Providence. The Mormon people
bow as humbly, and say as resignedly, "Thy will, not mine,
be done," before a fiat of Brigham Young's as they do be-
fore a mysterious dispensation of the Lord's ; and I honestly
believe they would dare question the justice of God sooner
than that of Brigham Young. The latter holds them so com-
pletely, body and soul, that they shrink before his displeas-
ure in absolute terror, and regard religiously his every
slightest wish.
w THAT HATEFUL OLD THING ! " 375
All the girls of my acquaintance knew of the trouble,
and, naturally enough, all sympathized with me ; and a
more rebellious set of mortals was never seen. We in-
dulged in the most incendiary talk, and turned the torrent
of our wrath especially against polygamy. One girl sug-
gested that, as the old men always interfered with the girls'
"fun," it was more than likely that it was because they
wanted them for themselves ; and ended by turning to me,
and saying, w Perhaps Brother Brigham means to marry
you himself."
K But he won't," said I, angrily ; " I wouldn't have him
if he asked me a thousand times, hateful old thing."
My spirit was warmly applauded by my auditors, and
we" all enteTTd into a solemn compact, then and ^nyn-Yrrr
nevcr, to enter polygamy. How fnrhin^f \\ 1V11B \\^\ ftnr
"futures were unrevealed to us ! I look back now to that time,
and then think of the girls as they are to-day, most of them
polygamous wives, hating' tKe-'bonda^e in which, tlvey -are.-
held, yet wearing their galling fetters with a hopeless sort
of patience, that is, after all, only silent endurance; for it
would avail nothing if they should cry out in despair and
desperation ; they would only be treated with greater neg-
lect, insulted oftener and more openly, or else held up to
public ridicule by their religious leader, to whom the un-
happy husbands of these complaining wives women who
dared to be wretched when Mormonism declared they
should not had related their domestic grievances.
It may seem rather strange that such a simple affair as a
school-girl's indignation-meeting should be reported to the
Prophet. But it was ; and, among other things, my un-
lucky speech was repeated to him. Most men would have
laughed at it as mere girlish nonsense and folly, and never
have thought of it again, much less spoken of it ; but not so
Brigham Young. No affair is too trivial to fail to be of
interest to him; and, besides, in this speech of mine girl
as I was his vanity was sorely hurt. If he has one
37^
MY FIRST DRIVE WITH BRIGHAM.
weakness above all his other weaknesses, U_Js hisjvanity
regarding tll M p*"**- ^" pnrmnrrpc r>ir^r my CPY ; nnrl tp fry**
his fascinations called in question was a sore hurt for his
pride.
What cowards we all are, to be sure ! I was as brave as
you please in making my declaration of independence to my
mates, with whom, at that particular period, I was some-
thing of a heroine ; btit when called upon to defend that dec-
laration, I am ashamed to say, I left it to take care of itself,
and employed myself in stammering out excuses for its ex-
istence.
FIRST RIDB WITH BRIGHAM.
I was going home one day, and was walking leisurely
along, when the presidential carriage, with the President
himself as the sole occupant, stopped at the edge of the side-
walk. Brother Brigham gave me a very kindly greeting,
and said, "You are some distance from home; get in and
ride with me ; I will carry you there."
"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T MARRY ME." 377
I knew the invitation was equivalent to a command ; so I
got reluctantly into the carriage, feeling very small indeed,
and hating myself that I did not refuse. As we rode along,
he suddenly burst out with, "I heard you said you wouldn't
marry me if I wanted you to ever so much."
I was so surprised that it nearly took away my breath.
I managed to stammer out a very incoherent, lame reply,
and grew every minute more embarrassed. He said no
more to me on the subject, but was very pleasant, and took
me home to my mother, who was quite surprised to see me
appearing in that style. I think Brigham's mind was made
up from that time that I should one day be his wife ; not, I
think, from any particular affection which he cherished for
me, but to punish me for my foolish speech, and to show
me that his will was stronger than mine, and that he did not
choose to be set at defiance even by so insignificant a person
as myself.
The autumn in which I was eighteen years of age, he
sent for me to come to the theatre as a member of the com-
pany, for he wished to make an actress of me. At the
same time he told my mother that he thought I had better
stay at the " Lion House," which is where the larger part
of the family live, as our own house was so far away from
the theatre that it would be extremely inconvenient for me
to live there, as I would be obliged to be back and forth
from the theatre every evening, and often through the day.
He wished me to enter upon my new duties at once, and as
I had no thought of disobeying him, I went immediately on
receiving the summons. I did not see why I should be sent
for, as I had no particular talent or taste for the stage, and
I knew absolutely nothing about the art of acting. I never
had the slightest training or preparation for it, but plunged
into it, entirely ignorant of what I was undertaking. I did
"juvenile business," with an occasional "soubrette" part
as a variation ; but in the latter line I was not nearly so
successful. Several of Brigham's daughters were acting at
378 "FUN HALL."
the time. The most prominent were Alice, who did "lead-
ing" business, and Zina, who was "leading juvenile."
At that time the theatre was a church affair. All the
actors and actresses were Mormons, with the exception of
an occasional "star," and all of them played without sal-
aries. They were selected from the first families in the
city by the owner of the theatre, who, of course, was Brig-
ham Young, and spent literally all their time in studying,
rehearsing, and preparing wardrobes, which they furnished
themselves. The honor of being selected by Brother Brig-
ham to amuse him and assist him was supposed to be suffi-
cient remuneration.
The theatre, by the way, has been, and still is, a prolific
source of revenue to the Prophet. Theatricals have always
been largely patronized by the Saints, and rank with dan-
cing as an amusement. They were introduced into Nauvoo
by Joseph Smith, and as soon as possible after the arrival
in Salt Lake Valley they were commenced. The actors
were all amateurs, and the playing, no doubt, was some-
thing quite extraordinary ; but it was a recreation, and for-
tunately the audiences were not critical. Dramatic effects
are very much liked by this people, and they would reduce
everything to a play, if possible. They certainly make it
a part of religious service ; for what is the " Endowment,"
if it is not a drama, and a very silly one at that?
The first Utah theatricals were held in a building called
"Social Hall," but after a time the Prophet became im-
pressed that another building was required. So, taking
"Amusements" as a text, he delivered a sermon on the
proposed new building. He said he should christen it
"Fun Hall," as he thought that would be the most appro-
priate name that could be given it. "It is," he said, "to be
a place where the Saints can meet together and have all
the fun they desire. And no Gentiles shall ever desecrate
its sacred stage with their tragedies. It is built exclusively
for ourselves and our own holy fun."
BUILDING A THEATRE WITH CHURCH-FUNDS.
379
This was good news to a people who were already be-
coming very weary with the exactions of their priesthood.
Now, the Prophet said, it was the will of the Lord that we
should have a little relaxation from the constant, wearing
toil, which was beginning to be almost unendurable. The
Prophet further enlightened us how it was to be built.
" We can borrow some of the * Temple fund,' for present
use," he explained ; "but that will be a matter of but small
moment, since we can so soon replace it." So " Fun Hall "
RIGHAM'S THEATRE.
was built with the tithing, and any Saint could have access
to the amusements given there by paying whatever en-
trance fee Brigham demanded. It did not retain its name
after it was finished, but was called " Brigham's Theatre."
As soon as it was completed it was dedicated, after the
usual Mormon fashion. The choir sang, and the singing
was followed by earnest and lengthy prayer from some
good brother, I have forgotten which one, after which
Brigham rose, and said,
"Through the help of the Lord, we have been able to
380 THE PROPHET IN LOVE WITH A PRETTY ACTRESS I
build this theatre. I know that it is as good a building as
any of the kind that was ever built, and I am not going to
have it defiled like the Gentile theatres. I will not have
a Gentile on this stage. Neither will I have tragedies
played. I've said that before, and I mean it. I won't
have our women and children coming here to be frightened
so they can't sleep at night. I'll have a Saints' theatre, for
the Saints, and we'll see what we can do ourselves."
Yet, in flat contradiction to all this bombast, it was not
three months before tragedies were represented on that
stage, and, the very first winter, a Gentile actor was en-
gaged, who played there through the entire season. Gen-
tile players and Gentile plays have been continued up to
this day, and let me assure you there is no more apprecia-
tive admirer of the actresses who visit Salt Lake than Brig-
ham Young. He has fallen a victim to the charms of sev-
eral, but he never was so impressed as he was with Julia
Deane Hayne. He was madly in love with her, and, for a
while, Amelia's position seemed a little precarious. He
bestowed every attention upon the lady, had her portrait
painted on his sleigh, and made her an actual offer of mar-
riage, which she refused on the spot, without even taking
time for consideration. His regard for her never ceased,
and I have heard, on what seemed very good authority,
although I cannot vouch for its truth, that after he heard
of her death he had one of his wives baptized for her, and
then sealed to him for her; so he is sure, he thinks, of
possessing her in the next world, although he could not
induce her to look kindly upon him here. No doubt she
will be properly grateful when she finds out that he has
taken care of her future welfare, and has assured her sal-
vation, and fixed her position in the next world.
Since the theatre was first opened, all or nearly all the
" stars " have played there, on their way to California.
We have had all the actors and actresses, from Forrest and
L.e Clerq to Lydia Thompson and Dickie Lingard, and the
HOW BRIGHAM SWINDLED THE ACTORS. 381
entertainments have varied from tragedy to a "variety show."
We have had as musical entertainments everything from
opera to negro minstrelsy. We have had Gentiles in the
stock company ; and some of our Mormon girls, who have
made success in their profession, have slipped away to
other places, renounced Mormonism, and are making fine
positions for themselves in the outside world. A Miss
Alexander, especially, who was one of our most promising
actresses, became a very great favorite in California, where
she played for some time.
The theatre has been a source of wealth to Brigham.
Built by money extorted from the people for the avowed
purpose of erecting a Temple to God, it, of course, was no
expense to him, personally ; and yet, although built by the
church money, he has appropriated it as private property,
and he pockets every dollar that is made at the theatre, and
devotes it exclusively to his own use. For a long time his
actors, except the Gentile ones, whom he was obliged to
pay, cost him nothing, and as everyone furnished his or
her wardrobe, the owner of the theatre was put to very
little expense in carrying it on.
Now he has to pay even his Mormon players. He tried
a short time ago to return tothe old system again, but he
failed utterly, as the actors would not listen to such a prop-
osition for a moment, and he did not dare to press it, lest
he should lose some of the best members of his company.
The younger Mormons are not afraid to leave Utah, and
the church ; and, thrown as they constantly are with people
from the outside world, the " Babylon," which they have
been taught to dread and look upon with fear and horror,
as a place full of all kinds of lying abominations, and wick-
edness of every sort, they have many opportunities of
learning of that same world and what it offers. This Gen-
tile intercourse is doing more than anything else to break
the tyrannical yoke of a corrupt priesthood, and liberalize
the minds of the Utah people.
382 MY THEATRICAL LIFE.
In the days of my own dramatic experiences, the Gentile
element by no means predominated, and we all worked for
the good of the Prophet. I was never enthusiastic over my
profession, and never made a brilliant success in it, though
I was something of a favorite, and had very pleasant things
said of me, not only in the Salt Lake, but even in the Cali-
fornia papers, by some persons who had seen me act.
Whatever it was that kept me from being an absolute fail-
ure I never knew. It certainly was not because I had pre-
pared for my profession, for I had not; and I only went
through the parts assigned to me as I fancied they should
be given, and I never attempted any stage tricks or man-
nerisms. If I had, my doom would have been sealed. I
fancy that my adherence to nature, and a constant refrain-
ing from striving for effect, had a great deal to do with my
popularity ; for I was liked, even though I was no artist,
and it is not egotism for me to say it. I was glad to be
liked, and I am glad still, and I knew that the liking was
genuine and honest, and I returned it, too. My public was
like a party of friends, and I was always on the best of
terms with them, and grateful to them for giving me so
much encouragement.
Then the company were all my friends. It was almost
like a family ; and I do not believe there was ever a theatre
where there was less of envyings, and jealousies, and
strifes, than there was among us. I look back to those
days as among my pleasantest recollections ; for, in addi-
tion to my happy theatrical life, I then first realized the
romance of love.
As had been proposed by Brigham when he summoned
me to the theatre, I spent most of the time at the Lion
House with the family. Most of them I had known from
my earliest childhood ; so I was not among strange people,
but rather among good friends. I went home every Sun-
day, and once or twice during every week, and called it
living at home ; but I visited in the Prophet's family.
WE GRUMBLE WITH OUR BREAD AND BUTTER. 383
They lived there in the most frugal manner. There was
enough on the table, but the fare was not so varied as
might have been, and the younger ones, especially, used to
get very tired of the constant repetition of dishes. We usu-
ally knew just what we should find on the table ; for, what-
ever else was absent, bread and butter and dried peach-
sauce were always there. It got rather monotonous after a
while ; and I must confess I used to enjoy rushing off to my
mother and getting something good to eat, and " the girls "
used to enjoy going with me, when I would take them.
They grumbled as much as they dared over the home fare ;
but they did it very quietly among themselves, as they did
not dare to have their complaints reach their father's ears,
for he would not endure grumbling from them any better
than he would endure it from any of his people.
But it was a very funny sight, if one could only have
seen it as I did, to watch the girls when the bell rang for
tea or for breakfast. They would all jump up from what-
ever they happened to be doing, and, striking various atti-
tudes, would exclaim, " Bread and butter and peach-sauce."
Sometimes the tone assumed would be tragical in the ex-
treme ; sometimes it would be pathetic, sometimes despair-
ing, sometimes expostulatory ; and the attitudes would all
agree with the tone. Then all the way down the long hall
that led to the dining-room, as long as they could without
being perceived and reproved by any of the elder members
of the family, they would march along, and chant, in sub-
dued tones, in a doleful sort of wail, "bread and butter and
peach-sauce." I once suggested that it sounded like a
dirge.
" Don't we wish it were ! " answered one, quickly ; "but in
that case, my dear, we should put more spirit into our per-
formance."
I little thought, in those days, that I should ever be in a
position to " wail " in earnest over the Prophet's parsimony
in those days when I " assisted " his daughters at their daily
384 NEW LIFE. MY FIRST LOVE APPEARS.
performances. I think I should have put more heart into
my wailing, and sorrowed quite as much for my own sake
as for the lack of luxuries on the prophetic table. But the
fun that we got out of it, and the knowledge that we should
be disapproved of if our grumblings were known, gave a
relish even to the monotonous fare, and we endured it as
we could not if we had not the memory of the frolic to assist
us. Nothing is hard to endure if you can in some way
make a jest of it, not even " bread and butter," and the
dryest of dried peach-sauce.
It was while I was acting that I met my first husband,
Mr. James L. Dee. He was an Englishman, a very hand-
some fellow, and a very great favorite with all the girls. It
was one of those romantic affairs called " love at first sight,"
and I surrendered at discretion, without attempting to resist
the hold which the new fancy took on me. We met acci-
dentally at the house of a mutual friend, and the chance
meeting soon ripened into a friendship, and that into a nearer
relation. My whole life was brightened by the new, sweet
glory that had swept in in such a torrent upon me. It took
on a new look, and even the most common things were
invested with a strange, novel interest. Nothing seemed
natural. Everything in my life had deepened and broad-
ened in the light of my new experience. Commonplace
people grew interesting, commonplace events stirring.
The whole world was tinted with the rose-color of my ro-
mance. I was very happy. My friends did not approve of
my lover at all, and they all advised me not to encourage
his attentions. They saw that he was in no way my equal ;
but I was so blinded that I would not see what they pointed
out to me. There was disparity in disposition and in tem-
perament, all of which promised, to those who could see
and understand the matter, unhappiness if we came into a
closer relationship.
But what girl of eighteen ever thinks seriously of these
things ? I was, I suppose, no more unwise than all
MY LOVE AND MY LOVER. OPPOSITION. 385
girls of that age are, nor any more unreasonable. I had a
touch of romance in my nature, and I did what so many
women do who are in love. I made an ideal ; then I set
myself to find some living person to invest with all the vir-
tues and graces, mental, moral, and physical, of my imagi-
nary hero. I found the person, and straightway set myself
to worship. But he was a very different person from the
one of my creation ; the one was brave, gentle, noble,
kind, and steadfast; the other well, time will show what
he was.
But all the winter, after I went on to the stage, I was
loving this imaginary being, and calling it James Dee. I
grew ambitious, and I acted better all the time. I think,
perhaps, if I had remained on the stage, and had not lost
my ideal, I should have accomplished something in my
profession. Love does make a woman ambitious. If she
never had before, in all her life, a desire to be, to do, to
excel, she has it now. She wants to do something to make
herself the better worth his taking. There is such a sweet
humility about a woman's love ! She is always depreciating
herself, always growing shy and timid in the light of the
superior wisdom which she insists that her lover must
possess.
It is very sweet to worship in this way, but it is disas-
trous. It is bad for both lover and beloved. But girls, in
their first romance, don't take this into account.
My parents did not forbid my engagement, although
they plainly told me they did not approve of it ; and after
they found that I was determined, they gave a reluctant
consent, but they counselled silence on the subject, hoping
that I might see something in my lover which should induce
me to change my mind. They were wise enough, not to
tell me the reason, but I knew it intuitively, and the very
knowledge that they were hoping that I might give him
up made me only the more determined to cling to my
lover in spite of them all. And I did. I never wavered
25
386 THE HAPPY HOURS OF MY FIRST LOVE.
in my devotion for a moment. I gave him the truest love
a woman can give a man ; th x e entire wealth of my affec-
tion I lavished on him ; and r^ repaid it as men of his
class, selfish, overbearing, and domineering, usual
It in neglect and abuse when once 1 was m nis
But he showed none of that domineering spirit in the
days of our early acquaintance ; he deferred |to me in the
slightest matter ; he professed to love me very tenderly,
and I believe he did love me as well as he was capable of
loving anything, or anybody, outside of himself. At all
events, I found nothing to miss in his care for me, and af-
fection towards me, and for the few months preceding my
marriage, everything in my life was tinted with the softest
rose glow.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MY FIRST MARRIAGE A LIFE'S MISTAKE.
My first Marriage. Wedded to James Dee. Marriage Rites in the
Endowment-House. The way in which Plural Wives are Taken.
Brigham sends for Me to help in the Theatre. Repenting of Matri-
mony. I get tired of it in a Month. Cruel Conduct of my Hus-
band. He flirts considerably with the Young Girls. I am greatly
Disgusted and furiously Jealous. He threatens to take another
Wife. The Ownership of Women in Utah. How Newspaper Re-
porters are humbugged by Brigham. How Visitors to Salt Lake are
Watched. The Prophet's Spies. How People are misled about
Utah Affairs. The Miseries of the Women Overlooked.
WAS married in the
Endowment- House,
on the 4th of April,
1863.
As persons are not
allowed to enter the
inner rooms of that
mysterious place for
the purpose of going
through any of the
rites or ordinances of
the church in their
customary dress, we,
of course, wore our
Temple-robes during
the ceremony. We
A LIFE OF UNHAPPINKSS. Carried OUr robes
with us, and dressed there, not appearing outside in our
sacred clothing.
I must confess I no longer regarded the Endowment-
House with the awe which I had felt previous to my first
388 MY WEDDING-DAY. A MORMON MARRIAGE.
visit there, and the whole manner in which everything was
done was so very stagey, that, I failed to be impressed at
all on this my second visit, although the object of my pres-
ent visit naturally made me feel more solemn than I other-
wise should.
The marriage service, which is not long, was performed
by Brigham Young. We first gave our names, ages, na-
tive town, county, state, and country, to the Elder John
Lyon, who acts as scribe in the Endowment-House, and he
carefully recorded them, as he does those of every couple
who come to be sealed. We then went before Brigham
Young, who was waiting for us, and the following cer-
emony made us man and wife :
"Do you, Brother James Dee, take Sister Ann-Eliza
Webb by the right hand, to receive her unto yourself, to be
your lawful and wedded wife, and you to be her lawful and
wedded husband, for time and for all eternity, with a cov-
enant and promise on your part that you will fulfil all the
laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy matri-
mony, in the new and everlasting covenant, doing this in
the presence of God, angels, and these witnesses, of your
own free will and accord?"
"Yes."
"Do you, Sister Ann-Eliza Webb, take Brother James
Dee by the right hand, and give yourself to him to be his
lawful and wedded wife, for time and for all eternity, with
a covenant and promise on your part that you will fulfil all
the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy mat-
rimony in the new and everlasting covenant, doing this in
the presence of God, angels, and these witnesses, of your
own free will and accord?"
"Yes."
" In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the au-
thority of the holy priesthood, I pronounce you legally and
lawfully husband and wife, for time and for all eternity.
And I seal upon you the blessings of the holy resurrection,
HOW THE CEREMONY IS PERFORMED. 389
with power to come forth in the morning of the first resur-
rection, clothed with glory, immortality, and everlasting
lives ; and I seal upon you the blessings of thrones, and
dominions, and principalities, and powers, and exaltations,
together with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
And I say unto you, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish
the earth, that you may have joy and rejoicing in your
prosperity in the day of the Lord Jesus. All these bless-
ings, together with all other blessings pertaining to the new
and everlasting covenant, I seal upon your heads, through
your faithfulness unto the end, by the authority of the holy
priesthood, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost. Amen."
The scribe then entered the date of the marriage,
together with the names of my mother and the one or two
friends who accompanied us.
When the marriage is a polygamous one, the above ser-
vice is prefaced in the following manner. The wife stands
on the left of her husband, the bride at her left hand. The
President then puts this question to the wife :
"i^re you willing to give this woman to your husband, to
be his lawful <* ^H(l^jy^^o^ime~aTid for all etemii j y?-
If you are, you will manifest it by placing her right hand
wtthimhe right hand of foilf "MiSband."" The ^ right hands
oTlhe bridegroom ~and bride being thus joined, the wife
taTcgyhei husband by the left arm, as if in the attitude for
walking, and the ceremony then proceeds in the manner
which TTiave quotecT
Mine was not a polygamous marriage. I had married a
man with no wife, and who assured me that I should be
the only one, and I was correspondingly happy. I had
seen so much wretchedness about me, and so much unhap-
piness in my father's family, where polygamy showed only
itsTJest :"side, that I was glad to escape it. To be the only
one who had right to my husband's care seemed so blissful !
and I was sure that very many women were envying me
39 MY HONEYMOON. FIRST REGRETS !
because I was so fortunate. I acted the evening of my
marriage, and the news of it having got out, I was greeted,
when I made my appearance, with the most tumultuous
applause. Cheer after cheer arose, and it was some min-
utes before I could speak my lines. Every time I appeared,
there was a repetition of this scene, and I was fairly em-
barrassed, so persistent was the applause. There was the
more excitement, probably, because I had kept my ap-
proaching marriage a secret, and but very few, even of my
personal friends, knew anything about it. I had stolen a
march on the public, and not having the opportunity for
congratulating me on my engagement, they made up for it
by congratulations on my marriage. For once I was the
central figure on the stage, and all my superiors gave way
to me with a graceful good nature.
I remained in the theatre a month after my marriage,
during which time I learned that I had made a fatal mis-
take in my marriage. I was forced to see, what my friends
had tried to show me before, and the honeymoon was not
over before I bitterly regretted my headstrong wilfulness.
I loved my husband, but he made me terribly unhappy.
He was accustomed to indulge in furious fits of anger,
which fairly frightened me, during which he would talk
shamefully to me, and threaten me with all kinds of ill
treatment. T 1 parted, too, that thoughj_wasjbound to him,
he still considered himself, and was considered, an unmar-
ried man, as tar us his right to marry again was concerned ;
and he soon became quite a noted gallant among the young
^rlsJbestowmgnim them the attentjpflg that he had ffjven
me in our unmarried days, "^ treating- me in the indi
ferent, matter-of-fact manner, tinged with a " help-it-if-you-
can " air, which most Mormon men assume towards their
helpless wives. '^VheneVeT"RT wishe^jparfrcuIarTy to tor-
turejjiii, he would threaten to take another wile, and name
ovei tliiisgirla^jiornhe s"aid he particularly fanciedT
I had one friend/oFWtiuin I was very fond: He~t>ecame
BEARING THE CROSS I BECOME JEALOUS. 39!
jealous of my affection for her, and in order to win me
from her, and to break up our friendship, he pretended
very great interest in her. He would leave me to go home
by myself from the theatre, and would go off with her and re-
main a long time ; then, on his return, would tell me what
he said was the conversation between them, in which he
would represent her as making the most ardent love to
him, until, at last, I fairly came to hate her. I would not
see her if I possibly could help it, and I was anything but
cordial to her when we did meet. I believe now that my
husband lied to me wickedly and deliberately ; and yet,
such was the effect of all his influence on me, that to this
day I cannot see my old friend that a feeling of the most
intense bitterness does not rise up in my heart against her.
I never could get back the old feeling of affection for her,
even though I felt that I was wronging her by my unjust
treatment ; but polygamy does not tend to make one wo-
man just towards another. Suspicions, jealousies, heart-
burnings, strifes of all kinds are engendered by this system,
and it serves to lower the moral tone of women as well as of
men. Both are sufferers alike in this respect, although pos-
sibly in a different degree. The women have all through
the more conscience in the matter, though they grow bitter,
and spiteful, and revengeful, while " bearing the cross."
I know I did, although I was only threatened by my
husband ; and I presume I annoyed him greatly by my
tears and reproaches. A wrmnn inVTm
enough for tears^Jhnt ;r 10 ltf " -*
they only bring upon her the ridicule of all the.,Mormon
men, from her husband at home to Brigham in the Taher=_
"Hacle . This is the sympathy the "Head of the Church" gives
her in public. Said he, in one of his most famous sermons :
" It is said that women are tied down and abused ; that
the_y are misused, and have not the liberty they ought to
have ; that many of them are wading through a perfect
flood of tears, because of the conduct of some men, to-
gether with their own folly.
392 HOW BRIGHAM "LIBERATED THE WOMEN.
" I wish my own women to understand that what I am
going to say is for them as well as for others, and I want
those who are here to tell their sisters, yes, all the women
of this community, and then write it back to the States,
and do as you please with it. I am going to give you from
this time to the sixth day of October next for reflection,
that you may determine whether you wish to stay with your
husbands or not ; and then I am going to set every woman
at liberty, and say to them, 'Now, go your way my wo-
men with the rest go your way.' And my wives have
got to do one of two things : either round up their shoul-
ders to endure the afflictions of this world, and live their
religion, or they may leave, for I will not have them about
me. I will go into heaven alone, rather than have scratch-
ing and fighting around me. I will set all at liberty.
' What ! your first wife, too? ' Yes, I will liberate you all.
I know what my women will say. They will say, 'You
can have as many women as you please, Brigham.' But I
want to go somewhere, and do something, to get rid of the
whiners."
Following his Prophet's lead comes Jedediah Grant, in
this fashion :
" We have women here who like anything but the Celes-
tial Law of God; and if they could break asunder the cable
of the Church of Christ, there is scarcely a mother in Israel
but would do it this day."
This in a tone of the sternest reproof, as though to hate
a system which makes them the most abject slaves, under
a most terrible master, was a crime. When women go to
Brigham Young (as now and then one is foolish enough to
do, before she gets thoroughly to know her Prophet and
his peculiarities of temper and manner) , and tell him of
their unhappiness, and ask his advice, he whines, and pre-
tends to cry, and mimics them, until they are fairly outraged
by his heartless treatment, and their indignation or grief
gets the supremacy over their other trouble. Then he tells
MINE, BODY AND SOUL!"
393
them to go home, and make the best of things, and not
make everlasting fools of themselves ; or something else
equally refined and consoling. They may consider them-
selves fortunate, indeed, if he does not refer to the inter-
view in his next Sunday's sermon, and tell the names of the
unhappy women, with coarse jests and unfeeling comments,
which render them doubly wretched, since their husbands,
incensed at them for complaining, and knowing that they
are perfectly safe from priestly indignation or rebuke, make
them feel the weight of their displeasure by grosser neg-
lect or more brutal treatment.
The entire ownership of womeri fa pnwliw rr.r>rp f\\]]y
assumed by their husbands than it is in Utah. A woman
is obliged to submit to every exaction from him, to 4/rant
every request, obey every demand. In return, she nerd ex-
pect nothin
not even support. "You are mine, body and
soul, but you have no right to claim anything from me
'trroreihan what I choose to give you," is the attitude of
every man in polygamy towards his wives. A "blessed"
systejnv_suxel^_I- It is no wonder that Brigham talks about
THewomen's " rounding up their shoulders " to bear it, and
one certainly fails to feel the surprise which " Jeddy " proba-
bly imagined he would arouse when he announced that the
" mothers in Israel," unhappy and desolate, would break
" the cable of the church " asunder if they could. This
fanatical follower of Brigham Young never spoke a truer
word in his life, whether he spake by inspiration or not.
There was not a woman, then, who would not have broken
her chains if she could, let the whole Mormon Church call
these fetters what they might, and there is not a woman
among them to-day who would not slip her fetters if she
knew how. Itjs_alljyery well for the Mormon leaders and
Jheir sympatbirprs in tho Gentile world to hay UiaL Lhi
_B[omen ar*> ro^ft^pd, anH pypn happy, in polygamy; the
one knows he speaks what is not true; the other tells
lo him, refusing to use his eves., jiisears, or
394 "WHY NEED WE MEDDLE?"
Newspaper correspondents visit Salt Lake City, and when
they arrive they are brimming over with disgust and indigna-
tion towards this system and the people who follow it ; but,
by-and-by, a change comes over them ; theirj^ead^^ arc in-
formed that the Mormons are a thriving, industrious people,
their meif brave, hospitable, shrewd, and hard-working ;
th^wenrelTquiet and peaceful, evidently well reconciled to"
their peculiar marital relating : thnt Brigham Young is
notjmch a bad fellow, after all, and his sons are jolly, free-
handed, generous men, with plenty of keenness, and a
great deal of knowledge of the world ; and then the peo-
ple who read their letters wonder at the changed tone, and
find themselves thinking more leniently of this people and
its peculiar social system than ever before, and they say,
"If all this is true, why need we meddle? " But it is riot
true, not one word of it, and these same men who are
writing these letters know it; but, in some way, they get
to working in the Prophet's interests before they leave the
Territory. He manages to get hold of them if they are
of any ability, and able to influence the public, and if they
are easily influenced themselves they soon see things as he
intends they shall see them. I suppose his manner "of influ-
encing them differs, but I think it will be readily under-
stood.
The truth is simply this : the Mormon people are abso-
lutely~airaid to have the outside world" come to"o~~rtese
to them ; they let them see just sojueh-r -but ot one-bit-
more. The leaders act as showmen, also as mouthpieces,
antt~tfre* mass of the people are but a cunningly manipu-
lated lot of marionettes, who perform certain antics for a
curious public, while the shrewd wire-puller sits behind,
and orders every movement, and makes every speech.
There has been, until very recently, no such thing as getting
at the absolute truth concerning these people ; but lately,
since the Gentile element has been so largely increased in
Utah, and in Salt Lake City especially, it has been useless
for the Saints to attempt to hide their real condition.
ARE MORMON WOMEN UGLY? 395
A Mormon wife-beater is as mercilessly exposed through
the columns of the Gentile papers as the Gentile offender of
the same class, and the nefarious dealings of Mormon offi-
cials are publicly reproved in a manner that does not tend
to make them comfortable in the least. The miseries caused
by this cursed system are fully ventilated, and the true con-
dition of things revealed. When flippant newspaper corre-
spondents, after a visit to the valley oi the faints, go away
and write in terms of ridicule of the Mormon women, calling
them fearfully ugly in looks, they little know what bitter,
hard, cruel experiences have carved the deep lines round the
eyes and mouths, and made the faces grow repulsive and
grim, and taken from them all the softness, and tenderness,
and grace which glorify a happy woman's face, even if she
be ever so plain of feature. If these men, who write so
carelessly, could only see the interior of the lives that they
are touching with such a rough, rude hand, they might be,
perhaps, a little more sympathetic in tone. It is no wonder
that the women of Utah are not beautiful ; there is nothing
in all their lives to glorify or beautify their laces, to add at
jiITto~their mental_ojj3hysical charm or grace. They are"
pretty enough as children ; as young girls they can compare
favorably wjt^ g r\y g* rl s I haw y^n i>r i the East ; but just
so soon as they reach womanhood the curse of polygamy is
forced upon them* and from that moment their lives are
changed, and they grow hard or die one of the two in
their^struffffles to become inured "to this" unnatural Lte7
This system either kills its victims outright, or crushes out
every bit of hope and ambition from them, leaving them
aimless and apathetic, dragging out existence without the
least ray of present happiness or future anticipation to
Tighten it.
-Hhw^B taught from my earliest childhood that there was
nothing good outside of the Mormon Church ; that the
Gentile men were bad to the core, possessing neither honor
nor manly virtues of any kind, and that every Gentile
396 "IF HE DOES, I'LL KILL HIM!"
woman was so vile as to be utterly unworthy of mention ;
that goodness was unknown among them, and that certain
destruction awaited them and those who associated with
them. My mother mourned over her friends and relatives
outside of Mormonism as lost souls, and she prayed almost
literally " without ceasing " that they might be shown the
true way before it was too late. She could not govern her
natural affection. She must love them ; they were her very
own, and were very dear to her ; but I really think, es-
pecially in the days of the intense religious excitement, that
she almost hated herself for loving them so truly and so
well. She wrote them the most pathetic letters of entreaty,
filled with alternate pleadings and arguments, begging
them to come to Zion, and "make sure of their souls' salva-
tion." They, in turn, pitied her delusion, but had no hope
that she would ever escape from it ; they little knew that
the child, whose future they were deploring, would one day
be the means of leading that mother out of the bondage in
which she was held, through many tears and much tribula-
tion, to the light of a brighter, more comforting faith.
Conscience and an almost superstitious belief in her re-
ligious leaders made her cling to her religion long after reason
taught her that it was a delusion, and made her accept as a
sole means of salvation a practice which her whole soul
revolted against. It is well that the Mormon leaders call it
a " cross." It is simply that, and the hopelessness of it
renders it the more difficult to bear. There is no prospect
of laying it down, and, unlike the cross of the old legend, it
never becomes flower-wreathed. It grows heavier as the
days go on, until it bows its bearer down to the very ground.
I learned the misery of even a mon^gajnicjnarriage under
polvgamic laws ; jind, though I never expressed myself so
openly on the subject, f yet felt an intense" sympathy witha
friend of mine, who, when told that her husband thought of
taking another wife, replied, with the fire flashing from her
black eyes, "If he does, I'll kill him!" It is not at all
BEING " SCHOOLED " FOR THE FUTURE ! 397
likely she would have kept her word ; she would probably
have settled down, as so many women like her have done,
which is not easy to sufcdue
but she has never been tried ; her husband seems as indif-
ferent to llie cliUl ms of Hie marriageable young ladies about
foi as she Luuld desires-yet chc ncvai fujj uilliLlj uuf*-.
How iiall She 1 , Whetr sire knuws her "Husband is constantly
admonished that he is not "living up to his privileges."
The sword above her head is suspended by a hair ; it is a
miracle if it does not fall at last. I know every pang of
anxiety, every heart-throb of sick expectation, for I had that
selfsame torture for two years, without a moment's cessa-
tion. I do not know how I bore it ; but I suppose I was only
being schooled for what came afterwards.
CHAPTER XXV.
MY EARLY MARRIED LIFE. MY HUSBAND AND MY
MOTHER!
My early married Life. We go to live with my Mother. Incompatibil-
ity of Temper. How my Mother had opposed our Marriage. My
Husband does not Admire Her. He goes after the Girls. I don't
like it at All. I become extremely angry with Him. He is advised to
" increase his Kingdom." How promises to Wives are broken by
Mormon Men. How Women are Snubbed and Undervalued. I
become Anxious and Watchful. How Heber comforted his Wives.
My Husband subjects me to personal Violence. He is afraid of
Results. My first Baby is Born. Zina Young marries into Poly-
gamy. Contrast between Mormon and Gentile Husbands. "The
Bull never Cares for the Calves." My Husband nearly strangles me.
I leave him, and go to my Parents. Brigham gives me some good
Advice. I obtain a Divorce. I rejoice at being free Again.
HEN I was first mar-
ried, we went to live
in the house with my
mother, greatly to her
delight, as she could not
bear a separation from
me. We had always
been together so closely,
more like sisters than
like mother and daugh-
ter, and both of us
dreaded very much to
have this sweet relation-
ship broken. I had been
her comfort when every'
other stay had failed her ;
her hope when she was
She had lived in me and for me,
FAMILY JARS.
almost utterly hopeless.
LIVING WITH A MOTHER-IN-LAW.
399
and my happiness and welfare had been her constant thought.
Shejiad opposed my marriape as a duty, and because she
thought she saw only misery for me in the relation : tint for
a want of sympathy for me, for it really hurt her more to
oppose me than it did me to persist in spite of her oppo-
sition. I had been her companion in all her wanderings,
and the confidante alike of her sorrows and joys, and it was
hard for her to think of parting from me, even though I
might be not very far away ; still our interests were natu-
rally somewhat divided when I came to give the first place
in my heart to another.
My husband owned a house, but it was rented ; so until it
was vacated we had a part of my mother's house, where we
kept house quite cosily, and should have been very happy,
had not my husband's temper and desire to torment me
made life almost unbearable. I tried, as far as I could, to
hide my unhappiness from my mother ; but I did not suc-
ceed. Her motherly eyes were too keen, her maternal in-
stinct too unerring, to be deceived by my silence, although
she respected my reticence, and said nothing to me ; but she
showed her sympathy in a hundred nameless ways. My hus-
band knew of her opposition to our marriage, and he did not
like what he termed her interference ; though why a mother
cannot look after her daughter's interest withoutbeing ac-
cused of interfering is even now a mystery to me, especially
when, seeing that her advice is not regarded, she withdraws
jail "interference," and makes the best of the rrja^fcr that
shecarT 13 ut some persons never forget, and my husband
was one of those ; and it used sometimes to seem to me as
though, in his treatment of me, he was revenging himself
for the opposition shown to him by my friends.
I used to hear of his attentions to other girls, and I was
furious, while I knew I was powerless. My visitors
many of whom came only when they had anything to tell
used to tell me that they saw James at the theatre with this
young lady, or met him going home with that, or that he
4<X> STORMY INTERVIEWS.
passed them walking with another, until I was madly jeal-
ous of every girl of my acquaintance. I no longer took
pleasure in their society, for I saw in each one a probable
rival, and a possible addition to our household. It was no
consolationjo_me to remember thatjpy hiishanrfhad prom-
ised me never to take another wife; I had learned : jyjiflt
the promise of a man living under polygamic laws
amounts to. It is given as a sort of sedative, and if it
soothes temporarily, that is all that is required of it. It is
considered no sin to break a promise of this kind ; indeed
it would rather seem that it is accounted sin for" lillll Lu kucp
it; and I knew that my husband was, as well as other "men, ""
occasionally reminded that it was his duty to make his
kingdom larger as speedily as possible, by taking another
wife, or more than one if he liked. -
We had many very stormy interviews on this subject ;
he used to discuss my callers, and especially the pretty
girls, as most Mormon men discuss women, with reference
to their " points," as jockeys would talk of horses, or im-
porters of fine stock. Polygamy does not tend U^enjiance
the value of womanly dignity and grace, and very_little
respecrtbr^theTSris either expressed or lelt by one brought
up under its baneful influence.
It is strange how quickly men, in a poly gampus ^commu-
nity, lose that chivalrous courtesy which characterizS_men
elsewhere. It seemed so strange to me to see the defer-
ence shown to my sex when I left Utah, and came, for the
fir^time^injny^life, among people living undeTmonogamic
laws. I was particularly struckJ>jM:^
sideration which men showed towards their wives and chil-
dren ; and I wondered to see the women, claiming, with a
confidence that assured me they were used to it, and con-
sidered that it belonged to them, their husbands' attention
and care. It was strange, too, to see the deference shown
to a woman by the young men and boys ; and when once,
in a car, I saw a manly little fellow, about twelve or thir-
MY HUSBAND AND I. 40!
teen years of age, rise with a rare grace, and give his seat
to an old lady, the tears sprang to my eyes, such an unac-
customed sight was it. I contrasted that boy with the
youth of Utah, and I felt with a new indignation flashing
through all my veins, and a new sorrow tugging at my
heart, the curse that polygamy was to the young men, as
well as to the young girls, who are growing up under the
teachings of that baneful system. It is horrible ! It fouls
and poisons the stream at its very source (and it adds muc
and filth as it crawls alonffi its slimy way) . sending up its
noxious vapors ? until i{ has bred a most pestilent moral
malaria, which nothing but tt^e f pr>1 r
liberty and education shall ever dispel and purify. _
Why cannot men and women, outside of this terrible
system, see the horrors of it, and work for its overthrow?
My soul cries out in very agony sometimes, ' Is there no
help for this great evil ? ' Everywhere the world seems so
dead to it ! the enormity does not seem to manifest itself
unto them. They speak lightly of Mormonism, as of
something to ridicule or laugh at, rather than to condemn.
God knows there is nothing laughable or ridiculous in it to
its victims. It is the most pathetic, tragic earnestness and
reality.
I am not imagining situations, and growing pathetic over
creations of my own fancy. I know what I say, for I have
suffered it. There is not a pang, not a throb of anguish
which I have depicted that I have not felt myself.
My health, which was never very good, gave way under
the terrible mental and physical strain to which I was sute
jected, and I was in danger of becoming a confirmed inva-
lid. My physical condition did not make my husband
more tender or thoughtful, but he seemed to consider it a
wrong towards himself, and took an aggrieved tone be-
cause of it. He had worthy examples, to be sure ; for_Brig-
am himself grumbles_ loudly- wjien one of his wives falls
4O2 MATRIMONIAL FIGHTING. - BLOWS !
plains that " he never_rnarries_a woman__thaL-&be~-dQesa!t-
get sick to shj^_-work J IL_Ji&ber C. Kimball, on being
called once to see one of his wives who had broken her
arm, accosted her, on his entrance to her room, with,
"Why didn't you break your neck at once, and done with
it?" And it is a jiotnrirms fact that two of Orson Pratt's
ofneglect
high in authority set the example, what-CQ]iTfi^ r on
'of the followers!*
' Although m^rhusBand had often threatened me with per-
sonal violence, in addition to the insults and persecution he
was constantly subjecting me to, he never offered any until
about a month before my baby was born. He made some
request of me which I was totally unable to grant, and in
his fury at what he termed my stubbornness and rebellion,
he struck me violentlv.andljell insensible before him.
Then he was frightened for once ; he raised me up,
carried me to my bed, and used every exertion to bring me
to myself. He was afraid the blow was fatal, and he was
remorseful enough. When, 'at last, I regained my senses,
he begged my forgiveness, poured out a torrent of self-
reproaches, and for a little while was more like my old
lover, the man whom I had cared for so tenderly, than he
had been since our marriage. I very quickly forgave him :
it was so sweet to feel the old tenderness again, that I could
in a moment forget all that had passed between, and I
readily agreed not to let my family know of this last out-
rage. He knew, as well as I, that my father and brothers
would take me from him, and he really did not wish to lose
me ; and as for me, he was my husband, and the father of
my unborn child, and for the sake of the little life which I
held in trust, I could not bear to go away from him. I
had hoped, O, so fondly ! that the child would bring us
nearer, and I could not give up the hope ; and when he
stood before me so penitent, and so tender, I was ready to
feel that he had always been the same.
THE " LITTLE FELLOW " ON MY HANDS !
43
But I was doomed to disappointment ; after the birth of
my child, it seemed as though the fits of passion were more
frequent and of longer duration. He neglected me, and
was scarcely at home at all. _3,.d^ no * rf \T? fo r my babvy
seeming to consider it a rival, and my love for it seemed to
anueTTiim. But what a comfort the baby was to me I How
1 loved it! Allthe tjldfi, , of _ my affection, that had been
so rudely repelled, turned towards it, and I felt that all the
interest of my life was centred therein. Like all Mormon
~~ wonten, robbed of a husband's love and care, I should live
MY BABY-BOY.
in arid for my child. I knew very well that as far as re-
gaining my husband's real affection was concerned if, in-
deed, I had ever possessed it, the future was hopeless ; so
I expected nothing from it further, and resigned myself to
the inevitable more quietly than I could have believed I
ever should have done ; but my child made resignation
more easy.
The little fellow was very bright and winning, and I
used to imagine that he understood my feelings, and sym-
pathized with me in his baby way. The little hands stray-
404 CROSS ABOUT A BABY !
ing over my face and neck were full of sweet comfort ; the
blue eyes raised to mine in baby confidence were full of
love ; the little mouth which I covered with kisses never
failed to smile back at me, and I even forgot to cry under
the sweet, restful influence which the dimpled, rosy little
bit of humanity brought into my heart.
But this exquisite happiness was of short duration ; for,
after a few months, my baby grew very ill ; and God only
knows how I suffered then. I watched over him day and
night, and my devotion to him angered my husband be-
yond measure. He had no sympathy with or for me in
those days of trial ; and in addition to seeing my baby pin-
ing away, until it seemed that it must some day drift out
of my clinging arms into the great unknown, unexplored
sea beyond, I had to endure the constant abuse from the
man who should at that time have been my stay and my
comfort. But what Mormon mother ever gets the tender
care from her baby's father that other happier mothers get?
No time or place is so sacred that polygamy does not obtrude
its ugly presence. A mother may not mourn for her child
without feeling the heartless intrusion, as the following
little instance will show.
A man named Thomas Williams emigrated from England
with his wife and children, all eager to reach " Zion," the
promised land of the Saint's inheritance. He was a very
devout Mormon, and was easily induced to accept poly-
gamy. He took for his second wife Zina Young, a daughter
of Brigham and Zina Huntington, an enthusiastic, consci-
entious believer in polygamy, and a genuinely good, gen-
erous girl, of the most kindly impulses, but, unfortunately,
wrongly trained, as all girls are under this system.
His first wife never had believed in the plural-wife sys-
tem, and was never reconciled to her husband's second
marriage. She mourned bitterly about it; and, very nat-
urally, her feelings towards her rival were not kindly or
pleasant. The husband knew this perfectly well ; and yet,
MY BOYS ! 405
when her little baby died, and she was almost mad with
grief, he insisted on bringing the second wife to the funeral
as one of the family. The mother was almost beside her-
self at what she considered this insult to her dead child,
and she declared that Zina should not come. ^Her husband,
of course, overruled her ; for when, in polygamy n
ever have her -own way? But Mrs. Williams refused to
recognize her, and would not allow her to sit in the room
with her and the child.
I was spared this torture, for there was no second wife
to measure my misery, and God was good, and spared my
child. He repaid all my anxious care, and put the child
into my arms well and comparatively strong, at the same
time that he intrusted another helpless one to my care. I
had lost, at that time, much of my faith in my religion. I
think I should have lost my belief in God Himself, had my
baby been taken from me. But He knew how much I could
bear, and he spared me this last bitter sorrow.
I had been at first jealous of the little new-comer for the
other baby's sake, who was only a little over a year old
when the second one came ; but I soon found that I had love
enough in my heart for the two. My boys ! How fond,
and proud, and even happy I was with them !
The measure of my love seemed to be the measure of
their father's indifference, and even hate. He used to either
take no notice of them at all, which I infinitely preferred,
or he would handle them so roughly that the little things
would shriek with pain and terror, and I would be almost
frantic with fear lest he should kill them in his mad frolics^,
which usually ended in a fit of temper because they cried
at his rude treatment.
As I was on my way East, I witnessed a little scene that
called up painfully the contrast between this father's indif-
ference and another father's care. In one car was a lady
with two children ; one a little girl about eight years old,
and a cunning baby boy, who was just beginning to lisp in
406 THE BULL AND THE CALVES !
that wonderful baby prattle that is so sweet to hear. As we
stopped at a station, a gentleman came in, his face beaming
with pleasure and expectation. '* The moment the children
saw him, the little girl cried out with joy, " O, my dear papa
-Xhas come ! " and simultaneously mother and child clasped
"; their arms about his neck and kissed him. The baby threw
up his arms, and crowed out, "Papa, papa !" and as he took
he little fellow in his arms, and fairly rained kisses over the
rosy, delighted little face, the tears sprang to my eyes, and I
had fairly to hide my face, for my cheeks were moist, and
my mouth would quiver, as I thought of the father's love,
of which my children were robbed of which all children
in Utah are robbed by a fiendish system, given by a
corrupt priesthood under the guise of a " Revelation " from
God.
What a sarcasm on the infinite, tender, all-pervading
love of the Divine Father !
Such a scene as this would be simply impossible in Utah,
among that community whose religious leader says, in his
peculiarly refined style and expression, when his lack of
\ father
A, A upon,
^ J and w
frfy withoi
busv i
^i^^
alyes^J
Wfl1 ; thp hull npvpr takesarryj^ar^of his calves
whose chief apostles allow their children to grow up
without support or training from them, since they are too
busy in extolling thebenntif;{^of^ poly gamy to the new con-
vertsTtcPgi ve e v'eh ^de^gjiJt--attetttioft--ta4he ichn^nmjvho m
the}' have summoned into_Jlie^JworkL_iinder this " glorious
institution."
* Two weeks before baby was born, I was sitting one
morning with the elder boy on my lap, my husband being
in the room, when one of my father's wives' children, a
little fellow about three years old, came toddling in. Mr.
Dee, happening to want something, asked the child to get
it for him. The article in question was on a shelf, out of
the child's reach, and to get it he would have to stand on a
chair, and even then his tiny fingers could but just touch it.
A LITTLE FAMILY LOVE-SCENE. 407
There was a heavy jar on the shelf, which I feared he
might pull down upon himself, and I remonstrated against
his trying to get it. I offered to reach it myself, but my
husband instantly turned and forbade my leaving my chair,
saying that the child should bring him what he desired.
" But he must not," I cried, in an agony of terror.
" I tell you he shall," was my husband's answer.
The child stood looking from one to the other, half crying
with fear, and yet scarcely daring to disobey the command
that had been given to him.
" Louis, fetch it to me instantly," commanded he again.
" Louis, you shall not," said I, half rising from my chair.
In an instant, my husband, maddened with fury that I
should dare to contradict him, seized me by the throat, and
threw me back into the chair. The screams of the terrified
child brought my mother into the room at once. She
snatched the baby from my arms, which I still held clasped
408 NEARLY STRANGLED BY MY HUSBAND.
convulsively, while my husband's fingers were tightening
about my throat. I was dizzy with pain, and almost suffo-
cated from the grip ; but my maternal instinct was stronger
than the pain, and I never relaxed my hold on my child.
My mother called my father, and he came and rescued
me from the infuriated man who held me, and carried me
into my mother's room. Until that time they had known
nothing of the treatment which I received from my hus-
band. They knew that I was unhappy, but so was every
woman ; so I was by no means isolated in my misery. But
I had managed to keep from them all knowledge of the
violent treatment I had received at his hands. Their indig-
nation at finding it out was beyond all bounds ; for when
once it was known, my tongue was loosened, and I poured
into the sympathizing ears of mother and father the whole
story of my wrongs. I left nothing untold, and it was
such a relief to let loose the torrent of misery that had been
so long pent up in my heart !
My parents and brothers decided at once that I must
leave him ; and indeed, I was afraid, both for myself and
for my children, to return to him again. He tried to see
me in every possible way, but was refused admittance to
my mother's rooms. The door of communication that led
between her rooms and those I had previously occupied
was securely locked, and he was bidden by my father to
vacate the rooms as speedily as possible. He then de-
manded to see me; he tried threats, entreaties, every
means that he could devise, but I was carefully guarded,
and he could gain access neither to me nor the children.
He was loud in his threats to take the children from me,
and I was in terrible fear lest he should in some way gain
possession of them. I knew that it would not be love for
them which would impel him, but a desire to strike me
where it would wound me most ; and he knew that he
could reach me in no other way so surely as through my
children. Since he had become convinced that I would
i WAS DIVORCED! 409
never return to him, that of my own free will I gave him
up for ever, he seemed possessed by a spirit of fury, and
vowed all manner of vengeance on me.
In order to get me out of his power, my parents deter-
mined that I should be divorced from him without delay,
and, like conscientious church people, they consulted Pres-
ident Young. He and George Q^. Cannon, who was also
in our confidence, both took very active measures in my
behalf. There were two ways in which I could procure a
divorce one from Brigham, which was considered valid
in the church, but I suppose would not stand the test of
law ; the other from the Probate Court. Brigham strongly
advised the latter, as, in case my husband should ever
apostatize, he could not take, my children from me. He
behaved, all through the affair, in such a kind, friendly
manner that my confidence in him was fully secured. I
had at that time no thought of what the future would bring,
and certainly never dreamed of any closer relationship with
him. My whole thought was to get free from my husband,
and to have my children so securely that he could not take
them from me. They were my only thought, my only
care.
I say this because, since I have renounced Mormonism,
Brigham Young and his followers have said that I left my
first husband on purpose to become his wife a statement
which no one better knows to be false, than Brigham him-
self. He it was who counselled me to go to the regular
courts, rather than depend on his divorcement, which he
knew would not stand out of Mormondom, and he and his
apostle Cannon rendered me the most valuable and untiring
assistance, which I accepted gladly, as I would have
accepted aid from any quarter in this extremity.
I was divorced in 1865, and the decree stands to-day in
the Court Records of Utah. Since the memory of my Mor-
mon friends seems so treacherous, I will copy the records
here as they stand. They may also convince some doubt-
410 WHAT THE COURT DECREED.
ers who seem to place Brigham Young's denial before my
complaint, and pin their faith to him, while regarding me
doubtfully as a possible adventuress.
"PROBATE COUNTY DOCKET. L^ a ^ e 5-]
" Great Salt Lake County. Ann Eliza Dee vs. James L. Dee.
" In Divorce.
"1865. December pth. Petition filed; summons and notice
issued, returnable on 23d inst., at 10 p. M.
" December 23d. Case called ; returns made and decree made
dissolving bonds of matrimony, and giving to plaintiff the custody
and control of her children. Costs taxed to defendant.
" 1866. March 3.d. Court ordered execution against defend-
ant for costs of suit.
" March 8th. Execution issued for $20.50, returnable in 20
days.
" March 28th. Execution returned ; no property found ; clerk's
fees paid by C. G. Webb, in meat.
\_Page 516.]
"RECORDS OF PROBATE COURT, GREAT SALT LAKE COUNTY.
" 1865. Dec. 23d. Ten o'clock, A.M. Court opened. Rec-
ords of 1 6th and 2oth insts. read and signed.
" The case of Ann Eliza Dee -vs. James L. Dee, in divorce, was
called up. This case came up for hearing upon the petition of
Ann Eliza Dee, formerly Ann Eliza Webb, and upon the investi-
gation thereof ex parte, the defendant, James L. Dee, failing to
appear, C. G. Webb and Ann Vine being sworn and examined,
the allegations in the plaintiff's petition were taken as confessed,
and thereupon, after hearing the evidence and being fully advised
in the premises, it was ordered and decreed by the court that the
bonds of matrimony heretofore existing between the said parties
be, and the same are hereby, for ever dissolved. That said Ann
Eliza shall have and retain the custody and control of her two in-
fant children, James Edward and Lorenzo Dee, during their minor-
ity, and that defendant pay costs of suit.
(Signed,) "E. SMITH,
of Probate Court?
ONLY BABY ARMS ! 41 1
If anyone doubts my copy, they can examine the records
lor themselves.
My Christmas that year was a merrier one than I had
seen for several years. My children were mine, my very,
very own ; and no one could take them from me. I clasped
them in my arms. I kissed them again and again in an
ecstasy of affection. Henceforth I was father, mother,
all to them ; no one would dispute with me for their affec-
tion, no one claim their love. I was supremely, selfishly-
happy. True, my romance had died ; my idol, with its feet
of clay, was broken ; but maternal love took the place of
the girl's romance, and the little souls which had been
given into my charge were more beautiful than any idol
which I had been able to build for myself. I was saddened
by all my disappointments, quieted by all my trials, sub-
dued in spirit by the constant exercise of patience. I had
lost my girlish gaiety and vivacity, but I had gained the
poise and assurance of womanhood, and was, I hoped, better
fitted to be a good mother to my children, which, at that
time, was the only ambition I had, and my only interest for
the entire future was in them. I dreamed for them, I
planned for them, lived in them ; and I am only regretful
that anything ever divided my interest with them.
But after the one shadow was lifted, before the other fell,
I was royally happy, happier than I ever was in my life
before, circled about as I was by clinging baby arms, and
held by tiny baby hands.
CHAPTER XXVI.
AFTER MY DIVORCE. AFFAIRS AT HOME.
After my Divorce from Dee. "Is Polygamy Good to Eat?" Curious
Experiences Among the Saints. A Man Who Thought His Heart was
Broken. How Two Wives Rebelled. The Husband in a Fix. He
Runs Away from Home. Dismisses his Plural Wife. Being " Sealed "
to Old Women for Eternity. Nancy Chamberlain's Story. Who is
to be Brigham's Queen in Heaven. An Old Wife Dresses Up as a
Ghost. How Brother Shaw Replenished his Exchequer. The Bat-
tles Between my Father's Wives. My Mother Enjoys his Troubles.
The Story of a Turkey. A First Wife Asserts Her Rights. My
Life at South Cottonwood. I Receive Offers of Marriage.
FTER my divorce, I
went with my mother
to live at my father's
farm in South Cotton-
wood.
Here, I think, I was
happier than I had
ever before been in my
life. My health was
much improved, and
what with the care of
my children and the
portion of the house-
hold duties which I
assumed to assist my
mother, my days were
well filled. My boys
were growing healthy, hearty, rollicking fellows, and they
returned my care with all the love which the most jealous
heart could desire.
"GRANDMA, WHAT is POLYGAMY?"
DO YOU LIKE POLYGAMY?
4*3
How thankful I was that they were not girls I I knew
too~well the troubles of my sex in polygamy tn wish tp V>t-;r>g"
one girl into the world, who, under the system* would be
-Sm^^^d^sffcTrcerta^ 1 made up my mind
to teach my boys to shun it, even if it was a vital part of
my religion. I was willing to accept all else that Mormon-
ism taught, and to teach its underlying principles to my
boys; but that I could teach them was right.
Young as they were, they realized something of poly-
gamy from hearing it constantly talked of; for when any
two women meet, it is the chief topic of their conversa-
tion, and they knew enough to discover that it was some-
thing that was decidedly unpleasant ; but what it was, they,
of course, had not the slightest idea. Still, with the curi-
osity natural to children, they were determined to come to
the truth of it some way or other.
One day, my youngest boy, then a little over three years
old, astonished my mother by asking, very abruptly,
"Grandma, do you like polygamy?"
"Not at all," was the reply, wondering what would come
next.
"Is polygamy good to eat? " was the next inquiry of this
youthful investigator.
My mother thought that it was not very palatable; at
least she had not found it so, and as far as her observation
went, she had not seen anyone who relished it particularly.
The men had their " crosses " in polygamy as well as the
women, and I must confess that I was wicked enough to
enjoy their small " miseries," they seemed so insignificant
beside their wives' ; but as is the case generally, I fancy,
they bore them with much less patience. The chief mascu-
line troubles seem to be, that thev cannotTwith alllKeir lr?=-
make their plural wn
ielightfuland so esf
to entire familyJiappinesS) anet" that they cannot mako the
wives, or wife, they already have, welg&me-with any great.
414 A NICE YOUNG WIDOW !
show of cordiality the proposal to add another to the family
circle.
Not very long before my^ apostasy, while visiting at the
house of a friend, I was introduced to a man, who, my
friend afterwards told me, was almost heart-broken at the
dreadful conduct of his wife. My sympathies went out
at once to the sufferer, and I inquired what indiscretion, or
crime, his wife had been guilty of. " O," said my friend,
" she is determined that he shall not take another wife, and
fights against it all the time, and he has just buried two
children ; and, all together, he is completely bowed down by
grief."
This was before I had dared to give my honest opinion, and
I was silent ; but my heart ached for the poor mother whose
babies were dead, and whose husband, not content with her
love, was denouncing her to his friends because she was
unwilling to have polygamy added to her other burdens.
A man in Utah, whom I knew very well, married a young
widow for a second wife, his first strongly disapproving of
the principles of polygamy. She had by no means a sub-
missive spirit, and she sought revenge by the only means
in her power by tormenting her husband in all possible
ways.
He, like all good Mormon brethren, intended to build up
a "celestial kingdom" after the " divinely ordained plan,"
and he wished his wives to live together. There was no
use talking, he said ; they must agree well enough for that,
as he did not intend to build another house. So he com-
menced this plan ; but he found, after a few days, that what-
ever it might be in the future, it was far from "celestial"
here. There was no such thing as peace in the house.
His Prophet had often told him that if he could not rule
his earthly kingdom, he never would be fit to be a king in
the world to come ; and as he was very ambitious for royal
honors, he was in terrible grief and perplexity. But how
to govern two unruly women was quite beyond him. His
KEY-HOLE SECRETS !
415
first wife was a very independent woman, with a habit of
speaking her mind quite freely ; and the second had a fiery
temper, which she did not hesitate to display when she
considered occasion demanded.
In a few weeks he found that he must separate them ; so
he divided the house, giving each one her apartments the
first wife receiving the principal share, as she had several
children. But he had not bettered matters, it seemed.
He had intended dividing his time equally between the two ;
No PEACE WITHIN POLYGAMY.
but the first wife was so opposed to this arrangement that he
offered to give her two thirds of his time, which, strange as
it may seem, did not satisfy her, and made the second wife
very angry, until, between them both, the poor man was
driven almost to his wits' ends.
They had a peculiar way of finding out each other's
secrets; and when the husband was visiting one, the other
would apply her ear to the key-hole of her rival's apart-
ments. On certain occasions, when the first wife was too
41 6 NANCY C. TELLS A NAUGHTY STORY.
much engaged to attend to the key-hole herself, she would
place her little daughter a child not more than six years
old there, and bid her tell her what she heard. Imagine
the effect on the child. It seems impossible that any woman,
however jealous or curious, would take this means to satisfy
her curiosity. Of course the child told the mother the most
ridiculous things, which she affected to believe, and told to
her husband on his next visit to her; in consequence of
which some of the bitterest quarrels ensued.
As soon as possible the husband built a second house, a
few rods from the other, and removed the last wife thither,
hoping then for a little respite. But he was hoping against
hope ; for the trouble would never be quieted while the
cause remained, and the two women could never come
within speaking distance without a fearful quarrel, which
often ended in personal violence, blows being exchanged,
hair pulled, and dresses torn in the struggle.
Every experiment was in vain. After running away from
home once himself, and coming back on account of his chil-
dren, whom he really loved, he found himself obliged to
send Number Two away, when quiet was again restored,
although it was secured at the expense of his "kingdom."
Thj> fault jvas not with either of the women ; each^one_
vjfas goodenouh by herself j but"^ was in the accursed
^vsTenTTwnlc^"
passions to the surface, and made_of each wpman who f
alone^_wpjilcLhave been a comfort to hrr husband a fiend,
jmd a constant torment to him.
Some of the Mormon brethren are so anxious to increase
their kingdom that they frequently have very old ladies
sealed to them. As they are all to be rejuvenated in the
resurrection, and as the sealing is done for K eternity" alone,
it will be all right in the future, and the discrepancies in age
will go for nothing. Even Brigham Young himself has not
hesitated to avail himself of his privileges in this peculiar
direction, if Nancy Chamberlain's story can be believed.
HOW A WOMAN "FREED HER MIND!" 417
Nancy Chamberlain is a very old*, half-crazed woman,
known, I fancy, to every Mormon in the Territory, who
solemnly declares that she was sealed to Brigham in
Nauvoo, and that she had the promise of being promoted
to the place of first wife. She lived in his family for a long
time, but she grew old, and infirm, and useless, and he
turned her out of the house some years ago ; and now she
lives as best she may, going about from house to house, and
doing light work to pay for her support.
She considers it her duty every little while to go and
"free her mind," as she calls it, to Brigham's wives, telling
them that they may usurp her place and defraud her of her
rights in this world, but she shall be Brigham's queen in
heaven. She is an eccentric old woman, but there is no
doubt, I think, about her having been sealed to the Prophet.
He has a great many old ladies that he expects to resurrect,
and assign them to their true position in the eternal world.
These old ladies are sometimes as exacting as their
younger sisters, and the husband has all he can do to pacify
them and keep them quiet ; but not all of them have my
mother's experience and that of my old acquaintance, Mr.
Ramsay. He was a very devout follower of Brigham's,
and, when he was about forty years of age, he was sealed
to an old lady eighty years of age, who had no husband,
and consequently no hope of salvation, until he very kindly
became her savior. He had three wives already, but that
was a trifle not worth mentioning to a man expecting to
people a world some time in the future ; so, as this woman
who was called Catherine would count one on the list,
she was taken, and brought into the house with his other
wives.
The first of these women, who had always been a slave
to her husband and his wives, was now called upon to take
the sole charge of this last selection, which she did willingly
enough. But it was a difficult matter to please Catherine.
No woman could do more to keep the peace than Mrs.
27
418 A BELLIGERENT WIFE.
Ramsay, who -was one of the sweetest tempered, kindest
hearted women in the world, yet in this case it seemed to
require superhuman exertions. Catherine complained of
her food, her clothing, and her situation generally ; but the
principal cause of complaint was, that Mr. Ramsay was not
sufficiently attentive to her.
" I am your wife," she used to say, in a querulous, piping
voice ; " I have rights and privileges equal to any other
wife, and you must and shall spend one fourth of your time
with me."
This not being Mr. Ramsay's view of the case precisely,
he would reply,
" It is true you were sealed to me, but it was not for time,
but for eternity ; and I cannot give you any part of my time
here. I am willing that you should be taken care of in my
family, and that should satisfy you."
But that did not satisfy her, and she determined to make
him all the trouble she could. One of her first freaks was
to personate a ghost ; and, robing herself in white, she
visited different apartments of the house while the family
slept, more particularly where the husband was. Failing
to bring him to terms by this mode of action, she tried some-
thing more desperate, and actually set the house on fire ; it
was soon discovered, however, and not much harm was done.
Mr. Ramsay had been very patient with her, and viewed
all her pranks in as charitable a light as possible, saying,
" it was somebody's duty to exert themselves in her behalf,
for she was surely worth saving ; and as for her queer ac-
tions, she was nothing but a child anyway ; so the best thing
was not to mind them." Yet this last act of hers made him
consider her a very dangerous person, and he advised her
to seek a home elsewhere, which she was very soon forced
to do, as he went to the southern part of the Territory with
his other wives, and left her behind.
She consoled herself by thinking that although she had
no husband on earth, she was provided for hereafter, and
AX IMPECUNIOUS POLYGAMIST. 419
was very complacent over the reflection, which seemed to
afford her wonderful consolation. Mr. Ramsay must be
acquitted of having married the old lady for money, as she
was very poor, and he gained nothing at all by his mar-
riage. It was really an act of kindness on his part, and
real conscientious regard for her future.
Not so unselfish was Brother Shaw, a Mormon whose
poverty might be estimated by the fact that he had been
twenty years in Brigham's service as a laborer. His impe-
cuniosity was no bar to his entering the Celestial Kingdom,
and setting up a realm of his own, over which he should
be ruler. He had already married two wives, when a very
old lady, possessed of considerable property, arrived in
Zion, and Brother Shaw decided that she needed salvation
at his hands, and proposed marriage to her.
She saw through him at once, but fearing for her salva-
tion, she accepted the proposal, and was " sealed." This
was her first offer in Zion, but she feared, at her time of
life, she might never have another ; so she allowed herself
to be installed as third wife in the Shaw family. Her
money was found very useful for the support of the entire
family, and was spent very freely until it was all gone,
when she, like the rest, was obliged to live in great destitu-
tion. She certainly has paid handsomely for her " exalta-
tion."
In a family where all were so peacefully inclined as in
our own, ''trying" occasions are rare; but they would
occur sometimes, and I think my mother took a
cious pleasure in seeing my fat'Ker^ctbe*'**^ n hnnt i
fHatJhaa occurred to make ^plurality " a trial. frTe. tried n.^
hard as possible to be just, and had always been very par-
ticular in dividing everything equally between his wives.
One must have no more than the other. There must be
the most perfect exactness in everything. I believe he
thinks he has dealt out the most even-handed justice,
although he used occasionally to be accused of a partiality
42O STORY OF A CHRISTMAS TURKEY.
for his third wife, especially by those comforting persons
who liked to talk to the other wives about him.
One year he had a turkey presented to him two or three
days before Christmas. He was away from home on re-
ceiving it, and he returned quite late at night to my mother's
house with his gift. He was in a dilemma. Here he was
with a turkey on his hands, and not feeling rich enough to
buy the requisite number in addition to give one to each wife.
He could not decide at which house to have the fowl roasted.
He would have liked to have had the table of each wife
graced with just such a bird, but that was out of the ques-
tion, and it was equally impossible for all to dine together
that day. He was unable to solve the problem ; so he con-
cluded to leave it for accident to decide.
On arriving home he placed the turkey quite out of
sight, as he supposed, and retired.
My mother, in her rounds of morning work, discovered
a suspicious-looking bundle, and, although a little curious
concerning it, did not open it. but carried it to my father,
with the wrapper on, at the same time asking him what
it was.
"It is a turkey," was his reply.
As he said nothing else, she hastily returned it to its
place, concluding that she had stumbled on positive proof
of his partiality for some other member of his family ; and
remembering all he had said about equal justice, she re~
solved that she would find out all about the affair, and, if
her suspicions were correct, would not submit with patience,
but would "speak her mind," if the heavens fell. She
opened the battle by saying,
" I think it very strange indeed that you should purchase
a turkey for only one table, and leave the others destitute ;
and I also think it a very unjust proceeding on your part ;
if one portion of the family is to have a Christmas turkey,
the others should receive the same attention."
" Hold on, my dear," interrupted my father ; " not so fast,
A HUSBAND IN A FIX. 42!
if you please. You shouldn't jump at conclusions in such
a hasty manner. I didn't buy the turkey ; it was given me
by a friend."
"O," said my mother, quite mollified, "is that so?"
And she was preparing to be quite amiable, when, unfor-
tunately, she happened to recollect that he had asked her
at breakfast if she had not better have some chickens killed
for Christmas, and she returned to the charge with renewed
vigor.
"What are you going to do with it?" demanded she.
" Why, you may have it if you wish," said he ; K I am
sure I don't know what else to do with it."
Although she was quite prepared to wage warfare for
her rights to the very last, my mother really was not pre-
pared for such willing surrender, and, determined not to be
outdone in generosity, she replied,
" O, I really do not care about it. I have chickens, you
know, and I like them equally well ; in fact, I think I pre-
fer them. But," she continued, with a beautiful stroke of
diplomacy, " I would like to decide which of the other
wives shall have the turkey, if you will allow me, since
you have given me the privilege of refusing it."
My father was glad enough to leave the disposition of
the turkey with her, as he did not really know any better
what to do with it than before, and if she decided for him,
all responsibility would be off his shoulders. So he said,
with very great cordiality of tone,
"All right. I have given it to you, you know. You
shall make what disposition you please of it."
" Thank you," said she, with equal graciousness of man-
ner ; " I should like Elizabeth to have it. She deserves it,
and needs it, too, and would be very grateful for it ; and
then, too, you see, she, being next to me, would claim it by
right of seniority."
"Wisely said," was my father's rejoinder, delighted to
have it settled so amicably. So he carried the turkey to
4 22
CHICKENS, BUT NO TURKEY.
Elizabeth as his Christmas offering, and she received it, as
my mother thought she would, % gladly and thankfully.
Our Christmas dinner, with the chickens, and my moth-
er's delectable puddings and pies, was a success, and we
didn't even miss the turkey, though we did have a good
laugh over it, and my mother was jubilant, because she
had kept it from gracing the tables of the younger wives,
since, according to her ideas of justice, if any partiality
was to be shown, it should be given in the order of "senior-
OLD FARM-HOUSE AT COTTONWOOD.
ity." I have no doubt that the other tables were well set,
in some way or other, but we none of us saw the bills of
fare. "Father's turkey" was for a long time the standing
jest at home.
During this time at South Cotton wood, while I was
teaching my children, helping my mother, and getting all
these peeps into the inside experiences of polygamy, my
own life running along in the smoothest channels it had
ever known, a great change was preparing for me. I had
EASE AND CONTENTMENT. 423
no thought nor premonition of it, as I went blithely about my
daily duties, happy and content in the quiet life which I
was leading in my mother's companionship, and in my dar-
ling children's love. I dreamed of nothing beyond this
peaceful life; I wished for nothing else. Such a sweet
restfulness had taken possession of me, and I pictured my-
self growing old in this quiet spot, with my strong, brave
boys near me to make my rough path smooth, and to help
my faltering footsteps over the stony places with their strong
arms that would encircle and hold me then, as I encircled
them now. The improvement of my health was a source
^ofjrreat joy to me. " rneVeT Was o well in my life. The
^colorliad come bacic to my cheek, the sparkle to my eve.
_^
frolicsome days when I had gone merry-making with my
old companions, had won friends in the theatre, and had
wailed " with the girls " over the monotonous fare of the
Prophetic table. I was a child with my children, and it
would be difficult to tell which of us got the most scoldings
and pettings from the fond grandmamma.
She was happy, too, at having me with her again ; and
though she sorrowed at my sorrow, she could not regret
anything that brought me back to her, so long as it did not
make me utterly unhappy ; and she recognized as well as I
the fact, that my life was fuller^ and freer without my hus-
bandjLhan with him, and that mychildren "were better ott T
chances ofjbecoming the menthat bot]t
she and I wished them to becomeTunder my guidance alone,
than under the Tnfljrence~oT"s'uch a fatI~eTa^theirs. ~THeV
would never have felt a strong, steady, guiding hand7bu
would have been, as their mother had been before them, the
victim of alternate passion and rough good nature, that was
easily shaken.
I had very many offers of marriage. A moderately pre-
424 MY PERSISTENT SUITORS.
possessing woman in Utah is sure not to be long without
them ; and I knew that I was that, at least, but I could not be
brought to look with favor upon any of my suitors. I did
not care to try matrimony again,
not becor
was afraid tojyeven a monogamic alliance, again^.
knevv thatm Utah the step from monogamyjtp polygamy is
very short, and very easily taken. My answer was the
same to one and all "I have my children ; I shall live for
them alone iJhey are my only lovesr"
Some of them appgcfiyd^tcT'Trry" father and mother to use
their influence to make me change my mind ; but they re-
fused to interfere, saying that I probably knew my own
mind, and, if I did not wish to marry, that was quite
enough.
I usually had my own way ; and when I knew that any
of my persistent suitors had turned to my parents for sym-
pathy and assistance, I laughed to myself to think how little
of either they would receive. To tell the truth, they es-
pecially my mother were no more anxious for me to marry
V than I myself; and I knew that so long as they had a home,
K my children and I should share it. I was not allowed to
xv feel that we were in any way a burden, and, to tell the
i truth, I did honestly try to do all in my power to assist my
mother, and make life easier for her to bear.
" I shall never, never leave you," I used to say, as I
would nestle at her feet, and lay my head in her lap in the
old childish fashion a habit that I could not bring my-
i self to abandon, even though I was a mother myself, with
two bouncing boys to curl down in my own lap in the same
. loving way, begging for caresses. '
"God willing, we will never be parted, my darling."
"Never! never!" cried I, with loving enthusiasm, as I
felt her hand on my head, resting in tender benediction there.
I kissed the hand that had grown hard with toil for me and
for others ; and together we sat with no premonition of the
BRIGHAM ON HIS WAY TO COTTONWOOD. 425
future that was so near, and that was to change the whole
current of both our after lives.
Br^hamYoung^aJuLsome of the apostles WJMI coming to
South Cotton woodtoh old a meeting. But what was that
to-me-? How did it affect mel/vnen he came or went? I
itacl ao"pail liui lui hi nis movements. Life wasftulhiiig tu
me beyond my mother and children ; and all the Prophetic
coming and going would not cause a ripple on the surface
of my placid life.
So I thought, as I lay cradled in my mother's arms that
summer evening in the old farm-house at Cottonwood ; and
the stars, as they looked down upon me there, revealed
nothing more to me.
CHAPTER XXVII.
A WALK WITH THE PROPHET. HE MAKES LOVE TO
ME.
How Brigham Travels Through the Territory. Triumphant Receptions
Everywhere. Trying to Establish the "Order of Enoch." How the
Prophet Insulted his Faithful Followers. " Rheumatism " in the Tem-
per. Grand Doings in the Settlements. We Goto Meet the Prophet.
How the Saints were Lectured in the Bowery. How Brigham gave
Howard a Piece of Land. Howard Insulted by the Prophet. Over-
looking the Prophet's Lies . Van Etten Becomes Brigham's " Friend."
He Helps Him to Steal a Hundred Sheep. He makes a Big Haul,
and Escapes to Canada. The Prophet Ogles Me during Service-Time.
We Take a Walk Home Together. He Compliments My Good
Looks. Makes Love to Me. Matrimonial Advice. Brigham Wishes
Me to Become His Wife.
N Brigham Young's ar-
rival at South Cotton-
wood, he was very
warmly welcomed, all
the people turning out
to join in the demon-
strations.
This is the usual cus-
tom ; consequently his
travels through the
Territory are a perfect
ovation. He is gen-
erally accompanied by
some members of his
family ; perhaps one or
more of his wives, and
BRIGHAM ON HIS TRAVELS. one of his SOnS. It
has lately always been
Brigham, Jr., his intended successor, who is taken along, to
THE RECEPTION OF BRIGHAM. 427
be initiated into the proper method of doing things ; one or
more of his counsellors ; some of the apostles, and whoever
else he may choose to invite to join his party. They go in
carriages, and form in themselves quite a procession.
He is met outside of every settlement which he visits by a
company of cavalry ; and a little farther on, just outside the
entrance to the town, he is met by another procession,
sometimes of the children alone, but oftener, in the large
settlements, where they are ambitious to " do the thing up in
shape," of the entire population who are able to turn out,
men, women, and children, headed by a brass band, all
ranged along to give greeting to the Prophet. They are
arranged in different sections, each section having its appro-
priate banner. The elderly and middle-aged men are all
together under the banner " Fathers in Israel." The women
of the same ages are ranged under their banner, " Mothers
in Israel." The young men are proud enough of the in-
scription whicrT^heirs carries. " I )^f<*nders of Zion ; " and
the^ r oung girls are fresh and lovely under their banner,
"The Daughters of Zion, Virtue;" while the little Wee
bitsTtKal ai'd plUCed last oi all, are "The Hope of Israel."
Other banners bear the inscriptions, " Hail to the Prophet; "
" Welcome to our President ; " " God bless Brigham Young ; "
" The Lion of the Lord ; " and others of a similar nature are
seen along the line of the procession.
As the President and his escort pass down the long line,
the band plays, the people cheer, men wave their hats,
women their handkerchiefs, and the young girls and chil-
dren toss bunches of flowers; and their Prophet if he
chances to be-in a good humor bows and smiles to them as
he passes ; and everything is gay, and bright, and merry,
and the people are very happy because of the success of
their Prophet's reception.
Now and then their gaiety has a dash of cold water from
the object of all the display, and they see all their prepara-
tions go for nothing, and are made to feel that all their labor
428 THE PROPHET OUT OF TEMPER.
has been in vain, as happened not long ago in Salt Lake
City. Brigham had been on a long trip through Southern
Utah, endeavoring to establish the "United Order of
Enoch," with but indifferent success, it must be confessed,
in consequence of which he was in anything but good hu-
mor with his "rebellious people."
On his return he was met at the station by thousands of
his people, who had gathered in unusual numbers, and
with unusual display, to meet him. As he stepped from
the car, cheers arose from the mass of people, the band
played, and "all eyes were turned on him, anxiously watch-
ing for a recognition. What was their surprise and chagrin
to see him step from the car to his carriage, enter it, close
the door, and drive away without the slightest notice of
their presence, seemingly oblivious to everything about him !
The Saints returned to their homes feeling exceedingly
hurt and grieved, but the next Sabbath their Prophet en-
deavored to soothe their outraged feelings and smooth mat-
ters over with them, in the following "explanation : "
"Brethren and sisters, you may have felt hurt at my not
recognizing your greeting on my arrival. If so, I am
sorry ; but I had just had an attack of rheumatiz in my
left foot."
The apology was accepted ; there was nothing else to be
done. The Prophet had made what he considered the
proper amende, though some of the brethren were so irrev-
erent as to remark afterwards that they " guessed the ' rheu-
matiz ' was in his temper," on account of his failure to gull
the people with his last " effort for their spiritual " and his
temporal " advancement."
Usually he is in high good humor, and beams on his fol-
lowers with the most patronizing and reassuring of smiles,
accepting all the homage as though it were his by "divine
right." Royalty itself could assume no more the manner
of receiving only what it is entitled to, than this ex-glazier,
who used to work for " six bits " a day, and who begged
OFF FOR A GOOD TIME. 429
the farmer for whom he had done two half days' work to
give him a new coat, since his old one was too "rusty" to
go on a preaching tour in, and the " spirit " had suddenly
called him from the haying field to a Methodist meeting in
the neighboring town.
While on his journeys, he is always taken to the best house
in the place, and everything is done for his comfort ; his fol-
lowers are taken by other residents of the town, a dance is
given in the evening, which takes the place of the usual
" reception " elsewhere ; he is serenaded by the bands and
parties of singers, and all night the militia keep sentry
about his headquarters. Altogether it is quite a gay thing
to go visiting the settlements, and no one likes it better than
the Prophet himself. It is the grand event of the year to
the Saints, and they make such extensive preparations for
the occasion, that many of them have to "live very close,"
as they express it, for months afterwards.
As a matter of course, I helped "welcome the President"
to Cottonwood ; so did all the family ; and, as we were all
old friends, we were glad to see him personally, as well as
spiritually, my mother especially being overjoyed, for there
was always the warmest friendship between them; indeed,
their friendship dated back to the days before they went to
Kirtland. At Nauvoo they had been next door neighbors,
and he used to be very fond of playing with the "baby."
Since then he had helped the " baby " to escape from a do-
mestic thraldom which was harder than she could endure,
and she was grateful to him accordingly. I think neither
mother nor daughter would have joined so heartily in the
welcome, had they known what misery the visit was to
bring.
The Sunday services are always largely attended, and
as no house is sufficiently capacious to hold all who assem-
ble to listen to the Prophet, the meetings are held in the
" Bowery," which is a sort of improvised tabernacle, with
open sides, and roofed over .with branches of trees. He
430
OVERHAULING THE SAINTS.
usually makes this the occasion for reprimanding the people
for their sins, dwelling particularly on the extravagance of
women in dress, and the habit, among some of the men, of
whiskey-drinking. He came out very strong this time, and
the poor Cottonwood Saints were exposed to a merciless
fusillade from the Prophet's tongue. He was more than usu-
ally denunciatory and scathing, and he made this the occa-
sion for abusing Mr. Howard, the owner of the distillery.
After he had got well warmed up, he said Howard had not
a cent in the world which he had not given him, and added,
BRIGHAM PREACHING AT SOUTH COTTONWOOD.
w I even gave the poor, mean scapegrace the very land he
lives on."
This was more than Howard could bear, even from his
Prophet, and he jumped to his feet, excitedly shouting,
"It isn't so, and you know it isn't. I bought the land of
you, and gave you twelve hundred dollars for it."
" You lie ! " roared Brigham ; " I gave it to you."
"Yes, for twelve hundred dollars," was Howard's reply.
"I never got a cent for it," screamed Brigham.
"You're the liar, and you know it," retorted Howard.
I don't know how long this Sabbath-day quarrel would
THE PROPHET'S BAD MEMORY. 431
have lasted, had not Brigham happened to think it was a
little out of order, and also to discover that Howard, who
was in a great rage by this time, was bound to have the
last word. He stopped the dispute, and, turning to the
congregation, said,
" Is there no one who will remove that man from this
place?"
Instantly ten or fifteen men started to their feet, and
rushed towards the offender; but a man named Van Etten,
being much nearer to him than any of the others, reached
him first, and led him out of meeting ; so there was no
opportunity for any of the others to exercise their zeal in
the Prophet's behalf. At the close of the services, Brig-
ham publicly thanked Brother Van Etten, and called him
"the only friend in the congregation."
The following Sabbath, the party were at Willow Creek
holding meeting, and as what he was pleased to term
" Howard's insult " was rankling in his memory, he could
not refrain from referring to it in his sermon, which he did
in the following truthful manner :
" I was never so insulted in my life as I was at Cotton-
wood last Sabbath. I called seven or eight times for some
of the brethren to lead Howard out, and not a man re-
sponded but Brother Van Etten. I know how it is ; you
and they are all bought with Howard's whiskey."
Now, the news of the encounter had reached Willow
Creek before the Prophet and his party, and nearly every
one present knew that Brigham had only called once for
his opponent to be taken away, and that his call had been
f promptly responded to. But they attributed his misstatement
to the Prophet's bad memory. They knew, too, that none
of them were bought with Howard's whiskey ; but perhaps
Brigham thought they were, and it was only "one of his
slight mistakes ; " so they let it go for what it was worth,
and the Prophet felt better after venting his ill-temper.
It was soon after this that Howard was sent on the mis-
432 BRIGHAM'S THIEVING FRIEND.
sion that has been referred to in a previous chapter. Van
Etten's fortune was made from that moment. The Proph-
et's heart was full of blessings for him, and found vent in
the following benediction :
"The Lord will bless you, Brother Van Etten, for so no-
bly coming forward in my defence. You are the only man
out of several thousand that paid any attention to the insults
I received. I want you to understand that/from this time I
am your friend."
The Cottonwood Saints were very much surprised at
Brigham's warmth, for Van Etten was well known as a
worthless, dissipated character, and if Brother Brigham
found any good in him, it was more than anyone else had
succeeded in doing.
The Prophet and Van Etten were ever after bosom
friends ; let the latter do what he would, Brigham would
shield him from all difficulty. One instance of this protec-
tion of his -protege came directly under my notice. Van
Etten stole a hundred sheep from my brother, who prose-
cuted him for it. When the trial came on, the evidence
was as clear as possible against him ; yet Brigham con-
trolled the whole affair, and his " friend " was released.
All who knew the facts concerning the case were aston-
ished that even Brigham should do sjdch a very unjust
thing as to clear him ; but at that time the Saints did not
dare to criticise the Prophet's actions as they do now, and
all they said was, "There probably is something good
about Van Etten that Brigham has discovered which we
were unable to see." *
Finally, the Prophet's intimate friend took several thou-
sand head of sheep to herd for different parties, and a
short time after, the owifers heard that he had left the coun-
try ; they went instantly to look after their sheep, but not a
trace of them could they find. Van Etten, sheep and all,
were gone, and they never returned again to the "Valley
of Ephraim." It was afterwards found that he was in
UNDER FIRE OF BRIGHAM's EYES. 433
Canada ; he also was in debt nine thousand dollars at the
co-operative store* Brigham's pet institution. I never heard
Brigham say whether he missed his friend or not ; in fact,
he never mentioned him after this last escapade.
I had noticed, during the morning service, that memora-
ble Sunday at Cottonwood, that Brigham looked often at me ;
but I thought nothing more of it than that mine was a very
familiar face, and consequently he was drawn towards it
for that reason. Still there were others in the congrega-
tion that he knew ; so mine was not the only face he looked
at for recognition. I began to be a little uneasy under his
scrutiny. I thought that possibly there was something
about my appearance that displeased him. Possibly he did
not approve of my dress. I knew he considered himself per-
fectly at liberty to criticise any sister's dress when he felt
so inclined, arid I did not know but I was to be the subject
of his next outbreak. That he was not looking at me indif-
ferently or carelessly I knew very well, from the bent brows
and keen gaze that I felt was making the most complete
scrutiny, and I wished he would look somewhere else. I
fidgeted about in my seat, I looked at my little boy who
was sitting beside me~, and pretended to arrange some arti-
cle of his clothingT I did everything but to jump up and
run away, and I even wanted to do that, to get out of the
reach of those sharp eyes, and that steady, unflinching gaze.
I am sure he saw my discomfort ; but he was pitiless, and
all the while the speaking was going on he scarcely turned
his eyes from me a moment. I tried to be unconscious, to,
look in every direction except his, but the steady eyes
would always bring mine back again in spite of myself. I
felt his power then as I never had felt it before, and I
began to understand a little how it was that he compelled
so many people to do his will, against their own inclina-
tions r I learned the lesson better still subsequently.
After the services he came up to me and greeted me very
cordially. I was surprised, for he hacj been so ruffled over
28
I
434 "MAY i WALK HOME WITH you?"
the Howard matter that I did not expect he would regain
his spirits so easily. .
"Are you well?" said he.
"As you see," I replied, laughing, and looking up at
him.
" May I walk home with you ? "
"If you wish ; I should be much pleased," said I. I was
pleased, too, for I knew that in bringing him home with me
I should be conferring the greatest happiness on my mother.
He took my little boy's hand, and led him along, and as
he looked down at him, he said,
" A pretty child. What are you going to do with him? "
"Make a good man of him, if possible," was my reply.
"A better one than his father proved to be, I trust."
" God grant it, else he will not be much of a comfort to
me," said I, the tears starting to my eyes.
"You are very much improved since you left Mr. Dee,"
said he ; " do you know it? You are a very pretty woman."
"Thank you," said I, laughing, yet embarrassed at this
wholesale fashion of complimenting ; " if you can only tell
me I am a good woman, I should like that, too."
" Yes, you are that, I believe, and a good mother ; and
you were a good wife, only that foolish fellow didn't have
the sense to half appreciate you."
"Thank you again. I don't know that I can take all
you tell me, since I am not sure that I deserve such high
praise."
" You are your mother's girl ; there can be but one con-
clusion to draw from that. But tell me about yourself; are
you happy ? "
"Very," said I, earnestly. "I never was happier in my
life."
" What makes you specially happy just now ? "
" O, my children, my mother, my quiet life, after all the
trial and weary struggling to make the best out of the very
worst."
A MATRIMONIAL CONTROVERSY. 435
" Then you don't regret your divorce ? "
" Indeed I do not ; and now, Brother Young, let me thank
you for your kindness in helping me to regain my freedom,
and above all to keep my children. You must be content
with gratitude, for I can repay you in no other way."
He looked at me a moment ; a peculiar smile flitted across
his face ; he opened his lips as if to say something ; closed
them again ; looked at me more scrutinizingly than ever ;
turned away, and was silent for a moment. Then he asked
me, quite abruptly,
" I suppose you have had offers of marriage since your
separation from Mr. Dee."
"Yes, many," I replied, answering his question very
frankly, as I did not suspect that he had any motive in
questioning me, except a friendly interest ; and I was as
honest in my confidences to him as I should have been
with my father.
" Do you feel inclined to accept any of them ? " was his
next question.
"No, not in the slightest degree ; none of them move me
in the least."
" And you haven't a preference for any of the suitors ? "
" I assure you, no."
" Never had the slightest inclination to say ' yes ' to any
offer that has been made ? "
" Not a bit of inclination ; all my lovers have had a rival
affection to contend with."
"For whom?" was the question, quick and sudden, as if
intending to take me by surprise by its abruptness.
I laid my hand on my boy's head. " For him, and for
the other dear child that God gave me ; I can have no room
for other love while I have them to care for. They fill my
heart exclusively, and I am so glad and happy because of
- it, that I should be jealous if I saw the least hint of regard
for anyone creeping in. I couldn't love anybody else ; I
wouldn't."
436 BRIGHAM GIVES ME SOME ADVICE.
" Then you think you will never be induced to marry?"
"Never in my life," I said, vehemently.
Brigham laughed a little, and replied, " I have heard a
very great many girls talk that way before."
"Yes, but I am not a girl ; I am a woman ; a woman, too,
with hard, bitter experiences ; a woman who has lost faith
in mankind, and hasn't much faith in matrimony ; a mother,
too, who will not give her children a rival."
"No, but you might give them a protector."
"They don't need it; my love is sufficient protection.
Besides, they are boys, and will be my protectors in a few
years. So, you see, I do not need to marry for protection
for myself or them."
"But supposing it were shown to be a duty."
"It can't be. I should not recognize a duty of that kind.
I consider myself old enough, and sufficiently experienced,
to judge of my duties without any assistance."
He bent his eyes on me again with a keen, questioning
look, and said, very kindly, " Child, child, I fear you are
very headstrong. Don't let your will run away with you."
" No danger," I replied ; " it is not crossed often enough
to make it very assertive."
"A spoiled child, eh?" ,
"Possibly. My will seems to be everybody's way at
home."
" Well, my child, I want to give you a little advice. I
have known you all your life, and have had an interest in
you from your birth. Indeed, you seem like one of my
own family, you were always in and out so much with my
children ; and I am going to speak to you as I would to
one of my girls. You will probably marry again, some
time, though you say now you won't."
"No," I interrupted ; "I shall not marry. I mean what I
say when I tell you so."
"Yes, I know it ; but you will ; now mark my words, and
see if you don't."
A QUEER WAY OF LOVE-MAKING. .437
"Well, don't feel so sure that you send somebody after
me," said I, slyly hitting him for his known propensity for
" counselling " the brethren to take certain sisters as plural
wives.
"You needn't be afraid of my sending anybody. I
promise you I won't do that," was his answer.
" Good ; then I shall not be obliged to say 'no ' to them,
and so, perhaps, hurt your feelings as well as mortify
them," said I.
" Still, I believe that you will marry again some time. It
is in the nature of things that you should. Women of your
age, and your looks, don't stay single all their lives ; not a
bit of it. Now, my advice is this : when you do marry,
select some man older than yourself. It doesn't make so
much difference whether you're in love with him, if you
can respect him and look up to him for counsel. Respect
is better than romance, any day. You've tried the one,
now give the other a chance. You didn't succeed so well
with the other experiment that you care to try that over
again, I know. You had your own way, too, if I remem-
ber rightly. It wasn't such a smooth one as you thought it
was going to be. I knew you was doing the wrong thing
when I saw the man. I could have told you so, but you
didn't ask my advice. Now I'm giving it to you without
asking, for I don't want you to make another mistake. So,
when you choose again, remember what I say, and get a
husband whom you can look to for good advice."
We had reached home by that time, and I thanked him
for his interest, and promised to heed his advice if I found
it necessary ; but I was sure I should not, for I was firm in
my determination not to marry.
I had no idea at all of Brigham's real object in thus
sounding me, and drawing me out. It never occurred to me
that he could want me for himself. I should just as soon
have thought of receiving an offer of marriage from my
own father, or to have heard that he (Brigham) was going
438 THE PROPHET ON HIS GOOD BEHAVIOR.
to marry one of his own daughters. Then I knew, too,
that there had been a great deal said in the outside world
respecting the practice of polygamy among the Saints, and
I thought, from conversations I had heard, that the United
States Congress had taken some action in the matter, and
that he, being the Head of the Church, was watched pretty
closely by government officials. Then he was so old,
much older than my father, that the thought, had it pre-
sented itself, would have been scouted as absurd. I re-
peated the conversation to my mother, who seemed amused
by it, but did not give any more serious thought to it than I
had done.
Brigham was uncommonly jovial that day, and made
himself particularly agreeable. He was unusually gracious
to my father, revived old memories, and joked with my
mother; petted and praised the children, and was very pa-
ternal in his manner to me. He showed himself, altogether,
in his very best light, and made his visit very pleasant.
During the afternoon service he studied me in the same
way that he had in the morning ; and several times, when I
caught his eye, he looked quite amused. I supposed he
was thinking of our conversation at noon, and was much
more at my ease than I had been in the early part of the
day during the first service.
After service in the afternoon, Brigham told my father
that he wished to see him on important business. They
were closeted together for two hours, talking very earnestly.
I supposed it had to do with church matters, as my father
was one of the leading men in South Cottonwood, and had
been so long a prominent member of the Mormon Church
that it was by no means strange that Brigham had so much
to say to him. I thought, possibly, they might be discuss-
ing the Howard affair ; but beyond that I thought nothing.
I certainly had no idea that I was the siibje.r.t nn^er_discus-
sion ; thaTliiy future was being planned for me without any
regard to my will in the matter. Had I known it, I should
HK WANTS TO MARRY ME. 439
by no means have gone about my duties with such a light
heart, nor frolicked so gaily with mv children.
At the end of the two" hours my mother was called into
the room, and the discussipn was resumed. After a short
time all came out. Brigham went away, bidding us all good-~
bye with much cordiality, and with an added impressiveness~
in_his manner towards me.
When he had gone, my father told me the subject of their
long conversation.
Brigham Young had proposed to him for me as a wife.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
HOW BRIGHAM YOUNG FORCED ME TO MARRY HIM.
Brigham's Offer of Marriage. I Think the Prophet Too Old. My
Parents are Delighted with the Honor. They Try to Persuade Me.
I am Very Obstinate. Arguing the Matter. How Brigham Found
Means to Influence Me. My Brothers get into Trouble. The
Prophet and the Telegraph-Poles. He Takes a Nice Little Contract.
Then Sells it to His Son. Bishop Sharp Makes a Few Dollars Out
of- It. My Brother Engages in the Work. He Becomes Involved in
Debts and Difficulties. Brigham Threatens to Cut Him Off for Dis-
honesty. My Mother Tries to Excuse Him. Hemmed In on All
Sides, I Determine to Make One Last Appeal. I Fail, and Consent
to Marry Him.
ROSE to my feet shocked
beyond expression.
I looked from my
father to my mother,
hoping that they were
merely jesting with me ;
for I had no idea that
what they told me could
be true ; it was too mon-
strous an absurdity. But
the expression of their
faces did not reassure
me. I saw that they
were in earnest ; that it
was true; and I burst
out into a passionate fit
A CRUSHING BLOW. BRIGHAM WISHES TO MARRY ME. .,
of weeping.
My mother came to me, and took my hand and caressed
it in her own, and my father tried to reassure me.
BRIGHAM CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS. 44!
"Why, my dear, what is the matter ? Are you crying
because the Head of our Church the most powerful and
influential man among us has made you an offer of mar-
riage? Why, it is nothing to cry about, surely."
But I felt that it -was something to cry over something,
indeed, over which to shed the bitterest tears that could be
wrung from my heart's deepest anguish. I felt outraged,
betrayed; to think, after our conversation that very day,
but a very few hours before, when I had told him frankly
my reluctance and abhorrence at the very idea of marrying
again, that he should go deliberately and propose for me,
showed a lack of delicacy and consideration which greatly
surprised me. It was quite evident that he looked upon my
assertions as girlish affectation that a good offer would
speedily overcome. He was so confident of his success with
the women he chose to woo, that he had no idea of meeting
any settled opposition. He had, as I afterwards learned, no
conception of feminine delicacy or sensitiveness ; laughed at
it as ridiculous, and called the women who exhibited it " sen-
timental fools." I had nothing to hope from his mercy, but
I did not know it then. When my first passion of grief had
spent itself, I turned to my father, still holding my mother's
hand, and said,
" What answer did you make him? "
"I told him that I would lay the proposition before you,
and tell him what your decision was. He said that he had
talked with you on the subject of marriage, and that you
told him no one had proposed for you whom you fancied ;
that he was glad you were not easily pleased and suited
with every new-comer, for he intended to place you in a
position where you would be vastly the social superior of all
your present lovers."
"Didn't he tell you that I said I never should marry
again ? that my life was to be devoted to my chil-
dren ? "
"Yes; he said you mentioned something of that sort, but
44 2 " I CANNOT, CANNOT MARRY HIM ! "
that he didn't take any stock in it ; all girls talked so ; it was
their way of playing the coquette ; he understood it, and he
liked you better for your coyness."
"I told him decidedly," I replied, "that I was a girl no
longer, but a woman, who knew her own mind, who had
arrived at the ability to make her own decisions through
terrible suffering ; that the thought of marriage was dis-
tasteful to me. I wonder if he needs to be told more plainly?
If so, you may go to him, since you told him you should
leave the decision with me, and tell him that I say to him,
No, as I have said it to all my other suitors, and that I do
not even thank him for the position he intended to confer
upon me, for he knew I did not want it. Does he think I
have escaped one misery to wish to enter another? ' Posi-
"\vondeT what lie thinks there is particularly fine'
a p[ijgjjvjfr even to Brigham Young? I have
not seen so much happiness in the system, even amongjiis
wives, that I care to enter it. And I never, never can."
My father interrupted me. "You are excited, now, my
daughter. Be calm, and think the matter over reasonably.
Don't decide in this hasty manner."
" I might think it over, reasonably, as you call it, for the
rest of my life, and the conclusion I should arrive at would
be the same. I never will, of my free will and accord,
marry Brigham Young ; and you might as well tell him so
at once, and have the matter settled."
" But, my dear child," said my mother, stroking my hair
fondly, and looking at me with anxious eyes, " suppose it
was your duty ? "
"O, mother, mother! have you turned against me, too?
Am I to fight you all, single-handed, alone? Won't you,
at least, stand by me?"
" I would, gladly, my only, my darling daughter, if I was
sure that it would be right."
"Do you doubt the right of it? Can you doubt it? Or
do you think it would not be wrong to stifle all natural
MY PARENTS AGAINST ME. 443
feelings, all aversion to another union, above all, to him?
Would it be right, do you think, to give myself to a man
older than my father, from whom I shrink with aversion
when I think of him as my husband, who is already the
husband of many wives, the father of children older, by
many years, than myself?"
" But he is your spiritual leader."
" That is no reason why he should be my earthly hus-
band. I cannot see what claim that gives him to my affec-
tion."
"The doctrines of our church teach you to marry."
"Do you want to get rid of me?" I asked, suddenly,
raising my head and looking her full in the face. I dared
not enter into religious discussion with her, for I felt so
bitterly that I should be sure to say something to shock her ;
and then I knew that,. in argument, I should be fairly
worsted ; so I made my appeal on personal grounds, and
touched her heart, as I was sure I should. She threw both
arms about me, and sobbed as violently as I had done.
"You know I do not. How can you say that? I was
only saying what I did, because I thought it was for your
good here and hereafter. Did P consult my own feelings,
no one should have you except myself; but I think of your
welfare before my selfish desires."
"6, mother, I can't, I can't/' I cried in a sudden
agony, as the thought of all such a marriage involved,
rushed across me.
" Don't fret so, child," said my father, speaking for the
first time since my mother had joined in the conversation.
"I will tell Brother Brigham how you feel, and perhaps he
will give up the idea. But he seemed to have set his heart
on it, and I don't know how he'll take it."
"Why, I belong to you, father. Tell him so, and that
you can't give me away to anybody."
My father smiled a little at me, grew grave again, and
went away.
444
A YEAR OF ANGUISH AND TORTURE.
He told Brigham how averse I was ; and he only laughed,
and said I should get over it, if I only had time. He would
not give me up, but he would not hasten matters ; he would
leave me in my parents' hands, and he hoped they would
induce me to listen favorably to his proposals. The last
remark was made with a peculiar emphasis and a sinister
smile, which every Saint who had had dealings with him
knew very well, and whose meaning they also knew. It
meant, " Do as I command you, or suffer the weight of my
displeasure." He sent a message to me, which, though
seemingly kind, contained a covert threat ; and I began to
feel the chains tightening around me already. I felt sure
that I could not free myself, but I would struggle to the
end.
Thus began a year of anguish and torture. I fought
against my fate in every possible way. Brigham was
equally persistent, and he tried in every way to win me, a
willing bride, before he attempted to coerce me. He told
my parents, and myself, too, that he had always had great
interest in me, and had intended to propose for me so soon
as I was old enough ; that
when he sent for me to the
theatre, and proposed my
being at the Lion House, it
was that I might become
familiar with the place and
its inmates, and so not feel
strange when he should bring
me there as a wife. It had
been his intention to have pro-
posed for me then; but he
had just married Amelia, and
it had made such a hue-and-
cry among the Gentiles, es-
pecially as he had taken her directly in the face of the late
congressional law against polygamy, that he did not think it
CHAUNCEY G. WEBB.
["My Fatli^r."]
MORE INFLUENCES BROUGHT TO BEAR.
445
wise to add another to the list just then ; so he said nothing
of his intentions, and before he knew anything of my en-
gagement, I was ready to be married. It was a great
shock to him ; but as matters had gone so far, and as he
was in such a questionable position before the government,
he thought it best not to interfere, as he most assuredly
would, had he known my intentions earlier. Now I was
free, and he was at liberty to tell me, what he had wanted
to tell me long before, that he loved me.
Finding that this declaration of affection failed to move
me, he tried another tack. He asked my father, if a house
and a thousand dollars a year would make me comfortable,
as he wished to settle something on me when I married
him, taking for granted that I should do so.
My mother and father both favored his suit, and labored
with me to induce me to view it in the same light. Brig-
ham was our spiritual guide ; it might be that in refusing
him I should lose all hopes
of future salvation. That
was my mother's plea. My
father's was, that Brigham
was able to hurt him pecun-
iarily. And then came my
oldest brother, who added
his influence in Brigham's
favor by telling me that Brig-
ham had it in his power to
ruin him, and was very angry
with him, and had threatened
to " cut him off from the
church," which was, to a
person in his position, the
happen.
The trouble between them was of Brigham's own mak-
ing, and I will give it, as briefly as I can, to show how
I3righam managed to get everything out ofKis people'
ELIZA C. WEBB,
[Mv Mother.]
very worst thing that could
446 THE PROPHET'S LITTLE CONTRACT.
without paying for it, and, at the same time, show the
amount of honor which he has v in business matters.
In 1860 the first telegraph line was extended from the
Atlantic States to the Pacific, passing through Salt Lake
City. Feramorz Little, a nephew of the President, took a
contract to furnish about one hundred and fifty miles of
poles, at three dollars each. According to Brigham's state-
ment, Little was unable to fill the contract until the Prophet
came to the rescue, and secured three dollars and a quarter
each, by furnishing one hundred miles of sawed poles,
although, in truth, the sawed timber was not so good as
common round poles.
Six years later, a rival company commenced putting up
a new line. Brigham negotiated for a contract, and suc-
ceeded in securing nearly eight hundred miles, extending
from Denver City westward, at the very gratifying price
of eight dollars a pole. It is very generally believed that
Brigham and one of the new company had a previous un-
derstanding to divide the profits on this magnificent job.
He then sub-let the whole contract to Bishop John Sharp
and Joseph A. Young, his eldest son, who has recently
died, at three dollars a pole ; and my brother Gilbert took
about four hundred and fifty miles from Green River to
Denver at the very reasonable price of two dollars and a
half a pole. He was then the owner of ten freight wag-
ons, with six mules to each wagon ; but, in order to fill his
contract, he found himself compelled to purchase six addi-
tional teams, at a cost of seven thousand dollars, which,
with tools, provisions, and general outfit, increased the sum-
to nearly eleven thousand dollars, which he was obliged to
borrow, paying a very heavy interest five per cent, a
month ; but that, of course, was his own fault, not the
Prophet's.
Brigham was anxious to have the work done immedi-
ately, which is not at all strange when one remembers
that he would make five dollars on each pole, and fr~
HIS ARRANGEMENT WITH MY BROTHER. 447
had sent for my brother, and urged him to take the job,
telling him that he knew of no one so suitable, for Gilbert
had such a fine business reputation ; adding that he was
certain that the blessing of God would rest upon him, for
it was His will that all the Saints should accumulate riches.
After all this, and very much more talk of the same kind,
Gilbert was induced to take the contract, my father giving
security for the borrowed money.
My brother left Salt Lake City with his outfit as early as
the snow would permit him to cross the mountains. When
he had got his wagons loaded with poles for the first time,
Brigham telegraphed for him to stop work and return
to the city. He immediately complied with the order, and
found, on his. arrival, that there was a prospect of the new
company compromising with the old, and putting up no
line. They now desired to buy off all contracts. Brigham
would clear on the contract one hundred thousand dollars,
if the line was put up, and of course could compromise for
no less. Sharp and Joseph A. wanted forty thousand
dollars, and my brother ten thousand, if they gave up the
contract. Brigham said that, in justice, Gilbert ought to
have twenty thousand dollars, to pay the expenses of the
delay, &c.
Of course it was cheaper to put up the line than to com-
promise at this cost, and he returned to his work, having
lost twelve days. His expenses at this time were about one
hundred dollars a day. He had thirty men employed, at
sixty dollars a month and their board, and he also had
grain to furnish for one hundred mules. Brigham prom*
ised to pay for all this delay, but as usual he failed
to do so.
My brother than began to furnish the poles, and suc-
ceeded in delivering about twenty-five miles a week. For
two months he received his pay quite regularly, and every-
thing went on swimmingly. When he was about one hun-
dred miles from Denver, having completed about three
448 A SHARP PIECE OF BUSINESS.
hundred and fifty miles, he was sent for to give up his con-
tract on the eastern line, and take a contract on the north-
ern line instead. That was between Utah and Montana.
Gilbert was much averse to the change, as he had finished
the most difficult portion of his work, and passed through
where the timber is the least accessible. But Brigham in-
sisted, and wrote, promising to make it all right with him
if he would come back, and go up north, and furnish one
hundred miles or more of poles. Finally he sent Joseph
A. down to my brother, who succeeded in persuading him
to return.
While on his way back, he met Mr. E. Creighton, the
superintendent of the line, with a company of men, setting
the poles which he had furnished. Being desirous of giv-
ing thorough satisfaction, he sent Mr. Lorenzo Ensign,
with three teams, loaded with good poles, to exchange for
any poor timber which did not satisfy. Those teams con-
tinued with the pole-setters until Mr. Creighton sent them
back, remarking that he did not find it necessary to change
one pole a day, and that he was entirely satisfied with the
timber. I mention this because Brigham afterwards said
that the contract was not well filled, and made this an
excuse for not paying my brother. Those three teams
remained with the pole-setters about four weeks, and, as I
before said, were dismissed by one of the owners of the line.
Gilbert returned home in August, and, on starting for the
north, Joseph A. asked him to set the poles that he should
furnish on the Montana line, at the same time agreeing to
pay him a dollar apiece for setting, and three dollars for the
poles. That was fifty cents more than he received on the
eastern line, but it would scarcely pay him for a move of six
hundred miles, to a country where timber was in very high
mountains and rough canons.
Removing from the east of course broke the original
contract ; but as Gilbert had all the confidence in the world
in the word of Brigham and of Joseph A., he neglected to
" HUNT UP SHARP AND JOSEPH A. 449
make a new written agreement. After he had furnished
the poles for about one hundred miles, my younger brother
who was farming at the time took his team, and, after
hiring six men, went to set the poles, paying his men two
dollars a day and their board. They worked four weeks,
for which they never received one dollar.
When my youngest brother was about leaving for home,
Gilbert gave him an order on Sharp and Young for one
thousand dollars. While Gilbert was in the East he had
sent orders for money every month for my youngest brother
to collect and disburse. Those orders were promptly paid,
and he had no thought that this one would not be paid as
promptly. He called at Brigham's office, and presented the
order, and was curtly informed by Brigham that he must
" hunt up Sharp and Joseph A."
On inquiring for their office, it could not be found. The
day following he chanced to meet Bishop Sharp, who re-
ferred him to Joseph A. He called at the latter's residence
three times without seeing him ; finally, four days after, my
brother succeeded in meeting him in his father's office. He
was told to sit down in the outer room, where he was left
alone for two hours ; then he was called into the private
office, and told that there was no money for him.
" But," said he to Brigham and Joseph A., "I must have
the money ; I have ten men who have already been waiting
five days for their pay, and I am still paying them, or am
under obligation to do so, and their board in the city also ;
and none of this can be done without money."
After a little more consultation Brigham said, "We can
give you a draft on New York, which you can cash with
some of the bankers or merchants in the city.
My brother then asked for time to inquire on what terms
he could cash the draft ; but was told that merchants would
often pay a percentage on such paper, and that it was
always as good as money. He then asked, if he was obliged
to have it discounted, if Sharp and Young would lose the
29
450 MY BROTHER RUINED BY BRIGHAM.
amount, but was told that he need not be so particular, for
he must take the draft or nothing, .since they had no money.
He took it then, as he saw very plainly that they did not
intend to give him anything else, and presented it to every
banker and merchant in Salt Lake City, but could find no
one who would take it. On a second call at Walker
Brothers', he succeeded in cashing it at three per cent dis-
count. Meeting Joseph A. afterwards, he told him he
should charge him with the thirty dollars. Joe replied, "All
right ; " yet neither he nor Gilbert ever received another dol-
lar from them, though they were in the boys' debt two
thousand dollars.
When Gilbert returned from the North he found it diffi-
cult to pay his men, and also to meet his other expenses.
He spent the winter trying to get his pay, during which my
younger brother, Edward, took the teams and went to Cali-
fornia for freight, hoping by that means to save Gilbert from
bankruptcy. The trip not proving successful, the spring of
'67 opened very dark for us financially. Gilbert saw no
way but to sell his teams. I remember his coming home
one night, feeling extremely dejected, and telling us he had
sold sixteen of his best mules for less than half the amount
he had paid for them, and expected the remainder to go at
a still lower price.
In the spring of 1868 he was forced into bankruptcy by
Captain Hooper, one of his principal creditors. This same
Captain William H. Hooper had the good fortune to be one
of the Prophet's favorites, although he was by no means a
Mormon at heart, and Brigham knew it ; still, as he liked
him, and as Hooper made sufficient pretence to pass for one,
it was all right.
When Gilbert delivered up his papers to the assignees,
they readily discovered a large indebtedness on the part of
Sharp and Young. At a meeting of the creditors, Brig-
ham, who took the responsibility of the whole affair, under-
took to have everything his own way, and, as my younger
IN A FEARFUL, RAGE. 45!
brother remarked, "literally rode over the whole company
rough-shod." Among other statements, he said,
" Gilbert Webb's poles were many of them condemned,"
which was utterly false. He then said he had never writ-
ten to Gilbert while he was East. In face of this the let-
ter was produced and read before the company. He then
said he was sure he had no recollection of it, and asked
George Q;. Cannon who was his clerk at that time if he
remembered it. Cannon replied that he believed he did.
Previous to this, when Gilbert saw that he must lose every-
thing, he considered it his duty to pay off his men, also to
pay the notes which my father had signed, and to save him
from utter ruin. At this Brigham's rage knew no bounds ;
he wanted Hooper to have his pay first. One of Gilbert's
creditors was a Mr. Kerr, a Gentile banker, whom he paid
without consulting the Prophet, which greatly enraged him.
In speaking of it to my mother, he manifested all the
growling propensities of an old " cur ; " saying that Gilbert
had paid all the notes due to Gentiles, and left his friend
Hooper to take his chance with the rest of the creditors, and
he intended to disfellowship him for it.
This was when he was " counselling " my parents to use
their influence with me in his behalf.
"If you do that, Brother Young," said my mother, "I
shall find it very hard to forgive you ; although Gilbert may
have erred in judgment, he designed to do right. Would
you, President Young, like to have his father ruined in the
crash? The notes held by Mr. Kerr were signed by him."
He said, w If his father signed the notes, he ought to pay
them.* 5
"Well," replied my mother, with considerable spirit, "if
Gilbert had been paid for his work, he would have been
able to have paid all his debts."
He was very angry at this, and said, " What do you
know about business, I'd like to know?"
" I know enough to know when my children are ill-used
452
A SPIRITED CONTEST.
and cheated, Brigham Young," said she, quickly. "I
wonder how you would like to have one of your sons cut
off from the church, and treated in the manner in which you
have treated Gilbert."
" I should think it perfectly right if one of my boys had
done wrong and needed punishment." Yet it is well known
that there are no more unprincipled men in the Territory
than his eldest sons ; but there never have been the slightest
signs of their being disfellowshipped.
BRIGHAM'S STORMY INTERVIEW WITH MY MOTHER.
After a still more spirited contest with my mother, the
Prophet took his departure in a great rage, saying he
should see if " Gilbert would pay his Gentile debts in pref-
erence to paying the brethren."
AlHhis was forjhe_2urpose of influencing me, and I saw
that I must yield. There was nothing butruin in storg'for
usjt_j. persisted in my refusal. ^THjTloss ot property wa"5"-
by no meansso dreadful a tHjngto^ mvbrother -broujKru
to believe that there was no salvation outside oTMormonism
ONE LAST APPEAL. 453
as being cut off from the church and receiving the Prophet's
curse, and he was heart-broken at the prospect.
I made up my mind to make one last appeal myself to
Brigham Young, and see if I could not touch his heart and
induce him to resign his claims to me, and not to punish my
family because I could not bring myself to become his wife.
I was sure that I could move him. I would make myself
so humble, so pathetic, before him. I would do all I could
to serve him. I would never forget his kindness to me ;
but I could not marry him without bringing great unhappi-
ness upon myself. I should also fail to bring happiness or
comfort to him. I would be so eloquent that he could not
refuse to listen to me.
I went up to the city to visit a friend, quite determined to
make this appeal to him, but my courage failed me. Two
or three times I started to call to see him, but I would only
get in sight of his office, and turn back faint and trembling.
One day I saw him coming towards me in the street, and I
determined to screw up my courage and speak to him.
But when I reached him my tongue refused to speak the
words, and I only faltered out a common-place greeting.
All my eloquence was frozen under the chilling glance of
the steely-blue eyes, which had not a ray of sympathetic
warmth in them. No one who has ever been under his
peculiar influence but will understand me when I say that
in his presence I was powerless. My will refused to act,
and I went away from him, knowing that I never could say
to him what I felt.
I returned home, feeling, more than ever, that my doom 1
was fixed. My religion, my parents everything was
urging me on to my unhappy fate, an J I had grown so
that 1 i'elt it was easier to succumb aF
ight any longer. I began, too, to be super-
stitious about it ; I did not know but that I was fighting the
will of the Lord as well as the will of the Prophet, and that
nothing but disaster would come as long as I was so rebel-
454 No ALTERNATIVE I MUST YIELD.
lious. The thought struck me, in a sudden terror, " What
if God should take my children, to punish my rebellious
spirit?" It was agony. "Not my will, but thine," was my
heart-broken cry, more desperate than resigned, how-
ever, and I went to my mother and told her that I had
decided. I would become the wife of Brigham Young !
CHAPTER XXIX.
MY MARRIAGE WITH BRIGHAM YOUNG. HOW THE
OTHER WIVES RECEIVED ME.
The Prophet Rejoices at my Yielding. My Family Restored to Favor.
The Webbs Reconstructed. My Prophet- Lover Comes to See
Me. He Goes Courting " on the Sly," for Fear of Amelia. We
are Married Secretly in the Endowment-House. I am Sent Home
Again. Brigham Establishes Me in the City. Limited Plates and
Dishes. We Want a Little More Food. The Prophet's " Ration-
Day." How the Other Wives Received Me. Mrs. Amelia Doesn't
Like Me. How the Wives of the Prophet Worry and Scold Him.
The Prophet Breaks His Word. My Father Remembers the Thou-
sand Dollars.
Y acceptance of his suit
was carried to him at
once, and he was tri-
umphant, although he
did not show it, except
by an added suavity of
manner, and a dispo-
sition to make jokes,
which, of course, every-
one was expected to
laugh at as heartily as
he did himself.
My family were re-
stored to favor, although
my brother did not re-
ceive his money ; and
AMELIA TRIES TO KEEP ME OUT. everything "went merry
as a marriage-bell " for
everybody, except myself. I had promised to marry him, but
I was not resigned. I still fought against it, but the conflict
now was all internal. I did not dare admit anyone to my con-
45 MARRIED TO BRIGHAM YOUNG.
fidence, not even my mother. So I had to struggle alone
with my impending fate, all the time suffering the stings of
conscience as well ; for I thought I must be terribly wicked
to fight so hard against what was represented to me as the
direct will of God ; and, what was worse, I could not pray
for forgiveness, for I could not give up my feeling of des-
perate rebellion.
I had an early visit from my affianced husband, and dur-
ing that visit he told me his plans. We were to be married
very secretly, as, he said, he wished to keep the matter
quiet for a while, for fear of the United States' officials. I
found out afterwards, however, that it was fear of Amelia,
for she had raised a furious storm a few months before;
when, as I previously said, he married Mary Van Cott, to
whom, by the way, he was paying his addresses while he
was wooing me, and he did not dare so soon encounter an-
other such domestic tornado.
He was very anxious to have the affair over as soon as
possible ; so we were married the 7th of April, 1869, at the
Endowment-House. Heber C. Kimball performed the cere-
mony, and JL_^^s-4he_vvifieof the head of the Mormon
Church ;
ly powerful man, who_was the object of interest both in
America and Europe ; who was regarded with a strange,
curious interest by outsiders ; who was dreaded by his own
people, and who ruled them with an absolute sway. I little
thought into what publicity this new relationship would
bring me.
After the ceremony was over, Brigham took me back to
my mother's house, where I was to remain for the present,
until he should deem it prudent to let Amelia and the United
States government know that I was his wife. Before our
marriage, he had given me some very pretty dresses, and
a small sum of money, as a wedding-gift; but I never
got such a present again afterwards. After I had been his
wife three weeks, he made me his first call ; stayed a few
A PROPHETICAL HONEYMOON. 457
minutes, and then went away. A few days after, he came
and asked me to go to drive with him. I went, and he took
me round all the by-ways where he would see few or no
people, and where he thought there would be no danger
that Amelia would hear of it. He did not enjoy the drive
one bit, for he was in constant terror lest he should be dis-
covered. He was anxious and distrait; while I, on the
contrary, was in the highest spirits. I laughed and chatted,
and made myself as pleasant as possible. I could afford to
do it, for he was suffering all those torments for my sake,
and although he had no idea that I discovered his fears, I
did very readily, and was jubilant in proportion to his
misery. I didn't feel specially complimented, to be sure ;
but, as I did not desire his attentions, and was happier with-
out them, I did not allow my pride to receive a very severe
wound, but was exceedingly gracious to him, the more
nervous and absorbed he got.
I remained at home about a month, during which time,
he said, he was having a house prepared for me in the city.
I saw but little of him during that time, and sometimes I
would almost forget that he had any claim upon me. Then
I was happy indeed ; but the thought would force itself
through everything, and I would become saddened again.
During the year of struggle, I had lost my health again,
and I was by no means the light-hearted, bright-eyed
woman he had looked at so intently that memorable Sunday
at Cottonwood. I had grown thin and languid, and had
lost all interest in life, except in my children. I should not
have thought that I would have proved sufficiently attractive
to have made him persevere so in his determination to marry
me. But I believe that, at the last, he was influenced en-
tirely by pique and wilfulness. He would have his own
way, and, after that, it was little matter what came.
At last he came to me, and told me that he was ready for
me to move into the city, and invited my mother to come and
live with me an offer which she accepted, because she
458 POOR LIVING AND CHEAP CROCKERY.
did not wish to be separated from me, and not because she
had no home of her own, or wa.s at all dependent upon him
for support. He had wanted me to go to the Lion House to
live ; but on that point I was decided. I would stay at my
father's house, but I would not go there ; so he had made a
home for me in the city. Such a home as it was ! A little
house, the rent of which would have been extremely moder-
ate had it been a hired house, furnished plainly, even meanly,
when the position of the man whose wife was to occupy it
was considered. It was the very cheapest pine furniture
which could be bought in the city, and the crockery was
dishes that Brigham had left when he sold the Globe bakery.
There were very few of these, and they were in various
stages of dilapidation. My carpet was an old one, taken
from the Lion House parlor, all worn out in the centre,
and, it being a large room, I took the out edges and pieced
out enough to cover two rooms, and the other floors were
bare. I had no window curtains of any sort, and there
being no blinds to the house, I had to hang up sheets to
keep people from looking in.
I told him several times that I was insufficiently supplied ;
but for a long time he made some excuse or other for not
giving me more. At last he sent me a very few additional
ones ; so that, although there was still a lack of what I ac-
tually needed, I managed to get along by a great deal of
contriving.
We lived very sparely, even poorly, as did most of the
wives, except the favorite, and one or two others, who
asserted their rights to things, and got them after a great
deal of insisting. I could not insist, and so I got very little.
As I made little or no fuss, and rarely complained to him,
he took advantage of my quiet tongue, and imposed upon
me fearfully. He said, up to the very last of my living with
him, that I was the least troublesome of any wife he had
ever had ; and he should have added, the least expensive,
for he spent but very little money for me.
THE PROPHET'S "RATION-DAY!" 459
I began to find out, very soon, what a position a neg-
lected wife has, and my heart ached and longed for free-
dom. The thraldom was worse than I had fancied, for I
supposed that I should, at least, have had the comforts of
life, such as I had been accustomed to ; but I was disap-
pointed even in that. Then I felt that I was bound to this
kind of existence for life. Tkerejwas no escape from it. I
was shut in by every circumstance, as by a wall of ada-
mant, and the more I struggled to get free, the worse I
should be hurt. There was nothing to do but simply to
endure ; to die if 1 could,~to" live if IlnusU A pleasant
state- of rninrlj -ewrly, for? Lridr of fl 1'ew'mbnths.
Thu pi'iiiLipal iiiLat-wfardhrtre Turnished to us was pork ;
we had it on all occasions. Very rarely, indeed, we had a
piece of beef ; but months would elapse between his times of
sending it, and we got to look upon it as a very great
luxury. He had what he called "Ration-Day" once a
month, when the different families were given out their
allowance for the month. This allowance for each family
was five pounds of sugar, a pound of candles, a bar of soap,
and a box of matches. I found this entirely inadequate, and
so part of the time unheard-of liberality ! I was allowed
to draw sugar twice a month. Our bread we had from the
Prophet's bakery. Once in six months his clerk got a few
of the commonest necessaries of life, and each of us had a
few yards of calico, and a few yards of both bleached and
unbleached muslin.
I could not get anything else out of him, except by the
hardest labor, and the little that I got was given so grudg- 1
ingly that I hated myself for accepting it ; and many a
time I would have thrown the pitiful amount back in his
face, but stern necessity would compel me to accept the
money and overlook the insult. I can scarcely look back
to those times, now that I am so far beyond them, without a
lowering of my self-respect ; the hot blood tingles to the
very ends of my fingers as I recall the insults I receive^
460 TWO WIVES WHO WOULD NOT SPEAK TO ME.
from that man while I was his wife, an _^ ,the nttpr_power-
lessness of my situation, that would not let me resent
Wfren my marriage to him was known by the other
wives, as it was on my removal to the city, he took me to
the Lion House, to visit the family there. I was very
kindly received by most of them, Emmeline Free and Zina
Huntington being especially my friends. Two of them,
however, Eliza Burgess and Harriet Cook, would not
speak to me.
The latter had been a servant in my mother's family in
Nauvoo, and Brigham had, indeed, married her from our
house. She used to take care of me when I was a baby,
and she was so angry when she heard that Brigham had
married me, that she wished with all her heart that she
had choked me when she had a good chance ; that she
certainly would had she known what my future was to be.
Eliza Burgess, though not the first, and never a favorite
wife, used to be terribly exercised whenever Brigham added
another to the family. She would go about, crying bit-
terly, for days, and would sometimes shut herself up in her
room, refusing to see anyone. Her sorrow was the joke
of the family, since no member of it could see what reason
she had for indulging in it. She had but just got over
mourning his alliance with Mary Van Cott, when she was
called upon to grieve over his union with me. ____ ^
She knew me perfectly well, as she had been a^n inmate
of the Lion House for some years, and used to see me con-
stantly the winter I was at the theatre, and spent so much
of my time there ; but on the occasion of my first visit after
my marriage, she utterly ignored my presence, and would
neither look at me nor speak to me. Of course I noticed
it, and I knew the reason very well. I had no hard feel-
ings towards her, for I knew her suffering was genuine.
She got no attention from her husband, and her starved
heart cried out for the love that was lavished on others.
"THERE, MADAM!" 461
After I had gone, one of the wives Aunt Zina, I think
it was asked why she did not speak to Ann-Eliza.
w O," she said, "I will by-and-by, when I feel like it."
I was in and out several times, and yet Eliza preserved
the same demeanor towards me, until one morning she
astonished me by coming up abruptly and saying, " Good
morning."
I answered her greeting, and she went away as suddenly
as she came, but evidently quite satisfied with herself. She
" felt like it," I presume ; had grown more reconciled to my
position in the family ; and was willing to recognize me as
a member of it.
My first encounter with Amelia was somewhat amusing.
It happened not long after my marriage. She had not got
over her anger at her lord for taking Mary Van Cott, of
whom, by the way, she was terribly jealous, when fuel
was added to the fire of her fury by my introduction to the
world as another Mrs. Young. She was terribly bitter
towards us both, though I think she hated Mary with a
more deadly hatred than she felt for me. I think she con-
sidered Mary her most dangerous rival, but for all that she
was not drawn towards me at all. It was not that she
disliked me less, but Mary more.
j^vvas walking one da}r.^ith a friend, and we were on
our- way to the gardens which join the Prophet's residence,
which are, by the way, the very finest in the city. Amelia
'was just in front of us, and she evidently judged from our
conversation where we were going to. She kept just about
so far in front of us, taking no notice of me at all until she
reached the garden gate, when she went in, shut it with a
slam, and called out,
"There, madam ! I'd like to see you get in now."
I made no answer, but reaching through the gate, I
managed, with the assistance of my friend, to open the
gate and go in. We passed Amelia as she stood examining
a plant, and as we passed her we did not discontinue our
462 "WASN'T SHE JUST AWFUL?"
conversation, but kept on laughing merrily over some girl-
ish reminiscences which we had recalled while on the way.
In a few minutes more we heard her scolding the head-
gardener fearfully. As we returned, I stopped where the
old man was, and said,
"What is the matter, Mr. Leggett?"
"O," said he, "it is Mrs. Amelia. Did you hear her
scolding me just now? Wasn't she just awful? She's that
mad because you came in, that she had to let out on some-
body, and I suppose I came the handiest. But ain't she a
master hand to scold, though? Why, you'd ought to hear
her give it to me sometimes. I'm pretty well used to it, and
don't mind very much. It's some consolation to think that
Brother Brigham gets it worse than I do, and when he's
round, I'm safe."
Just once, after that, Amelia spoke to me. It is cus-
tomary, on Brother Brigham's birthday/ for the wives to
have a dinner in his house. It is held at the Lion House,
and all the family assemble to do honor to its head. At
one of these dinners Amelia sat directly opposite me, and
during the dessert she reached the cake-basket to me, and
with as freezing a tone and manner as she could assume,
asked,
"Will you have some cake?"
I declined, #nd that ended our conversation the last,
and indeed the only one I ever had with her, for the first
encounter could scarcely be called a " conversation," since
the talking was all on one side.
She was even ruder to Mary Van Cott than to me. One
day, while Brigham was furnishing Mary's house, he had
taken her up to the family store in his carriage, to select
some articles which she needed for her housekeeping.
They had finished making their selections, and were just
preparing to enter the carriage, when Amelia came sailing
down upon them. She took in the position of affairs at
once, and stepping directly between the Prophet and
HOW MRS. AMELIA RULES HER LORD !
4 6 3
Mary, elbowed them out of the way, got into the carriage,
slammed the door, and ordered the driver to carry her
home. The coachman hesitated a moment, looked at
Brother Brigham, who never said a word; then at Mary,
who was furious at the insult, but showed it only by her
flashing eyes and deepening color ; then back to Amelia,
who scowled at him, and repeated, "Home, I say," and
started off, leaving the two standing together. They
walked home, and Brother Brigham had a nice time after
it. Amelia treated him to a lecture longer and stronger
AMELIA'S DISPLAY OF TEMPER.
than usual, not sparing her rival in the least, but calling her
every sort of name she could think of that was not compli-
mentary in character, and threatening her recreant lord with
all sorts of torments if he went out with that w shameless
creature " again ; while Mary felt so outraged by Amelia's
act, 'and Brigham's cowardice in not resenting it, that he
was obliged to use all his Jincsse to appease her wrath.
This carriage episode reminds me of something that
4 6 4
WHAT THE PROPHETS WIVES ARE LIKE.
occurred in George Q^. Cannon's family. This family is
no more united than many others in Utah, and they have
occasional disputes among themselves, which are not al-
ways settled in the most amicable manner. At one time,
two of his wives wanted the carriage at once. They would
not use it together, and neither one would give up to the
other. In the struggle to get possession of it, a sort of free
fight ensued. Blows were exchanged, hair pulled, finger-
nails used indiscriminately, and one of the women lost off her
dress in the contest. I_think that the " apostolic " husband^
fails to mention these little domestic .scenes in Washington,
jwK^v^~^~ p ^T T f[TfRtipg therejjj^m-tb^be^'it^s of Mormon-
ism, and the_peace~~arntTjnityof the peopleTin the Territory.
1 must say tharguuh scenes of violenclTcKriiul. often occur"
in Brigham's family, as most of his wives feel the dignity
of their position too much to allow the world to see any
disagreement between them, even when it exists. There are
some very fine women among the Prophet's wives women
that, outside of Mormonism, would grace any social circle.
Educated, cultivated women, who by some strange circum-
stance have been drawn, first into the church, then into the
Prophet's harem. I think nothing better shows the peculiar
power which Brigham Young possesses, than a look at the
women who are and who have been his wives. Ignorant
as he is, coarse and vulgar _ajs_Ji-js. he hasat least suc-
ceeclecr~~m winning women of refinement, of delicate sensi-
bilitiesVas" wives ; and in. jnany cases it has been done'
without the slightest attempt at coercion on his part. He~
had the shrewdness to select such women, and the power
ne haTTjet-thrcr ability to augreciate them ;
and r~EavT no hesitation m saying, from my own experi-
ence with and knowledge of them, that more unhappy and
wretched women do not exist in the world, than the more
cultured* and delicate wives of Brigham Young. These
women are rarely his favorites, and it is a mystery why he
took them, unless it was that he might " add to his glory,"
and swell his kingdom.
HOW " OUR v HUSBAND " DIVIDED HIMSELF. 465
I was always treated very kindly by the other wives, with
one or two exceptions, and I have the pleasantest and kind-
est recollections of them all. Most of them I had known
from my childhood, and they were old and intimate friends
of my mother's ; and I have no doubt, had they dared to
have done so, they would have expressed open sympathy
for me in my trials, and I am sure in their hearts they
respect me for the step I have taken, and would like to find
a way of retreat for themselves if it were possible.
My husband called to see me at my new residence when-
ever he could find opportunity, which was not very often,
and he repeated the drive, which was no more comfortable
for him than the first one had been. I did not care es-
pecially about it, and was glad when I got home. With
the exception of those drives, I never went anywhere with
him alone ; for, with the exception of Amelia, and occasion-
ally Emmeline, which occasions constantly grew rarer,
he never went with only one wife, but took two or more.
The first winter that I was married to him, the Female
Relief Society, to which I then belonged, gave a ball, and
all the ladies were to invite the gentlemen. I ventured to
ask Brother Young. He was my husband, and whom else
should I invite? He accepted my invitation, apparently
with much pleasure, and arranged to call for me on the
appointed evening to take me to the hall. He was punctual
to his appointment, but when he arrived he was accom-
panied by another wife. I suppose he knew the fact of his
being at the ball would be reported to Amelia, and that she
would be very angry if he went with me alone. I was very"
much annoyed at the circumstance, and really a little hurt
that he could not take me somewhere just once without
someone else along. I said nothing, however, and was as
cordial to the other wife as I should have been had she
accompanied him at my express invitation.
I never learned to hate anything in m}' life as I did the
word " economy," while I was Brigham Young's wife. It
30
466 "CHILDREN SHOULD GO BAREFOOT."
was thrown at me constantly. I never asked for the small-
est necessary of life that I was not accused of extravagance
and a desire to ruin my husband, and advised to be more
economical. I had a mind to reply, several times, that I
did not see how I could be, without denying myself every-
thing, and literally going without anything to eat or to
wear. I held my tongue, however, and "possessed my
soul in patience." I was, in fact, a perfect Griselda ; and
my husband had got so used to such unquestioning obe-
dience and submission from me that I think he never was so
surprised in his life as he was when I rebelled. I am sure
he would have expected rebellion from any or all of his
wives sooner than from me. And I am quite sure that he
was no more surprised than I was.
Before our marriage he had professed a great interest in
my boys, and had promised to do many things for them. I
had counted very much on his assistance in training them,
but as soon as I was really married to him he seemed to
forget all his promises. He looked upon my children as
interlopers, and treated them as such. He scolded me for
spending so much time and money on them; he would
allow them to wear only clothes of home-spun cloth, and
gave them each one hat and one coarse, heavy pair of shoes
a year. When they needed more I had to contrive some
way to get them myself; the first time I ever asked him for
shoes, he said, "They didn't need shoes; children ought
always to go barefoot ; they were healthier for it ; " and yet
I noticed that none of his own children were compelled to
do so. I did not allow mine to do so, either, and I am in-
debted to my father for many things to make me and the
children comfortable, and the shoes that Brigham " couldn't
afford " to buy were among them. Had I been alone, I
probably should never have told my parents of my po-
sition ; utn_mQther _jmMw-jwjth_pie t an(l^hesa^w_these______
Prophet-with purpose ; yj^_strange
akeherfaith in herreligion. l^Ee
HE DIDN'T FORGET THE THOUSAND DOLLARS. 467
admitted that she could not understand his behavior, and
yet she counselled patience, thinking that in some way
things would come right some time. I had not so much
faith about the " coming right," so far as I was concerned, but
I had not then begun to doubt my religion. My father had
no faith at all ; for he remembered the one thousand dollars
a year, not a cent of which had been seen at the end of my
first year as his wife. Yet no one of us dared at that time
to question the Prophet's action, although we were all in-
dignant at his breach of faith. ,
We found afterwards that the promise he made my father
regarding the "settlement" was the standard promise which
he made to all his wives before he married them, and the
fulfilment was, in most cases, the same.
CHAPTER -XXX.
THE PROPHET'S FAMILY CIRCLE. HIS WIVES AND
CHILDREN.
The Prophet Marries his First and Legal Wife. How she lives, and
how Brigham has treated Her. The Prophet's Eldest Son. The
Story of his Life. His Wives and Families. Mary and Maggie.
The Favorite Wife, Clara. Young " Briggy " and his Expectations.
What the Saints think of Him. His Domestic Joys. How he visited
me when Sick, and Scolded the old Gentleman. Brigham and " Briggy "
make love to Lizzie. Briggy Wins. " John W." He neglects his
" Kingdom." " Won by the Third Wife." The Story of Lucy C.
The Prophet's Daughters. Alice and Luna. Miss Alice's Flirtations.
Sweet language between Father and Daughter. Tragic death of
Alice Clawson.
RIGHAM'S very first
wife is not living ;
she died some time
before he became a
Mormon, and before
his marriage to Ma-
ry-Ann Angell, his
present legal wife.
He was quite young
when he married
first, and was a sort
of preacher among
the Methodists, and
by preaching, beg-
ging, and occasion-
ally working at his
trade as glazier, or as
a day-laborer at farming, he managed to pick up a very
scanty living for himself and his wife, whose name was
Miriam Works. My great grandfather, Gilbert Weed,
married them in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, near
INSULTED BY HER FATHER.
A RATHER OLD w BOY ! " 469
which place they lived for some years. Mv grandfather
usedtoassert that Brigham was the laziest man that ever
lived, ano'that he would noT do any work so long as he
cu irttr live without it. As may be imagined, his family
Wer'e not in the most comfortable circumstances in the
world, and poor Mrs. Young had by no means the easiest
time. She died quite early, and the gossips' verdict was,
"Died of discouragement." She left two daughters, both
of whom are still living, and both are in polygamy. Eliz-
abeth, the elder, is the first wife of Edmund Ellsworth ;
there are three wives besides her. The second daughter,
Vilate, is the first wife of Charley Decker, who has two
plural wives since he married Vilate. These girls, with
their husbands, were among the very first of the Saints to
arrive in the Valley.
Brigham was married to his first living and only legal
wife, Mary- Ann Angell, in Kirtland, Ohio, in the year
1834. She is a native of New York State, and is still a
pleasant, rather good-looking woman, though much sad-
dened by the neglect of her husband, who rarely, if ever,
visits her, and lately by the tragic death of her eldest
daughter, and the still more recent death of her eldest son,
Joseph A. Young, which has broken her very much. She
is 3Vrvn*_j2ip ^g^ of frer hijsfrand. nearly seventy-three, and
consequently is counted an old lady, while he is, according
to Mormon theory, "a boy." Her mind is somewhat
clouded, and this, like her sadness, is caused by the decline
of her husband's affections, of whom she is very fond.
She has been entirely devoted to him, and gave him as
honest love when she married him, long before there was
the slightest prospect of his ever occupying the position he
holds now, as she has ever felt for him since his elevation
to be the leader of the Mormon people ; and she is repaid
as it might be expected she would be, after listening to one
of her husband's sermons to the women of his church.
Said he, on one occasion, when he felt called upon to
470 BRIGHAM'S OPINION OF THE OLD WOMEN !
reprimand the complaining sisters, " The old women come
snivelling around me, saying, ' I have lived with my hus-
band thirty years, and it is hard 'to give him up now.' If
you have had your husbands that length of time, it is long
enough, and you ought to be willing to give them to other
women, or give other women to them ; you have no busi-
ness with your husbands, and you are disobeying God's
commands to live with them when you are old." He cer-
tainly sees to it that his wife does not " disobey God^s cornF"
manfis" which, from his^blasphemous lips, means__sjmply
his own inclinations. She has moved about to suit her
husband's" caprice, just as he has chosen to move. They
lived first of all in the old white house on the hill, not very
far from where the Prophet's buildings now stand. When
the Bee-Hive was finished she lived there, but as the num-
ber of plural wives increased, she was moved back again
to the old house, to make room in the other building for
the new-comers. She lived there until quite recently, when
her husband had her removed to the old school-house be-
hind the Bee-Hive, a dilapidated, cheerless place, not
nearly so good as the house she has left. It is, indeed,
little better than a barn, and is furnished very scantily.
There she lives, and there she will probably remain until
her death, unless some of her children see that she is better
cared for.
She took no more kindly to polygamy than did any other of
the Mormon women ; but she was among the very earliest
sufferers. I have known her all my life ; she lived in the next
house to where I was born, in Nauvoo, and I used to visit at
her house, with Alice Clawson, when I was engaged at the
Prophet's theatre. She was always very kind to me, and I
have had for her a real regard and sympathy, which in-
creased after I became a member of her husband's family.
She is a very reticent woman, neither invites nor gives con-
fidence, has few intimate friends, and visits but little. _JHer_
hair is iron-gray ; her eyes intensely sad ; herface wears an
THE PROPHETS FIRST-BORN.
471
habitually-melancholy expression, with a touch of bitterness
about the mouth; ana she is rather tall in figure/Her
husband's wives regard her very differently, but most ot~
tf eat Ti'er withresect. She has had five children
JOSEPH A. YOUNG.
^
Joseph A., Brigham, Jr., Alice, Luna, and John W.-
Joseph A., commonly
called "Joe," who died dur-
ing the past summer, was
well known throughout the
Territory, and was by no
means particularly respect-
ed. He was very dissipa-
ted, and indulged in nearly
every kind of vice. He has
been what is called a w fast
young man," and was sent
to Europe on a mission to
cure him, if possible, of his
bad habits ; but it scarcely had the desired effect, for he came
home as wild as ever. He'was in my father's " Conference "
in England, and behaved himself quite well there, although
there was an unpleasant scandal about him while there, which
has been before alluded to. In business matters he was as
shrewd and as unprincipled as his father, and managed, with
the assistance of the latter, to accumulate a large amount of
property. Ambitious as his father is for his sons, he never
dared to do anything which should advance "Joe " in the
church, for he knew very well that the people would not
tolerate it for an instant, for his eldest son was by no means
a favorite among the Saints. He, of course, held church
offices, but he would never have been any higher in author-
ity, and certainly would never have succeeded his father as
Head of the Church, even though he was the eldest son.
He was a professed polygamist, although, strictly speak-
ing, he was a monogamist; for although he had three
wives, he only lived with one. His first wife, Mary, called,
\
472 "MARY JOE" AND "ENGLISH MAGGIE."
to distinguish her, "Mary Joe," has several children, but
neither she nor they were troubled much with Joseph's
attention. She is an independent, high-spirited woman,
and would not show in the least that she was troubled by
his neglect. She goes about her business in a matter-of-
fact way, and shows that she is able to take care of herself,
as she succeeded in making her husband furnish the means
to support herself and her children, whether he was willing
to or not. She used to say that she could herself earn a
comfortable living for them all, but so long as she had a
husband who was able to do it, she would not do it, and
she did not.
She is a decided contrast to poor little English Maggie,
his second wife, who is in delicate health, unable to take
care of herself and her child,
and who is fretting herself
into her grave for the husband
whom she loved so dearly,
but who was so utterly unwor-
thy of such devotion. She
and her child live in a poor
little room, shabbily furnish-
ed, and her husband never
visited her. She is allowed
the merest pittance on which
to live, but the sum is so pit-
MAGG.E YOUNG. jf u lly sma H tna t it doCS not
[Joseph A.'s Discarded Wife.] * ,/.,./,
supply even the needs of life,
and the little woman suffers for them sometimes. She is
a patient creature, never complaining of her lot ; used never
to reproach her husband ; just living on and bearing her
burdens as best she might; hoping for nothing in this
world, but trusting that somehow the things that are so
wrong here may be put straight hereafter.
Dear, patient, gentle, loving " Maggie Joe ! " My heart
goes out to her with a pitying tenderness, and I only wish
CLARA STENHOUSE YOUNG. 473
it was in my power to put some happiness into her desolate
life. I suppose she thinks of me as pityingly as I do of her,
thinking that my feet have strayed into dangerous places,
and that my soul is lost for ever by my action. he is one
of the many martyrs to polygamy and a false religion.*"-
The merry-eyed., round-faced, gay-hearted girl, that came
among the Saints so ffiw yp^ra ag"> r anr| w^ wnn by the
attractive young elder, is little like the sad-eyed, haggard
woman, the broken-hearted, deserted wife I wonder if
Joe Young's heart ever smote him as he looked at her, and
saw the wreck that he had made. His third wife, Thalia
Grant7~he neglected so entirely, that she left him in dis-
gust.
His fourth wife, Clara Stenhouse, was so fortunate as to
be the favorite. He was devoted to her exclusively, and
she was delighted because she had succeeded in inducing
" Joe " to renounce polygamy to this extent : he lived with
her, to the exclusion of all his other waives, and promised
that he would never take another. He said that she
was the, only one he ever really loved, although he had
been much attracted by the other two. Still, her life with
him was not always smooth sailing ; for when he was in-
toxicated, which sometimes happened even to this son of
a Prophet, he was rather abusive, though by no means
so much to her as he was to the two others. Once,
however, he forgot himself so far as to chase her about the
house, and point a pistol at her. She immediately left him,
and returned to her father's house. When he recovered,
and found she had gone, he was deeply penitent, and he
went for her at once. At first she refused to return with
him, but he was so full of remorse, and begged so hard,
and promised so fairly, that she relented and went. I think
he never repeated the occurrence.
Clara had everything that she could desire ; a nice house
finely furnished, carriage, jewels, elegant clothes, and not
a wish that she expressed but was instantly gratified. A
474
YOUNG " BRIGGY !
contrast, indeed, to poor little Maggie, living in want,
dying for lack of care, and starving, body and soul alike,
for sufficient food and for the ' love which another woman
won from her, just as she won that same husband's love
from Mary.
Just now Brigham, Jr., or " Briggy," as he is familiarly
termed among the Saints, is the most conspicuous member
of the Prophet's family, as it is well known that Brigham
Young intends that he shall be his successor. He is taken
everywhere by his father, who
seems determined that the
Saints shall not lose sight of
him ; and he already " assists "
^10 dSffffircutjneetings, and his
B^weak voice^is .ojten heard
piping
and
Order of Enoch," and other
" BRIGGY."
[The Prophet's Successor.]
of the elder Brigham's pet in-
stitutions. He apes his father
in manner, and, as nearly as he
can, in matter, and his parent
is quite proud of him. There
was some murmuring among the Saints when Brigham's
intentions towards him were first known to them, but they
say very little now, but he and his father both know they
are opposed to him. I think there would have been open
rebellion if either of the other sons, especially Joe, had been
thought of as the future ruler.
" Briggy " is not so quick and bright as either of the
others, nor so well qualified for taking care of himself
without the assistance of the tithing-office and other church
perquisites ; but he is infinitely better-hearted, kindlier in
impulse, and is the most popular of them, although that is
not according him a very high place in public estimation.
He has been "on a mission," and had his " little fling" be-
fore he settled down to the dignity of his present position.
SCOLDING THE OLD GENTLEMAN. 475
As he is such a preacher of polygamy, he also practices
it, and is the husband of three wives, of whom the third is
the favorite. Their names are Kate Spencer, Jane Car-
rington, and Lizzie Fenton. He does not abuse his wives
as Joseph A. does, and although the first two have occasion
to complain of neglect, since he is completely tied to Lizzie's
side just now, yet he does not allow them to want, but sees
that they have what they need to make life comfortable. I
think he has more feeling for the physical suffering, at least,
of women, than his father, or either of his brothers has. I
know once, while I was Brigham's wife, when I was very
ill, he came to see me, and was shocked at the condi-
tion in which he found me. I had sent several times to my
husband, telling how ill I was, and asking for things which
I really needed ; and no attention had been paid to my
requests, and he had not seen fit to come near me. -He re-_
sented my illness as a personal wrong done to himself; and
when told by a friend of mine, a little before this visit from
Briggy, he had remarked, "That's the way with women ;
the minute I marry 'em they get sick to shirk work." That
is the sympathy he always shows to a woman who is ill.
When "Briggy" learned how I was neglected, he went at
once for his father on my behalf, although I had not the
slightest idea of his intention. He found his father break-
fasting at the Bee-Hive House ; and, before several of the
wives, he burst out,
" Father, I think it is shameful, the way you are treating
Ann-Eliza. She is fearfully sick, and if you don't have
something done for her, she'll die on your hands. I've been
down to see her, and I know."
The old gentleman didn't say anything, and "Briggy"
turned on his heel and left the room. That day I received
a portion of the things for which I had sent so many days
before. I was quite at a loss to know why they had come
so suddenly, and it remained a mystery to me until, some
time after, Lucy Decker told me about " Briggy's " attack
476 RIVAL LOVERS. BRIGHAM AND M BRIGGY ! "
on his father. She said that, although they were frightened
at the fellow's temerity, they delighted in his spunk, and had
liked him better ever since. I have been grateful to him
ever since I knew of that occurrence, and found that he had
constituted himself my champion.
Lizzie, Briggy's third wife, is a native of Philadelphia,
and she came to Utah with John W. and Libbie, Johnny's
third wife. She was a fine-looking girl, tall and rather
large, with a bright, intelligent face, and vivacious, fascina-
ting manners. Both old Brigham and young Brigham were
smitten with her at once, and commenced paying her the
most marked attentions, and for a long time a fierce rivalry
existed between the father and son. Lizzie lived with Mrs.
Wilkison before her marriage, and her courtship by Brig-
ham and Briggy was very funny, and quite exciting to the
lookers-on, who were anxious to see whether youth or ex-
perience would win.
First the old gentleman would come, driving down in
fine style with his spanking team ; then Briggy would come,
rather on the sly, and spend the remainder of the day, after
his parent was well out of the way. He always seemed
bent on having the last word, and, finally, he won the young
lady. This double courtship went on for several months,
much to the delight of the spectators, whose sympathies
were, for the most part, with Briggy, and who were de-
lighted when the young fellow won.
Lizzie has two children^ and is the favorite wife ; but she
is very unhappy^ .a^-4iai^xiCte^..hea^r^ her_say^ She has
seen other "favorite" wives neglected for another, and al-
though her husband certainly has as yet given her no rea-
son to doubt his affection for and his fidelity to her, yet
even he may be tempted from her side. I have not so much
sympathy for her, however, as I have for those poor girls ~
\vho are educated in Monnonism, and know nothing else,
(or she, was anEastern born and educated girl, and entered
polygamy with her'eyes openT
THE PROPHETS APOSTATE SON.
477
JOHN W. YOCNG.
John W. is the third son and the youngest child of Mary
Ann Angell. He is the best looking of the three, has the best
address, and has seen the most of the world ; for although
he has never been sent on a mission, he has been East a
great deal, and has been more
in contact with the outside,
Gentile world, than any of the
others. If any Eastern busi-
ness is to be done, requiring
the presence of some person
from Utah, Johnny is always
the one to go. He is a shrewd
business fellow, with more
finesse than Joe., and a great
deal of tact, which makes him
very successful. He passes
for quite a good fellow among
those who meet him casually,
and I found him quite well known among the newspaper
fraternity when I came East. One reporter, whom I met,
told me that John W. had offered him money to keep his
name before the public while he was here ; and told the
same man that I was a poor, weak creature that would
never amount to anything. It was, probably, a desire that
the " royal blood of Young " should be honored ; and as
that blood coursed through his veins, the honor to the sire
would be honor to the son.
Johnny is not an enthusiastic Mormon, by any means,
and I am quite sure if he were anybody's son but Brigham's,
he would be regarded with suspicion as an " apostate ; " but
he is "President of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion," and
his belief is never questioned by his father. I think he
holds to the church because he finds it a good thing ; but
if Brigham were to die, and Briggy to fail in the succession,
I don't think he would stick by it long. Its emoluments are
convenient ; with its doctrines and beliefs he has no sym-
pathy ; indeed, I fancy he is totally indifferent to them.
47$ TEALING A COUSIN'S HUSBAND.
Like all the rest, he has embraced polygamy, but has been
for some time 'a monogamist. Like the other two brothers,
also, he has been won by the third wife, who holds him entirely
now. He says openly that she is the only woman that he ever
loved ; that he married the others to please his father, who
was quite anxious for him to " build up a kingdom." He
does not hesitate to declare the " kingdom business a hum-
bug," and prefers the society of his third, whom he now
considers his only lawful wife, to that of either or both
the others. The first wife, Lucy Canfield, has several
children, and she is the cousin of his third wife. She is a
spirited woman, like Joseph A.'s first wife, and when she
found that her husband did not love her, and had said that
he did not, she made no fuss about it, but quietly took her
children, went away, and as speedily as possible was di-
vorced from Johnny, saying she would not be any man's
wife by simple toleration.
The second wife, Clara Jones, cries her eyes out over
her husband's defection, but will not be induced to leave
him. He supports her, I believe, but never sees her,
and says he shall never live with her again. She really
loved the graceless, handsome fellow, and will be called by
his name, and be his wife, even if she cannot have his
attention.
Johnny met his third wife in Philadelphia, while on a visit
there to his first wife's relatives. She was a very pleas-
ing woman, and he an attractive fellow, and they fell in
love with each other. She knew very well his matrimonial
situation, but that did not deter her from accepting his atten-
tions, nor from accompanying him to Utah under promise
of becoming his wife upon their arrival. He was to discard
his other wives, and be true to her. She did not seem to
think that she was betraying her cousin, and bringing
misery to her ; she only thought of herself, and the gratifi-
cation of her own ambition ; for, apart from her love for
Johnny, which I have no doubt was genuine, she knew very
SHE WOULDN T KISS !
479
well that she should gain wealth, at least', as the wife of one
of Brigham Young's sons. She and Lizzie Fenton came,
and as soon as possible she was united to Johnny.
It took the latter some time to arrange his matrimonial
affairs successfully, and occasionally a " scene " would
occur in this somewhat divided family. She had been
married but one week when Johnny first met her ; but
as Gentile marriages are " null and void " under the
Saintly rule, her conversion to Mormonism divorced her
at once, at least from the Mormon point of view,
and rendered her per-
fectly at liberty to go to
Utah with Johnny, who
was also, by the Mor-
mon law, justified in
taking her.
After they were mar-
ried, Johnny placed her,
for the time, in the house
with his other wives, and
they submitted to her
presence with all the pa-
tience of good Mormon
women. It required but
a very short time, how-
ever, for them to dis-
cover that the last was Lucy REBKLUOUS _
the only wife he cared
to recognize ; in fact, he nearly-ignored the existence of all,
exceptjiis " dear Libbie," and he felt it an imperative Huty
to see that she was treated with the utmost deference by the
otnerjwives. Une night, as he and Libbie were aboutT
withdrawing from the family circle to their own room, he
insisted that his first and second wives should, on bidding
Libbie " good night," kiss her. And when Lucy declined
to comply with his request, he became very much exas-
4 8o
THE DAUGHTER OF A PROPHET.
perated, and threatened to shut her up in some dark closet,
as is sometimes done with disobedient children, unless she
would obey him. Johnny felt
that he must not compromise
his dignity by yielding the
point, and such rebellion must
not go unpunished. And, as
she still remained obstinate, he
put his threats into execution.
She remained in her prison
until she feared to be longer
away from her children, and
was forced to yield to his
wishes, and kiss Libbie good
night.
It was not long after that
when Lucy left him, and sought a divorce, which Johnny's
father readily granted.
The only acknowledged Mrs. John W. Young lives in
elegant style, accompanies her husband on all his Eastern
trips, and makes herself, by_dress a^^therwise^^as^attrac-
KISSING LIBBIE GOOD NIGHT.
the-.Qlhers, that she only holds him so long as she shall
prpAZ more fascinating than any other woman.
Alice Clawson was theTbest known oi any^of Brigham's
daughters. She was the elder of Mary-Ann Angell's girls,
and was for many years a leading actress at the Salt Lake
theatre. She had no special dramatic talent, but she was a
good worker, and so succeeded quite well in her profession.
Being Brigham's daughter also gavd her a decided prestige,
and she never made her appearance but what she was
warmly applauded. She was quite pretty, being rather
small and slight, with blue eyes and fair hair, and had all
her father's ambition.
She was quite a favorite with gentlemen, and had several
little " affairs " before she was safely married to Hiram B.
ALICE AND HER LOVERS. 481
Clawson, who was, at the time of her marriage with
him, her father's confidential clerk, and the stage man-
ager and " leading man " at the theatre where she was en-
gaged.
In 1851 a Mr. Tobin visited Salt Lake, and fell a victim
to Miss Alice's charms, and was engaged to her. Soon
after their engagement, he went away, and did not return
until 1856. While he was away she flirted quite des-
perately with another young gentleman, and was reported
engaged to him ; but her father sent him off to convert the
Sandwich Islanders, and took him out of the reach of Miss
Alice's charms.
Soon after Mr. Tobin's return, the engagement between
them was broken, and her father's ire was so great against
him that he was obliged to leave Salt Lake City. He and
his party were followed, and while they were in camp on
the Santa Clara River, three hundred and seventy miles
south of Salt Lake, they were attacked, and narrowly
escaped with their lives, leaving all their baggage behind
them, and having six horses shot. Some of the party
were wounded, but fortunately all escaped. I met Mr.
Tobin in Omaha, and he gave me an account of the whole
affair.
He broke his engagement because he was displeased with
her for flirting. It was not long after this before she mar-
ried Clawson, who was the husband of two wives, but
still aspired to the hand of Alice, which the Prophet was
much opposed to ; but Alice would have him in spite of
her father. Some years after he married one of her half-
sisters.
Theoretically she was a polygamist ; practically she hated
it, and I know that her married life was very unhappy.
She had several children, but was not called a very good
mother.
The circumstances of her death, which occurred a few
months since, are sad in the extreme.
31 '
482
FOUND DEAD !
She was in the street, one day, and met her father, who
happened to be in one of
his ill-humors, and was only
waiting for some one to vent
it on. Alice, unluckily, was
the victim. She was always
very fond of dress, and was
inclined to be somewhat
"loud" in her style. She
was dressed, this day, to
pay some visits, - and was
finer than usual. Her fa-
ther looked at her from head
to foot, then said, in the most
MRS. ALICE YOUNG CLAWSON. contemptuous manner which
he could assume,
nWI hpqvens. Alice ! What are you rigged outin that
style for? ^You look li^jijjrjisjitute."
She faced him with an expression so like his own that it
was absolutely startling, and, with terrible intensity, re-
plied,
"Well, what else am I? And whose teachings have
made me sor"
passed on, leaving him standing gazing after her
in surprise. Not long after, she was found dead in her
bed, with a bottle, labelled " poison," by her bedside.
Tired of life, she had thrown it carelessly aside, for it was
of little worth to her. Neither husband nor father was
miirjTjrgjnfViHn-ghp^ with her mntliei__ before hei',-&-ia,
tiowonder that she did not wish to live to grow old.
"""It has been said that at one time sHefwalT greatly in her
father's confidence, and that she has assisted many a scheme
which served to enrich her father, who used her to advance
his own interests, without regard to her youth or sex. Of
the truth of this I have no means of knowing, but as far as
SELF-WILLED LUNA. 483
I had any experience with her, she was an amiable, kind-
hearted woman, ambitious and proud, and a strong hater
of the polygamic life which she was forced to lead.
Luna Young was a bright, gay girl, the pet and the rul-
ing power of her mother's house. She is very pretty, and
extremely imperious. She is blonde, like Alice, but by far
the more beautiful and self-willecl. She has all her father's
strength of purpose, and the two strong wills used* often to
clash, and it was rarely that hers was subdued. Her fa-
ther found her the most difficult of all the girls to manage,
and yet- he seemed more fond of her than of her more
yielding and obedient sister.
She is a plural wife of George Thatcher, and endures,
although she by no means loves, polygamy.
The children of Mrs. Angell Young are better known to
the world than any of the others, and of these five, the
ones that the public are most familiar with are John W.
and Alice, both of whom seem very widely known by rep-
utation ; John W. from his constant contact with the Gen-
tiles, and Alice from the position which she so long held in
the theatre, and which brought her so constantly before the
public for so many years.
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE WIVES OF THE PROPHET. BROTHER BRIGHAM'S
DOMESTIC TROUBLES.
The Wives of the Prophet. Lucy Decker. A Mysterious Disappear-
ance. Lucy's Boys. Brigham's Wife Clara. Her Busy House-
hold Work. About the Girls. Harriet Cook. She Expresses Un-
pleasant Opinions. Brigham is frightened of Her. He Keeps out
of the Way. Amelia and the Sweetmeats. How one of Brigham's
Daughters scandalized the Saints. How Mrs. Twiss Manages the
Prophet's House. The Work a Woman can Do. Martha Bowker
and her silent Work. Sweet and saintly doings of the Prophet.
Concerning Harriet Barney. The Wife who " Served Seven Years "
for a Husband. Another English Wife of the Prophet. The
" Young Widow of Nauvoo."
UCY DECKER was the
wife of Isaac Seeley,
and had two children
before she became a
convert to Mormonism,
and removed to Nau-
voo. The husband had
been esteemed a fine
young man, and to all
appearances they were
living quite harmoni-
ously, when Brigham
saw her, and fell in
love with her. He soon
persuaded her that See-
SHRVING UKIGHAM . , , . i
D AMEL, A. ley could never give her
an " exaltation " in the
eternal world; but that, if she would permit him, he
would secure her salvation, and make her a queen in the
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. 485
"first resurrection." She was bewildered by the promises,
and consented to become " sealed " to him secretly.
In some way or other, Seeley found out the true state of
affairs, and was exceedingly indignant, and made some
very unpleasant threats of vengeance against Brigham
Young for breaking up his family. Brigham at once com-
menced endeavoring to turn the tide of public opinion
against him, by resorting to his always ready weapon, his
tongue, and insinuating things against him ; among others,
he took care that the impression should get abroad that he
had threatened to kill his wife. These reports gained little
credence among those who knew him well; yet Brigham,
with Joseph to help him, was sure to succeed in his efforts
to ruin the man, or to drive him away, so that he should
no longer stand in his light, and Seeley suddenly disap-
peared.
All sorts of rumors were afloat respecting his disappear-
ance ; some said he was driven from Nauvoo at the point
of the knife ; others said he was dead ; others, that he left
voluntarily, disgusted with the entire proceedings ; at all
events, he has never appeared to interfere with his wife's
later domestic arrangements.
Lucy lives in the * Bee Hive," which is supposed to be
Brigham's own particular residence, at least his private
office and own sleeping-room are there, and he takes his
meals there except his dinner. She has always had the
charge of this house, and has always been quite highly
valued by her husband on account of her numerous domes-
tic virtues, for she is a superior housekeeper, and even
Brigham finds great difficulty in getting a good opportunity
to find fault with her. It has been Brigham's custom always
to keep the " Bee Hive " for his exclusive use, and none of
his wives were allowed there, except Lucy Decker, who
had^the charge. But after he married Amelia, before her
house was finished, he brought her to board there with
him, contrary to all precedent; and Lucy Decker was not
4 86
IT SAVES THE WAGES ! "
only obliged to cook for them, but to wait upon them at
the table, in the capacity of a servant, and Amelia never
recognized her in any other way, never speaking to her as
an equal, but ordering her about at her caprice, and the
husband allowed it. But then it is no uncommon thing in
marry a woman for a servant ; it is more
economical than to hire them, it saves tne "wages.
WEen^TCucy Decker's sons, Brigham's children, grew up,
they accepted mercantile situations, as he expects all to
work, which is certainly all right; but they were not al-
lowed to stay with their mother without paying him the
same amount for board that they would have to pay else-
where. A married daughter is also allowed to remain with
her mother under the same conditions.
She is a short, fleshy woman, with a pleasant, small-
featured face, dark eyes and hair, and as practical and
matter-of-fact in manner as you please.
She has seven children Brigham-Heber, Fanny, Ernest,
Arthur, Mira, Feramorz, and Clara. Fanny is the plural
wife of George Thatcher, who also numbers her half sister,
Luna, among his wives. Heber and Ernest are both mar-
ried, but have, as yet, but one wife each. They do not
seem in a hurry to add to their kingdom.
Clara Decker is the young-
er sister of Lucy, and was
" sealed " to Brigham at the
same time. She is a very
intelligent, prepossessing wo-
man, and for some time
was quite a favorite with her
husband. Like her sister, she
is short and stout ; but she
has a very sweet, benevo-
lent face, which truly mirrors
/S^v^^ ^P ker character. She is an in-
DECKER. defatigable, but a quiet work-
WIFELY SORROWS IN THE PROPHET'S MANSION. 487
er, and the good she does, not only in the Prophet's
household, but out of it, cannot be estimated. In spite of
her multitudinous home cares, she finds time to visit the
sick and comfort the afflicted, and there is no woman more
universally beloved than she.
She has been of great service to her husband in assisting
him in the management of his large family, and in addi-
tion to her own family of children, she has the care of
Margaret Alley's. She has been as tender and kind to them
as to her own, and since their own mother's sad death they
have received an untiring and affectionate maternal care
from her. When her husband has taken a new wife, she
has often been applied to to assist him in preparing the
housekeeping outfit, which she always does willingly and
cheerfully, never manifesting the least jealousy, nor making
herself disagreeable in any way. Her griefs she keeps to
herself, and gives a kindly, cheery countenance to her
family and the world.
She has long since lost all love for her husband, and
although she retains her faith in the underlying principles
of her religion, is by no means so blinded by bigotry as
not to see its faults. She expresses her opinions rarely,
but when she does, they are given decisively, and her hus-
band is not at a loss to understand her meaning. He has
a high regard for her services, and I really believe accords
her more respect than he does most women. She never
appears in public with him, being always ton
gaged " at home. - __~' ,
ISo one can Icnow Clara Decker without loving her ; she^
has a nature that wins affection spontaneously, and that
holds it after it is won. She has three children, all girls
Nettie, Nabbie, and Lulu. Nettie is married to Henry
Snell, and is the only wife. Clara and her children are
inmates of the Lion House. She has more room than the
othe'rs, as her family numbers so many members.
The third "wife in plurality " was Harriet Cook, to whom
Of,
488 BRIGHAM'S TROUBLESOME WIFE.
the Prophet was sealed at Nauvoo before the church left
that place for the west. She was at that time rather a
good-looking girl, tall and fair, with blue eyes, but with a
sharp nose, that so plainly bespoke her disposition that no
one was surprised to hear, not very long after her mar-
riage, that her husband had found he had " caught a Tartar."
She was in my mother's employ at Nauvoo, and I think
there is where the Prophet became enamoured of hen She
does not hesitate to say that " Mormonism, polygamy, and"
/?Ke whole of it, is a humbug, aricT may go to the devil" "Tor
~all her?* Her husband neveT~attempts to "argtlfi Hiiy Lheo-
logicaTqntstion with her, but gets out of the way as speedily
as possible, letting her abuse religion and him as much as
she pleases behind his back.
Brigham, finding her so ungovernable, and being quite
unable to exact submission or obedience from her, refused
to live with her ; and, although she still lives at the " Lion
House " with the other wives, avoids her as studiously as
possible, and will not even notice her, unless positively
compelled to do so.
She has one son, Oscar, whom his father calls a repro-
bate, and has entirely disowned ; a wild, headstrong, unruly
fellow, now nearly thirty years of age. He speaks of his,
father rr^jJnHj" find "thpjnld map," Qr>/ Tnpfnry expresses
his disgust at his hyprocrisy and meanness, which he sees
through very clearly7~ He~js_rip rnore afraid to speak his
mindjHan his_mother, of whose tonguejciot only Brigham,
Tnit the ^>ther wives, stand in dread ; and when she com-
mences battle they act on the principle that " discretion is
the better part of valor," and leave the field to her.
The son has been married, but his wife has left him.
A few years ago Brigham bought a house at St. George,
quite an important Mormon settlement, four hundred miles
south of Salt Lake City, intending to settle some one of his
wives there. He asked me if I would go, but I declined.
He then proposed to one or two others, but they had no
THE HOUSEKEEPER AT ST. GEORGE. 489
more of a mind to go than I had. Lucy Bigelow at last
decided to try St. George as a residence, and she has re-
mained there ever since. Lucy was married to him when
she was very young, and she has been one of the w Society"
wives in the past. She was exceedingly pretty, quite enter-
taining, and a very graceful dancer. She is not very tall,
but has quite a pretty figure, brown hair, blue eyes, and an
exceedingly pretty mouth.
Her position as housekeeper at St. George has been no
sinecure, .for Brigham and Amelia have been in the habit
of passing a portion, at least, of the winter there, and Lucy
Bigelow's position there has been very much what Lucy
Deckers was at the Bee Hive, that of servitor, entirely.
When Brigham comes she receives no more attention than
a housekeeper would ; and no one, ignorant of the fact,
would ever imagine she had held towards him the position
of wife. She does not sit at the table with them, but cooks
for them, and looks after their comfort generally.
She is quite a prudent housekeeper, and every year puts
up a large quantity of preserves, which Amelia and her
party being very fond of, would speedily put out of the way ;
and when the presidential visits were ended, poor Lucy
would have no sweetmeats left for her own use, or to give to
her friends when they came to see her. On the occasion of
a late visit, she was so annoyed at her treatmentTTinth T>y
Brigham and Amelia, the former being particularly cap-
sudden and startling plainness, that tfiey leit the house in
"aliurry. ^ThurSuutliei n wife is to be commended ibr her*
spirit. She does not show it often ; and probably, had the
insults come alone from her husband, she would have
borne them quietly, as she has done for nearly thirty years ;
but she could not endure the same treatment from Amelia,
and she very justly rebelled.
She has three daughters, Dora, Susan, and Toolie.
Dora is the only wife of Morley Dunford. She scanda-
490 THE HOUSEKEEPER OF THE PROPHET'S MANSION.
lized the Saints, and aroused the ire of her father, by going
quietly off with her lover to the Episcopal clergyman to be
married. According to Gentilelaws she is legally married,
but according to Mormon laws she is not securely tied.
Still, she seems satisfied. Susie is married to Almy Dun-
ford, and is also an only wife.
One of the most important wives, although by no means
the recipient of any of her husband's attentions, is the
housekeeper at the " Lion House," Mrs. Twiss. She was a
young widow living in Nauvoo when Brigham discovered
BEE-HIVE HOUSE. BRIGHAM YOUNG'S RESIDENCE.
her, and recognizing her useful qualities, had her sealed
to him as soon as he could arrange for it. She is not very
attractive in personal appearance, having a round face,
light blue eyes, low forehead, and sandy hair, which is in-
clined to curl. In figure she is short and stout. But she
is an energetic worker, and as a servant Brigham values
her.
She never complains of her position, but she is no better
content with it than any other neglected wife in polygamy.
She is kind to the other wives, and has an amiable, quiet
FOR BRIGHAM. 49!
disposition, although she is exceedingly firm and resolute.
She has no children of her own, a circumstance which
grieves her very much, but she has adopted a son, of whom
she is very fond, and who is a very great comfort to this
childless, unbeloved wife.
Martha Bowker is another of the Prophet's "sickly
wives," of whornEe is so ibnd 01" sneering ; and the fact
tort L'liP !b ^ii lnV l .[Hc!""rT""niffirirnt tt7 prtvehidc her frcin ran
ceiving care or sympathy from her husband. He married
her when she was very young, and never has treated her
with much consideration. Why he married her, unless it
was because he was anxious to " build up his kingdom " as
quickly as possible, and so took every available woman he
could find, will always remain a mystery. She is plain,
but very quiet and sensible. She never interferes with any-
one, and worships her husband at a distance. I think it
must be true, in his case at least, that " familiajntyjbreejds
contempt," for the wives who have been the favorites stand
less in awe of him, have less faith mTimi, an3" areTTess
easily deceived by his pretensions than those whom he has
neglected, and who do not understand him thoroughly.
The less attention a wife has paid her, the greater is her
veneration for her husband. Her respect for him seems
to increase in proportion to the snubs she receives. Mrs.
Bowker Young is by no means accomplished, moderately
well educated, and is by no means intellectually brilliant.
She says but little, but displays considerable hard com-
mon sense when she does speak. She is somewhat of a
nonentity in the " Lion House," where she lives, keeping
very much to herself, and not making her presence felt.
She has an adopted daughter, but no children of her own.
Among all the wives that Brigham claims, there is none
the superior of Harriet Barney Young, who, in spite of all
her personal charms and graces of mind, has never been a
favorite with the Prophet. She is too good and noble-minded
for him to appreciate. There is too little of the flatterer
492 THE WIFE IN THE COTTAGE.
about her. She is tall and stout, but very graceful in every
movement. Her eyes are a clear hazel, with a soft, sad
expression in them that is almost pathetic. Her hair is
light-brown, and her face wears a peculiarly mild, sweet
look. She is a person that anyone in trouble would be
drawn towards, and would involuntarily rely on and confide
in. She is always ready, with the tenderest sympathy, to
comfort sorrow and distress ; and her acts of kindness, which
are very numerous, are always unostentatiously performed.
She was married before she met Brigham, and was the
mother of three children ; but becoming convinced that
Mormonism was right, and receiving it, polygamy and all,
as a divine religion, given direct from God, she considered
it her duty to leave her husband, and cast her lot with this
people. She brought her children with her, determined to
bring them up in the true faith, and she was, in every
regard, an earnest, conscientious, devout Christian, who
would never shirk a duty, no matter how painful it might
be, and would never do anything which she considered
wrong, no matter how much she might suffer for her per-
sistence in the right.
She loves her husband with all the strength of an earnest
devotion, and his careless treatment of her seems to make
little difference in the depth of her affection. She knows
her love is hopeless, but she cherishes it, nevertheless, and
is content to worship with no hope of return. She is a de-
vout Mormon, and all she has seen, heard, and suffered,
has not shaken her faith one whit. She believes that "this
people" is destined to come up "out of great tribulation,"
and she accepts her own share without a murmur.
She formerly lived at the Lion House with her children,
but latterly she has occupied a cottage near the Tabernacle.
She likes this new arrangement infinitely better, as her
situation in the large family was particularly trying. Brig-
ham's own children have always been extremely haughty
and arrogant to those not of the " royal " blood ; and al-
THE PROPHET'S HAREM.
493
though Harriet's children were good and amiable, they, as
well as their mother, were rendered very unhappy. She
supports herself and family now by sewing ; but is happier
in this than in living in dependence, and receiving favors
which are grudgingly bestowed. Her husband is by no
means a frequent visitor at her cottage, but she never re-
proaches him with neglect.
She has had one child since her marriage to the Prophet,
a son, whose name is Howe.
LION HOUSE AND BRIGHAM'S OFFICES.
Eliza Burgess, the wife who is said to have "served
seven years " for her husband, is an English woman, a na-
tive of Manchester, and came to Nauvoo with her parents
among the very earliest of the Mormon emigrants. They
had not been long in this country before her parents died,
and she was left alone. Mrs. Angell Young took her into
the family as a servant, and she came to the Valley with
her. She was very attentive and faithful to the Prophet,
whom she regarded with the greatest veneration ; and when
494 SERVING SEVEN YEARS FOR A HUSBAND.
he, noticing her devotion, offered to become her "savior,"
and secure for her "everlasting salvation," the poor girl was
completely overcome, and entered her new relation with the
most sacred reverence and joy. It is almost painful to see
the dumb worship which she accords to her master, and the
cavalier manner in which it is received. For a long time
she was an inmate of the Lion House, and assisted Mrs.
Twiss in the household labors. She has lately been pro-
moted to the position of housekeeper at Provo, where the
Prophet has an establishment for the convenience of himself
and his party when he is making a tour of the settlements.
This wife is faithful to all his interests, and unflagging in
her zeal to serve him. The moment she finds that she is in
any way necessary to his comfort, she works with a new
earnestness. She is honest and upright, and is in every
way worthy of the love of a good man. Yet she lives on,
starving for the love that is denied her, and " wearying "
for a husband who absents himself from her for a year
at a time.
She has one son, Alphilus, a bright young fellow, who
is at present a student in the law-school of the Michigan
University.
Besides Eliza Burgess, the English wife, Brigham has but
one other who is not American. This is Susan Snively, who
is a German, and who has been one of his useful wives.
She is a woman now considerably past middle age, and
carries her nationality very decidedly in her face. She is
of medium size, has dark hair, bright eyes, dark complex-
ion, and a stolid, expressionless face. She is decidedly
the plainest of the wives, and one of the most capable. Her
nature is kindly, and she is a genuinely good woman, quiet
and unassuming. She is not the slightest bit assertive, and
would remain in a corner unnoticed all her life, unless some
one discovered her and brought her out. In her busy days,
she was a good housewife, could spin, dye, weave, and
knit, and make excellent butter and cheese.
THE PROPHET'S GERMAN WIFE. 495
She was married to Brigham in the early days of poly-
gamy, when she was a young girl ; indeed, most of his
wives were taken between 1842 and 1847, and she has
proved herself a good wife in every sense of the word. She
has lived at the farm a great deal ; for eight years she was
sole mistress there, and a harder worker never lived. She
paid special attention to the dairy, making all the butter and
cheese for the entire family. She has done a great deal for
all the wives and children, and they have not hesitated to
call on her for services, so cordially and freely has she
given them. The farm was very large, and required many
laborers, and these all boarded at the farm-house, and
Susan had them to look after, which she did faithfully.
Everything that she did was done to promote, as far as
possible, the interests of the Prophet and his family.
At last, under such a constant strain of incessant labor,
she broke down completely, unable any longer to endure
the strain. Her strength failed; her health was destroyed;
her once strong constitution undermined, and she was forced
to seek refuge in the " Lion House," and take her chances
with the numerous family. After she had given all her
strength, and the best part of her life, to the service of her
" master," she was of no more use to him, and she might
live or die, as she saw fit. It mattered nothing to him. She
said once to me, K How I should like a drive ! and how much
good it would do me ! We have plenty of carriages, to be
sure, yet I am never allowed to ride." Tears trembled in
her eyes, and her voice shook as she made her complaint ;
and I wished it were in my power to gratify her. I did pity 1
her lonely and neglected condition with all my heart.
Her only earthly comfort is an adopted daughter, whom
she dearly loves. She never had any children of her own,
and she lavishes all her maternal affection on this attractive
young girl, who returns her love, and calls her "mother."
She still clings to her religious faith with a sort of hope-
less despair. If that should fail her, she would be desolate
496 YOUNG WIDOWS IN NAUVOO.
indeed. She suffers in the present, hoping for a recompense
in the future.
Young widows seemed to have abounded in Nauvoo,
judging from the number that have been " sealed " to the
Prophet and his followers. So many men died in defence
of the church, that the wives must, of necessity, fall to some-
one's care, and the protectors were easily found. Margaret
Peirce was another of Brigham's fancies, and was sealed to
him soon after the death of her husband. Her health has
been very delicate for some years ; consequently she is not in
favor with her husband. She has one son, Morris, whom
she absolutely worships. He is now about twenty years
old, but he is still her baby.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE PROPHET'S FAVORITE WIFE. HOW HE CONDUCT-
ED HIS LOVE-AFFAIRS.
The Prophet's Favorite Wife, Amelia. How Brigham made Love in the
Name of the Lord. How he won an Unwilling Bride. A Lady with
a Sweet Temper. How she Kicked a Sewing-Machine down the
Prophet's Stairs. She has a new House built for Her. Rather Ex-
pensive Habits. Her Pleasant chances for the Future. Mary Van
Cott Cobb. A Former Love of the Prophet's. Miss Eliza- Roxy
Snow. The Mormon Poetess. Joseph Smith's Poetic Widow.
Versification of the Saints. Mrs. Augusta Cobb. Emily Partridge.
HE favorite wife of the
Prophet, Amelia Fol-
som, is a woman about
forty years of age, and
was a New England
girl.
She was born at Ports-
mouth, New Hampshire,
and with her parents,
who were converts to
Mormonism, came to Utah. She is tall,
of a good figure, has rather regular fea-
tures, brown hair, bluish-gray eyes, and
a querulous, discontented expression, with
a very great deal of decision indicated
by the mouth. And, indeed, in spite of
JR.GHAM LOOKS AMAZED. all that ^ l av i s hed Upon her, she is not
happy. She did not wish to marry Brigham, as she had a
lover to whom she was fondly attached ; but he wished to
32
MAKING LOVE IN THE NAME CF THE LORD.
marry her, and that settled her fate. Her parents favored
his suit, and urged it strongly ; but she was bitterly opposed
to it, and it was months before she would yield to their
united desires.
He was a most arduous and enthusiastic lover, and dur-
ing all the time that his suit was in progress, his carriage
might be seen standing before the door of her parents'
house several hours at a time every day. He evidently did
not intend that absence should render her forgetful of him.
He promised her anything that she might desire, and also
agreed to do everything to advance the family interests.
Promises had no weight with her. He then had recourse
to " Revelation ; " he had been specially told from heaven
that she was created especially for him, and if she married
anyone else she would be
for ever damned. The poor
girl begged, pleaded, protest-
ed, and shed most bitter tears,
but all to no purpose. His mind
w r as made up, and he would
not allow his will to be crossed.
She had been converted to
believe in special revelation,
and to look upon Brigham as
the savior of all the Mormon
people, and to think that diso-
bedience to him was disobedi-
ence to God, since God's commands came through him.
In answer to her pleading, he said, " Amelia, you must be
my wife ; God has revealed it to me. You cannot be
saved by anyone else. If you marry me, I will save you,
and exalt you to be a queen in the celestial world ; but if
you refuse, you will be destroyed, both soul and body."
This is the same argument he used to win me, and the
one he has always in reserve, as the last resort, when,
everything else fails to secure his victim.
AMELIA FOLSOM.
[Brigham's Favorite Wife.]
AMELIA DEMOLISHES A SEWING-MACHINE. 499
Of course she yielded ; what else was she to do ? It was
a foregone conclusion when the courtship commenced.
She was married to him the 23d of January, 1863, more
than six months after the anti-polygamy law had been
passed by Congress, and the marriage was celebrated
openly, and in defiance of the law.
Since the marriage, Amelia has ruled with a hand of
iron, and she has her lord in pretty good subjection. She
has a terrible temper, and he has the benefit of it. On one
occasion he sent her a sewing-machine, thinking to please
her ; it did not happen to be the kind of a one which she
wanted; so she kicked it down stairs, saying, "What did
you get this old thing for? You knew I wanted a ' Singer-.' "
She had a Singer at once.
I was once present when she wanted her husband to do
something for her; he objected, and she repeated her de-
mand, threatening to "thrash him," if he did not comply.
It is, perhaps, unnecessary to say that she was not obliged
to ask him again. I know he is afraid of her, and that she
holds him now through fear, rather than love. She accom-
panies him to the theatre, and occupies the box, while the
rest of the wives sit in the parquet. She goes with him
on his visits to the settlements, and drives out with him
constantly.
She has a beautiful new house, elegantly furnished, and
Brigham has very nearly deserted the "Bee-Hive," except
during business hours, and spends most of his time at
Amelia's residence. She dresses elegantly, has jewels and
laces, and has saved ten thousand dollars out of her " pin-*
money," which she placed in bank. I am delighted at her
success in getting so much ; the other wives have succeeded
in getting nothing but their living from him, some scarcely
that; and I, for my part, congratulate Amelia on her good
management. It was a hard struggle for her to marry
him, and all she gets will never half repay her for the suf-
fering she has endured in the past, even if she has grown
contented now.
5OO AMELIA ASSERTS HER "RIGHTS."
She is rather careless in her treatment of the other wives,
but gets along the best with v the " proxies." When she
lived at the " Bee Hive," she dined at the " Lion House,"
with her husband and the other wives. She and Brigham
sat at a table by themselves a small table, standing at
the head of the dining-room. The other wives, with their
children, sat at a long table, running nearly the entire
length of the room. The fare at this table was very plain,
while the other was loaded with every delicacy that the
season would afford. When strangers dined with Brigham,
the difference in the fare was less noticeable, and the long
table would be amply provided for, so as to make a good
impression upon the visitor. Amelia is not well ; indeed,
she is at times quite an invalid. She has no children.
About six months before my marriage to the Prophet, he
took a pretty young widow, Mary Van Cott, for a wife,
much to Amelia's distress, who had considered herself the
last for so long, that she was quite unprepared for the intro-
duction of a rival. She was very bitter in her denunciations
both of Brigham and Mary, and commenced at once to
make friends with some of the other wives. She said to
Aunt Zina, I believe, that she knew now how Emmeline felt
when Brigham took her. Emmeline had been the favorite
wife for years, and was really fond of her husband, and it
was a terrible blow to her when he deserted her for another.
For some time Brigham's fickle affections hovered about
Mary, but Amelia, with a determination which but few
Mormon women possess, fought against her rival until she
compelled her lord to withdraw his attentions from the new
wife, or to bestow them on the sly. Mary felt very much
hurt and aggrieved, but she has managed to hold her own
sufficiently to get a very pretty cottage house, which is very
daintily furnished, and which she makes very attractive.
She has two children, one by a former husband ; the
other, a pretty little girl, three or four years old, the
youngest of Brigham's children, and who is always called
BRIGHAM S LAST BABY
501
"Baby." After I left it was said she very nearly de-
cided to take the same step. She was very discontented,
and the treatment she received from the Prophet and his
family was not such as to encourage her to stay with him.
Her own people, who are devout Mormons, became aware
of her intention, and finally succeeded, by a great amount
of persuasion, in inducing her to try a little longer. Brig-
ham, too, found out what step she was contemplating, and
knowing that opinion would set strongly against him if two
of his wives should leave him so nearly at the same time,
added his arguments to theirs, and also agreed to fix her
house, and give her more things, among which was a grand
piano, if she would not bring another scandal upon him.
For the sake of her child she decided to remain, but she is
in a state of mental rebellion, which may break out at any
time. She is, since my defection, the last added member
of the family.
Miss Eliza R. Snow is the first of Brigham's " proxy "
wives, and is the most noted of all Mormon women. She
was one of Joseph Smith's
wives, and, after his death,
was sealed to Brigham for
time, but is to return to Jo-
seph in eternity. She was
the founder of the " Female
Relief Society," is the mo-
tive power of the w Woman's
Exponent," although Miss
Green acts as editor, per-
sonates " Eve " in the " En-
dowments," and is a poetess
of no inconsiderable merit.
She writes hymns for all
occasions, and most of her poems are full of a strong reli-
gious fervor. She is a thorough Mormon, and believes
absolutely every portion of the doctrine, and might con-
Miss ELIZA R. SNOW.
[Mormon Poetess.]
502
BRIGHAM S IDEA OF FAMILY RIGHTS.
tend with Orson Pratt for the title of " Defender of Poly-
gamy."
Brigham regards her very highly, because she is of such
inestimable service in the church. She lives at the " Lion
House," where she has quite a pleasant room, in which she
receives most of her company. She is the most intellectual
of all the wives.
Zina D. Huntington
was formerly the wife
of a man named Henry
Jacobs, who was at one
time a Mormon. Brig-
ham was attracted
towards the wife, sent
the husband off on a
mission, and had Zina
sealed to him. Dr.
Jacobs apostatized, not
at all fancying this ap-
propriation of his fam-
ily. She is a very no-
ble woman, and has
spent her life in the
service of her ungrate-
ful husband and the church. She is firm and unyielding
in her religious faith, and as devout a believer in Mormon-
ism to-day as she was at her first conversion. She has
been very useful in the family, acting as physician, nurse,
and governess, as her services have been required. She is
perfectly unselfish, and her whole life is devoted to others.
She is a large, fine-looking woman, with a somewhat
weary and sad expression, but her face still shows signs of
mental strength and superiority.
She has one daughter, Zina, who was formerly an actress
in the theatre, and has since married an Englishman of the
name of Thomas Williams. She was his second wife, and
ZINA D. HUNTINGTON.
[Wife of Brigham.]
HE MUST TAKE THE MOTHER TOO !
503
her introduction to the family was strongly resented by the
first wife, who would never notice her in any way. They
lived apart, and the husband divided his time equally be-
tween the two. A few months ago he died very suddenly
at Zina's, while sitting at the table. When the news was
conveyed to the first wife, she had the remains brought to
her, arranged for the funeral without consulting Zina, and
refused to allow her to ride in the carriage with her to the
burial. Poor Zina was almost heart-broken, for she dearly
loved the man whom her fa-
ther's religion taught her to
call husband, and she was
ready to do anything to con-
ciliate the first wife. She is
a noble girl, and as conscien-
tious as her mother. Not very
long before I left her father,
we were talking about the
practice of polygamy. I ex-
pressed myself strongly and
bitterly against it. She, in
turn, defended it. She knew,
she said, that it brought great
unhappiness, but that was because it was not rightly lived.
The theory was correct, but people did not enter it in the
right spirit. She has certainly suffered from it since then,
although I believe she tried, to the best of her ability, to
"live it right." But she, no more- than any one else, could
make right out of wrong.
When Mr. Williams asked her in marriage, Brigham
said he might have her if he'd " take the mother too." So
Zina, the mother, went to live with Zina, the daughter.
But Brigham grew ashamed of his meanness toward her,
and finally gave her a house and lot.
Years ago, when Brigham was on a mission to New
England, he met a very charming lady in Boston, Mrs.
ZINA WILLIAMS.
[Brigham's Daughter.]
504 ASKING TO BE SEALED TO CHRIST.
Augusta Cobb, and at once his elastic fancy was charmed
for a while. She was a woman of fine social position, cul-
tured and elegant, the head of a lovely establishment, with
a kind husband, and a family of interesting children ; but
she became enamored of the Prophet, accepted the Mormon
religion, and came to Nauvoo with him, where she was
sealed as his wife. She is still a very stylish, elegant
woman for her age, but for several years past she has been
grossly neglected by the Prophet. Her religious enthusi-
asm has increased until it is almost mania, and, finding
that her husband was wearying of her, and seeking new
faces, she begged to be released from him for eternity, and
be sealed to Jesus Christ, who, her church told her, was a
polygamist.
Brigham, with all his blasphemous audacity, dared not
do that ; so he quieted her by telling her that he was not at
liberty to do that his authority did not extend so far ; but
he would do the next best thing, and seal her to Joseph
Smith. She consented, and now belongs to Brigham only
for time, "having been transferred to Joseph for eternity."
Her family still remember her fondly, and grieve over
her delusion. One of her relatives a granddaughter, I
think sent word to me, a short time since, that she wished
to see me, to ask about Mrs. Cobb, for it had been a long
time since they had heard from her directly, and it would
be such a comfort to meet one who had seen her so recently.
I have not yet met the lady, but shall take the first oppor-
tunity to see her, though I can, I fear, tell her little that
will satisfy her.
Another proxy wife, Emily Partridge, was a young,
childless xvidow, very patient and gentle, and very pretty,
too. She belonged to Joseph Smith, and was among those
whom Brigham todk. For some time she lived at the farm,
but not understanding dairy work, she did not suit her hus-
band. She is willing to work, and do whatever she can
do, but is no more able than the rest of the world to accom-
SHE COULD ONLY SUBMIT. 55
plish impossibilities. He was so angry at her want of suc-
cess at the farm, that he said, in speaking of her, "When I
take another man's wife and children to support, I think
the least they could do would be to try and help a little."
To be sure, he is the earthly father of those children, but
he makes a decided distinction between them and those he
calls his own. There are five children, Emily, Carlie,
Don Carlos, Mary, and Josephine. Emily is plural wife of
Hiram B. Clawson, her half-sister Alice's husband ; Carlie
and Mary were both married to Mark Croxall, the Western
Union telegraph operator. He was very fond of Mary,
who has since died. Carlie he treats with the utmost indif-
ference, and neglects her openly. A while ago he became
very much enamored of a Danish girl, and would allow
Carlie to go home alone from the theatre or other place of
amusement, while he went off with this girl, who was Car-
lie's inferior in every way. The poor girl is heart-broken
at this careless treatment, but what can she do? There is
nothing for any Mormon woman to do but to submit, and
let her heart break in the mean while. The sooner it is
over, and she is out of her misery, the better. Very few
care how soon they die. Life is not pleasant enough to be
clung to very tenaciously.
Emily Partridge lived at the w Lion House " for several
years, enduring every indignity at the hands of the family.
Now she has a cottage outside, which Brigham gave her,
telling her, when she moved into it, that he should in future
expect her to support herself and children.
This woman ends the list of Brigham's living wives, but
some that have died have had such a career, and been so
well known, that I cannot refrain from mentioning them.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE DEAD WIVES OF THE PROPHET. HE NEVER
WAS KNOWN TO SHED A TEAR.
The Discarded Favorite. The Story of Emmeline Free. A Stupen-
dous Humbug. A "Free" Opinion of Mormonism. Amelia comes
upon the Scene. How Brigharn Insulted Emmeline Free. Brigham
is Ashamed of his Cowardice. I tell him a little of my Mind.
Joseph A. expresses his Opinion. Apologizes for his Father.
Death of Emmeline Free. The Story of Clara Chase. The Proph-
et's Maniac Wife. Ellen Rockwood, and the Cause of her Neglect.
A Wife who was visited once in Six Months. Margaret Alley.
How the Prophet treated his Dead Wife. He steals her Children's
Property. How he Scandalized another Wife, and sent her Home.
He " Never shed a tear at a Wife's Death.
OR many years the fa-
vored wife, the one who
ruled over her husband,
and reigned in the fami-
ly , was Emmeline Free.
The Prophet married
her when she was quite
young, having first to
overrule the objections
of her parents, who, al-
though Mormons, were
much opposed to poly-
gamy. She was a will-
ing convert, for she had
been taught that Brig-
ham Young was a near
approach to divinity,
and she had unbound-
child, for she was
A LITTLE CONVERSATION WITH B
ed reverence for him ; and the
A WOMAN'S OPINION OF MORMONISM. 507
little more than that, was flattered and delighted at the
Prophet's wish to have her for a wife.
Those who knew her at the time of her marriage say
that she was an extremely lovely girl, and I can well
believe it, for she was a very prepossessing woman. She
was tall and graceful, with brown eyes, and fair hair that
waved naturally. Her face was pleasant in expression
and very bright, until it became saddened by her husband's
desertion of her for Amelia.
I used to see a great deal of her. I visited at her house
when I was a girl, was intimate with her children, and saw
more of her while I was a member of the family than of
any other. In virtue, I suppose, of her former position,
Brigham never neglected her as he did some of his other
wives, and she always retained a certain influence over
him. She was not afraid of him, and had long since
ceased to regard him with awe. I once entered the Proph-
et's office when she was there; she was talking quite
earnestly, and did not stop on my entrance ; she concluded
her conversation by saying,
"Well, I've lost faith in the whole thing. I consider
Mormonism a stupendous humbug, and all the people who
have been made to believe in it, terrible dupes. I've no
patience with it any longer."
Her husband " our " husband at the time laughed as
though he considered it a good joke, and turned the con-
versation, making it general, so that it included me. I
think he did not wish such " heresy " talked before his
young wives, lest it should engender discontent in their
hearts. He needn't have been troubled about me, for the
mischief was already done. I had begun to think things
out for myself, and I had arrived very much at the same
conclusion that Emmeline had, although I had not dared
to express my opinion to any one.
Once during my married life with him, Brigham invited
Emmeline and myself to go with him to Brigham City,
508 HOW BRIGHAM DECEIVED EMMELINE.
where he was to hold a conference meeting. There was
a large party, and we went with the usual pomp which
attends such occasions. I enjoyed it better than I did most
of the excursions I took with him, because I was very fond
of Emmeline, and preferred to have her rather than any
of the other wives. I think she felt the same way toward
me, because she knew that I was her champion ; moreover,
she was quite aware of my feeling toward " our " husband,
and the difficulty he had had in inducing me to become his
wife, and she did not consider me in any degree her rival.
We arrived one afternoon, and everything was most
amicable. He was unremitting in his attentions to Emme-
line, and I was very happy to see her happy, and enjoyed
myself very much with some of the younger members of
the family. In the evening he told Emmeline that he
should expect her to accompany him to church the next
day.
The next morning he arose very early, and drove away
in a buggy alone ; in a little while he returned with Ame-
lia, breakfasted with her, and started away again. In the
meantime Emmeline, who had not heard of Amelia's
arrival, was preparing to accompany her husband to
church : she dressed with unusual care, and made herself
look very pretty. She waited impatiently, but he did not
come. I knew of the arrival, and when I went up stairs
and saw Emmeline waiting with her bonnet on, I asked
her if she was not going to start soon, as it was getting
late.
"I am waiting for Brother Young," said she.
"He has gone long ago," said I. "I thought you
knew it."
"Gone, without me? Why, that's funny, when he
made such a point of my going with him."
"Yes; but that was before Amelia came."
Emmeline's face changed expression in a moment.
"She here?"
A DISAPPOINTED WIFE. 509
" Yes ; she came this morning. * Brother Young went
to the depot to meet her."
"Then he must have known she was coming. Can I
never go any where without having her thrust in my face ?
I thought for once I should be spared the infliction."
She took off her things, and I laid mine aside, too, and
in place of going to the grand conference meeting and
listening to " our " husband's eloquence, we had a confer-
WAITING FOR BRIGHAM TO KEEP H
ence of our own, and that morning I came nearer to
Emmeline's heart than I ever had before. She talked to
me unreservedly and unrestrainedly, and told me events in
her history that were full of thrilling interest, but which
were given me in confidence, and which I cannot give again
to the world. I think the dead eyes would haunt me for
ever, and the dead lips would move in ghostly reproach if
I betrayed her even now. Dear, loving heart, that beat
5IO "l THINK BRIGHAM FELT ASHAMED,"
so wearily through all the years, I hope you are meeting
your reward now, cradled in the infinite love of a Divine
Father ! Tears dimmed my eyes and moistened my cheeks,
when I read, a few days since, of your death ; but they
were tears of joy at your glad release, and not such bitter
tears of indignant sorrow as I shed that morning over the
story of your wrongs.
I think Brigham felt ashamed and a little conscience-
stricken. I know he was decidedly uncomfortable when
he met his insulted wife again. He tried every means in
his power to propitiate her, and I never saw him assume
so abject a manner before. Amelia returned that day, and
he told Emmeline that he did not know of her intention to
come down, that he had not expected her at all. He also
told her that the reason he paid so much attention to
Amelia was, that he might " save her soul."
Emmeline did not believe him when he told her he did
not expect Amelia, and she told him so very plainly. He
then came to me, and said,
" Emmeline 's real mad at me isn't she ? "
"Yes," said I, "but no more than you deserve. I think
it's too bad in you to take her for a pleasure trip, and then
get Amelia here at the first stopping-place."
" I didn't get her here. I didn't know she was coming."
" Well, all I can say is, it looked like it ; you certainly
went to the station to meet her."
" I just went down to see who had come, that's all. Seems
to me you're taking Emmeline's part pretty strong ain't
you?"
"Yes, I am, for I think you've treated her badly."
" Guess a little of the mad is on your own account
isn't it?"
" Not a particle of it. Amelia doesn't interfere with me."
He laughed and went out. Presently Joe made his
appearance, probably sent by his father.
" So Emmeline is cutting up rough about Amelia's com-
ing, is she? " he asked of me.
THE MANIAC. 511
" Not at all ; she's indignant, but that's no more than is to
be expected; but as for 'cutting up rough,' as you term it,
she's too much of a lady to do that."
"Well, it's too bad to have this fuss ; but I suppose I'm
to blame for the whole affair. I was coming down, and I
didn't want to come alone, so I asked Mary, Alice, and
Amelia to come along too. I never thought of Emmeline
when I asked Amelia."
"Mary" was Joseph A.'s first wife, Alice was his sister,
and the two were very intimate with Amelia. This story
sounded very well, but I didn't believe it, neither did
Emmeline, when she heard it. It was too evident that Joe
had been sent by his father to endeavor to make peace. Be
that as it may, Amelia did not put in an appearance again
during the trip.
Emmeline had been an invalid for years, and I was not
surprised to learn of her death. When I heard of it, I felt
as I always do when I hear of the death of any Mormon
woman. I thank God to think their misery is over. She
had eight children, Marinda, Ella, Louise, nicknamed
" Punk " by her father, Hyrum, Lorenzo, Alonzo, Ruth,
and Delia.
Marinda is the only wife of Walter Conrad. Ella and
Louise are both married out of polygamy, one to Nelson
Empy, the other to James Harris. Hyrum, so far, con-
tents himself with one wife.
Clara Chase is usually spoken of as "the maniac." She
died mad several years since, leaving a large family of
children. She married him when quite young, but she
never was a firm believer in Polygamy, indeed, she dis-
trusted the principles of it from the very beginning, and
had many struggles of conscience before she could make
up her mind to marry the Prophet, and she suffered per-
petual remorse ever after. She had a peculiar face, low-
browed and dark, and it was rarely lighted up by any
pleasurable motive. There was on it an expression of fixed
melancholy that seldom varied or changed.
$12 "YOU HAVE SENT ME TO HELL ! "
Knowing her aversion to the system, and her distrust of
it and of him, Brigham at first treated her with a very
great deal of consideration. He gave her an elegant room,
nicely furnished, and placed in it a large portrait of himself.
He tried to make her surroundings as cheery as possible,
and so wean her from the melancholy into which she had
fallen. As long as he devoted himself personally to her,
she was comparatively cheerful and content, and tried her
best to be happy ; but when he neglected her she was
almost desperate, and wandered about in a half-dazed
fashion, weeping and moaning, and calling on God to for-
give her.
Just before her last child was born, her fits of remorse
were terrible. She endured untold agonies, and accused
herself of having committed the unpardonable sin, and she
knew salvation was denied. Those who were about her at
the time, say that it was heart-rending to hear her.
Just at this time, when her husband should have given
her the most love and tenderest of sympathy, he was, more
than ever, harsh, cruel, and unfeeling, and treated her with
such marked coldness and contempt, that she went insane,
and raved constantly. " I am going to hell ! I am going to
hell 1 " was her agonized cry. " Brigham has caused it ;
he has cursed me for ever. Don't any of you go into poly-
gamy ; mind what I say ; don't do it. It will curse you,
and damn your souls eternally." When she saw her hus-
band, she cursed him as the cause of her downfall. " I
have committed the unpardonable sin ; you have made me
do it. O, curse you ! curse you ! You have sent me to
hell, and I am going soon." To her children, as they
gathered round her, she cried, " O, don't follow my ex-
ample ! Don't go into polygamy, unless you wish to be
cursed ! Don't let my children do as I have done," she
would say to those about her. No help could avail her.
Brigham and his counsellors " lafd hands " on her. A doc-
tor was called, but all to no purpose. She died in the midst
"NO HELP COULD AVAIL HER." 513
of her ravings. Her children's names were Mary, Maria,
Willard, and Phoebe. Mary is dead. Maria is the wife of
William Dougall. Phoebe is the only wife of Walter Batie.
Willard, the only son, has just graduated with honors at
West Point.
Ellen Rockwood was one of the least regarded of the
wives. She was a little woman, in delicate health, and
very fond of fancy-work. She was the daughter of the
warden of the penitentiary, one of Brigham's faithful officers.
Her influence with the Prophet was very small, as she had
no children, and was regarded as of little consequence on
that account. Still, I do not think that Brigham ever posi-
tively ill-treated her. He used to call on her very cere-
moniously once in six months.
Margaret Alley, who was never much of a favorite, died
in 1853. She was morbid in temperament, and, before her
death, became very melancholy, owing to the neglect of her
husband. She had two children, Eva and Mahonri-Mori-
anchamer.
One of Brigham's "proxy" wives was Jemima Angell, a
relative of Mary Ann Angell, his first living and legal wife.
Her husband had died, leaving her with three children ; and
when she came to Nauvoo, Brigham found them. He
wanted a servant, and she wanted salvation. The dis-
coveries were simultaneous, and she was very soon persuaded
to be sealed to him. All the while they were in Nauvoo,
" Aunt Mima " worked untiringly, and on the arrival at
Salt Lake he gave her a lot of land for her children. One
of her sons built a house on it, but she did not occupy it, as
she could not be spared from Brigham's kitchen. She
worked until she became broken down in mind and body,
and then Brigham sent her to her daughter, who was mar-
ried to a poor man, and had a large family of children, yet
was willing to take her mother, and do the best he could by
her. She died very soon, and the daughter's husband
telegraphed the news of the death to Brigham ; also the
33
514 ''HE END OF "AUNT MIMA!"
time they should arrive with the body for burial. They
lived fifty miles from Salt Lake, in the Weber Valley, and,
as they could not obtain a coffin there, they put the body
into a box to convey it to her husband, who, when they
arrived, was not at home ; at least, he could not be found ;
and what is called the " Eagle Gate," or the entrance to the
Prophet's premises, was closed against them. They could
not gain admittance for hours ; and, in the mean time, all
that was left of " Aunt Mima " lay in a pine box in an open
wagon, with every avenue to her husband's house closed
against her.
Finally, even Brighana grew ashamed, and allowed him-
self to be found ; and when they asked him where they
should take her, said, very carelessly, " O, I suppose she
might as well go to her sisters', upon the hill ! " She was
taken there, and decently buried, though Brigham grumbled
about the expense.
In the mean time, the land that he had given her had in-
creased in value, and when the children went to take pos-
session of it, he refused to let them have it, although it
would have been a God-send to poor Mrs. Frazier, with her
large family of children. But his avarice is so inordinate
that no amount of suffering stands in the way of his self-
enrichment. Once he is bent on obtaining a piece of prop-
erty, he does not care whom he defrauds to obtain it.
At the time he was sealed to Lucy Biglow, he had her
sister sealed at the same time. She was very pretty, and
he had seemed very fond of her. But suddenly his fond-
ness cooled, and he treated her in the most shameful man-
ner. He heaped every indignity upon her, and finally sent
her back to her parents, saying she had been untrue to him.
She protested her innocence ; but all in vain. He would
not, or professed not, to believe her, and talked harshly and
cruelly to her when she attempted to vindicate herself.
Her parents were very much grieved, and were tossed
about with conflicting doubts. They wanted to believe their
THE DISGRACED WIFE. 515
daughter, and, in their hearts, I believe they did ; yet they
dared not dispute Brigham. They took the poor, heart-
broken girl home, and she fairly pined to death under the
disgrace that her husband tried to attach to her name.
Besides those wives whom I have already mentioned,
there have been very many more who have been married to
THE DISGRACED WIFE.
him w for eternity." I should be sorry even to guess their
numbers. There was also one wife, who, during " Reforma-
tion" times, was said to have "run away to California " [a
thousand miles away through an uninhabited country, and
before the era of railways in the West] ; but it was whispered
5l6 HE NEVER SHED A TEAR!
among wicked Gentiles that really she paid the full penalty
of the Endowment-Oaths, and in^the Endowment-House, too,
her throat being cut from ear to ear, and the other horrible
performances gone through, on account of some indiscretion,
or want of faith. Of course, I do not vouch for the truth of
this statement. I simply give it in common with much else
for what it is worth.
I have heard Brigham say, in speaking of the number
of wives and children that he had buried, "that he never
shed a tear at anyone's death ; " and I believe that, if every
friend he had in the world lay before him, cold and still
and with frozen pulse, he would look on unmoved and in-
different, and never shed a tear, so utterly heartless is he.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE PROPHET AT HOME. HOW HE LOOKS, LIVES, AND
ACTS. MORMON PHILANTHROPY AND EDUCATION.
Brigham at Forty-five and at Seventy-five. Slipping the Yoke. The
Salt Lake Tribune. Books on Mormonism. Prophetic Philanthropy.
The New Temple. Paying the Workmen. The Tabernacle.
Advantages of the Presidency. Free Schools and Liberal Education.
Sharp Practice. The Rich and the Poor. Unconscious Sarcasm.
Looking into the Future. The Spectacles of Ignorance. Personal
Habits. The Prophet's Barber. Dinner at the Lion House. The
Good Provider. Helping herself. Prophetic Cunning. Evening
Devotions. A Gift in Prayer. Advice to the Deity. Fatherless
Children. The Bee Hive. Monogamist vs. Polygamist
NLESS I pause and look
back almost to my very
babyhood, and contrast
Brigham Young as he
then was with the Brig-
ham Young of to-day,
I can scarcely realize
the change that has
taken place in this man.
As I recollect him first,
he was a man in the
prime of life, with rather
a genial face, and a
manner which, though
abrupt at times, had
nothing of the assump-
tion and intolerance
which characterize it
now. Indeed there was, at that time, a semblance of hu-
mility, which served his purpose well, by strengthening the
confidence of the people in him.
DINNER AT THE LION HOUSE.
518 THE MORMON MESSIAH.
Had he claimed, at that auspicious point in his career,
when accident placed him at the head of this peculiar sect,
that he was the peer of Joseph Smith, upon whom had de-
scended the mantle of that martyred saint, his pretensions
would have been treated as contemptuously as were Sidney
Rigdon's. His shrewdness plainly showed him that, and
his cunning and tact pointed out to him the surest way of
gaining an ascendency over his followers.
He taught them that Joseph was their Messiah ; that he
was only acting in his place until he should be restored to
them in person ; which, strange as it may seem, many still
believe will occur, and actually watch for his visible pres-
ence among them again. Still, that belief does not obtain
so generally as it did during the first years after Joseph's
death. The gradual change in the President has not been
without its effects, and there is now very much more of the
material than of the spiritual in the Mormon belief.
Nearly everything that was done by him in those earlier
days was done in the name of the Lord and Joseph, and
he was constantly in the habit of expressing his intentions
of carrying out "brother Joseph's" plans. Gradually, as
he could without its being too closely observed and com-
mented on, he dropped "brother Joseph," and made his own
desires the law by which the people were to be ruled.
Yet so quietly and subtly was this done, that the Saints
never knew when they passed from the rule of Joseph
Smith and superstition, to the absolute despotism of Brig-
ham Young, which has been indeed a " reign of terror."
The absolute belief which he used to express in Joseph,
and his unquestioning faith in his works and mission, he
expected every one to yield to him in turn ; and he and his
immediate followers and associates have taught and insisted
upon this blind subjection so long, that the Mormon people
have neglected to use their reasoning powers, until they
have become so blunted, that the majority of them are inca-
pable of arriving at any conclusions by their own unaided
effort, or of forming any independent opinions.
DISCUSSING BRIGHAM'S MERITS. 519
In the early days, in his intercourse with the people, he
was one of them, a sharer in their adversity, a compan-
ion, and a friend. Now, he holds himself apart from them,
looks upon himself as above and beyond them, as some-
thing better than they, and they partake of his own de-
lusion, and assist him in his self-deception.
Now and then one keener than the rest sees the change,
and deplores it. Rough old Heber C. Kimball could never
become reconciled to it, and, more honest and more daring
than the others, used to express himself very freely.
" Brigham's God is gold," he said one day to the apostle
Orson Hyde ; " he is changed much since he and I stood
by each other, in the old days, defending the faith. He
has become a selfish, cold-hearted tyrant, and he doesn't
care at all for the old friends who have stood by him and
loved him. What do you think of that, Brother Orson ? "
" That sort of talk may do for Brother Heber," was the
reply, " but it would not do for Brother Orson. He could
not express himself m that manner with impunity, so he
will say nothing."
At forty-five Brigham Young was a common looking,
very ordinary appearing man, in no way the superior of
the majority of the church, and decidedly the inferior of
some of the members. He was homely in speech, neither
easy nor graceful in manner, and dressed very plainly in
homespun.
Brigham Young, at seventy-five, has the appearance of
a well-preserved Englishman, of the yeoman class. There
is less bluster in his manner than formerly, but more inso-
lent assumption. He is still the mental inferior of some of
the officers of his church, but in crafty cunning and mali-
cious shrewdness he is far in advance of any of his asso-
ciates. He is not more finished and elegant in his mode of
speecji, but he says less, and consequently has won the
opinion of having grown more pleasing in his address.
He is arrogant to his inferiors, and unpleasantly familiar to
$20 APING THE GENTILES.
the very few whom he desires for any reason to conciliate.
He dresses in the finest of broadcloth, fashionably cut, is
more finical than an old beau, and vainer and more anx-
ious than a young belle, concerning his personnel. He
says that this change in his mode of dress has been brought
about by his wives. I have no doubt that Amelia may
have had some influence in that direction ; still his own
inclinations probably had just as much to do with it.
Since he has allowed himself to see and be seen by more
of the outside world than he formerly did, he has grown to
appear more like the Gentiles, concerning whom he sneers
so loudly, even while aping their manners and customs.
He is impatient of criticism, and as sensitive to public opin-
ion as though he were not constantly defying it. He is at
once ambitious and vain, and, like all persons who turn
others to ridicule, is very sensitive to anything approaching
it when it is directed towards himself. He reads every-
thing that is written against him. I think no book has ever
been published, exposing him and his religious system,
which he has not perused, from the title page to the con-
clusion. He loses his temper every morning over the Salt
Lake Tribune, the leading Gentile paper of Utah, and
longs for a return of the days when one word of his would
have put a summary and permanent end to the existence of
this sheet, by the utter annihilation of everything and every-
body connected with it. But the time is forever past when
the "unsheathing of his bowie-knife," or the "crooking of
his little finger," pronounced sentence upon offenders, and
the Gentile paper and its supporters flourish in spite of him.
I remember once going into his office, and finding him
examining the advertising circular of a book on Mormon-
ism, written by a lady who had for a time been a resident
of Utah. He commenced reading it aloud to me in a
whining voice, imitating the tone of a crying woman.
Yet, notwithstanding this attempt to make a jest of it, I
knew that the publication of this book annoyed him exces-
BRIGHAM YOUNG.
PROPHETIC BEGGING. 521
sively, and that he was both curious and anxious concern-
ing the contents, and the effect they would produce ; for,
with all his professed contempt for Babylon and its Gentile
inhabitants, he is very sensitive concerning the opinions
which are held concerning him by these unregenerate souls.
Unscrupulous and avaricious, he has made even disasters
profitable to himself. After the tragical hand-cart expedi-
tion, he sold the hand-carts that remained when the emi-
grants had all got in for fifteen dollars apiece. This was
to go to the "church fund," which virtually means "Brig-
ham's private purse." It has been already related how he
made his "improved carriage scheme" more than pay for
itself several times over, although they did not survive the
first trip.
As " Trustee in Trust " of the Church of Jesus Christ of
the Latter-Day Saints, all the money of the church passes
through his hands, or, more properly speaking, into them,
since it is rarely known to leave them again. The tithing-
fund, and the subscriptions for various church purposes,
are all given into his keeping ; and although the sums of
money gathered in this way have been very large, none of
it has ever been appropriated to the cause for which it was
supposed to be intended by those sacrificing souls who de-
nied themselves that the Lord might be served.
He is as inexorable a beggar to-day as he was forty
years ago, when he was a humble follower of Joseph
Smith, preaching the new gospel to whoever would hear
him, and being fed and clothed by whoever would supply
his wants. He made no hesitation in letting these wants be
known, and he would request that they should be relieved
in the name of the Lord.
" Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these
my little ones, ye have done it unto me," has been the stan-
dard leaching of the Mormon missionaries from the very
earliest days ; and no one could enlarge on this passage
more eloquently than Brother Brigham when he was in
522 RAISING THE WIND.
need of a new coat, or a small sum of money, or even a
supper and a night's lodging.
He is as eloquent now, when talking on the subject of
giving, with this exception in his style of address, that he
now demands instead of asks, and it is disastrous to refuse
him. He begs for the missionaries, and the poor men never
get a cent of the thousands of dollars that are raised for
them. He begs for the Temple, which is his pet subject,
whenever there is nothing else to beg for, and the amount
of money which he has raised for the building ought to
have erected several very imposing edifices.
Many years ago he levied contributions upon the English
Saints for tlYe purchase of glass for the Temple windows.
The sum desired must be collected at once. The Lord was
soon coming to enter upon his earthly kingdom, and the
place must be prepared for him. Missionaries preached,
and laymen exhorted ; they astonished even themselves by
their eloquence, as they dwelt upon the beauty of Zion, the
city of the Lord, and the glory that was to descend upon
his chosen people. Those who were not moved by their
oratory were impelled by their command ; but, for the most
part, the money was given voluntarily. Working men and
women took a few pennies from their scant wages, and gave
them with wonderful readiness, and then suffered from cold
and absolute hunger for days after. But they suffered with
painful joyousness and devotion, since they were giving it
to the Lord, who had chosen them out of all the world for
his very own people, and who would make their self-denials
here redound to their glory and grace when at last they
should arrive in his presence.
At that time, the foundation walls of the Temple were
barely above the ground, and the work has progressed very
slowly since. At any rate, the glass has not been bought,
and there seems very little probability of window material
being needed at present ; and if the Lord is not to visit the
Saints until his home is completed, even the younger
ARCHITECTURAL INSPIRATIONS.
523
MORMON TEMPLE NOW BUILDING.
members of the present generation will not be likely to
see Him.
The "Tabernacle,"
where the Saints wor-
ship at present, is one of
Brigham's few " inspira-
tions," and is as great a
success as are most of
his inspired ideas. It is
an ugly-looking build-
ing, oval in shape, with
a sort of arched roof,
which shuts down over
it, like the lid of a wick-
er-work basket. It is
very commodious, which
is its chief recommenda-
tion, holding comforta-
bly twelve thousand persons. In this w inspired " edifice,
every law of acoustics is outraged, and only a small por-
tion of the congregation can hear what the speaker is say-
ing. It is two hundred and fifty feet long, one hundred
and fifty feet wide, and eighty feet high, while there is not
a column in it to obstruct the view, and the interior view is
flat and expansive.
The organ claims to have been built by a good Mormon
brother, assisted by a large number of mechanics ; and is
said to be the largest ever built in the United States. It is
placed at the end of the Tabernacle, directly back of the
speaker's stand, and the seats for the choir are arranged on
each side of it.
This building, in which the Saints are to worship until
the more pretentious Temple is finished, is ugly in the out-
ward appearance, cheerless in the interior, very inconven-
ient in its arrangements, and practically useless unless the
walls are draped so as to render the voices of the speakers
524 BALANCING ACCOUNTS.
audible; but wheu the new building which is said by
Brigham to be of Divine architecture shall be completed,
it is probable that these things will be vastly improved.
In the mean time the begging goes on, but the work
moves slowly. Large contributions come flowing in, but
the Temple does not advance visibly ; while Brigham adds
house to house, field to field, increases his bank deposits,
and lives as well as any man in his position would wish to
live.
The people will take no bpnds from him ; and as it would
INTERIOR OF TABERNACLE ON SUNDAYS.
seem like questioning the Lord's anointed, he is supposed
to administer the financial affairs under the direction of the
Lord, no statements are ever required of him. Once in a
while, however, he goes through the form of a settlement
of accounts, which he simplifies immensely, by a system
all his own. It is said that at onetime he balanced his
account with the church by ordering the clerk to place two
hundred thousand dollars to his account for services ren-
dered, which was exactly the sum of his indebtedness to
the church. This was in 1852 ; and in 1867 he repeated
this peculiar financial operation ; this time . making his ser-
A LIBERAL SALARY. 525
vices liquidate an obligation for nine hundred and sixty-
seven thousand dollars.
It is worth while to be President of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints at a salary like that, and it is
no wonder that he desires to keep it in the family, and is so
anxious to appoint a successor.
But on the other side, see at what terrible rates the poor
people must have been taxed to have paid for the support
of this one man and his family, between the years 1847
and 1867 a period of just twenty years one million
one hundred and sixty-seven thousand dollars, nearly sixty
thousand dollars a year. This does not include many
grants of land and other property, made to him by the ter-
ritorial legislature, nor his compensation by the United
States government as governor and Indian agent. Although
a very ignorant man himself, able neither to read nor write
the English language correctly, he has always been a bit-
ter opponent of free schools and liberal education*
"I will not give a dollar," he says, "to educate another
man's child. If you school your children, there is great
danger of their becoming blacklegs and horse thieves," he
announced on one occasion, yet he seems quite willing that
his own should take the risk. All of them have received
a certain amount of education, enough to make them pre-
sentable in society, and some have had quite superior ad-
vantages. One son has just graduated at West Point,
another is a student at the Michigan University Law
School, and a third has just entered Cornell University.
Every attempt that has been made for the establishment
of free schools he has fiercely battled against, and the
other officers of the church have invariably followed his
lead. He assures his people that education is the bitterest
foe to labor. If they allow their children to be taught any-
thing they will no longer be of any service to their par-
rents. He dilates largely upon this subject in the Taber-
nacle.
526 BRIGHAM ON EDUCATION.
"I am utterly opposed to the schools," he said, in one
address. "They have been introduced into the States in
consequence of the tyranny of the rich over the poor. But
instead of keeping the people poor, and then providing
free schools for them, I would have the rich put out their
money to usury by giving the poor employment, that they
may be able to sustain themselves and school their own
children. It is the duty of the rich to use their means, as
I have done myself, in building factories, railroads, and
other branches of industry, in order that the laboring peo-
ple may have a chance to work together, and improve their
condition ; the rich taking their portion, and all growing
wealthy together."
There is an unconscious sarcasm in this last sentence
that is positively sublime. That one expression, " as I have
done myself," is the supremest satire. I do not believe
there is anywhere a man so suspicious of his workmen, so
penurious in his dealings with them, so anxious to cut their
wages down to the very lowest penny, as is Brigham Young.
I know men who have been in his employ for years, and
have never received the least remuneration. They have
worked on and on, and when at last they have brought a
bill against him for their labor, they have been met with
one equally large on his side for house rent, or goods from
the co-operative store, or are told that their labor is to go
toward paying their tithing.
If all the rich men use their means, " as I have done
mine," therefore there will be very little chance of the
poor man being able to educate their children at all : which
is exactly what Brigham Young wants. Had he spoken
the truth he would have said, "I am opposed to free schools.
They will rend this dark veil of superstition which envel-
ops you, and let in the light of reason, and this will loosen
my hold on you. If you educate your children you make
better men and women of them, but they will not be such
blind slaves to me as you have been. The day that sees
THE FAMILY DINNER. 527
knowledge generally disseminated throughout this commu-
nity sees my power broken, my 'opportunities' gone, and
therefore, with my consent, we will have no free schools."
Unlettered and uncultured as he is, he recognizes the
power of education, and that is why he is such a bitter op-
ponent to general culture, and why, at the same time, he
takes special care that his own children shall lack no ad-
vantages.
His personal habits are quite simple, and he is very
regular in his mode of living. He rises usually about
seven o'clock, dresses and breakfasts very leisurely, and
appears at his private office about nine. He examines his
letters, dictates replies to his secretary, reads the morning
papers, or has them read to him, and attends to some of
his official business. His barber comes to him at ten
o'clock, and for the time he is engaged exclusively at his
toilet. The presence of visitors never interrupts this im-
portant event of the day. The rest of the morning he
devotes to callers, and to such business as requires his own
personal attention. At three he dines, and it is then that
he meets his family for the first time in the day. Dinner
is served at the Lion House, and the appearance of Brig-
ham Young's family at dinner is very similar to that at a
country boarding-house, when the gentlemen are all away
at business in town, and the wives and children are left
together. At a short table, running across the head of the
long dining-room, Brigham sits with his favorite wife by his
side. In the days when I first used to be at the Lion
House, as a partial guest and partial resident, Emmeline
Free occupied this place of honor ; but after Amelia's ad-
vent, poor, loving Emeline was thrust aside. When Brig-
ham brings guests to dine with him, they have seats at this
table also. At a long table, running lengthwise of the
room, all the other wives are seated, each with her children
about "her. At the sound of the large dinner-bell, they all
file in, seat themselves quietly, grace is said by the "pre-
528 HELP YOURSELF, LADIES.
siding patriarch" from his table, and the meal goes on.
The family table is plainly spread, and supplied with the
very simplest fare, while the smaller one is laden with
every delicacy that the markets will afford. These, how-
ever, are only for the President and his favorite wife, and
the rest of the family must be satisfied merely to look at
them, and enjoy the dainties by proxy.
A very amusing incident took place once at this family
dinner. One of the wives, not usually considered among
the most spirited ones, who, like all the rest, had sub-
missively taken the food which had been set before her for
years, was one day seized by the spirit of discontent. She
had taken a fancy that she should like some of a particular
dish which graced her husband's table. She did not ex-
press her wish, but quietly rising from her place, went
straight to the other table, helped herself to the coveted
article, and returning as quietly as she came, took her seat,
and resumed her meal, amidst looks of consternation from
the other wives, and of indignant amazement from her
husband. Surprise made him absolutely speechless for the
moment ; but I fancy she was properly reproved in due
time, for she never attempted a repetition of the act.
When strangers are invited to dine, the tables are more
uniform in their appointments. The usual contrast between
the one at which the Prophet and his favorite sit, and that
around which the other wives and their families are gath-
ered, is not nearly so marked. There is an air of abun-
dance, and even of luxury, on these occasions, which gives
the Prophet the reputation, among his guests, of being,
what is called in New England parlance, " a good pro-
vider."
If only some of these deluded visitors could accidentally
happen into the same room at a similar meal, they would
see the true state of affairs ; but Brigham's family are never
visited accidentally. Indeed, it is but a short time since
visitors have been allowed in the Lion House at all, for the
A STRANGE FAMILY GATHERING.
529
Prophet has always maintained the strictest privacy regard-
ing his family.
After dinner they see no more of him until " family pray-
ers." At seven o'clock the bell is rung, and the wives and
children gather in the large Lion House parlor. Not only
are the wives who live in the house expected to be present,
but those who have homes outside are also supposed to
attend evening worship. Not all of them avail themselves
of this privilege, and the outside attendance is somewhat
FAMILY PRAYERS AT "THE LIOM HOUSE.
irregular. I used to go whenever I felt inclined, which
was very seldom ; and the longer I was a member of the
family, the more infrequent became my attendance.
Brigham sits in the centre of the room, at a large table,
on which is an ornamental " astral " lamp. The wives and
their respective families are ranged around the room, in the
order in which they appear at the table. When all are
seated, Brigham reads a few passages of Scripture, all
kneel down, and he makes a long prayer.
34
530 THE PROPHET'S PRAYERS.
He was formerly said to have a special "gift" for prayer,
and he has not lost it; butv somehow his prayers never
inspired me with veneration. He prays with great unc-
tion, and, I suppose, unconsciously to himself, some of his
patronizing manner slips into his appeals to the throne of
Divine Grace, until his petitions always seemed to me to be
very much like advice to the Deity rather than entreaties
for the Divine blessing. If he chances to be in a good
humor, he chats a little while before leaving the room ; but
if not, he goes away directly prayers are over, and that is
the last that is seen of him by the household until the next
day at dinner.
Some of his children are almost strangers to him. They
know nothing of fatherly affection, and while they feel that
they have, socially, a sort of prestige, by being so closely
related to him, they feel, personally, only a dread and fear
of him. He never invites their confidences, nor shows
himself interested in their affairs ; all this would be quite
incompatible with his ideas of prophetic dignity.
The Lion House, where most of the wives live, is a long,
three-storied house, at the very left of what is known as the
Prophet's Block. It receives its name from the stone figure
of a lion crouching over the front portico. There is a stone
basement ; then the main building, of wood, with peaked
gable, narrow pointed Gothic windows, and steep roof. In
the basement are the dining-room, kitchen, laundry, and
cellar. The parlor is on the principal floor, and the rest
of the house is taken up by the apartments of the wives,
each wife having a greater or less number of rooms accord-
ing to the size of her special family.
Next to the Lion House is a low building, which is used
as the "Tithing-Office." Here all the clerks have their
desks, and receive visits from the Saints who come on
church or personal business. Adjoining that is Brigham's
private office, where he receives his own visitors. At the
extreme right is the Bee-Hive House, a large building,
CHANGING VIEWS. 531
which has always been used as Governor Young's official
residence.
Lucy Decker has always had the care of it, and has
lived there with her children. No wife was ever permitted
to share her husband's apartments there, until the reign
of Amelia was opened. She has lived there since her
marriage, and has been virtually the recognized " head of
the harem." It is extremely probable that when her new
house is fully finished, the Bee-Hive House will be the
official residence only in name, and the household there
will see less of him than ever.
Polygamist, as he professes to be, he is, under the influ-
ence of Amelia, rapidly becoming a monogamist, in all
except the name.
CHAPTER XXXV.
BRIGHAM AS A FARMER. MY NEW HOUSE. TAKING
BOARDERS.
One Year after Marriage. Life at the Farm. House-keeping Extraor-
dinary. Bread and Milk Dinners. Brigham Tries to Catch us Nap-
ping. Hours of Labor. Dejection. My New House. Parlor
Stairs. " Wells Wanted." My Mother receives Notice to Quit.
My Elder Brother Pays her Board. Failing Faith. Taking Board-
ers. The Prophet's Contemptible Meanness. Brigham's Neglect.
Rev. Mr. Stratton. I open my Heart. The New Religion. Woman's
Sphere. First Glimpses of the Outer World. Forming Resolutions.
FTER we had been
married a year, Brig-
ham decided that I
should go to "The
Farm" to live. He
has several farms
among his landed pos-
sessions, but this one,
which supplies the Salt
Lake City family with
milk, butter, cheese, and vege-
tables, is always spoken of as
" The Farm." It is about four
miles from the city, within
pleasant driving distance, but
is by no means a desirable place
of residence.
Every one of the wives who had been compelled to live
there had become confirmed invalids before they left the
place, broken down by overwork ; and the prospect was not
a pleasant one to me, never strong, and unused to hard,
continuous labor, such as I knew I should be obliged to
TOILING FOR BRIGHAM.
AWAY FROM CIVILIZATION. 533
perform as mistress of the farm-house. But, as it was my
husband's will, I went, without a word of protest. I had
one bit of- comfort my mother was to accompany me.
Outwardly, my new home had a lovely appearance, and
Brigham never tired of descanting on its beauties to any
one who would listen to him. These expressions of admi-
ration would have been reasonable enough, had not the
eulogistic owner insisted on its comfort and convenience, as
well as on its beauty ; but he was just as earnest in recom-
mending it for those virtues which it did not possess, as he
was in lauding it for its pleasant exterior. And, indeed,
with its somewhat irregular architecture, its wide verandas,
vine-draped and shaded, its broad, low windows, and
beautiful surroundings, it is one of the pleasantest looking
places that one would care to see.
It is built after one of the Prophet's own plans, and he
says that it cost twenty-five thousand dollars. Possibly it
did ; but I am certain that, with the same amount of money,
I could build a house that should vastly exceed that in ex-
ternal beauty and interior appointments.
The walls are very thin, and the sun and heat penetrated
in summer, and the cold in the winter, making it at once
the warmest and the coldest house I ever saw. That might
have been a recommendation, had the temperature been
regulated to suit the seasons; but, unfortunately for our
comfort, it was hot when we wished it cool, and vice versa.
My mother hazarded an opinion to this effect in Brigham's
hearing, and he was greatly scandalized by it. He in-
formed her that she had been so long away from civiliza-
tion that she was not a proper judge of what a house ought
to be ! They both left " civilization " at the same time.
Housekeepers will understand something of its inconven-
ience, when I tell them that the stairs leading to the second
story- went directly from the parlor; that all the sleeping
rooms were up stairs, and that, in order to reach them, we
had to pass through a dining-room thirty feet, and a parlor
534 AN AMIABLE VISITOR.
forty feet in length; that hired men, family, and visitors
were all compelled to use the same staircase. If any
member of the family was ill, everything needed for the
invalid had to be carried from the kitchen to the sick room,
rendering the care of the invalid tiresome in the extreme.
The duties of housekeeper at w the Farm " were neither
slight nor easily performed. There were butter and cheese
to make from forty cows, all the other dairy work to attend
to, besides cooking for twenty-five or thirty men, including
the farm laborers and the workmen from the cocoonery. I
know at least six women who have been completely broken
down under the work at the farm-house, and neither my
mother nor myself have ever recovered from the illness
contracted there from overwork. My mother made the
butter and cheese, and took charge of the cooking. I
assisted in the latter, took care of the house, did the wash-
ing and ironing, and was allowed the extreme pleasure of
carrying the farm supplies to the other wives every week.
We had occasional visits from Brigham. He was very
fond of coming unexpectedly, and at all sorts of irregular
hours, hoping, evidently, that some time he might catch us
napping. He was so addicted to fault-finding, and so easily
displeased, that we took no pleasure in his visits, and I
grew to be positively unhappy every time his approach was
heralded. If his coming had brought any comfort, I should
have looked eagerly forward to his visits; as it was, I
dreaded them, and grew ill with nervousness and appre-
hension every time he came to us.
I remember one day, when he visited us, he came about
noon, just as mother had placed dinner for the workmen
upon the table. He walked up and down the dining-room,
surveying every dish with a critical eye, until we began to
fear that something must be terribly amiss. He professed
to be such a connoisseur in all matters relating to the cui-
sine, and was so frank, to say the least, in the expression
of his opinions, and so careless of the terms which he em-
HARD WORK AND POOR FARE. 535
ployed, that we dreaded the remarks which were almost
certain to follow this critical scrutiny.
After the men were seated at the table, Brigham called
my mother into the adjoining room. "You cook too good
food for those men," he said; "it is too rich for their
stomachs."
" I wish to give them something which they can eat, and
I try to do so," replied she. "They work hard, and I
surely can do no less than give them palatable food ; yet if
you do not approve of my manner of providing for them, I
will make any change you may suggest, if I can satisfy
the men with the fare."
" It don't make any difference whether they are satisfied
or not," was the answer. " I say it is healthier for them to
have bread and milk, and you must give it to them."
" Shall I give them this, and nothing else, three times a
day?" inquired she.
"Well, once in a while you may set on a little butter,
too," was the generous reply.
"But are they to have no meat?"
" Perhaps I will allow them a little occasionally, but they
are much better off without it."
This is a specimen of the interference to which we were
constantly subjected.
At another time, he told my mother that six o'clock was
too early an hour to give the men their supper in summer.
It was a waste of time, he said ; they ought to work in the
fields two or three hours longer, at the least. My mother
reminded him that after supper there were the forty cows
and other stock to be cared for. He said that could as well
be done after dark as before ; there was no danger of the
men hurting themselves with work ; nobody ever did, that
was in his employ. They all were leagued together, men
and >vomen alike, to swindle him, and his wives were as
bad as the rest.
My mother told the overseer what Brigham had said, and
53< PROPHETIC STAIRS.
he replied that, even for the Prophet, he should not ask the
men to do another hour's work a day; they were over-
worked already, and they should leave off work at six
o'clock each day, as they always had done. That ended
the matter, and the tea hour was unchanged.
I lived here for three years and a half, long, uneventful
years, and how I hated my life ! It was dull, joyless,
oppressed, and I looked longingly back to the dear old days
at Cottonwood, the restful days that never could come again.
Even the love I bore my children was changed. It was no
less tender, no less deep, but it was less hopeful and more
apathetic. I clung to them in a kind of despair, and I
dreaded the days, which must inevitably come, when my
clinging arms could no longer infold them, when my love
alone would cease to satisfy.
I could not tell my feelings to my mother, for, although
she was as sensitive to Brigham's captious fault-finding as I
was, habit was very strong upon her, and she could never
separate him from her religion.
At the end of the three years and a half, he told me one
day that he was building a house for me in town, which he
intended to have me remove to as soon as possible. It was
out of no feeling of regard for me, or care for my comfort,
which influenced him ; he simply wished to put some one
else in the farm-house, and it was necessary that I should
move, to make room for the new comer. I knew all this
perfectly well, yet I was so happy at the thought of getting
out of all the drudgery of the past years, that I was per-
fectly indifferent to the motives which induced him to make
the change for me.
When he told me of the house, I said I had one request
to make of him, which I hoped he would grant.
"What is it?" inquired he.
" Are there to be chambers in my new house ? "
"Yes, certainly."
" Then will you please not to build the stairs from the
MY NEW HOUSE. ANNOYING MY NEIGHBORS. 537
parlor. Let them go out of any other room in the house,
but do not disfigure that one. Besides being ugly," I con-
tinued, " it is inconvenient, and excessively annoying to be
obliged to pass through the best room at all times, and on
every occasion."
"You can have stairs out of every room in the house, if
you want them," was the reply.
I was quite satisfied, for I thought that equivalent to a
promise that my parlor should be left as I wished it. He
told me that he was spending five thousand dollars on my
new house, and, from his description, I fancied it must be
a very charming place.
Visitors to Salt Lake City are always taken to see " Ann
Eliza's house," and much is made of the fact that it was
built expressly for my use ; but the following equally im-
portant facts are carefully concealed :
Taking a view of it from the street, it was an exceedingly
pretty cottage, with an air of cosiness about it, which fre-
quently called out remarks from passers by, who thought
" Sister Ann Eliza very fortunate in her home." Inside it
was very inconvenient, and badly arranged, being built
after the stereotyped prophetic plan. The rooms were very
small, the kitchen being scarcely large enough for a doll's
house, measuring ten feet one way, by six feet the other.
And yet in this room all the washing, ironing, and cooking
for the family were to be done. Then, to my bitter disap-
pointment, the only stairs in the house ascended from the
parlor ! That, too, in the face of my expressed wish.
There were no facilities for obtaining water, and we were
compelled to depend upon our neighbors' wells. Naturally
enough, this annoyed them, and they used frequently to say
that Brigham Young was abundantly able to provide a well,
and they did not care to furnish water for his family, or any
portion of it. Speaking to him concerning these matters
was worse than useless, for I never could influence him in
the slightest, while every suggestion which I ventured to
538 BRIGHAM'S MEANNESS.
make irritated him extremely ; so I held my peace, after one
or two attempts to change things a little, so that the house
should be more convenient.
I had scarcely got settled in my new home, when he told
me that my mother must leave me ; he could not afford to
support her any longer. This, too, when she had worked
herself ill in his service, and had asked no reward for her
labors except the privilege of staying with me, her only
daughter ; the child from whom she had never been sep-
arated for any great length of time.
I cried bitterly after my husband had left me, but I would
not tell my mother what he had said. I knew she would
be sorely grieved, and that she would go away at once.
Her independent spirit would not permit her to remain a
pensioner on this selfish man's unwilling bounty.
I could not live without her. I leaned on her in piteous
dependence, and looked to her for all the comfort I had
outside of my children. In addition to the dread and dis-
like which had grown up in my heart toward my husband,
I was beginning to lose faith in the religion which he rep-
resented. His petty meannesses, his deceit, his unscrupu-
lousness, his open disregard for the truth, all were so utterly
at variance with the right, that I could no longer look upon
him as a spiritual guide and director.
I looked about me, and on every side I saw so much of
misery, that I felt it must be a false faith indeed, which
brought such unhappiness to its followers. Yet I knew no
other religion, and I groped about in a state of spiritual
bewilderment, tortured by many conflicting doubts.
I did not dream, then, of trying to get out of it ; my
only thought was how to live with the least misery, and my
best comfort was to keep my mother.
Finding that I did not tell her, after repeated orders from
him to do so, he threatened to send her away himself. In
great distress of mind, I went to my elder brother, who
offered to pay me five dollars a week for my mother's board,
A FRIEND IN REV. MR. STRATTON. 539
and on those terms Brigham expressed his willingness that
she should remain with me.
I now began to find it difficult to make him provide even
the commonest necessaries of life for me, and I plainly saw
that I must take things into my own hands, and earn my
own support, and that of my children. I asked permission
of my husband to take boarders, and he granted my re-
quest with amazing readiness ; so I went to work in good
earnest, and soon succeeded in filling my house. As it
chanced, all my boarders were Gentiles. Brigham knew
this perfectly well, yet he did not seem in the least con-
cerned about it. Indeed, of so little importance was I, or
my actions, that he never troubled himself to come near
me after he had given his consent that I should support
myself in the way I considered the easiest. The last time
that he ever visited me was months before I left my home.
Previous to the time of receiving these new inmates into
my family, I had one acquaintance outside the Mormon
Church. This was Mr. Howard Sawyer, a Gentile gentle-
man, to whom I was introduced while visiting at Mrs. Ra-
chel Grant's. Some time after I had commenced my work
of self-support, I met him again at the house of Mr. Na-
thaniel V. Felt, a Mormon. The Rev. Mr. Stratton, pas-
tor of the Methodist church in Salt Lake, was with him,
and he introduced us at once. He had previously told Mr.
Stratton that I spoke very freely on the subject of Mormon-
ism, and that he need not hesitate to question me, as he
would find me very frank and honest in the expression of
my opinions.
Mr. Stratton was the first representative of a religion
outside the Mormon belief whom I had ever met, and I lis-
tened anxiously to every word he said, hoping to find some
ray of light and cheer. As he talked, I felt very strongly
drawn toward the world which he and Mr. Sawyer repre-
sented, and I longed to know more concerning it. I was
much impressed by this interview ; and at its close, Mr.
540 DEEPER DESPAIR. LONGING FOR COMFORT.
Stratton expressed a wish to see me again, and to have
his wife meet me. I was struck by his very manner of
speaking of her. I had never heard a woman referred to
in so deferential a tone before, and I wondered at it.
As the days went by, I grew more miserable, and longed
inexpressibly for the comfort, which neither my people nor
their religion for it had ceased to be mine could give
me. I remembered Mr. Stratton's kindly words, and I
ventured to send him a message by Mr. Graham, one of
my boarders, asking if I might see him and his wife, and
talk with them.
An urgent invitation to visit them came by way of speedy
reply ; and in response,
I spent an entire after-
noon at their house.
They received me so
cordially that my heart
went out in love toward
them at once. I talked
to them unreservedly,
and opened my soul to
them. I told them of
my childhood, my re-
ligious training, my
unhappy domestic ex-
perience, and all the
occurrences of my
marriage to Brigham
Young. They listened with earnest sympathy, and when
I finished my story were overflowing with words of pity
and consolation. I shall never forget them in my life.
They were the sweetest words which had ever been spoken
to me, for they helped me to see the way out of bondage.
It was the first glimpse I had ever had of domestic life
outside of polygamy, and the deference which the husband
showed to the wife, the confidence she displayed in him,
RELATING MY STORY TO MR. AND MRS. STRATTON.
RISING HOPES. NEW RESOLUTIONS. 54!
and her perfect ease in his presence, were very strange to
me. The equality on which they seemed to stand puzzled
me. I could not understand this religion which regarded
woman as an independent soul, with a free will, and capa-
bility of judgment. The inferiority of women is so strongly
insisted upon by the Mormon doctrine that I supposed it
must be the same everywhere, and the first view which I
got of this sweet household was a revelation to me.
I carried home a braver and stronger heart than had beat
in my bosom for many a long day. I went about my daily
duties as quietly as though there were not a resolution form-
ing in my mind which was speedily to overturn my whole
life, and bring me into a new and strange existence.
Meanwhile my destiny was working itself out in a way I
knew not, turning my feet into unexplored paths ; and I
did not yet see where I was straying, nor what the near
future was holding in store for me.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
BREAKING THE YOKE. I LEAVE MY HOME.
The Workings of Destiny. A Noble Lawyer. A Small Stove and a
Large Family. Last Interview with Brigham. A Startling Proposal.
Sickness and Gentile Care. Brigham's Police. A Moral Thun-
derbolt. My Third Baptism. A Religious Farce. I Decide to
Escape. A Memorable Day. Removing in Forty Minutes. The
Walker House. Among the Gentiles. A Perilous Situation. New
Hopes. Interviewed by Reporters. Unwelcome Notoriety. A
Touching Letter. A Visit from my Father. The Paper War. Over-
shooting the Mark. Sueing for a Divorce. A Tempting Offer, $i 5,000
and my Freedom. The Prophet Astonished.
FTER a person has
made up his or her
mind to take any step
in a new direction, it
seems as though every
event of the life points
the same way. It is al-
most as if decision had
been forced upon him,
and the course of ac-
tion was inevitable.
It was but a very few
days after my first
memorable visit to
Mr. and Mrs. Stratton,
when I received in my
family a gentleman and
his wife by the name of Hagan. Mr. Hagan was a
lawyer of considerable repute in Salt Lake City, and I
found both himself and his wife very pleasant inmates of
my home.
My family had increased so, that it was quite impossible
to do the necessary amount of cooking on the very small
ALONE AT THE HOTEL.
MY LAST VISIT TO BRIGHAM. 543
stove which was in my " toy " kitchen. I made up my
mind to ask Brigham for another, since, as I was working
hard to support myself, he ought to be willing to assist me
to this extent.
I called one day at his office, the last call I ever made
him, by the way, and preferred my request. He looked
at me for a moment in evident surprise.
"I believe you are keeping boarders."
"Yes, I am," was my reply ; "and that is why I want the
stove. I cannot do the necessary cooking on the one I
have."
" If you want a cooking-stove, you'll get it yourself. I've
put you into a good house, and you must see to the rest. I
cannot afford to have so many people calling on me for
every little thing they happen to think they want."
I was much distressed and disturbed after this interview.
I had known that I must take care of myself for some time,
and I had gone about it bravely and willingly, and I felt
that this rebuff was in every sense undeserved. Never,
during my whole married life, had I made one unnecessary
request; and, however much I might have "cost him," as
he used to say in speaking of the very small amount he
spent for me, I felt that I had more than repaid in hard,
unceasing labor. If he does not wish to support us, why
does he place us in the position to expect support from him,
was my bitter thought. I did not seek the position of
wife to him ; it was forced upon me ; and I was now com-
pelled to endure the indignities which he chose to heap
upon me.
Mrs. Hagan's kindly eyes discovered my distress, and
she instantly begged my confidence. I gave it unreserv-
edly and fully. She asked leave to tell her husband, and
he, indignant at the treatment I was receiving, consulted
with other lawyers, and all agreed in advising me to bring
a suit against Brigham for divorce and alimony.
Mr. Hagan assured me that if I did not gain the suit I
544 A STARTLING PROPOSITION. DARK DAYS.
should have found a way of getting out of my life in Mor-
monism ; that it would be a test case, showing how the po-
lygamous wives of Mormons stood in the law, and that I
would find ready sympathy from the outside world.
This proposal, although it startled me, came at a time
when I was more ready to entertain it than I should have
been at any other period. My mother had discovered Brig-
ham's feelings toward her, and had left my house to return
to my father's farm at Cotton wood, and I was grieving over
her absence ; still, had she been with me, I should have said
nothing to her on this subject ; for, although she was losing
confidence in Brigham Young, she still clung to her re-
ligion, while I had not one spark of faith in it remaining.
In the mean time Mr. Hagan went to California for a
short trip, begging. me to decide upon the matter before his
return. The more I thought upon the subject the more
perplexed I grew, until I fairly broke down under the
weight of nervous anxiety, and became very ill. My board-
ers took all the care of me through my sickness. I was
entirely dependent on them for every care. Not one mem-
ber of Brigham's family came near me, and I was as ut-
terly neglected by them as though they had not known of
my existence.
Those days of struggle were dark indeed, and oftentimes I
did not know which way to turn. Perils and miseries faced
me on every side. I was in doubt as to which was the true
religion, or whether any were true. The question fre-
quently arose, What would become of me if I apostatized?
My church taught me that I should be given over to eternal
damnation. And although I had ceased to regard my
church and its teachings, yet I had a slight feeling of su-
perstition left, and in my weak state I could but portray to
myself the horrors of my situation if what it taught were
really true.
At this juncture, I received a visit from the Ward Teach-
ers, whose duty it is to visit each family in the city, and ex-
MY THIRD BAPTISM. A RELIGIOUS FARCE. 545
amine the different members as to their spiritual welfare.
They are an inferior order of ecclesiastics, who serve' the
various purposes of religious instructors for the weak and
ignorant, revenue officers to gather tithing, and general
police to spy out and report irregularities or weakness of
faith among the brethren.
The spokesman began by asking, " Sister Young, do you
enjoy the spirit of our religion ? "
"No, sir, I do not" was my reply.
If a thunderbolt had fallen among them they could not
have been more surprised. They argued with me, coun-
selled me, prayed with me, and finally I concluded to make
one more attempt to cling to Mormonism. They begged
me to be rebaptized, and I consented, although I had little
faith in the ordinance.
Accompanied by a friend, I went to the Endowment
House, where they have a font in which this rite is per-
formed. We waited two hours for those in charge to get
the names and ages of a lot of Danes, who were to be bap-
tized for their dead relatives. My patience and very doubt-
ful faith were about exhausted. At last they were ready,
and I, as a wife of the President, was honored by being
first taken. The men officiating were talking and laughing
as if engaged in an every-day affair, while I was trying to
feel solemn and to exercise faith, a signal failure, I assure
you. I was led into the water by a great strapping fellow,
who mumbled a few words over me and plunged me in. I
was taken from the water gasping for breath, and placed in
a chair. Some more words were spoken over me, and the
farce ended. Everything was done in such a business-like
manner, with an utter absence of anything of a devotional
nature, that I was thoroughly disgusted, and made no fur-
ther effort to believe in Mormonism or its ordinances.
Mr.-Hagan, on his return, found me fully determined on
following his advice. I was ready to renounce my religion
and leave my home. I did not know all that was included
35
54 6
REMOVING IN HASTE.
in my resolution, else I might have faltered in my new de-
termination. My plans were quickly laid, and with the
assistance of the friends whom I had found in this hour of
trouble, were carried into instant execution, before they
could be discovered by Mormon spies.
On the 1 7th of July, 1873, I sent all my furniture to an
auction-room, leaving my house stripped and desolate. It
was done so quickly that no one had time even to suspect
CARRYING MY FURNITURE TO THE AUCTION ROOM.
my intention. Arrangements having been previously made,
three furniture vans came at the same time, and in forty
minutes my entire household goods were in charge of the
auctioneer. They were sold the next day, and I realized
three hundred and eighty dollars from the sale. The furni-
ture was worth almost nothing, being old and worn, and of
common quality at its best ; but my friends bought it at large
prices, "to help the young apostate," as the Tribune said.
IN A HOTEL FOR THE FIRST TIME. 547
I had sent the elder of my boys to his grandmother, the
younger remained with me, and together we went to Mr.
Stratton's house, where we passed the afternoon. In the
evening Mr. and Mrs. Stratton took us to the Walker
House, the Gentile hotel, which I have ever since claimed
as my Salt Lake City home.
Imagine, if you can, my feelings, on being alone with
my little child, in a strange place, under such peculiar cir-
cumstances. I had abandoned my religion, left father,
mother, home, and friends, deliberately turned away from
them all, knowing that the step I was taking could never
be retraced. My heart cried out for my mother, who I
knew would be more sorely stricken with my action than
any one else in the world. I would have spared her if I
could, but I was powerless to act in any other manner.
It was the first time in my life that I had been in a hotel ;
and, as I was among people who I had been taught were
my bitterest enemies, I was overwhelmed by a sense of
desolate helplessness. I did not know what my fate would
be. Every footstep in the halls startled me ; for I expected
that each would bring some one to summon me to a dreadful
death. I fully believed that was to be my last night on
earth, so I prepared for death ; but the agony of suspense
was awful. I had been taught that no deed was too bad,
no outrage too dastardly, for the Gentiles to commit upon
the Mormons ; and here I had allowed myself to be placed
so fully in their power that they might do with me as they
pleased, and my fate would never be known.
Does any one wonder that I did not seek refuge with
some Mormon friend, of whose sympathy I was sure? No
Mormon would have dared to give me shelter. I was in
open rebellion against their leader, and had I remained
one day among them, my doom would have been irrevoca-
bly fixed.
Neither did I dare to remain with my friends, the Strat-
tons ; for in so doing I should expose them to Mormon fury,
54 A DREARY NIGHT. EXCITING TIMES.
and endanger their lives and their home. So I sought
the only place of refuge open to me with untold fear and
dread.
I laid awake all night wishing for the day to dawn, yet
fearing that I should never see it; and when the first ray
of light came through my windows I was relieved and
hopeful.
With morning came a new excitement. The news of
EXCITEMENT IN SALT LAKE CITY.
my flight from home had gone abroad, and the morning
papers were full of it, the Mormon journals abusing, the
Gentile journals praising and congratulating me. This part
of the experience had never suggested itself to me. It had
never occurred to me that it would be made a public matter,
and I shrank from the very thought. I felt myself a marked
object. Reporters called on me, seeking interviews for the
California, Chicago, and New York papers, and questioned
AN AGONIZING LETTER FROM MY MOTHER.
549
me until I was fairly bewildered. I had gone to bed a poor,
defenceless, outraged woman, trying to find my way out of
a false life into something truer and better, and I arose to
find that my name had gone the length and breadth of the
country, and that I was everywhere known as Brigham
Young's rebellious wife.
People who were curious to see one of the wives of the
Prophet, swarmed into the hotel. I could not leave my
room, nor did I dare to do so, nor to allow my children out
of my sight for nearly two months. The Mormon papers
commenced to assail me in every way, while the Gentile
papers came unanimously to my defence. In the midst of
it came this most heart-rending letter from my mother :
"Mr DEAR CHILD : You can never know how dear you are to
your grief-stricken mother. Your death would have been far
preferable to the course you are taking. How gladly would I
have laid you in your grave, had I known what was in your heart.
I now pray that you may be spared for repentance and atonement ;
for, as sure as you are living, a day of repentance will come ; a
day of reckoning and of sorrow, such as you have never imagined.
Now, let me entreat of you to pause, and retrace your steps before
it is too late. The Lord, my Father, grant that you may listen to
your mother's last appeal, and flee from your present dictators, as
you would from the fiends of darkness.
"You will never know the effort I am making to write this.
When I first received the blow, it struck me down like a flash of
lightning, and the first I remember, I was praying for your death
before you sinned past redemption. My much-loved child, come
to your mother, and try to smooth her pathway to the grave. I
should pray to be laid there at once, if I did not hope to save you
yet. The path you are pursuing leads to the lowest depths of
woe, and I pray, every moment of my life, that you may speedily
be arrested. Oh, how could you turn against us? How could
you break our hearts? Your father's house, and your brother Gil-
bert's' house, are both filled with weeping friends, who are de-
ploring your fate ; and I implore you, in the name of all that is
sacred, to come back to us. You seem to be encircled in a cloud
55O WAR COMMENCED.
of almost impenetrable darkness, but the Lord our God is able to
remove the veil, and enlighten jou in his own way. I can only
pray for you.
"My heart is broken, my dear and much-loved child. I loathe
the sight of food, and sleep has forsaken my eyelids. The idol is
rudely broken that I have worshiped so long. My fault has been
in loving you too well, and having too great anxiety for your
welfare.
" I pray you to forgive me for all the wrongs you imagine I
have done you in bringing you up as I have done. I have ever
been laboring, teaching, and instructing with the best of motives,
with an eye to your interests. I shed the bitterest tears I ever did
in my life. God grant you may never have cause to shed such
tears. If I can ever be the least comfort to you, do not fear to let
me know. I close by repeating, come to the arms of your heart-
broken but still anxions
" MOTHER."
If she agonized over the writing of that letter, so I did
over the reading. I longed to flv to her ; but even to make
her happy I could not violate my conscience, and go back
into the old bondage of darkness again.
My father came at once to see me ; and although he at
first disapproved of my course, yet when the Mormon
press commenced to assail me, he came over to my side
at once.
Brigham and his friends commenced their usual method
of warfare against a woman who opposes them, by instigat-
ing slanders of all sorts for the Gentile papers outside of
Utah to publish. They found a ready assistant for their
noble and generous attempt in the person of a fellow of low
repute, employed as item-gatherer for the Salt Lake Her-
ald, who had recently been converted to Mormonism through
the agency of Brigham Young's purse, and was now ready
to do any foul work for his master.
His first act was to send a dictated falsehood to the San
Francisco Chronicle. He was a telegraph operator, and,
through Brigham Young, who, it is alleged, virtually con-
BRIGHAM TRIES TO COMPROMISE. 551
trols the Associated Press and the Western Telegraph Office
in Utah, he had access to wires, and sent all the scandalous
messages which his employer dictated, until it became so
plainly apparent that he was serving Mormon interests, that
the papers refused to publish any more of his misstate-
ments.
As a reward for his labor, he was promised a daughter
of Mayor Wells as his wife. The young lady has not yet
acquiesced in the arrangement, and he still hangs about
Salt Lake, despised alike by Mormons and Gentiles.
The Gentile element in Salt Lake made itself strongly
felt in my favor, and the Gentile press combated bravely
the scurrility of the Mormon organs. Ladies and gentle-
men called on me with offers of sympathy. All the persons
connected with the hotel were kindness itself. Mr. and
Mrs. Stratton stood by me nobly, and I have never ceased
to thank God for raising up such friends in my time of need.
I shall always hold them most specially dear, although
our paths in life have so diverged that we rarely meet.
Through General Maxwell, who was so kind as to come
forward with offers of assistance, I brought suit for divorce
against Brigham Young.
Surprised, as every one was, by this action, I think no one
was more astonished than the Prophet himself. He would
have looked for rebellion from almost any other wife sooner
than from me, I had been so quiet and acquiescent during
all my married life with him. He was annoyed by the
publicity of the affair ; for, although he likes notoriety, and
courts it, he did not care to appear as defendant in a suit for
divorce, on the grounds of neglect and non-support. It
would not sound well in the Gentile world.
He tried to effect a compromise with me, and through his
son-in-law, Hiram B. Clawson, offered me fifteen thousand
dollars and my freedom if I would carry the suit no further.
I will confess that the offer tempted me. I could take my
children and go away quietly with them, and avoid the
552 A LEGAL FIGHT COMMENCED.
notoriety which I so hated. If it had been my own individ-
ual case alone, I should hav.e eagerly accepted the offer,
and made the compromise. But when I thought how much
was involved, how many other lives would be affected by
the decision which would be given in my case, I put all
thought of settlement aside. I would not now be bought by
the man who refused to care for me when it was his duty to
do so ; and I said to my lawyers, and General Maxwell,
K Go on." There was no further delay, and the legal fight
commenced at once. As so much has been said concerning
this trial, and as it seems so generally misunderstood, I will
devote-a chapter to the legal points, and an epitome of the
court proceedings, as far as they have reached, so that the
general public may more fully understand what I sought,
and what grounds I had to justify my action.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE DIVORCE SUIT. PROCEEDINGS IN COURT. -
HAM'S AFFIDAVIT.
BRIG-
I bring an Action against the Prophet. My " Complaint " against Him.
What the " Complaint " Stated. My Birth and Early Life. My
Marriage with the Prophet. Exile to Brigham's Farm. Cause of
Action for Divorce. The Question of Alimony. My own Affidavit.
Corroborative Testimony. Opinion of Judge McKean. Brigham
Young's Reply and Affidavit. The Prophet states the Value of his
Property. Wonderful Difference of Opinion. Proceedings in Court.
Judge McKean Sums Up. Order for Allowance and Alimony.
Judge McKean Removed. His Order Quashed by the New Judge.
The Latest Proceedings.
N the 28th of July, 1873,
I commenced an action
for divorce against Brig-
ham Young in the Dis-
trict Court of the Third
Judicial District of Utah,
and the "Complaint"
was served upon him
by the United States
marshal.
This " Complaint " set
forth, with the usual pro-
lixity of all legal instru-
ments, the grievances
which I had appealed to
the law to remedy ; but,
as it would be utterly
impossible, in the cir-
cumscribed limits of these pages, to give that document
entire, I shall present the reader with as succinct a resumg
of its contents as I possibly can.
BKIGHAM FINED
\ND IMPRISONED FOR CONTEMPT
OF COURT.
554 STATING MY CASE.
It was addressed " To the Hon. James B. McKean, Judge
of the Third Judicial District Court, in and for the Terri-
tory of Utah, and County of Salt Lake, in Chancery sit-
ting," and the following are the several items which it con-
tained :
It began by stating who and what I was ; that I was born
at Nauvoo, Illinois, but had, since the year 1848, been res-
ident in Utah ; that I was the wife of Brigham Young ; and
that I was married to him on the 6th of April, 1868, when
I was in my twenty-fifth year, and was the mother of two
children by a former marriage, one four and the other
three years of age ; that neither I nor my children had any-
thing to depend upon, a fact of which Brigham was well
aware, and also that my children were boys, still living.
That Brigham had lived with me for about a year after
our marriage, treating me with some degree of kindness,
and providing, though inadequately, for my support ; and
that I had always fulfilled my duties as a wife toward him.
That about a year after our marriage he began to neg-
lect and ill-treat me ; that during the year 1869 he sent me,
against my wishes, to a farm, four miles distant from Salt
Lake City, where, for three years and a half I was com-
pelled to labor until I was completely broken down in
health ; that my only companion was my mother ; that,
except the limited fare which the defendant allowed me, he
appropriated all the proceeds of the farm ; and that on the
few occasions when he visited the farm he treated me with
studied contempt, objecting even to my aged mother re-
maining with me, after her health was destroyed by over-
work on his farm.
That toward the end of 1872 Brigham removed me to a
house in Salt Lake City, where, however, he seldom visited
me ; that when I called upon him to ask a supply of the
necessaries of life, he used the most opprobrious language
toward me, and gave me so little that I had to work con-
stantly to support myself and children.
SEEKING A SEPARATION. 555
That for five years past my health had been so bad that
I was now altogether unfitted to labor, and was in constant
need of medical advice ; that Brigham knew it, but repeat-
edly refused to furnish me with assistance, medicine, or
food, so that I was obliged to rely upon the charity of
friends ; that Brigham had declared he would never do
anything more for me, and said that henceforth I must sup-
port myself, notwithstanding that he was the owner of sev-
eral millions of dollars ; that, as President of the Mormon
Church, he occupied a very important position, and I be-
lieved that his monthly income could not be less than forty
thousand dollars.
That I had been compelled to sell my furniture, and all
my household goods, in order to obtain the necessaries of
life ; and that, for a year previous to that date [1873], Brig-
ham had entirely deserted me.
Further, I stated that it was impossible for our union to
continue ; that I prayed for a separation, and also an allow-
ance, as all I possessed consisted of about three hundred
dollars, and my children were dependent upon me for sup-
port ; I asserted that I had secured the aid of Messrs. F.
M. Smith, A. Hagan, and F. Tilford as my counsel; that
I had been informed that twenty thousand dollars would be
a reasonable compensation for their services ; and I there-
fore prayed the court to direct a subpoena, commanding
the defendant, Brigham Young, to appear to answer to my
suit; that, pending it, he might be ordered to pay me
a thousand dollars a month from the date of riling this
bill, a preliminary fee of six thousand dollars to my courv-
sel, and that' after the final decree he should pay them the
remaining fourteen thousand, and all the expenses of the
court.
Furthermore, I prayed, that after our legal separation, he
might be ordered to support myself and children suitably ;
and that for that purpose the sum of two hundred thousand
dollars might be set aside from his estate.
556 THE PROPHET'S INCOME.
This bill, the substance of which I have given above,
was signed by my solicitors, (Smith, Hagan, and Jilford,
and to it the following was appended :
" TERRITORY OF UTAH, ^
County of Salt Lake, 5 ss '
"Ann Eliza Young, being first duly sworn, deposes and
says : That she is the complainant in the above entitled
action ; that she has heard read the foregoing bill of com-
plaint, and knows the contents thereof, and that the same
is true of her own knowledge, except the matters and
things therein stated on information and belief, and as to
those she believes them to be true.
"ANN ELIZA YOUNG.
" Subscribed and sworn to before me, this ipth day of
July, A. D., 1873. JOSEPH F. NOUNNAN, Clerk.""
A motion for an allowance and counsel fees was noticed
for hearing at the same time, and the service was by the
same officer. This document was headed with all due
form and ceremony. It stated, I, Ann Eliza Young, the
plaintiff, being duly sworn, alleged :
That I was the wife of Brigham Young, the defendant ;
that while I was living with him, and performing the work
mentioned in the bill already filed, he acquired enormous
property, of the value of several millions of dollars, and
was now the owner of at least eight millions.
That I had no means of knowing his exact income, but
was sufficiently informed to allege that it was at least forty
thousand dollars a month.
That the facts stated in the bill were true ; that I and my
children were penniless; that knowing the power and in-
fluence of Brigham, that he had the disposition to harm
me, and that my life would be unsafe in any private house,
I had taken refuge in the chief hotel in Salt Lake City,
the Walker House, about the i5th of July, where I had
FURTHER AFFIDAVITS. 557
since resided ; that my expenses were very large, but that
I had no income, and that my health was too feeble to allow
me to work. I therefore prayed the court to grant me the
items included in the bill already filed.
This affidavit was signed by me, and countersigned by
Joseph F. Nounnan, the clerk of the court.
Attached to it was an affidavit, signed C. M. Turck,
making, upon oath, a statement of the destitute condition in
which I was previous to the time when I left my private
residence and went to the Walker House.
Of this affidavit it is needless for me to speak in detail,
further than to say that it more than fully establishes to the
utmost all that the previous bill and affidavit affirmed.
Other affidavits were made by gentlemen who knew me
well, one by Mr. Malcolm Graham, and another by my
medical adviser, J. M. Williamson, both of which fully
confirmed my own statements.
James B. McKean, judge of the court, was absent tempo-
rarily on account of sickness at that time, and Judge Em-
erson, of the First District Court, presided for him. Judge
McKean had held that, in equity cases, the United States
marshal was the proper officer to serve process, but the
defendant came into court at the time appointed for the
hearing, and moved to quash the service of the process, on
the ground that the " territorial marshal," and not the United
States marshal, was the proper officer to serve the process
in the case. Reversing the rule administered by Judge
McKean, the judge temporarily presiding held the motion
good, and quashed the service.
Therefore new process was issued, and placed in the
hands of the territorial marshal, accompanied by an order
to the defendant to appear and answer to the motion for an
allowance and alimony. This was regularly served, and
at the day appointed the defendant appeared by counsel,
and, for cause against the motion, filed his demurrer to the
bill, on the ground that the District Court had not jurisdic-
55 BRIGHAM DENIES OUR MARRIAGE.
tion of the subject of divorce in Utah Territory. Two days
were occupied in the argument of this question, and it was
taken under advisement for ten days longer. At the end
of that time the presiding judge came into court, and held
that this court had no jurisdiction in matters of divorce, and
denied the motion.
The case then stood over, by an agreement between the
counsel, until the following May, 1874. The Supreme
Court of the Territory, at its term held in that month, in
the case of Cast vs. Cast, decided that the district courts of
the territory had jurisdiction in actions for divorce and ali-
mony, thus reversing the opinion of Emerson, justice in
this case. The case being afterwards in July, 1874
called on for hearing on the demurrer to the complaint in
the District Court, McKean, presiding, overruled the de-
murrer, and gave the defendant leave to answer.
Thereupon my counsel asked and obtained leave to
renew the motion for an allowance and alimony pending
the suit which had been denied. It is proper also here to
state, that on the 24th of June, 1874, Congress enacted a
law expressly conferring authority in divorce cases on the
District Court of the Territory ; but this law only affirmed
by legislation what the Supreme Court had already decided
to be the law.
On the 24th of August, 1874, Brigham Young filed
an answer, of which the following is a correct summary :
He denied that at any time he had been married to me.
That at the time when my affidavit alleged that this mar-
riage to me took place, I was really the wife of James L.
Dee, never having been legally divorced from him, but
that he [Brigham] believed at the time of alleged marriage
in April, 1868, that I had been properly divorced from Dee.
He alleged his previous marriage with Mrs. Mary Ann
Angell Young, at Kirtland, Ohio, on the loth of January,
1834, and that the said legal wife was still living, of which
fact I, complainant, was aware.
BRIGHAM'S STATEMENT. 559
He admitted his marriage with me, after the custom of
the Latter-Day Saints, but denied that the marriage was
legal, in any sense acknowledged by the laws of the land.
He then proceeded to deny every one of the counts in
my complaint, seriatim, winding up with the following
statement :
" Defendant denies that he is or has been the owner of
wealth amounting to several millions of dollars, or that he
is or has been in the monthly receipt from his property of
forty thousand dollars or more. On the contrary, defendant
alleges that, according to his best knowledge, information,
and belief, all his property, taken together, does not exceed
in value the sum of six hundred thousand dollars, and that
his gross income from all of his property, and every source,
does not exceed six thousand dollars per month.
"Defendant further says, that at the time of the said alleged
marriage, this defendant had, and still has, a very large
family ; that his said family now consists of sixty-three per-
sons, all of whom are dependent upon this defendant for
maintenance and support.
" Whereof the defendant prays judgment of the court that
he be hence dismissed with his costs herein.
"WILLIAMS, YOUNG & SHEEKES, and
HEMPSTEAD & KIRKPATRICK,
Defendant's Attorneys "
To the replication of defendant, which was very lengthy,
denying or explaining away every point in the bill which I
had filed, the following was appended :
"TERRITORY OF UTAH, ^
County of Salt Lake. $ ss>
"Brigham Young, being duly sworn, on his oath says:
That he has heard read the foregoing answer, and knows
and understands the contents thereof, and that the same is
560 THE TRIAL PROCEEDS.
true of his own knowledge, except those matters therein
stated on his information and belief, and as to those matters
he believes it to be true. Affiant further says that he is the
defendant in the above entitled suit.
"BRIGHAM YOUNG.
" Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of
August, 1874.
"Jos. F. NOUNNAN, Clerk:'
The court then gave me, or my counsel for me, leave to
renew the motion for alimony as asked ; and notice having
been given, the motion was by agreement fixed for hearing
on the 3d day of October following. My counsel also filed
a motion to strike out portions of the defendant's answer,
and on the hearing of the motion for alimony, insisted upon
submitting it to the court. When the motion was called for
hearing, I offered to submit a number of affidavits bearing
on the question of alimony, which were filed and served with
the original complaint. The defendant objected to the read-
ing of them, on the ground that they had not had sufficient
notice of them by the notice renewing the motion, and they
were withdrawn.
The defendant then offered to read affidavits in support
of his answer, but as they had not been served, and their
contents not made known prior to the hearing, they were ob-
jected to and excluded. It also appeared that the affidavits
were addressed to other matters of defence than those set up
in the answer.
The hearing was then had upon my complaint and the
defendant's answer, my counsel at the same time submitting
their motion to strike out certain objectionable portions of the
answer, and insisting that such portions should be disre-
garded by the court, and treated if the motion were well
founded as out of the answer.
The questions involved were argued, and on the 23d day
PLURAL MARRIAGES ILLEGAL. $6l
of February, 1875, the judge decided the motion for alimony,
pending the suit, in an elaborate written opinion, of which
the following is an accurate summary :
The Judge, Jas. B. McKean, laid down nine general
axioms tending to demonstrate that the defendant's pleas
were invalid; that a marriage solemnized in Utah, after
Mormon fashion, would be legally valid, provided the
parties married were competent to enter into that engage-
ment ; that the court could not grant a divorce if the marriage
were proved bigamous or polygamous ; that the court had
power to grant alimony, and intended to do so to the extent
of one twelfth of what the defendant admitted his income to
be, or one eightieth according to my assertion.
He then summed up the statements of both parties to the
suit. He gave the substance of my " Complaint," and then
took into consideration Brigham Young's reply.
Then he considered the defendant's denial that any mar-
riage had ever taken place between us ; his statement that,
at the time when I alleged that our marriage took place, I was
actually the wife of Jas. L. Dee, never having been properly
divorced from him ; and also his admission that we had
been married polygamously in April, 1868.
The judge gave quotations from various sources to prove
that this marriage was legal and binding according to the
laws of the Territory and of the United States, notwithstand-
ing that the forms of the Mormon Church were used ; pro-
viding, always, that we were both competent to enter into
the contract.
He discussed the assertion of defendant that he was also
incompetent to marry while his lawful wife, Mary Ann
Angell, was still living. This, the judge explained, was
the admission of felony ; as, if admitted, it would prove that
the defendant had entered into a bigamous marriage. Such
statements he, the judge, said should be admitted as evi-
dence, so far as they were to defendant's prejudice, but
must be proved true before they could be admitted as evi-
36
562 BRIGHAM ARRESTED FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
dence against the plaintiff. The defendant must prove that
the plaintiff was the wife of another man, and that he him-
self was the husband of another woman, on the 6th of April,
1868.
The judge stated, that in order to prove the allegations
made on both sides, it would be necessary to summon wit-
nesses, procure documentary evidence, &c., which would
involve very great expense. He should, therefore, allow
alimony, and a certain amount for costs of prosecution.
He quoted legal precedents to show what amount should
be considered reasonable ; and then he summed up, and de-
creed that, after considering all circumstances, the court
had concluded to order defendant to pay three thousand
dollars for the prosecution of the suit, and also five hundred
dollars a month for the maintenance of plaintiff and her
children, from the day of the filing of the "Complaint."
The order was accordingly made.
In deciding the question, it will be seen that virtually the
court disregarded portions of the answer, and, to that ex-
tent, sustained the motion to strike out those portions, though
it did not formally pass on that motion.
The defendant excepted to the decision, and shortly after-
ward filed a notice of appeal, and bond to stay proceedings
under the order.
The copy of the order directing the payment of the ali-
mony was duly served personally on Brigham Young ; and
demand having been made upon him for the allowance made
for my attorney's fees, and payment refused, he was arrested
in proceedings in contempt, and brought before the court.
His answer to the proceedings consisted of a showing that
he had taken an appeal, and filed a bond for a stay, &c.,
and, therefore, he was not in contempt. The court held it
not to be an appealable order, and adjudged that he pay a
fine of twenty-five dollars, and be committed to custody for
one day, which was complied with.
Thereupon he caused the amount then due under the
ONE DAY IN CUSTODY. $63
order to be paid. My allowance he had been given twenty
days to pay, and this portion of the order had not been com-
plied with, and had not become due, except five hundred
dollars, which was paid, when Judge McKean was removed
by President Grant, and David P. Lowe, an ex-congress-
man from Kansas, was appointed chief-justice, and succeeded
to the position.
Shortly after Judge Lowe entered upon his duties, pro-
ceedings were begun by counsel to bring the defendant up
again in contempt, for refusing to comply with the order
as first stated. On appearing, he again showed cause, by
claiming his right of appeal, as in the former hearing ; and
objected, also, that the district courts had no jurisdiction of
matters of divorce at the time of the bringing of the suit ;
that the order was null and void ; that there was no con-
tempt.
The court held, in deciding the matter, that it had juris-
diction ; that the order was not appealable. In the course
of his summing up, he said, " The complaint and answer
are each upon oath, and it appears from the record as well
as from the statement of counsel in argument, that the order
for alimony and expenses was made upon the complaint and
answer alone, without any other evidence or show ing -what-
ever. It is the general doctrine of the courts in divorce,
that before temporary alimony can properly be awarded,
the marriage must be admitted by the parties, or established
by proofs. In the very recent case of York vs. York, 34
Iowa, 530, it is said, 'Alimony is a right that results from
the marital relation, and the fact of marriage between the
parties must be admitted or -proved before there can be a
decree for it even pcndente lite'" He then decided that
the order was erroneously made, and dismissed the proceed-
ings against the defendant.
The case now stands, therefore, on the motion (not yet
formally passed upon) to strike out portions of the defend-
ant's answer. The defendant has also filed a motion to
564 LIVING AS HUSBAND AND WIFE.
vacate and set aside the original order granting the alimony,
and the two will probably be heard together.
My counsel, for me, insist that I am entitled to the ali-
mony upon the following grounds :
ist. That it is alleged in the complaint that the plaintiff
and defendant were married at a time and place designated.
The defendant admits that a marriage ceremony did take
place, and sets up new facts to show that the marriage
which actually occurred was invalid. On this state of facts
the plaintiff insists that, pending the question as to the
legality of the marriage, she is entitled to alimony.
2d. It is denied by the plaintiff that the new matter in
the answer ought to be disregarded; first, because it is
badly pleaded ; and, second, it is an attempt on the part of
the defendant to take advantage of his own wrong, to wit,
the assertion that he had a lawful wife living, which a court
of equity will not permit. The defendant admits that he
was married to the plaintiff; that they lived and cohabited
together as husband and wife ; that he supported and main-
tained her as such ; avers that he never deserted or ill-
treated her; and, in fine, clearly shows that a relation of
marriage existed in fact between them.
3d. The plaintiff claims that she will succeed on the
merits ; first, because the defence on the new matter ought
to be disregarded as badly pleaded, and inadmissible under
any form of plea ; second, because the marriage of the de-
fendant to Mary Ann Angell cannot be proved, and never
was a lawful marriage. There was cohabitation, but no
marriage according to law. This will appear if the true
state of facts is ever reached in the trial. And the first
alleged marriage must be shown to have been a lawful
marriage. In Case vs. Case, 17 Cal. Rep., 598, the law is
well stated on this point.
As to the allegation in the answer, that the plaintiff had
a lawful husband living at the time of the alleged union be-
tween plaintiff and defendant, it is sufficient to say that she
THE LAST LEGAL STEP. 565
was divorced from James L. Dee by the Probate Court of
Utah, and that it was done under the statute, and that the
Supreme Court of Utah had previously decided that such
court had exclusive jurisdiction in divorce matters. While
this decision was probably erroneous, it was made by the
highest tribunal of the territory, and was not appealable ;
hence it was the law.
More than this : the act of Congress of June 23, 1874,
provided that all judgments of the Probate Courts of Utah
which had been executed, or which had not been appealed
from, should be held good. So that, upon the facts, there
is nothing in the allegation that plaintiff had a husband
living at the time of the marriage between the plaintiff and
defendant.
It is only right to say, that in the opinion of the ablest
lawyers of the West, Judge Lowe, in holding that the new
matter in an answer is only denied " at the trial" has mis-
conceived the California case which he cites, and mistakes
the law. In injunction cases the pleadings are treated as
affidavits by express provision of the California statutes ; but
no case can be found in California or elsewhere, under the
code, where a pleading is treated as true in one stage of a
case, and false in another. Such a doctrine would be ab-
surd under any system of pleading that has ever existed.
The last legal step that has been taken, so far, was taken
by me in making an affidavit for the purpose of proving
that the defendant perjured himself, and which will furnish
the foundation for his prosecution for the crime. With this
affidavit, the case is stayed for the present.
CHAPTER ' XXXVIII.
MY ESCAPE FROM SALT LAKE CITY. MY PUBLIC
CAREER.
Thoughts of the Future. The Gentile Papers. A Private Audience a*
the Walker House. Hopes and Fears. I Resolve to Take the Plat-
form. Sneers and Ridicule. Brigham is made Acquainted with my
Plans. Packing under Difficulties. My Perilous Escape from Utah.
A Noble Woman. Arrival at Laramie. Denver. My First
Public Lecture. A Grand Success. Brigham at Work. A Scan-
dalous Article in the Chicago Times. A Mean Lawyer. Lecture
at Boston. Kindness of the Members of Boston Press. Opposed
by George Q. Cannon. Washington Lecture a Success. First
Glimpses of the True Faith. Conversion to Christianity.
S soon as I had fully de
cided that compromise
was impossible, I began
to consider my future.
I felt able to take care
of myself and my chil-
dren, if I could see the
way to do it. I was not
afraid to work, and I
felt a new impulse stir-
ring within me which
made me strong. Life
was my own, and I
would do the best I
could.
The thought of a pub-
lic career had never oc-
curred to me. I had
no ambition to gratify, and I had already gained more noto-
riety than I cared for. I was keenly sensitive to what was
said about me, and many of the newspaper paragraphs,
MY FLIGHT AT NIGHT.
MY TALK AT THE WALKER HOUSE. 567
wittily written, by persons who neither knew me nor under-
stood the situation in which I was placed, wounded me
deeply.
The Gentile papers in Utah were, without exception,
friendly to me, and I am sure kindlier words were never
given than they have sent after me, since the very day I
came out from under Brigham's control.
During my residence at the Walker House I was re-
quested to give some account of Mormonism to the residents
of the hotel and a few of their friends. I consented to do
so, and an evening was appointed. I prepared a simple
history of my life, and introduced, in the course of it, an
epitomized description of the Mormon religion and its rites ;
and when the evening arrived, and I entered the parlors of
the Walker House, I was startled to see the number of per-
sons who had assembled to listen to me. I stood for a mo-
ment gazing in sudden bewilderment ; the blood rushed to
my face, and my first impulse was to run away and hide
myself in my own room. But the applause which greeted
me, the smiling, reassuring faces which were turned towards
me, and the sympathy which I read in them all, gave me
courage.
My audience listened with the closest attention, and
when, after a while, I grew more accustomed to my strange
position, and ventured to look up, I saw tears on more than
one cheek, and when the last word was read, and I laid my
manuscript down, I was surrounded by my newly made
friends, all enthusiastic in their demonstrations of sympathy.
Previous to this involuntary public appearance, it had
been suggested to me that I should take the lecture platform
against Mormonism. I shrank from the very mention of it,
and replied to the friends who proposed it that I could not,
and would not, do it. To parade myself and my troubles be-
fore the world seemed such an indelicate thing to do ! But
when it was shown me that I might make of myself a power
against Mormonism which should be felt, and which should
open people's eyes to the enormity of the religious system
568 "FAIR PLAY FOR WOMEN."
which was tolerated by the government, I hesitated no
longer.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I did not under-
take this work with a view to self-aggrandizement, or to
gratify an inordinate ambition. Nothing has wounded me
more, since I commenced my labors, than the oft-repeated
accusation, that I was "trying to make capital" out of my
position as the wife of Brigham Young. I have seen that
accusation within a few months in the Woman's Journal,
the leading organ of woman suffrage in Boston, in an arti-
cle written by one of its editors and part proprietors, who,
in the same article, commended Brigham Young to public
favor because he gave the suffrage to women.
"Making capital" out of her woes, and, above all, her
domestic infelicities, is something no woman of delicacy
could do ; and had I been governed by no motive except
one so unworthy, I should deserve all the contemptuous
criticism which I have been treated to by this apostle of
"Fair Play for Women."
Does any one think that, for the sake of emolument, I
could thus open my heart to the rude gaze of a curious
public, bear all the slurs, slights, jeers, and aspersions that
are cast at me by malicious Mormon and thoughtless Gen-
tile papers, be made a by-word of, have my name on every
vulgar lip? Never. My womanhood revolts at the idea.
As a means of support, I would never have undertaken
it. When I saw it was a duty, I adopted it without hesita-
tion, and I shall never cease my labors as long as I have
strength to work. While I have a hand or a voice, Mor-
monism and Polygamy shall find in me a relentless foe. I
will never rest, God helping me, until either I, or this hell-
ish system, so fraught with misery, go down in the contest.
When my decision was fully made, I confided it to my
father, who was my constant visitor. He gave me the
warmest encouragement ; but it was a terrible blow to my
mother, who considered that I was setting the final seal to
my future and eternal misery.
MY PERILOUS ESCAPE. 569
I discovered, after my arrangements were made, that my
intention had become known to the Mormons, who were
threatening me with all sorts of vengeance if I insisted on
carrying out my plans. It had been arranged that I should
make my first appearance in Denver, and as I was exten-
sively advertised there, the news of my proposed lecture
had been telegraphed to Salt Lake, so that the date of my
departure was made public.
I did not dare to leave Salt Lake by rail, nor would my
friends allow it, and all our final arrangements were forced
to be made with the greatest secrecy. I did not venture
even to take my own trunk. A new one was bought, car-
ried to a friend's room, my clothing conveyed to the same
room, a piece or two at a time, packed as we could find
opportunity, and then taken to a carriage, and carried out-
side the city.
On the evening of the 27th of November, I went with
my father, and one or two friends, to the house of Mr. and
Mrs. Stratton. We left the hotel by the back door, for the
front entrance was closely watched, although it was not
expected that I would attempt to leave the city until the
next morning. About eleven o'clock we left the Strattons',
and started, ostensibly to walk home. A carriage was in
waiting at the corner. We got in, called for Mrs. Cooke,
who was to be my travelling companion, and were driven
rapidly out of the city. I was to take the cars on the Union
Pacific road at Uintah, and thus avoid travelling at all on
the Utah railroad, where I should be sure to be recognized.
The night was intensely dark ; we could not see our
hands before our faces, and, as we plunged on through the
night and the darkness, we were a gloomy and a'pprehen-
sive party. We were not sure how closely we had been
watched, or whether we had succeeded in eluding Mormon
vigilance. Even then, the "Danites," those terrible minis-
ters of Mormon vengeance, might be upon our track, and
I could not cast off the feeling that every moment brought
us nearer and nearer to some dreadful death.
570 A MIDNIGHT RIDE.
Twice during the night we were lost. The last time,
we missed our way, and went several miles up a caiion,
and I felt sure- that we were betrayed, and that our driver
was carrying us to certain destruction. I spoke to him,
without letting him know my suspicions, and told him we
were going wrong. He turned about, and drove rapidly
back, and we reached the mouth of the canon just as the
day dawned. Confusion vanished with the darkness, our
driver found the right road, and by fast driving we reached
Uintah just as the train came up. Tickets and checks had
been secured at Ogden, and with a hurried "good by "to
Mv ESCAPE FROM SALT LAKE CITY.
my father, I jumped on board the train, with Mrs. Cooke,
and we were off.
I can never describe my sensations when the train began
to move. With the new sense of freedom came a feeling
of such utter loneliness that, for a moment, I was bewil-
dered by the situation, and, turning to Mrs. Cooke, I said,
helplessly, "What shall I do?"
" Keep up a brave heart, and think of the work before
you," said she.
Her experience in Mormonism had been no pleasanter
than mine, and she was as glad to get away from it as I
FRIENDLY CALLS. 5^1
was. For twenty years she had taught Brigham's children,
and acted in the Mormon theatre, and had never received a
cent of remuneration. Her husband, a member of the
special police force, was killed on duty, and after his death
the prophet, through his counsellor, Daniel H. Wells,
swindled her out of the two thousand dollars which the city
had granted her, and tried to get her house from her. She
put the matter into a Gentile lawyer's hands, and still re-
VIKW OF SALT LAKE CITY, SHOWING TABERNACLE.
tains her home. She was with me several months, a de-
voted and faithful companion.
Our first stopping-place was at Laramie, Wyoming Ter-
ritory, where we were to await the arrival of my agent
from Salt Lake. My presence in town was soon discov-
ered, and I received many friendly and congratulatory
calls. After my lecture every hospitality was shown me,
and I felt fresh courage, so kindly was my- reception, and
so genuine were all the expressions of interest.
My agent arrived in a day or two, and we set out for
Denver. The news of my escape from Utah had been
572 A GRAND RECEPTION AT DENVER.
telegraphed, and on my arrival, I found myself eagerly ex-
pected. I was visited by the editors of the different papers,
who assured me of the friendly feeling toward me, and
offered me the use of their columns. The clergymen all
came to see me, and spoke generous words in my behalf
from every pulpit in the city. They all literally "took me
on trust." I shall never forget the earnest, spontaneous
kindness which I met from the professional men of Denver.
The night on which I was to give my first lecture, the
5th of December, 1873, was extremely cold, and the snow
fell heavily. I was discouraged and despondent, for I had
come to consider this first evening as prophetic of my future
career, and I saw failure before me. I did not know
whether I should be able to reach the church, the storm was
so furious ; but as a faithful few had promised to be in attend-
ance, let what might happen, I determined to make the trial.
My forebodings had been utterly useless. Long before
the church doors were opened a large crowd was in wait-
ing, and before the hour for beginning the lecture arrived
the house was full, and hundreds had gone away unable to
gain admission. As I looked into the crowded house, be-
fore I came on the platform, my courage almost left me.
But while hesitating, the thought of the poor women whose
cause I was to plead, came vividly into my mind, and with
a firm step, and beating heart, I walked onto the platform,
and stood facing my first audience, who greeted me with
tumultuous applause.
I have never spoken more effectively in my life than I did
that night. It seemed to myself almost as though I was
inspired. I forgot myself in my subject, and new indigna-
tion thrilled me as I told my story of bondage, such as my
hearers never dreamed of, and unveiled the horrors of the
Mormon religion. I made no attempts at oratorical effects,
I worked up no dramatic "points." Naturally and simply
as I could, I said what I had to say, without a single
rhetorical flourish.
BRIGHAM HEARD FROM. 573
The lecture was a success. After it was over, my audi-
ence crowded around me, with such earnest words of com-
mendation, that I felt my first victory won. Since that
memorable evening I have addressed hundreds of audi-
ences, but never have I found one more sympathetic than
the one composed of the true-hearted people of Denver.
I was not permitted to be quiet after that evening. En-
gagements came pouring in, and I worked my way steadily
eastward. I was universally well received, but I knew
that I should somewhere encounter Mormon opposition. I
had seen too many attempts made by Brigham Young to
ruin anyone who dared to differ with him, to think that I
should escape.
The first blow came through the columns of a Chicago
Paper, which devoted considerable space one day to a
scandalous article concerning me, giving an air of truth to
the statement by mentioning the persons who were authority
for the reports. I was overwhelmed by it, for I feared it
would put an end to the career of usefulness which I had
marked out for myself. After I read the shameful article,
my first words were, "Brigham Young's money is at the
bottom of this."
And so it proved. The matter was put into the hands of
Leonard Svvett, Esq., of Chicago, for investigation. Letters
came, in most cases unsolicited, from the persons referred
to as having started the scandal, each one indignantly de-
nying the whole. Further inquiry revealed that George
C. Bates, a Mormon lawyer, of low repute, and twenty
thousand dollars, induced the Paper to publish the article
which originated in the foul imagination of Bates.
The papers of good standing came at once to my defence,
and endeavored in every possible way to heal the wounds
which the article had so cruelly inflicted, on me.
The scandal was published on the eve of my first appear-
ance in Boston, and I was greatly distressed lest it should
injure my prospects in that city. I wanted my visit there to
574 ARRIVAL IN BOSTON.
be a success, as I felt that, if I made a favorable impres-
sion, I should hold the key to all New England. And it
was to the stanch and loyal New Englanders that I looked
for assistance in my labors. My new and good friends
had taught me to consider Reform and New England
synonymous terms, and I really believed my battle would
be well begun if I could gain such devoted allies as her
brave, inflexible sons and daughters. But after the attack
by the Chicago Paper, I regarded failure as certain. How
surprised and gratified I was to find, instead of the prejudice
I had expected to meet, a feeling of earnest kindliness
toward myself personally, and of unfeigned interest in my
work.
All the papers sent representatives to visit me, and I
found them kind and intelligent gentlemen, and the papers
which they represented were as generous as they. No-
where have I met that courtesy and chivalric consideration
which have been uniformly accorded me by the members of
the Boston press. They have refrained from sarcasm and
indelicate witticisms ; they have been ready with sym-
pathy, and quick to encourage ; and whatever their politics
or principles, they have been unanimous in their generous
treatment of me.
My first lecture was given in Tremont Temple, before a
large and enthusiastic audience. Mr. James Redpath in-
troduced me, and the short speech he made fairly inspired
me, it was so kind, so reassuring, so generous, and above
all, so just. He had never heard me speak, but he was so
bitter an enemy to this horrible system, as indeed he is to
every wrong, that he was willing to take me for my work's
sake. After the lecture was over, I felt that my hopes were
realized, and that New England was open to me.
In Washington, nearly all the government officials at-
tended my lecture, and expressed themselves enthusiastically
in my favor. George Q^ Cannon was contesting his seat in
Congress, and Mormonism and its rulers were at that June-
A HOPELESS "NO." 575
ture prominently before the public. Cannon resented my
appearance at the capital, and tried to break me down by
ridicule. He made friends with the Washington Chronicle,
in Brigham's most approved style of winning allegiance,
and the day after my first lecture a burlesque report of it
appeared in that paper. It was intended to prejudice the
public ; but when the lecture was over, and all the papers
were unanimous in their commendation, the Chronicle sud-
denly grew ashamed of its disreputable alliance, and refused
to maintain it longer, and, at the same time, grew more re-
spectful toward me.
I have had hundreds of pleasant platform experiences
since I commenced my crusade against polygamy ; but the
three which stand out the most vividly in my memory, are
the first evenings at Denver, Boston, and Washington.
All this time I was learning to love my Gentile friends
very dearly, and to feel at home in "Babylon." I was
comparatively happy, but I was not at rest. There was
something lacking in my life, a void which nothing
seemed to fill. Ever since I had found myself the dupe of
a false religion, I had drifted blindly on, with no belief in
anything, no faith in any system ; sometimes, even, doubt-
ing the existence of Go 
