Collaboration, 19531954 by james swensen won the best book award from the utah state historical society. Van wagoner is a clinical audiologist and lehi city historian, author of lehi. Rare books marriott library the university of utah. The new uncensored version of fifty years in polygamy big secrets. Written by lds member richard vanwagoner, a graduate from byu who has won awards from the mormon history association and the dialogue foundation for his important historical work, the book covers the beginning of mormon polygamy with joseph smith up to the flds and modern day plural marriage. If you enjoy utah history, this is a worthwhile book to read. Carolyn jessop shelved 80 times as polygamy avg rating 3. Marriage to multiple wives may seem strange, but at least it intrudes on our historical awareness, while many remain unaware of polyandrys existence in lds history. In 1980, he was sentenced to life imprisonment at the utah state prison in draper, utah, where he died on august 16, 1981. Information on this site was converted from a hard cover book published by university of utah press in 1994. When the mormons began to openly practice polygamy in 1852, they lived in the rural west, far from the reaches of the federal government however, as the governments influence and control began to expand farther and father west, the issue of polygamy and the mormons became a hot political topic. New lds church narrative history book includes polygamous roots. This is a true historical work, using many primary references of people who lived through this nonwestern tradition of family.
It is commonly found where the value of womens labor is high and may be practiced as a way of acquiring allies. The act of the governor and legislative assembly of the territory of utah, entitled, an act to punish polygamy and other kindred offenses, approved february 4th, ad 1892, in so far as the same defines and imposes penalties for polygamy, is hereby declared to be in force in the state of utah. According to the book of mormon, jesus christ appeared and preached to the nephites in the americas after his crucifixion. The 1890 manifesto also known as the woodruff manifesto or the anti polygamy manifesto is a statement which officially advised against any future plural marriage in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. Willard marriott library houses books, maps and ephemera documenting the record of human communication from clay. Finally, in 1887, the hodgepodge edmundstucker bill passed. This variant of plural marriage does not seem to have been a feature of utah polygamy under brigham young and his successors. A man may cement his bonds with several other men by marrying their sisters or daughters. Polygamy advocate hannah willams, left, joins others gathering at the utah state capitol to protest a proposal that would make polygamy a felony crime in 2016. Alexander although the occasion of many of the sermons i have given in church gatherings has faded into oblivion, the evening i reported my mission in the ogden twentyninth ward is indelibly impressed on my mind.
Mormons finally settled in the utah territory, before it was part of the states, and made a quiet life for themselves there. The history of polygamy in mormonism is rife with secrecy and inconvenient truths which only reluctantly seeped into public view. Mormon leaders are unveiling a new narrative book about the faiths early history in the 1800s. Children born into the remote utah community of the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of. He describes the complete history of mormon polygamy from its origins in the 1830s to the current day fundamentalists. Ive lived in salt lake city all my life, and it was also extremely interesting to discover a side to my city, and to specific neighborhoods, that i knew very little about before i read this book.
In utah people talk only of the prophet, hogs, and fords, cracked bernard devoto in 1926. The books recognition of polygamy which the faith banned in 1890 and prohibits today is the most recent example of the utahbased faith acknowledging polygamous roots. Popular polygamy books showing 150 of 472 escape hardcover by. The richness and diversity of utah history tends to be obscured by mormon history. On june 1, 1979, ervil lebaron was apprehended by police in mexico and extradited to the united states, where he was convicted of having ordered allreds death. Big secrets and little white lies kindle edition by decker, kristyn. George reynolds was a utah resident and member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. Issued by church president wilford woodruff in september 1890, the manifesto was a response to mounting anti polygamy pressure from the united states congress. The bible and the book of mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is gods standard, except at specific periods when he has declared otherwise. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading fifty years in polygamy. Research center for utah state archives and utah state history. When the case came before the united states supreme court. The following books were finalists for the utah state historical society best book award. Current state of polygamy in the latter day saint movement.
On august 29, 1852, young publicly announced to the world that the mormon belief in polygamy was the ideal marriage form in the eyes of god. But the resolution of the utah war bought the lds church time, during which it evolved as a faithrenouncing polygamy in 1890, for example, to smooth the way to utah statehoodto become the. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Polygamy is defined as the practice or condition of having more than one spouse at the same time, conventionally referring to a situation where all spouses know about each other, in contrast to bigamy, where two or more spouses are usually unaware of each other legality of polygamy in north america united states. A polygamous, mormon community in utah is facing what has been labelled a genetic disaster. Utah s history of felony punishment for polygamy has never halted its practice entirely but rather driven it to the fringes of society, creating a culture of fear that allows perpetrators to. A portrait of religious excess winner of best book awards from the mormon history association and john whitmer historical association. The video series upon which this book is based is no longer available for sale. Books about polygamy what should i read next register for free to build your own book lists. Polygamy news the new york times history blog this article on jacob zuma and polygamy. Utah senate unanimously moves to decriminalize polygamy. Learn the history of polygamy within the mormon faith. Kristyn deckers first book, fifty years in polygamy big secrets, little white lies, had me so absorbed that i literally couldnt put it down i was late for work and would also read it until the wee hours of the morning. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
So much energy is expended canonizing utahs saints that few resources remain for celebrating and preserving the capricious, ironic, and improvisatory. Biography united states mormon women marriage utah polygamy mormon fundamentalism mormon families spencer, irene. Polygamists wife is the true story of a woman married to modernday polygamist for more than twenty years. His book gives a witnessed account of life in utah, both the good and the bad. All registration and election officers in utah territory were dismissed, and a board of five commissioners was appointed to direct elections. The book is divided into smaller books that read as narratives. How mormon polygamy in the 19th century fueled womens activism pulitzer prizewinning historian laurel thatcher ulrich says that for mormon women living in 19th century utah. All books, manuscripts, photographs, maps and records are noncirculating. The book is a robust and honest version of early church history and while it doesnt dwell on polygamy, its notable that it provides the history of plural marriages in a straight forward way, said patrick mason, a professor of religion at claremont graduate university in california who is the chair of mormon studies at the college. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading history of utah, 15401886. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. May is a professor of history at the university of utah. Joseph smith never publicly revealed gods command of polygamy during his life, beyond his inner sanctum of trusted elites.
This book discusses the issue in a frank and honest manner without taking sides in the difficult matter of lds polygamy. We begin in the mid 1830s and take the viewer through to today, discuss doctrinal changes and opinions about polygamy. While polygamy is strongly denounced in several passages of the book of mormon, the old testament provides. Polygamy plural marriage lds church perspective on. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
He is coauthor of the biographical resource, a book. He was convicted on polygamy charges for having two wives and his defense claimed that his first amendment right to freedom of religion had been violated. How mormon polygamy in the 19th century fueled womens. List of books and articles about utah history online. Historical fiction history californiasan francisco polygamy domestic fiction kidnapping. A history from the worlds largest community of readers. Polygamy called plural marriage by mormons in the 19th century or the principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy was practiced by leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890 by between 20 and 30 percent of latterday saint families. A refreshingly neutral book documenting the history of polygamy as it relates to the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
Polygamy is the act or condition of a person marrying another. In the meantime, brigham young took over leadership of the church and in the late 1840s, he led the mormons across the united states to settle in utah. Mormon history association the role of edmunds anti polygamy act of 1882 in the history of the united states of america. For the next seventyodd years, utahs literature consisted of the accounts of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Retelling utah s suffragist history to empower modern women women in utah became the first in america to vote under an equal suffrage law on feb. A historical background stephanie coontz professor of history and family studies the evergreen state college director of research and public education council on contemporary families the new hbo television show, big love, has led many people to contact the council on contemporary families for background on polygamy.
Buy products related to utah history books and see what customers say about utah history books on. Research historic state and local government records in utah, from 1850 to today. In utah, in the united states of america, polygamy is constitutionally and statutorily prohibited. New mormon narrative history book includes polygamous roots. Now, a good book about the problems, lifestyles, conflicts and circumstances of contemporary polygamy is long overdue. This serves to show that the culture or the concept of polygamy is rooted in our ancestral history. Because the edmunds act was unsuccessful in controlling polygamy in utah, in 1884 congress debated legislation to plug the loopholes. Plural marriage and families in early utah the bible and the book of mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is gods standard, except at specific periods when he has declared otherwise.
Portraits of a utah town and other acclaimed works, including mormon polygamy. Discover librarianselected research resources on utah history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Besides including business and residential directories for logan, ogden, provo, and salt lake city, this compilation includes a general description of utah in 1884. History of utah, 15401886 kindle edition by bancroft, hubert howe.