Polygamy in the LDS Church

Joseph Smith’s plural marriages are often characterized as secretive and sexually driven, yet the historical record does not support that portrayal. Evidence suggests he introduced the practice reluctantly as a religious command, that many sealings were eternity-only, and that there is no credible proof he fathered children with plural wives. While the practice was complex, the documentation indicates a religious purpose rather than the predatory narrative often promoted by critics. 

LDS critics often misrepresent Oliver Cowdery by claiming he exposed Joseph Smith’s adultery or left the Church over polygamy. In reality, Cowdery condemned what he thought was an immoral relationship before plural marriage was taught to him, and his excommunication was for broader political and legal conflicts, not adultery accusations. He never accepted or practiced polygamy, yet later returned to the Church and died affirming Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling and the Book of Mormon. Selectively quoting his 1838 remark while ignoring his later testimony creates a misleading narrative.

LDS critics often refer to a letter written by William E McLellin in 1872 about Joseph Smith being "caught in the act" by Emma in a barn with Fanny Alger, as proof that Joseph was an adulterer.  But by 1872, McLellin was no longer a neutral observer but a long-standing critic of the LDS Church. McLellin had been an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called in 1835, but was excommunicated in 1838 after sustained conflict with church leadership. Following his removal, he became openly antagonistic toward the church, at times aligning himself with Missouri mobs. 

When the letter was written, McLellin had been disassociated from the main church for over 30 years and was firmly positioned as an outsider seeking to expose what he viewed as the corrupt practices of early church leadership, significantly limiting the credibility of his late, second-hand narrative.

Even though McLellin was avidly antagonistic for many years, he retained his life-long belief in the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.  

Joseph Smith was sealed in Nauvoo to several women who had living husbands, a practice sometimes labeled “polyandry” by critics.  However, there is no clear, contemporaneous documentation demonstrating that he had sexual relations with women who were simultaneously living in marital relationships with their legal spouses. There is, however, plenty of historical evidence supporting that these were eternity-only rather than conjugal marriages, intended to seal families for the eternities.

Claims of sexual polyandry rely completely on inference, not direct evidence. Surviving journals, affidavits, and testimonies do not provide any definitive proof that Joseph engaged in sexual relationships with women who continued normal marital life with other men.

Historical records indicate that there is no direct evidence that Joseph Smith had conjugal relations with any of his plural wives who were under 18 years old at the time of their sealing*.  These sealings were described as “eternity-only” marriages, and the young women generally continued living with their families rather than residing with Joseph Smith. While some later reminiscences provide insight into the religious or doctrinal aspects of these relationships, none provide documentation of cohabitation or sexual relations:

Helen Mark Kimball - 14 Years Old

Helen Mar Kimball was sealed to Joseph Smith in 1843 when she was 14 years old, and returned to live with her parents after the sealing. Helen later wrote extensively about her experience, emphasizing that the marriage was for “eternity only”, meaning it was a religious covenant rather than a typical marital relationship involving cohabitation or sexual relations.  Helen consistently stated that Joseph Smith did not engage in conjugal relations with her. After Joseph Smith’s death in 1844, Helen went on to marry Joseph B. Noble and raised a family, remaining faithful to the Latter-day Saint faith throughout her life.

Nancy Maria Winchester - 14-15 Years Old

Nancy Maria Winchester is sometimes listed among the women who may have been sealed to Joseph Smith, but the historical record is extremely sparse. The primary reference comes from a later recollection by her brother, and no diary, affidavit, or firsthand statement from Nancy herself describing such a sealing has been found. Historians such as Todd Compton and Brian C. Hales note that there is no evidence of cohabitation or conjugal relations between Nancy and Joseph Smith. She continued living with her family during the Nauvoo period and later married another man and had children, leaving the details of the reported sealing uncertain and poorly documented.

 Flora Ann Woodworth - 16 Years Old

A few historical points are generally agreed upon by historians: Flora continued living with her parents in Nauvoo rather than with Joseph Smith.  No diary entries, affidavits, or personal statements from Flora describing the marriage have been discovered.  There is no clear evidence of cohabitation or conjugal relations in the surviving historical record.  After the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, Flora left Nauvoo and later married Carlos Gove in California.

Sarah Ann Whitney - 17 Years Old

Sarah Ann Whitney, the daughter of Newel K. Whitney and Elizabeth Ann Whitney, was sealed to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo on July 27, 1842, when she was 17 years old. The sealing, performed by Heber C. Kimball and witnessed by her parents, is supported by contemporary documentation, including a surviving letter from Joseph Smith discussing a discreet meeting with Sarah Ann and her family during the period when plural marriage was kept confidential. Sarah Ann continued living with her parents and did not reside with Joseph Smith and no direct statement from her describes the nature of the relationship, or any conjugal activity.

Lucy Walker - 17 Years Old

After being sealed to Joseph Smith in May 1843 at age 17, Lucy Walker did not live with him as a wife. She continued residing with her family, and her later reminiscences describe the sealing as a religious and spiritual covenant, without detailing conjugal relations or cohabitation. Historians note that while her firsthand accounts provide valuable insight into the Nauvoo practice of plural marriage, they do not indicate that she had a traditional marital relationship with Joseph Smith.

*Records are sparse on Joseph's first sealing to Fanny Alger, although historians believe it was 1834 to 1835, when she would have been 19 years old.

https://lettertomywife.com/polygamy-the-most-controversial-and-trying-doctrine/