I read through my grandmother's journal, and found her stories of daily life experiences so sad.

She wrote of a respect for my great grandfather, but not knowing him or spending time with him. Great grandmother was his 3rd of 5 wives. All of the women worked, the children too. Life was more harsh than those of non-polygamous LDS families then, but she kept mentioning that it was for the greater glory in heaven.

Does anyone else have a record of their polygamous ancestors life NOT being about the women needing to be taken care of, as the church teaches?

This was clearly that my great grandfather was a man of standing in the early church ("having done a great mission work to the Indians") and was entitled to have more wives than others.

My great-grandmother was left in Trenton to run the family farm while my great-grandfather took the other 2 wives to St. George. My GGM had 2 deaf children, besides her other children.

My mother told me of a story she read about my GGM looking out the window and seeing her husband in the yard. She wanted to run out and talk to him, but knew she shouldn't because it would make the other wives jealous. I believe polygamous women led a very lonely, hard life, unless you were the elite. Have you read "In Sacred Loneliness?"

My friends ancestors were famous mormons. They have a TON of journals. I guess at one point families were asked to give those journals to the church for archiving (wink). They refused since they have a society in their family that worships their ancestors. Well, she let me borrow these journals (some which have been published as books by the family)...holy jesus, polygamy was rampant. They housed one of JS poly wives and wrote extensively about all the rules JS set up to keep it secret. They wrote about BY telling them that poly would have to survive in Mexico eventually if on of the lesser apostles ever came into power because they would not have the brass to live it. They described some of JS courting methods extensively, just sick shit.

Most TBM's just don't think about it. They think, "yeah, that was odd. I'm glad I don't have to live it", and that's the end of it. If you actually read about what their lives were like it's extremely disturbing. No TBM's that are honest with themselves can say that this was commanded by God. Everyone's conscience, basic human decency, the light of Christ, whatever you want to call it, all SCREAM that it was and is wrong.

Can you make sure copies of the diaries get into the hands of non-Mormon historians? Like George Smith:
http://signaturebooks.com/2010/02/nauvoo-polygamy-but-we-called-it-celestial-marriage/

Even if their use is embargoed until sensitive family members have passed on, it would pay to make sure the information is in safe hands.

And now they wont give access for anyone to read those journals. I heard they even denied Hugh Nibly from being able to read one of his great grandpa's journals. Makes you wonder what it says.

The excerpts from these journals describing how poligamy really was for the common mormon woman should be scanned and posted on a website for all to use and see.

Anybody have the resources to start such a project?

It's already pretty clear from historical records that this wasn't just a "trial" for a small number of leaders. A significant percentage of the population were living it. There were actually a shortage of marriageable women in Utah within a short time because of it. I don't want to meet the God that commanded such a practice.

The lives of these people compared to now makes one really wonder how LDS Inc can keep selling the 'valiant in the pre-existence' idea.

The 'pioneer stock' is considered the greatest generation of LDS folklore, should they not have been the most valiant?

It does not compute.

Anyone remember the whole hoopla about writing in journals back during the 1970s? There was story after story about ancestors' journals, and comparisons between old and "new" pioneers. Then they did that thing about having you send the journals of your ancestors to the church--after which they were confiscated and access to them blocked--and then the whole topic of journals seemed to go away. Was it all just part of an overall 10-year plan to reign in history that had some mild potential to damage the church?

Wow! What the hell? Anyone here have that happen to them?

Yes, but for the most part, they were faith-promoting, much like they are now. My great, great grandfather was Levi Savage Jr. of the Handcart trek fame. His history was actually quite interesting. He was called by BY to go on a mission to Siam (Thailand). He never made it but did set foot in India. Anyway, his first wife, my Grandmother, died very young so she was spared a polygamous lifestyle (And yes I think being dead is better than being in polygamy. Levi eventually married a widow and when her two daughters got older, married them, too. WTF, right? There were more journals on my other side as well. Bottom line, my heritage is steeped in polygamy.

"Mormon Midwife: the 1846-1888 diaries of Patty Bartlett Session"

Of interest might be her two copies of certificates verifying she was a plural wife of JS.

I found her attempt to get a refund when she found she had overpaid her tithing humorous.

I don't know what happened to the journals of my Mormon ancestors or if they even kept any. Nobody knows and the Church doesn't have them, but there are some one page biographies of doubtful accuracy at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers that I've collected. Some of them are anti-Mormon in tone, which surprised me. But at this point, I've researched all the Mormon family history that I'm going to. I just don't care anymore, and I think they were all a bunch of fools.

healyourpast Wrote:
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>
>
> This was clearly that my great grandfather was a
> man of standing in the early church ("having done
> a great mission work to the Indians") and was
> entitled to have more wives than others.


Did your ggfather do his work with the Indians around the Richfield area?