Joseph Smith's Polygamy, Volume 1 History Rating :
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Joseph Smith Polygamy: History Volume 1-2
By D. M. Morris
Title: Joseph Smith's Polygamy: Volumes 1&2: History
Author: Brian C. Hales; Contributor: Don Bradley
Publisher: Greg Kofford Books
Year: 2013
Pages: (vol. 1) 623 & (vol. 2) 594
Binding: Hardback
ISBN-10: 158958189X
ISBN-13: 978-15895818904
List Price: $36.95
Buy Now: Amazon
Reviewed by: David M. Morris
Regardless of the reader's religious or societal views, what Brian C. Hales has achieved, ought to be recognized as an audacious study. Perhaps it is too soon to declare it a definitive work, maybe what Richard Bushman's 'Rough Stone Rolling' did for the biography of Joseph Smith, so 'Joseph Smith's Polygamy' will do for for Mormon polygamy. One of the endearing features of these volumes is how Hales, assisted by Don Bradley, has seemingly sought to find every reference, mention, or instance of polygamy and Joseph Smith. This is true to his goal of maintaining 'a firm commitment not to categorically reject any source of information. Antagonistic, apologetic, and neutral documents have all been given equal consideration and scrutiny.' (1:xi)
Brian C. Hales, is a board certified anesthesiologist in Layton, Utah and this volume represents his seventh book, primarily on polygamy. His interest was roused by a close family member temporarily joining the Allred polygamous group in 1989, and has since spent years researching polygamy. Hales works from the premise that modern polygamous groups do not have genuine authority to practice plural marriage, and contends that the history points to Joseph Smith as the one with such a genuine authority. (1:ix).
That said, it is a very frank and empirical based study and is rarely devotional or confessional in tone. On the few occasions that the register does change, the author can be clearly identified as a believer in Mormonism. For example, early in Volume 1, Hales cites Danel Bachman as to the early familiarity of the plural marriage doctrine, even as early as 1831, but precedes the statement with 'the Prophet learned of the correctness of plural marriage' (1:85, 91). The assumption of course that there is a correctness of plural marriage. However, this does not detract from the main thrust of these volumes.
Already, it is a significant reference for primary and published sources, and with that in mind maybe Greg Kofford Books should also be credited for producing a three-volume set (two on history and one on theology) that perhaps other publishers might not have undertaken.
The first two volumes focus on the historicity and the dynamic and controversial relationships of Joseph Smith, et al. The first volume consists of 22 chapters (no index/bibliography) and volume 2 is the continuation with chapters 23 through to 33. Following these chapters are an extensive appendices and index for both volumes. It would have been preferable to include at least an index in the first volume as well, nevertheless, when combined with the second it is an excellent source of references and cataloging of issues and narratives surrounding polygamy.
The early chapters engage with matters including the contextual morality of the time, 1820s to 1835, as well as first charges of immoral conduct between 1836 and 1842. Particularly in Chapter 3 Hales contends mainly over Fawn Brodie's assertions of Clarissa Reed Hancock as a plural wife of Joseph Smith (1:76) and calls on Andrew Jensen, D. Michael Quinn, H. Michael Marquardt, Todd Compton and George D. Smith for rebuttal. (1:77). On this matter the majority is agreed, but throughout the volumes, there is a great array of thought which makes for useful reading and assessment of the current theme.
Chapters 4-6 primarily examines Fanny Alger's relationship with Joseph Smith, perhaps this is the most familiar or earliest of Joseph's relationships but as Hales advises it 'can be interpreted differently as either a plural marriage, a friendship, or an adulterous union'. (1:124) Jeff Johnson, an LDS historian, who is described as having a middle-of-the-road perspective, contends that no historical evidence provides proof that 'Joseph Smith had any kind of relationship with Fanny Alger.' (1:124 fn66). The evidence that Hales uses to support the notion of a relationship can be found in Volume 2, Appendix D. This is the pattern, an empirical approach with the expert weaving of commentary followed by opposing views in order to attempt an objective approach.
Maybe the genius of this new work is in the re-evaluation of age-old assumption of what some might consider a most difficult period of Mormonism. There is occasionally inconsistent dates or places, for example, the later marriage of Fanny Alger to Solomon Custer (a non-Mormon) in 1836 against Benjamin Johnson's recollection that it was sometime after 1837-1838. (1:123). There is also a family tradition that Brigham Young (post-1844), with Fanny Alger's brother, came to her to ask for her hand in marriage, prior to her marriage with Solomon Custer. Hales does not resolve that anomaly but merely makes note of it. (1:123 fn59, fn60). Whether it was earlier or later matters little, but it does demonstrate that Mormon history is often is complicated by inaccurate record keeping, the confusion/certainty of family traditions, lore, and hearsay.
Follow on from the post Alger affair, Chapters 6-10 considers the reactions of Oliver Cowdery, one of Joseph Smith's closest confidants and Book of Mormon scribe. Hales considers argument that Cowdery was an early polygamist by Danel Bachman and Glen M. Leonard (1:127) and opposing views such as Richard van Wagoner contending it was impossible (1:129). Yet, prominent 19th century Mormons, Joseph F. Smith, alleged Cowdery was 'taking liberties without license' (1878) (1:129) and George Q Cannon, makes the charge of adultery. (1885) (1:129). It must be noted, however, that Cannon was not a first hand witness to these event as he joined Mormonism in 1840. Interestingly, Hales makes it clear that Joseph Smith was only accused of adultery briefly but never accused of polygamy prior to 1841 (1:144-145). Moreover, it appears that no one publicly knew, neither Smith's religious or political critics, press or local writers that such things were being practiced. (1:146-149).
Chapter 11 deals with sexuality within Joseph Smith's plural marriages. In fact, Hales ascertains that he has found no credible evidence or reliable documentation regarding some of the more salacious allegations of sexual relations, for example, sexual relations with two separate teenagers, non-married females and those who were experiencing conjugal relationships with their own legal husbands. (1:284-285). What is clear from reading these two volumes is that much that has been said or alleged and generally is without proof, the more scandalous, the less evidence exists.
The thorny issue over polyandry is dealt with in depth throughout Chapters 12 to 16. Hales does not deny that polyandry existed, but argues against earlier writers such as Fawn Brodie (1:305) and D. Michael Quinn (1:307) that Joseph Smith practiced sexual polyandry (that is sexual relations while married to two men). Throughout these chapters, Hales again challenges former interpretations or assumptions. Clearly, he walks a very thin line while extracting as much of an angle as possible to prove his point, while at the same time curtailing nuances of bias supporting the opposing case.
Chapter 15 explores some of the ideas of marriage or unions/sealings that were for 'time only', 'time and eternity', and for 'eternity only'. Those of 'eternity only', were not physically consummated but were for promised friendships in the hereafter. Those for 'time only' might be considered as traditional marital relationships. (1:413-415). The difficulties and complexities of marital and sexual union were more acute among those who were married for 'time and eternity'. It is perhaps this group that most is written.
Chapters 18 through 22 provides quite a detailed portrayal of John C. Bennett, a contemporary and confidant of Joseph Smith, as one who was described as being completely involved in his own licentiousness (1:550) and was drawn to Joseph Smith's plural marriage teachings to satisfy his own urges, while others argue he was following the revealed word on plural marriage. Hales argues, 'authors seldom account for the fact that Bennett had been accused of sexual impropriety before arriving in Nauvoo...'including previous marital infidelity.' (1:550-551). Robert Flanders argues therein that 'Bennett, a promiscuous and lascivious man had stumbled across the developing religious principle' and was attracted and distorted it (1:548). Conversely, Hales draws on a number of equally respected scholars, including Todd Compton (1:547-548), Gary Bergera (1:517, 549), Richard S. Van Wagoner (1:548), that locates Bennett as one of the closest confidants and friends of the Prophet, and that his awareness of plural marriage came from that source.
The remaining chapters 23-33 (volume 2) deal with the reaction of Emma Smith, Joseph's legal wife as well as the fallout and the martyrdom of Joseph Smith at Carthage, Illinois in 1844. Culminating in Chapter 33 is a review of Joseph Smith's wives. Often the thoughts and feelings of Emma Smith are overshadowed by all of the other characters involved in polygamy. Her accounts of bitterness and the early casting out of her home of Fanny Alger, and the report (probably fictional) of throwing Eliza Partridge down the stairs, but did send her away (2:109) highlights the plight she had. It is clear from these later chapters that by May 1843 she had come to terms with polygamy, and while the term 'accepted' is used (2:47, 2:113), perhaps tolerated is closer. She participated in at least giving a further four wives to her husband. (2:47). To the credit of the character of Emma Smith, 'multiple evidences indicate that Emma tried to believe and obey' for many years. (2:128). Unfortunately Emma's part in the Utah Mormon narrative fades quite quickly after Nauvoo, where she chose to stay when the church moved westwards. Maybe Emma is the one wife that is overlooked most.
The following appendices, A-H consume nearly 150 pages, offering evidence of dates, places , chronology, as well databases dealing with polygamy at Nauvoo, Illinois. Combined with the bibliography the latter half of the second volume is a welcome resource for the empirical researcher.
In conclusion, there are some criticisms, that even with three volumes overflowing with references, that some of the nitty-gritty detail remains missing due to 'no contemporary evidence exists' (1:91), 'no contemporaneous evidence exists' (1:101), 'Little or no evidence exists (1:277), clearly demonstrating that an intimate understanding still eludes even the hardiest of researchers. Hales does not claim this to be the complete finished work, but hopes that perhaps smaller studies might pick up where he has left off. And no doubt there will be some. This is a very well researched and presented volume, and should be considered as a serious piece of scholarship that enlightens neglected areas of of Mormon past.
This publication was reviewed for and on behalf of the International Journal of Mormon Studies (ijmsonline.org). No influence has been exercised over the journal from the publisher or author.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
The most comprehensive treatment of Joseph Smith's Polygamy ever written
By SciFiFan
Dr. Hales spent many years and much money accumulating all available information on his subject. The result is this massive, extremely comprehensive 3 volume treatment of Joseph Smith's involvement with polygamy. The author approaches the subject from a faithful perspective, but his treatment is fair and objective. This is no sugar-coated account. He addresses the issues head on. This text is for anyone wishing a complete picture of Joseph Smith and the early Mormon church's adoption of polygamy. Sometimes it is not a pretty picture. It not an easy read. the subject is complex, murky, and has been muddied tremendously by earlier works and polemics. This work fairly illuminates as much as possible the dark corners of Joseph Smith's life and early Mormonism. It evaluates critically and fairly historical statements made by the principals involved, as well as their associates.
Dr. Hales is to be congratulated and commended for a very valuable contribution to history.
The work is too massive and complex for any detailed review to do it justice. Those interested should buy it and read it for themselves.
My main criticism (and the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars) is technical: There are numerous typographical, word choice, and word placement errors. Also, in places the text does not flow smoothly, making for a somewhat choppy read. Some paragraphs have to be re-read several times to understand the meaning. Hopefully these issues can be corrected with better editing and proof-reading in a second printing to make the presentation as good as the content.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.Joseph Smith's Polygamy
By Colby Townsend
The topic of polygamy has always been a center place of heated debate
between scholars and laymen alike. The scholar disagrees with the
scholar, the layman disagrees with the laymen, and the laymen disagree
with the scholars. What do we do with the narratives in the Hebrew Bible
that betray the fact that polygamy was commonplace in ancient Israelite
culture? Do we throw the Patriarchal fathers under the bus and say that
they were not living the commands of God when they practiced polygamy or
do we say that there must have been some religious rationale behind
their social norms? Whatever we say about polygamy the fact remains that
it is there, and very much alive in ancient Israel. The same can be said
about Mormon polygamy.
Mormon polygamy is very much alive in historical discussions, whether
about the different groups in America's history that have practiced
polygamy, settling the American West, the character of Brigham Young,
the history of the Mormon church, or Mormon polygamy's early rise with
Joseph Smith in the 1830's and when and where it actually began. For
many it is a very controversial topic, for some it is a topic never to
be discussed, and for others it is simply a part of history and needs to
be discussed. Whatever we say about polygamy in the history of the LDS church,
as with the above discussion of ancient Israelite practices, the fact remains
that it is there.
With the above in mind, Brian C. Hales has done a superb job in bringing
all of the relevant history together in one place. No matter what one's
opinions are, for the coming decades this set will prove to be the
standard to turn to in researching Mormon polygamy. Hales wants to
answer literally every question that has ever been raised about the
origins of Mormon polygamy with Joseph Smith and respond to every
negative answer that he feels has no historical grounds to hold it.
Hales commits himself at the beginning to give "equal consideration and
scrutiny" to "antagonistic, apologetic, and neutral documents."(1) He is
upfront with his apologetic views and recognizes how these views flavor
his approach to the historical texts. He recognizes that there are other
scholars with differing views than his, and sought their opinions of his
manuscript. He points out that he and they "do not always agree about
the interpretation of a particular document, but [that] the manuscript
is much stronger for their candid discussions and interpretations."(2)
Hales begins his work in the first two volumes by studying the "History"
of Joseph Smith's polygamy. He follows a chronological pattern, taking
up each topic as it fits into the chronology. Important subjects such as
"Joseph Smith's Morality, 1820s to 1835," "Fanny Alger and the
Beginnings of Mormon Polygamy," "Oliver Cowdery's Articles on
`Marriage,'" "The Puzzle of `Polyandry,'" and "Sealings for `Time and
Eternity' and for `Eternity Only,'" are only a few examples of the
material Hales covers. Volume 2 includes the bibliography and index for
the first volumes, so the reader does have to have both volumes 1 and 2
to make sense of all of the sources he cites. He writes in a very fluid
manner that is accessible to both the scholar and the layperson. He
makes what would be unapproachable topics for some approachable topics
for all.
In the third volume Hales finishes his work with an important discussion
of the theology behind Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy. This is
important because this is usually assumed to not be important. While
many will not agree with Hales' treatment in this volume, it is
important to remember that Joseph Smith's theology has not usually been
taken seriously in historical studies of Mormon polygamy.
In the opinion of this reviewer Hales has stayed true to his
"commitment"(3) to not reject any source due to its apologetic or
antagonistic claims, but rather to take every source for its worth and
use it in constructing what he thinks is the most plausible explanation
of what happened in Joseph Smith's polygamy.
Although it is not about polygamy directly, note 75 on page 207 in the
first volume is a great example of Hales' use of his sources. Hales
discusses the seemingly thorny history behind Elijah visiting the
Kirtland temple and bestowing certain priesthood keys, and the fact that
this part of the history was not published or really talked about until
years after the experience. Hales references an 1838 pamphlet by David
Patten entitled "To the Saints Scattered Abroad," where in the text
Patten says, "And these are they, who make the fulness of times complete
with us...And also Elijah, who holds the keys of committing the power, to
turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the
children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a
curse." Hales points out that this could be considered a "direct
reference to the visit of Elijah in the Kirtland temple" but that
"Patten is apparently simply quoting and paraphrasing D&C 27:5-13."(4)
This would be a very important point for an apologetic approach to the
history and I would not be surprised to find this quotation used in that
manner elsewhere. Hales shows his ability to use source criticism to
locate the origin and meaning of Patten's words. This is most likely
referencing D&C 27:5-13, and not the visit of Elijah in Kirtland. There
are many instances similar to this in the set, and Hales needs to be
commended for his commitment to interpreting history responsibly.
While in many points Hales' work is to be commended, there are a few
points of critique that I would like to add. First, there is a glaring
error in Hales' number of men and women who practiced polygamy during
Joseph Smith's lifetime. Hales states that at the time of Joseph's death
twenty-nine men and fifty women had entered polygamy, and then cites
George D. Smith's identification of thirty-two plural husbands and
fifty-four plural wives. Hales then states that "data for three of the
marriages appear inconclusive."(5) If you subtract three marriages you
would end with fifty-one wives, not fifty as he states. Hales must be
mistaken here in either (1) his identification of three marriages being
inconclusive should be four, or (2) his identification of fifty women
should be fifty-one. Either way, the text as it stands makes little
sense and requires revision.
Another point of critique is found on page 123 in volume 1. Hales
discusses how Fanny Alger married a non-Mormon, Solomon Custer, after
only a few weeks of courtship. They married on November 16, 1836. Hales
notes at the bottom of the page that an Alger family tradition states,
"Brigham Young, accompanied by Fanny's brother, John Alger, did come to
Indiana, "before Fanny married Solomon Custer" [sic; this would have
been after the martyrdom], to ask her to marry him."(6) If Brigham went
with John before Fanny married Solomon in 1836, how could this have been
after the martyrdom? Hales simply adds this note with no explanation or
reason behind his statement. It appears that he was not aware of the
contradiction here and added this note for an unknown reason.
My final and last critique concerns Hales' statement on page 217 in
volume 2. He says, "Some authors writing about the Nauvoo period have
downplayed Joseph Smith's establishment of the practice of plural
marriage...it seems nearly impossible to adequately portray the last three
years of the Prophet's life without dealing with the subject-if for no
other reason than the fact that plural marriage was perhaps the most
prominent driving force leading to his murder." I do see his reasoning
and think that Hales makes a good argument for at least including
Joseph's practice of polygamy as a reason among many for why Joseph was
martyred, but I do not agree that it was the "most prominent" force
leading to Joseph Smith's murder. I follow along the studies that have
shown Joseph's politics to be the more likely prominent reason for his
martyrdom, like those of LeGrand Baker and Robert S. Wicks and Fred R.
Foister.(7) I do not think that enough people knew about polygamy for
this to be a leading cause of Joseph's death and therefore I lean more
toward U.S. politics for explaining Joseph's demise.
In the end, this is the best work I have read on the history of Joseph
Smith's polygamy. Hales has done a great service to the student of early
Mormon history and his work will be hailed and used for decades as one
of the best works on the subject to this point. He did a great job
indeed in choosing Don Bradley as a research assistant, and I believe we
will continue to see a lot of good studies in Mormon history from his
writings. I recommend this set to everyone interested in Mormon studies
in any way, shape or form.
Footnotes
------------
1. Hales, "Joseph Smith's Polygamy," 1:xi.
2. Hales, op. cit., 1:xii.
3. Hales, op. cit., 1:xi.
4. Hales, op. cit., 1:207, nt. 75.
5. Hales, op. cit., 1:2, nt. 4.
6. Hales, op. cit., 1:123, nt. 60. Emphasis mine.
7. LeGrand Baker, "Murder of the Mormon Prophet" (Salt Lake City: Eborn
Books, 2006); Robert S. Wicks and Fred R. Foister, "Junius & Joseph:
Presidential Politics and the Assassination of the First Mormon
Prophet," (Logan: Utah State University Press, 2005).
[...]
Product Description
Volume 1 contains chapters 1-22 of the total of 33 chapters comprising Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History. The remaining eleven chapters, along with the appendices, index, and bibliography for both volumes 1 and 2, are in volume 2.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #90197 in Books
- Published on: 2013-02-26
- Original language:English
- Dimensions: 9.49" h x6.50" w x.0" l,2.15 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 638 pages
No comments :
Post a Comment