List of Brigham Young's wives
Encyclopedia
Brigham Young
was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early Latter Day Saint movement
, marrying a total of 55 wives, 54 of them after becoming a Latter Day Saint. He stated that upon being taught about plural marriage
, "It was the first time in my life that I desired the grave." By the time of his death, Young had 57 children by 16 of his wives; 46 of his children reached adulthood.
Sources have varied on the number of Young's wives due to differences in what observers have considered to be a "wife". There were 55 women that Young was sealed to during his lifetime. While the majority of the sealings were "for eternity"
(i.e., in the afterlife), some were "for time only" (until death). However, it is suspected that not all of the 55 marriages were conjugal, and Young did not live with a number of his wives or publicly hold them out as wives, which has led to confusion on numbering.
Of his 55 wives, 21 had never been married before; 16 were widows; six were divorced; six had living husbands; and the marital status of six others are unknown.
In 1856, Young built the Lion House to accommodate his sizable family. This building remains a Salt Lake City landmark, together with the Beehive House
, another Brigham Young family home. A contemporary of Young wrote: "It was amusing to walk by Brigham Young's big house, a long rambling building with innumerable doors. Each wife has an establishment of her own, consisting of parlor, bedroom, and a front door, the key of which she keeps in her pocket".
At the time of Young's death, 19 of his wives had predeceased him, he was divorced from ten, and 23 survived him, with the status of four unknown. In his will
, Young shared his estate with the 16 surviving wives who had lived with him; the six surviving non-conjugal wives were not mentioned in the will.
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, marrying a total of 55 wives, 54 of them after becoming a Latter Day Saint. He stated that upon being taught about plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, "It was the first time in my life that I desired the grave." By the time of his death, Young had 57 children by 16 of his wives; 46 of his children reached adulthood.
Sources have varied on the number of Young's wives due to differences in what observers have considered to be a "wife". There were 55 women that Young was sealed to during his lifetime. While the majority of the sealings were "for eternity"
Celestial marriage
Celestial marriage is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.Within Mormonism, celestial marriage is an ordinance associated with a covenant that always...
(i.e., in the afterlife), some were "for time only" (until death). However, it is suspected that not all of the 55 marriages were conjugal, and Young did not live with a number of his wives or publicly hold them out as wives, which has led to confusion on numbering.
Of his 55 wives, 21 had never been married before; 16 were widows; six were divorced; six had living husbands; and the marital status of six others are unknown.
In 1856, Young built the Lion House to accommodate his sizable family. This building remains a Salt Lake City landmark, together with the Beehive House
Beehive House
The Beehive House is one of the two official residences of Brigham Young, an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The Beehive House gets its name from the Beehive sculpture atop the house. It was designed by Young's brother-in-law and architect of the Salt Lake...
, another Brigham Young family home. A contemporary of Young wrote: "It was amusing to walk by Brigham Young's big house, a long rambling building with innumerable doors. Each wife has an establishment of her own, consisting of parlor, bedroom, and a front door, the key of which she keeps in her pocket".
At the time of Young's death, 19 of his wives had predeceased him, he was divorced from ten, and 23 survived him, with the status of four unknown. In his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, Young shared his estate with the 16 surviving wives who had lived with him; the six surviving non-conjugal wives were not mentioned in the will.
Chart of wives
| No. | Marriage date and Young's age at marriage | Name, lifespan, and age at marriage | Wife's status at marriage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miriam Angeline Works (1806–1832) (aged 18) | first marriage | 2 children; died prior to Young becoming a Latter Day Saint | |
| 2 | Mary Ann Angell Mary Ann Angell Mary Ann Angell Young was the second woman married to Latter Day Saint leader Brigham Young. They were married on February 28, 1834. Young's first wife, Miriam Angeline Works, had died on September 8, 1832... (1808–1882) (aged 27) |
first marriage | This was not a plural marriage, as Young was a widower at the time; 6 children; mother of Brigham Young, Jr. Brigham Young, Jr. Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F... , John Willard Young John Willard Young John Willard Young was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He is one of the few individuals to have been an apostle of the LDS Church and a member of the First Presidency without ever having been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.-Early life and apostolic... and Joseph Angell Young Joseph Angell Young Joseph Angell Young was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Young is one of the few Latter-day Saints in history to have been ordained to the office of apostle without ever becoming a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or the First Presidency of the... . |
|
| 3 | Lucy Ann Decker (1822–1890) (aged 20) | abandoned by non-Mormon husband William Seeley (not divorced) | 7 children | |
| 4 | Augusta Adams (1802–1886) (aged 41) | married to non-Mormon Henry Cobb (divorced in 1847) | Young later married her son's ex-wife, Mary Van Cott Cobb (No. 51 below) | |
| 5 | Harriet Elizabeth Cook (1824–1898) (aged 19) | first marriage | 1 child | |
| 6 | Clarissa Caroline Decker (1828–1889) (aged 15) | first marriage | 5 children | |
| 7 | September 1844 (aged 43) | Emily Dow Partridge (1824–1899) (aged 20). | plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | Daughter of Edward Partridge Edward Partridge Edward Partridge was the grandson of Massachusetts Congressman Oliver Partridge, Esq., and a member of a family noted for commercial, social, political, and military leadership in Western Massachusetts. One of the first converts to the Latter Day Saint movement, he was baptized in or near Seneca... ; sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for life; 7 children; mother of Don Carlos Young Don Carlos Young Joseph Don Carlos Young was an American architect and the Church Architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1887 until 1893. In 1893, the office of Church Architect was dissolved , Young thereafter practiced privately with the LDS Church as a frequent client... . |
| 8 | Clarissa Ross (1814–1857) (aged 30) | first marriage | 4 children; mother of Maria Young Dougall Maria Young Dougall Maria Young Dougall was a Utah suffragist and a member of the general presidency of what is today the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .... and Willard Young Willard Young Willard Young was a prominent member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who served for many years in the United States military, and later held high positions within the LDS Church's administration... |
|
| 9 | Louisa Beaman (1815–1850) (aged 29) | plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for life; 5 children | |
| 10 | Eliza R. Snow (1804–1887) (aged 40) | plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for life | |
| 11 | Elizabeth Fairchild (1828–1910) (aged 16) | first marriage | divorced 1855 | |
| 12 | Clarissa Blake (1796–?) (aged 48) | widow of -- Morse; married to Mormon husband Lyman Homiston | ||
| 13 | Rebecca Holman (1824–1849) (aged 20) | first marriage | ||
| 14 | Diana Chase (1827–1886) (aged 17) | first marriage | divorced prior to 1849 | |
| 15 | Susanne Snively (1815–1892) (aged 29) | first marriage | ||
| 16 | Olive Grey Frost (1816–1845) (aged 28) | plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for life | |
| 17 | Mary Ann Clark (1816–?) (aged 28) | previously married to —— Powers (unknown if she was widowed, divorced, or separated) | divorced June 1851 | |
| 18 | Margaret Pierce (1823–1907) (aged 22) | widow of Morris Whitesides | sealed to Morris Whitesides for eternity and Young for time; 1 child | |
| 19 | Mary Pierce (1821–1847) (aged 25) | first marriage | ||
| 20 | Emmeline Free (1826–1875) (aged 18) | first marriage | 10 children | |
| 21 | Mary Elizabeth Rollins (1818–1910) (aged 26) | married to non-Mormon Adam Lightner and plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for time; remained living with Lightner | |
| 22 | Margaret Alley (1825–1852) (aged 20) | first marriage | 2 children | |
| 23 | Olive Andrews (1818–?) (aged 27) | posthumous plural wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for time | |
| 24 | Emily Haws (1823–?) (aged 22) | widow of William Whitmarsh | ||
| 25 | Martha Bowker (1822–1890) (aged 23) | first marriage | ||
| 26 | Ellen Rockwood (1829–1866) (aged 16) | first marriage | ||
| 27 | Jemima Angel (1803–1869) (aged 42) | divorced from Valentine Young (no relation) | ||
| 28 | Abigail Marks (1781–1846) (aged 69) | widow of Asa Works | sealed to Works for eternity and Young for time; Abigail Marks was the mother of Young's first wife, Miriam Works | |
| 29 | Phebe Morton (1776–1854) (aged 59) | widow of James W. Angel | sealed to Angel for eternity and Young for time | |
| 30 | Cynthia Porter (1783–1861) (aged 62) | married to William Weston (unknown if she was widowed, divorced, or separated) | ||
| 31 | Mary Eliza Nelson (1812–1885) (aged 33) | widow of John P. Greene John P. Greene John Portineus Greene was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Greene was born in Herkimer, New York. He was a Methodist minister at Mendon, New York. He was friends with Heber C. Kimball and they claimed to witness "signs in the heavens" on September 22, 1827... |
sealed to John P. Greene John P. Greene John Portineus Greene was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.Greene was born in Herkimer, New York. He was a Methodist minister at Mendon, New York. He was friends with Heber C. Kimball and they claimed to witness "signs in the heavens" on September 22, 1827... for eternity and Young for time; divorced by 1850 |
|
| 32 | Rhoda Richards (1784–1879) (aged 61) | plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for time | |
| 33 | Zina Diantha Huntington Zina D. H. Young Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs Smith Young was an American social activist and religious leader who served as the third general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1888 until her death... (1821–1901) (aged 25) |
married to Mormon Henry Bailey Jacobs; plural widow of Joseph Smith, Jr. | sealed to Joseph Smith, Jr. for eternity and Young for time; not sealed to Jacobs; lived with Young; 1 child | |
| 34 | Amy Cecilia Cooper (1804–1852) (aged 41) | married to (non-Mormon?) Joseph Aldrich; separated later and he remarried | ||
| 35 | Mary Ellen de la Montaigne (1803–1894) (aged 42) | divorced from James Boyd Woodward | divorced 1846-12-13 and re-married Woodward; both Woodward and de la Montaigne were adopted to Brigham Young at Nauvoo | |
| 36 | Julia Foster (1811–1891) (aged 36) | widow of Mormon Jonathan Hampton, who died in Nauvoo in 1844. | Stayed in Illinois when Brigham Young emigrated to Utah in 1847. Young sent for her in 1855, and she came with her children and managed the Lion House. | |
| 37 | Abigail Harback (1790–1849) (aged 55) | previously married to John Calvin Hall (unknown if she was widowed, divorced, or separated) | ||
| 38 | Mary Ann Turley (1827–1904) (aged 18) | first marriage | divorced 1851 | |
| 39 | Naamah Carter (1821–1909) (aged 24) | divorced from John S. Twiss | ||
| 40 | Nancy Cressy (1780–1872) (aged 65) | widow of Oliver Walker | ||
| 41 | Jane Terry (1819–1847) (aged 26) | widow of George W. Young (no relation) | requested on deathbed to be sealed to Brigham Young; died four days after marriage | |
| 42 | Lucy Bigelow (1830–1905) (aged 16) | first marriage | 3 children | |
| 43 | Mary Jane Bigelow (1827–1868) (aged 19) | first marriage | divorced 1851 | |
| 44 | Sarah Malin (1804–1858) (aged 43) | first marriage | later divorced | |
| 45 | Eliza Burgess (1827–1915) (aged 25) | first marriage | 1 child | |
| 46 | Mary Oldfield (1793–1875) (aged 59) | widow of Eli Kelsey | ||
| 47 | before 1853 (aged 51 on 1853-01-01) | Eliza Babcock (1828–1868) (aged 24 on 1853-01-01) | first marriage | divorced 1853 |
| 48 | Catherine Reese (1804–1860) (aged 51) | widow of Zephaniah Clawson | ||
| 49 | Harriet Barney (1830–1911) (aged 25) | divorced from W. H. H. Sagers | 1 child | |
| 50 | Amelia Folsom (1838–1910) (aged 24) | first marriage | Rumoured to be Brigham's favorite wife. | |
| 51 | Mary Van Cott (1844–1884) (aged 23) | divorced from James Thornton Cobb (son of wife no. 4) | 1 child | |
| 52 | Ann Eliza Webb Ann Eliza Young Ann Eliza Young also known as Ann Eliza Webb Dee Young Denning was one of Brigham Young's fifty-five wives and later a critic of polygamy... (1844–c. 1908) (aged 24) |
divorced from James L. Dee | divorced 1875; later became an outspoken critic of polygamy | |
| 53 | Elizabeth Jones (1814–1895) (aged 55) | widow of David T. Lewis and Dan Jones Dan Jones (Mormon) Dan Jones was an influential Welsh missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... |
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| 54 | Lydia Farnsworth (1808–1897) (aged 61) | married to Elijah Mayhew | Sealed to Brigham Young for eternity but remained living with husband Mayhew | |
| 55 | Hannah Tapfield (1807–1886) (aged 65) | married to non-Mormon Thomas O. King | Sealed to Brigham Young for eternity but remained living with husband King |