Polygamy in America.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 144, 13 August 1872, Page 7

Polygamy in America.

: jfrs Stenhouse, in a " A Lady's Life among tMonnons," after giving an extended acE n t of the life and labours of herself and Ljjand in the interests of polygamy, thus Lte3 how the ordeal of giving her lord and Uter a second wife was passed through : fig £he time approached for me to do this I |t like a condemned felon in his cell, waitLjn agony the day of execution. I know at my husband suffered also, now that it j3 so near ; for he necessarily saw that it

mid make a great change in his future life. is freedom was gone. The dreadful day at n gth avicived. As may well be supposed, jjad passed a wakeful and unhappy night, ,d ] felt very sick and nervous ; for I was m io become a mother, and it seemed to e that I had not the courage to go through ia t day. However, I nerved myself to the s k and silently make my preparations for jing to the 'Endowment House.' The lorning was bright and lovely, and calcuited to inspire joyous hopes and happy feel,2B. To me it brought nothing but fear and •embling. I could not even trust myself to peak to my children, for I was choking with uppressed emotion, and they, not knowing ow deeply I was suffering, looked at me fth wonder in their innocent eyes. ' Oh,' thought, 'surely my husband will at last mderstand the depth of love I bear him, for, re re it not that he believes the doctrine to ie true, I would even now dash the bitter up from my lips.' There was a darkness £fore my eyes, and struggle as I might I ould see no ray of light, no glimmering of iope. I was utterly cast down and brokenlearted, and felt almost as if the Lord had orsaken me. I could not go to my husband or sympathy; for I felt that his thoughts W re with his young bride, and that my sor--ows would only worry him at a time when ie must desire to be at peace. The time at ength arrived for us to go to the Endowment House, and there, at the altar, the first wife is expected to give proof of her faith in her new religion by placing the hand of the new wife in that of her husband. She is asked the question by Brigham Young :—' Are yon willing to give this woman to your husband, to be his lawful and wedded wife for time

and all eternity ? If you are, you will manifest it by placing her right hand within the right hand of your husband.' I did so. But what words can describe my feelings ? The anguish of a lifetime was crowded into that one single moment. When it was done I felt that I had laid everything upon the altar, and that there was no more to sacrifice. I had given away my husband. " What more could the Lord require of me that I could not do ?" —Mrs Stenhouse gives the following account of Brigham's wives:—" Very extravagant statements have been published of the number of Brigham Young's wives and children. How many he has had from the time he courted Miss Martha Brotherton until now it would be difficult to estimate. Some of his wives are dead ; others have left him, and many probably have been sealed to him who strayed away, like those of Brother Heber, and he knew not whither they went. Of Brigham's present family I am personally acquainted with nineteen of his wives. Before he was a Mormon he had a wife and family, but of that lady I know nothing. Two of her daughters are 'in Utah. His Mormon family begins with his first legal wife, who is still living—Mrs Mary Ann Angel Foung. She is probably about his own age, hut is physically less preserved, and looks much older. She is a most excellent and amiable lady, and bears traces of having had her full share of earthly troubles. She Is the mother of three prominent sons—Joseph A., Brigham jun., John W., and two daughters -Alice and Luna. Each of the sons has three wives. The first daughter is the third or fourth wife in a polygamic household. The other daughter is the first wife of a young man, and has for a companion wife her father's daughter by another mother. The eldest daughter, Alice, has also her half-sister as an associate wife in her husband's household. The legal wife of Brigham is :—l. Mrs Mary Ann Angel. His polygamic wives are :-2. Mrs Clara Decker ; 3. Mrs Lucy Decker (sisters); 4. Mrs Emeline Free ; 5. Mrs Harriet Cook; 6. Mrs Twiss ; 7. Mrs Eliza Burgess ; 8. Mrs Susan Snively ; 0. Mrs Lucy Bigelow ; 10. Mrs Harriet Sea|»s; 11. Mrs Martha Boker ; 12. Mrs Margaret Pierce ; 13. Mrs Amelia Folsome. Jj- Mrs Mary Van Cott Cobb. 15. Mrs E "za Ann Jane Webb. His ' proxy' wives we :-16. Mrs Emily Partridge ; 17. Mrs D. Huntingdon Jacobs ; 18. Mrs Eliza & Snow. [These were formerly ' sealed' to Joseph Smith, and are now ' proxy' wives to %ham.] Also, 19. Mrs Augusta Cobb (who was ' sealed' to Joseph Smith since his death.) Besides these there may likely be other ladies sealed to Brigham, but I mya?lf know personally no more than the abovenamed."