Joseph Smith Polygamy Timeline: Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon Are Persecuted
The life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the restoration, was marked by both extraordinary spiritual experiences and intense persecution. One such instaance of persecution occurred on March 24, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio, when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were violently attacked by a mob. Decades later, allegations surfaced regarding the motivation behind this persecution, including claims of Joseph Smith’s “intimate” relationship with a young woman named Marinda Nancy Johnson. In this article, we will delve into the historical facts surrounding Joseph Smith how many wives and the persecution of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, and the alleged motives behind it.
The Persecution in Hiram, Ohio
In March 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were residing in Hiram, Ohio. The Latter-day Saint community was growing, and theeir presence in the area had drawn the attention of local residents who were skeptical of their beliefs. On the night of March 24, 1832, a mob descended upon the homes of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. The mob subjected them to brutal treatment, which included tarring and feathering, as well as other physical abuse.
The reasonvs for the persecution are were multifaceted. At the heart of it were religious tensions, as the beliefs and practices of the Latter-day Saints were viewed with suspicion and distrust by some of their neighbors. However, the specific motivations behind this attack were complex and not solely driven by religious differences.
Allegations of an “Intimate” Relationship
Decades after the Hiram persecution, allegations surfaced that suggested a possible motivation for the violence. An anti-Mormon source claimed that the attack on Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon was in retaliation for Smith’s alleged “intimate” relationship with a young woman named Marinda Nancy Johnson. However, it is crucial to note that this claim was made without providing any credible source, and most historians give it little credence.
Marinda Nancy Johnson’s Later Sealing to Joseph Smith
Marinda Nancy Johnson did have a connection to Joseph Smith, but the nature of their relationship remains a subject of historical debate. Marinda was sealed to Joseph Smith as a plural wife approximately a decade after the Hiram persecution. Joseph Smith polygamy was a practice that emerged in the 1840s and was not widely known or practiced in the early 1830s when the Hiram incident occurred.
The exact circumstances and motivations behind Marinda Nancy Johnson’s sealing to Joseph Smith are not entirely clear. Marinda herself left limited written records, and historical accounts vary in their interpretation of the relationship between the two. It is essential to approach this historical episode with the awareness that the practice of plural marriage, and the associated sealing of individuals, was a complex and evolving aspect of Latter-day Saint theology and practice.
The Complexities of Historical Interpretation
The historical record is often characterized by complexity and interpretive challenges. In the case of the Hiram persecution and its alleged connection to Joseph Smith’s relationship with Marinda Nancy Johnson, there are varying perspectives among scholars and historians. Some emphasize the lack of concrete evidence to support the claim of an “intimate” relationship, while others acknowledge that Joseph Smith’s later sealing to Marinda complicates the historical narrative.
It is also important to consider the broader context of religious persecution faced by the early Latter-day Saint community. Violence and hostility were not uncommon, and the Hiram incident was one of several instances of persecution that the Saints endured during this period.
Conclusion
The persecution of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in Hiram, Ohio, on March 24, 1832, is a significant episode in the early history of the Latter-day Saint movement. The motivations behind this persecution were multifaceted, driven by religious tensions, local suspicions, and broader social dynamics.
The claim of an “intimate” relationship between Joseph Smith and Marinda Nancy Johnson, as an alleged motivation for the persecution, is subject to historical debate and is often viewed with skepticism due to the lack of credible sources. Marinda’s later sealing to Joseph Smith, while adding complexity to the historical narrative, does not provide conclusive evidence of the nature of their relationship in 1832.
The complexities of historical interpretation and the evolving nature of Latter-day Saint practices, including plural marriage, underscore the importance of approaching this historical episode with careful consideration of the available evidence and the broader context of religious persecution in the early 19th century.
To learn more about how Joseph Smith fought polygamy as well as his timeline for polygamy visit What Do Mormons Believe.
