Mormon Polygamy: A History

In this comprehensive survey of LDS polygamy, Richard S. Van Wagoner traces the origins of the theology in Ohio, the peculiarities common to the practice in the Midwest and later Utah, and the extent of post-1890 plural marriage in Utah, Canada, and Mexico. What emerges is a fascinating epic story.As a Latter-day Saint, Van Wagoner is sympathetic to his heritage. However, in treating source material critically, he eliminates much of the misunderstanding that has surrounded the doctrine. He finds a variance between what was recorded at the time by leaders or expressed privately by practitioners and what was written retrospectively or stated publicly. For instance, it is not true that sexuality was unimportant; nor was there a surplus of women to be cared for.Since fundamentalist Mormons represent a part of Joseph Smith's legacy, they too are included in Van Wagoner's study. He estimates that there are approximately 20,000 of them scattered throughout the western United States today.