Fifteen years among the Mormons: being the narrative of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith, late of Great Salt Lake City: a sister of one of the Mormon high priests

Front matter

■:3'5

Booker

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Preface

The human mind is peculiarly open to the approach of religious delusion. Man is naturally religious, but prone perhaps to mix with the pure gospels of a pure system, something of a grosser sort, and is inclined to bring the latter down, and to square it with his own poor humanity, when unable to. raise himself to the level of an exalted faith. Hence we find the success of these pretenders to new revelations, to be due less to the merit of what they teach, than to the weakness of their victims.

No delusion of this character has for many centuries met with half the success, or achieved a position so threatening and formidable as has the Mormonism of our own day. And no Prophet among the class to which we refer, has entertained the ambitious and aggressive views of Brigham Young, since the advent of Mahomet, whose armed followers overran the fairest portions of the East with the irresistible argument of the " Koran or the sword." And it is perhaps not without reason that the public mind has been suddenly moved to inquire whether the known aims of the successor of Joseph Smith may not point to a similar destiny for this continent. For it is with some concern that we are reminded that in the early years of the hegira, the power and the pretensions of the Prophet of Medina, were much less in fact, than are those of the aspirant to divine honors at Salt Lake to-day.

And while there can be but little doubt as to the result of a conflict, should it come to that, as between the people of the United States and the Saints in Utah, with all the advantages claimed for the latter, from their isolated position, unity of purpose and action, known enterprise, and other admitted elements vi Preface.

of strength which would tell in such a contest, yet the question is not entirely devoid of difficulty, with reference to the line of policy the Government at Washington is likely to adopt, in contrast with that which it is believed should be adopted.

This Government, ranking among the first Christian powers of the earth, owes something to civilization and the world as touching the solution of this Mormon question. The assumptions and errors of these " latter day Saints," are too monstrous and radical to pass with a mere rebuke. They should be crushed in the bud, if indeed they have not already passed into a dangerous maturity. They should be torn up root and branch, especially now, when the alternative is held out by the "Prophet " himself, of, " fight or fly."

These men, who have not only set at defiance those acknowledged principles of moral ethics, which for many generations have bound Christendom to a common faith, and worked out for it a high order of civilization, but have repudiated the common instincts of humanity, and the common law also, should not be allowed, even as a compromise, to withdraw from the territory of the United States unpunished.

They should be made to feel the heavy, and resistless arm of the public law. The iron they have meted to others, their defenceless victims, in disregard of law, should be made to enter their own souls, under the sanction of law.

But under our peculiar form of government, undoubtedly the best in the world, a serious difficulty still suggests itself. The outrages in Utah call for an immediate remedy. Humanity, racked to its uttermost of endurance, cannot afford to wait the slow process of ordinary governmental action. We have already seen within a few months, an army put in motion, and a Governor appointed for this duty, and the advance of both in the end stayed, for some reason, another year.

When we remember the high character of the present Chief Magistrate of the nation, there can be but little doubt that finally, effective and well judged measures will be taken in the premises; but still the question recurs, why can this not be done now ?

Is it only tho voice of popular majorities that can move the

PjRKFAOK Vii

Government to action ? And is the voice of suffering, though armed with the right, not to be heard, unless it is also armed with might. Mast it bear the fearful, and uncertain wand of a balance of power, before it can reach the ear of the politician? Has our nationality come at last, to be but the exponent of a party only, and has it nothing left of a sympathy which it should hold in common with all Americans and Christians ?

It is not possible that politicians are so lost in schemes of party plunder, as to be blind to the necessity of preserving the Government.

But what need have we for delay in this matter ? Is it not time the question were submitted in some form to the serious consideration of the American people, if submitted it must be, before action can be had ? Can there be the differential of a doubt, as to what will be the result of such a submission? Indeed is it not already a question of public safety? Can this model system of government survive the shock of so many elements foreign to the aims and scope of its original inception ?

Can this people, always liberal and generous, quite up to the verge of safety, escape demoralization while thus trifling with abstractions, which involve the validity of the fundamental law ?

Does that "largest liberty," over which we hear the National pride so justly exalt itself, mean the liberty to sweep away the old landmarks of Christendom, and the glorious old common law of our fathers? Is our Bible, and the free institutions which have come down with, and grown up beside it, to be sacrificed to an extreme application of the well approved principles of State Eights, and popular sovereignty ? In the splendid machinery of Government which has resulted from the Eevolutlon, and the exalted line of state policy which has grown up under it, did not our fathers bethink them of a sufficient balance wheel equal to the duty of guarding us against the obstructions which bad men and fanatics may choose to interpose to its continued, equal, steady, and general working.

It cannot, be supposed, that in the advance made by the framers of our American institutions, it was had in contemplaviii PREFACE.

tion to retrograde in morals, or in Christian propriety, or to throw away what civilization had already gained for us. But the Mormon practice of polygamy, is a retrograde, and hence if our Constitution does not afford a remedy against these evils, and if, from its flexibility, it does not verify the fair promise of its early days, the friends of free institutions may well entertain apprehensions for the future of this country.

But when we look the difficulty fearlessly in the face, the Gordian knot is at once unloosed, for we have in Utah a verification of the truth, that there is in the affairs of men, a certain tendency to a compensation in favor of the right, and against the wrong-doer, which cannot be defeated. Hence, admitting for the sake of the argument, that under our liberal system of Government, the practice of polygamy, is among the topics of mere local interest, and subject to the unquestioned decision of the state and local legislature, yet the crimes and scandals, that always must, and as it appears have followed in Utah the violation of those wholesome limitations by which the Christian marriage have been surrounded by a Wise Hand, are not exempt from the interference of the law officers of the General Government. But such interference will annihilate both Mormonism and polygamy, since it will hang all the leaders of any note concerned in these outrages. And thus we find this question easy of solution, requiring only a firm purpose, and. an unrelenting application of justice, on the part of the administrators of public affairs, in carrying out, in a legal manner, acknowledged principles of jurisprudence.

But space will not admit of a full discussion of this important subject here. Trusting these pages may in some measure contribute to a timely and efficient adjustment of the Mormon difficulties, they are now submitted to that umpirage to which an American is always proud to appeal, when questions of great and national interest are under dkcussion— to the American people.

K. W. Gkeen.

DAN3VILLE, N Y., Oct. 15M, 185T.

OTEODU CTION.

About tlie first of March last, the writer of this Narrative was first introduced to the subject of it, by a mutual friend ; and listened with astonishment to her extraordinary story. Subsequently much time was spent in weighing, sifting and comparing her statements.

Convinced by this investigation of its entire truthfulness, and recognizing the claim she had upon the public ear, and the claim to be heard in this behalf by the thousands of her sex still in Mormon land, the following pages have been written, and are now offered without apology ; albeit but little time has been taken to prepare for the press.

The appearance and general state of mind of Mrs. Smith, at this time, was very peculiar: and not without interest as affording evidence of her good faith. At times timid as the antelope of the mountains among which she has suffered so much, and but partially freed from the thraldom of her Mormon habits of life, she stood braced against all " Gentile " approach, and although she had in theory abandoned her Mormon faith, she had adopted no other in its place. The dread of falling into some new error, rendered her almost inaccessible to truth.

On one occasion, when the Mormon belief in a plurality of gods was under discussion, the fact was stated, that there was but one God over all the universe ; she replied with unfeigned wonder, as if the idea was altogether new to her :

" What ? Do you believe there is but one God ?"

In giving to the world the following narrative, the author fully appreciates the importance of the fact, that its success, and the benefit he deems he has a right to expect may accrue from it to suffering humanity in Utah, will be greatly dependent upon the credence extended to it by the public.

The first questions the honest reader has a right to ask, are these : Is it true? Are these disclosures and revelations made in good faith ? Are they really the actual experiences of a woman yet under twenty-nine years of age ? A woman educated from childhood in the Mormon faith ; familiar with all its details ? One who has been a victim to its cruel hardships, and to its practical workings ? Has she disclosed to the world what

£ Introduction.

she lias actually seen, and felt, and suffered ; and nothing more ? Is it true, that she has been held a prisoner, in common with many others of her sex, for years in Utah, and that by a singular good fortune, when hope had nearly gone out within her, she effected an escape ? And is it true, that to-day she exists as an actuality, courting investigation, and fearing nothing but Mormon intrigue and Mormon assassination?

There is in simple truth an agreement and consistency, upon which the mind intuitively fastens, and upon which it bases its convictions never found in the creations of the imagination. It is with confidence, therefore, that we refer to the internal evidence which this narrative itself affords of its own truth.

The circumstance that real names are given throughout the book, of persons who are still living and who will be likely to make themselves heard, if they have been misrepresented, should furnish another argument in favor of its reliability.

Nothing in the following pages has been written with the design of feeding a morbid curiosity ; and whatever has been admitted of fact or form of expression, which possibly may have that effect, has been from necessity, and as growing out of the nature of the subject, and not from any want of respect for that delicate and even fastidious public taste which has ever characterized the people of this country. An earnest desire to subserve the public good, as regards the exposure of these enormities, has been the governing consideration. In fact, many things have been omitted, from a wish to avoid offence in this particular.

"We give, in addition, an extract from an affidavit forwarded to the Government at Washington in answer to a communication from the State Department relating to affairs in Utah, as further evidence of good faith on the part of Mrs. Smith :

(Copy.)

Affidavit of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith, relating to certain

matters in the Territory of Utah.

" State of New York, ) ss Livingston County. \ *

" Mary Ettie Y. Smith, late of Great Salt Lake city, in the itory of Utah ; and now of Stuben county, in the State of

Introduction. xi

v^w York, being duly sworn deposes and says : That she has been a resident of said Territory for about five years ; and has been a member of the community of Mormons for fifteen years : That she is at present twenty eight years of age ; that she was a believer in good faith in Mormonism, until she discovered, after going to Utah, the principal business of the Prophet Brigham Young, and the other heads of the Mormon Church to be the commission of crimes of the most atrocious character ; among which may be included robbery, murder, and treason to the General Government, and a large number of lesser crimes : and that she was held a prisoner there for a long time, against her wish and consent, after she had expressed a desire to return to the TJ. S. ; and that a large number of persons, particularly women, have been, and are, as she verily believes, so held and restrained, and debarred of the exercise of their personal liberty ; and that many of these persons, were they to be assured of the protection of the Government, could and would give such evidence before a legal tribunal, as would, if such tribunal were unawed, and uncontrolled by the Mormons or their influence, lead to the conviction of Brigham Young, and many, and probably most of the heads of the Church, of such crimes as are punishable by death.

" And this deponent further says that as an illustration of the above, she will state, that in the year 1853, she was present when Brigham Young, General Wells, and John and Wiley "Norton, discussed and adopted a plan for the murder of Wallace Alonzo Clarke Bowman, an American citizen, at the time engaged in the Mexican trade, and in the quiet and legal pursuit of his lawful business : and that said Bowman was so murdered by direction of said Erigham Young; and after the manner determined upon as aforesaid. That she saw and recognized his body after his death ; and that she cut a lock of said Bowman's hair after his death, and gave the same to Dr Hurt, at the time Indian agent of the Territory. ' " That John Norton and James Furguson, now believed to be living at Salt Lake, told this deponent in the presence of various other persons, to wit : Jane Furguson, (wife No. 2 of said Furguson) and others, that they, the said Norton and Furguson shot the said Bowman, in Salt Creek canon : that a large xii Introduction.

amount of property was taken from said Bowman, by the said Mormons : and that at this time, said Brigham Young, was governor of the said Territory of Utah.

" That the facts above stated, with reference to the imprisonment, robbery and final murder of said Bowman, can be proved by a large number of reliable witnesses now in Utah; and one besides herself now in the state of New York. That the account given of the same in her Narrative, now about to be published, is substantially true : and that among many others, the following persons would swear to these facts, if properly approached, and well assured of protection against the assassination of the

"Danites," to wit : : and the two

wives of and the mother of ;

( ) and , wife of ;

wife ISTo. 2 of : , and his wife, ; and others.; all living at Great Salt Lake

City.

" This Deponent further says, that she was present at another time, m the year 1851 ; when the said Brigham Young, governor of the Territory of Utah, ' counseled,' and directed the robbery of a Dr. Roberts ; and that afterwards she was present, when the said Dr. Roberts was robbed, at night, on the public highway, in pursuance of the said instructions of th9 said Prophet and Gov. Young; that said robbery was committed by Captain James Brown, now living at Ogden city, in said Territory, and Hiram Clauson, of Great Salt Lake city; and in presence of Ellen, the wife of said Clauson, and in pres ence of this deponent ; and that she has good reason to fear thet said Roberts was afterward murdered by said Brown and Clauson : that she can furnish proof of many similar crimes ; an account of which she deems it unnecessary to give in detail at this time ; and further this deponent saith not."

(Signed)

Mary Ettif V. Smith.

Subscribed and sworn this 21st day of Augast, 18b7, before me.

Charles R. Kkr:t,

CONTEXTS

Conclusion, • , 883

Chapter I. My Birth And Parentage

I

My father, Silas Coray, was one of the four sons of John and Phebe Coray of Providence township, Luzern county, Pennsylvania. My grandfather, John Coray, was accidentally shot by one of his neighbors, and a few years after, my grandmother married James Abbott, and moved to Allegany county, New York, near Arkport. It was but a short time after this event that my father married Mary Stephens, the daughter of Uriah Stephens, a revolutionary pensioner, and one of the six original proprietors of the township of Canisteo, now a part of Steuben county. My parents lived here until after the birth of their first two children, and then moved to Pennsylvania, to occupy the farm my grandfather had left them ; but soon returned to New York. His three brothers, John,* David, and Ira, occupied in common the balance of my > grandfather's land in Pennsylvania, and by their solicitation,

* One of these brothers, my uncle John, is now livir.g with a numerous and respectable family in the town of Burns, Allegany

IT my father, about this time, purchased the whole property of them, and moved his family onto the old homestead ; where had he lived contentedly, he wo ild have saved his family from being scattered, and falling victims to a most fatal and cruel delusion. It was at this place, Providence, Luzern cour.ty, Pennsylvania, I was born, January 31, 1829.

My father at this time owned over seven hundred acres of coal land, which has since proved to be very valua ble.

T7hen I was ten years of age he sold this fine property and removed with his family to Perry, Pike county, Illinois ; wheve he bought a large tract of land, and soon after, while in the height of his various objects of enterprise, was killed accidentally while drawing a log to a saw-mill ; leaving his business in a very unsettled condition, and my mother with nine children then living, two of whom were younger than myself, named as follows : Aurilla, Sarah Ann, Phebe, Hovard, George, William, Mary Ettie V., Uriah, and Harriet Elizabeth.

At the death of my father, began that terrible e^Jes of misfortunes, a history of which will form the subject-matter of the following pages. My father's death occurred in January, 1841.

county, New York. Many members of my mother's family, tna Stephens, are yet living in Canisteo, and other parts of Steuben coun.y, New York; and I have many cousins in Pennsylvania, now living. Col. John R. Stephens, my mother's brother, lives upoc his estate near Hornellsville, New York ; and is well known m that section of the country.

About this time a Mormon Elder, who had been holding meetings in this neighborhood, called upon my mother, anc. among other things, told her that the Latter Day Saints claimed to be able to heal the sick, and that if she would consent to be baptized, the deafness with which she was afflicted, and which had become a great annoyance to her, would in a very shortj^ime be removed ; and she would hear a^ain.

Willing at least to try the experiment, she was baptized. The water was very cold, and immediately after her hearing was improved, and soon, it was entirely restored. I feel it my duty to do my mother the justice of stating this very remarkable circumstance, which was the real foundation of her conversion to Mormonistn, and of her implicit faith in Joseph Smith, as a Prophet of God ; a faith that was never shaken until, years after, she found herself shut up in Utah, a prisoner, and an unwilling witness of abominations which in the States had been- disguised.

Mv mother, who is still living, now understands, that per haps this apparent miracle, was the effect of cold water, or of some other natural though unexplained cause; but at that time, it had with her all the force of a real miracle. It was the voice of God through His Prophet, which she dare not disregard ; and accordingly she removed -at once to Nauvoo, where the Mormons had just laid the foundation for the Temple, taking seven of her children ; two of my sisters, having husbands, did not accompany her.

Her entire property, and all papers relating to my father's business, were placed in the hands of Stephen Abbott, a half-

20 Fifteen Teaks among the Mormons.

brother of ray father who had been previously converted to Mormonisin.

This was the last trace, or account, or benefit my mother, or any one of our family, ever received of this valuable property, except a small amount of our personal effects, taken with us at the time, which probably went into the hands of Joseph Smith, and was absorbed in the common stock. It was probably a part of the large sum afterwards expended upon the Temple at JSTauvoo.

It may appear strange, that my mother so readily gave up her property into -the hands of her new friends; but we have already seen that they had, by a pretended miracle, restored her to hearing ; and thus, in a double sense, they had ol tained a "hearing" and she readily received as infallible, the doctrine of the "immediate second coming of Christ;" and hence, it looked reasonable to her, wlien they said she would no longer need her property. She had, however, been at Nauvoo but a few months, before she saw the absurdity of this summary disposal of her worldly goods, and returned to Pike county to look after it ; but found it sold and occu-* pied by strangers, and out of her reach. She returned to Nauvoo, to make the best of her new religion.

I recollect that I was baptized into the new faith, as were all my brothers and sisters, except my two married sisters, who did not accompany us, and Howard, my second brother, who was a ready penman, soon became a great favorite with Joseph Smith, the Prophet; with whom he spent most of his time as his clerk, and so continued until his death, and afterwards wrote for Brigham Young, and is thus employed now for the latter, at Great Salt Lake City. Howard is the author of an history of the Smith family, unfinished at the deatli of the Prophet, but since published

I had been baptized by the direction of Joseph Smith, at eleven years of age ; and my mother left me temporarily with my brother Howard, through whom all our family were controlled by the Prophet. It was by the advice of the latter that Howard had been married to Martha Jane Knowlton. Some of our neighbors, about this time, began to say that I was old enough to be married. I was but thirteen years of age, and this greatly frightened me, as I verily believed there would be no escape from the will of the Prophet, if he should direct me to marry — a thing not unlikely to happen, for he was in the habit of doing thus with others, when he found they were at the age of puberty ; and to refuse would be at the sacrifice of my own salvation, unless I could afterwards obtain his pardon.

Every effort was made by the Mormons, apparently without the knowledge of the Prophet, to induce my brother to effect a marriage for me, by the offer to him of various presents and other inducements tendered by those who wished to marry me. But he paid but little attention to them, as he had hoped to win higher honors through my marriage. He had conceived the idea of marrying me to one of the Twelve Apostles, as soon as I was old enough to be a mother.

I believed in Mormonism, for I knew no other religion, but I preferred not to marry an old man, but chose to have a husband of my own age, and of my own choice, if I must have one. The Prophet, Smith, had not yet " counselled * me to get married, and I concluded, if an opportunity offered I should surely take the advantage of "Brother Joseph/' and run the risk of being forgiven by him.

My sister Sarah had married a Mr. Griffin, and was then living at Nauvoo, both herself and husband having been converted to Mormonism by the apparent miracle of the cure of my mother's deafness. *

My sister, who knew what efforts had been made to effect my marriage, became uneasy, and sent for me to come to her house ; and I accordingly went, and told her how matters stood ; and, among other things, a brother Gully had strongly pressed his matrimonial claims upon my attention. I cried that night till I was quite sick.

My sister told me, if I would not betray her to the Church, she would undertake to find a husband for me, suitable to my age, when I was old enough ; but that 1 was too young now, and that no man should have me for a wife yet, if she could prevent it ; that I must go down and ask Howard if I could come and stay at her house until her husband returned, who was at the time absent in Iowa with his brother Henry The latter, who now lives at Scranton, Pennsylvania, knew and must recollect most of the facts I am now relating To this. Howard consented after some delay, and raisin <r various objections ; and much elated at my success in escaping for the time the annoyance of old men looking for young wives, I went to her house, where I remained for several weeks.

One day my sister said to me, "Nettie, quite an interesting young fellow has been boarding with us, and if you were two or three years older, you should marry him/' I replied, that perhaps I could not get him. " Is he old enough to be my grandfather?" "Xo, he is not over twenty-four years of age, and is good looking."

I said, " Sarah, when he comes, if he suits me, or comes near to it, I shall try to make him marry me, for fear I shall be ' counselled ' by Joseph to marry some man who has a wife already, for T can never consent to have a husband in partnership."*

" Nettie," said Sarah, " if this Mormonism is true, we shall be very sorry if we say much against it ; but still I must acknowledge that such a doctrine, if practised much, will cause the women a great deal of sorrow, and add nothing to the happiness of the men."

" I am sure," said I, " they will not enjoy their spirituals over much if they are all like me ; I will not tolerate it."

My cousin Emily came in just then, and said, " Nettie, what is the matter ? but first come and see my beau ;" and going to the window, we saw an old grey-headed man hobbling along— one of the young girl hunters. My cousin was about my own age. She told me her mother wished her to marry Mr. Brown,f her mother's husband, who was a very wealthy old gentleman. When I asked her if she intended to do so, she replied she would not if she could help it, and

* Even at this early day, it was understood among us, that spirit* ual wifeism was practised by the Heads of the Church in secret although it was stoutly denied when questioned by the Gentiles.

t This is the celebrated Captain James Brown, afterwards referred to in this narrative, who was concerned in the robbery and probable murder of Dr. Roberts, near Ogden City, Utah.

24 Fifteen Years among the Mcemons.

asked me to go into the other room : and we had but just seated ourselves, to talk over our mutual troubles, when some one knocked at the front door, for whom my sister opened it, and said, " Good evening, Wallace," and some one replied, " Good evening ; I heard Nettie, as you call her, was here." Saran told him I was in the other room.