How Many Mormons were polygamists?

[california_ave]

The figures I have are from -- between 2% and 5% of our people were involved in [19th century polygamy]. It was a very limited practice; carefully safeguarded. In 1890, that practice was discontinued. --Gordon B. Hinckley in interview with Larry King Sept 8, 1998.

Stanley Ivans estimated that 15-20% of Mormon families in Utah were polygamous. ("Notes on Mormon Polygamy" Western Humanities Review 10, Summer 1956, p. 230.) Leonard Arrington cites that 5% of Mormon men and 12% of Mormon women were involved in polygamous marriages. This may be a difficult figure to compile from records for a large community who were knowingly defying the law. It may be akin to estimating the percentage of pot growers in California. Additionally, the practice varied widely from community to community--sometimes as low as 5% (Weber, UT) and as high as 67% (Orderville, UT).

The 2-5% figure above is usually the one tossed around in Sunday School and Seminary. I don't know how accurate that is, but my guess it the ~4% figure is low. I took a survey of my own Mormon ancestors and counted a polygamy rate of 33% rate. I counted 6 polygamous families out of a total of 18 Mormon ancestors who married before 1890. (The "families" refers to the marriage, i.e., I didn't double count husband and wife)

So what is the figure you have heard (including source)? Or what is your own experience if you aren't part of the 70% of the church that is 1st generation Mormon?

[tubaloth]

I don't know if you can find any "hard" stats on it. If people eterned polgamy with out the consent of the church, would that be part of the churchs statics or just Utah statics?

These are the two I know of

The First Presidency intended to be prepared with adequate statistics, should the Constitutional Amendment making polygamy a crime in the United States pass Congress. This letter to all Stake Presidents in the United States and the accompanying tabulation of results gave the First Presidency accurate statistics on which to base any action in this eventuality. The statistics so gathered proved invaluable later in the Reed Smoot Hearings in 1904 when President Joseph F. Smith was on the witness stand before a committee of the United States Senate.

On the 21st of March, 1902, the following letter was addressed to the Presidents of all the Stakes in the United States:

DEAR BROTHER:

The measures recently introduced into the Congress of the United States amending the Constitution so as to make polygamy a crime are the results of the combined efforts of the sectarian ministers of the nation, done for the purpose of bringing reproach upon the name of our State and odium upon us as a community; and through systematic work on their part numerous petitions have been gotten up and sent to congressmen urging the enactment into law of these measures.

These petitions set forth false statements and wilful misrepresentations, and the references in them to the number of polygamous families are greatly exaggerated.

We have been called upon for statistics showing the exact number of such families existing at the present time; and having no other means of obtaining this data we are under the necessity of calling upon the Stake Presidents to furnish it. We therefore ask you to ascertain as soon as possible and forward to this office the number of polygamous families now residing in the several wards of your stake.

Your Brethren, JOSEPH F. SMITH, JOHN R. WINDER, ANTHON H. LUND.

P.S. In cases where heads of families have been removed by death or gone for the purpose of residing beyond the confines of the republic; or where plural or legal wives have been removed by death or become separated from their husbands, the polygamic relations, so far as the purpose of this inquiry is concerned, must be regarded as ended.

In answer to the above, reports have been received at the President's Office from all the stakes written to, as follows:

Alpine …. …. …. …. 26 Panguitch …. …. …. ... 13

Bannock …. …. …. ... 5 Parowan …. …. …. …. . 10

Bear Lake …. …. …. . 30 Pocatello …. …. …. ... 3

Beaver …. …. …. …. 8 Salt Lake …. …. …. .. 121

Benson …. …. …. …. 28 South Sanpete …. …. ... 37

Bighorn …. …. …. ... 4 San Juan …. …. …. …. 12

Bingham …. …. …. ... 7 San Luis …. …. …. …. 7

Box Elder …. …. …. . 41 Sevier …. …. …. …. .. 25

Cache …. …. …. …. . 33 Snowflake …. …. …. ... 7

Cassia …. …. …. …. 2 Star Valley …. …. …. . 17

Davis …. …. …. …. . 25 St. George …. …. …. .. 34

Emery …. …. …. …. . 13 St. Johns …. …. …. ... 9

Fremont …. …. …. ... 11 St. Joseph …. …. …. .. 2

Granite …. …. …. ... 38 Summit …. …. …. …. .. 6

Hyrum …. …. …. …. . 30 Teton …. …. …. …. ... 7

Jordan …. …. …. …. 32 Tooele …. …. …. …. .. 7

Juab …. …. …. …. .. 8 Uintah …. …. …. …. .. 5

Kanab …. …. …. …. . 16 Union …. …. …. …. ... 2

Malad…. …. …. …. .. 9 Utah …. …. …. …. …. 30

Maricopa …. …. …. .. 5 Wasatch …. …. …. …. . 14

Millard …. …. …. ... 13 Wayne …. …. …. …. ... 3

Morgan …. …. …. …. 7 Weber …. …. …. …. ... 53

Nebo …. …. …. …. .. 31 Woodruff …. …. …. …. 6

North Sanpete …. …. . 31

Oneida …. …. …. …. 14 Total …. …. …. ... 897

(James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 4: 42.)

Then in 1907 it says this

Those who refer to "'Mormon' polygamy" as a menace to the American home, or as a serious factor in American problems, make themselves ridiculous. So far as plural marriage is concerned, the question is settled. The problem of polygamous living among our people is rapidly solving itself. It is a matter of record that in 1890, when the manifesto was issued, there were 2,451 plural families; in nine years this number had been reduced to 1,543. Four years later the number was 897; and many of these have since passed away.

(James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 4: 152.)

[Moksha]

Polygamy could never have worked if too many men practiced it. I imagine demogaphers could even project a ceiling number before it would no longer be feasible.

[StrawberryFields]

I am a "Utah Mormon" and I have two generations of polygamy in my family tree. The second generation was put in jail for his polygamy beliefs and I believe he hung himself after he was released from jail.

[HiJolly]

I am a "Utah Mormon" and I have two generations of polygamy in my family tree. The second generation was put in jail for his polygamy beliefs and I believe he hung himself after he was released from jail.

My last (LDS legal) living polygamous ancestor died of natural means in Provo in 1976.

In the 1920's my Great-grandfather still lived with two of his wives in Logan, UT. His hometeachers on their first visit just about had a cow.

HiJolly

[kishtakaye]

I hope we are talking about then and not now!!! My great grandmother was the daughter of a polygamous father who had I believe 2 wives. But further back in my family history a generation or so it was a wonder we could even find a particular fork in the tree there were so many different wives and families. I just hope we've got every one in the right place.

[miztrniceguy]

so, if the men have more than one wife, are the wives considered polygamists, too?

[HiJolly]

so, if the men have more than one wife, are the wives considered polygamists, too?

Yes.

HiJolly

[ampat777]

I saw something on TV about polygamy and they said that most polygamists of today are in Canada and California. Is that possible?

[guitarwizard]

I was speaking with someone earlier about women living longer than men. It somehow came up that there are more women in the population than men and he said "because men are able to populate with more than one woman, and that is what life is about: reproducing."

That really struck me as i had never thought of that before. It seems polygamy is a completely natural thing that may even be ingrained in human nature.

[funkymonkey]

If you look at the world religions, 70% of the world believes in the practice of polygamy today...doesn't mean they all do it or think that you're REQUIRED, but they don't believe it is wrong.

[ampat777]

If you look at the world religions, 70% of the world believes in the practice of polygamy today...doesn't mean they all do it or think that you're REQUIRED, but they don't believe it is wrong.

How do you mean that? Don´t get me wrong I don´t disagree or so I just want to understand. You can also send me a PM if you like.

[Maureen]

I saw something on TV about polygamy and they said that most polygamists of today are in Canada and California. Is that possible?

From what I have gathered, Bountiful, BC is Canada's only polygamist community. The population is approximately 1,000 members. During the Warren Jeffs fiasco, the group split into 2 groups: those still following Jeffs and those following Blackmore (Bishop). I do not know if they have repaired their relationship with each other or if they are still divided.I don't think 1,000 members is that large, I think the communities in Colorado and Texas have more polygamists.

[funkymonkey]

Ethnographic Atlas Codebook derived from George P. Murdock’s Ethnographic Atlas, "recorded the marital composition of 1231 societies, from 1960-1980. Of these societies, 186 societies were monogamous. 1041 were polygynous."

I like Wykipedia's quick little summary on the world's history of polygamy. It's actually only been in the last 200 years that polygamy became culturally frowned upon.

[ampat777]

It seems there are many polygamist groups and I see the FLDS have some new websites that are registered in Portugal?!

Well how come that you never see any members of them in the internet? Are they not allowed? I guess so even their websites say they can do whatever they want and leave the community whenever they wish.

[california_ave]

It's actually only been in the last 200 years that polygamy became culturally frowned upon.

In other words, since the Victorian age.

[kishtakaye]

Am I correct in my information? When we get to the Spirit World we we all be practicing polygamy.

Well who knows. I have found that not all polygamy sects are as odd as the flds is to me. Some have a pretty interesting way to live that they can live in harmony with everyone else and no one but them knows that they are polygamous.

If we do not look at polygamy through carnal eyes we would see the logic in it. Sex should not be for recreational purposes (although many of us would be very disappointed) but for procreation. Also if as we Mormans believe that when we die and if we recieve the greatest degree of glory than we will be able to create worlds ourselves. How are we going to be able to balance "worlds" if we can only balance one family?

At first I viewed polygamy as disgusting. But now that i understand a little better I see it as a much needed lesson. If it is practiced correctly. And not carnally.