While at the library yesterday hunting through old books for Wondermark source material, I came across this article in the 1891 volume of a magazine called The Illustrated American. Entitled “Is Polygamy a Success?”, it’s letters from readers responding to a previous article written by a self-described “ex-Mormon,” in which the writer denounces Mormonism with claims that its members practice polygamy.

These letters were just the beginning of a huge outcry by Mormons and others against the magazine. In later issues, the editors of The Illustrated American comment on a libel suit brought against them by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; later still, they print a letter from Wilford Woodruff, the president of the church at that time, who defends the Church against what he perceives as mischaracterizations in the article by the “ex-Mormon.” The whole exchange is fascinating, because it really shows how fiercely polygamy was a hot-button issue for religious leaders at the time.

Due to time constraints, I didn’t scan pages from the later issues; anyone interested in this particular wrinkle in the history of the Mormon church can look up 1891 issues of The Illustrated American. But this letters column, in which many parties defend polygamy, was particularly interesting to me because of the window it affords into the state of family relationships in the late 19th Century — how the institution of marriage used to be considered, what’s changed, and interestingly, what hasn’t (how many wives today still feel like “school-masters” treating their husbands like “truant pupils”?).

For many months I’ve wanted to do a regular “True Stuff from Old Books” series, but it takes a lot of time to scan and upload stuff…hopefully I’ll be able to post more interesting tidbits in the future.

Share This