In 1842, Joseph Smith was sealed to a 17-year-old girl named Sarah Ann Whitney in one of the earliest and most revealing cases of early Mormon polygamy. In this in-depth historical investigation, historian Benjamin Park walks through the timeline and documents that prove the secretive nature of Joseph Smith’s plural marriages, including letters he told recipients to burn, blessings written in his own hand, and a “pretended marriage” arranged to cover it all up.
This isn’t just about one sealing—it’s about what the documents tell us. Park breaks down the Whitney family archive, the role of consent, the intersections of gender, power, and secrecy, and how early LDS leaders kept polygamy hidden even from their own members. Whether you’re a student of Mormon history or trying to understand how religious authority works behind closed doors, this video will challenge everything you thought you knew about the origins of LDS polygamy.
Books:
American Zion: https://amzn.to/4j8Ms16
Kingdom of Nauvoo: https://amzn.to/4cmigxw
Sources:
Joseph Smith revelation on polygamy, July 27, 1842: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-27-july-1842-in-unidentified-handwriting-a/1
Joseph Smith Letter to the Whitneys, August 18, 1842: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-newel-k-elizabeth-ann-smith-and-sarah-ann-whitney-18-august-1842/1
Deed of Land to Sarah Ann Whitney, September 6, 1842: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/deed-to-sarah-ann-whitney-6-september-1842/1
Joseph Kingsbury Blessing, March 23, 1843: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/blessing-to-joseph-kingsbury-23-march-1843/1
Sarah Ann Whitney Blessing, March 23, 1843: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/blessing-to-sarah-ann-whitney-23-march-1843/1
Video Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction Begins
01:13 – Sarah’s Background
02:17 – Scandalous Proposal
03:22 – The Revelation Document
05:56 – Burn This Letter
07:52 – Secrecy Revealed
09:15 – Land Transaction
10:22 – Bribery or Blessing?
11:52 – Pretended Marriage
12:56 – Kingsbury’s Role
13:58 – Sarah’s Blessing
14:55 – Archive Unveiled
15:56 – Life After Smith
17:10 – Final Reflections
About This Channel:
Welcome to the channel! I’m Dr. Benjamin Park—historian, author, professor, and unapologetic history geek. If you're tired of hearing that everything is unprecedented or nothing like this has ever happened before, you're in the right place. This channel dives into the complex (and fascinating) intersections of American religion, politics, and culture. I bring history out of the ivory tower and into real-world conversations—making it relevant, accessible, and even a little fun. Expect weekly deep dives, quick takes on current events, book recommendations, and sharp insights from the past to help us understand our present. From Mormon history to the abolitionist movement and beyond, let’s unpack how we got here—and where we might be going. Subscribe and geek out with me on the power of the past.
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