New Book!
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Books by Brian C. Hales dealing with "Mormon
fundamentalist" polygamy:
|
Wife’s Name |
Witness |
Quotation |
Reference |
Malissa Lott |
Self
|
Q. There was not any children born to you by
Joseph Smith? A. No Sir. Q. Have you ever borne any children since that
time? A. Yes sir, I have... Q. State now the reason why you never bore any
children by Joseph Smith? A. Well that is something impossible to do, -
that is something I can’t tell.... Q. ...Now you said there were no children born
of that marriage [to Joseph Smith]? A. I said I had none. Q. You had none by Joseph Smith? A. Yes sir, and you asked me why I hadn’t any
and I told you I couldn’t tell you, that you would have to go to
some higher authority than I to tell you that… Q. Did you ever room with Joseph Smith as his
wife? A. Yes sir. Q. At what place? A. At Nauvoo Q. What place in Nauvoo? A. The Q. At what place in the Mansion? A. Do you want to know the number of the room,
or what? Q. Well just what part of the house the room
was in if you can give it? A. Well I can give it and the number of the
room too. It was
room number one. Q. Room number one? A. Yes sir. Q. Who else roomed there? A. I don’t know of any one… Q. So you roomed with him [Joseph Smith] in
the A. Yes sir… Q. How often did you room there with Joseph
Smith? A. Well that is something I can’t tell you. Q. Well was it more than once? A. Yes sir, and more than twice. Q. Well that is something I would like to
know? A. Well there is something I would like to
know. If I am to be
asked these questions I would like to know if I am to answer
them. I have told
you all about this thing that I know, and I can’t see any reason
in your worrying me with these questions, and I would like to
know if I have to answer them? Q. Well if you decline to answer them say so,
and that will do? A. I don’t decline to answer any question that
I know anything about. Q. Well answer that question then? A. What is the question? Q. I asked you how many times you had roomed
there in that house with Joseph Smith?
I do not expect you to answer positively the exact number
of times, but I would like to have you tell us the number of
times as nearly as you can remember it? A. Well I can’t tell you.
I think I have acted the part of a lady in answering your
questions as well as I have, and I don’t think you are acting
the part of a gentleman in asking me these questions. Q. Well I will ask you the questions over
again in this form, - was it more than twice? A. Yes sir. Q. Well how many times? A. I could not say. Q. Did you ever at any other place room with ? A. In what way Q. Of course I mean as his wife? A. Yes sir. Q. At what places? A. In my father’s house. Q. At other places did you ever room with him
as his wife? A. Well now I think that is all the places it
is necessary for me to answer you one way or the other... Q. Did you ever room with Joseph Smith at any
other place or places than at the Nauvoo Mansion and your
father’s house, - that is did you ever room with him as his
wife? A. Them is all the places I remember. Q. Those are the only places you remember? A. Yes sir. Q. No at the times you roomed with him, did
you cohabit with him as his wife? A. Yes sir. Q. And you never had any children? A. No sir, I answered that question before and told you no. [1] |
Temple Lot Case, complete transcript, part 3,
pages 97, 105-06, questions 87-93, 224-60. |
Self
|
Malissa Lott Willes’ Stataement August 4, 1893
to Joseph Smith III Q. Were you married to my father? A. Yes… Q. Was [sic] you a wife in very deed? A. Yes Q. Why was there no increase, say in your
case? A.. Through no fault of either of us, lack of
proper conditions on my part probably, or it might be in the
wisdom of the Almighty that we should have none.
The Prophet was martyred nine months after our marriage. |
Melissa Lott Willes’ Statement, August 4, 1893 to Joseph Smith III.[2] |
|
R.C. Evans quoting Patriarch
John Smith’s Wife Helen quoting
Melissa Lot
|
“When in Salt lake City I called at the
residence of Patriarch John Smith, brother of Joseph F. Smith,
and son of Hyrum Smith, nephew of the original prophet Joseph
Smith, and while there his wife, Helen, told me, among many
other interesting things, that ‘Melissa Lott told me that when a
girl she sewed for Emma Smith and took care of the children.
Joseph had to pass through her room to go to Emma’s room.
She said Joseph never had sexual intercourse with her but
once and that was in the daytime, saying he desired her to have
a child by him. She
was barefooted and ironing when Joseph came in, and the ceremony
was performed in the presence of her parents.’” |
Forty Years in the Mormon Church (Shreveport, LA: Lambert Book House, 1976; (orig. 1920), 38 |
[1] Joseph Smith, III, who believed Malissa was not married to his father during his lifetime, recorded in 1894: “Melissa Lott. I knew her well, a bright good girl. Am glad that she was only for eternity or adopted into the family. But she was plenty large and old enough to be any man’s companion in cohabitation when I knew her; and about the only one of the entire outfit name by you [of twenty possible plural wives of Joseph Smith] whom I would be inclinded to believe if she should tell me herself that father did cohabit with her.” Joseph Smith II to Bro. E.C. Brand, Joseph Smith II Letter Press Book, P6, JSLB4, page 63, Community of Christ Archives, January 26, 1894, page 66.
[2] Notarized statement in possession of Myrtle Willes Bailey [granddaughter of Malissa Willes]. Typescript sent to Raymond bailey on December 11, 1949. Quoted in Raymond T. Bailey,. "Emma Hale: Wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith." M.A. thesis, Brigham Young University, 1952, 99-100; see also page 100 fn 9.
