Notes on LDS Historical Polygamy

1. In a combination of Victorian and eternal sealing mindset, many sealings and adoptions to Joseph Smith were made with the idea to link families. 

2. Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball polygamy was not typical. Many of their wives, now widowed, were originally sealed to Joseph Smith. (BY and HCK took responsibility for a unique need) 

3. Divorce laws were very liberal. Womens rights were generally much better for the time. If there was a divorce, children belonged to the wife. 

4. The institution in frontier Utah for caring for fatherless and the widow was the family thru adoption and marriage.  

5. Most men practicing polygamy only had 2 wives max.

6. In many cases polygamy was a calling and sought approval of 1st wife. 

7. Only 30% men practiced in St. George in 1860, 25% in 1870, 20% in 1880. 

8. Individual women in polygamy had less children overall, men had more children overall. 

9. Women could seek and were encouraged to seek education and vocational opportunities if desired while having builtin intrafamily access to childcare.

10. Journals of polygamous wives at the time were net positive. Descendents today, looking back, are net positive. 

11. Fundamentalist polygamy today is nothing like the historical practice.

12. A women's own children provide care and support for her in her old age, then as now. 

13.  It was a commandant of God to restore the practice for a time.  We don't know all the whys

14.  It was 100% voluntary for men and women.  

15. Women were asked by Joseph Smith and others to seek a revelation from God.  Women eport receiving independent revelations that polygamy was God's will for them. 

16. LDS are not called to practice this today.