Responding to Polygamy Denial - John Turner pt. 32 | Ep. 2115
Mormon Stories Podcast
Documentary Challenges and Secrecy
Turner discusses why secret practice, late recollections, and institutional shifts complicate the record.
Welcome to Part 32 of our series with Dr. John G Turner, based on his new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.
In this episode, Dr. Turner response directly to modern claims denying Joseph Smith’s plural marriage to Sarah Ann Whitney. We revisit Chapter 26 of his book, carefully examining the historical record surrounding the 1842 letter often associated with Sarah Ann Whitney, the language of sealing and “fulness of blessings,” the land deed, and the broader documentary context of Nauvoo-era plural marriage.
We also engage with alternative interpretations, including arguments that question whether the letter refers to polygamy at all. Drawing on Turner’s scholarship as well as Karen Hyatt’s analysis, this discussion models how historians weight evidence, examine primary sources, and wrestle with ambiguity. What constitutes strong documentation? How do historians interpret silence, denials, and later public statements? And how should we think about the broader context of Joseph Smith’s practice of plural marriage in Nauvoo?
Along the way, we explore the legal crisis surrounding the alleged assassination attempt on Lilburn Boggs, the Nauvoo writ of habeas corpus, the Sarah Ann Whitney Letter, Public denials and private sealings, sham marriages and the case of Joseph Kingsbury, documentation involving the Partridge sisters and why serious historical inquiry requires both skepticism and careful contextualization.
We invite you to read Chapter 26 alongside this discussion and let us know your thoughts in the comments. To read Karen Hyatt’s interpretation download her free book here: https://josephtoldthetruth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Woe-Unto-You-Scribes.pdf
To watch Karen Hyatt’s video, “The Worst Love Letter… EVER!” click here.
Let us know in the comments how you interpret the evidence.
Please purchase the book here.
To support this series please donate here. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.
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