Plural Marriage in Early Mormonism: Origins, Practice, and Impact

How Joseph Smith introduced polygamy to the Latter-day Saint movement, why he taught it, and what it meant for the church and its members.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 7, 2026

Branched from Joseph Smith's Later Revelations: Shaping Early Mormon Theology and Practice

Quick take

Joseph Smith began practicing and teaching plural marriage in the 1830s as a private doctrine, claiming divine revelation commanded it.
The practice remained secret from most church members and the public until the 1850s, when Brigham Young openly acknowledged it in Utah.
Plural marriage created deep internal conflict, drove some members away, and became a major flashpoint with U.S. federal law.

Plural marriage—the taking of multiple wives by a single man—was a core but hidden practice in early Mormonism. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter-day Saint movement, began practicing it secretly in the 1830s and taught it to a small circle of trusted followers as a divine principle. For decades, the church leadership denied the practice publicly while continuing it privately, until Brigham Young openly acknowledged and defended polygamy after the church moved to Utah in the 1850s. The doctrine became one of the most controversial aspects of Mormon theology and a major source of conflict with American law and public opinion.

How Joseph Smith Introduced Plural Marriage

Smith began practicing plural marriage around 1831–1832, though the exact timeline remains debated among historians. He married Louisa Beaman in secret in 1841, and by the time of his death in 1844, he had taken at least 30 wives—some of them already married to other men (called 'polyandry'), and some as young as their mid-teens. Smith claimed to have received a revelation commanding the practice, which was later written down and became section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the church's scriptural canon. This revelation positioned plural marriage as a restoration of biblical patriarchal practice and tied it directly to salvation theology: according to the text, men who entered into plural marriage in the proper way would receive exaltation in the afterlife.

Smith kept the practice tightly compartmentalized. He confided in a handful of close associates—including Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and other senior leaders—but denied it publicly and to most church members. His wife Emma, the official first lady of the church, was not told about all his marriages and reportedly opposed the practice. This secrecy was deliberate: Smith knew that plural marriage would provoke fierce opposition from both the broader American public and many of his own followers. When rumors circulated in Nauvoo, Illinois, where the main body of the church was headquartered, Smith and other leaders issued official denials, even as they continued to marry additional women.

Why Smith Taught It as Divine Doctrine

Smith framed plural marriage as a restoration of ancient biblical practice and as a principle essential to the highest degree of heaven. In his theological system, the ability to have children in the afterlife—a concept called 'eternal increase'—was tied to plural marriage. Men who practiced it were promised that their families would continue to grow and multiply in eternity, while those who rejected it would remain childless in the next life. This made it not simply a social arrangement but a salvific requirement for the most devoted followers. Smith also positioned himself as the one through whom God revealed this principle, reinforcing his authority as a prophet and the uniqueness of his movement.

The doctrine also served practical functions. It bound his inner circle more tightly to him—men who participated in plural marriage became deeply invested in keeping the secret and defending the practice. It allowed Smith to consolidate power by marrying women from prominent families and by giving wives to his most loyal followers. And in Smith's vision, plural marriage was meant to increase the church's numbers: women in plural marriages would bear more children, strengthening the Mormon community.

The Hidden Practice and Public Denial

For roughly a decade after Smith's death in 1844, the church remained divided on plural marriage. Some branches of Mormonism rejected it entirely, while others—particularly those who followed Brigham Young to Utah—continued and expanded the practice. Young, who became the second president of the Latter-day Saint church, had been one of Smith's closest associates and a willing participant in plural marriage. Once the church was established in the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Young gradually began to openly practice and defend polygamy, though he still did not immediately publicize it as church doctrine.

In 1852, Young made a watershed announcement: he publicly acknowledged that the church practiced and believed in plural marriage. This was not a sudden revelation but a calculated decision to stop hiding what had become an open secret in Utah. Young defended the practice on scriptural grounds, as a means of increasing the Latter-day Saint population, and as a way to care for widows and single women. However, this public admission triggered fierce backlash from the federal government and the American public, who saw polygamy as immoral and un-American. The conflict between the church and the U.S. government over plural marriage would dominate Mormon history for the next 40 years.

Why Plural Marriage Mattered—Then and Now

Plural marriage was not a peripheral practice in early Mormonism; it was central to how the movement understood salvation, authority, and community. For believers, it was a divine principle that separated the Latter-day Saints from mainstream Christianity and proved that God was continuing to reveal new truths through Joseph Smith. For critics and outsiders, it was evidence that Mormonism was a dangerous cult that rejected American values and Christian morality. The practice created lasting theological and social consequences: it shaped family structures, inheritance laws, and gender roles within the church; it generated deep internal conflict between those who accepted it and those who rejected it; and it became the defining point of tension between the Mormon church and the U.S. government.

Today, the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially abandoned plural marriage in 1890 and excommunicates members who practice it. However, the history of polygamy remains a sensitive and complex topic within Mormon culture. For historians and scholars, plural marriage in early Mormonism offers a window into how religious movements create and justify practices that clash with broader society, how authority is established and maintained within tight communities, and how secrecy and revelation work together in religious innovation.

The Secrecy Problem

Smith's private practice and public denials created a credibility crisis that the church struggled with for generations.
Many early church members felt betrayed when they learned the truth about plural marriage, leading to schisms and departures.
The gap between public statements and private practice undermined trust and made the church vulnerable to accusations of deception.

Did all Mormon men practice plural marriage?

No. Even in Utah during the height of the practice, only a minority of Mormon men—estimates range from 20 to 40 percent—actually took plural wives. It was most common among church leaders and the wealthy. Most ordinary church members had one wife, though they were expected to accept the doctrine as divinely true.

Why did Joseph Smith's wife Emma oppose plural marriage?

Emma Smith was not initially told about all of Joseph's marriages. When she learned about the practice, she objected on moral and personal grounds. She saw it as a betrayal of their marriage covenant and refused to accept it. After Joseph's death, Emma remained in Illinois and joined a different branch of Mormonism that rejected plural marriage.

How did the U.S. government respond to Mormon polygamy?

The federal government passed a series of anti-polygamy laws, including the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862. The government used these laws to prosecute Mormon leaders, seize church property, and apply intense pressure on the church. This conflict lasted until 1890, when the church officially discontinued the practice.

Are there still Mormons who practice plural marriage?

The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints banned plural marriage in 1890 and excommunicates members who practice it. However, some fundamentalist offshoots of Mormonism—groups that broke away from the main church—continue to practice polygamy and believe it is a restored principle of early Mormonism.

What happened to the women in plural marriages?

Experiences varied widely. Some women accepted the doctrine and found community and support in plural households. Others felt abandoned, jealous, or betrayed. Many bore children and managed households under difficult circumstances. Historical records show that some women thrived in these arrangements while others suffered emotionally and economically.

Sources

Compton, Todd. In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith. Signature Books, 1997. (Standard academic source on Smith's marriages and the women involved.)
Van Wagoner, Richard S. Mormon Polygamy: A History. Signature Books, 1989. (Comprehensive historical treatment of the practice from Smith through the 1890 discontinuation.)
Bushman, Richard Lyman. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. Knopf, 2005. (Major biography that addresses plural marriage in context of Smith's life and theology.)