Mormon History
Mrs. Joe Smith - 1884
The Salt Lake Daily Tribune
October 12, 1884
MRS. JOE SMITH.
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A Recent Visitor
Describes her Position on the Polygamy Question.
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Many
people believe that the man in whose crafty mind the mighty system of Mormonism
had its origin was also the husband of at least two wives, and in consequence
the possesser of a duplex mother in law. All the living members of Joseph
Smith's family strenuously deny this statement, and the writer of this sketch
had an opportunity to discover that it would have required some temerity to make
such an assertion in the presence of the "original and only" Mrs. Joseph.
In the summer of 18[54?] I went with a friend to the town of Nauvoo, from which
the Mormons had removed a few years earlier. Soon after that a colony of French
socialists had taken possession of their homes, but the widow of Joseph Smith,
who was now Mrs. Biddison [sic], still lived in the house she had occupied when
her first husband was killed. Mrs. Biddison was the hostess of the Nauvoo Arms,
the only hotel in the town, and she had occupied the same position during the
days when Nauvoo was the headquarters of Mormondom.
She was about forty five years old, of medium height, and rather stout, but
quick and active in her movements. Her complexion was clear, though somewhat
sunburnt. Her features were good and regular, her eyes very black and piercing,
and her hair of the same color, slightly turned grey. She had married Joseph
Smith in the state of New York, some years before he announced his discovery of
the Mormon Bible. She accompanied her husband in all his subsequent movements,
and they had three children -- two boys and one girl.
Mrs. Biddison acquired a good deal of property in Nauvoo during the lifetime of
her first husband, and, as she had never [sic] been a member of the Mormon
Church, she did not leave the town after his death.
Mrs. Biddison expressed herself very freely and openly about the members of the
Mormon Church, and spoke in a contemptuous manner of their profession of faith,
After dinner Mrs. Biddison conducted us through the house, and showed us the
portrait of Joseph Smith, painted by one of the most skillful artists in Europe.
It represented him as a commonplace, ordinary person and we found it hard to
believe that such a man could have acquired absolute power over a large body of
people.
My companion had the boldness to mention to Mrs. Biddison the report that Joseph
Smith had set his followers the example of polygamy. The mere mention of such a
rumor made her very indignant. "No sir!" she exclaimed. "Joe Smith had but one
wife, and I was that one. It wouldn't have been well for any other woman to
assert any claim to him in my presence. If other women chose to do such things
it was none of my business. Joe Smith knew very well that he couldn't have
another wife, here or anywhere else. No, sir! Joe Smith had but one wife. He
ruled the Mormons, and I ruled him." As Mrs. Biddison spoke, her eyes flashed,
her nostrils expanded, and her whole form shook with passion. We were thoroughly
satisfied that Mrs. Biddison had the ability to keep Joseph Smith, or any other
man to whom she might have a claim, straight in the narrow road of morality and
decency. -- Lippincott's Magazine.
Note: See also the New York Wellsville Daily Reporter of
Oct. 27, 1884.