Fanny Alger

Frances Ward ( "Fanny") Alger (* the thirtieth September 1816 in Rehoboth , Massachusetts , † after 1885) is considered the first of several women to Joseph Smith as the self of him as divine revelation taught polygamy sealed was (dare) .

Although there are no written records of the marriage of the then only secretly practiced polygamy, it is believed by many that the matter was as stated above. Fanny was 16 years old at the time and was living as a housekeeper in Joseph and Emma Smith's household in Kirtland, Ohio . According to Emma Smith, the marriage was also kept secret from her. When Emma discovered the intimate relationship between her husband and the very attractive Fanny Alger, she expelled the young woman from the house, who then moved to relatives in nearby Mayfield. The family later moved to Indiana , where Fanny Alger married Solomon Custer and had nine children with him. Statements that Fanny Alger bore a child to Joseph Smith could not be confirmed, but neither could it be refuted. She herself did not comment on her relationship with Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith's opponents soon saw his relationship with the minor as evidence of his bad character. There is also evidence that this relationship was a major factor in Joseph Smith's falling out with Oliver Cowdery . Jon Krakauer, in his book Murder on behalf of God , uses the relationship between Fanny Alger and Joseph Smith, using historical sources, according to his interpretation, as an example of the moral aberrations that religion can cause.

Web links

• Marriage with young women (Fanny Alger) dt
• Joseph Smith's Multiple Marriage Page
• About multiple marriages in the early days of the Church (English) ( Memento of 22 December 2007 at the Internet Archive )