The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-09-21


Correspondence ~ the Cincinnati sazctte. !
COLUMNS, August 3i.-Many years
have passed since first talked with
Brigham Young, noted his manner in
the pulpit, and felt the magnetic grip Of
his big hand. And during all the years
In which | was familiar with his APP
pearancc and studied his policy,
never changed my impression-that
nine-tenths Of his ..greatnessr was sim
ply the result ~ his immense physical
potency.
His eye was Of a light. grayish blue,
and had a cold steel glitter, which was
not very attractive until he was warmed
and then il flashed with that peculiar
magnetism which has such charm
for some people. The way IL affected
some women may be guessed from the
fact that one Of the handsomest ladies
in Nauvoo got divorced from good
man. in order TO be Brigham's concu-
bine, and refined, rather intelligent
Boston lady, literally followed him of,
taking along her two children to be
reared in Mormonism. Brigham was
rather kind to this one, called ss.tugus-
ia.' and honored her with his supreme
affection for
THREE WHOLE YEARS.
Brigham's physique was the very best
that cool, hardy Vermont could furnish
He was put up by nature 10 last a cen
fury, but IL appears that trouble, dissi-
patton and certain mysterious acci-
dent Of six or seven years ago have
shortened his life twenty -four years. His
Youngest child, daughter Of Margaret
Van Colt Young, was born in 1870: his
Oldest, now the wife Of Edmund Els
worth, must have been born rs early a.
1925, for Brigham was widower with
two daughters when he joined the Nor
mons, and his grandchildren in this line
are now well advanced men and women.
So his active parental life covered a
period Of forty-iive years, and Though
have no late returns) his children.
grandchildren and grandchildren
number az least 1855 Not bad for an
alkali country. And widows, and sons
in-law, and grand-sons-in-law, and the
number interested in the estate amounts
% nearly 200. The old man has ont
lasted
THREE GENERATIONS or WIVES
and had made 4 pretty good start onthe
fourth, for he married Amelia Folsom
II years ago, and the last time | saw
her she was beginning 10 look like an
old woman. Brigham lost his first wife
quite young, Her daughters are both
in polygamy-that Is, their husbands
have other women than them, and
have large families. Their daughters
also have many children, and, counting
his first and second wives, ii Is said by
some who ought to know, that Brig
hams Legitimate offspring are, after all,
nearly as numerous as his ilegitimate.
About the time he was - converted, y he
married Mary Ann Angel. She Is his
present legal wife, and has lived for
many years in the "white cottage on
the bench"-that is, on the hill Just
back OF Brigham's. She was Of the
same age as Brigham, and, about ls43,
he began on his second lot Of wives.
Joe Smith got his {" Revelation on Ce-
lestial Marriage" July ~, 1913. and. as
soon thereafter rs Brigham could get
authority, he married the Decker SIS
ters. One Of them, Lucy, had been for
some time married 70 DIR. Seely. II Maui
VOC, but the high council set that mar
rage aside, and Brigham took her and
Inc doctor went TO grass"
HIS FOIRTH WIFE
was Harriet Cook. whom he took soon
after the exodus from Nauyoo; but she
was " rehellious SPIRIT and nj Win
ter Quarters (now Florence, Neb. "the
devil entered into and did possess her. =
lfor possession. and the plan Of re-
lief adopted, see Captain John Jones'
account in the 18th volume Of the Mil.
lennial STAR also Platt's Key 10 Theo-
iogy. and other Mormon works.) As a
result she rallied on Brigham and de-
nounced polvgamy, and ended by trinr
% strangle her baby, Oscar Young.
brigham managed TO prevent that, and
in due time the devil left her: but he
swore she should never become moth-
er a second time. And she did not. He
married a few more wives while estab-
fishing settlement In Utah; but all Of
This lot retired as early as 1855 or 1860
Ills favoritc then, and one who re-
tanned his affections the longest, was
Emmeline Free. from New Hampshire.
And she was truly lovely woman. Her
children are, think the handsomest Of
BrIgham's offspring, and she bore him
Ten. He was proud Of her beauty aud
accomplishments, and for at least
twelve years she was beyond question
the
QUEEN or HIS HEART.
but youth and beauty can 4 last always,
and about 1865 Brigham began TO hank
er for a new deal. Then Emmelne
became desperate. She applied to
Mary Ann Angel, the first wife, for
nelp 70 prevent another marriage, but
ne latter was long past taking any in
,erest in such things. After two or
three trials with rather common wives.
VINO did not please him more than a
lew months, Brigham's affections
Iwined around Amelia Folsom, and
,nere they have chung ever since, save
Tor few side disturbances, most noted
q which was the almonious Ann Eliza.
Emmelne was literally heart broken.