The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-15
A DEFENSE OF poLYGAMY.
One of Brigham YOung's Widows Tells ofLife
Among the MOrmOns.

One of Brigham YOung's Widows Tells OfLife
Among the MOrmOns.
Salt Lake Letter in Syracuse Standard
l called on one of Brigham's widows who lives
In Lion House" one of his residences, takingits
name from statue of lion crouching over the
main entrance. Very soon this lady appeared
ana invited me to her work-room on the first
moor, where she was engaged in making clothes
for her grandchildren She wore plain dress,
and her general appearance was not inviting.
Her countenance lighted up somewhat at the
mention of her early home, near Utica, N. Y,
and of her visit to her friends East during the
centennial year. Her brother, Captain Edward
5. Cook, is prominent Greenback politician
and farmer, residing at Gilbert's Mills, a few
miles east of Fulton. In answer to the question
how she came to be one of the Mormons, she
answered that when but ten years old she was
curious to hear about Them and in after years
listened to their speakers and believed in their
doctrine. At the age of eighteen she became in
fatuated after hearing one of their leading apos-
ties who went East to proselyte, and she with afew
others, resolved to join them In 1912 she went
to Nauvoo, and met with warm reception from
Joseph Smith. he having heard in advance of
this particularly bright young lady becoming
convert to the Mormon faith The following
year she became the third 1--WE believe) wife of
Brigham Young, who then the lieutenant
of the founder and apostle of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"
She rehearsed the story of their trials and
made so unpleasant that they resolved to move
further west, and in the spring of 1847 Brigham
Young, accompanied by his little band of about
100, started for place of safety. When within
600 miles of here all trace of a road was at an
end He followed trapper's trail for 400 miles,
and pushed on to the valley of Great Salt Lake,
where he was soon joined by a company of
Saints from Mississippi. The party of 400 now
commenced the erection of fort, inclosing ten
acres Everything Mrs. Young said, looked
forbidding. The whole valley was. so barren
as to produce little beside a species of bunch
grass, while the ground was covered
with myriads of crickets, which were food
for the resident Indians. Here in this desert
| wilderness the site of Salt Lake City was sur
veyed and a town laid out In the early history
of this town, when the need of moisture was
seen to be so great Mrs. Harriet Young was
among the first to propose irrigation. She en-
tered into the working plans of the colony with
such ability she was commissioned by Brigham
Young to lead party to his possessions in
southern Utah. where, also was established sys-
tenn of irrigation.
When questioned as to her present belief Mrs
Young said that in manner had she changed
She believed the Mormon Church was founded
on the rock. 1 asked if they believed in the
Bible yes" she said, ''as far as translated
correctly; but we also believe the Book of Nor
mon to be the word of God. Our religion
claims the privilege of worshiping God accord
ing to the dictates of our conscience, and we al
low all men the same privilege We believe III
being honest, true, chaste, and virtuous and
in doing good to all men," AT the use of the
word ''virtuous" she saw look of incredulous-
ness come over my countenance, and upon this
she warmed with the subject, and gave lecture
upon sexual purity becoming a Christian mother
She said: Utah has long enjoyed the reputa
ton of being the most immoral spot in the
United States, chiefly through the misrepre
sensations of newspaper reporters and gossip
mongers Our Territory has been regarded by
most Christian people as a very hot-bed of lust
a modern Sodom. 1t is said our bad reputation
is so thoroughly established that we are to be
disorganized as a community and outlawed to all
intents and purposes. Now, whatever of truth
there may be in this charge know cannot APP
ply to our people Probably there is no sect so
strict in its laws bearing upon this subject
own. A wife, even though she be one of twenty
with but one husband was the case with my
SELF would rather lose her life than violate her
sealed VOWS to her lord and husband She had
lived here from the first day they pitched
their tents, and she knew whereof she
affirmed when she declared there was
little coming together outside of
lawful wedlock among the saints But she be-
lieved it was a common practice among the gen
tiles, the very numerous houses of designation
on many streets proved. She had heard it limited
that the Territorial Legislature about to
enact laws regulating to certain extent sexual
purity. She hoped her people would place them
selves on legal basis in regard to this requis
ton, and instead of regarding the illicit amours
so commonly practieed throughout the world as
trlfiing affairs, outlaw them so far as possible,
even to the death penalty. Particularly let the
Legislature strike at the political privileges of
the people who depart from strict morality in
| this regard Let the law be uncompromsing and
unfailing. She hoped the church and people
could show to the world that Molmons appreciate
the purity of the sacred tabernacle of humanity
not less than the most fastidious. And so to
| the end of the chapter
| There is much to admire in the ability and APP
parent honesty of this fraction of wife to the
late distinguished head of the church. She was
frank to admit that the great end of her own life
and that of all Mormon wives was to bear chill
dren for the church. Her husband was good and
kind to her, and she believed this was true of the
other nineteen. He left at his death sufficient
means for their maintenance and for the half
hundred and more fatherless children. learned
that the amount left for her support was $50 per
month in addition to her present home.
But small share of my interesting converse
ton with Mrs. Young can here be given. AS
proof of the estimation in which she is held as
devoted and able champion of the church it may
not be out of place to state that when the gov
eminent sent commission to Utah to study its
wants and determine how best to get rid of this
plague spot" after meeting the head of the
church, the twelve apostles and some others
they called to their aid Mrs. Harriet g. Young
who told them much unpalatable truth about
the gentiles that Mormon sins seemed a drop
of water compared to the ocean,