The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and ChildrenWaite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
History
The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children
Waite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
Latter Day Saint churches; Young, Brigham, 1801-1877
Joseph, or "Joe Young," as he is familiarly known in Utah, is a fast
young man. He has been on a "mission," travelled in Europe, smokes,
chews, gets drunk, swears, preaches the gospel, has three wives whom he
whips and otherwise shamefully abuses, and is a good Mormon, in full
fellowship in the church. While at a fashionable watering-place, at
Great Salt Lake, in the summer of 1863, he insulted a gentile lady. The
gentleman who accompanied her, being an officer, promptly knocked him
down, and this not seeming to be satisfactory, afterwards challenged
him. Joseph's friends interfered, and obtained a settlement of the
difficulty.
Brigham A. is more respectable. He has also been on a "mission." This is
equivalent to saying that he has been wild and reckless, as it is the
Mormon custom to send all who are unruly and hard to manage, or who have
committed crimes, on a mission. It is thought that by "bearing the pure
vessels of the Lord" to such poor wicked wretches as the gentiles, they
will perchance themselves become purified.
John, being the youngest, has not developed his tastes so fully. He
seems inclined to seek after the loaves and fishes of office. He was
Sergeant-at-Arms of the Council in the winter of 1863-64, and will
doubtless be one of its members when he is old enough, should his father
then reign in Utah.
Mrs. Alice Clawson is the oldest daughter. Rather amiable, with fair
hair, blue eyes, and of _petite_ stature. She is one of the performers
in her father's theatre. As an _artiste_ she is "flat, stale, and
unprofitable." But being Brigham's daughter, and good looking, she is
applauded to the echo. She is one of three wives of Hiram B. Clawson,
who is the Prophet's chief business agent and manager. Quick, shrewd,
and unscrupulous, he is a fit instrument with which to accomplish the
purposes of such a man.
In the year 1851, a Mr. Tobin came to Salt Lake with Capt. Stansbury.
While there, he met Miss Alice, fell in love with her, and they were
engaged to be married. Mr. T. had occasion to leave Salt Lake on
business, and did not return until 1856. He then renewed his engagement
with Alice, but afterward, for reasons satisfactory to himself, broke
it. This subjected him to the vengeance of her father, which never
slumbers. Tobin and his party were followed, attacked in the night, on
Santa Clara River, 370 miles south of Salt Lake City. Several of the
party were severely wounded. They lost six horses, and were compelled to
abandon their baggage, which was completely riddled by bullets. During
Tobin's absence, Alice had been engaged to another, who had been sent
off to the Sandwich Islands, by her watchful father. Hiram B. Clawson,
the confidential clerk of the President, next appeared as a candidate
for the young lady's hand. He had already one wife, but was anxious to
secure a second.
A little incident in their courtship, will illustrate the manner of
obtaining No. 2.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account