[MrB]

I was thinking it was simpler than that.

He just wanted to “marry” a bunch of underage girls.

[Elsie]

He just wanted to “marry” a bunch of underage girls.

Didn't do him much good; as there are only alledgedly about two folks that were produced by his many wives...

[Elsie]

He just wanted to “marry” a bunch of underage girls.

Decisions decisions!

Emma Hale only!!

Fanny Alger Lucinda Morgan Harris Louisa Beaman Zina Huntington Jacobs Presendia Huntington Buell Agnes Coolbrith Sylvia Sessions Lyon Mary Rollins Lightner Patty Bartlett Sessions Marinda Johnson Hyde Elizabeth Davis Durfee Sarah Kingsley Cleveland Delcena Johnson Eliza R. Snow Sarah Ann Whitney Martha McBride Knight Ruth Vose Sayers Flora Ann Woodworth Emily Dow Partridge Eliza Maria Partridge Almera Johnson Lucy Walker Sarah Lawrence Maria Lawrence Helen Mar Kimball Hanna Ells Elvira Cowles Holmes Rhoda Richards Desdemona Fullmer Olive Frost Melissa Lott Nancy Winchester Fanny Young

[Colofornian]

I was thinking it was simpler than that. He just wanted to “marry” a bunch of underage girls.

Well, his Book of Mormon was "tall-taled" in his 23rd year...and it included a prohibition vs. polygamy (Book of Jacob in the BoM)...but just beyond his 24th bday he changed course when a 16 yo housekeeper came into his home.

"Fanny" became Smith's "first extra wife" in 1831.

All it took was a teeny-bopper hanging around the house to change this 24 yo's mind about how religious power could lead to extra sex...And by the time he was in his 30s he greatly accelerated this new access to sex with a lot of different women...even 11 women who is till remained married to their original husbands!