135: Whitney Documents, Part 2 – The Letter

Please consider supporting this podcast: Venmo: @Michelle-Stone-24 Patreon.com/132problems The collection often referred to as "the Whitney documents," which includes contemporary sources written in Joseph's own hand, is generally considered to be the strongest evidence of Joseph's polygamy. Recently multiple historians I have engaged with have gone directly to the Whitney documents to explain to me why the history of Joseph's polygamy is settled. I strongly disagree with them. But, I realized I needed to directly address the Whitney documents to explain why I and many others do not see the Whitney collection as evidence of Joseph's polygamy -- but instead as evidence of something very different. Links: Emma's efforts to avoid being followed to Joseph's hiding place https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/36 Joseph's letter to Emma, August 16, 1842 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-emma-smith-16-august-1842/1 Emma's response to Joseph, August 16, 1842 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-from-emma-smith-16-august-1842/1 Joseph's letter to the Whitneys, August 18, 1842 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-newel-k-elizabeth-ann-smith-and-sarah-ann-whitney-18-august-1842/1 Emma's letters to the governor: https://ensignpeakfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/The-Lady-and-the-Governor-Emma-Hale-Smith%E2%80%99s-and-Thomas-Carlin%E2%80%99s-1842-Correspondence.pdf