Origins of LDS Polygamy: Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde’s Missionary Journals Among the Cochranites

What are the real origins of LDS polygamy? Where did it start? Who was involved? Where did these teachings of spiritual wives and plural wives come from? One of the earliest contemporary first hand records we have are the priceless journals of Samuel Smith and Orson Hyde, two early Mormon missionaries who detailed extensively their findings among the Cochranite people of 1832 New England. Did the Cochranites influence early LDS polygamy? Why does the LDS church own these journals, yet speak nothing of them and their connections to early origins of polygamy?

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Cochranite Beliefs

The following is a general overview of one man’s observations of Jacob Cochran’s observable beliefs, practives and reputations in the 1816-1832 Maine area.

“While passing through the town of Scarborough [Maine] in the month of February, 1817, I … [was] informed … of a stranger, who had lately moved into the neighborhood, by the name of JACOB COCHRAN, who called himself a preacher … I heard no more from this stranger, until the summer following when a report was in circulation, that large numbers (some said more than one thousand) had been converted under his ministry. As I was passing through Kennebunk, in the winter of 1818, I was informed … that the reformation, under the said Cochran, was marvellous-such as was never known in those parts before …. [A]s I was passing through Kennebunk, and hearing of a meeting of this society, I thought I would once more go and hear for myself…

They had private, sometimes dark, meetings; in which none, but such as were bound by oath, to the most inviolable secrecy, not to divulge what was transacted in the meeting, upon penalty of eternal damnation, or of having their names blotted out of the book of life, were admitted. That each brother and sister in this fraternity has a spiritual husband, wife, mate, or yoke fellow, such as they choose, or their leaders choose for them. These spiritual mates, dissolve, or disannul, all former marriage connexions; and many of them bed and board together, to the exclusion of all former vows. Cochran pretends to have the power of life and death in his hands, and frightens his pupils into a compliance with any of his injunctions, by threatening to stop their breath in a moment; by which means he takes females from their parents, and carries them to his brothel.

But they pretend to have seven women to one man (italics added), in the society, alluding, as they told me, to a prophecy, in Isaiah-On that day, shall seven women take hold of one man… [H]is [Cochran’s] dwelling-house, in Saco is on the road leading from Saco falls to Buxton corner… The general family consists of twelve females, besides those who visit the house occasionally. Some of these are widows, who, with the rest of the females, have surrendered their persons, character and property into the common stock; and remain in this place, as those declare who have left them, destitute, to all appearance [H]is original purpose of having all things common [He] tells of more than two thousand people, now under him …. Those, who are in close communion with him, are bound to obey him, without gainsaying; and this will account for his ruining the character of so many innocent females….

Another young man, in presence of Judge Woodman, of Buxton, and myself, with several others, declared, that when he was admitted a member of Cochran’s fraternity, he had to hold a Bible in his hand, while Cochran administered a solemn oath, or what was called so. The amount of which was, that if ever he divulged what took place in their private meetings, his name was to be blotted out of the book of life, and he suffer eternal damnation. He then pointed to, and named this young man’s spiritual wife, and said he was willing they should lodge together, which they did, a number of nights, though he declared himself innocent of any sinful conduct. He testified, that Jacob Cochran lodged two nights, to his certain knowledge, while he was there, with a woman not his wife. Five couple[s] more lodged in the same house, who were not husband and wife; one of which, had a wife at home at her father’s house at the same time.”

(Ephraim Stinchfield, “Cochranism Delineated,” pg. 3-19)

Historical Context to Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde’s 1832 Mission

What was happening in the church around this time? What were the general beliefs of the members of the church as well as the leaders regarding marriage?

contemporary | 1st hand | published in scriptures

“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else. And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out. Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery and repenteth not, shall be cast out.”

(February 9, 1831, LDS D&C 42:22–23; RLDS DC 42:7d)

contemporary | 1st hand | published in scriptures

“marriage is ordained of God unto man. Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.”

(May 7, 1831, LDS D&C 49:15–16; RLDS DC 49:3a–b)

The Earliest Account Claiming Joseph Smith Knew About Polygamy in 1831

It’s common for Joseph Smith to be described as knowing about plural marriage as early as 1831. The reason stated on the LDS website’s church history essay called “Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” states that D&C 132 “emerged partly from Joseph Smith’s study of the Old Testament in 1831.” They offer no support, footnotes or citations for this claim, despite Joseph Smith correcting none of the verses that referenced monogamy, while altering 3 verses regarding David and Solomon’s practices (see 2 Samuel 12:13, 2 Kings 3:14 and 2 Kings 11:4-6).

Others cite the source below, a letter from W. W. Phelps to Brigham Young, written in 1861. This letter recalls a revelation that Joseph Smith had on July 17, 1831, reciting with impressive accuracy the exact wording of the revelation 30 years after he heard it.

30 year recollection | 1st hand + 2nd hand | 47% dialogue verbatim | no original copy

“About three years after this was given, I asked brother Joseph privately, how ‘we,’ that were mentioned in the revelation could take wives from the ‘natives’—as we were all married men? He replied instantly ‘In th[e] same manner that Abraham took Hagar and Katurah; and Jacob took Rachel Bilhah and Zilpah: by revelation—the saints of the Lord are always directed by revelation.”

(W.W. Phelps, letter to Brigham Young, 1861; referencing a revelation received July 17, 1831)

This account is not only unreliable, but it contains a major fault in it’s accuracy. Keturah was not married to Abraham while Sariah was still alive. After Sariah died, Abraham married Katurah, according to Genesis 24:67 and Genesis 25:1.

“And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.”

(Genesis 24:67, 25:1 – KJV)

Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde’s Missionary Journals

1832, Feb 1 – Samuel Smith (22) & Orson Hyde (26) are sent on a mission to the “eastern countries” (including ME, MA, NY, NH) and begin documenting in both of their journals frequent meetings with Cochranite members and congregations.

Sources for Journal entries:

• LDS Church Historian’s Archives, SLC, UT. (originals)
• Dale R. Broadhurst Papers, Marriott Library, University of Utah. (typescript)
• Cheryl H. Bean’s “Rediscovering History” St. Anthony, ID, 1995. (typescript)
• Richard & Pamela Price “Joseph Fought Polygamy” vol. 1, chapter 3 (typescript)

You can read the excerpts from Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde’s missionary journals to the Cochranites here.

LDS Missionaries Lodging in Cochranite Homes

Here are some of the clearly stated examples of Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde staying with Cochranite families in their homes. While this does not associate guilt, it does support the idea that Samuel Smith & Orson Hyde were well-antiquated with the Cochranite teachings, lifestyle and people.

• Sep 25 – “we’ve been were invited to go home with a younger man by the name of Ludgkins and stayed overnight with him. His stepmother we had seen before” [Ludgkin’s step mother described as the possessed Cochranite woman in the July 1, 1832 entries]
• Oct 15 – “Came up about two miles farther to Mr. [Timothy] Hams and tarried all night; found him an enthusiastic man,— a Cochranite.”
• Oct 18 – “stayed at home of Captain Andrews”
• Oct 20-21 – “Tarried all night at Mr. McKinney’s, who lived with what he called a spiritual wife.”
• Oct 25-26 – “stay the night at the Simeon Weymouth house”
• Oct 30 – Stayed at George Dennett’s home (unknown whether a Cochranite, however Jacob Cochran was buried in North Saco, Maine at the farm of George’s brother, John Dennett shortly after his death on March 5, 1836)
• Nov 1 – slept at Simeon Weymouth’s home in Limon, Maine
• Nov 2 – stay with George Dennett, preached at Dennett’s daughter’s funeral
• Nov 4 – “Stayed overnight at Dennet’s. Held a meeting in the evening.”
• Nov 9 – “Went up three miles to S. [Simeon] Waymouth’s and baptized him [George Dennett]… Tarried [stayed the night] at the same place.”

Cochranites Were Baptized & Gathered to Zion

There was a clear theme that supports the idea that many Cochranites were baptized and urged to relocate to Zion.

• Oct 10 – “we declared unto them that they must repent and go up to Zion.”
• Oct 11 – “Preached to a congregation of Cochranites who gave liberty; told them again to repent and go up to Zion, and we lifted our cry in the spirit, and I hope some of them will go”
• Oct 15 – “Called on Mr. Goodrich and Stimpson; tried to persuade them to go to Zion, and they seemed to have some little disposition to go…Came up about two miles farther to Mr. [Timothy] Hams and tarried all night; found him an enthusiastic man,— a Cochranite— not much hopes of going to Zion or embracing.”
• Oct 17 – “Visited three families and talk to good deal; some hopes of their going to Zion some time.”
• Oct 17 – “Spake upon the covenant. Declared unto them that they must repent, all of them and be baptized and go to Zion.”
• Oct 18 – “visited some of the neighborhood and found some that we thought would go to Zion”
• Oct 24 – “Hill was some believing, but rather stupid… yet we had hopes that he and his family would go to Zion.”
• Oct 28 – “people paid good attention, and some, I think will go to Zion”

Three Church Conferences Held At Saco, Maine

Saco, Maine was chosen for three consecutive years as the logical place to hold a church conference. There was an established branch in Saco, and one conference reported 52 people in attendance there. These are the dates of the Saco, Maine conferences:

• June 13, 1834
• August 21, 1835
• August 12-14, 1836 – 52 members of the Saco branch attended, along with Brigham Young and 9 members of the Twelve.

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