The Truth about Joseph Smith Youngest Wives

When people first encounter the topic of Mormon founder Joseph Smith’s polygamy, one of the most difficult aspects to understand is his marriages to young women. Among the women sealed to the Prophet, several were teenagers. To modern readers, this can raise serious concerns. However, by examining the historical context and the intent behind Joseph Smith youngest wives, one can gain a more accurate and balanced perspective on history.

A Closer Look at the Numbers

How old were Joseph Smith’s wives? It’s estimated that Joseph Smith was sealed to about 30 to 40 women. Of these, ten were under the age of twenty:

• Four were 19: Fanny Alger, Emily Dow Partridge, Maria Lawrence, Malissa Lott
  
• Three were 17: Sarah Ann Whitney, Sarah Lawrence, Lucy Walker
  
• One was 16: Flora Ann Woodworth
  
• Two were 14: Helen Mar Kimball and Nancy M. Winchester
  

Joseph was between the ages of 29 and 37 during these sealings, which means the age gaps with Joseph Smith wives ages can be troubling by today’s standards.

However, it’s important to recognize that nineteenth-century marriage norms were very different from today’s. The average age for a woman’s first marriage in the U.S. at that time was around 20, but it was not uncommon for women to marry in their mid to late teens. 

In fact, 41.7% of women in the broader population at that time married as teenagers, compared to only 4.1% of men. The average age gap between a teenage bride and her husband was about 6.6 years, with 13% of such marriages involving a gap of more than 10 years. 

Legal and Cultural Context

Critical perspectives on Joseph Smith wives often focus on Helen Mar Kimball, who was sealed to Joseph Smith at age 14. But in doing so, they frequently apply modern moral and legal assumptions to a vastly different era. In Joseph’s day, the legal age of consent in most U.S. states was between 10 and 12, and in Delaware, it was as low as 7. Today, while the age of consent is typically 18, the marriageable age with parental or judicial approval is often 16 or even younger. For example, in California, there is no statutory minimum age for marriage if parental and court approval are given.

Helen’s sealing to Joseph was done with the full consent of her parents, particularly her father, Heber C. Kimball, a trusted apostle and close friend of the Prophet. It’s worth noting that this instance of Joseph Smith marriages was not proposed by Joseph—it came from Helen’s father. According to scholar Richard Anderson, this may have been an effort by Heber Kimball to spiritually tie his family with the Prophet before Helen began entertaining romantic proposals from others.

What was the Marriage Like?

Despite being sealed at 14 as one of Joseph Smith youngest wives, Helen Mar Kimball never described herself as living with Joseph or having marital relations with him. She kept journals and later published books and articles defending plural marriage, including Plural Marriage as Taught by the Prophet Joseph and Why We Practice Plural Marriage. Yet nowhere does she hint at sexual activity or even spending time with Joseph without a chaperone. She wrote about longing to attend dances with teenage boys, a sentiment that suggests she did not see herself as “married” in the traditional sense. 

Modern scholars believe her sealing was more akin to a betrothal than a full marriage. Brigham Young later instructed polygamous men in Utah to wait until young brides were at least 18 before consummating such marriages. While undocumented, it’s believed Joseph Smith may have followed a similar practice in Nauvoo.

The same applies to Nancy M. Winchester, the other 14-year-old among Joseph Smith wives. While her sealing date is uncertain, she was likely 14 or 15 years old at the time. She was the daughter of a close friend of Heber C. Kimball. Like Helen, there is no documentation suggesting any physical relationship with the Prophet. Historian Orson F. Whitney (Helen’s son) and Eliza R. Snow later acknowledged Nancy as one of Joseph Smith’s plural wives, but again, all evidence points to a symbolic or dynastic sealing, not a conventional marriage.

The Purpose Behind Mormon Polygamy

Critics often assume that polygamy was just about sex. But that assumption reveals more about modern biases than it does about the intentions of those involved. In fact, many of Joseph’s plural marriages appear to have had spiritual or dynastic motivations—ways to tie faithful families together through sacred covenants.

This is especially evident in the marriages to younger women, particularly the daughters of faithful Church leaders like Heber C. Kimball and Newel K. Whitney.

The Most Important First-Hand Account

Perhaps the most compelling testimony comes from Helen Mar Kimball herself. She not only accepted her sealing to Joseph Smith, but later became a staunch defender of Joseph Smith multiple wives. She spent years explaining and justifying the practice through personal writings, articles, and books—contributions that made her the most prolific female author on the topic in the 19th century.

Whatever discomfort modern readers may feel, Helen’s life and writings provide strong evidence that she did not feel exploited, coerced, or mistreated. She viewed her sealing as a sacred, divinely-inspired covenant, part of a greater spiritual purpose that transcended earthly assumptions about romance.

The Takeaway

Joseph Smith youngest wives understandably raise important questions today. But by examining historical context, cultural norms, spiritual motivations, and firsthand accounts, we gain a more accurate picture of what these sealings represented. They were not about gratification, but about eternal relationships, family bonds, and faith in God’s revelations. 

Understanding the motivations of these early Church members requires compassion, context, and humility. And when viewed through that lens, these stories become not tales of scandal, but of radical faith.

About Mormonism Explained

Mormonism Explained is a resource that was designed to provide objective and factual information about Mormonism, its history, doctrines, and policies. Our team of researchers consults experts and primary sources to present factual information on a variety of topics relevant to the Mormon Church.

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