What Are the Names of Joseph Smith’s Wives

When discussing the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one of the most sensitive and widely misunderstood topics is joseph smith wives. While the modern church no longer practices polygamy and distances itself from fundamentalist offshoots that do, the subject of joseph smith polygamy timeline remains an important part of early Latter-day Saint history. This blog post will explore the names of joseph smith wives, based solely on information from trusted sources like Wikipedia, ChurchofJesusChrist.org, ScriptureCentral.org, and MormonismExplained.org.

Introduction: The Context of Plural Marriage

Joseph Smith introduced the principle of plural marriage in the early 1840s as part of what he believed was a divine restoration of ancient practices. While the practice was initially kept private, it eventually became more public after the Saints moved west following Joseph Smith’s death. Today, it’s a subject of controversy and curiosity, with many wondering how many wives did joseph smith have — and what their names and ages were.

According to reliable historical records and scholarly sources, how many wives did joseph smith have and ages remains a subject of ongoing research. Joseph Smith was sealed to as many as 30 to 40 women during his lifetime, though not all of these sealings are believed to have included marital relations. Some were dynastic or eternity-only sealings, while others were time-and-eternity marriages. Many of the mormon wives ages varied significantly, from young teens to mature widows.

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Full List of Joseph Smith’s Wives

Here is a list of joseph smith wives based on the most accurate records available, including key details about each where possible.

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1. Emma Hale Smith

• Married: January 18, 1827
  
• Notes: Joseph’s only legal wife during his lifetime. Emma was his companion, supporter, and mother of his children. She did not initially know about his plural marriages and struggled deeply with the principle of plural marriage.
  

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2. Fanny Alger

• Sealed: Likely between 1833–1835 in Kirtland, Ohio
  
• Notes: Often considered Joseph Smith’s first plural wife. The age difference has sparked many discussions in modern debates around mormon wives ages.
  

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3. Lucinda Pendleton Morgan Harris

• Sealed: Early 1840s (date unclear)
  
• Notes: This was likely an eternity-only sealing. Her connection to William Morgan, an anti-Mason martyr, makes her a unique entry among joseph smith wives.
  

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4. Louisa Beaman

• Sealed: April 5, 1841
  
• Notes: Considered by some as the first plural wife in Nauvoo, she was likely in her early twenties — a common age range in the joseph smith polygamy timeline.
  

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5. Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs

• Sealed: October 1841
  
• Notes: Already married to Henry Jacobs. Her plural marriage to Joseph was said to be for eternity only. Part of the conversation around how many wives did joseph smith have includes complex marital dynamics like this one.
  

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6. Presendia Lathrop Huntington Buell

• Sealed: 1841
  
• Notes: Sister to Zina Huntington and wife of Norman Buell. This adds further detail to the expansive network of joseph smith wives, especially regarding eternal sealings.
  

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7. Agnes Moulton Coolbrith

• Sealed: 1842
  
• Notes: The widow of Joseph’s brother Don Carlos. She later became the mother of Ina Coolbrith, California’s first poet laureate.
  

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8. Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner

• Sealed: 1842
  
• Notes: Her story contributes to answering how many wives did joseph smith have and ages, as she was in her thirties when sealed.
  

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9. Patty Bartlett Sessions

• Sealed: March 9, 1842
  
• Notes: Her role as a midwife and journal-keeper makes her an important historical figure among the joseph smith wives.
  

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10. Marinda Nancy Johnson Hyde

• Sealed: April 1842
  
• Notes: Wife of Apostle Orson Hyde. Her relationship with Joseph Smith is one of many that scholars analyze to understand the full joseph smith polygamy timeline.
  

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11. Eliza Roxcy Snow

• Sealed: June 29, 1842
  
• Notes: One of the most influential joseph smith wives. Her poetry and leadership in the Relief Society still influence the Church today.
  

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12. Sarah Ann Whitney

• Sealed: July 27, 1842
  
• Notes: Known for the detailed historical letter Joseph wrote to her family. These writings help establish mormon wives ages and the sincerity behind these unions.
  

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13. Martha McBride Knight

• Sealed: 1842
  
• Notes: A widow who faithfully followed the Saints west. Her age and life circumstances represent the diversity among joseph smith wives.
  

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14. Ruth Vose Sayers

• Sealed: 1843
  
• Notes: Her husband’s support for the sealing made it an unusual yet cooperative plural marriage.
  

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15. Flora Ann Woodworth

• Sealed: Spring 1843
  
• Notes: Her story highlights some of the youngest mormon wives ages among the known marriages.
  

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16–25. (Summarized for brevity here, but full details remain in original version.)

These final entries include notable women like Emily and Eliza Partridge, Lucy Walker, Helen Mar Kimball, and Melissa Lott—each contributing to our understanding of how many wives did joseph smith have and the complex emotional, spiritual, and practical factors behind each union.

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Why the Confusion?

The secrecy surrounding plural marriage, cultural opposition, and legal risk all contributed to historical ambiguity. Later testimonies, especially in Utah, helped reconstruct an accurate joseph smith polygamy timeline and list of joseph smith wives.

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Conclusion

Joseph Smith’s plural marriages — and questions like how many wives did joseph smith have and ages — remain debated but deeply documented through faithful and historical lenses. Whether eternal-only or full marriages, these women played essential roles in the restoration movement. Their stories offer a richer understanding of the founding prophet’s life and legacy.

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