LDS Church Archives
Ms 3166
Item titled by Historical Department “Statement of an interview with Joseph Smith, III,
1905,” Angus Munn Cannon—regarding conversation on October 12, 1905
[pp. 12-13—Angus M. Cannon knew Eliza R. Snow personally and spoke with her about
plural marriage.]
[p. 13—Eliza R. Snow said to Angus M. Cannon one day when he gave her a ride in his
buggy:]
“Brother Angus, I can’t comprehend how Sister Emma, who was one of the noblest of
women I ever knew, could, before her death, make an affidavit that she is said to have
made, denying that her husband had more wives than one, for she took my hand and put
it in the hand of her husband, Brother Joseph, and gave me to him to wife.”
[p. 15—Eliza is further reported to have said (but not directly quoted this time) that
Emma Smith:]
knew that her husband had plural wives, and that she had given a number of them to him,
placing their hands in his.
[p. 17—when discussing “the revelation on celestial marriage”]
[…] It is said that your mother burned this revelation, but your father had taken the
precaution to have a copy made, which was in the hands of Bishop Whitney at the time.
Joseph [III] said he had heard such a report regarding his mother’s act, but she
denied it to him.
[p. 20—re William Smith]
[…] I said William Smith was not cut off the Church because of polygamy, but
he was cut off from the Church for his corruption. Joseph [III] said he did not practice
corruption during the life of his father. I said he might not have done so with his father’s
knowledge, but that he publicly boasted of what [sic] he claimed to have the right to do
so, from the stand in Nauvoo, after the death of the Prophet, and so disgusted was the late
President John Taylor at the time of the occurance [sic], that he publicly rebuked him for
he was one of the Twelve at that time, […]
[p. 23]
[…] he [Joseph Smith III] said if these women were his father’s wives, how was it
that there was no issue from them. I said that all I knew was that which Lucy Walker
herself contends. They were so nervous and lived in such constant fear that they could
not conceive. He made light of my reply. He said, “I am informed that Eliza Snow was a
virgin at the time of her death.” I in turn said, “Brother Heber C. Kimball, I am
informed, asked her the question if she was not a virgin although married to Joseph Smith
and afterwards to Brigham Young, when she replied in a private gathering, ‘I thought you
knew Joseph Smith better than that.’[”]
[p. 24]
[…] I called attention to his attention the fact that the late President John Taylor, who
was one of his father’s closest friends and one of his most devoted associates, remarked
to me during his presidency of the Church, “You must not sustain men as President of the
Stake who are preaching that men can obtain the blessings pertaining to the patriarchal
order of marriage, upon getting dead women sealed to them for eternity, for such was not
the instructions received from Joseph Smith as a Prophet of the Lord, during his life. He
said, “Angus, after Joseph Smith had taught me the principle of celestial marriage which
included a plurality of living wives, he required that I enter into that principle. I was
delicate about doing so. When we met on horseback as we passed through the graveyard
sometime after the making of the requirement of me, we saluted each other, and after
passing, he wheeled his horse around and again came up to me, saying, ‘Elder Talyor,
have you concluded to enter into that principle and observe the counsel that you have
received?’ I told him I was thinking about it very seriously, when he replied, ‘Unless that
principle is observed and acted upon, you can proceed no further with the full fellowship
of God![’] Hence Prest. Taylor said that if this principle is preached, it must be declared
as God revealed it, through His Prophet.
[pp. 25-26]
Before we parted […] I said, “Joseph, you have asked where is the issue in
evidence of your father’s having married plural wives.” I will now refer you to one case
where it was said by the girl’s grandmother that your father has a daughter born of a
plural wife. The girl’s grandmother was Mother Sessions, who lived in Nauvoo and died
here in the valley. She was the grand-daughter of Mother Sessions. That girl, I believe,
is living today in Bountiful, north of this city. I heard Prest. Young, a short time before
his death, refer to the report and remark that he had never seen the girl, but he would like
to see her for himself, that he might determine if she bore any likeness to your father.
Joseph hereupon said, “Did you ever go and see her?” “No sir, I did not.” “Then there is
where you have not done what you ought to have done. You should have gone to see her
for yourself, and so satisfied your own mind.” I said, “The woman is now said to have a
family of children, and I think she is still living.[”] He replied, “I have heard of that case,
but have understood that the girl was born more than a year after my father’s death. I
said, “I think you are mistaken or have been misinformed regarding this girl, for I have
been told that her grandmother, Aunt Patty Sessions, asserts that the girl was born within
the time after your father was said to have taken the mother.”