1: State your name to the reporter?
Mary Ann West.
2: Where do you reside Mrs. West?
In Ogden City.
3: What territory is that in?
In Utah territory.
4: Where did you live before moving there?
In St Louis.
5: Where did you live before going to St Louis, or living there?
In Nauvoo.
6: What state is that in?
In Illinois.
7: What territory is Ogdon in?
I said it was in Utah.
8: Ogden is in Utah territory?
Yes sir, and in Weber County.
9: When did you move to Nauvoo Illinois?
In 1845.
10: About what time in the year was it when you went there?
In April I think it was.
11: How long did you remain there in Nauvoo?
I remained there until after the death of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith.
12: State to the reporter, whether, or what you know in regard to the principles of plural marriage being taught or practiced at Nauvoo, Illinois, before the death of Joseph Smith, the prophet?
Joseph Smith, – well when I went to live at Nauvoo, I went to live at Orson Hyde’s.
13: Well go ahead and answer the question?
Well I went to live at Orson Hyde’s and soon after that time Joseph Smith wished to have an interview with me at Orson Hyde’s. He had the interview with me, and then asked me if I had ever heard of a mans having more wives than one, and I said I had not. He then told me that he had received a revelation from God that a man could have more
wives than one, and that men were now being married in plural marriage. He told me soon after that his brother William wished to marry me as a wife in plural marriage if I felt willing to consent to it.
14: State to the reporter whether or not you consented?
15: You may answer the question?
Yes sir.
16: You consented?
Yes sir I did.
17: State to the reporter whether or not you were ever married to William Smith?
I was married to him.
18: Who performed the ceremony?
Brigham Young.
19: Can you state who was present at the performance of the ceremony besides Brigham Young?
Not any body but William Smith and myself.
20: State to the reporter whether or not, – whether or not you ever witnessed any other ceremonies, where any one was married in plural marriage?
Yes sir.
21: How many did you witness?
I witnessed one.
22: What was that?
I witnessed one other plural marriage to William Smith.
23: State to the reporter who that was?
It was Mary Jones, – her name was Mary Jones.
24: Who performed the ceremony?
It was Brigham Young.
25: He performed both the ceremonies?
Yes sir.
26: Was any body else present?
Not any body that I remember of.
27: Was that last ceremony you have mentioned where he was married to Mary Jones performed after or before the ceremony where you were married to him?
After.
28: It was after you were married to him?
Yes sir.
29: Did William Smith have a wife living with him at the time you married him as his plural wife?
He had.
30: Was this after or before the death of Joseph Smith?
It was before the death of Joseph.
31: Did you ever live with William B. Smith as his wife?
I did.
32: That is all. Cross examination by P.P. Kelley, –
33: You say your name is Mrs. Mary Ann West?
Yes sir.
34: Where were you born Mr. West?
I was born in England.
35: What part of England?
I was born in Bedfordshire, England.
36: When?
march 31st 1815.
37: When did you become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
In 1841.
38: Where did you join the church?
In Bedford England.
39: In England?
Yes sir.
40: Who baptised you?
I think it was either James or William Lavender, – I forget his given name, but I think it was William.
41: You heard them preach before you were baptised?
Yes sir.
42: Well he taught polygamy did he not?
No sir.
43: He did not?
No sir.
44: Well what did he preach?
He did not preach polygamy. I never heard polygamy preached in England?
45: You never heard polygamy, you say, preached in England?
No sir.
46: That was in 1841?
Yes sir.
47: Did you ever hear John Taylor or Brigham Young preach in England.
I did not but I have heard Williard Richards.
48: He was one of the twelve wasn’t he?
Yes sir. 49 (This number and question are missing)
50: Did he preach polygamy in England?
No sir, – not that I ever heard of.
51: Who else did you ever hear preach there?
Orson Hyde.
52: Did he preach polygamy there?
No sir. I never heard it, – I didn’t hear of it in England at all. The first time I heard of it was at Nauvoo.
53: You say you did not hear Orson Hyde or Williard Richards preach polygamy in England?
No sir.
54: Did any body else that you heard there, – that is heard preaching there, preach or teach it?
No sir. I never heard polygamy spoken of there.
55: By an elder of the church?
No sir, not by an elder in the church or anybody else.
56: Who did you come with to America?
Orson Hyde presided over the vessel.
57: Were you married at the time?
Was I married?
58: Yes ma’am, – were you married at the time you came to America?
Yes sir.
59: Where were you married?
I was married in England.
60: To whom were you married?
To one Sheffield.
61: What was his first name?
James.
62: You were married to James Sheffield?
Yes sir. he did not treat me well and I left him tough before that.
63: Before what?
Before I came to America.
64: Were you divorced from him?
No sir. 65 (This number and question are missing)
66: Have you ever been divorced from him?
No sir.
67: How did you come to leave him in England?
Because he drank to much, and did not treat me right.
68: Did you leave him before you started for America?
Oh yes.
69: How long before you started for America did you lave him?
I could not say.
70: Well about how long was it?
Well it was a few months.
71: Was it six months?
I don’t know what time it was.
72: Where did you go after you left him, and before you started for America?
I went to my father and mother.
73: Where were they living?
They were living in London.
74: Was their name West?
No sir.
75: What was your first name, your main den name?
It was Covington. Covington was my name, -Mary Ann Covington.
76: What was your father’s first name?
Beryl Covington.
77: Did your father come to this country when you did?
No sir.
78: Did he ever come here?
Yes sir.
79: When?
He came ten years after I did.
80: Who of the family, -of your fathers family came to America when you did?
My oldest brother Beryle (or Berril)
81: Your oldest brother came here at the same time that you did?
Yes sir.
82: Where is he now
He is now in Ogden.
83: Was he a member of the church when you came to this country?
Yes sir.
84: Is he a member of it now?
Yes sir.
85: Was he a preacher in England?
No sir.
86: Was he a preacher in Illinois?
No sir.
87: He was not a preacher either in England or in America?
No sir.
88: Did you say that he was living in Ogden now?
Yes sir.
89: Is he an elder in the church now?
I don’t know but that he is. I don’t now but he may be. He is quite old now.
90: He is quite old now?
Yes sir, -quite old and feeble now, and don’t attend to church affairs much.
91: Well he has been an elder in the church has he not?
Yes sir.
92: He has been one of the Apostles too?
Oh no, he was not.
93: Well was he not one of the high priests?
I think he was one of the Seventy.
94: He was one of the Seventies?
I think so
95: Was he ever married but once?
Was he ever married, -what is that?
96: was he ever married more than once?
Was he?
97: Yes madam, was he ever married more than once?
Yes sir, he was married twice.
98: Did he have two wives living at once?
Yes sir.
99: When did you marry a man by the name of West?
It was in 1851.
100: Was it here in Salt Lake City that you married him?
In Salt Lake?
101: Yes madam.
Yes sir.
102: You married him here in Salt Lake?
Yes sir.
103: Who married you?
Brigham Young.
104: You were sealed to him for time and eternity?
No sir, it was for time.
105: You were sealed to him for time, and not for eternity?
Yes sir.
106: You were sealed to him for time then?
Yes sir.
107: Who were you sealed to for eternity?
Joseph Stratton.
108: Who was he?
The husband that I buried here in Salt Lake City.
109: Did you marry Stratton before you did West?
Yes sir.
110: And he died before you married West?
Yes sir.
111: And then you married West?
Yes sir.
112: Where did you marry Stratton?
In St. Louis.
113: What time?
It was in St Louis that I married him after we had been driven from Nauvoo.
114: In what year did you marry Stratton>
In 1846,-
115: What time in the year?
In December 1846 U married James Stratton.
116: In December 1846 you married Stratton in St. Louis?
Yes sir.
117: What time did you get here in Salt Lake?
We left St. Louis in February I believe and got here in September.
118: You left St. Louis in February 1847?
Yes sir.
119: And arrived here in September 1847?
Yes sir, I believe that is the time I go here.
120: Did you not marry Stratton now in 1845 in stead of 1846?
No sir. It was in 1846 in December that we were married.
121: How many children had you by Stratton?
I have no children.
122: And Stratton at all by anybody?
No sir.
123: And Stratton died here in Salt Lake before you married West?
Yes sir, he died in the year 1850, and buried here in Salt Lake.
124: And in 1851 you married West?
Yes sir.
125: Well who else did you marry?
I haven’t married since.
126: Is West still living?
No sir.
127: When did he die?
He died twenty two years ago last January.
128: And since that time you have not been married?
No sir.
129: Now who divorced you from William B. Smith?
He divorced himself from me.
130: How did he do that?
I considered he did when he went away east.
131: How long had he been gone when you married Stratton?
I don’t remember when he did leave Nauvoo.
132: About when was it?
I don’t remember.
133: You were living with him there in Nauvoo?
Yes sir I was living in Nauvoo, when we Nauvoo,-but he was not there at the time.
134: He was not there,-you refer to William B. Smith?
Yes sir, the brother of the prophet.
135: Where was he?
He went to Philadelphia or some place in the east.
136: Well was he not in Nauvoo in 1845?
I don’t remember.
137: Was he not there in 1844 when his brother was killed?
Was he where when his brother was killed,-
138: Well that is the question I asked you?
I don’t remember whether he was or not.
139: Well you ought to know if your husband was there?
Well no, I did not know much about him.
140: Did you have a house of your own there in Nauvoo,-you and William B. Smith?
No sir.
141: Where did you live at that time?
I lived with his brothers wife,- Agnes Smith.
142: She was his brothers wife?
Yes sir.
143: That was the wife of Don Carlos Smith?
Yes sir.
144: You were living with her?
Yes sir.
145: In whose house were you married to William B. Smith?
In her house.
146: In Don Carlos house?
Well it was in her house, – in Agnes Smith’s house.
147: In the house of the widow of Don Carlos Smith?
Yes sir.
148: Who was presented besides you and William B. Smith?
Brigham Young.
149: Who was present besides you and William B. Smith?
Brigham Young.
150: Who else?
I can’t say.
151: Was there any body else present besides yourself, William B. Smith and Brigham Young?
I don’t remember.
152: Well what is your best recollection on that poit?
I don’t remember that there was any one else there at all.
153: Now was that not after the death of Joseph Smith?
No sir, oh no sir.
154: It was not you swear postively before the, – I mean after the death of Joseph Smith?
No sir, I think it was in the fall before his death that I was married to William Smith.
155: What makes you think it was them?
Well I am sure it was the fall before his death for he did not die until June 1844, – and I am sure we were married in the fall before his death.
156: Well what was the date of your marriage to William B. Smith?
I don’t remember the date now.
157: When did the prophet die?
I was in June 1844 but I don’t remember the date.
158: Don’t you remember the time of the year it was when you married William B. Smith, as you say you did?
I do not postively, but I think it was in the fall.
159: You don’t know the month?
I do not.
160: Now is it not a fact that you don’t know the year either?
Well not certainly.
161: You don’t know whether it was in 1844 or in 1845?
Well I know it was not in 1845. I know that.
162: Do you know that it was not in 1844?
I know that it was in the fall some time of this year before the prophet and Hyrum were murdered.
163: What makes you think it was before he was murdered?
I know it. I don’t think any thing at all about it, for I know it.
164: You attended the funeral of Joseph Smith with William B. Smith.
I did not say so.
165: Well I am asking you if you did?
No sir –
166: Didn’t you go you the funeral of the prophet?
No sir.
167: Did William B. Smith?
I don’t know whether he was there or not.
168: Do you know whether Don Carlos went to the funeral or not?
No sir I don’t think that he did, for he was dead at that time. I think he died in 1841 if I am not mistaken.
169: How long did William B. Smith live with you?
A very short time, – not but a short time.
170: Well I would like for you to fix some time that you lived with him for I don’t know what you mean by “a very short time”, – two minutes would be a very short time?
Well I could not say how long it was.
171: Did you live with him two weeks?
I could not say.
172: Did you live with him one week?
I can’t tell you.
173: You can’t say how long you lived with him?
No sir.
174: Did you ever room with him?
I did.
175: You know that?
Yes sir.
176: How many nights did you room with him?
I don’t remember.
177: Well was it two or five night?
I don’t remember.
178: Was it one night?
Yes sir.
179: You roomed with him one night?
Yes sir.
180: You are positive of that?
Yes sir.
181: When was that?
After we were married?
182: You were positive that it was not before?
Yes sir.
183: And you swear positively that you roomed with William B. Smith as his wife one night, but you can’t say whether it was five nights or ten nights?
Yes sir, I know I did one night,-and I can’t say how many more.
184: Well will you say it was two nights?
I would not say anything about it.
185: Will you say it was one night?
I will say that I lived with him, and that is all I will say about it.
186: How many nights did you sleep with him?
I could not tell you.
187: Did you sleep with him at all?
I have.
188: How many nights,-one or two?
I don’t know.
189: You don’t know anything about that?
No sir, but I lived with him, that I know.
190: Well did you live with him one night?
I did one night sure.
191: You were with him for sure one night?
Yes sir.
192: Was that the night you were married?
No sir.
193: Then you did not room with him the night you were married to him.
I did not.
194: Well did you the next night?
I don’t know.
195: Well how long was it after you were married to him before you did room with him?
I don’t know.
196: Now were you not just sealed to him for eternity? Is that not the fact about it?
I was married to him.
197: Is it not a fact that you were just sealed to him for eternity, and that that is how Brigham Young sealed you to him,-just for eternity?
I was sealed to him for time and eternity I was sealed to him as everybody else was.
198: Well answer my question,-were you not just sealed to him for eternity?
I said I was sealed to him for time and eternity.
199: Well did you live with him?
No I did not because he was away most of the time.
200: How did you come to be sealed to the other fellow for eternity if you were sealed to Smith for eternity?
Well Smith had gone off and left the church.
201: Does that make any difference about the eternity part of it?
It does.
202: It does?
Yes sir, it does to me.
203: So when you were married to Sheffield you were sealed to Sheffield?
No sir. I was just married to him.
204: You were sealed to him?
No sir.
205: You were sealed to Stratton?
No sir, I never was sealed to him his life time. I was married to him in St. Louis, but I was not sealed to him in his life time.
206: You were sealed to him in St Louis for eternity?
No sir, I was married to him there but I was not sealed to him for eternity there.
207: Have you not said that you were sealed to him for eternity?
Yes sir and I have been too, but it was since his death that I was sealed to him for eternity.
208: That is to Stratton?
Yes sir.
209: You were sealed to him for eternity?
Yes sir.
210: And you were also sealed to William B. Smith for eternity?
Yes sir.
211: And afterwards you were sealed to Stratton for eternity?
I was. Now I want you to understand me that I was not sealed to Stratton during his life time, but since his death I have been.
212: You were sealed to Stratton since his death for eternity?
Yes sir.
213: Who was the proxy?
C.W. West.
214: C.W. West was the proxy?
Yes sir.
215: That is you were married to West and he agreed to deliver you to Smith in eternity.
No sir.
216: That was not the way it was?
No sir, it was not to Smith.
217: Well Brigham Young sealed you to Smith for eternity didn’t he?
He did.
218: And Brigham was a prophet wasn’t he?
He was.
219: And a true prophet?
I believe him to have been such.
220: And you were sealed by the everlasting covenant which cannot be broken, were you not?
It cannot be broken unless you break it. We are sealed in that covenant that cannot be broken unless we break it.
221: Well it cannot be broken at all, can it?
Well the covenant can’t be broken.
222: The covenant cannot be broken?
No sir.
223: Then how do you get out of it, – out of your being sealed for eternity to Smith?
Well I don’t think there will be any trouble about that for I don’t think that Smith will ever come where I am to claim me, – I don’t think that they will let him in there where I will be.
224: Did not Brigham Young tell you that?
Tell me what?
225: That Smith would never come where he was, and you would never get where William B. Smith would be in eternity?
No sir.
226: He did not tell you that?
Brigham Young never told me anything about it at all. He never said anything of the kind to me.
227: When he sealed you the second time did he not tell you that?
No sir.
228: Did he not tell you the other covenant was broken?
No sir.
229: Well who did?
No body for I knew it myself.
230: You knew that yourself?
Yes sir.
231: Did you know it for the reason that it never was made?
I know it for the reason that I would not have a man that would act that way.
232: You know it for the reason too, don’t you, that the covenant was not made?
No sir.
233: Then how do you know it?
I understood it was made.
234: Now you said you knew it because you would not have a man that would act that way?
Yes sir.
235: How did Smith Act? Didn’t he treat you well?
He treated me very well.
236: He treated you very well?
Yes sir.
237: Did he?
Yes sir.
238: Well what was wrong in his treatment of you?
Well he treated me very well until he left the church.
239: Then he left the church and did not leave you?
Yes sir he left the church and me, too.
240: Where did he go?
He went east some where, I don’t know where it was, but it was east some where.
241: Did he go east to preach?
He went east, I don’t know what for.
242: Don’t you know that he went down east to preach on a mission from the church in 1844 and stayed there for pretty near a year preaching? Councel for the defendants objects to the question asked the witness on the ground and for the reason that the “witness has stated she does not know anything about it”.
243: What did you say to that?
I say I don’t know. All I know is that he went east, I don’t know what it was for.
244: You heard from him?
No sir.
245: Did you never hear from him?
No more than I heard that he was with the re-organized church, that was all.
246: Did you not hear from him after you left Nauvoo?
I did after I left there.
247: While you were living in Nauvoo you did?
Yes sir.
248: You got letters from him?
No sir.
249: Did you never get letters from him?
No sir.
250: Never?
Never.
251: Then he never wrote to you at all?
Never.
252: Did you get the marriage certificate?
I did not.
253: Was there one made out when you were married?
Not that I know of
254: All this time you went by the mane of Smith?
I did not.
255: What name did you go by?
I went by the name that I went to Nauvoo with.
256: You never went by the name of Smith there in Nauvoo?
I never did.
257: He never introduced you as his wife to any body?
He never did. I don’t remember that he ever did.
258: You never went out to church with him as his wife?
I have gone out with him.
259: Did you go to church with him as his wife?
No sir, I never went to church with him, but I have gone to church at the same time that he did.
260: Wee you ever introduced to Joseph Smith by William Smith as his, William’s, wife?
I never was.
261: Joseph made the bargain for you to marry him?
Yes sir.
262: And yet after you were married, William did not introduce you to Joseph as his wife?
I never was in Joseph’s company that I know of with William after that.
263: How many times were you ever in Joseph’s presence?
Oh I could not tell you that.
264: How many times did you ever talk to Joseph about polygamy?
About polygamy?
265: Yes ma’am, was it just the one time?
I never talked to him but the once.
266: What did he say?
He said what I have already told you.
267: Well what was it?
Well I told you.
268: I beg your pardon you did not tell me you told this gentlemen here and I have the right to have it for myself? What did he tell you?
What did Joseph tell me?
269: Yes ma’am?
He told me as I told you before, that God had given him a revelation, that a man was entitled to more wives than one.
270: That is what Joseph Smith told you?
Yes sir.
271: Is that all that he said?
No sir.
272: Well what else did he say?
He said that there was power on earth to seal wives in plural marriage.
273: To seal them in bonds that could never be broken, did not he say that the bond should and would be an everlasting bond?
He never said anything to me about their never being broken.
274: He did not?
No sir.
275: Did he say anything about eternity?
He said it was for time and eternity, and not until death, as we were generally married, it was for eternity.
276: It was for eternity?
Well time and eternity both, it endured while life lasted, and then was for all eternity of course after death.
277: You are positive he said it was for time and eternity?
I am positively certain of that.
278: Did he say sealing, or marrying?
He said sealing for time and eternity.
279: He did not say marrying at all did he?
I don’t remember.
280: Now when was this?
I don’t remember.
281: Was it in 1842?
No it was in 1843.
282: What month?
April I believe.
283: In April 1843?
Yes sir, I believe it was then.
284: What day of the month was it?
That I could not tell you.
285: Well was it about the first of the month, or the last?
It was nearer the last than the first I think, but I don’t know about that either. I would not say what time it was in the month.
286: Then you cannot tell the date?
No sir, not positively, it was in 1843 but I can’t tell the time of the month, or even the month positively.
287: You were acquainted with William B. Smith at that time were you not?
I had never spoken to William but once at that time.
288: You had never spoken to him but once?
No sir.
289: Where was it you saw him when you spoke to him?
That was in Ashael Smith’s house.
290: Where did he live?
He lived across the river from Nauvoo.
292: At Ashel Smith’s house?
Yes sir, Judge Elias Smith was his son.
293: He lived across the river at Montrose did he?
Yes sir, he was their uncle and he lived across the river there.
294: Well they were at Montrose?
I don’t know whether they called it Montrose or not.
295: Well was there some little town there?
Yes sir, it was a little place where a few people lived.
296: Well that was where the uncle of William B. Smith lived?
Yes sir.
297: And that was where you first met William B. Smith?
Well yes
sir, that was where I met William.
298: For the first time?
Yes sir.
299: You say that is where you met “William”, – now was it William B. Smith?
I never heard of him by any other name but William.
300: The man you mean was one of the Twelve Apostles?
Yes sir, and he was a brother of the prophet.
301: A brother of Joseph Smith the prophet you mean?
Yes sir.
302: And the first time you ever met him was across the river at Montrose at the house of his uncle Ashael Smith?
Yes sir. I don’t know what the name of the place was but I suppose it was Montrose, but it was at this uncle’s house there at that place across the river.
303: When was that, – how long before you were married to him?
Oh I can’t say, but it was before I saw Joseph about it. You know that Joseph came to me and told me that William his brother wanted me for a wife.
304: Well was that in 1842?
No sir it was in 1843.
305: Was it in 1842 when you saw William first?
No sir, it was in 1843 that I first saw him.
306: How do you know it wasn’t in 1842?
Well I know it because I was in England in 1842. It was in 1843, – I think in April 1843 that I saw him.
307: You came to Nauvoo in April 1842 did you not?
No sir, it was in 1843 –
308: You were in Nauvoo before you went across the river to Montrose, were you not?
No sir.
309: You were across the river, – you met William Smith before you went across the river to Nauvoo at all?
Yes sir, I did. I saw him thee before I went to Nauvoo at all.
310: And you were married to him in April of the same year?
No sir.
311: Well when were you married to him?
I don’t know. I can’t tell you the month or the date.
312: Well about when was it that you married him?
I can’t tell you, but it was before Joseph died.
313: Well was it in 1843 or 1844 that you were married to him?
I rather think it was in 1843 but I can’t say positively for I am not sure of the time.
314: Was it in the winter that you married him?
No sir.
315: Was it in the fall?
I can’t say anything about that.
316: Well was it on the fourth of July, -?
I told you I can’t remember the date, and so I won’t say a thing about it.
317: You don’t know the date, or the month?
No sir.
318: And do you know whether it was in 1843 or 1844?
I do not.
319: You know that you never met William Smith but once before you married him don’t you?
No sir I did not say that.
320: Well what do you say about that?
I say I met him more than once before I married him.
321: Well how many times did you meet him before you married him?
I don’t know. I met him coming from Keokuk at his uncle Ashaels the first time I saw him, and I don’t know what time that was either exactly, but I think it was in April 1843.
322: Well that was before you saw Joseph?
Yes sir.
323: Now how many times after that was it that you saw him before you saw Joseph?
I saw Joseph the same day that I went there to
Montrose.
324: You saw Joseph that same day then?
Yes sir, I was introduced to Joseph that same day.
325: How many times did you meet William Smith before you married him?
I could not say.
326: Well about how many times did you meet him?
I can’t say.
327: Was it more than once?
Yes sir.
328: Was it more than twice?
I could not say. He went right away that time, and I think he was in Nauvoo only about two weeks that time.
329: Well did you have any conversations with him when he was in Nauvoo?
Not rightly.
330: What do you mean by that?
No privately.
331: Well did you have any conversations with him publicly or privately?
Yes sir I talked with him there in the house with the rest of the folks.
332: Then you never had any private conversations with him?
No sir I believe not.
333: Did you ever have any courtship with him?
No sir.
334: Will you say that that time he was in Nauvoo only for a couple of weeks?
Yes sir, – something like that I think.
335: Well then it was after he came back that you married him?
It was after he came back, – when he brought his first wife home, and she died.
336: Do you know when his first wife died?
I do not.
337: Then you married him after his first wife died?
Yes sir.
338: And you married him in Nauvoo?
Yes sir, I married him while his first wife was living.
339: What is that?
I said I married him while his first wife was living.
340: You married him while his first wife was living?
Yes sir, I don’t think she was dead.
341: Well now you have said that he left within two weeks after you saw him?
He did, and he took his first wife with him on account of his health, and he came back in the fall?
342: Well did he bring his wife back with him?
Yes sir, he did, and she died.
343: Now then did you marry him during the time that he was gone?
No sir of course I didn’t.
344: Now did you not marry him after he came back?
Yes sir, that is what I said.
345: And is it not a fact that you married him after his first wife died?
I could not say. I think she was alive, but I can’t say for I can’t remember postively.
346: Well what is your best recollection as to whether it was before or after his first wife died?
I cannot tell you that postively. 346 (Number mistakenly repeated with different question and answer)
346: Well what is your best recollection as to whether it was before or after his first wife died?
I cannot tell you that postively. I can’t say as to that.
347: You have not recollection on that subject?
I do not know.
348: Had his first wife given her consent to the marriage?
I don’t know as to that, for I was not acquainted with her.
349: You were not acquainted with her there?
No sir.
350: You never saw her did you?
No sir.
351: You never met her, did you?
Yes sir.
Yes sir, I met her once.
352: Did she give her consent at the time that you married her, that you should marry her husband?
I did not know at that time.
that was before anything was said to me about marrying him.
353: Now who was this Mary Jones that married your husband?
It was Mary Jones,- that was her name,- her father and mother lived there in Nauvoo.
354: William B. Smith married her?
Yes sir.
545: Now when did William B. Smith marry Mary Jones?
I don’t know.
346: If you don’t know that, how do you know that he married her?
Well I know that he married her, for I was present.
357: Did he marry you after you married him?
Yes sir, it was after he married me that he married her.
358: You were living with him at the time?
Yes sir.
359: In the same house with him?
No sir.
360: Well where did you live?
I lived with his sister.
361: He was not living with his sister?
No sir.
362: Well what makes you say you were living with him, when it appears you were living with his sister, and he was not living there?
Well he was there.
363: He was there?
Yes sir.
364: He stayed there at nights with you?
No sir.
365: Well then, what makes you say you were living with him?
Well I expect I was living with any one that was living when I was living.
366: Well is that what you mean when you say you were living with a man, when you happen to live at the same age of the world that he does?
I meant that I lived at the same age of the world that he did, but I did not live in his own home with him,- I was living with his sister.
367: And he did not live with his sister?
No sir.
368: So in fact you did not live in the same house with William B. Smith,- you did not live in a house with him alone?
I never did.
369: And you never occupied the same room with William B. Smith in your own home, and alone with him?
No sir, for I had no home then.
370: Did he have a home?
Yes sir.
371: He had a home there in Nauvoo?
Yes sir.
372: Did he ever take you to his home?
I believe I was there once.
373: How long did you stay?
I could not tell.
374: Did you stay all night?
I believe not.
375: Why not?
He had company I believe.
376: He had company, and you called there,- is that it?
I was there.
377: Well did you call while the company was there, or did,- or were you there before the company came?
I don’t know whether I was the first or last there.
378: You cannot tell whether you came while the company was there, or whether you were there before the company came?
I know I was there.
379: All you know is that you were there, but you know that you did not stay all night with him?
Yes sir.
380: You did not stay all night?
No sir.
381: Was his wife living them?
No sir.
382: His wife was living then?
No sir, she was dead.
383: His first wife was dead?
Yes sir.
384: How long had she been dead?
I don’t know when she died.
384: All I know
385: You know she was dead however?
Yes sir.
386: Was Mary Jones living with him at that time?
No sir, she was not.
387: Had he married Mary Jones then?
No sir, not then.
388: He married her after that?
Of course he did, – if he was not married to her then he must have married her after that.
389: Well how long after that was it before he married her?
I don’t know.
390: You said you were present when he married Mary Jones?
I was.
391: Where did he marry her?
He married her in Agnes Smith’s house.
392: Well he did not have any wife then, did he?
Yes sir, he was a married man then I think.
393: I mean at the time you were there, when the company was there?
I think he did.
394: You think he had?
I think so, but I don’t know for sure.
395: Who had he married?
I don’t remember the woman’s name, but she was a young woman.
396: There was not any woman at the house there at all was there?
Yes sir, the house keeper was there. I don’t know how that was, but I don’t think he had married his other wife then.
397: Well he had married you?
Yes sir.
398: And the next one was Marry Jones?
I don’t know. She was the next one that I know anything about.
399: She was the next one that you knew anything about?
Yes sir.
400: If you were his wife, why did you not go and keep house there for him?
Well I would not do it.
401: You were his wife?
Yes sir.
402: Well being hi wife, why would you not go and keep house for him?
Well I would rather live as I was living.
403: That is to say you would marry a man and then you would not live with him? Was that because of the rules of the church as applicable to that kind of marriage?
No sir, for the church had no rules about it at all that I know anything about.
404: But you would not go and live with him for the reason that you preferred living as you were living?
Yes sir.
405: And there was no rule of the church in regard to that that you know anything about?
No sir.
406: Well is it not a fact that you were not permitted to tell anybody about your being married to him?
Well there was no body asked me anything about it.
407: You never told any body that you were married to William B. Smith?
Yes sir.
408: Well whom did you tell?
Nobody but my brother.
409: But you did tell your brother about it?
Yes sir.
410: When did you tell your brother about it?
After I was married to him of course.
411: how long after you were married to him was it that you told your brother?
I can’t say.
412: Well about how long afterwards was it?
I don’t know.
413: Was it after you came west?
No sir.
414: What is that?
I say it was not after we came west. It was before we came west. It was while we were in Nauvoo.
415: It was in Nauvoo and after Joseph Smith died that you told your
brother of your marriage to William B. Smith?
NO sir it was before Joseph Smith died. It was in Nauvoo shortly after we were married and before the death of Joseph.
416: Was it while William was there in Nauvoo?
William was east I believe. He never lived in Nauvoo hardly any time for he was away one place and another most of the time.
417: Who was away?
William Smith, – he was there hardly any time scarcely.
418: William B. Smith was away from Nauvoo a good deal of the time?
Yes sir, he was there very little.
419: Well you mean that you never lived with him there in Nauvoo? Is that what you mean?
I mean that he was not there. I mean that he was away from Nauvoo a good deal of the time.
420: Was he not there from the first of January 1844 for some time?
I do not know about that. 421 (Written as 431)
420: As a matter of fact was he not there from the first of January 1844 up to the time that his brother died?
I don’t remember whether he was or not.
422: Well if he had been you would have known it would not you?
I don’t know that I would.
423: You were his wife, and it would be likely that you would have known it is it not, – you wee his wife, and you should know about these things?
Well if I knew it I have forgotten and I couldn’t tell you.
424: Well did you live with him there in Nauvoo in 1844, – did you live in the house with him?
No sir. 425 (This number and question are missing)
426: You did not?
No sir.
427: You did not live with him then, as his wife?
No sir.
428: Did Mary Jones live with him?
No sir. She lived with her mother and father.
429: Who did live with William Smith in Nauvoo in 1844, – that is live in the house with him as his wife?
I don’t know.
430: Did any body?
I don’t remember.
431: You do not remember anything about that, – is that what you desire to be understood as saying?
Yes sir, – I don’t know who lived with him.
432: Who else did William Smith marry beside yourself and Mary Jones?
He married another, – he married a young woman by the name of Priscilla Morgridge.
433: Did he marry you before he married you?
No sir.
434: He married you first?
Yes sir.
435: Did you consent to the marriage between him and her?
No sir.
436: You did not consent to that marriage?
No sir, I had nothing to do with it.
437: Did Mary Jones?
I was present when Mary Jones was married to him.
438: Well that is not the question, – the question is, – did Mary Jones consent to his marrying Priscillia Morgridge?
No sir. 439 (This number and question are missing)
440: You were not present when they were married?
No sir.
441: Well, how do you know he married her?
I hear it, and I guess he did. I guess there is no doubt of that.
442: You just heard it?
Yes sir.
443: Well do you know that he married her?
I don’t know.
444: You don’t know that he married her?
I did not see them married, but I know that he introduced her as his wife.
445: To you?
Yes sir.
446: He introduced her to you as his wife?
Yes sir, to me and to others that were in the company.
447: When was that?
I don’t know.
448: Where and when was it as nearly as you can recollect it?
I don’t remember what day it was or what month it was, but it was at Nauvoo, and after Joseph died I think.
449: It was after Joseph died that he did that?
I think it was, but she will know more about that than I do, for she is right here in Salt Lake City and she can speak for herself, and she will know more about it than I do. She can tell about it herself.
450: Was she introduced here to you as his wife?
No sir it was in Nauvoo. I never saw him here, and I don’t think that he was ever here.
451: Now you say that he introduced her to you as his wife?
Yes sir.
452: You were not, – he did not introduce you to her as his wife did he?
I don’t recollect whether he did or not.
453: Well if he did you would recollect it would you not?
Well I recollect that the first time I ever saw her it was understood that she was his wife.
454: Who did you understand that from?
From people that knew them and knew the circumstances, for it was generally understood that she was his wife, and then he introduced her as such, and that was the first time I ever saw her I think.
455: Well did William B. Smith ever tell you that?
Yes sir, he brought her into the house and introduced her as his wife. He told me and everybody else that she was his wife, – there was nothing secret about it at all. Well now I will not say that he told me that but that was the understanding I had of it.
456: Well now will you swear that William B. Smith ever told you that he had married Priscilla Morgridge, and that she was his wife?
No sir, I will not swear to anything of the kind, – I said that I could not swear to that postively, but I believe that he did. She is right here in Salt Lake and she can speak for herself for she knows better than I do whether or not she was his wife.
457: Well I don’t care what she knows about it, – I am asking you now what you know about it, – that is what I am asking you and when she comes on the witness stand I will find out, if I can, what she knows about it?
Well all I know is she said she was his wife.
458: And that is all you know about it?
Yes sir.
459: She said she was his wife?
Yes sir.
460: Then you did not hear him say that she was his wife?
I cannot say that I did. I think I did though, but I would not say postively.
461: You will not swear postively that it was from him you heard that?
Heard what?
462: That Priscillia Morgridge was his wife?
I think it was from him that I understood it. I think it was from him that I got that understanding, but I would not swear for certain, but I do swear for certain that Mary Jones was his wife, for I was present and saw them married.
463: Do you knw how old William Smith was when you married him?
Do I know how old he was, – William Smith was?
464: Yes ma’am?
I do not. I do not know how old he was.
465: Where was it that Mary Jones was married to him?
In Agnes Smith’s house.
466: You are postive of that?
Yes sir.
467: Where was her husband, – or was she married lady?
He was dead I understood.
468: She was the widow of Don Carlos Smith?
I so understood it, sir.
469: That was where Mary Jones was married to him?
Yes sir.
470: And it was the same place that I believe you stated you were married to him?
Yes sir.
471: You were both of you his wives after you married him?
Yes sir.
472: And both of you stayed with him at nights of course?
Of course not.
473: Did either of you stay with him as his wife that night that he married Mary Jones?
I did not. I don’t know whether she did or not.
474: You did not know anything about that either?
No sir.
475: Well where did he marry Priscilla Morgridge? Did he marry her at the same place too?
I don’t know.
476: Where did he marry her?
I don’t know.
477: Now when he brought Priscilla Morgridge there, there was yourself and Mary Jones and Priscilla Morgridge that were all his wives?
Well no, – Mary Jones was not yet, for she was not married to him them. It was after that that she married him.
478: But you were his wife when he brought her there?
Yes sir.
479: Where was Mary Jones?
With her mother and father I suppose. I think that it is likely that she was there.
480: And you were at William’s house?
No sir.
481: Where were you?
I was at Agnes’s house.
482: And he brought Priscilla there to Agnes’s house?
No sir.
483: Is that not what you have just stated?
No sir.
484: When he brought her there, where did he take her?
He took her there to his own house.
485: And you were there?
Yes sir.
486: How did you happen to be there?
Well I happened to be there.
487: And then he introduced you to her as his wife?
Well I don’t know that he did. I don’t say that he did.
488: Well do you say that he did not?
I don’t think he did.
489: Well did he introduce her to you as his wife?
I have heard that he introduced her as his wife?
490: Did he ever introduce her to you as his wife?
I don’t remember.
491: Well will you swear that he ever did?
I don’t know.
492: Do you know that he did or did not?
No sir, I don’t remember whether he did or did not.
493: Were you his house keeper?
No sir.
494: Was Priscilla his house keeper?
No sir.
495: Who was his house keeper?
I don’t know. She was an elderly woman but I don’t remember who she was, but I expect I did one time know who she was. I don’t remember her name, but she was there and kept house for him after his wife died. I think he was living with Emma Smith at the time his wife died, or after she died for a while, but
I am not certain of that.
496: That was after the death of Joseph?
Well his wife died before Joseph did.
497: You think so?
Yes sir.
498: Are you positive of it?
No sir I would not be postive about it but I think so. I am not certain and I do not want to testify to something that I do not know anything about.
499: Well now Mrs. West is it not a fact that you were not married to him until after his first wife died?
To William Smith?
500: Yes madam, you were not married to William B. Smith until after his first wife died were you?
I can’t say.
501: Don’t you know that you did not marry him until after his first wife was dead?
I don’t know whether she was dead or living I can’t say as to that. I know if she was living she was not in Nauvoo at that time.
502: She was not in Nauvoo at the time you married him?
No sir.
503: And you do not know whether she was dead or living?
No sir. I could not say postively but I think she was dead.
504: Now at the time you married him he was staying with Emma wasn’t he?
With who.
505: Wasn’t he staying with Emma Smith at the time you married him?
I don’t know.
506: Well what is your best recollection about it?
I say I don’t know but I think that he generally stayed there. I think that is where he generally stayed.
507: He did not have any house of his own after his wife died did he?
Yes sir, he did.
508: Where?
There in Nauvoo.
509: Well he did not keep any house of his own after his wife died, but he stayed thee at Emma Smith’s and did not keep up his own house aft his wife died?
Yes sir I think he stayed at her place. I don’t know that he kept any house there in Nauvoo after his wife died.
510: Well at the times he was in that country after his wife died, and when he was in Nauvoo he stayed there at Emma’s didn’t he?
Not always for after a time he had a wife of his own, and then he stayed in his own house, for he married a young girl there in Nauvoo.
511: Who was that?
I don’t know.
512: Don’t you know what her name was?
No sir.
513: That was before he married you wasn’t it?
No sir, the time that he married that girl was after Joseph died, and he married me before Joseph died.
514: Well did you consent to that marriage too?
No sir.
515: Were you present at the marriage?
No sir.
516: Then how do you know he married her?
Well I suppose he did for he use to take her around and introduce her as his wife.
517: Well did you hear him introduce him, – her I mean, – as his wife.
I think I have, – I can’t say postively, for it was so long ago, but it is likely I have.
518: Did he introduce her to you as his wife?
No sir.
519: Well I am asking you for your personal knowledge now, and not what some body else told you?
Well I have told you that I did not know. I have told you that I did not know it personally, for I didn’t see them married.
520: You don’t know of your own knowledge that he married Priscilla Morgridge, – that is another of the things that you don’t know of your own knowledge?
No sir.
521: You don’t know anything about that of your own knowledge?
No sir.
522: You did not see them marry?
No sir.
523: As a matter of fact you don’t know that he married any one but yourself of your own knowledge?
Yes sir I do, for I know that he married Mary Jones. I saw him marry her.
524: What was the ceremony?
Well I can’t say.
525: Was it the same ceremony that was in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, – was that it?
I can’t say, – I don’t remember.
526: Well what is your best impression, or recollection as that?
I don’t think it was.
527: That is to say you don’t think it was the same ceremony that was was in the book of Doctrine and Covenants?
No sir, – I don’t think it was.
528: Have you ever seen the ceremony that was performed then, performed since that time?
No sir, I don’t think I have.
529: You have not?
I don’t know that I have, but still I may have seen it. I don’t say that I haven’t but if I have I don’t remember it now.
530: Do you know the ceremony that is used here in Salt Lake now in marrying people?
I do not.
531: Do you know the ceremony that Brigham Young used when he married you to West?
Yes sir I remember something about it.
532: Well what was it?
I can’t tell you just what it was, – that is all of it, but he sealed us for time and eternity.
533: For time and eternity?
Yes sir.
534: Was or is that ceremony in the book of Doctrine and Covenants?
I don’t know whether it was in the Doctrine and Covenants.
535: You said that Brigham Young married you to William B. Smith I believe on your direct examination?
Yes sir.
536: And he also married you to West?
Yes sir.
537: What was the ceremony that he used when he married you to William B. Smith?
It was the same as was used when he married me to West.
538: And do you know the ceremony that was used when you married Stratton?
No sir, I didn’t remember so much about that.
539: How is it that you remember that the same ceremony was used when you married West that was used when you married William B. Smith, and you cannot remember what the ceremony was that was used when you married Stratton?
Well I was married to them in the church, and I was married to Mr. Stratton out of the church. I was not married in the church in the same way, for I was married to Stratton by an elder by the name of Phepls.
540: Well now did you not marry West by proxy?
Yes sir, he was a proxy?
541: For whom?
He was proxy for Stratton.
542: Was that in the ceremony?
What.
543: The proxy part, – was that in the cermeony?
Yes sir, – that was it. He was to marry me for time and after time I was to be given up in eternity.
544: Given up to whom?
To Stratton.
545: Was there any proxy in the ceremony when you were married to Smith?
No sir.
546: Now you are postive of that?
Yes sir.
547: Then there was not any, – then the ceremony was not just all the same all the time?
Yes sir.
548: It was not just the same all the time for the reason that you say you were not married to Smith by proxy while you were married to West by proxy, there fore they could not be the same.
Well I suppose it was not the same in that particular when I married Smith. It might have been the same with exception but as I said I wouldn’t not be positive of that.
549: Did you not say they were just the same without any exception?
Well I think they were the same only I was married to William for time and eternity, and to West for time only.
550: Did you say a little while ago that you were married to West for time and eternity also?
I don’t think so.
551: Well did you, – yes or not?
No sir.
552: Did you say a little while ago that you were married to West for time and eternity also?
No sir.
553: If the record shows that you did so, then what have you to say?
Well if it does it is a mistake, – and if I said so I did not mean to do it, for I was married to him for time, and not for eternity.
554: Well I would like you to go on record postively as saying whether or not the marriage ceremony that was performed when you married West was the same as when you married Smith?
Well I say I can’t be postive, – it might have been the same.
555: Well it might have been the declaration of independence that you went through there, but it wasn’t was it?
No sir. I can’t answer these questions for I don’t remember about these things.
556: Why don’t you remember these things?
Well they happened so long ago.
557: Now is it not a fact that Brigham Young had a book of Doctrine and Covenants, and read the ceremony out of that when you married Smith?
No sir.
558: He did not?
No sir. If he did I didn’t see it.
559: You are certain now that it was William Smith you married and not John?
It was William Smith the brother of Joseph.
560: Well was not John the brother of Joseph also?
Well there might have been but I did not know of any John Smith, the brother of Joseph. I am postive that it was William Smith, and not John or any other Smith, but William.
561: Well now just stop and think a minute?
I never knew of any John Smith the brother of Joseph the prophet. I knew of Samuel and Don Carlos and Hyrum, but that is all.
562: And William?
Yes sir, I meant to include William.
563: Well was there not a John also?
No sir, I never knew of a John Smith in that family. There was no John that I ever heard of.
564: Well are you just as positive that there wasn’t any John, as you are of anything else you have testified to?
565: But do you say there wasn’t any John Smith?
There was John Smith the patriarch, – I knew him.
566: I mean John Smith the brother of Joseph?
I don’t think he ever had a brother named John. If he did I never heard of him.
567: If he had had a brother named John you would have known him?
I think I would.
568: You are postive you would have known him?
I think so, unless he died before I came to Nauvoo and had a chance to know him.
569: Well if it had been John Smith you married you would have known him?
Certainly, – I think I would have known John from William but it was not John Smith I married but William. I know the man I married, and it was William.
570: Where is your marriage certificate with William Smith?
I never had one.
571: You married William Smith, and never had a marriage certificate?
Yes sir.
572: Where is your marriage certificate with West?
I told you I never had one.
573: Where is your marriage certificate with Stratton?
I never had one.
574: You never had a marriage certificate certifying to your marriage with any of these men?
No sir.
575: Why did you not have one?
I never asked for one.
576: Did you have one with Sheffield?
Yes sir, but that was in England that I married him.
577: Then you have been married five times without any marriage certificates have you not?
What is that?
578: I asked you if it is not a fact that you have been married five times, and have not a marriage certificate of any of your marriages?
I don’t think I have.
579: Well you have been married four times?
Yes sir.
580: You said that you had a certificate of your marriage with Sheffield?
581: And you married William B. Smith, Stratton, and West, and did not have marriage certificated of your marriage to any of them?
Yes sir.
582: You have been married four times, and have had a marriage certificate of only three, – I mean only of your four marriages? Is that it?
Yes sir.
583: That is true?
Yes sir, – I never called for a marriage certificate, else I suppose I could have had it. I expect I might have had one if I had called for it.
584: Was there any record made of your marriage with Smith?
I don’t know whether there was or not.
585: There was a clerk there to make the record wasn’t there?
There was not clerk at all there.
586: Was there any record made of your marriage with Stratton?
It might have been that Phelps made one. I don’t know though whether he did or not.
587: There was a record made in St Louis the time you were married? Is that what you say?
I say I don’t know whether three was or not. There might have been but I don’t know.
588: There was a clerk present was there not to make a record the time you married West by proxy?
I don’t know whether there was or not. I can’t say as to that. There might have been.
589: Well don’t you know there was a clerk present?
I know there was not.
590: You know there was not?
I don’t know whether there was or not. That is what I will say, – I don’t know whether there was or not for that is all I know about it. He went and got the record of marriages I believe it was, and whether he made a record or not
and whether he made a record or not of the marriage I don’t know.
591: You were married to West by Proxy you said, to raise a family to William Smith?
No sir.
592: You did not say that?
No sir.
593: Well is that not the fact?
No sir, – William Smith was not in the question at all.
594: Well you were married to West from the purpose of raising children to Joseph Stratton, – is that it?
I was married to him as proxy for Joseph Stratton.
595: And Stratton took you by proxy, married you by proxy, agreeing to take good care of you during your natural life, and on the morning of the day of the resurrection to turn you over to Stratton, together with all children that might be raised?
He agreed to surrender me up to Joseph Stratton.
596: He agreed you say to surrender you in the resurrection to Joseph Stratton?
Yes sir.
597: Together with any children that might be raised?
I don’t know about that.
598: Well is that not the fact?
I say I don’t remember about that. I don’t remember about the children, part of it.
599: Well whose children were these to be, – if there were any born of the union between yourself and West, – whose children were they to be in eternity?
Whose children were they to be?
600: Yes, – if there was any children born to the union bwtween yourself and West, whose children were they to be Stratton’s or West’s?
Well I suppose they would belong to West, for he would be the father of them.
601: Whose children would they be. Remember you were married to Stratton for eternity you said, and to West of time, – not whose children would they be? Wouldn’t they be Stratton’s children?
Well they might be or might not be. I can’t remember how that was.
602: You don’t remember how that would be.
No sir.
603: You were baptized again after you came here to Salt Lake City or to Utah Territory, were you not?
Yes sir, we were all baptized after we came here.
604: You were all baptized into the new and everlasting covenant spoken of in the polygamous revelation published in the book of Doctrine and Covenants as published by the church here, – were you not?
605: Answer the question.
What is the question?
606: You were baptized into the new and everlasting covenant spoken of in the revelation on marriage as published in the book of Doctrine and Covenants published by the Utah Mormon Church.
I could not say.
607: I mean the revelation on plural marriage?
I could not say.
608: That is another thing that you don’t know anything about?
I know I was married in plural marriage.
609: Well you were baptized into the plural marriage covenant?
No sir.
610: You were baptized into this new and everlasting covenant that is spoken of in the fourth paragraph of section one hundred and thirty two of Exhibit “A” that I will read you? Is that not the fact Mrs. West, – that you were baptized into the new and everlasting covenant spoken of in that paragraph?
611: Well now that you are here we think we have the right to ask you these questions, else we would not ask them. I will ask you who it was sent you here to testify to the matter of alleged plural marriage in the days of Joseph? Did not Woodruf send you here?
No sir.
612: Well did not Woodruf ask you to come here and testify?
No sir.
613: He did not?
No sir.
614: Disn’t he write you to come here? Did he not write to you to come here and give your testimony?
No sir, Woodruf never wrote to me about it at all.
615: Well didn’t he telegraph you or telephone you to come here, or something like that?
No sir.
616: Well who did send for you? Some one must have spoken to you or written you, or asked you in some way to come here, and who was it?
Well it was brother Shirtley. He came for me and asked me if I knew anything about Joseph preaching plural marriage in Nauvoo previous to his death, and I told him I did know something about it and he asked me if I would not come down here, and I did come.
617: Who is Shirtliff?
It is Louis Shirtliff, President of the Weber Stake.
618: That is one of the stakes here in Utah of which Wilford Woodruf is the President is he not?
619: What do you say to that?
Yes sir it is.
620: Now I will read this revelation to you and then ask you the question I was going to ask you. I will read paragraphs three or four of section one hundred and thirty two, – “Therefore prepare they heart to receive and obey the instructions which which I am about to give unto you for all who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. For behold, I reveal unto you are new and everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not the covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant, and be permitted to enter into my glory.” Now is that not the covenant you were baptized into after you came here to Salt Lake?
Well that is the revelation on plural marriage you are reading from there.
621: I know it is, and I asked you if that was not the covenant, – the new and everlasting covenant that you were baptized into when
you came here to Salt Lake?
No sir. I don’t think it was.
622: You say you “don’t think it was”?
Yes sir.
623: Well then what covenant was it you were baptized into, if it wasn’t that one?
I never heard of that.
624: If it was not that new and everlasting covenant, what covenant was it that you were baptized in to after you came to Salt Lake?
I don’t know but I suppose it was the covenants of the church.
625: The covenants of the church?
Yes sir.
626: What were they?
To forsake our sins, – live our religion and such things.
627: Were you not baptized into the new and everlasting covenant that I have just read to you?
628: Were you not baptised into the new and everlasting covenant I have just read to you? Answer the question?
What?
629: Were you not baptised into the new and everlasting covenant I have just read to you?
630: Don’t you want to answer because he makes objection? For your information I will tell you that he is only exercising his legal right to make objection, and you are to answer the questions without reference to their objections?
Well I have answered it.
631: You have answered it?
Yes sir, – all that I think is necessary to answer.
632: Well will you answer that question “yes” or “no”, for it is a question that can be answered that way?
Well I said I was baptized into the covenant of the church, and that is plural marriage you have read from.
633: Well is that not a covenant of the church?
Yes sir, but that was not known when I was baptized then. It was not known when I was baptized first.
634: Was it known when you were baptized last?
Yes sir, but I don’t remember about their saying anything about it.
635: Were you not baptized for the reason that this new and everlasting covenant had been made?
No sir. Do you mean after we came here?
636: Yes?
No sir.
637: Well what were you baptized for?
We were baptized because we felt that we needed it after our travels.
638: That is you felt as if you had broken your covenants?
No sir, – not that, – we were baptized because we thought it would do no harm, and probably some of us needed it. I had never broken my conenants, but we felt, – we felt as if we wanted to begin anew.
639: And then you were baptized?
Yes sir.
640: And after you were here a wile you were baptized the second time were you not, – at the time of what is called the “reformation”?
No sir, I was not baptized during the reformation that I remember of.
641: Well were you not baptized the second time after you came her to Salt Lake?
642: Were you not?
Was I not what?
643: Were you not baptized the second time here in Utah? Were you not baptized the second time some years after you came here?
I was baptized when I first came here.
644: I know you have stated that before, but were you not baptized once after that?
I don’t recollect postively.
645: Well what is your best recollection, – were you, or were you not according to your best recollection?
646: Answer the question?
Well I said didn’t I, that I did not know I can’t remember those things as well as I would like to, and when I say I don’t know, I mean it, I think I was, but I said I could not remember postively.
647: Well you thought you were baptized the second time here in Utah?
Yes sir, that is what I said, but I don’t remember postively that I was or was not. I remember there was a good many went the second time but I don’t remember whether I did or did not.
648: Now when you took your endowments here in the temple in Salt Lake city, did you not take an endowment that you would obey the priesthood of the church, and the counsel of the church, and would avenge the murder of Joseph Smith upon his murderers, – any law of the land to the contrary not with standing?
No sir.
649: Did you not obey, – did you not agree to obey the priesthood and the counsels of the church in all things?
No sir.
650: You swear that you did not?
Yes sir, and I swear that they never asked me to do so that I remember anything about.
651: If you took any obligations of that kind, you don’t remember anything about it?
No sir.
652: Well what was the obligation you did take? If you did not agree to do that, what did you agree to do?
Well sir I don’t consider that that is any concern of yours, and I shall not tell you.
653: Do you recollect what the ceremony was when you were taking your endowments? Recollect I am not asking you what the endowments were, but simply asking you if you recollect what the ceremony was when you took them?
I know they were not such as you have stated them.
654: Well you recollect what they were in substance, do you not?
I never was called upon to do anything contrary to the laws of the United States. I know that well enough.
655: But were you not called on to obey the laws of the church and its officers in all things and did you not take that obligation.
656: Were you not called upon, and did you not agree to obey the councils of the church in all things? Did you not agree to do that, without reference to what you were or were not called upon to do in performance of the conditions of that obligation?
I don’t remember anything of the kind.
657: Well do you say you did not take that obligation? Come answer the question? Do you say that you did not during the taking of your endowments, agree to obey the counsel of the church in all things?
658: Do you say you did not take any obligation of that character?
I say I don’t remember anything of the kind.
659: You remember what the ceremony was you went through at the time you took your endowments, don’t you?
Yes sir, I remem- ber that I was never to dis-obey the laws of the land.
660: Well now I am not asking you what it was, – I am asking you if you took an endowment or obligation similiar to the one I have described at the time you took your endowment here in Salt Lake City?
I took no oath there of the kind, and was never called upon to do so.
661: Do you say that you took an oath there to obey the laws of the land?
I say that there was no oath, – they never told us to prefer anything that came either from the President or the Council to the laws of the land. We were never called upon to do any such a thing as that.
662: Well were you not called upon to prefer the counsel of President Young in preference to anything else?
663: You were not?
No sir.
664: Was there anything said about the laws of the land at all?
I don’t remember.
665: Well what is your best recollection about that?
well I don’t remember anything that is in the endowments about that, but I don’t think there was.
666: If you had not obeyed the counsel of President Woodruf in com- ing here, – would you not have been disciplined for not coming here?
No sir, for I could come here or stayed at home, – just as I pleased. I don’t know that the church had anything to do with my coming here any way.
667: But if you preferred to stay at home instead of coming here you would have been disciplined in some way, wouldn’t you?
No sir, I don’t think I would.
668: Don’t you know that all the spiritual wives our here, would have turned their backs on you if you had not come here to testify
I would not care if they did.
669: You would not care if they all did turn their backs to you?
No sir, for I believe in taking the straight forward course, and tell what I know when I have to, and if it hurts any one I can’t help it.
670: And that is what you have done here?
It is sir.
671: Well that is all.
672: I will ask you Mrs. West if any one else other than the Bishop of your stake asked you to come down here and testify? Counsil for the plaintiff objects to the question asked the witness on the ground and for the reason that it is immaterial.
673: Or if any one talked to you about coming down here and testifying besides the man you referred to in your cross examination.
I don’t know his name but there is the man that was up there and saw me.
674: Can you identify the man that was there at your place? Is that the man that was there (pointing to Mr. Medrick of Jackson county, Missouri)?
Yes sir, that was the man.
675: He is the man that was at Ogden and saw you?
Yes sir.
676: State who Agnes Smith was?
I think I have stated that. She was the wife of Don Carlos Smith.
677: Whose wife was she at the time that you lived with her?
She was Joseph Smith’s wife.
678: Well how do you know what?
679: Now Mrs. West you may answer the question?
She told me herself she was. Her husband she said wished her to marry Joseph and she did so.
680: That is all
681: Did you say that Agnes Smith was the widow of Don Carlos Smith?
Yes sir.
682: Did you also say that she was the wife of Joseph Smith?
Yes sir she was after Don Carlos died.
683: How do you know she was?
She told me so herself.
684: Did Joseph ever say she was?
No sir. I never heard Joseph say anything about it.
685: Did Joseph ever stay with her there?
I don’t know.
686: Well you stayed there, and you ought to know something about it if he did?
Yes sir, I was there but I don’t know about that.
687: Did you ever know of his staying with here there?
All that I
know about it is what I told you. She told me that she was married to Joseph Smith, and she said it was the wish of her husband, Don Carlos that she should marry him.
688: Do you know when her husband Don Carlos Smith died?
No sir, but I think it was in 1841.
689: Were you acquainted with Don Carlos Smith?
No sir, he died before I came here to Nauvoo.
690: Then you never saw him?
No sir not to say that I saw him. I saw his skeleton, but I never saw him when he was in life.
691: You did not see even that for years and years after he died did you?
After Joseph was murdered in 1844, -they took his body up to remove it, and I think that was in 1844.
692: And he had been dead then for ten or twelve years hadn’t he?
No sir.
693: How do you know he had not been dead that long. He died after, – I mean before you came to Nauvoo, and how do you know how long he had been dead?
Well ten or twelve years before that they were not at Nauvoo, and i was told that he died I think it was in 1841.
694: He died while you were in England?
Yes sir. I think so. I was not at Nauvoo any way, and I guess I was in England.
695: Well what did Agnes Smith tell you about it?
She did not tell me anything more than I have told you
696: Where is Agnes Smith now?
In her grave.
697: Was she in polygamy too?
She was.
698: How do you know she was?
Well that is what she told me.
699: Who did she marry?
Joseph Smith.
700: Did she ever marry any body else?
Not that I know of.
701: Did she come west with the church?
Yes sir she did, –
702: Did he come too?
Who?
703: Did William Pickett come on to Salt Lake also?
Yes sir, but I think he went on to California, and did not stop here.
704: I guess that is all.
705: Can you remember the name of the man that askd you to come down besides, – what was his name.-the name of the man on your cross examination that you stated asked you if you knew any thing about plural marriage at Nauvoo during the life tie of Joseph Smith?
Shirtliff?
706: Well who else asked you to come down here besides him?
Well I don’t remember his name but I have heard it too It was this gentleman (Mr Hedrick) but I don’t remember his name.
707: Mr Hedrick what is your name?
708: That man there (Mr Hedrick) is the man that came down to see you is he not?
yes sir.
709: Mr Hedrick came up to Ogden to see you did he?
Yes sir.
710: Well that was very kind of him I must say?
Yes sir he came to Ogden, -at least I suppose it was him that was there,-it was man that looked very much like him if it was not him.
712: That is all.
713: State what you know if anything, Mrs West, in regard to a revelation given, or claimed to have been given by Joseph Smith on the subject of Plural marriage?
714: The question calls for your personal knowledge Mrs West, and not for anything you may have heard?
715: State what you know about that? You understand he question do you not?
I don’t know that I do.
716: I asked you to state what you knew about any revelation that was given to Joseph Smith, or claimed to have been given by him prior to the time of his death on plural marriage?
Well what I know about it is this, – Hyrum Smith came into our house, –
717: Well just state whose house that was?
I said he came into our house, but it was Agnes Smith’s house, and she had I lived together, and he said that there was a revelation, and I told him that I would very much like to read the revelation that Joseph had received on plural marriage, and he said I will go over there and get the revelation for you. Now I don’t know that he told us of it or not, but I think he did, – at any rate I know thee was a revelation for Joseph had told me before that time that there was you know. Well he said he would go over and get it for us to read, and he went over and came back in a little while and he looked very sober, and I asked him, said I, “What is the matter”, – what is the matter? Can’t you get it”, and he said “no, Emma took it out of Joseph’s
pocket last night and burned it”, and so I did not get to read the revelation although I was very anxious to do so.
718: Who was Lyman Smith?
I don’t know.
719: Were you talking about some one that you did not know anything about?
I did not say anything about Lyman Smith.
720: Who was it that you said you asked to see the revelation?
Oh, I said Hyrum Smith.
721: You said something about “Emma”. Now what Emma was that?
That was Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph the prophet. That was Joseph’s first wife.
722: That is the one you referred to?
Yes sir. We always called her “sister Emma”. She was the one that Hyrum said had taken this revelation of out Joseph’s pocket and had burned it.
723: Who was that “Hyrum” you spoke of?
He was Hyrum Smith the brother of the prophet, that was martyred at the same time that Joseph the prophet was.
724: Hyrum Smith, – that was the brother of the prophet?
Yes sir.
725: Who was killed at Carthage at the same time that Joseph Smith was?
Yes sir. They were both murdered in cold blood at the same time, – shot down without mercy.
726: He was one of the first Presidents of the church?
He was one of the first Presidency, and he was killed at the same time that Joseph was.
727: Now do you say that Hyrum Smith was there talking to you about that plural wife question?
Yes sir. Well he came into our house and I asked him about it.
728: Whose house did you say that was?
It was Agnes Smith’s house, but I say “our house” because I stopped there.
729: Well you say that he came in there to talk to you about marrying him?
No sir, I did not say that. I said nothing of the kind.
730: Well he came in to talk religion to you?
No sir he did not.
731: Well what did he come in there for?
He came in there just as any neighbor would to chat and talk with us and pass the time away, for we were very sociable there at that time, and are yet.
732: Yes I would fancy you were from what I have heard, – very much so? He came in there frequently did he not?
Quite frequently I remember of his being there several times, – for I remember distinctly of my, – of his being there one time when he told us that Emma had come over to plural marriage. He told us that and said that she had sent for him to come and seal women to Joseph and he had done so.
733: Well I object to that answer of the witness. It is a voluntary statement of the witness, and is not responsive to any question, and is hearsay and incompetent, and for that reason I move to strike it from the record for these reasons.
734: Now when do you say that it was that Hyrum Smith told you that?
When he told me that?
735: When do you say it was that Hyrum Smith told you that Emma had come over to plural marriage and had sent for him to seal women to Joseph as plural wives, and he had done so?
I don’t remember the time.
736: That was after the revelation was burned up was it not?
I don’t know when the revelation was burned. I didn’t see it burned but Hyrum said that Emma had burned it.
737: Well he told you that Emma had come over to plural marriage, and had allowed or consented to Joseph taking plural wives, after the revelation had been burned?
When he told me about sealing the women to Joseph?
738: Yes ma’am?
Yes sir I suppose it was, – it was after he spoke about it I know. Emma thought a good deal of Joseph and she believed about all he said, and he finally won her over to the plural wife doctrine, so Hyrum said.
739: Well Emma did not tell you that herself did she?
No sir.
740: Nor did Joseph Smith?
No sir.
741: You said that she thought a good deal of Joseph, -?
I meant to say Hyrum, – if I said Joseph it was a mistake for I meant to say Hryrum.
742: Well then you say she thought a good deal of Hyrum?
Well she always did.
743: You were at Emma’s house frequently were you not?
Yes sir, quite often.
744: You lived with her?
No sir, I was there quite frequently, but I did not live in the same house with her.
745: Well you lived with her just the same as you lived with William B. Smith did you not?
No sir.
746: You lived at the same time that she did did you not?
Yes of course I did.
747: Well that is the way you lived with William is it not, – you lived at the same time that he did, and consequently lived with him? Is that not what you said a while ago? You do not care about answering that question, – well very well let it go. Now you said that Hyrum went over after the revelation for you to read?
Yes sir.
748: And when he got over there he found out he could not get it, and he came back looking pale, and sick didn’t he?
He looked downcast, – I don’t know that he looked pale and sick, but he looked downcast.
749: And he looked troubled?
He felt sorry that it was burned.
750: And they did not have any copy?
Yes sir they did.
751: You are sure of that?
Yes sir.
752: Well did he say so?
No then he did not.
753: He said that Emma burned it?
Yes sir.
754: And he did not know that there was a copy then?
No sir.
755: And consequently he felt bad?
he seemed to.
756: Did not his looks show that he felt bad?
Well his looks showed he felt sorry.
757: How do you know that Hyrum afterwards knew there was a copy?
I don’t know as he did know it, but I did. I did not know my self at that time that there was a copy of the revelation but I learned afterwards that there was.
758: How did you know it? Did you ever see it?
No sir, I never
saw it that I remember of.
759: How did you know tht it was copied, -that there was a copy made of it, if you never saw it?
Well I know it.
760: I know that is what you say, but I want to know how you know it?
Well I know it as I know many other things.
761: You know it because somebody told you so?
Yes sir I was told that William Clayton had the copy. I was told so now mind you but I never saw it, but I don’t think there is any doubt but that there was a copy made of it.
762: You know that just as well as you know about the sealing to Joseph? Somebody told you about it, and that is all you know about it?
Yes sir. Hyrum told me about that.
763: About what?
He told me about the sealing of wives to Joseph.
764: Well is that your own personal knowledge or is it hearsay from Hyrum?
It is from Hyrum.
765: You know then, bout the copy of the revelation in the am manner as you know about the sealing, -Hyrum told you about the sealings and Clayton told you about the copy.
No sir he did not. I did not say that he told me about the copy.
766: Clayton did not ell you about the copy?
No sir.
767: Who did?
I don’t remember..
768: But Hyrum did tell you about the sealing?
Yes sir.
769: You never saw that copy of the revelation in your life, did you?
No sir. I never did.
770: Well it was Clayton’s copy of it that was saved from destruction
Yes sir I think it was Clayton’s.
771: And you swear to that positively?
I swear positively that I heard that Clayton made the copy and I understood that was the copy that was preserved.
772: Now don’t you know that Kingsbury swore on the witness stand here that he wrote that copy himself and after he wrote it it was delivered to Hyrum, and he had the copy?
No sir, I don’t know anything about that.
773: Well now did not Hyrum have the copy?
What copy?
774: The copy of the revelation
I don’t know anything about it at all.
775: You do not know anything about the copy of your own knowledge?
No sir.
776: Nor do you know anything of your own knowledge about the original?
The original what, -is it the revelation you mean?
777: Yes madam?
No sir, I never saw it in my life, and I don’t know anything about ti.
778: Well them what makes you say yhere was a revelation? Is it because somebody told you so?
Well I heard there was and I believe there was one.
779: You never saw it?
No sir.
780: And you never read it eitehr?
No sir.
781: And no body ever read it to you?
No sir.
782: You never saw the paper it was on?
No sir. I couldn’t see it for it was burned.
783: And nobody ever told you what was in it?
Well yes, I heard what was in it.
784: Then you don’t know of your own knowledhe that there was ever such a revelation or a copy of it either do you?
I believe
there was.
785: But do you know it to be a positive fact of your own knowledge?
I did not see it.
786: Then you don’t know of your own knowledge that there was one, or a copy.
No sir, of course if it come to that I don’t for I did not see them, but I believe it all the same.
787: You do not know that there was either an original of that alleged revelation or a copy of it ever made, aside from what somebody else told you?
Aside from what Joseph Smith told me himself about the original I do not.
788: What did he tell you?
He told me that he had that revelation on plural marriage.
789: Did he ever tell you there was a copy of it made?
No sir, he did not tell me that.
790: did he tell you that he had the revelation written out?
No sir for he did not know that it was written out at that time.
791: No I guess not, and nobody else knew it either I guess?
I don’t know about that, but I think he did not know there was a copy of it written out. I don’t know about that though, for he might have know it.
792: Now what makes you say that Hyrum did not know that there was a copy of it written out, when Clayton and Kingsbury say that there was a copy of it made, and that Hyrum had the copy made?
Well I don’t know anything about what he knew. I am speaking of the time I talked with him.
793: He did not have it done after it was burned up?
No sir. I can’t say about what he knew then, but I don’t think he knew of the copy at the time. He might have known it, but I don’t think he did.
794: he could not have a copy of it after it was burned up could he?
Well I told you,-
795: Well never mind what you told me, but answer my question,-Hyrum couldn’t have a copy of it made after it was burned up, could he?
No sir, but if another person had on unknown to him, he could see that and know what it was, and then he would know there was a copy.
796: Well was there two revelations on that question of plural marriage?
No sir.
797: The how could Hyrum have a copy made after it was burned up?
I don’t know.
798: Had it been written out or copied before Hyrum went after it to get it to read to you and Agnes Smith?
I guess it had. It must have been.
799: Well do you know anything about that?
No sir. I am only telling what I know about it.