One of these women officially his 19th wife though the number was. The title refers to her role as church leader brigham young s 19th living spouse, although she was reportedly the 27th woman to marry the president of the lds church and the founder of salt lake city. Ebershoffs book is a novel which parallels the stories of a modernday fictional 19th wife of a polygamist and the historical 19th wife of brigham young, who divorced him and became an ardent foe of polygamy. David ebershoff discusses the 19th wife, which explores the controversial early life of the church of latterday saints and in particular ann eliza young, 19th wife to brigham young, who was instrumental in ending the legal practice of polygamy in the usa david ebershoff discusses the 19th wife. Mormon polygamy grabbed the national spotlight in 1875 when prophet brigham youngs 19th wife, ann eliza, divorced him, wrote an expose about plural marriage and set out on a lecture tour. She received a divorce from brigham young in 1851 powers toyoung, 18 june 1851, brigham young papers. Ann eliza young was a plural wife of brigham young in the late 1800s. The 19th wife by david ebershoff the new york times. Ann eliza young was one of the many wives of brigham young, a mormon elder. This is the first series of the larger kane family papers vault mss 792, which primarily relate to thomas l.
Denning of manistee, michigan, a nonmormon and wealthy logger known to have only one arm. His fiction has won a number of awards, including the rosenthal foundation award from the american academy of arts and letters, the ferrogrumley award, and the lambda literary award. How did you first encounter the story of ann eliza young, the. The 19th wife intertwines ann elizas story with that of jordan scott, a young man whose mother, beckylyn, was the 19th wife of a presentday polygamist leader in utah. The sheer variety of brigham young s marriages makes it difficult to make sense of them. This is a memoir by the infamous 19th or 27th, but probably 52nd wife of brigham young, second prophet and leader of the mormon church, originally published in 1875. After rebelling from mormon teachings, rejecting the idea that god intends men to have plural marriages, and divorcing her husband, ann eliza toured the country, speaking, writing, and campaigning to end. Interspersed with this murder mystery is a historical narrative about ann eliza young, the 19th wife of brigham young, which takes place in the late 1800s. She published two memoirs about her experience as a plural wife and became one of the leading public speakers of her day. The novel centers around the story of ann eliza young, who, in the 1800s, was married to the. Ann elizas memoir was a sensation when she wrote it, as she was already famous from the series of lectures she. Jan 02, 2009 over a century earlier, ann eliza young, the nineteenth wife of brigham young, prophet and leader of the mormon church, tells the sensational story of how her own parents were drawn into plural marriage, and how she herself battled for her freedom and escaped her powerful husband, to lead a crusade to end polygamy in the united states. Ann eliza young was well the 19th wife of brigham young, the second prophet of the mormon church, the supposed hero who led his chosen people, like moses of old, through the frontierlands of america in the middle of the 19th century, to finally settle in. David ebershoff is the author of the novels the 19th wife, pasadena, and the danish girl, and a shortstory collection, the rose city.
It is 1875, and ann eliza young has recently separated from her powerful. Inspired by the life of ann eliza young, the novel intertwines a historical narrative with a modernday murder mystery. David ebershoff is the author of the novels the 19th wife, pasadena, and the. Sweeping and lyrical, spellbinding and unforgettable, david ebershoffs the 19th wife combines epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery to create a brilliant novel of literary suspense. Polygamy was terminated by the mormons in 1890, but finally banned in 1904 by the threat of excommunication, though not for any existing polygamous. Sweeping and lyrical, spellbinding and unforgettable, david ebershoff s the 19th wife combines epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery to create a brilliant novel of literary suspense. After reading the 19th wife by david ebershoff, i had to read this book. Tom perry special collections is pleased to announce the availability of a new digitized collection. Ann eliza young nee webb was one of brigham youngs many wives and later a critic of polygamy and a u. Young, ann eliza brigham youngs 19th wife young, brigham big mormon pictures and descriptions w indicating picture. Ann eliza young, born in 1844, was the 19th wife of brigham young, wellknown leader of the early mormon church and husband to 55 women. Aug 05, 2008 sweeping and lyrical, spellbinding and unforgettable, david ebershoffs the 19th wife combines epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery to create a brilliant novel of literary suspense. The 19th wife it is 1875, and ann eliza young has recently separated from her powerful husband, brigham young, prophet and leader of the mormon church.
The sheer variety of brigham youngs marriages makes it difficult to make sense of them. He married was sealed to, in mormon parlance young clarissa decker, 15 and old hannah tapfield king, 65. A television movie adaptation aired on lifetime on september, 2010, starring matt czuchry, patricia wettig, and chyler leigh. Ebershoffs book is a novel which parallels the stories of a modernday fictional 19th wife of a polygamist and the historical 19th wife of brigham young, who. After reading the 19th wife by david ebershoff, i wanted to read this book as it was a major source for his novel. At the same time, there is another thread running in this book, the story of another 19th wife, ann eliza young, who married brigham young and then squared off against him and the whole polygamy issue publicly. The 19th wife intertwines ann elizas story with that of jordan scott, a young.
Thats what david ebershoff strives to explore in his new novel, the 19th wife, in which he tries to inhabit the mind and times of ann eliza young, who. At the end of the 19th century, ann eliza young, the 19th wife of mormon leader brigham young, embarked on a onewoman crusade to end polygamy in america. Brigham young married many women, some more by force than by choice. So off he trots to utah to see his mother and then gets involved in trying to prove her innocence. The 19th wife book jefferson county public library. Inspired by the life of ann eliza young, the novel intertwines a historical narrative with a modernday murder. Ann eliza young was well the 19th wife of brigham young, the second prophet of the mormon church, the supposed hero who led his chosen people, like moses of old, through the frontierlands of america in the middle of the 19th century, to finally settle in utah. Expelled and an outcast, ann eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the united states. One is the real historical figure ann eliza young, who was decades younger. Aug 12, 2008 the 19th wife in question is based on the reallife ann eliza young, a strongwilled wife of brigham young who, in 1873, revolted against the indignities and hypocrisy of polygamy. The book that she wrote, wife number nineteen, was it considered to be. He was the second president of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church from 1847 until his death in 1877.
June 1, 1801 august 29, 1877 was an american religious leader, politician, and settler. Ebershoff adroitly gives the reader an understanding of a world of faith and love most of us can not comprehend, and he writes stunningly, with. Profile for brigham young from the 19th wife page 1. One of these women officially his 19th wife though the number was probably much higher rebelled. Ann eliza thought of herself as the 19th wife, and this was where she fell by brighams count as well. Ann eliza young s sensational insiders expose of polygamy was originally published in 1876. The history of polygamy in the mormon church intertwines the story of ann eliza young, the nineteenth wife of brigham young, and a modern mystery in which a polygamous man has been found murdered and one of his wives is accused of the crime. It is 1875, and ann eliza young has recently separated from her powerful husband, brigham young, prophet and leader of the mormon church. The autobiography was the basis for irving wallaces 1961 biography the twentyseventh wife and for david ebershoffs 2008 novel the 19th wife. The 19th wife in question is based on the reallife ann eliza young, a strongwilled wife of brigham young who, in 1873, revolted against the indignities and hypocrisy of. Kane, son of judge kane, and thomas wife elizabeth. The 19th wife on apple books apple books apple apple.
He juxtaposes the world of modern polygamous families down on the remote utaharizona line with the life of a junior wife of 19thcentury mormon patriarch brigham young. Character list edit jordan scott is the son of beckylyn scott who is accused of killing jordans father. Aug 31, 2008 brigham young married many women, some more by force than by choice. The title refers to her role as church leader brigham youngs 19th living spouse, although she was reportedly the 27th woman to marry the president of the lds church and the founder of salt lake city. Over a century earlier, ann eliza young, the nineteenth wife of brigham young, prophet and leader of the mormon church, tells the sensational story of how her own parents were drawn into plural marriage, and how she herself battled for her freedom and escaped her powerful husband, to lead a crusade to end polygamy in the united states. Her life, including her very public divorce and attack against celestial marriage which spurred the passage of the poland act, and ultimately forced the lds church to ban the practice, is the basis for david ebershoffs third historical novel the 19th wife. Ann eliza youngs sensational insiders expose of polygamy was originally published in 1876.
Mormon polygamy grabbed the national spotlight in 1875 when prophet brigham young s 19th wife, ann eliza, divorced him, wrote an expose about plural marriage and set out on a lecture tour. Brigham young was probably the most oftmarried man in 19thcentury america. Brigham youngs wives and his divorce from ann eliza webb. Aug 04, 2008 the 19th wife intertwines ann elizas story with that of jordan scott, a young man whose mother, beckylyn, was the 19th wife of a presentday polygamist leader in utah. Some say ann eliza young was not brigham youngs 19th wife but actually the 27th, or possibly even the 52nd or 56th. Oct 27, 2012 brigham young was probably the most oftmarried man in 19th century america.
She was the 19th, or possibly 27th, wife of brigham young, the second president of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, having married him when he was 67 years old and she was a 24 year old divorcee with two children. It is 1875, and ann eliza young has recently separated from her powerful husband, brigham young. Photo of jerry chamberlin outside cabin near dayville, or courtesy of author. Faith, i tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain. Young, brigham, 18011877, mormons publisher hartford. The history of polygamy in the mormon church intertwines the story of ann eliza young, the nineteenth wife of brigham young, and a modern mystery in which a polygamous man has been found murdered. After her divorce from brigham young in 1875, ann eliza married 53yearold moses r. To expand on his concept, he alternates the first person account of ann eliza young, who was in fact the 19th wife of mormon prophet brigham young, with a murder mystery that involves a young gay man, jordan scott, whose mother is accused of killing his father.