The Misinformation Around Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs Smith Young

[canard78]

In Bill Reel's thread about 'faith crisis training' a big topic of conversation is around the crisis of faith that comes from the realisation of how much misinformation is given from official church sources. Some of those who struggle interpret this as an intentional cover-up. Others see it as a reflection of limited information and best-intentions to promote faith.

Zina Huntington was an early LDS leader (3rd Relief society president). She was also a polyandrous wife of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. She was pregnant with her first child (from first husband Henry Jacobs) when she was married to Joseph Smith and pregnant with her second child when she was sealed for time to Brigham Young.

Here is the timeline:

March 7, 1841 marries Henry Jacobs

Oct 27, 1841 marries Joseph Smith (or is sealed to him, but not a temple sealing) but continues to live with Henry. Henry's awareness or ignorance of the marriage is open for the debate. Zina initially refused 3 advances from Joseph but eventually agreed after Joseph sent a message saying "Tell Zina I have put it off and put it off until an angel with a drawn sword has stood before me and told me if I did not establish that principle [plurality of wives] and live it, I would lose my position and my life and the Church could progress no further."

Jan 2, 1842 birth of first son (Zebulon William Jacobs), fathered by Henry Jacobs

Feb 2, 1846 sealed to Joseph Smith for eternity with Brigham Young acting as proxy.

Feb 2, 1846 sealed to Brigham Young for time with her father and also husband Henry Jacobs there as witnesses

February, 1846 Zina and Henry leave Nauvoo together as part of the treck west

March 22, 1846 birth of second son (Henry Chariton Jacobs)

April or May ??, 1846 Zina and Henry seperate. Debatable reasons. Some speculation on reasons (mission call, leader instruction, a unverified command by Brigham Young)

May 21, 1846 Henry called on a mission by Brigham Young to England

Aug 9, 1846 William (Zina's father, who she had been living with after Henry's mission call) dies

Henry would go on to complete his mission and enter polygamy himself. He was never divorced from Zina.

Zina and Brigham had a child, Zina Prescinda Young, in 1850.

All of that is already a little messy and uncomfortable. Lots of 'whys' in that. Why would a woman need to be married/sealed to Joseph when she had a faithful husband already? He was faithful at the time and able to serve a mission for the church. She was already pregnant on both occasions of the sealings to Joseph and Brigham, so no need to 'raise up seed.'

************************************

On the topic of official church misrepresentation, this statement in the Friend makes for uncomfortable reading:

The Huntington family, along with the rest of the Saints, moved many more times before they found a permanent home. Zina’s mother, who was also named Zina, died after the family moved from Missouri to Nauvoo. Zina’s father died in Iowa after the Saints were driven from Nauvoo.

Chariton Jacobs, Zina’s second son from her marriage to Henry Jacobs, was born in a covered wagon in a rainstorm on the bank of the Chariton River in Iowa. But Zina did not seem to “mind the difficult situation, for my life had been preserved, and my babe was so beautiful.”

After Henry deserted Zina and the two little boys, Zebulon and Chariton, she married Brigham Young and crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley with his family. A few years later a daughter, Zina Presendia Young, was born.

https://www.lds.org/friend/1989/02/zina-diantha-huntington-young-angel-of-mercy?lang=eng

There are several errors in this statement. Henry apparently did not "desert her" - he went on a mission. Brigham Young was sealed to her before, not after the second child was born and before any separation.

Her official LDS biography simply states:

Zina married Henry Bailey Jacobs on March 7, 1841. They had two sons but did not remain together. As a plural wife of Brigham Young, Zina had one daughter, and she raised four other children as her own after their mother died. Blessed with the gift of healing and limited medical training, Zina helped the sick and delivered countless babies. She died August 28, 1901, in Salt Lake City.

https://www.lds.org/callings/relief-society/relief-society-presidents/zina-h-young

There's no mention of Joseph Smith at all. The information about Henry is inaccurate and paints it as a "Brigham rescue of the poor abandoned single mother." Which is wrong.

Is this acceptable behavior from the church today? Is it an honest error on the part of the writer? Should this information be corrected? What should we make of the whole messy original events?

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zina_D._H._Young

https://www.lds.org/friend/1989/02/zina-diantha-huntington-young-angel-of-mercy?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/callings/relief-society/relief-society-presidents/zina-h-young

http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2006-fair-conference/2006-zina-and-her-men-an-examination-of-the-changing-marital-state-of-zina-diantha-huntington-jacobs-smith-young

http://en.fairmormon.org/Polygamy_book/Polyandry#Zina_Diantha_Huntington_Jacobs

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/SP82-3VK

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/SP8G-GJL

[ALarson]

Hi canard,

Good post. I believe that the whole Zina Huntington "case" is troublesome to many when they learn about it. I have to admit that it does still bother me and it's difficult to understand why Jacob was treated like he was. One has to wonder why he stayed with Zina as long as he did. I just have to believe and hope there is information and some details we don't know.

Also, some of the reasons given for Joseph Smith living polyandry don't seem to apply to this case (ie. Jacob was an active member of the church).

But the most troubling question I have is related to why Brigham Young entered into a polyandrous marriage with her when she'd already been sealed to Joseph and she was still with her legal husband (who was still an active member of the church). I do know that Zina had a say in all of this, but why would Brigham Young choose to marry her when he could only be sealed to her for time? This polyandrous marriage leaves me shaking my head (others do too actually....but this one makes no sense to me).

So far, no one has been able to give me a good answer as to why Brigham married her (when he couldn't be sealed to her).

[Darren10]

There are several errors in this statement. Henry apparently did not "desert her" - he went on a mission. Brigham Young was sealed to her before, not after the second child was born and before any separation.

Yes, he did serve a mission and yes, he did leave / abandon Zina. Henry met another woman and left Zina for that woman.

From your FAIR link:

Oliver’s diary records that Henry left Cambria, in the company of W.W. Phelps, on September 14, 1847.⁶⁰ Henry arrived in Winter Quarters near the middle of November. Mary Haskin Parker Richards records in her diary for November 16 that she “took supper and spent the Eve with Bro [Henry B.] Jacobs folks.”⁶¹ Henry spent the evening telling Mary about the Saints in her native England and her family. Mary also referenced the evening’s festivities in a letter to her husband, Samuel Richards, who was on a mission in England. She indicated that “last Tuesday eve I had a first rate visit with Bro H B Jacobs and his wife.”⁶²

Henry’s wife–the one that Mary refers to–is not Zina. Even though Zina was living in Winter Quarters at the time, the wife appears to be one that Henry married sometime between Oliver Huntington’s letter of August 27 and Henry’s arrival in Winter Quarters. Henry’s new wife was Aseneth Babcock,⁶³ a twenty-two year old widow and mother of a five-year-old son.⁶⁴

[CV75]

Is this acceptable behavior from the church today? Is it an honest error on the part of the writer? Should this information be corrected? What should we make of the whole messy original events?

With respect to the subject of faith crisis, are these the questions of a child in faith crisis? Or of a child who based his testimony on the Friend article in 1989 and later found some reason for controversy about it?

[ALarson]

Yes, he did serve a mission and yes, he did leave / abandon Zina. Henry met another woman and left Zina for that woman.

From your FAIR link:

Did Henry really abandon Zina or had he just entered into a polygamous marriage with Aseneth Babcock? Just curious...

[Darren10]

Did Henry really abandon Zina or had he just entered into a polygamous marriage with Aseneth Babcock? Just curious...

He left her.

[ALarson]

He left her.

Ok...thanks. I'm trying to read more about this and it does seem that prior to this, Zina had openly started living as Brigham Young's wife. Was she living with Brigham Young at this time, do you know?

Also, did Zina and Henry ever get back together after he entered into this polygamous marriage with Aseneth Babcock (which was his 2nd polygamous marriage, if I'm correct)?

[Nevo]

Yes, he did serve a mission and yes, he did leave / abandon Zina. Henry met another woman and left Zina for that woman.

Henry didn't leave Zina for "another woman." He had already submitted to priesthood authority and given up Zina to Brigham Young before he left on his mission. Furthermore, Zina's biographers note that by the time of Henry's engagement to Asenath Babcock, "Zina considered herself part of Brigham Young’s family" (see Martha Sonntag Bradley and Mary Brown Firmage Woodward, 4 Zinas: A Story of Mothers and Daughters on the Mormon Frontier [salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2000], 153).

[Darren10]

Ok...thanks. I'm trying to read more about this and it does seem that prior to this, Zina had openly started living as Brigham Young's wife. Was she living with Brigham Young at this time, do you know?

Also, did Zina and Henry ever get back together after he entered into this polygamous marriage with Aseneth Babcock (which was his 2nd polygamous marriage, if I'm correct)?

Zina was in Iowa while Brigham Young was in Utah. It was only after Henry left Zina that she moved into live with Brigham in Utah.

Henry and Zina never got back together. And you canot truly say that Henry was a polygamist since the government of Iowa was not entirely organized at the time thus no official means of legal divorce and since the government of Nauvoo at the time was disorganized / adandoned. So at that time divorce was a matter of declaration and both Henry and Zina seemd to accept Henry having left her.

[Darren10]

Nevo;

Thanks for that link. I'll read into it when I have more time. It looks informative.

[Calm]

But the most troubling question I have is related to why Brigham Young entered into a polyandrous marriage with her when she'd already been sealed to Joseph and she was still with her legal husband (who was still an active member of the church). I do know that Zina had a say in all of this, but why would Brigham Young choose to marry her when he could only be sealed to her for time? This polyandrous marriage leaves me shaking my head (others do too actually....but this one makes no sense to me).

So far, no one has been able to give me a good answer as to why Brigham married her (when he couldn't be sealed to her).

As part of the Levirate Marriages the Tweive offered to all of Joseph's wives after he died (my memory says, I am pretty sure this is on FAIR). The wives were able to choose if and to whom they were married where the man was seen as a stand in for Joseph.

Brigham married her because she was sealed to Joseph, not in spite of it. By doing so he assumed the responsibility for his dead 'brother's' wife (or wives, can't remember if he married more than one). Other of the Twelve did the same thing.

[ALarson]

Henry didn't leave Zina for "another woman." He had already submitted to priesthood authority and given up Zina to Brigham Young before he left on his mission. Furthermore, Zina's biographers note that by the time of Henry's engagement to Asenath Babcock, "Zina considered herself part of Brigham Young’s family" (see Martha Sonntag Bradley and Mary Brown Firmage Woodward, 4 Zinas: A Story of Mothers and Daughters on the Mormon Frontier [salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2000], 153).

Yes, I just read about that. It also appears that Brigham Young advised Henry to find another wife...but I'd like a better reference for that.

Most sources state that Zina started living openly as Brigham's wife after he sent Henry on a mission.

[ALarson]

As part of the Levirate Marriages the Tweive offered to all of Joseph's wives after he died (my memory says, I am pretty sure this is on FAIR). The wives were able to choose if and to whom they were married where the man was seen as a stand in for Joseph.

Brigham married her because she was sealed to Joseph, not in spite of it. By doing so he assumed the responsibility for his dead 'brother's' wife (or wives, can't remember if he married more than one). Other of the Twelve did the same thing.

Thanks calmoriah. I didn't mean to infer that anything was done "in spite of"....sorry if it appeared that way.

I do understand the marrying and assuming responsibility for a dead "brother's" wife, but wonder why Jacob just couldn't have done this since he was an active member of the church and Zina was pregnant with his child. But again, Zina did have a voice too.

Edited April 29, 2013 by ALarson

[CASteinman]

Is this acceptable behavior from the church today?

If it helps people -- yes.

[Calm]

Thanks calmoriah. I didn't mean to infer that anything was done "in spite of"....sorry if it appeared that way.

I do understand the marrying and assuming responsibility for a dead "brother's" wife, but wonder why Jacob just couldn't have done this since he was an active member of the church and Zina was pregnant with his child. But again, Zina did have a voice too.

I would assume that the 12 stood in a different relationship to Joseph than did Jacob. Levirate marriages could not be performed by anyone, it had to be the nearest kin. I don't remember if William, as the last brother of Joseph alive, was available...my memory says no, but the 12 would most likely have viewed themselves as close kid due to their sealings to Joseph, something that Jacob probably didn't have.

Zina could have refused the Levirate marriage of course as some wives did, but Jacob could not have stood in as Joseph's brother in my understanding.

Edited April 29, 2013 by calmoriah

[canard78]

He left her.

Can I get a CFR on that?

Are you saying that he had already left Zina and was no longer providing for her and his children when she married Brigham? What's your sources to say that he 'deserted' her?

[rpn]

1) The people who write manuals and online, often haven't done all the research. And as even this thread points out, it is easy to know some of the story and not know all of it.

2) There just isn't any way to figure this all out in today's world. Maybe someday we'll know, but we just don't have the information required to understand this, and it is not appropriate to ignore the fact that we cannot in 2013, impose our view on what happened.

[canard78]

Yes, he did serve a mission and yes, he did leave / abandon Zina. Henry met another woman and left Zina for that woman.

From your FAIR link:

Zina was already married to Brigham by then and had also moved into her father's house while Henry was serving a mission in England (having been sent by Brigham). There's also nothing in your source to say he provided no support (material or financial) to Zina. Having a second polygamous wife was (clearly) not considered deserting/abandoning the first. I don't know if the second wife was authorised and later in his life he was disciplined (??) for unauthorised polygamy practice. But that still isn't evidence he had deserted his wife BEFORE she married Brigham.

If some of the alleged comments made by Brigham after he married Zina about Henry having to clear out of the picture are true, it would be understandable that he'd be looking to move on.

But to imply she married Brigham because she had been deserted needs some stronger proof. Do you have it?

[blueadept]

Henry didn't leave Zina for "another woman." He had already submitted to priesthood authority and given up Zina to Brigham Young before he left on his mission. Furthermore, Zina's biographers note that by the time of Henry's engagement to Asenath Babcock, "Zina considered herself part of Brigham Young’s family" (see Martha Sonntag Bradley and Mary Brown Firmage Woodward, 4 Zinas: A Story of Mothers and Daughters on the Mormon Frontier [salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2000], 153).

Thanks for the link as this is my understanding of the role Henry Jacobs played in this. As a nevermo who wanted to understand my wife's LDS faith, this particular story was definitely a road block for me but I still respected my wife's testimorny regardless.

[canard78]

With respect to the subject of faith crisis, are these the questions of a child in faith crisis? Or of a child who based his testimony on the Friend article in 1989 and later found some reason for controversy about it?

That's not really the issue in hand. It's the question of what information the church provides about the third president of the Relief Society and whether they make any attempt to address the issue of her polyandry.

In trying to better understand the issue polyandry I looked up Zina on Wikipedia, fairmormon and lds.org (via google site search).

The first two sources are comprehensive and give a rounded view of the events. LDS.org is a series of ill-informed of incorrect articles. If I search today, not in 1989, the two quoted above and this one (https://www.lds.org/ensign/1984/03/great-grandmother-zina-a-more-personal-portrait?lang=eng) are the first three articles listed and the three most detailed I can find on lds.org.

Zina did record, rather matter-of-factly, some of the family’s considerable struggles to follow the Lord’s direction. The Prophet Joseph revealed that the Saints were to leave Kirtland for Far West, Missouri, for example.

But the article skipped the information about the 'struggle' to turn down Joseph 3 times before finally accepting.

Edited April 29, 2013 by canard78

[canard78]

With respect to the subject of faith crisis, are these the questions of a child in faith crisis? Or of a child who based his testimony on the Friend article in 1989 and later found some reason for controversy about it?

That's not really the issue in hand. It's the question of what information the church provides about the third president of the Relief Society and whether they make any attempt to address the issue of her polyandry.

In trying to better understand the issue polyandry I looked up Zina on Wikipedia, fairmormon and lds.org (via google site search).

The first two sources are comprehensive and give a rounded view of the events. LDS.org is a series of I'll-informed of incorrect articles. If I search today, not in 1989, the two quoted above and this one: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1984/03/great-grandmother-zina-a-more-personal-portrait?lang=eng are the first three results on her. None of them mention Joseph. All of them state or imply that she married Brigham after the birth of her two children from her first marriage.

The one I just quoted was written by a great-granddaughter who had access to Zina's letters/Journals and yet repeats the same misinformation as found in the others and makes no reference to the role of polyandry with Joseph.

ETA: I seem to have double posted but slightly different versions. Given CV75 has quoted the previous one I'll leave both.

Edited April 29, 2013 by canard78

[CV75]

But the article skipped the information about the 'struggle' to turn down Joseph 3 times before finally accepting.

Are you suggesting that the Friend article should have looked more like a Wikipedia or fairmormon article, and that faith crises have occurred because if this?

[Danzo]

You have higher scholarly expectations of the Friend than I do.

[omni]

This marriage is troubling in many ways. Even if you believe the premise that God commanded Joseph to marry 30+ women, he still violated many of the requirements for a polygamous marriage as outlined in D&C 132 61-63

https://www.lds.org/...dc/132?lang=eng

61-And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse ^aanother, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified...

63-But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to ^amultiply and replenish the earth...

The scriptures clearly state that in order to enter into a polygamous marriage the following must occur:

1. The additional wife must be a virgin, which Zina clearly was not.

2. The husband must first attempt to gain the consent of his first wife, which did not happen as Emma was not even aware of Joseph's polygamy until I believe 1843.

3. Once espoused she cannot be with another man or she will be destroyed. Zina still continued to live with William and was never destroyed.

4. The only justification I've seen for polygamy in the scriptures is to "multiply and replenish the earth" or "raise up seed". Clearly Zina needed no help with this as she was pregnant with William's child.

5. It is often stated that the sealings to Joseph were needed to for the wive's (and sometimes all of her family's) salvation. Why when she was already sealed to a righteous husband? Why the polyandrous marriage to BY if she was sealed to Joseph?

Edited April 29, 2013 by omni

[omni]

You have higher scholarly expectations of the Friend than I do.

I wouldn't say I have high scholarly expectations for the Friend, but I would say I have high truth expectations for any church publications whether it be the Friend or the Ensign.