Description

Do Nauvoo property deeds prove Joseph Smith’s early practice of polygamy? Could a married woman, like Emma Smith, own real estate in Nauvoo? Learn about the complexities of navigating Nauvoo property records, and why the dates (and names) on those deeds rarely tell the whole story. Explore how Hancock County deeds reveal the gap between practice and law regarding married women’s property rights, even after Mormons left the area. Deeds are often cited as proof of early Mormon polygamy in Nauvoo, but does that argument hold after a deeper analysis of the documents?

Mary Ann Clements is a trained genealogist and an independent historian. She enjoys using her genealogical skills to reveal stories of lesser-known figures and families in Mormon history. Her research interests also include Nauvoo counterfeiting and forged Missouri deeds. Mary Ann has been interviewed on the Sunstone Mormon History Podcast, Gospel Tangents, and Mormon Book Reviews.