The following notable Latter Day Saints are alleged to have practiced plural marriage prior to the 1844 succession crisis that followed the death of Joseph Smith, Jr..
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Joseph Smith, Jr.
(1805-12-23)December 23, 1805
June 27, 1844(1844-06-27) (aged 38)
American
Founding president of the Church of Christ, April 6, 1830 – June 27, 1844.
April 5, 1841
33
Founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Also Mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois (1842–1844) Though he is alleged to have married more than 30 wives before his death and to have taught the doctrine to his close associates, he denied the practice publicly, as did his wife Emma Smith and son Joseph Smith III. see Origin of Latter Day Saint polygamy
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Hyrum Smith
(1800-02-09)February 9, 1800
June 27, 1844(1844-06-27) (aged 44)
American
Assistant President of the Church, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., January 24, 1841 (1841-01-24) – June 27, 1844 (1844-06-27).
Latter Day Saint Apostle, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., January 24, 1841 (1841-01-24) – June 27, 1844 (1844-06-27).
Presiding Patriarch, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., September 14, 1840 (1840-09-14) – June 27, 1844 (1844-06-27).
Second Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., November 7, 1837 (1837-11-07) – January 24, 1841 (1841-01-24).
Assistant Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., September 3, 1837 (1837-09-03) – November 7, 1837 (1837-11-07).
August 11, 1843
2
Brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. Publicly denied practicing polygamy
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Brigham Young
(1801-06-01)June 1, 1801
August 29, 1877(1877-08-29) (aged 76)
American
2nd President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27) – August 29, 1877 (1877-08-29).
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 14, 1840 (1840-04-14) – December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, February 14, 1835 (1835-02-14) – December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Three Witnesses, February 14, 1835 (1835-02-14) – August 29, 1877 (1877-08-29).
April 5, 1841
55
Succeeded Smith as leader of the LDS church. Was also Governor of Utah Territory from February 3, 1851 to April 12, 1858. Is probably the most famous Latter Day Saint polygamist with 55 wives.
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Heber C. Kimball
(1801-06-14)June 14, 1801
June 22, 1868(1868-06-22) (aged 67)
American
First Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Brigham Young, December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27) – June 22, 1868 (1868-06-22).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, February 14, 1835 (1835-02-14) – December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Three Witnesses, February 14, 1835 (1835-02-14) – June 22, 1868 (1868-06-22).
1842
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Willard Richards
(1804-06-24)June 24, 1804
March 11, 1854(1854-03-11) (aged 49)
American
Second Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Brigham Young, December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27) – March 11, 1854 (1854-03-11).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., April 14, 1840 (1840-04-14) – December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., April 14, 1840 (1840-04-14) – March 11, 1854 (1854-03-11).
January 18, 1843
14
Richards was incarcerated in Carthage Jail with Joseph Smith, Jr., Hyrum Smith and John Taylor on June 27, 1844 when the jail was attacked by a mob and the Smith brothers were murdered.
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William Smith
(1811-03-13)March 13, 1811
November 13, 1893(1893-11-13) (aged 82)
American
Petitioner for Patriarchate (RLDS Church), called by Joseph Smith III, April 6, 1872 (1872-04-06) – November 13, 1893 (1893-11-13).
Presiding Patriarch (LDS Church), May 24, 1845 (1845-05-24) – October 6, 1845 (1845-10-06).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, May 25, 1839 (1839-05-25) – October 6, 1845 (1845-10-06).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, February 15, 1835 (1835-02-15) – May 4, 1839 (1839-05-04).
Latter Day Saint Apostle, called by Joseph Smith Jr., February 15, 1835 (1835-02-15) – October 6, 1845 (1845-10-06).
August 1843
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Brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Was removed from the Quorum due to apostasy May 4, 1839, but readmitted May 25, 1839. Was then excommunicated for apostasy in Oct 1845. Followed James J. Strang for a time, then started his own LDS Church in Covington, Kentucky. In later years he joined the Reorganized LDS Church (now Community of Christ) and was a petitioner for RLDS Patriarchate from April 1872 – 13 November 1893. Introduced polygamy to the Strangite Mormons. His Church in Covington, Kentucky, which also disintegrated after he introduced spiritual wifery into it. He always denied he and his brother Joseph had ever practiced or taught spiritual wifery or any other form of polygamy
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Thomas Bullock
(1816-12-23)December 23, 1816
February 10, 1885(1885-02-10) (aged 68)
English
Reporter and Member of the Council of Fifty, called by Brigham Young, December 25, 1846 (1846-12-25) – June 24, 1882 (1882-06-24).
Clerk in the Church Historian's Office, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., c. 1843.
January 23, 1843<
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Bullock also was a member of the Council of Fifty and a clerk in the Church Historian's Office.
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Orson Pratt
(1811-09-19)September 19, 1811
October 3, 1881(1881-10-03) (aged 70)
American
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, January 20, 1843 (1843-01-20) – October 3, 1881 (1881-10-03).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, April 26, 1835 (1835-04-26) – August 20, 1842 (1842-08-20).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Three Witnesses, April 26, 1835 (1835-04-26) – October 3, 1881 (1881-10-03).
March 10, 1843
10
Younger brother of Parley P. Pratt. Was excommunicated for apostasy Aug 20, 1842, but readmitted Jan 20, 1843. As a result, was given reduced seniority in Jun 1875. Last surviving member of the original Quorum. Under the direction of Brigham Young, he published The Seer. The Seer was a periodical published to defend the LDS church's practice of polygamy. Despite William Clayton claiming in his journal, first published in 1921, that she had been told of the revelation on polygamy on July 12, 1843, Emma Smith, Joseph Smith's widow, claimed that the very first time she ever became aware of polygamy being attributed to her late husband was 10 years later when she read about it in Pratt's The Seer in 1853.
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William Clayton
(1814-07-17)July 17, 1814
December 4, 1879(1879-12-04) (aged 65)
English
Member and Clerk of the Council of Fifty, March 11, 1844 (1844-03-11) – December 4, 1879 (1879-12-04).
April 27, 1843
10
Credited with inventing a version of the modern odometer. Smith dictated the 1843 revelation on polygamy to Clayton. (See Origin of Latter Day Saint polygamy)
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Orson Hyde
(1805-01-08)January 8, 1805
November 28, 1878(1878-11-28) (aged 73)
American
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, December 27, 1847 (1847-12-27) – April 10, 1875 (1875-04-10).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, January 14, 1846 (1846-01-14) – November 28, 1878 (1878-11-28).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, June 27, 1839 (1839-06-27) – January 11, 1846 (1846-01-11).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, February 15, 1835 (1835-02-15) – May 4, 1839 (1839-05-04).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Three Witnesses, February 15, 1835 (1835-02-15) – November 28, 1878 (1878-11-28).
April 1843
9
Was removed from the Quorum due to apostasy May 4, 1839, but readmitted Jun 27, 1839. As a result, was given reduced seniority on 10 Apr 1875. His wife Marinda allegedly married Joseph Smith in a polyandrous marriage while Hyde was on a mission to Jerusalem.
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Parley P. Pratt
(1807-04-12)April 12, 1807
May 13, 1857(1857-05-13) (aged 50)
American
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Three Witnesses, February 21, 1835 (1835-02-21) – May 13, 1857 (1857-05-13).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Three Witnesses, February 21, 1835 (1835-02-21) – May 13, 1857 (1857-05-13).
June 24, 1843
11
In 1857, on a farm northeast of Van Buren, Arkansas, Pratt was murdered by Hector McLean, the legal husband of one of Pratt's plural wives. Pratt is buried near Alma, Arkansas.
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Amasa Lyman
(1813-03-30)March 30, 1813
February 4, 1877(1877-02-04) (aged 63)
American
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 6, 1845 (1845-10-06) – October 6, 1867 (1867-10-06).
Counselor in the First Presidency, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., February 4, 1843 (1843-02-04) – June 27, 1844 (1844-06-27).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., August 20, 1842 (1842-08-20) – January 20, 1843 (1843-01-20).
Latter Day Saint Apostle, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., August 20, 1842 (1842-08-20) – October 6, 1867 (1867-10-06).
July 1843
9
Was temporarily removed from the Quorum of the Twelve due to the re-entry of Orson Pratt on January 20, 1843; Lyman was later readmitted on August 12, 1844. Lyman was excommunicated for apostasy on May 6, 1867.
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John Taylor
(1808-11-01)November 1, 1808
July 25, 1887(1887-07-25) (aged 78)
English
3rd President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, October 10, 1880 (1880-10-10) – July 25, 1887 (1887-07-25).
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 10, 1875 (1875-04-10) – October 10, 1880 (1880-10-10).
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., December 19, 1838 (1838-12-19) – October 10, 1880 (1880-10-10).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Joseph Smith, Jr., December 19, 1838 (1838-12-19) – July 25, 1887 (1887-07-25).
December 12, 1843
9
Was promoted to Quorum President when Orson Hyde was given reduced seniority. Had 34 children.
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Edwin D. Woolley, Sr.
(1807-06-28)June 28, 1807
October 12, 1881(1881-10-12) (aged 74)
American
1843
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Woolley was a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature in 1851.
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Erastus Snow
(1818-11-09)November 9, 1818
May 27, 1888(1888-05-27) (aged 69)
American
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Brigham Young, February 12, 1849 (1849-02-12) – May 27, 1888 (1888-05-27).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Brigham Young, February 12, 1849 (1849-02-12) – May 27, 1888 (1888-05-27).
April 2, 1844
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Was also a member of the Council of Fifty
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John D. Lee
(1812-09-12)September 12, 1812
March 23, 1877(1877-03-23) (aged 64)
American
Member of the Council of Fifty, called by Brigham Young 14 March and 11 April 1844., 1844 – March 23, 1877 (1877-03-23).
April 19, 1844
19
Was executed for his role in the Mountain Meadows massacre.
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Ezra T. Benson
(1811-02-22)February 22, 1811
September 3, 1869(1869-09-03) (aged 58)
American
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called by Brigham Young, July 16, 1846 (1846-07-16) – September 3, 1869 (1869-09-03).
LDS Church Apostle, called by Brigham Young, July 16, 1846 (1846-07-16) – September 3, 1869 (1869-09-03).
April 27, 1844
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Great-grandfather of the thirteenth president of LDS church, Ezra Taft Benson
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