revelations
received by Joseph the Prophet. As a matter of course I did not
carry out the orders of the Chief. I had him instructed in his
duty, and Mrs. Clawson's husband was never bothered by the
Danites. A few months after, I was sealed to my second wife. I
was sealed to her by Brigham, then one of the twelve.

In less than one year after I first learned the will of God
concerning marriage among the Saints, as made known by Him in a
revelation to Joseph, I was the husband of nine wives. I took my
wives in the following order: First, Agathe Ann Woolsey; second,
Nancy Berry; third, Louisa Free; fourth, Sarah C. Williams;
fifth, old Mrs. Woolsey (she was the mother of Agathe Ann and
Rachel A. - I married her for her soul's sake, for her salvation
in the eternal state); sixth, Rachel A. Woolsey (I was sealed to
her at the same time that I was to her mother); seventh, Andora
Woolsey (a sister of Rachel); eighth, Polly Ann Workman; ninth,
Martha Berry; tenth, Delithea Morris.

In 1847, while at Council Bluffs, Brigham sealed me to three
women in one night, viz., eleventh, Nancy Armstrong (she was what
we called a widow, that is, she had left her first husband in
Tennessee, in order to be with the Mormon people); twelfth, Polly
V. Young; thirteenth, Louisa Young (these two were sisters).
Next, I was sealed to my fourteenth wife, Emeline Vaughn. In 1851
I was sealed to my fifteenth wife, Mary Lear Groves. In 1856 I
was sealed to my sixteenth wife, Mary Ann Williams. In 1858
Brigham gave me my seventeenth wife, Emma Batchelder. I was
sealed to her while a member of the Territorial Legislature. In
1859 I was sealed to my eighteenth wife, Teressa Morse. I was
sealed to her by order of Brigham. Amasa Lyman officiated at the
ceremony. The last wife I got was Ann Gordges. Brigham gave her
to me, and I was sealed to her in Salt Lake by Heber C. Kimball.
She was my nineteenth, but, as I was married to old Mrs. Woolsey
only for her soul's sake, and she was near sixty years old when I
married her, I never considered her really as a wife. After 1861
I never asked Brigham for another wife. By my eighteen real wives
I have been the father of sixty-four children. Ten of my children
are dead and fifty-four are living.

To return to Nauvoo: The Prophet Joseph had written a letter to
Martin Van Buren, wishing to know his views in regard to the
grievances and wrongs of the Mormon people, and what would be his
action should he be elected