Wife of Joseph Smith – Louisa Beaman

Louisa Beaman first met Joseph Smith in 1834, when she was 19 years’ old. Her family were early converts to Joseph’s church in 1829.  After Louisa’s father died, Louisa moved in with her sister Mary and brother-in-law Joseph Noble. In 1840, 35-year-old Joseph Smith taught Joseph Noble about plural marriage and asked Noble to help Smith live the principle by arranging a marriage with Noble’s 25-year-old sister-in-law Louisa.  Smith told Noble the words of the sealing ceremony, stating:

“In revealing this to you, I have placed my life in your hands, therefore do not in an evil hour betray me to my enemies.”

In April 1841, Louisa became one of Joseph Smith’s early plural wives, 2 years before Smith claimed to have received the revelation on plural marriage from God. Louisa’s marriage to Smith is notable because she was married to him outdoors, in public, but was disguised as a man during the ceremony. Joseph Noble proudly performed the ceremony, with Smith whispering the words for Noble to repeat.

Joseph Smith and Louisa spent the night of their wedding in Noble’s home and Nobel declared, under oath, that Joseph Smith followed his encouragement that they:

 “Blow out the lights and get into bed and you will be safe there.”

These facts indicate that Smith maintained a sexual relationship with Louisa.  After Smith’s death in 1844, Brigham Young married Louisa, until her death in Utah at the age of 35 of breast cander.  Later LDS faithful revered Louisa as Joseph’s first plural wife, and named Fort Louisa in Utah in her honor.

Louisa was 26 | Joseph was 36 | She was single | The marriage date is April 5, 1841