Polygamy's Genesis:  Examining Claims of an Early 1830s Polygamy Revelation

Authors

  • Gwendolyn Stevens Wyne Independent Researcher Author

Keywords:

Mormon Polygamy, Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST), Inspired Version of the Bible, D&C 132, D&C section headings, Joseph Smith

Abstract

This paper traces the historical claims that Joseph Smith received a polygamy revelation in 1831, or while translating the Bible, and examines the contemporary record to demonstrate that existing evidence does not reveal an emerging polygamous theology during the early 1830s. The treatment of polygamy in Smith’s translation of the Bible is thoroughly explored, as well as Smith’s concurrent revelations and teachings.  The influence of later legal challenges and ecclesiastical competition is also considered in the evaluation of the evolving narrative relating to an early 1830s polygamy revelation.

Author Biography

  • Gwendolyn Stevens Wyne, Independent Researcher

    Gwendolyn Stevens Wyne graduated in English from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and then went on to receive a Master of Library and Information Studies degree (MLIS) from UCLA. She was the Young Adult Librarian for the County of Los Angeles before becoming a full-time mother. In 2022 she published two papers on women's authority in the Latter-day Saint journal, SquareTwo. Her work on polygamy has been years in the making, with her most recent research being presented at the Journal of Mormon Polygamy conferences in 2025 and 2026. Two years ago Gwendolyn and her husband moved with their five children to Vienna, Austria, where she is currently digging out the hillside of her home in the hope that this year she can finally have a garden. 

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Published

2026-05-10

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Mormon Polygamy

Section

Articles