Fanny Alger

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Fanny Alger

Summary: What do we know about Joseph Smith's first plural wife, Fanny Alger, whom he came to know in early 1833 when she stayed at the Smith home as a house-assistant of sorts to Emma (such work was common for young women at the time). There are no first-hand accounts of their relationship (from Joseph or Fanny), nor are there second-hand accounts (from Emma or Fanny's family). All that we do have is third hand accounts, most of them recorded many years after the events.

Jump to Subtopic:

• Fanny Alger was Joseph Smith's first plural wife
• Claimed miscarriage of child by Joseph
• Joseph Smith's Polygamy: "Fanny Alger", by Brian C. Hales

The fallibility of prophets

Summary: Are prophets considered infallible? Critics sometimes impose absolutist assumptions on the Church and hold inerrantist beliefs about scriptures or prophets. Critics therefore insist that any statement by any LDS Church leader represents LDS doctrine and is thus something that is secretly believed, or that should be believed, by Latter-day Saints.

Jump to details:

• Question: Do Mormons consider their prophets to be infallible?
• Question: Can a prophet make mistakes?
• Question: How is it possible for a Church leader or prophet to have been influenced by racism, yet be consistent with the Lord not allowing prophets to lead the Church astray?
• Neil L. Andersen (2012): "A few question their faith when they find a statement made by a Church leader decades ago that seems incongruent with our doctrine"
• "Approaching Mormon Doctrine," LDS Newsroom (May 2007): "Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine"
• Charles W. Penrose (1912): "Do you believe that the President of the Church, when speaking to the Church in his official capacity is infallible?"
• Question: How are Church members protected against error by leaders?
• Question: Should Church members simply have "blind trust" in their leaders?
• Question: Were Biblical prophets infallible?
• Question: How do Biblical prophets compare to modern prophets?
• Question: When, if ever, is it okay to disagree with Church leaders?
• Question: How does official teaching of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints view those that receive revelation that contradicts that of the Prophet?

Claimed miscarriage of child by Joseph

Summary: Two women are claimed to have had miscarriages of a child by Joseph Smith. There are serious problems with accepting either account as probable.

Joseph Smith's Polygamy: "Fanny Alger", by Brian C. Hales

Summary: The marriage of Joseph Smith to Fanny Alger, his first and only plural wife prior to the Saints settling in Nauvoo, has received much scrutiny.

(Click here for full article)

See also Brian Hales' discussion

An Overview of Joseph’s Plural Marriage to Fanny Alger	Researching the relationship between Joseph Smith and Fanny is difficult because of limitations in available documentation. Only nineteen manuscripts have been identified in the historical record discussing the occurrence either firsthand or secondhand. Unfortunately they contain contradictory and ambiguous statements.
Was Fanny Alger Joseph Smith’s Only Plural Wife in Kirtland?	After evaluating all available evidence, it appears that Joseph Smith had a relationship with a single woman (Fanny Alger) in Kirtland in the mid-1830s.
Were There Other Polygamous Marriages Prior to Nauvoo?	While several authors affirm that the Prophet was involved with other women during the 1836–1841 period, a review of the documentation raises multiple weighty concerns, suggesting that such allegations are not reliable.
The Joseph Smith–Fanny Alger Relationship­: Plural Marriage or Adultery?: FAQ