Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

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_Imwashingmypirate
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Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Imwashingmypirate »

http://www.restorationbookstore.org/articles/nopoligamy/jsfp-vol1/chp9.htm

I know that when I write a journal, there are things I wouldn't put in there, especially if it were something to be kept a secret. Why would a good friend who repected Emma and Joseph milk the gossip for what it's worth?
Just punched myself on the face...
_moksha
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _moksha »

June 20, 1842: Eliza's father, Oliver Snow, became so distraught about events connected with Dr. John C. Bennett that he left Nauvoo and the Church, and moved seventy-five miles away to Walnut Grove, Illinois (Beecher, Ensign 9 [June 1980]: 67). Eliza's mother and brothers went also, but Eliza chose to stay at Nauvoo even though no other member of her family was living there.


So Oliver Snow became distraught at John C. Bennett's polygamizing? Bereft of a family, Eliza chose to stay in Nauvoo, instead of being a Mormon in Walnut Grove with the rest of the Snows. What could have been her motivation? Was she sweet on somebody in Nauvoo?
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_Gazelam
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Gazelam »

Moksha,

So Oliver Snow became distraught at John C. Bennett's polygamizing?


Bennet was guilty of alot of nasty things. His apostacy was a big one, and no doubt stirred up alot of emotion.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
_Gazelam
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Gazelam »

Pirate,

The stories about Emma pushing Eliza down the stairs is a bogus story. it comes from second and third hand accounts told years later. Emma was a sort of villian in the early days of the church for her not coming with the saints to Utah. So a few hard stories grew up around her name without due cause.

Emma and Eliza were close friends. Eliza moved out of the Smith home because of Josephs mother moving in. Both women loved Joseph deeply, and Joseph loved them. There is no reason to believe that Emma attacked Eliza. It was all gossip and rumor undeserved and spurious.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
_Inconceivable
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Inconceivable »

Hi pirate,

Keep in mind that this book is written in defence of Joseph Smith's integrity as a monogomous man.

Interestingly, the author makes a strong case against the mistress Snow-Smith-Young being a door matt for the Joseph Smith. The author even goes on to relate that Snow-Smith-Young did not miss school (as a schoolteacher to Emma's children) the following day of the alleged pitch down the stairs and subsequent miscarriage. I can't imagine Elizabel feeling well enough to attend school after such a violent ordeal, can you?

I just happened to visit Nauvoo with my family a week after I read Smith Fought Polygamy. The stairs are just as the author states.

The Utah Mormons were damn liars and embellishers. Then again, so was Emma in her denial of the existance of her adulterous husband's secret sex life. You can't give Joseph III a pass either. I can't imagine he was ignorant of the facts though he spent his entire adult life refuting his father's extramarital affairs.

It's all bad fruit.
_Imwashingmypirate
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Imwashingmypirate »

moksha wrote:
June 20, 1842: Eliza's father, Oliver Snow, became so distraught about events connected with Dr. John C. Bennett that he left Nauvoo and the Church, and moved seventy-five miles away to Walnut Grove, Illinois (Beecher, Ensign 9 [June 1980]: 67). Eliza's mother and brothers went also, but Eliza chose to stay at Nauvoo even though no other member of her family was living there.


So Oliver Snow became distraught at John C. Bennett's polygamizing? Bereft of a family, Eliza chose to stay in Nauvoo, instead of being a Mormon in Walnut Grove with the rest of the Snows. What could have been her motivation? Was she sweet on somebody in Nauvoo?


She did marry Brigham Young, no?


Gaz,

Sometimes it is easy to think church leaders could never be so creul. Then dissapointment comes when you realise they could have been a bad person.

Church today was good. I had a long chat with a member about the questions I had. He asked me to write some of them down, so I shall do that perhaps later.

Inconceivable,

My point was, why did Eliza Snow let the rumours go on, she could have told people otherwise.
Just punched myself on the face...
_Inconceivable
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Inconceivable »

Imwashingmypirate wrote:Inconceivable,

My point was, why did Eliza Snow let the rumours go on, she could have told people otherwise.

Well, what value did it give her to tell the truth (whatever it was)?

She was barren. She was of little earthly value to a polygamist that righteously married to multiply and replenish the earth. Her falacious story demonstrated that Smith chose her in this life as a baby maker, not a whore.

She was one of over 40+ mistresses living in Brigham Young's personal brothel. What else could possibly earn her the seat next to young at the main dining table?

She needed an excuse for her biological shortcomings and the stairwell/miscarriage incident gave her the respect, notoriety and distinction she desired.
_moksha
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _moksha »

Imwashingmypirate wrote:
Church today was good. I had a long chat with a member about the questions I had. He asked me to write some of them down, so I shall do that perhaps later.



Let's hope that whatever you write, is not used against you in a Court of Love!

:biggrin:
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_solomarineris
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _solomarineris »

Gazelam wrote:Pirate,
Emma and Eliza were close friends. Eliza moved out of the Smith home because of Josephs mother moving in. Both women loved Joseph deeply, and Joseph loved them. There is no reason to believe that Emma attacked Eliza. It was all gossip and rumor undeserved and spurious.


Yea, of course Gaz,
You were there to it see all.
Me OTOH, just read Fawn Brodie and half dozen authors accounting Emma pushing Eliza down the stairs.
They must be lying and yours.....
could be a Faith-Promoting Rumor. (faith promoting rumor).
_Inconceivable
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Re: Did Emma really push Eliza downstairs?

Post by _Inconceivable »

Gazelam wrote:Pirate,
Emma and Eliza were close friends. Eliza moved out of the Smith home because of Josephs mother moving in. Both women loved Joseph deeply, and Joseph loved them. There is no reason to believe that Emma attacked Eliza. It was all gossip and rumor undeserved and spurious.

Gaz,

Have you ever seen the original mansion house?

Image
A gathering of people outside the Joseph Smith Mansion House in Nauvoo.. Finally Emma had her own home-with 22 rooms-who wouldn't have called it a "mansion?" Joseph would only live here 10 months and then be killed. By George Edward Anderson, 1907.


What you don't see is the other half that was removed years after the Nauvoo Exodus.

Dude. Which of the zillion rooms could this pettite little vixen not fit in?

Seriously, I can't imagine kicking my wife to the curb in exchange for my mom. I could see his logic in throwing out the mistress when mom showed up. Did Lucy ever know of her son's infedelities?

CFR on Eliza enjoying Emma's company (I mean, after she discovered Eliza was another one of the mansion's doormats).
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