FEMALE LIFE AMONG THE MORMONS;
A Narrative of Many Years’ Personal Experience. By the Wife of a Mormon Elder Recently From Utah.
This is an anonymously written book, purportedly penned by a Maria Ward (please see the author information below). Published by J. C. Derby; New York. Copyrighted and printed in 1855. It is the first edition of the earliest and perhaps the single most important novel written to oppose polygamy in Utah.
This was a phenomenally popular book in the third quarter of the 19th century with over 40,000 printed by 1856. Although purportedly a “true account” it is in fact a fictional novel of a young woman who married a Mormon elder and learns about polygamy the hard way. Unfortunately, no matter how you feel about Mormons or polygamy, the book is shot through with historical inaccuracies by someone who was not familiar with Mormons or their history.
Anti-Mormon writings were popular during a surge of religious fervor in mid 19th century America. This resurgence of Christianity whipped up a reaction to the growing secularism and industrialization that frightened many. It was accompanied by a spike in religious intolerance aimed at all religious minorities including Catholics, Jews and Mormons.
The first edition of this work was illustrated with a fanciful frontispiece of Salt Lake City only. As time went on and the book went into subsequent printings and editions the number of illustrations increased, many rather lurid and with some, in the 1856 printings, being hand-colored.
There was no Maria Ward. It was claimed that the author was most likely Cornelia Ferris, wife of Benjamin Ferris. Benjamin Ferris was appointed Secretary to the Territory of Utah in 1852, and he traveled there with his wife spending about six months among the Mormons. From his Utah experience, Ferris wrote the 1854 book Utah and the Mormons, and his wife published her letters from this period in the 1856 book The Mormons at Home. These books were influential in building opposition to Mormonism in the American public.
However, in a 2008 episode of the PBS series The History Detectives Tukufu Zuberi had access to software used to compare the writing in books to be able to attribute or dismiss authorship. The program analyzes 900 of the most common words from each text, and compares how often they’re used. They compared “Female Life Among the Mormons,” to those other books on Mormons written by Cornelia and Benjamin Ferris. The results left no doubt. It was highly unlikely that Benjamin or Cornelia Ferris wrote the book.
At this date no one knows who the author was.
DESCRIPTION:
449 pages
7 3/4 x 5 1/2 inches
First edition hardcover
CONDITION:
This book is in very good condition with some restoration. All work was done conservatively with no use of acidic papers, pastes or tape.
This book has been rebound and recased into its original cover. The spine ends and joints have been repaired. The corners of the book have been stabilized and repaired. The cloth of the book shows its age with soiling and small holes in places. The spine has had some of the gilding refreshed. The original endpapers were retained and similar paper hinges were used. There is rather heavy foxing and toning throughout the book. One or two pages show archival repairs to small tears. All pages, illustrations, endpapers, etc. are present with the book.
BECAUSE MEDIA RATE SHIPPING IS FREE ON THE BOOKS I SELL, COMBINE THIS WITH OTHER ITEMS FROM MY EBAY STORE.
I AM AN EXPERIENCED EBAY SELLER (23+ YEARS) AND SHIPPER WITH 100% (always!--since 1997!) FEEDBACK RATING.
ALL ITEMS ARE CAREFULLY AND SECURELY PACKED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE DANGER OF CRUSHING AND OR WATER/MOISTURE DAMAGE. ALL BOOKS ARE SHIPPED IN STURDY BOXES WITH TRACKING AND DELIVERY CONFIRMATION INCLUDED.
I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE ALL OF THE BOOKS, AUTOGRAPHS AND SIGNATURES ON BOOKS I SELL.