Wife, No. 19 [Paperback]

Ann Eliza Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2003

The story of a life in bondage, being a complete expose of Mormonism, and revealing the sorrows, sacrifices and sufferings of women in polygamy, by Brigham Young's apostate wife. Born and reared in the midst of the Mormon people, it was inevitable that Mrs. Young would accept their practices and beliefs. After breaking away from the Mormon faith, she endeavored to expose everything, to show the sorrows of the women she left behind. This is her story, considered an important mission she had to carry out, as only could be written by one who spent her life immersed in Mormonism.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ann Eliza Young (nee Webb) (1844 - date unknown) was one of Brigham Young's fifty-five wives and later a critic of polygamy. She spoke out against the suppression of women and was an advocate for women's rights during the 19th century.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 628 pages
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing, LLC (March 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0766140482
• ISBN-13: 978-0766140486
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #606,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars heart wrenching autobiography, May 14, 2005

By 

BakerBella (CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Wife No. 19. (American Women: Images and Realities) (Hardcover)

Autobiographies of polygamist women who leave the faith in the 19th century are hard to find and I treasure this one. The book is written by Ann Eliza Webb, wife of Brigham Young, who leaves the faith and exposes the world of Mormon polygamy. Many women were victims to the abusive "highest principle" of the Mormon faith.

I have trouble reading some of the negative reviews from people calling this victim "disgruntled" or expecting too much from her marriage. Here is a woman who was born & raised into a polygamous family and indoctrinated into a religion that teaches she will be damned to hell if she leaves the church, and makes unimaginable sacrifices in living her religion. She was brave enough to escape and apostatize from the faith, losing her eternal salvation and even risking her life.

It's interesting that a victim of religious coerced polygamy has her story labeled as fiction and lies by some reviewers. Would these same Mormons judge the current FLDS polygamist women who escape and tell their stories as liars and disgruntled?

What I found fascinating was her steadfast faith in God, despite the indoctrination she was forced to deprogram herself from. She spent the rest of her life educating the public about the abuse of living in the culture of 19th century Mormon polygamy.


This is not a book for exact historical dates or statements (she is not a historian) but an excellent book for what polygamy was really like for the women behind closed doors. The messages they gave in public forums were for the church and encouraged by the leaders. Having a first hand account of living "the principle" in 19th century Mormonism makes this book very unique.

I highly recommend the books "Mormon Polygamy" by Richard Van Wagoner or "In Sacred Loneliness" by Todd Compton for further information on Mormon Polygamy.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 19th Century Expose of Polygamy, June 6, 2008

By 

A reader (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wife No. 19 (Paperback)

Ann Eliza Young was a 19th century LDS woman who was born into the second generation of Mormon polygamy. One of the most heart-wrenching parts of the book recounts how her mother heartbrokenly went from being her father's only wife for years before polygamy was introduced, to being only one of his wives, after church leaders pushed polygamy on their congregation.

Mrs. Young (she was married to Brigham Young himself) finally decided to escape and speak out against the polygamist lifestyle she and so many other women in her community found devastating. Although the book was written well over a century ago, it exposes many of the same problems as contemporary polygamy memoirs (such as Escape, Shattered Dreams and His Favorite Wife, all of which I recommend). These are:

1. The lower status of women in polygamist society;

2. Men (even wealthy men) who do not provide financially for their huge plural families;

3. Lack of education, and children pressured to quit school early and work to support and care for their father's plural families;

4. Pressure on women to marry against their will;

5. Physically and/or emotionally abusive behavior of husbands whose religion and community give them total power over their wives;

6. Husbands who dote on favorite wives while neglecting the others;

7. Unhappy households that feature intense jealousy and competition among plural wives;

8. Most of all, the profound and lasting pain felt by good, loving women whose religion and community compel them to share their husbands (they are told there is no way to heaven except through polygamy).

This is an excellent primary source about early Mormonism in general (it contains a first-generation family narrative that describes the church's history) and polygamy in particular. Highly recommended to anyone interested in either subject.

37 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, True Mormon History, September 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Wife No. 19. (American Women: Images and Realities) (Hardcover)

Having grown up in Utah I have always had a romantically clowded historical view of the Mormons, (as conveyed by the Mormons of course). My eyes were wide throughout this book as I turned page to page I have read other accounts of Mormon history with none being as honest as this. And to think this "land of Zion" was built upon such evil and hypocricy If you have ever lived and learned in the state of Utah, I strongly reccommend this book. I personally will never look at the LDS Church the same again, and I don't think you will either.