Wife No. 19: Or, the Story of a Life in Bondage, Being a Complete Exposé of Mormonism, and Revealing the Sorrows, Sacrifices and Sufferings of Women in Polygamy (With signature of Ann Eliza Young on a slip of paper tucked in)

Hartford, Connecticut: Dustin, Gilman & Co, 1876. Early printing. Leather Bound. Very Good -. 605pp. Large octavo [22.5cm]. Full brown leather. Rebacked, with the original spine laid over. Raised bands. Black leather title label with gilt stamped lettering. Modern endpapers. Bumping and scuffing to edges and corners. The textblock is cracked at the verso of the frontispiece and has begun to detach from the spine at foot, but the overall binding is quite strong and tight. Originally published in 1875. Heavily illustrated.

With signature of Ann Eliza Young on a thin slip of paper tucked in. The signature states: "Most Cordially Yours Ann Eliza Young." Signature trimmed close along the edges.

Ann Eliza Young is also known as "Wife No. 19," or the 19th wife of Brigham Young. Her parents were early adopters of Mormon polygamous practices. Her father took a second wife in 1845, when Ann Eliza was still a baby. The family followed the pioneer trail, relocating from Nauvoo to the Utah territory in 1846. After a short, failed marriage, 24-year-old Ann Eliza married 67-year-old Brigham Young. Historians dispute whether she was the 19th woman to wed Young, with many considering Ann Eliza to be his 27th bride. She was unhappy in the marriage, filing for divorce after only four years. The divorce proceedings garnered international interest, and led to her excommunication from the church. Subsequently, Ann Eliza began a national tour, speaking out against polygamy, Mormonism and Brigham Young. She also published two popular autobiographies, including this title. Her story directly contributed to increasing national interest in wiping out the practice of polygamy, which ultimately led to the 1890 Manifesto outlawing the practice within the church.

Flake 10047.