Emma’s Desperation: The Poisoning Incident

 Emma’s Desperation: The Poisoning Incident

In the complex and often troubling marriage between Joseph Smith and his wife Emma, one of the most dramatic and revealing episodes is the alleged poisoning incident. This event, which is referenced in both Joseph Smith’s personal journal and a later address by Brigham Young, provides a glimpse into the intense stress, betrayal, and manipulation that characterized their relationship. As Joseph’s infidelities mounted—particularly his practice of polygamy, which involved taking multiple young wives without Emma’s knowledge or consent—Emma’s desperation grew. The poisoning incident shows how deeply Joseph’s betrayal affected her and how far she was pushed by his relentless infidelity and deceit.

The Alleged Poisoning: Joseph’s Account

On November 5, 1843, Joseph Smith recorded a chilling entry in his personal journal. According to Joseph, he became violently ill during dinner and suspected that Emma had attempted to poison him. His account describes sudden sickness and a deeply unsettling realization that he may have been intentionally poisoned.

"Rode out with my Mother & others for her health. Was taken suddenly sick at the dinner table. Went to the door & vomited. [Jaw]s dislocated—& raised fresh blood—every symptom of poison" 

(Joseph Smith’s journal, November 5, 1843).

It is crucial to examine this incident in the context of their marriage, which was far from the idealized union that the Church often portrays. By this point, Emma had endured years of emotional torment, particularly as Joseph increasingly pursued other women under the guise of “celestial marriage.” His constant infidelity and the manipulation of religious doctrine to justify his behavior would have been unbearable for any spouse, let alone one who was subjected to public humiliation and betrayal as her husband was marrying her friends behind her back.

Brigham Young’s Public Accusation

Brigham Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith as leader of the LDS Church, made a shocking public statement about Emma during a conference address in 1866. In his speech, Young accused Emma not only of attempting to poison Joseph but of making multiple attempts on his life.

.."To my certain knowledge, Emma Smith is one of the damnedest liars I know of on this earth; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman; but she will continue in her wickedness. 

Not six months before the death of Joseph, he called his wife Emma into a secret council, and there he told her the truth, and called upon her to deny it if she could. He told her that the judgments of God would come upon her forthwith if she did not repent. He told her of the time she undertook to poison him, and he told her that she was a child of hell, and literally the most wicked woman on this earth, that there was not one more wicked than she. 

He told her where she got the poison, and how she put it in a cup of coffee; said he 'You got that poison from so and so, and I drank it, but you could not kill me.' When it entered his stomach he went to the door and threw it off. He spoke to her in that council in a very severe manner, and she never said one word in reply. I have witnesses of this scene all around, who can testify that I am now telling the truth. Twice she undertook to kill him.”

(Brigham Young, 36th Semi-Annual Conference, October 6–8, 1866  ( 6-8 Oct 1866, 36th Semi-Annual Conference, Bowery, G. S. L. City. [Deseret News Weekly 15:364, 10/10/66, p 4-5 and 15:372, 10/17/66, p 4-5; MS 28:764, 774]))

Young’s statement is even more damning, as it suggests that Emma made repeated attempts to poison Joseph. Brigham Young's words reflect the extreme tension in Joseph and Emma’s marriage during the final years of Joseph’s life.  Apologists try to claim that Brigham Young held strong animosity toward Emma and so Brighams words should be seen in that light, however, there are far more witnesses and writings in Joseph’s own journal that corroborate these accusations.

Emma’s Breaking Point

By 1843, Joseph had married numerous other women—many of whom were young girls or Emma’s own close friends—without her consent. One of the most infamous episodes was Joseph’s secret marriages to Emily and Eliza Partridge, which Joseph then convinced Emma she could ‘choose’ wives for him and then he staged a ceremony to hide the fact that he had already married these young girls. Emma’s rage and despair at these betrayals cannot be overstated. She had attempted to navigate her role as Joseph’s wife while dealing with his manipulative and hypocritical behavior, but by 1843, it was clear that she could no longer tolerate his actions.

The poisoning incident symbolizes Emma’s desperation. It reveals a woman who had been pushed to the brink by a man who used his religious authority to justify his infidelity and deception. Emma had fought back against polygamy—she famously burned the original copy of Joseph’s so-called “revelation” on celestial marriage, which explicitly commanded her to accept his plural wives or face destruction.

"Emma took that revelation when Joseph was alive and put it in her pocket and said she would not accept it at all and she burned it up" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 17, p. 159).

Emma’s refusal to comply with Joseph’s demands was an act of rebellion against a man who had continually betrayed her trust and broken his marriage vows. In this light, the alleged poisoning incident can be seen as a reflection of her growing frustration and her feeling of being trapped in an unbearable situation.

A Marriage Shattered by Polygamy

The LDS Church’s portrayal of Joseph and Emma’s relationship as a loving and devoted marriage is a far cry from the reality that both Joseph’s journal entries and Brigham Young’s speeches reveal. Joseph’s unrelenting pursuit of polygamy shattered any semblance of a traditional marriage, leaving Emma in a state of emotional turmoil. She was expected to accept her husband’s infidelities under the guise of religious duty, but she continually resisted.

In Joseph’s own revelations, such as Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, God supposedly commanded Emma to accept all of Joseph’s wives or face destruction. The language of this revelation is nothing short of threatening, and it is clear that Emma was under immense pressure to comply with Joseph’s wishes, even as he repeatedly violated the sanctity of their marriage.

"But if she [Emma] will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God and will destroy her if she abide not in my law" 

(Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132:54)

These words, dictated by Joseph, show the extent of the emotional and spiritual manipulation that Emma faced. It’s no wonder, then, that she would have reached a point of desperation. The fact that such accusations were made about her attempts on his life, highlights the toxic and destructive nature of their relationship by the time of his death in 1844.

Conclusion

The poisoning incident between Emma and Joseph Smith reveals the dark reality of their marriage—one marked by betrayal, manipulation, and intense emotional suffering. Joseph’s infidelity, justified through twisted religious doctrines, pushed Emma to the brink of despair. The allegations of poisoning, recorded by Joseph in his own journal and later amplified by Brigham Young, underscore the extent to which their marriage had disintegrated by the end of Joseph’s life.

For too long, the LDS Church has attempted to whitewash this incident, portraying Joseph as the long-suffering husband and Emma as an irrational, bitter wife. But the historical record tells a different story—one in which Emma was the victim of her husband’s deceit and betrayal. Whether or not Emma attempted to poison Joseph, her desperation is understandable in the face of such relentless infidelity and emotional abuse.

Sources:

Joseph Smith, Journal Entry, November 5, 1843.

Brigham Young, 36th Semi-Annual Conference, October 6–8, 1866.

Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132.

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 17, p. 159.