Fanny Stenhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fanny Stenhouse
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A Portrait of Stenhouse from her book "Exposé of Polygamy in Utah: A Lady’s Life among the Mormons" 1872
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| Born | Fanny Warn April 12, 1829 Saint Helier, Jersey. |
| Died | April 19, 1904 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | English/American |
| Spouse | |
Fanny Warn Stenhouse (born April 12, 1829 – died April 19, 1904) was an important early Mormon pioneer. She later left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Fanny became well-known for her 1872 book, Exposé of Polygamy in Utah: A Lady’s Life among the Mormons. This book shared her personal experiences as a wife within the Mormon community for over twenty years in the mid-1800s.
Contents
Fanny's Early Life and Journey
Fanny Stenhouse was born in Jersey, an island near France. When she was 15, she moved to France to teach English. She lived there for six years. When she returned to Jersey, she found that her parents and siblings had joined the Mormon faith.
At first, Fanny had doubts about the religion. But after a while, she decided to join the church herself. A few months later, in 1850, she got married.
Life as a Mormon Missionary
Fanny and her husband traveled around Europe, sharing the Mormon faith. They spent time in places like Switzerland. In 1859, they moved to New York, and then continued their journey to Utah. Fanny lived in Utah for 16 years.
During her time in Utah, Fanny started to have serious questions about some of the church's practices. She also began to doubt the honesty of the church's leader, Brigham Young. She felt he was too focused on his own interests. Because of her concerns, Fanny worked to move all of her family members away from Utah, except for her oldest daughter.
Speaking Out Against Mormonism
By September 1875, Fanny Stenhouse was in Melbourne, Australia. She gave lectures about the Mormon religion, especially focusing on her concerns about the practice of multiple marriages. In October 1875, she gave a lecture in Sydney titled Mormonism Exposed.
In February 1876, Fanny was back in Melbourne. She gave another lecture at the Athenaeum Hall, where she spoke about the problems she saw within Mormonism. She returned home in May 1876 on the SS Australia ship.
Fanny's Later Years
Fanny's husband, T. B. H. Stenhouse, was born in 1825 in Scotland. He started a French newspaper called La Reflecteur. In New York, he worked as a science writer for the Herald newspaper.
After moving to Utah, he started Salt Lake City's first daily newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. This newspaper was doing well. However, its articles were seen as too critical by the church leader. The leader then told people to stop buying the newspaper, and it eventually closed. After this, Fanny's husband left the church. He later became a postmaster in Salt Lake City and other places.
T. B. H. Stenhouse passed away on March 8, 1882, in San Francisco. Fanny and her husband had several children together. Their eldest daughter married Joseph Angell Young, who was the eldest son of Brigham Young.
