1880 MORMON - LATTER DAY SAINTS. Sworn Oath for Mormon Woman Against Polygamy.

A fascinating little piece of Americana and LDS history.

Polygamy was not "standard" practice in the LDS until the 1850's. Then, under Orson Pratt [1852], it was made an official tenet of faith. For four decades afterward it was promoted widely, especially among male spiritual and community leaders.

Though bigamy and polygamy had been illegal since the Morrill Act, it was largely untested in court and not enforced until the Edmunds Act [1882] which resulted in a 5 year felony sentence, and the later Edmunds-Tucker Act which required wives to testify against their husbands and swear an oath of non-bigamy, etc. 

The present printed "Oath for a Woman", pre-dated to "188....." was likely connected to the Edmunds and Edmunds-Tucker Acts.

It reads, in full:

 Territory of Utah, County of ................................. [Form of Oath for a Woman.]

I, ................................................................................. being first duly sworn (or affirmed) depose and say that I am over twenty-one years of age, and have resided in the Territory of Utah for six months, and in the precinct of ................................................ one month immediately preceding the date hereof, [and am a native born or naturalized, or the wife, widow or daughter (as the case may be) of a native born or naturalized citizen of the United States.] I do further solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am not a bigamist nor a polygamist; that I have not violated the laws of the United States prohibiting bigamy or polygamy; and I am not the wife of a polygamist, nor have I entered into any relation with any man in violation of the laws of the United States concerning bigamy or polygamy. 

.......................................................................................................

Subscribed and sworn to before me this .................................... day of ............................... 188........

Registration Officer for .............................................. Precinct. 

Note. - The Registration Officer, or his Deputy, will erase from the clause between [brackets] such parts as are not applicable to the case. In every case the female must swear that she is over twenty-one years of age, otherwise she must not be registered."

A bit unevenly trimmed, toned with light chipping at right edge.