[BobS]

I heard plural marriage came about as a way to help another family survive in the frontier and wilderness when a husband died. People died young in the 1900s and life was not easy.

Is this accurate?

This Morman bash-fest is clearly being instigated.

[MHGinTN]

Plural marriage is a strawman raised to create dissension points. It is not relevant to Romney, unless the contrast of his one marriage so successful for so long is to be highlighted.

[Count of Monte Logan]

I think it was more a purely faith-based principle, but it probably had some practical benefits in the 1800s.

And I agree there will be some Mormons(even back then) that will abuse the practice such that it fits stereotypes at times. But in general, it was a practice of the Mormon church that was not evil, although the perception to others can be bad. Certainly today’s apostates in Arizona are turning it into a tragic legacy. But the main leaders of the church(Joseph Smith and Brigham Young) were men like the prophet Abraham..(in my opinion).

[Elsie]

I heard plural marriage came about as a way to help another family survive in the frontier and wilderness when a husband died.

So THAT's why all them other states but Utah had trouble being populated!