Murder of Parley P. Pratt

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Requiem

DarkBritches, there is sunshine in your soul today. You are correct. I fear the rising generation of the Church will not be allowed to understand the truth of MMM and learn from it. We do not preach infallibility. Were there leaders involved? Yes - although no conclusive evidence of Brigham Young's direct involvement. The flames of the MMM were fanned by the killing of Parley P. Pratt (in Arkansas) in May 1857 by the husband of the woman he married (how about that polyandry). Pratt's wife made it back to the SLC valley on July 23 and related the story of the murder of her influential apostle husband. There was a thirst for revenge, plain and simple. We can learn much in the way of temperance and wisdom from this. MMM does not diminish the truthfulness of the Church, it reminds us of the fallibility of man.

I didn't know much of PPP's death and didn't even know there was a scandal about it with a polyandrous wife. Requiem's comment prompted me to snoop around to read about it. Found some anti-Mormon stuff on it. Also found this:

http://jared.pratt-family.org/parley...hen-pratt.html
(but left out the actual murder)
http://www.shareyourstate.com/arkansas/prattmemory.htm
(summary of version above but includes the murder scene)

Interesting stuff and a good read. If this account is true, the whole thing follows the simple model:

1. LDS church teaches a simplistic or partially untrue or exagerrated version of a story (PPP is murdered by being shot in the back by an anti-Mormon. No reference to real death blow of stab in the chest or reference to the years of back story between PPP and his murderer and his wife)

2. Anti-Mormon version fills out some historical details of the story but only enough to villify Mormons. (PPP was killed by a jealous husband of the polyandrous wife--his 9th--he stole away.)

3. More detailed version shows PPP was not really such a bad guy after all. Eleanor, the wife, had tried unsuccessfully for years to leave her alcoholic husband or get him to sober up. He never did. He beat her, and tried to get her locked up in an insane asylum. She found LDS missionaries and joined the church. LDS actually told her to be respectful of her husband and try not to upset him with LDS worship as he was livid over her conversion. PPP befriends her as a priesthood leader but apparently nothing sordid going on. This takes place over a period of years. Finally her husband steals her kids away. She lives alone for some time and considers herself divorced though not officially. She goes to Utah. Marries PPP. She goes back to steal back her kids. Husband is enraged. Sets out to kill PPP and his ex-wife. PPP endures a sham trial over the episode and is acquitted. Husband chases down unarmed PPP and kills him.

This whole deal, if I interpret it correctly, kind of goes to the SIEQ innoculation theory that we ought to just teach the correct, detailed version instead of the glossed over version.

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by jay santos

3. More detailed version shows PPP was not really such a bad guy after all. Eleanor, the wife, had tried unsuccessfully for years to leave her alcoholic husband or get him to sober up. He never did. He beat her, and tried to get her locked up in an insane asylum. She found LDS missionaries and joined the church. LDS actually told her to be respectful of her husband and try not to upset him with LDS worship as he was livid over her conversion. PPP befriends her as a priesthood leader but apparently nothing sordid going on. This takes place over a period of years. Finally her husband steals her kids away. She lives alone for some time and considers herself divorced though not officially. She goes to Utah. Marries PPP. She goes back to steal back her kids. Husband is enraged. Sets out to kill PPP and his ex-wife. PPP endures a sham trial over the episode and is acquitted. Husband chases down unarmed PPP and kills him.

This whole deal, if I interpret it correctly, kind of goes to the SIEQ innoculation theory that we ought to just teach the correct, detailed version instead of the glossed over version.

Agreed. This one does follow the pattern pretty well, and your summary of the episode in point 3 sounds about right in terms of what I remember. Also, I recommend the following article:

Pratt, Steven "Eleanor McLean and the Murder of Parley P. Pratt" (1975) 15:2:225, BYU Studies.

http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/do...OPTR=448&REC=8

[Jeff Lebowski]

Interesting summary. Thanks for posting that, Jay.

[Archaea]

What happened to Hector McLean? Was he convicted for the murder?

[DrumNFeather]

I haven't read Pratt's biography by Scott & Maureen Proctor...has anyone here?

Does the book address his murder at all? I'd be interested to know what stance the book takes.

[creekster]

I am a product of not paying toom uch attention in sunday school and yet I was aware fo the facts of version three. Not sure how I knew this, but it would seem that someone attempted to 'innoculate' me in the past, at least as far as Bro. Pratt. SO, the truth is out there.

[All-American]

One other interesting bit. Brigham Young had advised Parley to leave the situation alone. Parley didn't leave the situation alone.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by DarkBritches

better to own your history than someone else. I didn't know this about elder Pratt. I don't know much about him, except I hear his name and that he was a great missionary.

So, oh great police of the cream, are you LDS? I thought you said you were but you know very little about Mormon History and luminaries. If you're a recently baptized member, then forgive my question. Just curious.

[JohnnyLingo]

Thanks for the post, Santos. I'd never really heard either side of the story before... only that Pratt had been shot and killed. I appreciate it.

[Archaea]

What happened to Hector?