Comments on: The Architecture of Polygamy http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/ A Mormon Blog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:02:51 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: rfmwinnie http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133240 rfmwinnie Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:10:43 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133240 What I find interesting is how adding another wife is like the 1st wife getting married again -- you have to work out how to live and work with each other. I'm sure it is just like modern families. My family doesn't look like yours -- but we may have the same kinds of people in it (parents (husband,wife) sons or daughters ect). Our houses also may be totally different depending on personality. So too, some polygamous families may have thrived with everyone together while others did best with space and still others with some combo of both. Absolutely fascinating details though! This is my 1st visit here and this article really got my imagination going. What I find interesting is how adding another wife is like the 1st wife getting married again — you have to work out how to live and work with each other. I’m sure it is just like modern families. My family doesn’t look like yours — but we may have the same kinds of people in it (parents (husband,wife) sons or daughters ect). Our houses also may be totally different depending on personality. So too, some polygamous families may have thrived with everyone together while others did best with space and still others with some combo of both.

Absolutely fascinating details though! This is my 1st visit here and this article really got my imagination going.

]]> By: Ward Organist http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133241 Ward Organist Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:59:36 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133241 One immigrant Welshman among my ancestry had two wives. The family lived in one house in the Avenues in SLC. The husband sat at the head of the table. One wife sat on each side of him with her youngest next to her, then the next youngest, etc. I know many polygamous families had issues but this family got along well. The extroverted wife was largely in charge of cooking and the introverted wife was in charge of gardening and household animals. After the husband died, the two women lived together in peace and harmony for years. I'm sure like any of us, they had to work out the nitty-gritty details of life. But at least in this instance, the members of this family got along and several generations of descendants had contact and were friendly with each other. The family home was later divided into three or four apartments. One immigrant Welshman among my ancestry had two wives. The family lived in one house in the Avenues in SLC. The husband sat at the head of the table. One wife sat on each side of him with her youngest next to her, then the next youngest, etc. I know many polygamous families had issues but this family got along well. The extroverted wife was largely in charge of cooking and the introverted wife was in charge of gardening and household animals. After the husband died, the two women lived together in peace and harmony for years. I’m sure like any of us, they had to work out the nitty-gritty details of life. But at least in this instance, the members of this family got along and several generations of descendants had contact and were friendly with each other.

The family home was later divided into three or four apartments.

]]> By: bookwormmama http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133247 bookwormmama Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:30:41 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133247 fmhLisa- Here here! I heartily agree. I have to wonder... if one wife wanted to have a talk with the husband but was only the 2nd wife, did she have to wait to speak with the husband if the 1st wife wanted to speak with him privately first? And if the children had discipline issues that needed to be taken care of, which set of children were to be taken care of first or was it considered a family affair? Of course based on the seating arrangement in the house and the way the houses were laid out by rank, I am assuming it goes in rank order again based on which wife came first.... ugh. I can only imagine the discussions that may have evoked. Eek. So glad we don't practice polygamy anymore!! fmhLisa- Here here! I heartily agree. I have to wonder… if one wife wanted to have a talk with the husband but was only the 2nd wife, did she have to wait to speak with the husband if the 1st wife wanted to speak with him privately first?
And if the children had discipline issues that needed to be taken care of, which set of children were to be taken care of first or was it considered a family affair? Of course based on the seating arrangement in the house and the way the houses were laid out by rank, I am assuming it goes in rank order again based on which wife came first…. ugh. I can only imagine the discussions that may have evoked. Eek. So glad we don’t practice polygamy anymore!!

]]> By: fMhLisa http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133246 fMhLisa Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:27:27 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133246 Wow! So interesting. I know it's all my modern american bias, but I just hate the elitism of ranking that seems to be inseparable from the practice of polygamy. Issues! Wow! So interesting. I know it’s all my modern american bias, but I just hate the elitism of ranking that seems to be inseparable from the practice of polygamy. Issues!

]]> By: amri http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133245 amri Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:14:43 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133245 This is cool, thanks Kris. Humans are so petty anyway, I can't imagine the pettiness that comes from both sharing little space for that many people and having those people potentially ranked. Ugh. I know this was supposed to exist as a mirror of celestial life but it would have made me a very small-hearted, small-minded woman. This is cool, thanks Kris.

Humans are so petty anyway, I can’t imagine the pettiness that comes from both sharing little space for that many people and having those people potentially ranked. Ugh. I know this was supposed to exist as a mirror of celestial life but it would have made me a very small-hearted, small-minded woman.

]]> By: Bob http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133258 Bob Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:06:40 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133258 Thanks for a very nice write up! Are we sure though that this was "venturing into uncharted territory"? Large and extended family were part of the 19th Century. As was having slaves or servants in the house. I don't think it was that unusual to have a second house built on an estate or ranch for newly married children, or the elderly. Thanks for a very nice write up!
Are we sure though that this was “venturing into uncharted territory”? Large and extended family were part of the 19th Century. As was having slaves or servants in the house. I don’t think it was that unusual to have a second house built on an estate or ranch for newly married children, or the elderly.

]]> By: Christopher http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133257 Christopher Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:32:07 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133257 I think my last comment got stuck in the spam filter (it included two links). I think my last comment got stuck in the spam filter (it included two links).

]]> By: Christopher http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133256 Christopher Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:30:54 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133256 Great stuff, Kris. Thanks. Quite a few gentile travelers to Utah in the late 1860s and early 1870s noted the presence of Brigham Young's newest home that was under construction, the magnificent <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/StateHistory/SouthTemple/photo?authkey=PxC2NQiI-so#5121663567814029298" rel="nofollow">Gardo House</a>, which was commonly referred to as "<a href="http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ut/saltlake/postcards/gardo.jpg" rel="nofollow">Amelia Palace</a>" because it was believed that Brigham was building it solely for the comfort of his favorite plural wife, (Harriet) Amelia Folsom. Great stuff, Kris. Thanks. Quite a few gentile travelers to Utah in the late 1860s and early 1870s noted the presence of Brigham Young’s newest home that was under construction, the magnificent Gardo House, which was commonly referred to as “Amelia Palace” because it was believed that Brigham was building it solely for the comfort of his favorite plural wife, (Harriet) Amelia Folsom.

]]> By: Tracy M http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133255 Tracy M Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:44:25 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133255 How very interesting. If I try, hard though it is, to imagine living polygamy, I know I would prefer a small house of my own, rather than the dorm-like set-up of Lion House. Economics be damned. How very interesting.

If I try, hard though it is, to imagine living polygamy, I know I would prefer a small house of my own, rather than the dorm-like set-up of Lion House. Economics be damned.

]]> By: Kevin Barney http://bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/11/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133254 Kevin Barney Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:46:28 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/02/the-architecture-of-polygamy/#comment-133254 Wonderful stuff, Kris! Wonderful stuff, Kris!

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