Some Saturday nights you fall down the rabbit hole of the sordid tale of John Q. Cannon, then in the Presiding Bishopric and son of First Presidency Counselor George Q., cheating on his wife, Annie Wells, with her sister, Louie Wells, daughter of RS leader, Emmeline B. Wells. /1
What's remarkable is this took place in the 1880s, so they could have just plurally married, but decided, "nah, we'll just have an affair." Cannon was an editor of the Deseret News at the time, and the affair was exposed by the Salt Lake Tribune editor, Joseph Lippman. /2
At one point, Cannon confronted Lippman on the street and punched him square in the jaw and then beat him with a whip. He then had to publicly confess the affair from the Salt Lake Tabernacle Pulpit, and was excommunicated. /3
When they discovered Louie was pregnant, John divorced Annie so he could marry her sister. They were both brought to trial for cohabitation (the legal charge for polygamy), but after they were let go, Louie fled for California to escape the spotlight. /4
Shortly after arriving, though, Louie delivered a stillborn child, and then died a few weeks later from complications.
John Q. was then rebaptized within two years, remarried Annie, and they had *nine* more children. /5
John Q. was then rebaptized within two years, remarried Annie, and they had *nine* more children. /5
It's hard to overstate what a public spectacle this was: a salacious affair involving two of the most prominent Mormon families, all playing out in the press. Yet the scandal can distract from Louie's tragic death. /6
Anyways, Mormon history is fascinating. For those interested, here is an article that gives the whole overview: jstor.org/stable/2329049…
