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John Cook Bennett (August 4, 1804 – August 5, 1867) was an American physician and briefly a ranking and influential leader of the
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...
, who acted as mayor of
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its h ...
, and Major-General of the
Nauvoo Legion The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized Latter-day Saints Militias and Military Units, militia of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States from February 4, 1841 until January 29, 1845. Its main function was the defense of Nauvoo and surrounding Latte ...
in the early 1840s.


Early life

John Cook Bennett was born on August 4, 1804, in
Fairhaven, Massachusetts Fairhaven (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a New England town, town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzz ...
. He married Mary A. Barker. He worked as a physician in
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
and helped found Willoughby Medical College.


Early Latter-day Saint

Bennett's involvement in the
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...
came after several encounters with the community that had left him impressed. He wrote several letters to
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...
in
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its h ...
, in which he declared his desire to join the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian restorationist Christian denomination and the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. Founded dur ...
. He was baptized into the church in September 1840. Prior to his baptism, he had expressed his intentions to join the growing body of Latter Day Saints in Nauvoo. His wife, Mary Barker, and their children did not accompany him. Bennett was essential to the passing of the Nauvoo city charter, the provisions of which he had helped craft, in the Illinois Legislature. He even garnered praise for his lobbying efforts from the young
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
. His efforts on behalf of the Mormons and the long time he spent living in the Mansion House in Nauvoo secured Bennett the confidence of Smith. Smith was instrumental in promoting Bennett to greater civic and ecclesiastical responsibilities in Nauvoo. Bennett became a Counselor in the
First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...
, according (''Times and Seasons'', Vol. II., No.12, page 387) on 7 Nov. 1841, as "Assistant President, until President Rigdon's health should be restored," and the mayor of Nauvoo, General of the
Nauvoo Legion The Nauvoo Legion was a state-authorized Latter-day Saints Militias and Military Units, militia of Nauvoo, Illinois, United States from February 4, 1841 until January 29, 1845. Its main function was the defense of Nauvoo and surrounding Latte ...
, and the chancellor of University of Nauvoo.


Leaving the Latter-day Saints

Bennett left the church for
adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...
on May 11, 1842. Rumors of adultery,
homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...
, and unauthorized
polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...
emerged. Contemporary sources indicate that Bennett used his trusted position as a doctor to allay fears of women he attempted to seduce by telling them that he could cause abortions by administering medicine if they became pregnant. While Bennett was mayor, he was caught in private sexual relations with women in the city. He told the women that the practice, which he termed " spiritual wifery", was sanctioned by God and Smith and that Smith did the same. When discovered, he privately confessed his crimes, produced an affidavit that Smith had no part in his adultery, and was disciplined accordingly.


Later life

After Bennett left Nauvoo in May 1842, he claimed he had been the target of an attempted assassination by Nauvoo
Danite The Danites were a fraternal organization founded by Latter Day Saint members in June 1838, in the town of Far West, Missouri, Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri. During their period of organization in Missouri, the Danites operated as a vigila ...
s, who were disguised as women. In July 1842, he wrote a series of letters to ''The Sangamo Journal'', accusing Smith of conspiring to assassinate former Missouri Governor Boggs. In late 1842, Bennett published ''History of the Saints: Or, An Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism'', accusing Smith and his church of crimes including
treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...
,
conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...
to commit murder, prostitution, and adultery, with a preface that begins: "I have been induced to prepare and publish the following work by a desire to expose the enormous iniquities which have perpetrated by one of the grosses and most infamous impostors that ever appeared upon the face of the earth, and by many of his minions, under the name and garb of Religion, and professedly by the direct will and command of Almighty God." Through his newspaper writings and book, Bennett appeared to encourage Missouri's June 1843 attempt to extradite Smith to stand trial for treason. Ironically, Smith narrowly escaped extradition by virtue of the powerful Nauvoo charter for which Bennett had been a principal author. In the fall of 1843, Bennett visited George M. Hinkle, a Mormon who was
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
after surrendering Smith to the Missouri Militia in 1838. Bennett's subsequent letter to the editor of the ''Hawk-Eye and Iowa Patriot'' describing the Mormon "Doctrine of Marrying for Eternity" is the first of his writings that discusses eternal marriage, as compared to the free love/spiritual wife doctrine he previously accused Smith of practicing, in which sexual relations were not in the context of committed marriage. It is unclear whether Bennett learned of eternal marriage from Hinkle or from correspondents inside Nauvoo. Bennett briefly returned to Nauvoo in December 1843, but the sole record of that visit is a notation in Smith's daybook from his general store showing a payment of the rent Bennett owed for the 39 weeks he lived in the Mansion House in 1840 to 1841. After December 1843, Bennett is recorded to have lectured only once more against Mormonism during Smith's life in Boston during the spring of 1844. At the 1844 Boston lecture, Bennett was not well received: he was pelted with rotten eggs and chased through Boston by the "vast assemblage", which ran over several Boston police officers in the process. After Smith was killed by a mob in
Carthage, Illinois Carthage is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 2,490 as of the 2020 census. Carthage is best known for being the site of the 1844 murder of Joseph Smith, who founded the Latter Day Saint ...
, on June 27, 1844, Bennett surprised many by returning briefly to Mormonism and joining forces first with
Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He ...
and then with
James Strang James Jesse Strang (March 21, 1813 – July 9, 1856) was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. He served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1853 until his assassination. In 1844, he said he ...
, two of several Mormons contending for leadership of the movement. Bennett united with the " Strangites", who founded their own Mormon community on Beaver Island in Michigan. While there, he founded a short-lived Halcyon Order of the Illuminati to reinforce Strang's power over his kingdom. With Bennett's enthusiastic support, polygamy was introduced into the Michigan Mormon community (this led to the dissent of anti-polygamists from Strang's faction & was a contributing factor leading to Strang's assassination). Shortly thereafter, in 1847, amid more charges of sexual misconduct, Bennett was excommunicated from the Strangite community. Bennett did not associate with any Latter Day Saint group for the remainder of his life. Bennett has been accused of having a part in Smith's murder, but, as his biographer Andrew F. Smith (no relation to Joseph Smith) states, based on the extant evidence, "Bennett appears to have had no influence on the events that unfolded in Carthage during June 1844." Bennett is often credited with introducing into Mormonism the term "spiritual wifery", the term he used for both his own practice of "free love" and for the Nauvoo practice of "
plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more ...
". The term was occasionally used by Mormon leaders such as
Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...
, who spoke of the shock he received when introduced by Smith to "the spiritual wife doctrine", referring to "plural marriage". One of Bennett's legacies was the conflation of "plural marriage" with "free love" in the popular imagination. The term "spiritual wifery", with its mixed connotations of
polygyny Polygyny () is a form of polygamy entailing the marriage of a man to several women. The term polygyny is from Neoclassical Greek πολυγυνία (); . Incidence Polygyny is more widespread in Africa than in any other continent. Some scholar ...
and promiscuity, was frequently used in the national dialogue and in activism against Mormon polygamy.


Legacy

Bennett's troubled relationship with the Mormons has overshadowed his other notable activities, including commanding a company for the Union in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. Beginning in 1835, Bennett was an early champion of the health benefits of the tomato; a pioneer in the use of
chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane (often abbreviated as TCM), is an organochloride with the formula and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and po ...
as an anesthetic, publishing his findings in 1848; and the creator of several breeds of chicken, including Plymouth Rock fowl, which he exhibited in Boston in 1849. From 1830 to 1846, Bennett worked to establish institutions of higher learning, many of which were medical colleges. Bennett's practice of "selling diplomas" clouds that achievement, and only one educational institution survived Bennett's connection with it. Bennett left behind an extensive body of letters and published works on his various endeavors, including two books, ''History of the Saints'' and ''The Poultry Book''. Bennett died in 1868 in
Polk City, Iowa Polk City is a city in Polk County, Iowa, Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6533 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from 2,344 in 2000 United States Census, 2000. It is part of the Des Moines, Iowa, Des M ...
.


Notes


References

* * *


External links


John C. Bennett's ''History of the Saints''
(1842) *
Biography
at Joseph Smith Papers Project website *
History of the Bennett Trial Manuscript
L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library,
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

John C. Bennett report to Nauvoo Legion on mutiny charge for George Schindle and Alva Tippetts
L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University
Research materials relating to John Cook Bennett
L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University , - , - ! colspan="3" style="border-top: 5px solid #FABE60;" , Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints titles {{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, John C. 1804 births 1867 deaths American Latter Day Saints Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) members Converts to Mormonism Counselors in the First Presidency (LDS Church) Critics of Mormonism Doctrine and Covenants people Former Latter Day Saints Illuminati LGBTQ and Mormonism Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) Mayors of Nauvoo, Illinois Mormonism-related controversies Nauvoo Legion People excommunicated by the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) People excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) People from Fairhaven, Massachusetts Religious leaders from Massachusetts Rigdonites