John J Hammond

Swimming in Deep Water John J Hammond

This is the eighth volume of an epic series on family and Mormon history, covering the year 1842. Joseph Smith Jr. married at least thirteen more plural wives, all the time publicly denying the accusation in ex-Mormon John C. Bennett's expose, that he was a polygamist. This, as well as the rapidly expanding Mormon militia army (the Nauvoo Legion) and Nauvoo authoritarianism, contributed to growing anti-Mormon sentiment in the region. Charged with 1838 Missouri "crimes" (he had escaped from jail there) and the 1842 attempted murder of ex-Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, Smith went underground to avoid extradition. Also in this volume, the author's very young great great grandfather Francis (Frank) A. Hammond went to the South Atlantic on his first whaling voyage (1840-41), experienceing two mutinies and moving up from able seaman to steward in his whaleship "White Oak's" maritime pecking order.