Davis County Ex-Mormon meetup Sunday Aug 8, 2025, 2:30 PM

Subject of Discussion: Marrying Wealthy Orphans: The Inheritance of Maria and Sarah Lawrence.
Edward Lawrence, a prosperous Latter-day Saint convert, died in 1839, leaving behind an inheritance, estimated at around $8,000 in English gold. In 1841, Joseph Smith got to be appointed legal guardian of the two very young orphaned Lawrence girls, 15 to 17 years of age. This role entrusted him with safeguarding their welfare and inheritance.
Rather than honoring the fiduciary duty that came with guardianship, Smith secretly married both Maria and Sarah in 1843. This dual role, guardian and husband, created an extraordinary ethical conflict of interest. As guardian, Smith held legal and financial control over the girls’ inheritance. As husband, he claimed spiritual authority over them, leaving the Lawrence sisters with few avenues for meaningful consent or redress. All links from Invitations.