Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy

Susan Schmidt offers a harrowing account of the life of a woman born into a Mormon cult. Married to one of the cult's leaders, she speaks of the hardships faced by plural wives and their never ending children while the husbands are off doing other things. Hunger, jealousy, neglect and privation are commonplace for the women belonging to this group with members living in Mexico, America and Canada and often moving between communities in all three countries. When leadership fractures, Susan and her children are thrust into what ultimately becomes an extremely dangerous climate until she is able to remove herself into mainstream life and escape the clutches of the cult. The murders are touched upon, but mostly this is the story of Susan, show more her life, marriage and subsequent defection. show less

This book is one of a few similar books I read back in October on various religions/faiths/cults, and didn't review at the time - mostly because books like this I have to think about for a little while in order to get my thoughts into place. It's always very difficult for me to review a biography or a memoir because I feel like I'm reviewing someone's life and how can anyone do that? Or be so bold as to do that?

Susan's story is about how she marries at age 15 to a man twice her age, who already has many wives, and continues to marry and have more and more children. Her husband at times seems evil and cruel, yet at others seems to genuinely care for Susan as much as he is able - which isn't much, considering all the other wives, show more children, and demands on his attention.

He (I feel bad, I can't remember her husband's name) continually puts his faith, his brothers, and himself before any of his wives, including Susan the so called favorite wife.

That being said, Susan does a great job showing you her life and her horrors, but letting the reader draw their own conclusions. She ends up leaving her husband and takes her kids with her, makes a few mistakes but ends up happily married at the end.

Anyone who is interested in learning about other cultures or faiths should read this one. show less

Susan Ray was only 15 when she fell in love with Verlon LeBaron, 23 years her senior. He also already had five other wives. They were part of the FLDS (the polygamous Mormons). Verlon’s brother, Ervil, tried to win Susan away from Verlon, but lucky for Susan (in a way), she realized something was “off” and went back to Verlon. Once Susan and Verlon got married, though, Verlon was rarely home as Susan tried to get along with Verlon’s other wives, tried to feed herself (and later on, her multiple children) and get (rare) time with Verlon. Verlon was also in a bit of a power struggle (within the church) with Ervil, as Ervil lured more people (including some of Susan’s family) away in order to help with his “blood atonement” show more (that is, murders).

The vast bulk of the book was while she was part of the FLDS. I would have liked a bit more about her life after she left, but this was really just a chapter or two toward the end of the book, but I did appreciate that she also brought the reader up to date on many of the other people she knew and mentioned in this book. I have read a few other books about the LeBarons, but they must have been long enough ago that I didn’t remember a whole lot about this part of the FLDS (Susan’s story takes place in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s; many of the other FLDS books I’ve read were later in time after the Jeffs’ family was ruling). show less

For some reason I have an interest in these polygamy stories. Perhaps it's because I wonder how a woman accepts this situation, especially when the situation is abusive or neglectful. Clearly in the present case it is all about the religion. The religion is an offshoot of LDS (Latter Day Saints) called Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times. The leader was Joel LeBaron, and his brothers held high offices in the church as well. Members of the church believed that Joel was sent by God, was some sort of savior, and he would lead them to the promised land. They often were excited that they were the lucky ones; the ones to be raised up when the world ends.

Susan grew up in this church, in the small colony of Colonia LeBaron in show more Chihuahua, Mexico. The colony was crude: small adobe homes and outhouses. Little food. But they had each others. Susan valued her family but at a young age she became enamored with Joel LeBaron's brother Verlan, and ultimately became his wife at age 15.

For a long time she accepted the limited conditions, the moving to new colonies, the sharing of her husband with an increasing number of wives. But she wanted more of Verlan. It took some time for her to realize that she would never get the kind of relationship with her husband that she had dreamed of. She long accepted the other wives and even became friends with some of them but when she started to voice her doubts about the church her words fell on deaf ears.

In time she realized she couldn't do it any more. She couldn't believe in this religion and she couldn't live this way. So she got out. Fortunately, it was not as dangerous a situation as it has been for some other fundamentalist sects. She had family and they were there for her. It was becoming increasingly more dangerous for the church leader, Joel, however, because another brother had designs on the throne.

I suspect that the main reason this sect focused on Mexico is that marriage laws are different there. In the U.S. the church leaders would be brought up on charges of rape or underage marriage. The Mexican government left well enough alone until violence reared its head.

I found the story interesting, the writing passable but childish. Not surprising given Susan's limited education. show less

I am fascinated by polygamy and this book is a true story of a group of Mormon fundamentalists who broke away and formed their own church in Mexico in the 60's. It was a good read, although a little long winded in the middle, I found it very interesting.

Eye-opening story of a woman trapped in marriage and poverty with one of the LeBaron polygamists.

Her husband was a lustful loser. Her brother-in-law founded the murderous Lambs of God.