180 years ago today - Jul 23, 1842

Letter from Stephen A. Goddard to Orson Pratt which claimed that while Sarah was staying with the Goddards in October 1840

"from the first night until the last, with the exception of one night, it being nearly a month, the Dr. was there as sure as the night came."

The letter described the alleged Bennett/Pratt relationship in lurid detail:

"One night they took their chairs out of doors and remained there as we supposed until 12 o'clock or after; at another time they went over to the house where you now live and came back after dark, or about that time. We went over several times late in the evening while she lived in the house of Dr. Foster, and were most sure to find Dr. Bennett and your wife together, as it were, man and wife."

Later, in Utah Sarah confronts the Goddards about this statement:

"She began to sob. 'It is not my fault,' she said. 'Hyrum Smith came to our house, with the affidavits all written out, and forced us to sign them. Joseph and the Church must be saved, said he. We saw that resistance was useless, they would have ruined us; so we signed the papers.

[Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]

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