Twelve Mormon Homes

Published in the 1870s, this account of Mormon families and their homes offers historical insight into Mormonism and life in the fledgling communities of the era. Presented as a kind of travelogue through the states of Arizona and Utah, this book recounts the appearance and status of various settlements founded or occupied by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement known as Mormonism. Life in these areas was vastly different in the 19th century; many families prepared their own food, owning livestock and growing crops near their homes. The lands described are vast and picturesque, and the people were often hardy and tough in the face of everyday adversities. Elizabeth Wood Kane intersperses her observations of the locales with the tenets of Mormonism, including the tendency of early Mormons to practice polygamy. Snippets of dialogue between the residents of these lands constitute short vignettes of everyday life, allowing the reader to picture the existence, concerns and daily routines in the villages. Mormon congregations and meetings, whereby residents discuss matters of God as well as local issues, are likewise recounted.