This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ekerilaz Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.wisconsin.counties.walworth/372.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Elvira E. Field was the first polygamous wife of James Jesse Strang. Strang founded his schism of the Mormon Church on his rejection of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young's polygamy. However several years into his new religion, he decided to quietly follow their footsteps anyway. To cover their polygamous marriage, Elvira Field cross-dressed and passed for a year or two as a man named Charles Douglass, Strang's "male secretary"! Eventually people realized that Charles was really Elvira and the scandal tore the Strangite Church apart, yet Strang went on to marry three more women before he was shot to death by his former followers in 1856. Note that the 1854 Census of Peaine Twp, Beaver Island, list Nathaniel and Samuel Finch as being males 21 or over. Connell O'Donovan (a historian of Mormonism) Santa Cruz CA Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.