The Story of Mary Mackert

On February 6, 1952, I was born into a polygamist community. My mother, a fourth generation polygamist was my father's third wife. At birth I had three sisters, two brothers, a father and three mothers.

In July, 1953, Governor Pyle brought in the National Guard and police officers to roundup our group's polygamous lawbreakers. Men and women were arrested, placed on buses and transported to jail. Children were put on separate buses that delivered them to the foster care system. Some of those children were never returned to their natural parents. Following the "raid" on Sort Creek my father was released after signing a statement that he would no longer practice polygamy. He was one of the few men in the community that came home to find their families still intact.

Subjected to the doctrinal teachings of the prophet and my father, I submitted to an arranged marriage to a man thirty-three years my senior. I became the sixth of his seven wives. For sixteen years I remained with him and bore five sons.

When my husband refused to provide a home that was separate from the rest of his family, I took it upon myself to obtain that home for my children and myself. Two days after I left my husband's home I was forcefully abducted by three of his older boys. For one-and-a-half days I was locked in my room. My husband tried every method of persuasion to get me to come back to his home, but I refused. Though it was not my intention to leave my husband, I could not bring myself to continue our relationship after the abusive way that he treated me while I was held captive.

After the abduction, the threats of "blood atonement" execution, and our "prophet's" counseling session, I could no longer continue to share my life and children with my husband. I left my husband after that meeting and when he heard from me again he had to listen me. In the courtrooms of the State of Utah, I obtained legal custody of five boys.

Together we faced a world we had been taught to fear and discovered that many of those fears were unfounded. We were exposed to social norms that were totally foreign to us. In an effort to get my boys involved in healthy activities with other children their age, they joined little league sports and football was their favorite.

In 1989, after years of bitterness, I found the God that loves me and made a provision for me that I might spend eternity with Him. I found the God that desires an intimate and personal communication with me.

God has given me many talents and it is my desire to use those talents to bring honor and glory to Him. It is my prayer that God will give me wisdom and direction as to how I can make a difference in the lives of the polygamist people.

I believe that it is primarily through education, coupled with evangelism, and not legislation, that polygamy can be stopped. Utah already has laws against polygamy, but strict enforcement of those laws would also punish the innocent victims of this crime, the children. The wisest approach is to evangelize rather than terrorize. To change the heart of a man will change his behavior. These are my people and I have experienced the terror of the "raid." It is my desire to protect those children from such duress should legal action be taken against the parents of polygamy.

I have written a book about my experiences in modern-day polygamy and now face the challenges of obtaining a publisher. Six other books are in progress and each book addresses specific issues and experiences related to modern-day polygamy. Information regarding these books can be obtained through email or writing to the following address:

Mary Mackert

P O Box 65783

Salt Lake City, UT 84165-0783

E-mail: xpolygamist@yahoo.com