Melissa Schindle

Melissa Schindle, wife of Colonel George Schindle, made an affidavit on July 2, 1842 that was published in the Sangamo Journal on July 15, 1842. Mrs. Schindle said Joseph Smith asked "in the fall of 1841. if he could have the privilege of sleeping with her. [that] it was the will of the Lord that he should have illicit intercourse with her, and that he never proceeded to do any thing of that kind with any woman without first having the will of the Lord on the subject."

After Melissa rejected his offer, Smith reportedly said, "that she must never tell of his propositions to her, for he had all influence in that place [Nauvoo], and if she told he would ruin her character, and she would be under the necessity of leaving.