Although Sidney Rigdon was a prominent and well-known figure in early Mormon history, his life and thought after his excommunication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are almost completely unknown to Latter-day Saints today. For this reason, his activities during this period shall be given in brief summary. Thereafter, four aspects of Rigdon’s life after his excommunication will be considered in some detail: (1) his views on Joseph and Emma Smith, (2) his supposed attempt to return to the Church’s doctrine and organization as practiced in Kirtland, (3) his beliefs about and involvement with polygamy, and (4) his relationship to and feelings concerning individual apostates and factions, feelings resulting directly or indirectly from Joseph and Hyrum Smith’s death.
