In a standing-room only conference room, Mormon historians gathered to honor the 25th anniversary of the publication of "Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith" at the Mormon History Conference on Saturday afternoon.

A conference panel made up of Linda King Newell, author of Mormon Enigma, Mormon historian Jan Shipps and Community of Christ historian William D. Russell, who was speaking on behalf of Community of Christ historian Paul M. Edwards, joined together to discuss the "nine-year sojourn of researching and writing" the book as well as the outcome and effect of this now seminal Mormon historical work.

On Oct. 4, 1984, this "first major biography of Emma Hale Smith" appeared on bookshelves. Printed originally under the Doubleday imprint, over 30,000 hardback copies and 13,000 copies of "Mormon Enigma" have been sold and just fewer than 1,000 copies are sold per year.

Newell, along with co-author Valeen Tippetts Avery (who passed away in 2006), came together to write the book in 1976 after they realized there were not any major biographies dedicated to Joseph Smith's wife. What followed were years of research, writing and frustration as they struggled both raise their young families in tandem with compiling a complete portrayal of Emma Smith.

Newell remembered that they divided up the labor. Since Newel lived in Utah, she would be in charge of researching the primary sources at the Church Archives, BYU, Utah State University, the University of Utah and other archives while Tippetts would concentrate on the secondary sources relating to Emma Smith and the beginnings of Mormonism. Newell lined up a babysitter "one day a week for my preschoolers and began researching in the various archives." One source led to another and the research grew along with Avery's children. Soon she was able to devote more time to researching in the archives and was then there "several days of the week."

She would then copy her notes, mail them to Tippetts, who would turn around and write parts of the book out of her home in Arizona. They worked this way for years, researching, writing, rewriting, and visiting together on the phone or in person and slowly crafting the book.

One break in the research came one summer when Newell was visiting family in the East. She visited a newspaper and when she told the lady at the desk what she was looking for, the woman's "face broke into a wide smile. 'Well,' she said, 'you certainly found the right person. I've been interested in the Mormons, and particularly Emma Smith's family all my life. Over the years I've gathered every newspaper account or other documents that mention any of them. I would be happy to share them with you.'"

This woman would only accept money enough for copying and postage and when Newell "arrived home, there were two thick manila envelopes waiting for me, a treasure trove of information that filled in the gaps of Emma's early life and that of her family."

The research took Newell and around the country to archival collections from Stanford to Yale. Tippetts joined Newell on some of these trips and remembered the warm welcome and help from both the LDS Church historians and the Community of Christ historians.

Researching the book was not without what Newell described as "shocks" as they learned more about the life of Emma Smith, especially those dealing with polygamy.

But finally in October 4, 1984, the book was published and went on to win the Mormon History Association awards the next year for best book and best biography.

In remarking on the book and its influence in the past 25 years, William D. Russell read a prepared statement from Paul M. Edwards, that lauded how these two authors provided a "incredibly comprehensive account of a highly human and faithful woman."

Jan Shipps added that the history of Mormon women was enriched: "Women became more important in the story of Mormonism and I think this Emma book had a lot to do with that."

In concluding her thoughts on this 25th anniversary of the publication of "Mormon Enigma," Newell stated that "honestly I don't care if the people know all the details of Emma's life. (Just as long as) they accept her and the influence she has on the women of the church."