Like many early Latter-day Saints, Woodruff practiced plural marriage.
He was probably married to nine women, but not at the same time.
Woodruff's first wife, Phebe, initially stated that she thought it was "the most wicked thing I ever heard of," but eventually accepted it.

His wives:
Phoebe Whittemore Carter (8 March 1807 – 10 Nov 1885), m. April 13, 1837
Mary Ann Jackson, (18 Feb 1818 – 25 Oct 1894) m. April 15, 1846 or August 2, 1846 (divorced on May 11, 1848 but later resealed; probably in 1878)
Sarah Elinor Brown, (22 Aug 1827 - 25 Dec 1915) m. Aug 2, 1846 (divorced after 3 weeks)
Mary Caroline Barton, (12 Jan 1829 - 10 Aug 1910) m. Aug 2, 1846 (divorced after 3 weeks)
Mary Meek Giles Webster (6 Sept 1802 – 3 Oct 1852) m. March 28, 1852 (died soon after sealing)
Emma Smith (1 March 1838 – 4 March 1912) m. March 13, 1853
Sarah Brown (1 Jan 1834 – 9 May 1909), m. March 13, 1853
Sarah Delight Stocking (26 Jul 1838 – 28 May 1906) m. July 31, 1857
Eudora Young Dunford (12 May 1852 – 21 Oct 1921) m. March 10, 1877 (later divorced)
Woodruff's wives bore him a total of 34 children, with 14 preceding him in death.

Woodruff met his first wife, Phoebe Carter, in Kirtland shortly after his return from his first mission through Southern Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Woodruff came to Kirtland on November 25, 1836, along with Abraham O. Smoot.
He was introduced to Phoebe by Milton Holmes on January 28, 1837.
She was a native of Maine and had become a Latter Day Saint in 1834.
Woodruff and Phebe were married on April 13, 1837, with the ceremony performed by Frederick G. Williams.
Their marriage was later sealed in Nauvoo by Hyrum Smith.
Due to a loss of records, this ordinance was later repeated by Heber C. Kimball in Salt Lake City in 1853.
Phebe accompanied her husband on his 1837-1838 mission to the Fox Islands in Maine.
During some of this time she resided with her parents in their house in Maine.
She headed west again with her husband shortly after the birth of their daughter, despite her reluctance to leave home.

During their journey west, Phoebe became deathly ill.
She frequently slipped into unconsciousness starting on December 2, 1838.
Phebe reported that she conversed with two angels who gave her the choice to live or die, she chose to live and persevere with the faithful.
She recovered after receiving a blessing from Woodruff.
Her firstborn child died of a respiratory infection in 1840 while Woodruff was on a mission in England.
Phoebe was among the members of the Relief Society in Nauvoo.
In the late 1840s, Phoebe was set apart as a missionary and served with Woodruff as he presided over the Eastern States Mission.
Phoebe was later numbered among the "leading ladies" who helped organize the Relief Society in Utah Territory in the 1860s through the 1880s.
She was also a key figure behind the indignation meeting of 1870 that was an important step in the women of Utah being granted the right to vote.

Woodruff's second marriage to Mary Ann Jackson ended in divorce after their son, James, was born in 1847, a little over a year after their sealing.
Woodruff's third and fourth marriages ended in divorce only three weeks after their sealing after the two young women started dating men their own age.
In 1852, Woodruff married Mary Giles Meeks Webster.
In 1853, he was sealed to two more women, Emma Smith, age 15, and Sarah Brown, age 19.
Sarah bore a son the following year, but Emma did not bear any children until she was 19.
Emma's first child died at age 13 months, and her fourth child, born in 1867, died soon after birth.
In 1857, Brigham Young sealed Sarah Delight Stocking to Woodruff.
Delight's third child died as an infant in 1869.
While Woodruff and Mary Ann Jackson were divorced, he sent money to her to support her and their son James.
James came to live with Woodruff as a young man in 1863.
Among Woodruff's children was the LDS Church apostle Abraham O. Woodruff.
Woodruff's daughter, Phoebe, was sealed as a wife to Lorenzo Snow in 1859.

During Woodruff's time as president of the LDS Church, his wife, Emma
Like many early Latter-day Saints, Woodruff practiced plural marriage. He was probably married to nine women, but not at the same time. Woodruff's first wife, Phebe, initially stated that she thought it was "the most wicked thing I ever heard of," but eventually accepted it.
His wives:
Phoebe Whittemore Carter (8 March 1807 – 10 Nov 1885), m. April 13, 1837
Mary Ann Jackson, (18 Feb 1818 – 25 Oct 1894) m. April 15, 1846 or August 2, 1846 (divorced on May 11, 1848 but later resealed; probably in 1878)
Sarah Elinor Brown, (22 Aug 1827 - 25 Dec 1915) m. Aug 2, 1846 (divorced after 3 weeks)
Mary Caroline Barton, (12 Jan 1829 - 10 Aug 1910) m. Aug 2, 1846 (divorced after 3 weeks)
Mary Meek Giles Webster (6 Sept 1802 – 3 Oct 1852) m. March 28, 1852 (died soon after sealing)
Emma Smith (1 March 1838 – 4 March 1912) m. March 13, 1853
Sarah Brown (1 Jan 1834 – 9 May 1909), m. March 13, 1853
Sarah Delight Stocking (26 Jul 1838 – 28 May 1906) m. July 31, 1857
Eudora Young Dunford (12 May 1852 – 21 Oct 1921) m. March 10, 1877 (later divorced)
Woodruff's wives bore him a total of 34 children, with 14 preceding him in death.
Woodruff met his first wife, Phoebe Carter, in Kirtland shortly after his return from his first mission through Southern Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. Woodruff came to Kirtland on November 25, 1836, along with Abraham O. Smoot. He was introduced to Phoebe by Milton Holmes on January 28, 1837. She was a native of Maine and had become a Latter Day Saint in 1834. Woodruff and Phebe were married on April 13, 1837, with the ceremony performed by Frederick G. Williams. Their marriage was later sealed in Nauvoo by Hyrum Smith. Due to a loss of records, this ordinance was later repeated by Heber C. Kimball in Salt Lake City in 1853. Phebe accompanied her husband on his 1837-1838 mission to the Fox Islands in Maine. During some of this time she resided with her parents in their house in Maine. She headed west again with her husband shortly after the birth of their daughter, despite her reluctance to leave home.
During their journey west, Phoebe became deathly ill. She frequently slipped into unconsciousness starting on December 2, 1838. Phebe reported that she conversed with two angels who gave her the choice to live or die, she chose to live and persevere with the faithful. She recovered after receiving a blessing from Woodruff. Her firstborn child died of a respiratory infection in 1840 while Woodruff was on a mission in England. Phoebe was among the members of the Relief Society in Nauvoo. In the late 1840s, Phoebe was set apart as a missionary and served with Woodruff as he presided over the Eastern States Mission. Phoebe was later numbered among the "leading ladies" who helped organize the Relief Society in Utah Territory in the 1860s through the 1880s. She was also a key figure behind the indignation meeting of 1870 that was an important step in the women of Utah being granted the right to vote.
Woodruff's second marriage to Mary Ann Jackson ended in divorce after their son, James, was born in 1847, a little over a year after their sealing. Woodruff's third and fourth marriages ended in divorce only three weeks after their sealing after the two young women started dating men their own age. In 1852, Woodruff married Mary Giles Meeks Webster. In 1853, he was sealed to two more women, Emma Smith, age 15, and Sarah Brown, age 19. Sarah bore a son the following year, but Emma did not bear any children until she was 19. Emma's first child died at age 13 months, and her fourth child, born in 1867, died soon after birth. In 1857, Brigham Young sealed Sarah Delight Stocking to Woodruff. Delight's third child died as an infant in 1869. While Woodruff and Mary Ann Jackson were divorced, he sent money to her to support her and their son James. James came to live with Woodruff as a young man in 1863. Among Woodruff's children was the LDS Church apostle Abraham O. Woodruff. Woodruff's daughter, Phoebe, was sealed as a wife to Lorenzo Snow in 1859.
During Woodruff's time as president of the LDS Church, his wife, Emma 
Wilford Woodruff