List of Mormon fundamentalist leaders

Mormon fundamentalist leaders are those who lead (or have led) a Mormon fundamentalist group.

Mormonism and polygamy
Portrait of Ira Eldredge with his three wives: Nancy Black Eldredge, Hannah Mariah Savage Eldredge, and Helvig Marie Andersen Eldredge.
Background Origin of Latter Day Saint polygamy • Late-19th century Mormon polygamy • 1890 Manifesto • Second Manifesto (1904) • Council of Friends
Current state of polygamy Modern Latter Day Saint polygamy • Mormon fundamentalism • Leaders
Prominent practitioners Joseph Smith • Wives of Joseph Smith • Brigham Young • Wives of Brigham Young • List of Mormon polygamists • FLDS Church • AUB
Related legislation Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act • Poland Act • Edmunds Act • Edmunds–Tucker Act • Reed Smoot hearings
Related case law Reynolds v. US • Cannon v. US • Clawson v. US • Davis v. Beason • Late Corp. of the LDS Church v. US • Cleveland v. US • Brown v. Buhman • List of polygamy court cases
Related articles Celestial marriage • Spiritual wifery • Polygamy in North America • Timeline of civil marriage in the US • Freedom of religion in the US • Mormon colonies in Mexico • Latter-day Saint settlements in Canada • Short Creek raid • Lost boys • YFZ Ranch • Polygamy czar • Legal status of polygamy
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Early Mormon leaders

These leaders were presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which authorized plural marriage for many years. Mormon fundamentalists generally accept the first three LDS Church presidents as prophets of God:

• Joseph Smith (1829–44)^[1]
• Brigham Young (1847–77)^[2]
• John Taylor (1877–87)^[3]

Some Mormon fundamentalists also regard the next three LDS Church presidents as leaders, because of their support for plural marriage after 1890. However, some reject LDS Church presidents beginning with Wilford Woodruff, due to Woodruff's decision to issue the 1890 Manifesto. Many others reject Joseph F. Smith, due to his issuance of the Second Manifesto in 1904:

• Wilford Woodruff (1887–98)^[4]
• Lorenzo Snow (1898–1901)^[5]
• Joseph F. Smith (1901–18)^[6]

Major Mormon fundamentalist groups

When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began excommunicating members who practiced polygamy after the Second Manifesto, Mormon fundamentalists began breaking away from the LDS Church. At first, there was one main Mormon fundamentalist group, the Council of Friends, also known as the "Woolley group" and the "Priesthood Council".^[7] The Council of Friends was centered in Salt Lake City and the Short Creek Community, later called Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. The Council of Friends would ultimately split into four Mormon fundamentalist sects, the Latter Day Church of Christ^[8] (1935) located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Apostolic United Brethren^[9] (1954), located in Bluffdale, Utah, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints^[9] (1954), located in Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah, and Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times,^[10] located in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Factional breakdown: Mormon fundamentalist sects

Council of Friends and groups evolving from it

Pre-split Council of Friends leaders

The following are the leaders of the Council of Friends prior to its split:^[11][12][13]

• John W. Woolley (1918–28)
• Lorin C. Woolley (1928–34)
• J. Leslie Broadbent (1934–35)
• John Y. Barlow (1935–49)
• Joseph W. Musser (1949–54)
• Charles Zitting (1954)

Kingstons

Due to a succession conflict after J. Leslie Broadbent's death, Charles W. Kingston and Elden Kingston created a splinter group called the Latter Day Church of Christ, or the Kingston clan.^[13]

• Charles W. Kingston (supported leaders from 1935 until his death in 1975)
• Elden Kingston (1935–47)
• John Ortell Kingston (1947–87)
• Paul Elden Kingston (1987–)

Apostolic United Brethren

Joseph W. Musser ordained Rulon C. Allred into the Council of Friends. The Council refused to admit Allred; this resulted in a split, whereby followers of Allred became known as the Apostolic United Brethren. Musser ordained a new council, known as the 1952 New Priesthood Council.^[14] The line of succession of the AUB is as follows:^[13]

• Joseph W. Musser (1949–1954)
• Rulon C. Allred (1954–77)
• Owen A. Allred (1977–2005)
• J. LaMoine Jensen (2005–14)
• Lynn A. Thompson (2014–)

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

After the Short Creek community split it continued to thrive, and became known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints under Leroy S. Johnson. Its leaders include:^[12][13]

• LeRoy S. Johnson (1954–86)
• Rulon Jeffs (1986–2002)
• Warren Jeffs (de facto leader) (2002–07)
• Merril Jessop (de facto leader) (2007 – February 2011)^[15]
• William E. Jessop (appointed successor)(2007–)
• Wendell L. Nielsen (legal president) (2010 – January 28, 2011)^[16]

Church of Jesus Christ (Original Doctrine) Inc.

The Church of Jesus Christ (Original Doctrine) Inc.,^[17] was formed in September 2002 when FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs excommunicated Winston Blackmore; for two decades, Blackmore was bishop of the Bountiful, British Columbia group of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church). The community split nearly evenly—about 700 people continue to follow Blackmore, while about 500 follow Jeffs.^[18]

• Winston Blackmore (2002–present)

Centennial Park ("Second Ward")

Under Leroy Johnson's leadership, Marion Hammon and Alma Timpson were dismissed from the Short Creek community in 1983; they went on to create the Centennial Park group (or "Second Ward") in Centennial Park, Arizona. "Second Ward" distinguishes it from the FLDS Church, which is known as the "First Ward".^[19][20]

• J. Marion Hammon (1983–88)
• Alma A. Timpson (1988–97)
• John W. Timpson (1997–)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God

This group (also known as the Nielsen/Naylor group)^[21] primarily resides in the Salt Lake Valley. It broke with the Centennial Park group after Marion Hammon died in 1988.^[22][23] Frank Naylor (apostle) and Ivan Neilsen (high priest and bishop) disagreed with Alma Timpson’s leadership of Centennial Park, prompting them to create a new group known as the "Third Ward" with Naylor presiding;^[23] they likewise primarily reside in the Salt Lake Valley. They have formed a close association with Winston Blackmore’s community of Bountiful, British Columbia.^[22][23]

• Frank Naylor (1997–present)

Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

After the murder of Rulon C. Allred in 1977, Gerald Peterson, Sr proclaimed that Allred had bequeathed the priesthood to him. Peterson went on to found the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the following year.

• Gerald Peterson, Sr. (1978–81)
• Gerald Peterson, Jr. (1981–)

Other Mormon fundamentalist groups

Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times

The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times has its headquarters in northern Mexico. It was founded in 1955 by Joel LeBaron and members of his family. LeBaron claimed his priestly line of authority from his father Alma (who was ordained by Alma's grandfather Benjamin F. Johnson, who received the priesthood from Joseph Smith). The church exists in Chihuahua Mexico, Los Molinos, Baja California, San Diego, California and in Central America; there is also a large group in Salt Lake City, UT.

• Joel LeBaron (1955–72)
• Verlan LeBaron (1972–81)
• Current leadership unknown (1981–)

Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly

The Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly and its political arm, the Confederate Nations of Israel, are headquartered in Big Water, Utah.^[24][25][26] It was founded in 1977 by Alex Joseph and initially grew rapidly. However, after the death of Joseph the status of this sect is unknown.

• Alex Joseph (1977–98)
• Current leadership unknown (1998–)

School of the Prophets

The School of the Prophets has its headquarters in the Salem, Utah area. In 1968 Robert C. Crossfield published revelations he had received in the Book of Onias, which (among other things) chastised certain LDS Church leaders; he was excommunicated in 1972.^[27] In 1982 Crossfield established a School of the Prophets, overseen by a president and six counselors.^[27] Ron and Dan Lafferty (convicted of the July 1984 murder of their brother's wife and infant daughter) served for a month as counselors in the Provo, Utah School of the Prophets in March 1984.^[28] Four months after being removed ^[29] from the school, they committed their crimes. The continuing revelations were later named the Second Book of Commandments;^[30] it has 270 sections, dating from 1961 to the present. (2BC Website)

• Robert C. Crossfield (1982–)

True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days

The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days (TLC) has its headquarters in Manti, Utah. Membership is estimated at 300 to 500. Organized in 1994, the TLC was a new "restoration" for the "very last days" before the Second Coming of Jesus. While the church initially grew rapidly it has since stagnated, declining in numbers and converts since it ceased missionary efforts in 2000.

• James D. Harmston (1994–2013)^[31]
• Current leadership unknown (2013–)

The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven

The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven was originally organized in Magna, Utah by former members of the LDS Church.^[32] It practices polygamy and the law of consecration. Its leader, Terrill R. Dalton, purports to be the Holy Ghost and the father of Jesus.^[33] However, the group may have declined in numbers after its relocation from Idaho to Montana^[34] and Dalton's and assistant Geody Harman's^[35] arrest for^[36] (and conviction of) two counts of rape.^[37]

• Terrill R. Dalton (c. 2001–present)

See also

• Factional breakdown: Mormon fundamentalist sects

References