Alex Joseph

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Alex Joseph (1931–September 27, 1998) (also known as Ronald Ellison) was a Mormon fundamentalist leader and founder of the Confederate Nations of Israel. As mayor of Big Water, Utah, Joseph was the first Libertarian mayor of a community in the United States.

Contents 1 Mormon fundamentalism 2 Big Water and Confederate Nations of Israel 3 Libertarian mayor 4 Occupations, family and death 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Mormon fundamentalism

Joseph was raised in the Greek Orthodox Church, but he became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in 1955. In 1959, he abandoned the LDS Church and joined a group of Mormon fundamentalists under the leadership of Rulon C. Allred in Pinesdale, Montana. In time, he convinced four students at the University of Montana to marry him and become his plural wives. His wives were not Latter Day Saints; rather, two were Roman Catholics, one was a Methodist, and one was a Presbyterian.^[1] The parents of the students were outraged and confronted Allred with their displeasure. Joseph was unrepentent and eventually was asked by Allred to leave the colony in Montana.^[2]

[edit] Big Water and Confederate Nations of Israel

Joseph and his wives moved to Kane County, Utah to a deserted settlement known as Glen Canyon City; Joseph renamed the settlement Big Water in 1983. Joseph became the first mayor of the newly renamed settlement. In 1977, he organized the Confederate Nations of Israel, a hybrid church–political organization modelled after Mormonism's Council of Fifty.^[1][3]

[edit] Libertarian mayor

In April 1986, Joseph made news when he abandoned the Republican Party and joined the Libertarian Party and by so doing became the first American mayor to be a member of the Libertarian Party.^[4] Joseph also convinced the four other members of the town council to join the Libertarians, thereby creating America's first "Libertarian Party town government" in Big Water.^[4] The Libertarian government abolished all taxes on real estate in the town.^[4] Joseph stepped down as mayor in 1994 after serving three consecutive terms.^[4]

[edit] Occupations, family and death

At different times in his life, Joseph was employed as a U.S. Marine, a police officer, a firefighter, a mail carrier, a car salesman, an accountant, an author of books, a health food producer^[3] a private investigator, and as a manager for country and western music performers.^[4] He also starred in a movie about himself known as Alex Joseph and His Wives. He requested that his occupation on his death certificate be listed as "pirate".^[4] Although it has been estimated that he may have married up to twenty women at various times,^[4] Joseph was survived by seven wives as well as by 21 children.^[3] He died of liver cancer at the age of 62.^[4]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Brian C. Hales (2006). Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalists : The Generations after the Manifesto (Salt Lake City, Utah: Greg Kofford Books)

[edit] External links

• Brandon Burt, "Utah's Gay Mayor", Salt Lake Metro : article contains background information on Joseph, his adoption of Libertarianism, and the founding of Big Water, Utah

v • d • e Leaders in the Mormon fundamentalist movement Recognized Mormon leaders1 Joseph Smith, Jr. • Brigham Young • John Taylor Disputed Mormon leaders2 Wilford Woodruff • Lorenzo Snow • Joseph F. Smith Early Mormon fundamentalist leaders John W. Woolley • Lorin C. Woolley • J. Leslie Broadbent • John Y. Barlow • Joseph White Musser • Charles Zitting Leaders of the FLDS Church Leroy S. Johnson • Rulon Jeffs • Warren Jeffs Leaders of the AUB Rulon C. Allred • Owen A. Allred • J. LaMoine Jenson Leaders of the Kingston Clan Charles W. Kingston • Elden Kingston • John Ortell Kingston • Paul Elden Kingston Leaders of the ULDC George Woolley Smith • Heber Gerald Smith • Steven H. Tucker Independents and other leaders Joel LeBaron • Ervil LeBaron • Alex Joseph • Tom Green • James D. Harmston • John W. Bryant Notes 1. Mormon leaders prior to the start of the fundamentalist movement and recognized by most fundamentalists as legitimate church leaders. 2. Mormon leaders that made changes to church policies on plural marriage. Fundamentalists hold a variety of views about each of these leaders, varying from the view that all were legitimate leaders to the view that all were illegitimate.