Charles Zitting

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Charles F. Zitting (d. July 14, 1954) was a Mormon fundamentalist leader of the community in Short Creek, Arizona.

Zitting began his rise in the leadership of the Mormon fundamentalist Short Creek Community when he was arrested on April 1, 1931 on charges of polygamy and bailed out by Lorin C. Woolley, J. Leslie Broadbent, and Joseph W. Musser the next day. After the three paid his bail, [Correction, it may be interesting to note that he spend 2.5 years in the Utah state Penitentary for living polygamy]Zitting was asked to join the Council of Friends and was ordained to that position months later. He was set apart as High Priest Apostle the same day he was ordained to the Council.^[1]

While serving on the Council of Friends, Zitting largely served under Legrand Woolley, who in turn served under Joseph W. Musser. Woolley led the fundamentalist community at Short Creek while Musser led the community in and around Salt Lake City, Utah. The group near Salt Lake City would later become known as the Apostolic United Brethren, while those remaining in the Short Creek Community would later become the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints under Leroy S. Johnson.

With Musser's death and Woolley's presence in Salt Lake City, Zitting was left to take charge for the Council of Friends and the Short Creek Community following the Short Creek raid. Leroy S. Johnson assisted Zitting in most of the everyday decisions.^[2]

Zitting served as the senior member of the Council of Friends for four months until his death. He was survived by "5 wives, 18 sons, 16 daughters and many grandchildren."^[3]

[edit] Shortcreek Split

After Zitting's death the Short Creek Community split with the remainder of those in Colorado City who changed their name to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as it's known as today. The others left under George Woolley Smith and followed him to Lexington, Nebraska and later followed his son, Heber G. Smith to Layton, Utah.^[4]

[edit] References

Preceded by Joseph White Musser	Short Creek Community 1954	Succeeded by none
Preceded by none	Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1954	Succeeded by Leroy S. Johnson
Preceded by none	United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ 1954	Succeeded by George Woolley Smith

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.