List of Mormon fundamentalist leaders

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Mormon fundamentalist leaders include anyone who leads or has led a Mormon fundamentalist group. With the dozens of Mormon fundamentalist groups, there have been perhaps as many as a hundred past Mormon fundamentalist leaders.

Contents

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[edit] 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:

Some Mormon fundamentalists also regard the next three LDS Church presidents as leaders because of their post-1890 support for plural marriage. However, some reject the LDS Church presidents beginning at 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.

[edit] 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 fundamentalist groups began breaking away from the LDS Church. Early on, there were two main Mormon fundamentalist groups. One was the Short Creek Community in Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. The other was the LeBaron family group in Mexico.

[edit] Short Creek community and groups which evolved from it

[edit] Pre-split Short Creek leaders

The following are the leaders of the Short Creek Community prior to its split.[7][8][9]

[edit] Kingstons

Due to a succession conflict after J. Leslie Broadbent's death, Charles W. Kingston and Elden Kingston created the splinter group called the Latter Day Church of Christ, or "Kingston clan."[9]

[edit] Apostolic United Brethren

Joseph W. Musser attempted to ordain Rulon C. Allred to the Council of Friends. The Council refused to admit Allred, resulting in a split whereby those that followed Allred became known as the Apostolic United Brethren. Allred ordained a new council called the 1952 New Priesthood Council.[10] The presidency line of the AUB is as follows.[9]

[edit] Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

After the Short Creek community split in two, 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 the following.[9]

[edit] United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ

After Charles Zitting, the United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ officially split from the Short Creek group.[11]

[edit] 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 "Second Ward" in Centennial Park, Arizona, so named to distinguish it from the FLDS Church, which they call the "First Ward".[12] The leaders of the group are as follows.[9]

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

[edit] References