Rulon Jeffs

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Rulon Jeffs
Bust photo of Rulon Jeffs
Jeffs ca. 2002
Prophet and President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
November 25, 1986 (1986-11-25) – September 8, 2002 (2002-09-08)
Predecessor Leroy S. Johnson
Successor Warren Steed Jeffs
Personal details
Born Rulon Timpson Jeffs
(1909-12-06)December 6, 1909
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Died September 8, 2002(2002-09-08) (aged 92)
St. George, Utah, United States[1]
Resting place Isaac W. Carling Memorial Park
36°59′26″N 112°58′02″W / 36.9905°N 112.9671°W / 36.9905; -112.9671 (Isaac W. Carling Memorial Park)
Spouse As many as 75[2]
Children 65
Parents David William Ward
Nettie Lenora Timpson

Rulon Timpson Jeffs (December 6, 1909 – September 8, 2002) (known to church members as Uncle Rulon) was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church), a Mormon fundamentalist organization based in Colorado City, Arizona.

Jeffs was the son of David Ward Jeffs and Nora Lenora Timpson. His father hid the fact that he was a polygamist and Rulon spent the first several years of his life as Rulon Jennings[3] His father did not introduce him to the teachings of polygamy until 1938.[4] His first wife, Zola Grace Brown, was a great-granddaughter of Brigham Young.[5] Shortly after he was introduced to the teachings of polygamy his wife divorced him because of it.[6] Jeffs was a follower of FLDS Church leader Leroy S. Johnson, who died in 1986. Jeffs assumed the leadership of the FLDS Church after Johnson's death.

It was reported that at the time of Jeffs' death at age 92 that he may have had as many as 75 wives and 65 children;[7] other sources indicate that Jeffs may have been survived by 19 or 20 wives and "about 60 children," including 33 sons.[8] Shortly after his death, one of Rulon's sons, Warren Jeffs, asserted his own leadership of the FLDS Church and subsequently married all but two of his father's widows, figuratively making him the stepfather of many of his siblings and solidifying his political position in the community.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FLDS leader Rulon Jeffs dies", Deseret News, 2002-09-09.
  2. ↑ Wade Goodwyn, Howard Berkes and Amy Walters, "Warren Jeffs and the FLDS Church", NPR, 2005-05-03.
  3. ↑ Brower, Sam. Prophets Prey. p. 47. 
  4. ↑ Brower, Sam. Prophets Prey. p. 47. 
  5. ↑ Zola Grace Brown Hodon's obituary and lineage links to Brigham Young
  6. ↑ Brower, Sam. Prophets Prey. p. 47. 
  7. ↑ NPR report on Warren Jeffs and the FLDS Church - Last accessed Sept 07, 2007
  8. ↑ Mormon Leader Is Survived by 33 Sons and a Void (New York Times)

External links

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints titles
Preceded by
Leroy S. Johnson		 Prophet and President
November 25, 1986 (1986-11-25)–September 8, 2002 (2002-09-08) 		Succeeded by
Warren Steed Jeffs
Recognized leaders[lower-alpha 1]
Disputed leaders[lower-alpha 2]
Early fundamentalist leaders
Leaders of the fundamentalist sects
The Apostolic United Brethren
The FLDS Church
The Centennial Park group
  • J. Marion Hammon
  • Alma A. Timpson
  • John W. Timpson
The Latter Day Church of Christ
The LeBaron Sects
Independents and other leaders
  1. ↑ [a] Mormon leaders prior to the start of the fundamentalist movement and recognized by most fundamentalists as legitimate church leaders.
  2. ↑ [b] Mormon leaders that made changes to church policies on plural marriage; recognition of legitimacy of leadership varies by fundamentalist group.
Authority control


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