338:, wrote a memoir in 2007 about their 17-year marriage, which had begun when she was 18 and he was 50. The book includes dozens of allegations of spousal and child abuse, both emotional and physical. Carolyn Jessop left the FLDS Church in 2003 and, after a custody battle with Merril Jessop, won full custody of their 8 children. She is the second woman to leave an FLDS community and gain full custody of all her children, although her eldest daughter Betty decided, after turning 18, to return to her father at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Texas. Betty Jessop vehemently denies her mother's accusations. In 2009 Carolyn Jessop also won a child-support judgment against Merril Jessop in the approximate amount of $ 148,000 for support he failed to provide his children from 2003-2009. As of February 2010, Merril Jessop had still not paid any of the child support he owed. According to Carolyn's attorney, Natalie Malonis, he can be jailed for contempt for this failure.
228:
217:
342:
ward of one of her grandchildren who was living in the mainstream-Mormon community. Jessop is believed to have taken many more wives following
Carolyn's departure. According to his ex-wife's book, Jessop had nebulous business interests that included construction and hotels, and had suffered from major heart problems.
341:
According to his former wife's memoir, Jessop was the father of more than 50 biological children, all by his first six wives. His senior wife, Faunita, mother of 10 of Jessop's children, suffered from mental illness; she was abandoned by the roadside when the group moved to Texas, and she became a
351:
article published in
February 2010, Jessop both praised and discussed his troubled relationship with Faunita (spelled 'Foneta' in the article). Over 5,000 people were in attendance at Faunita Jessop's funeral. "My hand is a bit sore today," Merril was quoted as saying at the end of the funeral
287:
while at least eleven of Jessop's daughters and two of his granddaughters became plural wives to Warren Jeffs, several of them while they were underage. One of his daughters, Merrianne, was married to Jeffs three weeks after her twelfth birthday, a ceremony in which Jessop himself presided over.
282:
Jessop was a lifelong member of the church, as his father and grandfathers were former high-ranking FLDS officials. Jessop is connected by a nebulous series of marriages to the Jeffs family; several of Jessop's daughters and at least one of his wives were previously the plural wives of
1382:
1282:
1088:
836:
251:
34:
928:
711:
450:
289:
636:
In just a few weeks, Jeffs has gone on a rampage, kicking out at least 40 of his most pious men. One of those faithful is Merril Jessop, a 70year-old FLDS bishop.
921:
1372:
323:
of the church at YFZ, it appeared that Merril Jessop was the de facto president and the most powerful person in the FLDS Church, until
February 2011.
1224:
759:
574:
1377:
1339:
Mormon leaders that made changes to church policies on plural marriage; recognition of legitimacy of leadership varies by fundamentalist group.
914:
938:
668:
813:
554:
390:
595:
475:
715:
454:
1328:
Mormon leaders prior to the start of the fundamentalist movement and recognized by most fundamentalists as legitimate church leaders.
232:
621:
818:
347:
299:
as the rightful successor to the FLDS Church presidency. However, William Jessop remained at official church headquarters in
429:
1005:
1191:
542:
500:
320:
1055:
402:
1277:
361:
1292:
1163:
942:
366:
767:
578:
1367:
1362:
1267:
1209:
968:
604:
1307:
1302:
1214:
1199:
1141:
1033:
1023:
885:
271:
823:
783:
690:
371:
906:
1272:
1257:
1133:
1073:
873:
685:
664:
592:
296:
729:
1171:
1100:
1078:
1018:
984:
414:
221:
140:
1181:
1176:
1063:
1038:
1013:
994:
798:
599:
559:
304:
292:, was one of Jeffs' favorite wives and was with him at the time of his capture by police.
1262:
1204:
1068:
1028:
511:
335:
157:
119:
1356:
1232:
963:
543:
Who Is Naomie Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' Wife And 'Official Scribe' For The FLDS 'Prophet'?
300:
1297:
1237:
1110:
989:
958:
898:
855:
434:
270:
Jessop was born in Salt Lake City to Ida
Johnson and Richard Seth Jessop, a son of
81:
71:
1287:
1105:
846:
284:
657:
1149:
1123:
866:
316:
259:
303:. News reports suggested a possible shift of the church's headquarters to
255:
250:(December 27, 1935 – February 28, 2022) was a high-ranking bishop in the
39:
312:
1383:
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints members
686:"After fleeing polygamist community, an opportunity for influence"
389:*Cause No. 2833 in the District Court of Schleicher County, Texas
308:
451:"At the green gate, and then a glimpse of the polygamist's life"
123:
910:
415:"Judge Orders FLDS Nursing Mothers to Foster Care With Infants"
501:
Ex-FLDS bishop gets prison amid talk of more illegal marriages
254:, commonly referred to as the FLDS Church. He was briefly the
763:
295:
While he was imprisoned, Warren Jeffs reportedly designated
837:
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
252:
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
35:
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
476:"Exhibits from the Trial of LeRoy Jessop (Merril's son)"
326:
Jessop was removed as bishop by Jeffs in
February 2011.
258:
leader of the FLDS. Jessop was also in charge of the
207:
1223:
1190:
1162:
1087:
1054:
1003:
977:
951:
480:
Schleicher County, Texas
District Attorney's Office
198:
176:
147:
130:
104:
99:
77:
67:
32:
21:
656:
714:. Vancouver Sun. 3 December 2005. Archived from
650:
648:
646:
644:
391:"Motion for Conservatorship and Further Orders"
922:
315:has been built by FLDS Church members at the
8:
623:Inside a troubled fundamentalist Mormon sect
1093:
929:
915:
907:
832:
753:
751:
208:
18:
1320:
382:
793:
792:
781:
655:Palmer, Laura; Carolyn Jessop (2007).
615:
613:
56: – February 2011
7:
758:Matthew Waller (February 22, 2010).
555:"A New Prophet for the Polygamists?"
1049:Leaders of the fundamentalist sects
889:(one time head of temporal affairs)
577:. Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from
352:after greeting all those who came.
202:Richard Seth Jessop and Ida Johnson
16:American Mormon bishop (1935–2022)
14:
1373:American Latter Day Saint leaders
812:Anderson, Scott (February 2010).
620:McKinley, Carol (March 5, 2011),
449:Katherine Wojtecki (2008-04-15).
226:
215:
593:YFZ Ranch - A trip through time
430:"Honors for ex-polygamous wife"
403:Merril Jessop, 86, Dies in Utah
189:8 children by Carolyn Blackmore
1248:Independents and other leaders
684:Madigan, Nick (29 June 2005).
334:One of Jessop's former wives,
1:
1378:Mormon fundamentalist leaders
870:(designated acting president)
575:"What Warren said to William"
193:5 children by Cathleen Barlow
877:(once momentarily successor)
663:. New York: Broadway Books.
187:14 children by Barbara Steed
166:Ireta Cathleen Hammon Barlow
1192:Latter Day Church of Christ
860:2002 – present
573:Brooke Adams (2007-11-30).
428:Winslow, Ben (2007-08-29).
1399:
1137:(one-time de facto leader)
864:Disputed interruptions by:
730:"CNN Interview transcript"
183:10 children by Foneta Cook
158:Carolyn Bistline Blackmore
48:December 4, 2007
1316:
1253:
1246:
1119:
1096:
1056:Apostolic United Brethren
1047:
893:
851:
843:
835:
764:San Angelo Standard Times
626:, Salon Media Group, Inc.
211:
206:
185:16 children by Ruth Steed
95:
91:
87:
47:
28:
760:"Woman sues FLDS Leader"
732:. CNN. 2 September 2006.
151:Foneta Marie Stokes Cook
191:1 child by Tammy Barlow
108:Frederick Merril Jessop
1006:fundamentalist leaders
712:"Escape from polygamy"
362:Colorado City, Arizona
262:during the 2008 raid.
164:Tammy Lauritzen Barlow
1164:Centennial Park group
1145:(one-time legal head)
943:Mormon fundamentalist
453:. CNN. Archived from
367:Mormon fundamentalism
1268:Robert C. Crossfield
882:(once de facto head)
770:on February 27, 2010
605:The Eldorado Success
222:Biography portal
1308:Gerald Peterson Jr.
1303:Gerald Peterson Sr.
1200:Charles W. Kingston
1034:Joseph White Musser
1024:J. Leslie Broadbent
819:National Geographic
348:National Geographic
272:Joseph Smith Jessop
233:LDS movement portal
952:Recognized leaders
886:Wendell L. Nielsen
826:on April 30, 2011.
691:The New York Times
598:2009-04-27 at the
417:. CNN. 2008-04-23.
372:Placement marriage
288:Another daughter,
278:Bishop in the FLDS
171:and several others
82:Warren Steed Jeffs
72:Warren Steed Jeffs
1350:
1349:
1340:
1329:
1283:James D. Harmston
1273:Terrill R. Dalton
1258:Winston Blackmore
1158:
1157:
1134:William E. Jessop
1074:J. LaMoine Jenson
905:
904:
894:Succeeded by
874:William E. Jessop
814:"The Polygamists"
791:External link in
745:by Carolyn Jessop
718:on 15 March 2008.
670:978-0-7679-2756-7
532:. Bloomsbury USA.
297:William E. Jessop
245:
244:
240:
239:
194:
162:
134:February 28, 2022
117:December 27, 1935
1390:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1215:Paul E. Kingston
1210:John O. Kingston
1172:J. Marion Hammon
1101:Leroy S. Johnson
1094:
1079:Lynn A. Thompson
1019:Lorin C. Woolley
985:Wilford Woodruff
978:Disputed leaders
946:
931:
924:
917:
908:
890:
883:
878:
871:
844:Preceded by
833:
828:
827:
822:. Archived from
809:
803:
802:
796:
795:
794:|publisher=
789:
787:
779:
777:
775:
766:. Archived from
755:
746:
740:
734:
733:
726:
720:
719:
708:
702:
701:
699:
698:
681:
675:
674:
662:
652:
639:
638:
633:
631:
617:
608:
590:
584:
582:
570:
564:
553:*Hilary Hylton,
551:
545:
540:
534:
533:
525:
519:
509:
503:
498:
492:
491:
489:
487:
472:
466:
465:
463:
462:
446:
440:
439:
425:
419:
418:
411:
405:
400:
394:
387:
235:
231:
230:
229:
220:
219:
218:
209:
182:
160:
141:Cedar City, Utah
137:
116:
114:
100:Personal details
63:
61:
55:
53:
24:
19:
1398:
1397:
1393:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1388:
1387:
1353:
1352:
1351:
1346:
1345:
1344:
1337:
1333:
1326:
1322:
1312:
1249:
1242:
1219:
1186:
1182:John W. Timpson
1177:Alma A. Timpson
1154:
1142:Wendell Nielsen
1115:
1083:
1064:Rulon C. Allred
1050:
1043:
1039:Charles Zitting
1014:John W. Woolley
999:
995:Joseph F. Smith
973:
947:
937:
935:
901:
897:
888:
884:
881:
879:
876:
872:
869:
865:
861:
859:
854:
849:
831:
811:
810:
806:
790:
780:
773:
771:
757:
756:
749:
741:
737:
728:
727:
723:
710:
709:
705:
696:
694:
683:
682:
678:
671:
654:
653:
642:
629:
627:
619:
618:
611:
600:Wayback Machine
591:
587:
572:
571:
567:
552:
548:
541:
537:
527:
526:
522:
510:
506:
499:
495:
485:
483:
474:
473:
469:
460:
458:
448:
447:
443:
427:
426:
422:
413:
412:
408:
401:
397:
388:
384:
380:
358:
332:
280:
268:
241:
236:
227:
225:
216:
214:
213:
192:
190:
188:
186:
184:
181:
169:
167:
165:
163:
156:
154:
153:Ruth Pugh Steed
152:
143:, United States
139:
135:
126:, United States
118:
112:
110:
109:
59:
57:
51:
49:
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1396:
1394:
1386:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1355:
1354:
1348:
1347:
1343:
1342:
1331:
1319:
1318:
1317:
1314:
1313:
1311:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1263:John W. Bryant
1260:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1229:
1227:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1205:Elden Kingston
1202:
1196:
1194:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1168:
1166:
1160:
1159:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1126:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1097:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1069:Owen A. Allred
1066:
1060:
1058:
1052:
1051:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1029:John Y. Barlow
1026:
1021:
1016:
1010:
1008:
1001:
1000:
998:
997:
992:
987:
981:
979:
975:
974:
972:
971:
966:
961:
955:
953:
949:
948:
936:
934:
933:
926:
919:
911:
903:
902:
895:
892:
880:Merril Jessop
850:
847:Rulon T. Jeffs
845:
841:
840:
830:
829:
804:
747:
735:
721:
703:
676:
669:
640:
609:
585:
581:on 2011-10-01.
565:
546:
535:
530:Prophet's Prey
520:
512:Carolyn Jessop
504:
493:
467:
441:
420:
406:
395:
381:
379:
376:
375:
374:
369:
364:
357:
354:
336:Carolyn Jessop
331:
328:
279:
276:
267:
264:
243:
242:
238:
237:
212:
204:
203:
200:
196:
195:
178:
174:
173:
168:Lorraine Steed
149:
145:
144:
138:(aged 86)
132:
128:
127:
120:Salt Lake City
106:
102:
101:
97:
96:
93:
92:
89:
88:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
69:
65:
64:
45:
44:
30:
29:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1395:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1360:
1358:
1335:
1332:
1324:
1321:
1315:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1255:
1252:
1245:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1233:Ervil LeBaron
1231:
1230:
1228:
1226:
1225:LeBaron Order
1222:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1193:
1189:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1167:
1165:
1161:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1129:Merril Jessop
1127:
1125:
1122:
1121:
1118:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1098:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1086:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1046:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
1002:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
982:
980:
976:
970:
967:
965:
964:Brigham Young
962:
960:
957:
956:
954:
950:
944:
940:
932:
927:
925:
920:
918:
913:
912:
909:
900:
891:
887:
875:
868:
858:
857:
848:
842:
838:
834:
825:
821:
820:
815:
808:
805:
800:
785:
769:
765:
761:
754:
752:
748:
744:
739:
736:
731:
725:
722:
717:
713:
707:
704:
693:
692:
687:
680:
677:
672:
666:
661:
660:
651:
649:
647:
645:
641:
637:
625:
624:
616:
614:
610:
607:
606:
601:
597:
594:
589:
586:
580:
576:
569:
566:
563:, 2008-07-18.
562:
561:
556:
550:
547:
544:
539:
536:
531:
528:Brower, Sam.
524:
521:
517:
513:
508:
505:
502:
497:
494:
481:
477:
471:
468:
457:on 2008-04-20
456:
452:
445:
442:
437:
436:
431:
424:
421:
416:
410:
407:
404:
399:
396:
392:
386:
383:
377:
373:
370:
368:
365:
363:
360:
359:
355:
353:
350:
349:
343:
339:
337:
330:Personal life
329:
327:
324:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
301:Hildale, Utah
298:
293:
291:
286:
277:
275:
273:
265:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
248:Merril Jessop
234:
223:
210:
205:
201:
197:
179:
175:
172:
159:
155:Barbara Steed
150:
146:
142:
133:
129:
125:
121:
107:
103:
98:
94:
90:
86:
83:
80:
76:
73:
70:
66:
46:
42:
41:
36:
31:
27:
23:Merril Jessop
20:
1334:
1323:
1298:Ivan Neilsen
1293:Frank Naylor
1238:Joel LeBaron
1144:
1136:
1128:
1111:Warren Jeffs
990:Lorenzo Snow
959:Joseph Smith
899:Warren Jeffs
863:
856:Warren Jeffs
852:
824:the original
817:
807:
772:. Retrieved
768:the original
742:
738:
724:
716:the original
706:
695:. Retrieved
689:
679:
658:
635:
628:, retrieved
622:
603:
588:
579:the original
568:
558:
549:
538:
529:
523:
515:
507:
496:
484:. Retrieved
479:
470:
459:. Retrieved
455:the original
444:
435:Deseret News
433:
423:
409:
398:
385:
346:
344:
340:
333:
325:
294:
281:
269:
247:
246:
224:
170:
136:(2022-02-28)
38:
33:Head of the
1368:2022 deaths
1363:1935 births
1288:Alex Joseph
1106:Rulon Jeffs
1089:FLDS Church
969:John Taylor
285:Rulon Jeffs
68:Predecessor
1357:Categories
1150:James Oler
1124:Lyle Jeffs
867:Lyle Jeffs
697:2010-05-12
461:2008-07-23
378:References
319:. As the
311:, where a
266:Early life
113:1935-12-27
52:2007-12-04
1278:Tom Green
896:incumbent
784:cite news
774:April 11,
630:March 11,
317:YFZ Ranch
260:YFZ Ranch
148:Spouse(s)
78:Successor
945:movement
596:Archived
482:. Scribd
356:See also
305:Eldorado
256:de facto
180:54 total
177:Children
161:(former)
40:de facto
941:in the
939:Leaders
853:Prophet
839:titles
518:(2010).
516:Triumph
486:20 June
199:Parents
60:2011-02
58: (
50: (
1004:Early
862:With:
743:Escape
667:
659:Escape
321:bishop
313:temple
290:Naomie
345:In a
309:Texas
799:help
776:2010
665:ISBN
632:2011
560:Time
488:2013
131:Died
124:Utah
105:Born
1359::
816:.
788::
786:}}
782:{{
762:.
750:^
688:.
643:^
634:,
612:^
602:,
557:,
514:,
478:.
432:.
307:,
274:.
122:,
930:e
923:t
916:v
801:)
797:(
778:.
700:.
673:.
583:.
490:.
464:.
438:.
393:.
115:)
111:(
62:)
54:)
43:)
37:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.