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COLORADO CITY POLYGAMISTS
An Inside Look for the Outsider
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Warren Jeffs Takes Over
Interview with Ben Bistline on Texas and comparing
Jeffs to Adolph Hitler
Warren
Jeffs Takes Over
When Rulon moved to Colorado City in the year 2000, he designated his son Warren
to be his mouthpiece. Rulon had already made Warren his first counselor, and the
Barlows were getting more nervous by the day.
A polygamist family in Colorado City.
Used with permission. Double click photo for larger image.
The Barlow boys immediately began pressuring
Rulon to ordain one of them to the High Priesthood, while there was still time.
He was getting old and was not expected to live much longer. But he rejected
their badgering, telling them he would live long enough to witness the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ and would return the Priesthoodkeys ofkeys of the
priesthood to him.
What he did do was begin to take away local
operations from the Barlows and turn them over to his son Warren. For years the
Barlows had easily controlled who and what they wanted because aging Leroy
Johnson was easily manipulated and Rulon lived in Salt Lake City. But now Rulon
lived among them and so did Warren. Not a reticent man like his father, Warren
became a tyrant when the Barlows tried to deal with him as they had with his
father.
Warren knew he had to replace the Barlow’s
power with his own, but he had more than sixty years of their influence to
overcome, so he began making demands on the people of the community, forcing
them to acknowledge his position as leader. He said anyone who would not accept
and believe everything he stated would be excommunicated and forced to leave.
Organizing a group of young men thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen years old, and
calling them "Uncle Warren’s Sons of Helaman" (young warriors in the Book of
Mormon), he sent them into people’s homes, forcing them to make a statement that
they would acknowledge him as their leader and would accept whatever doctrine he
preached to them.
NO MORE PUBLIC SCHOOL
Next he decreed that all members of First Ward
withdraw their children from public school. He organized several private schools
in the community so he could have complete control. The Phelps School in Hildale,
a public school owned by Washington County, Utah, operated one more year before
it closed due to lack of students. These few Hildale students then attended the
Colorado City public school. After the Phelps School building remained vacant
for a year, the Washington County School Board sold the building to Warren Jeffs
for one million dollars, to be paid at $100,000 a year for ten years.
Mohave County had just completed a new school
building for Colorado City based on an attendance of about 1,200 students. But
due to Warren’s edict, less than 400 students use this new building. All First
Ward teachers at the public school were ordered by Jeffs to resign, which left
only teachers from the Second Ward teaching at the school. However, First Ward
member Alvin Barlow remained as school superintendent, and the principals and
all maintenance people, including bus drivers, were First Warders. So this
public school was still controlled by Warren Jeffs. One staff member per three
students worked at the school.
WINSTON BLACKMORE vs WARREN JEFFS
A serious dispute arose between Blackmore,
Winston Warren Jeffs and Winston Blackmore over a girl who rebelled against
Warren Jeffs’ dictates. It is rumored that he asked her to marry one of his
brothers when she was sixteen, but three weeks later she left the community with
a different brother. The two began living together but after a short time their
consciences began to bother them, and perhaps they were afraid, so they decided
to seek forgiveness from someone other than Warren.
Rulon Jeffs had commissioned Winston Blackmore
to be the leader of a branch of the polygamists at Bountiful, British Columbia.
This commission entitled him to forgive sins and to perform ordinances such as
marriages. The young couple decided to go to Canada to seek forgiveness from
Winston Blackmore. Blackmore contacted Rulon Jeffs by telephone, seeking his
permission to perform the forgiveness and Rulon agreed.
Warren was infuriated that Blackmore had
bypassed him in the chain of authority. In defending himself, Winston claimed
that the commission given him by Rulon entitled him to authority equal to
Warren. Warren immediately excommunicated him and ordered him off the United
Effort PlanUnited Effort Plan property at Bountiful.
When Warren discovered that the property was
in Winston’s name and not in the United Effort Plan Trust, he filed a lawsuit.
Before it went to court, Winston offered to split the assets and the debts
equally with Warren. But Warren refused the offer, telling Winston he must take
all the debts and that all the assets and the property would go to the UEP.
Meanwhile Winston had purchased other property in his own name without any
United Effort PlanUnited Effort Plan strings attached to it, both in Canada and
also in northern Idaho.
Back in Colorado City, zealous Warren ordered
all business owners to turn ownership of their businesses over to him. He also
demanded that they draw out all their money held in 401(k) programs and give it
to him. A number of the people rebelled and several families began leaving
Colorado City, moving to northern Idaho to settle on property that belonged to
Blackmore, WinstonWinston Blackmore. Winston therefore acquired a following that
is now a rival group to Jeffs, WarrenWarren Jeffs.
WARREN EVICTS DISOBEDIENT MOTHER
A sixteen-year-old daughter of Holm,
LenoreLenore Holm was told to marry a man twenty-three years her senior, as a
second wife. The girl’s mother did not object to her daughter’s marriage, only
stating she did not want her to marry the man until she was eighteen. Warren
Jeffs agreed but wanted the girl to live in his home until she became eighteen
so she would receive proper training, Warren’s kind of training. Lenore objected
to this arrangement, demanding that her daughter remain in her own home until
she became of age. But the girl wanted to go, and ran away. Her mother went to
the Colorado City police department seeking help. Although the police knew where
her daughter was (either in Warren Jeffs’ home or in the home of the man she was
to marry), they wouldn’t assist Lenore in returning her daughter.
Because of Lenore’s rebellious attitude, her
husband was told to divorce her and expel her from his home and the community.
This he refused to do, and was served an eviction notice from the United Effort
Plan. He and Lenore refused to move and the case was taken to trial at Kingman,
Arizona. The judge in the case ruled in favor of Lenore and her husband and
ordered that the United Effort Plan would have to pay for the equity in their
home if they wanted them to move. This was a big loss for the UEP because it set
a precedent that people could not be evicted from their homes in Colorado City
unless they were paid for their equity.
MOLDING GIRLS TO BECOME OBEDIENT WIVES
All the little girls growing up in First Ward
are being indoctrinated with one hundred years of Mormon Fundamentalism.
Polygamy, public welfare lines, and secretive religion is their way of life, and
their world is as strange to mainstream Americans as would be life in Iraq.
Many of the girls feel personal value only
when they are finally married to a man holding the priesthood, whether a young
man or a man old enough to be a grandfather. A girl is there to bear children,
as many as she can produce, for as long as her body will hold out. The religious
programming begins at birth and it is the "only truth" about themselves they
will ever know. And if the girl wants the love and approval of her parents, she
has no choice but to comply and appear happy about it. But occasionally a girl
will rebel and run away. But what does she run to? Another man who will enslave
her? How does she undo years of programming and learn anew what life really can
be?
Five of independent polygamist Tom Green’s
wives came from Colorado City. One of his first wives was Beth Cook. When Beth
was twelve years old, Leroy Johnson gave her as a plural wife to a man old
enough to be her grandfather. And he gave Beth’s nine-year-old sister to the
same man. In time, they escaped. Tom liked his new wives young, which is evident
by their ages: twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. Tom told a friend he
should marry his wives young so he could train them the way he wanted.
POLICE OFFICER RODNEY HOLM CHARGED, SEX WITH A
MINOR
Another story that made headlines is about
Rodney Holm, a Colorado City police officer, who married Stubbs, RuthRuth Stubbs
as his third wife when she was sixteen and he was thirty. After having two
children and pregnant with a third, Ruth decided to leave the community. She was
unable to take her children with her, because she had to sneak out in the night
and flee. She sought help from the local law enforcement in St. George, Utah, to
try and gain custody of her children.
In all the news stories about child brides,
many complaints had been made about law enforcement and government agencies not
wanting to become involved in polygamist disputes. But by now, media exposure
had brought such a spotlight on the situation that she was granted custody of
her children. She also agreed to press charges against Rodney. He was arrested
and charged with one count of unlawful sex with a sixteen-year-old girl and one
count of unlawful sex with a seventeen-year-old girl and also one count of
bigamy. At his trial in August of 2003, he was convicted of all three counts. He
was sentenced in October of 2003 by JudgeBeachamJudge Beacham, Fifth District
Court of Utah at St. George.
Sentenced to three years probation and one
year in prison on work release for each offense, all three sentences were to run
concurrently. On the 10th of June 2004, Rodney Holm was released from
this mild sentence by the Fifth District Court, dismissed with time served.
Prior to the trial of Holm, RodneyRodney Holm, the Utah State Attorney General’s
office had solicited the help of the Colorado City police department in serving
a subpoena on Warren Jeffs to be called as a witness. Police Chief Sam Roundy
not only refused to help, but actually dispatched a policeman to barricade the
way to Warren Jeffs’ home when investigators tried to serve the subpoena.
Due to the trial and conviction of Rodney
Holm, Warren Jeffs (who was guilty of the same offenses) became very paranoid.
He ordered an eight-foot concrete wall be erected around the city block where
his homes were located. He also spent several hundred thousand dollars
installing a security system to protect him from being subpoenaed or arrested by
officials, thus sealing himself in seclusion from any outside access.
RULON JEFFS PASSES ON
In September of 2002 Jeffs, RulonRulon Jeffs
died, contrary to his prediction that he would live to hand the keys of the
priesthood over to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming. At the time of his death
Jessop, FredFred Jessop and Warren Jeffs were standing at his bedside. Tearful
Warren turned to Fred Jessop and said, "I guess you’re the one who takes over
now." Fred responded, "No, you’re the one to be the leader." This exchange
between these two men was the only ceremony that took place allowing Warren
Jeffs to become the leader of the Group.
Fred Jessop would regret the moment he
surrendered power to Warren Jeffs. But he had been taught for decades to yield
his personal opinion and desire to the "leader." And Warren was First Counselor,
while Fred was only the Second. It is rumored that the Barlows demanded to know
from Fred why he didn’t take charge at that moment, the moment they all had been
waiting for. But years of programming run deep when one has learned to be
subservient to a "leader."
BARLOWS WORST FEARS REALIZED
Two years later, the Barlow’s worst fears
would come to pass when Warren began excommunicating many of them: Louis Barlow,
Joseph I. Barlow, Dan Barlow, Sr, Nephi Barlow, David Jeffs, Hyrum Jeffs, Brian
Jeffs, Blaine Jeffs, Roland Cooke, Val Jessop, Isaac Wyler, Leon Jessop, Roland
Barlow, Evan Johnson, Carl Richter, Chuck Johnson, Tom Barlow, Orval Johnson,
and Carl Holm.
Days after their excommunication, an anonymous
letter by a Barlow was sent to everyone in town. It contained interesting
information about what Warren had done at the time his father died. Excerpts
follow:
"Remember Uncle Rulon died on Sunday,
dissolving the First Presidency. Warren was still only an elder. The following
day, at Monday morning meeting, Uncle Warren, besides giving us details on the
passing of Uncle Rulon, made this statement. ‘I won’t say much, but I will say
this, Hands off my father’s wives.’ Speaking to the newly bereaved widows, he
said, ‘You women will live as if father is still alive and in the next room.’ I
remember thinking to myself, ‘Who in the world, at a time like this, would be
lusting after Uncle Rulon’s wives?’ The thought sickened me.
"This was said on Monday. By that Friday,
Warren moved in on those women so fast, and with such finesse, that only two of
his ‘mothers’ had enough fortitude to stand up against him. Those stunned women,
who had sincerely believed that their husband and prophet would live 350 years
and give them children, went through the shock of losing their husband to death,
seeing him buried, Warren proclaiming himself prophet quickly thereafter and
then immediately receiving revelation to marry those women ‘found worthy of him’
in secret ceremonies.
"Before committing that kind of sin before the
eyes of God, one of his mothers, seeing the futility of fighting him off,
bravely fled the compound and left the community at a run. Another of Warren’s
young ‘mothers’ flatly refused to go along with the marriage. She was sent back
to live with her father and told she would live the rest of her life out without
ever being married." (End of letter excerpt) Read more in the book. . .
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Q. It appears that Warren Jeffs is settling
up other areas for his group.
A. Everyone now knows that Warren Jeffs
has purchased property near Eldorado, Texas, in Schleicher County. Three
apartment-type complexes have been erected on the 1300 acre site, and at least
two more complexes are under construction. Allen Steed, ordained a patriarch by
Warren Jeffs, is the man in charge of this compound, called Yearning For Zion (YFZ).
His counselors are Roy Steed, Ernie Jessop, and David Allred. It is rumored that
some of Warren’s loyal followers did not want to go to Mexico, so the Texas
compound was established to accommodate them.
It is believed that Fred Jessop is at this
compound in Texas. The letter his family received sounds like Fred, his style,
tone, and vernacular.
There is evidence that Warren Jeffs has at
least two other developing compounds as well: one near Benjamin Hills, Mexico,
south of Nogales in the state of Sonora; the other near Encinada, Baja, south of
Tiajuana.
The FLDS has long been familiar with Mexico
and there are other polygamy groups there. Back in the 1940s John Barlow tried
to establish a colony in Mexico in cooperation with Dare LeBaron, father of
Ervil LeBaron. But when Dare insisted on being the priesthood leader of the
entire group, Barlow discontinued participation. Reportedly, newspaper reporters
have been searching Mexico for FLDS compounds by air.
Q. Why Texas?
A. There are a number of likely
possibilities. Presently Texas has no anti-polygamy law, and bigamy is defined
as "state marriages." A sparsely populated county can avoid the public eye, and
it is not that far from the border of Mexico. Also, the age of
majority/emancipation in Texas is seventeen, unlike Utah, which is eighteen.
Q. They said it was a hunting lodge.
Now they say there will be no more than 200 people living there, that they are
building three buildings – each 21,600 square feet. How would anyone know how
many people are actually living there?
A. Three buildings of 21,600 square
feet have been completed, and at least two more are under construction. The
people living in this compound will be living a type of united order, wherein
they will share all commodities. I expect that probably each building will be
under the direction of one man, one elder. Possibly there may be only one family
in that building if he has many wives, or possibly there could be as many as
five families in each building if it houses men with only one wife. Each
building could conceivably house one hundred people counting men, women and
children. Five buildings would hold 500 people.
The 200 number that they gave out is only a
sidetrack so as to cause no panic in the area. I suspect eventually there will
be more buildings constructed and more families moving in. If Warren Jeffs
decides to wrest political control of the county, which is a conceivable
concern, he would have to move in approximately 2,000 voting-age people. My
estimation is that within a ten-year period, there could be over 2,000 people
living at YFZ compound.
Q. Which members are living there?
A. The key men that are going to
Eldorado at this time are only there to establish the community. Some will take
one or two wives with them while the construction is going on. After the
community is established, most of the key men will return to Colorado City or to
another of Warren Jeffs’ compounds.
A number of rank and file residents (not the
key men in Warren Jeffs organization) will live there. Some of these have only
one wife. Others with multiple wives will undoubtedly take their wives and
children with them. This will be a permanent residence for a number of Jeffs’
followers. There’ll be one or possibly two high priests who will live in the new
community with one or more of their wives and families. Their other families
will remain in Colorado City/Hildale or move to Mexico, and the men will spend
much time commuting back and forth. Warren Jeffs may possibly move some of his
family to Texas also.
Q. The Eldorado Success newspaper
quotes the FLDS as saying they won’t go into competition with local people for
contracting jobs. But if they decide to do so, what would stop them?
A. If the FLDS people at the YFZ compound
would decide to go into competition with the local people at Eldorado, of course
there would be nothing that could stop them. However, it would not be to their
advantage to do so. First, there is not enough business in the small community
to entice them. They will go to the larger cities such as San Angelo or San
Antonio to do their bidding and contracting work. These workers would be young
men ages sixteen to twenty who are on "work missions" and their income would be
turned over to the FLDS.
Answers to the following may be found in the
book. . .
Q. The FLDS in Texas say their intent is
not to apply for government assistance.
Q. Will a United Order work in Texas?
Q. FLDS leaders in Eldorado claim there
won’t be any child brides, but how will authorities know? It is a closed and
gated community.
Q. Why does Washington County Sheriff Smith
speak well of the people in Colorado City/Hildale when he talks to the
authorities in Texas? And does he know any polygamist women?
Q. Knowing that they believe in blood
atonement and knowing his people would do whatever is necessary to protect their
prophet, do you think authorities will keep their distance?
Q. Knowing Warren Jeffs and watching what
he has done so far, what do you think may happen in the future as he plans for
the end of the world?
Q. What is the future of the FLDS?
Q. What will be Warren Jeffs future actions
in the Colorado City/Hildale area?
Q. If Warren Jeffs leaves Colorado City,
who would take over?
Q. Why in the world did the Barlows just
meekly lay down and allow their wives and children to be taken from them?
Q. Some, including Ross Chatwin, have
compared Warren Jeffs to Adoph Hitler. What do you think?
Read answers in the book. . .
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