Colorado City Polygamists: An Inside Look for the Outsider [Paperback]

Eldorado is being invaded by polygamists from Colorado City. Texas "outsiders" unfamiliar with what they do and how they do it are aggressively seeking information about the group. And they should . . . The public needs to know how the one-man dictatorship developed and how maniacal Warren Jeffs rules today. He and his lieutenants are highly skilled and articulate business men who have mastered the art of deception and therefore pose a threat to any community they inhabit. Colorado City historian Benjamin Bistline's first deeply documented book, The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona was written to present the truth of the beginnings of the group and its original religious doctrine. Over the years, that doctrine has been verbally "rewritten" by religious leaders to support their claim of God's approval of their one-man tyrannical dictatorship. For "outsiders" to whom Colorado City and polygamy are new, the first book was overwhelming with deep documentation. So we offer you this book, condensed, simplified, and easy to follow. People across America are asking how it is that girls as young as thirteen can be forced to marry, and not even to young men but old men; and how it is that women are treated as chattel and belong not to themselves or their husband, but to the Priesthood; and how it is that wives and children can suddenly be reassigned to a "more obedient" man; and how it is that teenage boys are cast out so older men can have more wives. And finally, how is it that tax dollars of American citizens are not only supporting many large polygamist families, but helping their communities expand. Polygamy abuses in America remain in the public eye thanks to Oprah, CNN, ABC Primetime, A&E Television and other media sources, including newspapers The Salt Lake Tribune, The Spectrum of St. George, Utah, The Phoenix New Times, The Arizona Republic, and the Deseret Morning News. With polygamists setting up an enclave in Texas, The Eldorado Success, San Antonio Express-News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, and others are working to make their citizens aware.

For "outsiders" to whom Colorado City and all its issues are new, Ben’s first book The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona, was overwhelming with deep documentation. So we offer you this book, condensed, simplified, and easy to understand.

As a publisher, we believe the public needs to know how all this developed, what methods were used and by whom, and for what purpose.

Americans are asking: How is such a society allowed to exist in this country?

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR BEN BISTLINE ABOUT TEXAS. Answers in the book. . .
Q. Some, including Ross Chatwin, have compared Warren Jeffs to Adoph Hitler. What do you think?
A. Well, I think Ross is referring first to the reputation Warren developed when he was in charge of the Academy in Salt Lake and the tactics he used to get children to come and tell him of anyone, friend or family member, mother or father, who said anything contrary to his strict interpretation of the doctrine. Then he would call the person in and "talk" to them. Then, of course, when he became First Counselor in Colorado City, he sent his thirteen-, fourteen-, and fifteen-year-old young men, he named them "Uncle Warren’s Sons of Helaman" but they were more like the Hitler-youth program (based on young warriors in the Book of Mormon), and 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.

And then when he had his brother ordain him as prophet, he began excommunicating his brethern and reassigning their wives and children to men more willing to completely commit to him and whatever he told them to do, or to believe.

And the newspaper reported that apparently Warren had been secretly taping sessions where people came in to confess their sins and then he used it later to blackmail them.
I guess anyone can read all about him and draw their own conclusion.

Benjamin G. Bistline, the sixth of ten children, was born in Logan, Utah, on April 21, 1935, the son of John Anthony Bistline and Jennie Johnson Bistline. His parents were active members of the Mormon Church but became involved with polygamist families in Millville, Utah, and were excommunicated by LDS Church in 1937.

The family moved to Short Creek, Arizona, in 1945 to join a united order movement, also known as The United Effort Plan. His father soon became discouraged by John Barlow's ineptness in governing his Order, and by 1948 he had repented of his decision to join with Barlows' group at Short Creek. He then decided to rejoin the Mormon Church, but his wife refused to leave, taking a firm stand. Ben’s father died in April of 1949, before rejoining the LDS Church because of their policy of a one year repentance probation period after being excommunicated.

Ben’s mother had always wanted to live polygamy and this gave her the opportunity to do so. She married Richard Jessop as his fifth wife and they moved into his large household of four wives and about thirty children.

Ben lived in this polygamous household for the next three years until the raid on Short Creek in 1953. While living with his stepfather, he became romantically involved with one of the daughters, but the Raid interrupted the courtship. Ben was eighteen and Annie was fifteen. All minor children in the community were declared wards of the state of Arizona, and were transported with their mothers to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1953. They were released and allowed to return to Short Creek in 1955

Annie and Ben were married June 24, 1955, and remained in the society where they parented and raised sixteen children. He was never allowed to marry any other wives, after being deemed unworthy of the privilege by polygamist leaders because of his "rebelliousness." His refused to take what he was told at face value, he refused to join one of the leadership cliques, and he refused to live in blind obedience Thus he was never a polygamist. He and his wife would have accepted plural marriage.

In the early 1980s Ben became discouraged with the polygamists due to their changes in religious doctrine. He now lives on his own property in an area called Cane Beds, about two miles south of Colorado City. He and his wife are still very much involved with the polygamists due to extended family relationships.

Ben and his wife Annie joined the LDS Church in 1992. They believe the same doctrine as the LDS Church in regards to polygamy. They are members of the Kaibab Moccasin Ward where they have served in several church callings. Ben has served on the high council of the Kanab, Utah Kaibab stake.

A serious dispute arose between 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 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 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 Winston Blackmore. Winston therefore acquired a following that is now a rival group to Warren Jeffs.
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 excerpt)
WARREN EVICTS DISOBEDIENT MOTHER
A sixteen-year-old daughter of Lenore 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.