Merril Jessop
Encyclopedia
Merril Jessop was believed to be the de facto
leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(FLDS Church) after its former leader, Warren Jeffs
, resigned when he was convicted as an accomplice to rape in 2007, until his removal by Jeffs in February 2011. He was also head of the YFZ Ranch
, Jessop has been a lifelong member of the church, 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 Rulon Jeffs
(a man old enough to be their great-grandfather) while at least one of Jessop's daughters was a plural wife of Warren Jeffs.
While he was imprisoned, Warren Jeffs reportedly designated William E. Jessop
as the rightful successor to the FLDS Church presidency. However, William Jessop remained at official church headquarters in Hildale, Utah
. News reports suggested a possible shift of the church's headquarters to Eldorado
, Texas
, where a temple
has been built by FLDS Church at the YFZ Ranch
members. As the bishop 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.
One of Jessop's former wives, Carolyn Jessop
, wrote a memoir in 2007 about their 17 year marriage, conducted when she was 18 years old 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, though one daughter, Betty, after turning eighteen, decided to return to her father, then living at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Texas, and vehemently denies her mother's accusations. In 2009 Carolyn Jessop also won a child support judgment against Merril Jessop in the approximate amount of $148,000.00 for support Merril Jessop failed to provide his children between 2003 and 2009. As of February 2010, Merril Jessop had still not paid any of the child support he owed. According to Carolyn Jessop's attorney, Natalie Malonis, Merril Jessop can be jailed for contempt for his failure to pay the support he owes his children.
According to his former wife's memoir, Jessop is the father of more than fifty biological children with at least five wives. His senior wife, Faunita, who suffered from mental illness and was the mother of at least 15 children, was literally abandoned by the roadside when the group was moved to Texas and became a ward of one of her grandchildren living in the mainstream Mormon community. Jessop is believed to have taken many more wives since the departure of Carolyn. According to his ex-wife's book, Jessop has nebulous business interests that include construction and hotels and has suffered from major heart problems in recent years.
In a National Geographic 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 after greeting all those who came.
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS Church) after its former leader, Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
, resigned when he was convicted as an accomplice to rape in 2007, until his removal by Jeffs in February 2011. He was also head of the YFZ Ranch
YFZ Ranch
The YFZ Ranch, also known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch, is a community which housed as many as 700 people just outside of Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. It is owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . It is about southwest of San Angelo and ...
, Jessop has been a lifelong member of the church, 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 Rulon Jeffs
Rulon Jeffs
Rulon Timpson Jeffs was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Mormon fundamentalist organization based in Colorado City, Arizona....
(a man old enough to be their great-grandfather) while at least one of Jessop's daughters was a plural wife of Warren Jeffs.
While he was imprisoned, Warren Jeffs reportedly designated William E. Jessop
William E. Jessop
William E. Jessop is a leader in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In a January 2007 telephone conversation between Jessop and church president Warren Jeffs, Jeffs suggested that Jessop was the rightful leader of the FLDS Church...
as the rightful successor to the FLDS Church presidency. However, William Jessop remained at official church headquarters in Hildale, Utah
Hildale, Utah
Hildale is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,726 at the 2010 census.Hildale is a twin city to the more well-known Colorado City, Arizona, both of which straddle the border between Utah and Arizona. Hildale is the headquarters of the Fundamentalist Church of...
. News reports suggested a possible shift of the church's headquarters to Eldorado
Eldorado, Texas
Eldorado is a city in and the county seat of Schleicher County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,951 at the 2000 census, but dropped to 1,800 according to a July 2009 estimate.Eldorado is located on U.S...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
has been built by FLDS Church at the YFZ Ranch
YFZ Ranch
The YFZ Ranch, also known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch, is a community which housed as many as 700 people just outside of Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. It is owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . It is about southwest of San Angelo and ...
members. As the bishop 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.
One of Jessop's former wives, Carolyn Jessop
Carolyn Jessop
Carolyn Jessop is a former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member who wrote Escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community. She is the cousin, by marriage, of Flora Jessop, another former FLDS member and...
, wrote a memoir in 2007 about their 17 year marriage, conducted when she was 18 years old 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, though one daughter, Betty, after turning eighteen, decided to return to her father, then living at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Texas, and vehemently denies her mother's accusations. In 2009 Carolyn Jessop also won a child support judgment against Merril Jessop in the approximate amount of $148,000.00 for support Merril Jessop failed to provide his children between 2003 and 2009. As of February 2010, Merril Jessop had still not paid any of the child support he owed. According to Carolyn Jessop's attorney, Natalie Malonis, Merril Jessop can be jailed for contempt for his failure to pay the support he owes his children.
According to his former wife's memoir, Jessop is the father of more than fifty biological children with at least five wives. His senior wife, Faunita, who suffered from mental illness and was the mother of at least 15 children, was literally abandoned by the roadside when the group was moved to Texas and became a ward of one of her grandchildren living in the mainstream Mormon community. Jessop is believed to have taken many more wives since the departure of Carolyn. According to his ex-wife's book, Jessop has nebulous business interests that include construction and hotels and has suffered from major heart problems in recent years.
In a National Geographic 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 after greeting all those who came.
See also
- Mormon fundamentalism
- Colorado City, AZ
- Placement marriagePlacement marriageThe term placement marriage refers to arranged marriages between members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints...
- Patriarchal priesthoodPatriarchal PriesthoodIn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the patriarchal priesthood is sometimes understood as one of types or "orders" of priesthood. The two commonly known orders are the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood. The patriarchal priesthood should not be confused with the...