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Ross Wesley LeBaron played the role of eccentric prophet. The second oldest son of patriarch Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr., carved a distinct path in Utah. Ross founded the Church of the Firstborn. His teachings presented a unique fundamentalist cosmology focused on distributing sacred authority rather than concentrating it, emphasizing that “the honor is in the work, not the title.”

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Ross LeBaron’s theology centered on the concept of a higher order of priesthood existing “above the [LDS] Church” structure. This authority, which he called the Patriarchal Priesthood, originated with the keys restored by Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple (D&C 110).

This higher priesthood manifested in the Nauvoo period as the authority to make men “kings and priests” (and women “queens and priestesses”), often referred to as the fullness of the priesthood. Ross taught that this authority should be widely distributed among worthy men, acting as a check and balance against unrighteous leadership.

He contrasted this view sharply with the prevailing fundamentalist models (like the Woolley line, which later split into FLDS and AUB) that focused on concentrating supreme authority either in a single presiding figure (the “one man rule”) or a small “Council of Seven”. Ross felt the stability of the priesthood lay in this dissemination of authority, allowing many men to hold the highest keys for their own families.

Ross’s authority traced back to his grandfather, Benjamin F. Johnson, a close confidant of Joseph Smith and the last living original member of the Council of Fifty. Johnson claimed that Joseph Smith had authorized him to teach the principles of plural marriage, endowments, garments, and the Second Anointing “when I’m led to do so”. This unique claim bypassed Ross’s father (Benjamin Franklin LeBaron) and passed to his grandfather, Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. (“Dayer”.)

Ross received a patriarchal blessing and the “keys, rights, and authority of the patriarchal order of priesthood” from his father, Dayer, in 1950. Although Dayer died without naming a clear successor, leaving behind a succession crisis, Ross eventually received a revelation confirming that the patriarchal priesthood he held was the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood. He subsequently concluded that, as Joseph Smith’s birthright, he was the “one anointed and appointed” referenced in D&C 132:73.

Ross’s ministry in Utah often relied on eccentric methods to gain public notice. He spent over 20 years on radio shows (like KSXX) attempting to be controversial or “silly” (clowning around) to draw attention before sharing his message, mirroring unusual methods sometimes used by Old Testament prophets.

A crucial element of Ross’s authority was the belief that the patriarchal keys authorized him to perform temple ordinances, including the Second Anointing.

Ross also stressed individual accountability and agency. When a follower sought revelatory guidance from him regarding a major life decision, Ross challenged him: “Why are you afraid of taking responsibility for yourself? Don’t your knees work? Go to God yourself and get revelation for yourself.” This focus on the individual patriarch holding authority for their own family underscored Ross’s belief that while leaders were fallible, the highest order of priesthood could and should be accessed by all worthy individuals.

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Evil Ervil LeBaron was a killer. He killed not only his brother Joel LeBaron, but had his wives kill rival Rulon Allred. He was known to have a hit list of others, including President Spencer Kimball of the LDS Church. Jacob Vidrine discusses these events and we’ll discuss the recent drug killings to a LeBaron family in Mexico. Check out our conversation…

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When discussing Mormon fundamentalism, the name LeBaron often conjures images of violence and notoriety, largely due to the actions of Ervil LeBaron. Though the family’s original movement—the Church of the Firstborn—was rooted in unique priesthood claims tracing back to Nauvoo, Ervil’s descent into murder and extremism permanently attached a “stigma” to the LeBaron name.

Ervil LeBaron was one of the younger sons of Alma Dayer LeBaron (Dayer) and was initially associated with the Mexico branch of the family, led by his brother Joel LeBaron. Ervil was recognized early on as a key figure in establishing Joel’s church, serving as a great theologian who authored the important pamphlet Priesthood Expounded. Joel rewarded his loyalty by appointing Ervil to the prestigious position of presiding patriarch over their Mexican church, the number two office under Joel.

However, Ervil’s rise was quickly marred by corruption. Reports indicated that Ervil began embezzling tithing funds and had a reputation for being predatory, attempting to get all the wives for himself and generally aggrandizing himself through his authority.

By 1970, the controversy surrounding Ervil’s financial and moral conduct grew so severe that many members and leaders within Joel’s church felt the need to curb his influence.

In response to Ervil’s excesses, Joel made the drastic decision to strip Ervil of all authority in the church. Ervil, angered by the loss of his prestige and power, convinced himself that he was justified in killing Joel for taking away his authority. This marked the schism, leading Ervil to form his own group, the Church of the Lamb of God.

Ervil’s actions escalated quickly into violence. He claimed a radical, theocratic justification for his subsequent murders: he asserted that he held the civil authority over the earth as “God’s appointed agent”. Based on this claim, Ervil believed he could kill anyone who was “treasonous against his government”.

Ervil ordered Dan Jordan, one of his followers, to murder Joel LeBaron, which occurred in 1972. This assassination cut off the head of Joel’s organization, as Joel died without appointing a successor to his highest office.

After murdering his brother, Ervil was determined to eliminate any remaining opposition. He began threatening other fundamentalists and created a massive hit list. He was reportedly concerned about Verlan LeBaron, who had been appointed by Joel to replace Ervil as the presiding patriarch. Verlan was forced to go into hiding for nearly a decade to avoid Ervil’s retribution.

To draw Verlan out of hiding, Ervil devised a calculated and shocking plan: he ordered the murder of Rulon Allred, the leader of the Allred Group (AUB). Ervil targeted Allred because Verlan had married into Rulon’s family, believing Verlan would attend the funeral.

Rulon Allred was assassinated in his doctor’s office in 1977. Ervil allegedly sent two of his wives to commit the crime, securing their commitment to his violent cause. Although Verlan was present at Allred’s funeral, the overwhelming police presence spooked Ervil’s followers, saving Verlan’s life.

Ervil was eventually apprehended in Mexico, extradited, and convicted in 1980 for ordering Allred’s death, receiving a life sentence in Utah State Prison. However, the violence did not end there. Ervil died in prison in 1981 in an apparent suicide.

Tragically, just two days after Ervil’s death was discovered, Verlan LeBaron—the man Ervil had spent years trying to kill—died in an auto accident in Mexico City. Several family members and observers suspected that this was not a coincidence, believing it was a sabotage hit ordered by Ervil’s followers, who continued their deadly work even after Ervil’s incarceration.

Ervil’s actions permanently “soil[ed] the whole [LeBaron]” family, transforming a unique movement rooted in secret Nauvoo priesthood claims into one synonymous with a twisted quest for power and serial murder.

LeBarón and Langford Families Massacre

Tragedy continues in Mexico as recently as 2019. Nine people were killed with some burned alive in a car (three women and six children, all of whom held dual US–Mexican citizenship).[3][4] They were members of the LeBaron and Langford families. A drug cartel is believed to be behind the attack.[5][6] In January 2025, a federal judge in Mexico ordered the Attorney General’s Office to investigate the massacre as an act of terrorism in Mexico.

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1950s were a tumultuous time for Mormon polygamists. Not only did police jail many for polygamy, but there were Mormon Fundamentalist Schisms. Many groups including Joseph Musser and the LeBaron families split apart. Jacob Vidrine of the Church of the Firstborn gives more details. Check out our conversation…

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The history of Mormon fundamentalism is filled with contested authority claims, but few are as immediate and dramatic as the split that occurred between Ross and Joel LeBaron in the mid-1950s. This schism not only severed the nascent Church of the Firstborn into two distinct movements but also cemented radically different interpretations of priesthood authority that traced back to Nauvoo.

Following the death of their father, Alma Dayer LeBaron (Dayer), who had claimed a unique authority line through Benjamin F. Johnson, the family faced a succession crisis. Joel LeBaron and his brothers (including Verlin and Floren) were primarily based in Mexico and had initially affiliated themselves with the Allred Group (AUB), which was the Salt Lake-based faction of the larger Woolley fundamentalist movement after the 1950s split.

In 1955, Joel and his brothers traveled to Utah specifically to request funding from the Allred Council to establish a United Order in Mexico. While staying in Utah, they interacted with their brother, Ross Wesley LeBaron, the second oldest son, who had been ministering separately in the Utah area.

Ross had received a commission from his father in 1950 to carry on the “patriarchal work”. His theology provided a unique perspective in the fundamentalist landscape, teaching that the Church of the Firstborn was not merely a holding pattern for the “out-of-order” LDS Church, but rather a “higher church above the Church of Jesus Christ”. Ross argued that the goal was not to “fall back into the church” but to “advance into the church of the firstborn,” emphasizing the higher principles of the patriarchal order restored by Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple.

Ross converted his visiting brothers, Joel and Floren, “back to believing in their father’s authority line” and the patriarchal priesthood. Excited, the brothers decided to formally organize a new church5.

On September 21, 1955, Ross, Joel, and Floren gathered for an organizational meeting that established the Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times. The minutes of this meeting articulated the specific authority lineage claimed by the family: Joseph Smith passed patriarchal keys to Benjamin F. Johnson, who passed them to Alma LeBaron (Dayer), who conferred them on his sons.

In this initial organization:

Ross claimed he ordained both Joel and Floren as patriarchs1012. However, this unity was fleeting.

Within approximately a week of the organization, Joel decided to split from Ross. Joel sought a higher, incontrovertible claim to authority to override Ross’s position as the patriarch holding the keys.

Joel traveled up Farmington Canyon and claimed to receive a revelation or a theophany. He claimed that “no fewer than… 17 or 18 different past prophets” appeared to him on the mountain.

Crucially, these messengers allegedly appointed Joel as “the one mighty and strong”.

This claim directly targeted Ross’s earlier teachings; Ross had claimed the birthright of Joseph Smith and described his own work as merely “preparatory work until the one mighty and strong came”. By claiming this specific title, Joel effectively trumped Ross’s foundational claim and secured his own undisputed position as the highest authority.

The dramatic revelation led to a swift separation, with Ross remaining in Utah and Joel returning to Mexico, where he would successfully grow his branch of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fullness of Times to several thousand members, emphasizing a restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ structure (complete with a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a High Council), rather than Ross’s focus on the higher patriarchal order.

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In essence, the split between Ross and Joel LeBaron illustrates a fundamental tension in fundamentalist authority: the conflict between inheriting authority (Ross, the Birthright, the Patriarchal Keys) versus receiving new, definitive revelation (Joel, the Theophany, the One Mighty and Strong).

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Will there be polygamy in heaven? We’re diving into Ross LeBaron story with Jacob Vidrine of the Church of the Firstborn. I’ll also ask Jacob if polygamy a requirement for the Celestial Kingdom. Will it be monogamy or polygamy in heaven? His answer surprised me! We discuss Law of Adoption & the Manifesto ending polygamy in the LDS Church as well. Check out our conversation…

0:00 1st Successor: Ross LeBaron

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To understand the LeBaron claim, one must look back to Nauvoo Mormonism, where Joseph Smith introduced the concept of higher orders of priesthood. This “highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood” was often referred to as the “fullness of the priesthood” and involved making men and women “kings and priests” in temple ordinances.

Associated with this was the Council of 50, which Joseph Smith established just months before his death as the “literal government” or “political kingdom of God on the earth.” Historical evidence suggests that the Council of 50 was intended to be a presiding priesthood body that held authority no church tribunal could control.

Benjamin F. Johnson was one of the men added to the Council of 50 on March 26, 1844, just before Joseph Smith’s death. Johnson was a close friend of Joseph Smith and was taught directly about plural marriage, endowments, garments, and the Second Anointing. Johnson later asserted that he was authorized by Joseph Smith “to teach this to others when I’m was led to do so.”

After the Council of 50 ceased meeting (it became defunct after 1885/1911 when Joseph F. Smith denied the request to reconvene it), Johnson emphasized that he was the last living original member of the Council of 50.

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The LeBaron authority claim rests on Johnson passing this special, secret Nauvoo authority—which included the Fullness of the Priesthood and involvement in the Kingdom of God structure—to his grandson, Alma Dayer LeBaron (Dayer.)

This transfer of keys was unusual because it bypassed Dayer’s own father, Benjamin Franklin LeBaron. The LeBaron family justified this by drawing analogies to the Old Testament, such as Jacob appointing Ephraim the birthright over his older brother Manasseh.

The lineage runs: Joseph Smith à  Benjamin F. Johnson à Alma Dayer LeBaron.

The family tradition holds that in the mid-1890s, when Dayer was about 10 years old, Johnson gave him a patriarchal blessing appointing him to hold the “birthright of Joseph Smith.” This “birthright” concept relates to special blessings given in the Nauvoo Temple, granting “special authority to authorize the temple… work for the dead” within a family context. Before Johnson died (around 1905), he reportedly charged Dayer to “carry on the kingdom” and conferred upon him all the priesthood that Johnson had received from Joseph Smith.

Dayer spent the remainder of his life establishing his family and practicing plural marriage in Mexico, having been excommunicated from the LDS Church. Because he was secretive about his authority claim, Dayer was sometimes called the “silent prophet” or “quiet heir of the kingdom.”

Following Dayer’s death in the early 1950s without naming a clear successor, a succession crisis ensued, leading to major schisms among his sons: Ben (who was mentally unwell), Ross Wesley LeBaron (second oldest), and Joel LeBaron (a younger son.)

Ross, who operated primarily in Utah, built his claim on a commission received from Dayer in 1950 to carry on the “patriarchal work.” Ross emphasized a cosmology that directly reflected the Nauvoo concepts:

The distinct nature of this lineage—tracing independent temple and kingdom authority through a Council of 50 member rather than through the apostolic line—is why LeBaronism remains a peculiar and historically fascinating branch of Mormon fundamentalism.

Historically, leaders whose teachings form the basis of fundamentalist theology (such as Brigham Young and Lyman Wight) taught that monogamous people can go to the celestial kingdom.

While a monogamist can achieve the celestial kingdom, the practice of plural marriage is tied to the highest level of exaltation and becoming a God.

In summary, fundamentalist theology generally holds that acceptance of plural marriage as a true principle is essential for celestial glory, and its eventual practice is considered necessary for the greatest glory and achieving Godhood. Ross LeBaron’s particular theology, however, often took plural marriage for granted and focused more heavily on the patriarchal priesthood and keys necessary for the “higher church” (the Church of the Firstborn.)

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Jacob Vidrine discusses LeBaron succession! You may have heard of Ervil, Joel, and Ross LeBaron. Who took charge after Alma Dayer LeBaron died? Check out our conversation….

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When the name LeBaron is mentioned in discussions of Mormon fundamentalism, often the first person who comes to mind is the notorious Ervil LeBaron, a murderer who had a hit list and was a murderer and died in jail. However, the complex history of the LeBaron family and their unique claims to priesthood authority—separate from most other fundamentalist groups like the FLDS, AUB, and Woolley-ites—reveals a fascinating succession crisis rooted deep in Nauvoo-era doctrine.

We will discuss how the LeBarons obtained their distinct authority and how their patriarch’s death fractured the family into multiple competing groups across Utah and Mexico.

Unlike the majority of fundamentalists who trace their authority back to the 1886 revelation received by John Taylor (the Woolley line), the LeBaron authority stems from a different source. This lineage is traced to Benjamin F. Johnson, a close friend of Joseph Smith and a member of the secretive Council of 50.

The LeBaron authority claim relies on the concept of the “fullness of the priesthood” or the “highest order of the priesthood,” authority that Joseph Smith introduced in Nauvoo. This highest order involved making men “kings and priests” and conferring the sealing power. Johnson, who emphasized his role as the “last living original member of the Council of 50,” taught that Joseph Smith authorized him to teach these keys—plural marriage, endowments, garments, and the second anointing—to others when led by the Holy Spirit.

This unique priesthood was considered “above the church,” creating an authority that “no tribunal in the church could control.” Johnson, near his death (circa 1903-1905), charged his grandson, Alma Dayer “Dayer” LeBaron Sr., to carry on this special family birthright and the work of the kingdom.Hesitant Patriarch and the Failed Succession

Dayer LeBaron Sr., born in 1886, entered into plural marriage in the 1920s and moved his family to Mexico to escape prosecution, spending the rest of his life carving out a homestead there. Due to his secretive nature (leading to the nickname “The Silent Prophet”) and the mental decline of his intended firstborn successor, Benjamin. Dayer was hesitant to teach his younger children about his specific authority claims.

By 1950, Dayer’s health was failing rapidly; he was bedridden, suffering from paralysis, and could barely communicate. This severe decline set the stage for a succession crisis, as Dayer maintained that he could not appoint a successor “until the Holy Ghost tells me who to appoint.”

The resulting conflict split the family authority claims into three main groups:

Ross claimed he received a revelation urging him not to ask for the “birthright” title, but instead to ask for a “commission to carry on the patriarchal work.” This revelation emphasized a key tenet of his ministry: “the honor is in the work, not the title.”

Dayer LeBaron ultimately died in 1951 without clearly naming a successor.

The lack of clear leadership led to an immediate schism:

The history of the LeBarons illustrates how complex foundational priesthood claims, combined with vague successions and sibling rivalries, led to divergent paths—one emphasizing ministry (Ross) and others ending in notoriety and violence (Ervil.)

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Jacob Vidrine tells how authority transferred from Benjamin F Johnson in Nauvoo to Alma Dayer LeBaron and the LeBaron groups. Check out our conversation…

The LeBaron authority line, originating from Benjamin F. Johnson, is like a secret royal charter given directly by the king (Joseph Smith) to a trusted advisor, authorizing him to establish a new subsidiary branch of the kingdom. While other fundamentalist lines (Woolleyites) claim authority based on a later, more public decree (John Taylor’s revelation), the LeBaron claim bypasses that decree entirely, asserting that they hold the direct, foundational keys passed down in private, reserved councils from the original founder, allowing them to continue the highest work of the kingdom regardless of later organizational changes.

0:00 Succession Crisis

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When most people, particularly those familiar with the history of the Latter-day Saint (LDS) Church, think of Mormon fundamentalism, their minds often drift immediately to groups like the FLDS or the AUB, tracing their origins back to the Lorin Woolley story. These groups represent 80 to 90% of fundamentalists who trace their authority back to the story of John Taylor receiving an 1886 revelation to keep plural marriage alive.

However, the history of fundamentalism is far more complex, encompassing groups like the Kingstons and the LeBarons, who assert a distinct and separate line of authority. The LeBaron family lineage, from which the Church of the Firstborn descends, presents one of the most peculiar and historically rich claims in fundamentalist Mormonism, tracing its authority back to the Nauvoo period of Joseph Smith’s ministry.

The LeBaron name often carries stigma due to Ervil LeBaron, who led the Church of the Lamb of God and was a convicted murderer. This historical exploration focuses on the lineage claimed by the Ross LeBaron line, or “Firstborners,” who are not associated with Ervil’s violence.

To understand the LeBaron claim, one must examine the higher orders of priesthood introduced by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. This era saw the introduction of new temple rituals, doctrines pertaining to godhood, and work for the dead. Central to this was the concept of the “fullness of the priesthood” or “highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood,” associated with making men and women kings and priests and queens and priestesses.

Joseph Smith taught that this authority derived from keys restored in the Kirtland Temple by Moses, Elias, and Elijah. Statements from the time suggest that those who received this highest authority—such as the second anointing—held the potential to restore the entire church and kingdom, possessing power to officiate in any office from the lowest to the highest. This higher authority was sometimes referred to as patriarchal priesthood.

This higher order was perceived as priesthood above the church. During the trial of Sidney Rigdon, for example, Heber C. Kimball stated that Rigdon, despite being a member of the First Presidency, did not hold the same “higher authority” possessed by more than 30 other men. This higher authority may have referred to members of the Anointed Quorum or the Council of Fifty.

The Council of Fifty, established in the last months before Joseph Smith’s death, was intended to be the political kingdom of God on earth, functioning as a literal government. However, historical sources suggest it was viewed by many, including Lyman Wight and critical “Brewster-ites,” as a presiding priesthood body that held authority no church tribunal could control. Brigham Young himself stated that the Council of Fifty would be the “governing and presiding body of this kingdom,” defying anyone to draw a dividing line between its spiritual and temporal affairs.

This Council of Fifty was also the setting for Joseph Smith’s “last charge” speech, where he is traditionally recorded as rolling the responsibility of establishing the kingdom onto the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. However, some accounts, including a statement from Brigham Young in the 1845 Council of Fifty minutes, corrected the notion that the charge was solely to the Twelve, asserting that it was a charge to the entire Council of Fifty to “bear off the kingdom to all the world.”

The LeBaron authority traces directly to a specific member of the Council of Fifty and an intimate friend of Joseph Smith: Benjamin F Johnson.

Johnson was among the men added to the Council of Fifty on March 26, 1844, during a meeting where Joseph Smith “continued his instructions on heavenly matter[s].” Johnson was also the last living original member of the Council of Fifty, a fact he repeatedly emphasized in his later writings. Johnson was taught by Joseph Smith about temple ordinances, plural marriage, endowments, garments, and the second anointing from the beginning.

Crucially, Johnson claimed that Joseph Smith authorized him “to teach this to others when I was led to do so.” In a 1903 letter to the First Presidency, Johnson referred to other things that Joseph taught to us in this council that I am not at liberty to write, emphasizing that Joseph had told him: Benjamin, those things that have been committed to you, you are authorized to commit them to others when you are led to do so by the… Holy Spirit. Johnson was claiming exclusive secret knowledge and independent authority stemming from his temple experience and Joseph Smith’s charge.

The distinct LeBaron fundamentalist claim arises because Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. (Dayer), the family patriarch, was Benjamin F. Johnson’s grandson.

Dayer received a patriarchal blessing from Johnson in the mid-1890s when Dayer was about ten years old, which family tradition holds appointed him to be the birthright of Joseph Smith. This connection was bolstered by the family tradition that the LeBarons were spiritually Joseph Smith’s posterity, drawing on the Nauvoo/early Utah concept of leverite marriage where children born after a sealing to Joseph would be considered his eternal seed. The blessing record itself mentioned holding the “birthright in… thy father’s house,” using the exact verbiage John Taylor had used for appointing family birthrights in the Nauvoo Temple.

According to the LeBaron family, Johnson charged Dayer near his death (1903–1905) to “carry on the kingdom” and conferred upon him all the priesthood that Johnson had received from Joseph Smith. Dayer spent his life attempting to establish a colony in Mexico and entered plural marriage in the 1920s, which led to his excommunication from the LDS Church.

Dayer was generally secretive about his authority claim, often referred to by his daughter as “The Silent Prophet.” However, antagonist witnesses, such as Margarito Bautista, recalled Dayer speaking of receiving a special authority claim as early as 1910–1913, only five years after Johnson’s death.

Dayer’s secrecy contributed to a succession crisis upon his death around 1951, mirroring the succession crisis that followed Joseph Smith’s death. Dayer had been hesitant to appoint a successor, stating he could not do so unless the Holy Ghost directed him.

The two most prominent sons in the authority claim were Benjamin (Ben), the oldest, and Ross Wesley LeBaron (the second oldest.) Unfortunately, Ben suffered from mental illness after being ordained by his father, claiming to be “the one mighty and strong”8788. Dayer’s reluctance to teach his younger children about his claim was partially linked to Ben’s mental demise.

The crisis culminated with the three primary contenders:

The unique authority claim of the Ross LeBaron line, and the Church of the Firstborn today, rests on this direct, non-Woolley lineage stemming from Joseph Smith’s highest priesthood orders in Nauvoo, passed through Benjamin F. Johnson, and ultimately commissioned to Ross Wesley LeBaron to carry on the patriarchal work of the kingdom.

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Let’s look into the unique authority claims of the Church of the Firstborn, also often referred to by the term Ross LeBaron-ite. They claim authority through the Council of 50 in Nauvoo! This group represents an interesting fundamentalist branch because its line of authority is distinct from the majority of other fundamentalist groups, such as the FLDS and AUB, who primarily trace their authority through the Lorin Woolley story.

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Most Mormon fundamentalists—around 80% to 90%—trace their priesthood origin story back to the Lorin Woolley story. This story holds that John Taylor received an 1886 revelation telling him that plural marriage was never to be taken from the earth, leading him to set apart men (including Woolley) to keep the practice alive separate from the church911.

The LeBarons, along with the Kingston group, represent authority claims that are separate from this dominant Woolley line. While the Kingstons claim a “new dispensation” or visitation by messengers to confer authority, the LeBarons trace their authority back to Benjamin F. Johnson and the Nauvoo era, which often sounds like “probably the most peculiar out of any fundamentalist claim.”

To understand the LeBaron claim, one must examine the “higher orders of priesthood” introduced by Joseph Smith during the Nauvoo period.

This higher authority was often referred to as the fullness of the priesthood or the highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which entailed being ordained a king and a priest. This authority was conferred through temple ordinances administered to select close followers, initially in the Anointed Quorum (or Holy Order) and later related to the Council of 50.

The LeBaron authority is rooted in the claims of Benjamin F. Johnson, who was a close friend of Joseph Smith. Johnson claimed that Joseph taught him about plural marriage, endowments, garments, and the second anointing, and authorized him “to teach it to others when I’m led to when I’m led to do so.” Johnson emphasized in his later writings that he was the “last living original member of the Council of 50.”

Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. (often called Dayer) was a grandson of Benjamin F. Johnson. The LeBaron family tradition claims that in the mid-1890s, Johnson gave Dayer a patriarchal blessing appointing him to be the birthright of Joseph Smith to hold a special family position. The family claims that Johnson charged Dayer to carry on the kingdom and conferred upon him all the priesthood authority that Johnson himself had received from Joseph Smith.

Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. spent most of his life in Mexico, trying to establish a colony and living plural marriage after being excommunicated from the LDS Church. He maintained a distinct priesthood claim but kept it secretive for much of his life.

Upon Dayer’s death (c. 1951), the LeBaron family faced a succession crisis, similar to the tension seen in the Nauvoo period or the contemporaneous split happening in the Woolley group.

Dayer had several sons who became prominent, notably:

Because Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. died without clearly appointing a successor, the LeBarons broke into different factions, each claiming the authority Dayer had passed down. Ross’s specific brand of LeBaronism focuses on the direct transfer of temple keys and the charge to continue the patriarchal work in Utah, separate from the tragedies and violence that plagued the Mexico-based groups.

What do you think of these claims?

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I’m excited to introduce Jacob Vidrine, a member of Church of the Firstborn. This is a group that is part of the LeBaron fundamentalist group. Jacob is a human encyclopedia of Mormn fundamentalism, and we’re going to dive deep into how the LeBaron group cross-pollinates with other fundamentalist groups. Check it out!

0:00 Intro LeBaron Family

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When discussing Mormon Fundamentalism, most people—especially members of the LDS Church—immediately think of the FLDS or AUB (Apostolic United Brethren). These groups largely trace their origin back to the authority line popularized by Lorin Woolley. However, there is a fascinating and often misunderstood branch of fundamentalism that descends from a completely different line of authority: the LeBarons. As a helpful overview of this distinctive lineage, we spoke with Jacob Vidrine of the Church of the Firstborn, sometimes colloquially referred to as Ross LeBaron-ites.

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The name LeBaron often carries a dark stigma, primarily due to the terrible acts committed by Ervil LeBaron, who was a murderer and died in jail. It is important to note that Vidrine is not associated with Ervil’s group6….

The LeBaron family, descending from patriarch Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. (“Dayer”), primarily split into two main groups:

Approximately 80% to 90% of fundamentalists trace their priesthood authority back to the Lorin Woolley story. This claim rests on the assertion that John Taylor received a revelation in 1886 confirming that plural marriage should never be removed from the earth, after which he set apart men (including Woolley) to keep the practice alive.

Historically, however, the LeBarons and Kingstons maintain a distinct authority claim. The LeBaron claim is deemed by some to be “the most peculiar out of any fundamentalist claim”, as it bypasses the 1886 revelation entirely and goes straight back to the Nauvoo era through Benjamin F. Johnson.

Benjamin F. Johnson was a close friend of Joseph Smith and was one of the men added to the Council of 50 in March 1844. Johnson was heavily invested in the secretive Nauvoo doctrines and claimed that Joseph Smith taught him about plural marriage, the endowment, garments, and the second anointing. Crucially, Johnson claimed that Joseph Smith authorized him “to teach this to others when I’m was led to when I’m led to do” by the Holy Spirit.

Alma Dayer LeBaron, the patriarch of the LeBaron family, was Benjamin F. Johnson’s grandson. Family tradition holds that Johnson conferred upon Dayer a patriarchal blessing in the mid-1890s, appointing him to the “birthright of Joseph Smith” to preside over the family. Near his death (1905), Johnson allegedly charged Dayer to carry on the kingdom and conferred all the priesthood authority that Johnson had received from Joseph Smith.

Alma Dayer LeBaron was secretive about this authority claim for much of his life (earning him the nickname “The Silent Prophet” by his daughter.) However, his son, Ross LeBaron, claimed that in 1950, his father conferred upon him “all the keys, rights, and authority of the patriarchal order of priesthood,” which Ross understood to be the temple keys restored by Moses, Elias, and Elijah in Kirtland.

The entire foundation of the LeBaron claim rests on the idea that Joseph Smith established a higher order of priesthood in Nauvoo that operates independently of the mainstream church structure.

Joseph Smith taught that this higher authority was the “fullness of the priesthood” or the “highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood”. This fullness, Joseph and Brigham Young taught, was the authority required “to be a king and a priest”.

This authority was conferred through select temple ordinances and included the sealing power.

The authority claim for the Church of the Firstborn is therefore rooted in this secretive, independent, and higher-level authority that they believe Joseph Smith conferred outside of the church’s main organizational structure, passing from Joseph Smith to Benjamin F. Johnson, and eventually down to the LeBaron family.

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Joseph Fielding Smith is the architect of controversial LDS orthodoxy. He has some controversial writings about Blacks and Ezra Taft Benson. We’ll also delve into his role with Lowell Bennion, a BYU professor who was fired. Was JFS responsible or was it someone else? Matthew Bowman answers. We’ll also dive into his role in shaping orthodoxy in the 20th century. Don’t forget to check out Matt’s amazing biography on Joseph Fielding Smith! Check out our conversation…

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Joseph Fielding Smith described as a “lightning rod” due to some views considered politically incorrect today, particularly regarding race. Dr. Matt Bowman, author of “Joseph Fielding Smith, a Mormon Theologian,” sheds light on Smith’s impact on the church.

One of the most uncomfortable aspects of Smith’s legacy is his writings about Black individuals, especially concerning the priesthood. In his work, The Way to Perfection, Smith explicitly stated his subscription to the theory that people of African descent were less righteous in the pre-existence. He used language suggesting they were “not entitled to be born white.” Smith was a staunch “defender of the racial restrictions” in the Church and became a major exponent of the idea, which the source traces back to Orson Hyde, that Black people possessed souls less righteous in the pre-existence. This stance led to prominent public clashes, notably with church educator Lowell Bennion at a symposium in the early 1950s. Their argument over the ban contributed to Bennion’s eventual dismissal by Ernest Wilkinson, who was president of BYU and commissioner of church education. Wilkinson viewed Bennion as too liberal on race and saw Smith as an ally in this regard. While Wilkinson was the person who carried out the dismissal, the collision with Fielding Smith helped instigate the decision.

Smith also had complex relationships, even with those seen as ideologically sympathetic. Despite being viewed as a fellow conservative, Smith had significant disagreements with Ezra Taft Benson. A letter from Smith exists in which he hoped Benson’s “blood will be purified” upon his return from a mission in Europe in the 1960s. Smith was skeptical of the Church becoming heavily involved in American politics, viewing Benson’s fascination with politics as distasteful and inappropriate for an apostle. He considered it “unseemly” and “disreputable.” Smith also saw Benson as a conspiracy theorist, distinguishing standard conservative politics (like that of Dwight Eisenhower or David McKay) from conspiracy theory. Smith hoped Benson’s time away would rid him of these inclinations, allowing him to return as an apostle rather than an aspiring amateur politician. This highlights that “real deep divides” can exist even within the conservative camp.

Perhaps Smith’s most enduring theological contribution was his role in developing the idea of orthodoxy within the Latter-day Saint tradition. Orthodoxy, an older Protestant concept particularly associated with John Calvin, posits that being a faithful member requires believing certain things and that incorrect beliefs can jeopardize salvation. This was not a central idea in the early Christian Church’s first century. Smith, possibly influenced by Protestant fundamentalism, began insisting in the mid-20th century that belief is actually really important and that believing “the correct ideas” were crucial because incorrect beliefs could “ruin your salvation.” He defended this notion vigorously. Historically, while early Christianity saw debates over ideas like the Trinity, and Roman Catholicism emphasized sacraments and art for teaching, the strong push for average members to understand and adhere to correct doctrine emerged from the Reformed Protestant tradition.

Smith’s emphasis on orthodoxy gained significant traction in the church. When he became President, many members of the Quorum of the Twelve were individuals he had mentored and who shared his views, such as Harold B. Lee, Mark Peterson, and Marion G. Romney. These leaders became “movers and shakers” who believed in Smith’s ideas. There was an explicit push for institutions like BYU to teach Smith’s works, placing his ideas “at the center of what it meant to be a member of the church.” The correlation movement and curriculum standardization were built upon Smith’s ideas and writings, influencing the church through the late 20th century.

However, the source suggests a shift began in the 1990s, moving away from this retrenchment orthodox position towards devotionalism. This newer emphasis highlights that being a good member is about living a good life, being ethical, attending church, and studying scriptures. The focus shifted from basing lessons on doctrinal works like Bruce R. McConkie’s “Mormon Doctrine” to emphasizing ethical behavior and community building. The discontinuation of “Mormon Doctrine” is seen as symbolic of this fading emphasis ozn strict orthodoxy. Bishops today are often more concerned with community involvement and service than with members’ theological positions on topics like evolution.

While the emphasis on “Smith style orthodoxy” may be waning, “Smith style defensiveness” is taking on new manifestations. Recent events at BYU and disciplinary actions are cited as examples. These issues are often framed not as theological disputes, but as centering around issues of gender, practice, and how people live. While related to moral issues Smith and McConkie addressed, the current focus is more on social organization and conduct. This reflects a renewed sense of being understood siege mentality and a need to “put up a fight” against secularization, reminiscent of Joseph Fielding Smith’s defensiveness, though applied more to issues of practice than abstract belief.

Do you think JFS’s influence is waning 50 years after his death, especially with regards to race ban, defensiveness, and controversial LDS orthodoxy?

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Jerald and Sandra Tanner received an apostolic scolding by LeGrand Richards over the First Vision! By the early 1960s, Sandra and Jerald Tanner were deep into critical analysis of Mormon history, having transitioned from struggling Utah Mormons to committed followers of a Christ-focused faith centered on the Bible and the Book of Mormon. This new path led them to join Pauline Hancock’s “Basement Church” in Independence, Missouri, formally known as the Church of Christ (Bible & Book of Mormon).

0:00 Attending Pauline’s church

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While Jerald had previously traveled to Independence and was baptized, Sandra eventually went by train to meet the group. She was baptized by Pauline in the summer of 1960, making a profession of faith in Christ and affirming her belief in the Book of Mormon. Pauline, described as a lovely woman, was very convinced of her position and served as the preacher for the group, though she never claimed the title of prophet.

This period of adherence to the “Whitmerite” view—rejecting revelations past 1830 and scrapping “Aaronic & Melchizedek priesthood ideas”—was short-lived as the Tanners’ historical questions mounted. Their quest soon took a dramatic turn, involving a top church leader and a disputed document.

In June 1960, just before moving from California to Salt Lake, Sandra sent a formal letter to all the apostles announcing that she was leaving the LDS Church. Her letter detailed several critical issues, including problems with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants changes, differences in the doctrine of God over time, and the evolving narrative of the First Vision. She noted that earlier references to the First Vision seemed to speak of an “angel” or “messenger”, not the Father and the Son, suggesting the latter was a later change.

Apostle LeGrand Richards responded to Sandra’s letter, attempting to prove her wrong. He claimed that his great-grandfather, Joseph Lee Robinson, wrote in his diary in 1841 that Joseph Smith had told him he saw the Father and the Son. Richards reasoned that such an early reference would undermine Sandra’s claim of a shifting narrative.

The Tanners arranged a meeting with Apostle Richards at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City to see the original document. Richards was immediately “miffed” when Sandra brought Jerald, who he perceived as a “doubting Thomas.”

Instead of the original diary, Richards presented them with a typed extract containing the crucial two lines about the Father and Son. Jerald immediately pointed out that this was not the whole page and was not the actual diary. When Jerald asked to turn back the microfilm to check the date and context of the excerpt, Richards refused, accusing the Tanners of “questioning everything” he showed them.

The confrontation escalated dramatically in the genealogical building, where Richards had taken them to view the film. Richards seized the film from the reader, declaring to the staff: “These people are not to see this. If they come back in, you’re not to get this out to show it to them. They’re just troublemakers. They do not have authority to see this again.” Jerald and Richards stomped out of the room arguing, while everyone in the room watched the shocking spectacle of someone arguing with an apostle.

Richards’ efforts to suppress the film failed. After months of checking, Sandra eventually returned downtown. She filled out a call card using the film number she had previously written down. The girl at the desk noted the card had been pulled from the catalog but retrieved the film anyway, assuming Sandra was authorized since she had the number.

Sandra quickly turned to the relevant entry and discovered the truth: the document was not Joseph Lee Robinson’s 1841 diary, but rather his memoirs, written 40 years later in Utah in the 1880s. This discovery rendered the testimony unreliable as an early historical account, reinforcing the Tanners’ conclusion that the Church leadership was willing to suppress or misrepresent historical evidence to maintain the official narrative.

Meanwhile, the faith community that had baptized Sandra was facing its own crisis.

Pauline Hancock had suffered from breast cancer. During a trip to Salt Lake, she had shown Jerald and Sandra the open wound under her arm to ensure they would be witnesses that she truly had cancer. She was praying for healing, but prepared for either outcome, stating that if she didn’t get healed, it would be due to her own “lack of faith”, not a mark against God.

Around the same time, the Tanners concluded they could no longer accept the Book of Mormon, based on their intensive studies of its internal structure, archaeology, and chronology, deciding that “historically it just doesn’t make it.” They ultimately set the book aside.

When the Tanners sent their material questioning the Book of Mormon to the Church of Christ leadership (the Wilcoxes had taken over after Pauline died), they did not realize Pauline had already passed away.

Following Pauline’s death, her “Basement Church” dissolved. Some families who wanted to hold onto the Book of Mormon joined other splinter groups, while others decided to “follow Christ and stick with the Bible.”

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