The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona [Paperback]

Benjamin G. Bistline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

What some of the people have been forced to endure in Colorado City is little different from living in a third world country. TEN-YEAR-OLD Benjamin Bistline moved with his parents to Short Creek (Colorado City), Arizona, in 1945 to join with a group of excommunicated Mormons who believed in honoring the law of polygamy as revealed by the Prophet Joseph Smith and instituted by Brigham Young. Mr. Bistline has compiled A DETAILED HISTORY of the significant events that shaped and sustained this community from the beginning. He tells of the shifts in power, changes in leadership philosophies, persecution from outside forces - and from within. Mr. Bistline's goal in writing this history is to reveal that the original leadership structure of a Council of men holding common and balancing power has slowly descended into a ONE-MAN TYRANNICAL RULE over the people. Bistline has observed: 1) Older men being taught to take CHILD BRIDES before the girls are attracted to boys their own age. 2) BOYS DRIVEN OUT of the community for competing with older men for wives. 3) Plural wives expected to apply for WELFARE as single mothers. 4) Men out of favor are "EVICTED" from their homes with their wives and children reassigned to a more compliant man. 5) Community members AFRAID TO DISOBEY the "Prophet" out of fear for their eternal salvation. RESIDENT HISTORIAN Ben Bistline is recognized as the most credible and knowledgeable source of information about Colorado City. He knows more about the people, their motives, their family connections, their religion, their strengths and their weaknesses than any other pundit. Mr. Bistline is contacted by media and the press from all across the country, and has appeared on CNN and Dateline NBC.

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About the Author

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 presently serves on the high council of the Kanab, Utah Kaibab stake.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

What our people did not realize is described in the polygamist’s Law Book, the Doctrine & Covenants. “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” D&C 121:39 The faithful people of Colorado City gave their time, talents, money, devotion, and ongoing hard work to build their community, trusting all the while that their leaders would behave honorably and do right by them. Much of the money accumulated by the leadership-controlled UEP Trust came from the people: through work that produced income to the UEP, through requested donations, and regular tithing of 10 percent of their income. This money was used to purchase land for the Trust and the people were “allowed” to build their homes on it. The leaders acted as if the money was rightfully theirs and did not belong to the people who produced it. The leaders did not see themselves as stewards over this money and accountable to the people. Lorin Woolley, who claimed he had been commissioned in 1887 by a prophet of God to keep plural marriage alive, called a Priesthood Council of men to “govern and make decisions together” to oversee it and keep it going. He emphatically taught them what he had been taught: Not to organize, not to set up a church, not to proselyte, not to hold public meetings, not to set up a United Order, and not to collect tithing money from the people. Just quietly teach about plural marriage and live it in secret. But John Yates Barlow, one of the men on the Council apparently came to believe he had been given the Keys of the Priesthood, which polygamists believed was a bestowal by God upon a man so righteous he should have supreme power over others on earth. This dictator type power by John Y. Barlow was used to organize the polygamists, proselyte for new members, create a United Order, and collect tithing money from the people. He taught this One Man Rule to those around him, to the leaders who would succeed him, and to his sons whom he expected would one day take their rightful place and rule. As years passed the “one man” was called a prophet and his direction to the people was taught as coming from God. Otherwise, one’s eternal salvation was in jeopardy. Older men needing more wives were taught to take child brides, women were told to apply for welfare as single mothers, boys competing with older men for wives were driven out of the community, and men out of favor were “evicted” from their homes and their wives and children reassigned to a more compliant man. This “unrighteous dominion” described in the Law Book would grow into an unprecedented dictatorship secretly hidden away in a remote corner of America. It would grow and eventually come full circle, creating a stranglehold on the people they never imagined.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Agreka Books (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888106743
• ISBN-13: 978-1888106749
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is so accurate!, January 20, 2006

By 

Toni Bate - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona (Paperback)

I found this book very enlightening. I learned a lot about a group of people I knew little about. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know the truth about the society in Colorado City/Hildale. The author is not interested in sensationalism, but in reporting the truth. I moved to an area just south of these twin towns - found the people interesting and the book helps me to understand them better. They do have tv's, computers, etc. in spite of their commands otherwise - and they have vehicles and modern conveniences. They just dress like pioneers. Great book!

5 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars George Bush should stop polygamists, July 30, 2005

By 

Ronnie Clay "R.C." (Winnsboro, Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona (Paperback)

I feel bad for what the women have to go through in Colorado City. They are force to marrie, even when their under age. Men are having mulitple wives and dozens of children. The people over their were clothes from and old century, theirs no entertainment for them to enjoy like television, radio, computers nothing. A person from the outside world comes in at night and get the girls out of that city to live a normal. They were talking about polygamisty on Opera and Dr. Phil. Why won't lazy George Bush do something about this.