Charles W. Kingston
Encyclopedia
Charles William Kingston (1884-06-26 – 1975-11-29) was a member of the Latter Day Church of Christ and the Davis County Cooperative Society.
, Utah Territory
, the eldest son of Mary Priscilla Lerwill Tucker and Charles Kingston
. Kingston's parents were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Kingston's father would become a prominent leader of the LDS Church in southwestern Wyoming
. At the age of eight, Kingston was baptized
into the LDS Church.
In 1906, Kingston married Vesta Minerva Stowell in the Logan Utah Temple
. Shortly after being married, Kingston began a mission
for the LDS Church in the Eastern States Mission
of the church. In 1908, he finished his mission and moved to a farm near Idaho Falls, Idaho
, where he was employed by the Oregon Short Line Railroad
. As part of his employment, Kingston made frequent trips to Salt Lake City, Utah
, where he would attend the Salt Lake Temple
.
, a Latter-day Saint who was married to three plural wives
but had not been excommunicated by the LDS Church. Zitting introduced Kingston to John W. Woolley, who had performed Zitting's plural marriage
s.
In 1928, Kingston was barred from entering the Salt Lake Temple when temple president
George F. Richards
learned that Kingston did not agree with the LDS Church's 1890
and 1904 renunciations
of plural marriage
. Kingston was initially opposed in his beliefs by his wife, children, and parents, all of whom tried to convince him to abandon a belief in plural marriage in order to prevent his excommunication from the LDS Church. However, in time he gained the support of his wife and children.
Kingston was excommunicated from the LDS Church on 1929-03-04. The disciplinary council
wanted to give him six months to reconsider his position before excommunicating him, but Kingston insisted that the council make an immediate decision. Seven days later, on March 12, Kingston had a vision of God the Father
and Jesus Christ, which reassured him that he had made the right decision.
before Broadbent died in 1935 and founded the Latter Day Church of Christ of polygamists in Davis County, Utah
.
Charles joined the Church soon after its creation and supported his son Elden Kingston who actively led the Latter Day Church of Christ until his death in 1947. In 1941, the Kingstons established the Davis County Cooperative Society as the means of implementing the United Order
. Upon Elden's death, Charles Kingston designated his son John Ortell Kingston
as the leader of the Kingston Clan. Charles W. Kingston died in Salt Lake City, Utah. Shortly after Charles's death, Ortell formally created the Latter Day Church of Christ.
Early life
Kingston was born in CroydenCroydon, Utah
Croydon is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Morgan County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. Accessible from Interstate 84, it is home to Holcim's Devil's Slide Cement Plant and several hundred residents...
, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, the eldest son of Mary Priscilla Lerwill Tucker and Charles Kingston
Charles Kingston (Mormon)
Charles Kingston was an English Mormon convert and a prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in southwestern Wyoming.Kingston was born in Peterborough, England...
. Kingston's parents were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Kingston's father would become a prominent leader of the LDS Church in southwestern Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. At the age of eight, Kingston was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
into the LDS Church.
In 1906, Kingston married Vesta Minerva Stowell in the Logan Utah Temple
Logan Utah Temple
The Logan Utah Temple is the 4th constructed and 2nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Logan, Utah, it was the second LDS temple built in the Rocky Mountains .The LDS temple in Logan was announced on May 18, 1877, just after the dedication...
. Shortly after being married, Kingston began a mission
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church in the Eastern States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the church. In 1908, he finished his mission and moved to a farm near Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, where he was employed by the Oregon Short Line Railroad
Oregon Short Line Railroad
The Oregon Short Line Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Oregon. The line was as organized the Oregon Short Line Railway in 1881 as a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railway. Union Pacific intended the line to be the shortest route from Wyoming to Oregon...
. As part of his employment, Kingston made frequent trips to Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where he would attend the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
.
Involvement in plural marriage and excommuniation
On one of Kingston's trips to Salt Lake City, he met Charles ZittingCharles Zitting
Charles Frederick Zitting was a Mormon fundamentalist leader of the community in Short Creek, Arizona.Zitting began his rise in the leadership of the Mormon fundamentalist Short Creek Community when he was arrested on April 1, 1931 on charges of polygamy and bailed out by Lorin C. Woolley, J....
, a Latter-day Saint who was married to three plural wives
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
but had not been excommunicated by the LDS Church. Zitting introduced Kingston to John W. Woolley, who had performed Zitting's plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
s.
In 1928, Kingston was barred from entering the Salt Lake Temple when temple president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
George F. Richards
George F. Richards
George Franklin Richards was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 9, 1906 until his death...
learned that Kingston did not agree with the LDS Church's 1890
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and 1904 renunciations
Second Manifesto
The "Second Manifesto" was a 1904 declaration made by Joseph F. Smith, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , in which Smith stated the church was no longer sanctioning marriages that violated the laws of the land and set down the principle that those entering into or...
of plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. Kingston was initially opposed in his beliefs by his wife, children, and parents, all of whom tried to convince him to abandon a belief in plural marriage in order to prevent his excommunication from the LDS Church. However, in time he gained the support of his wife and children.
Kingston was excommunicated from the LDS Church on 1929-03-04. The disciplinary council
Disciplinary council
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a disciplinary council is an ecclesiastical trial during which a member of the church is tried for alleged violations of church standards. If a member of the LDS Church is found guilty of an offence by a disciplinary council, he or she may be...
wanted to give him six months to reconsider his position before excommunicating him, but Kingston insisted that the council make an immediate decision. Seven days later, on March 12, Kingston had a vision of God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
and Jesus Christ, which reassured him that he had made the right decision.
Mormon fundamentalist
In 1931, Kingston and Jesse Burke Stone published Laman Manasseh Victorious, a book justifying the continued Mormon practice of plural marriage. Kingston supported the leadership of John W. Woolley, Lorin C. Woolley, and J. Leslie Broadbent. The Church had soon been individually established by Charles's son EldenElden Kingston
Charles Elden Kingston was the founder of The Latter Day Church of Christ and the Davis County Cooperative Society.Elden Kingston was supported by his father Charles W. Kingston, his mother Vesta Minerva Kingston, and his siblings as the leader of the Latter Day Church of Christ...
before Broadbent died in 1935 and founded the Latter Day Church of Christ of polygamists in Davis County, Utah
Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 306,479, a 28.2% increase over the 2000 figure of 238,994. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden–Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area as...
.
Charles joined the Church soon after its creation and supported his son Elden Kingston who actively led the Latter Day Church of Christ until his death in 1947. In 1941, the Kingstons established the Davis County Cooperative Society as the means of implementing the United Order
United Order
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the United Order was one of several 19th century church collectivist programs. Early versions of the Order beginning in 1831 attempted to implement the Law of Consecration, a form of Christian communism, modeled after the New Testament church which had "all things...
. Upon Elden's death, Charles Kingston designated his son John Ortell Kingston
John Ortell Kingston
John Ortell Kingston was the leader of the Kingston Clan of Mormon fundamentalists in Davis County, Utah, from 1947 until his death in 1987.-Latter Day Church of Christ Membership:J. Ortell Kingston was the son of Charles W...
as the leader of the Kingston Clan. Charles W. Kingston died in Salt Lake City, Utah. Shortly after Charles's death, Ortell formally created the Latter Day Church of Christ.
External links
- Charles W. Kingston : online biography