At the age of 18, Carolyn Jessop was forced to marry a 50-year old man who already had three wives.
Polygamy roll shows 21 wives for one member
By Susan Roesgen (CNN)/ Mon May 5, 2008
(CNN) -- In the secretive, illegal world of American polygamy, life has been good to 67-year-old Wendell Loy Nielsen of Eldorado, Texas.
By his own account, Nielsen has 21 wives -- and 36 children.
His oldest wife is 13 years older than he is, and his youngest wife is 43 years younger -- she's just 24.
His oldest child is 21 years old, and his youngest is a 6-month-old baby.
That's one of the longer, single-family genealogies uncovered in a CNN review of the "Bishop's List" -- a series of documents listing the age, marital status, children and address of the members of the Yearning for Zion polygamist ranch in Eldorado, Texas.
The ranch is owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Mormon offshoot that practices polygamy.
The Bishop's List was found among nearly 1,000 boxes of paperwork taken from the ranch by investigators who are considering child-abuse charges against some of the sect members.
Investigators don't believe there is a "bishop" on the ranch. Instead, they believe sect members take orders from the man they call their "prophet"-- convicted polygamist Warren Jeffs. Jeffs is in prison for forcing a 13-year-old girl to marry her 17-year-old cousin.
Investigators say Jeffs still exerts control from prison through one of the men on the ranch, Merle Jessop. One of Jessop's wives is a former sect member, Carolyn Jessop, who left a polygamist compound and later wrote a book about her experience, called "Escape."
THIS STORY IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG, LONG TIME...
8 comments:
Did it ever occur to anyone the story might be blown up a bit. A good social worker will not of let that info out true or otherwise. They only do that to get people on their side. By now they know who the parents are yet no arrests have been made at least not yet. I mean everyone needs to be aware of how powerful social services are anyone could call and poof your children are gone. I know because they took my twins I tried to get it in the newspaper and it was said I beat my new born infants. Wasn't true but it stayed out of the papers. Social services gave me 1 and put the 2nd up for adoption saying a single mother could not cope with disabled twins. I could tell you stories. Social services is never wrong either according to them and in most states there is a law that says you cannot sue even if your child is taken by malace.
polygimists are totally wrong it was adam and eve NOT adam eve,sarah,laura,and meagan.
This is SO wrong. these polygamist men have NO respect for women
Opulently I acquiesce in but I think the post should have more info then it has.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
After reading the book and all the negative comments placed by the other wives and "Merril" on this site, I believe Carolyn even more. The way these women were brainwashed, and the way Carolyn described them - I would have been surprised if all of the parties involved had admitted that what she wrote was true. Carolyn, I admire you for so many reasons - to much to mention. The saddest of all is the distorted image of God all this has imprinted in Carolyns Life. Everything the Word teaches us of a Loving, Faithful, Caring Father has totally been distorted in her life by the enemy, using her past and I pray LIFE into her life and that Father God would somehow reveal his true identity to her. That she and her children would "Instead of your former shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach, shall rejouce in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double [what they had forfeited]; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For the I the Lord love justice; I have robbery and wrong with violece or a burnt offering. And I will fithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with them" Isaiah 61v7-8.
Its people like that that give polygamy a bad name. If everyone in the marriage wants to do it, then why is it so wrong? And for people qoeting from the bible, There was a time when polygamy was practised. Its only terrible if people are being forced into it or are just children. Have you guys seen the show sister wives? They seem pretty happy to me.
Well the story is not blow up. As first post suggests. And it's not mostly polygamy. It's worst part is child abuse, neglect, abuse PF tyrannical power to coerce its members through fear. Disruption of families through a psychotic and perverse "Prophet"; self appointed. And the reluctance of law enforcement to pursue multiple leads.
See Prophets Prey by Samuel Brower.
Walter, family member of LDS church. Case busted partly from a Mormon private investigator.
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