The records indicated that two of Blackmore’s wives were only 15 when they were married and nearly half were under 18. Their father’s names are on those documents.Īlso in evidence are church marriage records that give the date and place as well as who officiated and who witnessed the ceremonies along with church’s personal records for Blackmore and some of his wives and for Oler and all of his wives. Article content FACEBOOKĮarlier in the trial, birth certificates of one child for each of the women named on the two men’s indictments were entered as evidence. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In her testimony, Jane confirmed that all of the women listed on the two men’s indictments were their plural or “celestial” wives.ĭuring her daylong testimony and cross-examination, Jane said she had attended the births of at least one child of each of Oler’s five wives – either as a nurse at Creston Valley hospital or as the busy midwife of Bountiful, where she delivered an average of 50 babies a year. Without plural or celestial wives, not only can men not hold the FLDS’s highest positions, the FLDS don’t believe that righteous men will be able “to become a God in their own right in the hereafter.” Jane said she expected that her husband would have multiple wives since it is a core principle of fundamentalist Mormon belief. Winston’s new bride and his daughter’s groom were sister and brother. It was the same day that their oldest daughter was married. Jane was also a witness when Winston married another young American woman. When told that she was, Jane said that Jeffs told the witnesses present, “The Lord has just inspired me that she also should be married to Winston.”Īnd, a few minutes later, the sister was. Article contentīut after the ceremony, FLDS prophet Rulon Jeffs asked whether her sister was with her. One young woman had come to Canada with her sister from the “mother community” of Short Creek on the Utah-Arizona border knowing that she was to marry Winston. She testified that she was present for three of Blackmore’s marriages including the day that he married two sisters. I’m sorry I believe in a God that wouldn’t ask you to do something that was impossibleĪs a plural wife, sister-wife and midwife, Jane has a unique perspective on the fundamentalist Mormon community known as Bountiful, which she left in 2003. James Oler, 53, who is also being tried on one count of polygamy, has had five wives. Winston Blackmore, 60, is alleged to now have had 24 wives and he’s said to have 145 children. “But he was unhappy with my confrontation.” “I thought that was not a bad idea,” Jane said tartly during her testimony. Winston insisted that he would lose his position as bishop if he didn’t accept all the wives being assigned to him by the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When her husband told her he was doing God’s work, Jane said she replied: “I’m sorry I believe in a God that wouldn’t ask you to do something that was impossible.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Activate your Online Access Now Article content If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription.
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