William E. Jessop

William E. Jessop (born William E. Timpson) is a leader in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church). In a January 2007 telephone conversation between Jessop and church president Warren Jeffs, Jeffs suggested that Jessop was the rightful leader of the FLDS Church. In a jailhouse visit with his brother Nephi, Jeffs reportedly stated that "Brother William E. Jessop has been the prophet" of the FLDS Church since the death of Rulon Jeffs. Jessop should not be confused with Willie Jessop, a frequent spokesperson for the FLDS Church.

Family background

Jessop is the son of Alma A. Timpson and one of his wives, Kathy. In the mid-1980s, Timpson had a falling out with FLDS Church leader Leroy S. Johnson and left the FLDS Church to start the schismatic Centennial Park Group. However, his wife Kathy refused to follow him, and she and her children remained with the FLDS Church members. Kathy became the wife of Fred Jessop, and William adopted his stepfather's surname.

Claim to leadership

Prior to his death, Rulon Jeffs had instructed his son Warren Jeffs to ordain William Jessop to be a counselor to Fred Jessop, who was a bishop in the FLDS Church in Hildale, Utah. Warren Jeffs now claims that when he performed this ordination, he made William Jessop an apostle—the highest priesthood ordination in the church—and that this ordination now gives Jessop the right to lead the FLDS Church.

Notes

References

• Hilary Hylton, "A New Prophet for the Polygamists?", Time, 2008-07-18
• Brooke Adams (2007-11-30). "What Warren said to William". Salt Lake Tribune. http://blogs.sltrib.com/plurallife/labels/William%20E.%20Jessop.htm. 
• "Washington County sends dossiers of select FLDS members to Texas officials", Deseret News, 2008-06-11