Irene Spencer
Encyclopedia
Irene Spencer is an American author and a widow of Verlan LeBaron, brother of former prophet Joel LeBaron of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times
, a fundamentalist Mormon offshoot.
in 1937. She secretly wed Verlan LeBaron on July 3, 1953, becoming his second wife. His first wife had been her older half-sister Charlotte. Irene would eventually bear thirteen of Verlan's 58 children.
after the Manifesto of 1890 when the mainstream LDS Church abandoned polygamy
. When Alma died in 1951, he passed leadership of the polygamist community down to his son Joel, who formally organized the Church of the Firstborn in the Fulness of Times in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A power struggle ensued between the sons of Alma Dayer LeBaron. A younger son, Ervil
, founded his own church, the Church of the Lamb of God, in 1972 in San Diego, California
. The same year, Ervil ordered the murder of his brother Joel, claiming justification based on the doctrine of blood atonement
. Ervil's hitlist would eventually reach the hundreds and include John F. Kennedy
and the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He would succeed in murdering, among others, his brother Joel
, his daughter Rebecca and Rulon C. Allred
, the President of the Apostolic United Brethren
, another key polygamist group.
Following Joel's death, Irene's husband Verlan was tapped for leadership of the Church of the Firstborn. This necessitated Irene's family's addition to Ervil's hit list. In order to escape the death threats, Irene and her children were forced to move to Nicaragua where they lived in huts, were infected by intestinal worms and battled tics and jungle insects without electricity or indoor plumbing.
The conditions of life in Nicaragua
nearly broke Irene, but she finally left Verlan in 1978 when, despite the abject poverty the family was living in, he married a tenth wife, Priscilla. After seeking spiritual advice outside of the polygamist community, she was convinced to return to Verlan in 1979. One year later, Verlan died in an automobile accident. His brother, Ervil, had died two days prior in the Utah State Penitiary where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of Rulon Allred.
with her monogamous husband of nineteen years, Hector Spencer. She became a Born again Christian at the urging of one of her sons and is now an outspoken critic of polygamy. She has published the book Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife and Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement to shed light on the realities of polygamy in modern America.
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times
The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times is a Mormon fundamentalist sect headquartered in northern Mexico that was founded in 1955 by Joel LeBaron and members of his family.-Establishment:...
, a fundamentalist Mormon offshoot.
Early life
Born Irene Kunz in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 1937. She secretly wed Verlan LeBaron on July 3, 1953, becoming his second wife. His first wife had been her older half-sister Charlotte. Irene would eventually bear thirteen of Verlan's 58 children.
Married life
Following her marriage to Verlan, she moved to a farm called "Colonia LeBaron" in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Northern Mexico. Colonia LeBaron had been settled by Verlan's father Alma Dayer LeBaronAlma Dayer LeBaron, Sr.
Alma Dayer LeBaron, Sr. was a Mormon fundamentalist who was the father of a number of leaders and church founders in Mormon fundamentalism.LeBaron was generally known as 'Dayer LeBaron' and was the grandson of Benjamin F. Johnson...
after the Manifesto of 1890 when the mainstream LDS Church abandoned polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. When Alma died in 1951, he passed leadership of the polygamist community down to his son Joel, who formally organized the Church of the Firstborn in the Fulness of Times in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A power struggle ensued between the sons of Alma Dayer LeBaron. A younger son, Ervil
Ervil LeBaron
Ervil Morrell LeBaron was the leader of a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist group who ordered the killings of many of his opponents, using the religious doctrine of blood atonement to justify the murders...
, founded his own church, the Church of the Lamb of God, in 1972 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. The same year, Ervil ordered the murder of his brother Joel, claiming justification based on the doctrine of blood atonement
Blood atonement
In mormonism, blood atonement is a controversial doctrine that teaches that murder is so heinous that the atonement of Jesus does not apply. Thus, in order to atone for these sins, the perpetrators must have their blood shed upon the ground as a sacrificial offering...
. Ervil's hitlist would eventually reach the hundreds and include John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He would succeed in murdering, among others, his brother Joel
Joel LeBaron
Joel Franklin LeBaron was a leader in the Mormon fundamentalist movement in northern Mexico. He was murdered by a member or members of a rival church which was headed by his brother Ervil LeBaron.-Early life:...
, his daughter Rebecca and Rulon C. Allred
Rulon C. Allred
Rulon Clark Allred was a homeopathic physician and chiropractor in Salt Lake City and the leader of what is now the Apostolic United Brethren, a breakaway sect of polygamous Mormon fundamentalists in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, United States...
, the President of the Apostolic United Brethren
Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren is a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist church within the Latter Day Saint movement. The sect is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, another key polygamist group.
Following Joel's death, Irene's husband Verlan was tapped for leadership of the Church of the Firstborn. This necessitated Irene's family's addition to Ervil's hit list. In order to escape the death threats, Irene and her children were forced to move to Nicaragua where they lived in huts, were infected by intestinal worms and battled tics and jungle insects without electricity or indoor plumbing.
The conditions of life in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
nearly broke Irene, but she finally left Verlan in 1978 when, despite the abject poverty the family was living in, he married a tenth wife, Priscilla. After seeking spiritual advice outside of the polygamist community, she was convinced to return to Verlan in 1979. One year later, Verlan died in an automobile accident. His brother, Ervil, had died two days prior in the Utah State Penitiary where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of Rulon Allred.
After Verlan's death
Irene Spencer now lives in Anchorage, AlaskaAnchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
with her monogamous husband of nineteen years, Hector Spencer. She became a Born again Christian at the urging of one of her sons and is now an outspoken critic of polygamy. She has published the book Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife and Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement to shed light on the realities of polygamy in modern America.