The splinter story
Charles W. Kingston broke with mainstream LDS leadership over doctrines including plural marriage. Sources differ on exact excommunication dates; their accounts are linked for comparison.
Compare historiesWELCOME TO THE ORDERWHO ORDERED
WHO ORDERED
THIS ORDER?
One organization, several names, decades of history—and an unusual relationship between religious leadership, cooperative economics, and polygamy.
NAME TAG REQUIREDTHE NAME
THE NAME
GAME.
The group is commonly called the Kingston Order or Kingston Group. Published histories identify the Davis County Cooperative Society as its cooperative organization and the Latter Day Church of Christ as its religious organization.
These names should not be confused with the much larger Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Belonging to either faith is not evidence of misconduct.
SOURCE: GROUP HISTORYTHE ORDER TRANSLATION DESKONE GROUP.
ONE GROUP.
SEVERAL BUSINESS CARDS.
DCCS = Cooperative society
The Order = Common nickname
Latter Day Church of Christ = Religious entity
THE VISUAL FILE / SUPPLIED PHOTOGRAPHS
IMAGES WITH CONTEXT.
Photography is illustration, not an identification, an accusation, or proof of where a person worships.
THE PUBLIC TIMELINE
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY.
History matters. So does being precise about where accounts differ.
The cooperative's founding
Histories identify Elden Kingston and the beginnings of the Davis County Cooperative Society, a shared-assets and religious community.
Kingston Expositor historyOrtell's years
Histories report that John Ortell Kingston expanded the organization and promoted marriages among close relatives. These are historical accounts, not findings about every member.
Historical overviewPaul Elden Kingston
Published histories identify Paul Elden Kingston as Ortell's successor. Current civil complaints make additional claims about his leadership and control, which remain allegations.
Source overviewWHAT THE GROUP IS, AND IS NOT
WE ARE ROASTING THE SYSTEM.
Not every member practices the same things. Shared ancestry or religious membership is not evidence of wrongdoing.
📜
HISTORY
EXISTS.
Cooperative structure, leadership succession and plural marriage are described by multiple published sources.
Read the history⚖
JUDGMENTS
EXIST.
There are real criminal judgments and appellate decisions. They bind the people involved—not every Kingston.
State v. Kingston🧾
ALLEGATIONS
ARE LABELLED.
Recent civil complaints contain serious assertions. Naming a defendant is not the same as a finding of liability.
Read reporting