View source for Alex Joseph

{{Short description|American mayor (1936–1998)}}
{{For|the American football player|Alex Joseph (American football)}}

'''Alex Joseph''' (June 24, 1936 – September 27, 1998) (born '''Alec Richard Joseph'''; also referred to as '''Ronald Ellison''')<ref>Joseph is given the [[pseudonym]] of "Ronald Ellison" when discussed by [[Dorothy Allred Solomon]] in her book ''In My Father's House''; see [[D. Michael Quinn]], "Plural Marriage and Mormon Fundamentalism", in Martin E. Marty and R. Scott Appleby (eds.) (1991). ''Fundamentalism and Society: Reclaiming the Sciences, the Family, and Education'' (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, {{ISBN|0-226-50880-3}}) pp. 240–290 at p. 286 n. 61.</ref> was an American outspoken polygamist and founder of the [[Confederate Nations of Israel]], a [[Mormon fundamentalism|Mormon fundamentalist]] sect. As [[mayor]] of [[Big Water, Utah|Big Water]], [[Utah]], Joseph was the first [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] mayor of a community in the [[United States]].

==Mormon fundamentalism==
Joseph was not raised in the [[Church of Greece|Greek Orthodox Church]], but was baptized into it in his late teens.  He became a member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) in 1965. In 1969, he abandoned the LDS Church and briefly joined [[Apostolic United Brethren|a group]] of Mormon fundamentalists under the leadership of [[Rulon C. Allred]] in [[Pinesdale, Montana|Pinesdale]], [[Montana]].  In time, he convinced four students at the [[University of Montana]] to marry him and become his [[plural marriage|plural wives]]. His wives were not [[Latter Day Saint]]s; rather, two were [[Roman Catholic]]s, one was a [[Methodism|Methodist]], and one was a [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]].<ref name = Quinn>[[D. Michael Quinn]], "Plural Marriage and Mormon Fundamentalism", ''[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought]]'', vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 22–23.</ref> The parents of the students were outraged and confronted Allred with their displeasure. Allred was displeased that Joseph had married without his permission, and after Joseph pointed out that Allred had also taken multiple wives,<ref name=Davidson>Sara Davidson, [http://www.saradavidson.com/articleC2.html "The Man with Ten Wives"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125215848/http://www.saradavidson.com/articleC2.html |date=2011-01-25 }} retrieved 2-Nov-2010</ref> Joseph was asked to leave the colony in Montana.<ref>[[Dorothy Allred Solomon]] (2003). ''Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing Up in Polygamy'' (New York: W. W. Norton) p. 287.</ref>  Joseph's exposure to Mormon fundamentalist groups led him to see them as oppressive and corrupt. "Atrocities are committed and people have no recourse because they're outside the law, like the Mafia", commented Joseph.<ref name=Davidson /> From then on, Joseph followed his own Christian-based religious convictions.

Elizabeth Joseph, one of Alex Joseph's wives who served as Big Water City Attorney and an instructor at Coconino Community College, was a featured speaker at the Utah NOW conference in 1997.<ref>Julie Ann Kessler [http://mysite.verizon.net/pulsar/Library_Ref/Anthropology/Culture/Polygamy/polygamy.htm An Immodest Proposal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016200922/http://mysite.verizon.net/pulsar/Library_Ref/Anthropology/Culture/Polygamy/polygamy.htm |date=2012-10-16 }} Women's Quarterly, Summer 1997</ref>

===Polygamy===
Joseph's style of polygamy was formed out of his own reading of the Bible,<ref name=Davidson /> and contrasted with that practiced by some other Mormon fundamentalists in some notable ways. First, his wives entered the marriages of their own accord, with initiative, and free will, rather than being designated by paternal authority. Second, his wives were encouraged to be very independent. Third, he was open about his polygamist lifestyle rather than being secretive and welcomed media coverage, believing that it is his constitutional right and because "he wants public opinion on his side".<ref name=Davidson />

==Big Water and Confederate Nations of Israel==
Joseph and his wives moved to [[Kane County, Utah]] to a deserted settlement known as Glen Canyon City; Joseph renamed the settlement [[Big Water, Utah|Big Water]] in 1983. Joseph became the first mayor of the newly renamed settlement. In 1977, he organized the [[Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly]]<ref name="Stokes">{{Citation | last = Stokes | first = Jerry | year = 2007 | title = Changing World Religions, Cults & Occult | page = 159 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=DTPJpanTizwC&q=%22Church+of+Jesus+Christ+in+Solemn+Assembly%22&pg=PA159 | access-date  = October 7, 2013}}</ref><ref name = "Melton">{{Citation | last = Melton  | first = J. Gordon  | year = 1992 | title = Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America | publisher = Taylor & Francis | isbn = 9780815311409 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KRTGzgpDvL4C&q=%22Church+of+Jesus+Christ+in+Solemn+Assembly%22&pg=PA52 | access-date  = October 7, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Webb">{{Citation | last = Webb | first = Loren | date = December 22, 2012 | title = Southern Utah Memories: Alex Joseph Story | publisher = KCSG Television | location = Big Water, Utah | url = http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/20905999/article-Southern-Utah-Memories--Alex-Joseph-Story-?instance=home_stories2_tip | access-date = October 7, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131021165725/http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/20905999/article-Southern-Utah-Memories--Alex-Joseph-Story-?instance=home_stories2_tip | archive-date = 2013-10-21 | url-status = dead }}</ref>   and the
[[Confederate Nations of Israel]], a hybrid church–political organization modelled after [[Mormonism|Mormonism's]] [[Council of Fifty]].<ref name = Quinn/><ref name=MF>[http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/ChartLinks/AlexJoseph.htm Alex Joseph: The Confederate Nations of Israel] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823062030/http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/ChartLinks/AlexJoseph.htm |date=2007-08-23 }} MormonFundamentalism.com</ref>

==Libertarian mayor==
In April 1986, Joseph made news when he abandoned the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and joined the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] and by so doing became the first American mayor to be a member of the Libertarian Party.<ref name = LPN>"Alex Joseph, first LP mayor, dies at 62", ''Libertarian Party News'', Dec. 1998.</ref> Joseph also convinced the four other members of the town council to join the Libertarians, thereby creating America's first "Libertarian Party town government" in Big Water.<ref name = LPN/> The Libertarian government abolished all taxes on [[real estate]] in the town.<ref name = LPN/> Joseph stepped down as mayor in 1994 after serving three consecutive terms.<ref name = LPN/>

==Occupations, family and death==
At different times in his life, Joseph was employed as a [[U.S. Marine]], a police officer, a firefighter, a mail carrier, a car salesman, an accountant, an author of books, a [[health food]] producer,<ref name = MF/> a private investigator, and a manager for [[country and western music]] performers.<ref name = LPN/> He also starred in a movie about himself known as ''Alex Joseph and His Wives''. He requested that his occupation on his [[death certificate]] be listed as "pirate".<ref name = LPN/> Although it has been estimated that he may have married up to twenty women at various times,<ref name = LPN/> Joseph was survived by seven wives and 14 biological children, as well as several adopted or fostered children.<ref name = MF/> He died of liver cancer at the age of 62.<ref name = LPN/>

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin|title = 1988 Kane County commission election<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1988 |title=Polygamist fails again |page=4 |work=[[Casper Star-Tribune]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/58576141/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808231532/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/58576141/ |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party      = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate  = Jack Maxwell
|votes      = 1,387
|percentage = 65.52%
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party      = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate  = Vern Blanchard
|votes      = 602
|percentage = 28.44%
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate  = Alex Joseph
|votes      = 128
|percentage = 6.05%
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box total|
|votes      = 2,117
|percentage = 100.00%
|change     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Works cited==
* Brian C. Hales (2006). ''Modern Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalists : The Generations after the Manifesto'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Greg Kofford Books){{ISBN?}}

==External links==
* [http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/20905999/article-Southern-Utah-Memories--Alex-Joseph-Story- KCSG, Southern Utah Memories: The Alex Joseph Story]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070823062030/http://www.mormonfundamentalism.com/ChartLinks/AlexJoseph.htm Mormonfundamentalism.com: Alex Joseph] – ''& The Confederate Nations of Israel''.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110125215848/http://www.saradavidson.com/articleC2.html Saradavidson.com: "The Man with Ten Wives"] (Alex Joseph), by Sara Davidson.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141105212654/http://www.4thefamily.us/polygamists_rebuild Sister Widows: Wives of dead polygamist rebuild their lives]
* [http://thewildworldoftedvmikels.com/Mikels-info/films/AlexJoseph.php "Alex Joseph and His Wives"] – ''information about the film''.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101213114740/http://affirmation.org/news/utahs_gay_mayor.pdf Salt Lake Metro article: "Utah's Gay Mayor"] — includes background information on Alex Joseph and the founding of Big Water, Utah.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Joseph, Alex}}
[[Category:Mormon fundamentalist leaders]]
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:American Latter Day Saint leaders]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Utah]]
[[Category:Converts to Mormonism]]
[[Category:Former American Orthodox Christians]]
[[Category:Deaths from liver cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Utah]]
[[Category:People from Kane County, Utah]]
[[Category:People from Ravalli County, Montana]]
[[Category:Utah Libertarians]]
[[Category:Utah Republicans]]
[[Category:American founders]]
[[Category:Founders of new religious movements]]