Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr. (March 15, 1886 – 1951) was a

Mormon fundamentalist Mormon fundamentalism (also called fundamentalist Mormonism) is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and practiced in the nineteenth century, particularly during the administrations of Joseph Smith, Br ...

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, who was a confidential secretary and part-time business partner to

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...

, the founder of the

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by ...

. LeBaron was a member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church) until he was

excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...

on February 17, 1924, for practicing

plural marriage Polygamy (called plural marriage by Latter-day Saints in the 19th century or the Principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy) was practiced by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) for more ...

. LeBaron made a written request for permission to return to the church on March 24, 1934, but he died in 1951 without being readmitted to the LDS Church. LeBaron's childhood was spent in

Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 504,258 at the 2020 census. It is the List of municipalities in Arizona, third-most populous city in Arizona, after Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, T ...

, living not far from his grandfather Benjamin F. Johnson. He later moved to

Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua Colonia Juárez is a small town in the northern part of the Mexico, Mexican States of Mexico, state of Chihuahua (state), Chihuahua. Colonia Juárez is located in the valley of the Piedras Verdes River on the western edge of the Chihuahuan Deser ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, to continue his education, and there met his first wife, Barbara Baily. Married in 1904, they had one son. However, LeBaron's religious beliefs soon alienated his wife who left him, taking their child and moving to

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

to be with her mother. Moving back to Utah, LeBaron met Maude Lucinda McDonald, and the two were wed in 1910. Together they had thirteen children, five girls and seven boys. In 1923, Dayer approached Nathan Clark, who performed his sealing to Onie Jones. The following year, both he and his wives were excommunicated "for violative conduct", the LDS Church

disciplinary council In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a church membership council (formerly called a disciplinary council) is an ecclesiastical event during which a church member's status is considered, typically for alleged violations ...

being held at

La Verkin, Utah La Verkin is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 4,060 as of 2010, an increase from 3,392 in 2000. History Theories about the origin of the city's name suggest that it may be a corruption of the Spanish ''la vir ...

, Onie Jones's hometown. In response, LeBaron and his two wives and eight children moved back to Colonia Juárez, where he sought work as a painter and doing odd jobs and was described as an "energetic" and "hard-working" man. Purchasing a "fixer-upper" home, he rebuilt it little by little as his families expanded. Onie bore six children and eventually separated herself and her children from LeBaron and his fundamentalist activities.

Children

LeBaron's seven sons with Maud McDonald included Benjamin Teasdale LeBaron, Ross Wesley LeBaron, Alma Dayer LeBaron Jr., Floren LeBaron, Verlan LeBaron,Favorite Wife by Susan Ray Schmidt 2009

Joel F. LeBaron Joel Franklin LeBaron (June 9, 1923 – August 20, 1972) was a Mormon fundamentalist leader 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 LeBaron was born i ...

and

Ervil LeBaron Ervil Morrell LeBaron (February 22, 1925 – August 15, 1981) was the leader of a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist group who ordered the killings of many of his opponents, both within his own sect and in rival polygamous groups, using the religio ...

. At various times, seven of them would believe himself to fulfill the premillennial demi-messianic priesthood office or offices such as the One Mighty and Strong, the

Presiding Patriarch In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church, or Patriarch to the Church) is a church-wide leadership office within the priesthood. Among the dut ...

in All the World, according to a professed Right of the Firstborn (equating to Joseph Smith Jr.'s mantle as leader of the early Latter Day Saint

Council of Fifty "The Council of Fifty" (also known as "the Living Constitution", "the Kingdom of God", or its name by revelation, "The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Power thereof, and Judgment in the Hands of His Servants, Ahman Christ") was a Lat ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebaron, Alma Dayer Sr. 1886 births 1951 deaths American emigrants to Mexico Latter Day Saints from Arizona Alma Dayer Mormon fundamentalists People excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints People from Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua People from Mesa, Arizona