Susan Ray Schmidt (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

Ray, born 1953) is an American author, activist and lecturer, notable for her memoir and anti-polygamy activism. Schmidt's memoir, ''Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy'', describes the abuses she suffered while practicing polygamy and adopts a firm anti-polygamy stance. It details leaving

Mormon fundamentalism 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 ...

for

mainstream Christianity The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...

and her beliefs on spirituality.

Early life

Schmidt was born in

Southern Utah Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university in Cedar City, Utah. Founded in 1897 as a normal school, Southern Utah University now graduates over 1,800 students each year with baccalaureate and graduate degrees from its six colleges. ...

in 1953 as the seventh child to parents who were members 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 nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ...

(LDS Church). After receiving revelation about "

the principal ''The Principal'' is a 1987 crime thriller action film starring Jim Belushi, Louis Gossett Jr. and Rae Dawn Chong. Written by Frank Deese and directed by Christopher Cain, it was filmed in Oakland, California, and at Northgate High School ...

", Schmidt's parents moved the family to the

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 ...

community Colonia LeBaron, located in

Chihuahua Chihuahua may refer to: Places *Chihuahua (state), a Mexican state **Chihuahua (dog), a breed of dog named after the state **Chihuahua cheese, a type of cheese originating in the state **Chihuahua City, the capital city of the state **Chihuahua Mun ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. By the time the Schmidts moved to Colonia LeBaron, the fundamentalist church there was called

Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times The Church of the Firstborn (or the "LeBarón family") is a grouping of competing factions of a Mormon fundamentalist religious lineage inherited, adherents believe, by a polygamous family community that had settled in Chihuahua, Mexico, by Al ...

, headed by prophet and

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...

Joel 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 ...

. Schmidt was married off to the prophet's brother Verlan LeBaron at the age of 15. Schmidt had five children with LeBaron, the first being born just before her sixteenth birthday. At age 23, Schmidt escaped from the fundamentalist sect and moved back up to Southern Utah with her five children. Self described as "naive and uneducated", Schmidt eventually graduated high school and then college. During her marriage to LeBaron, Schmidt was sister-wife of fellow author

Irene Spencer Irene Spencer (née Kunz, February 1, 1937 - March 12, 2017) was 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. E ...

and sister-in-law to

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, using the religious doctrine of blood atonement to justify the murde ...

Rena Chynoweth Rena Chynoweth is an American former Mormon fundamentalist who shot Rulon C. Allred dead in 1977. Acquitted of murder in a criminal trial, Chynoweth later admitted to killing Allred. Early life When she was three years old, Rena Chynoweth's par ...

and Joel LeBaron.

In media

mentions Schmidt in books ''Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife'', ''Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets and Blood Atonement'', and ''His Favorite Wife: Trapped in Polygamy'' (2006). In trying to educate the public, Schmidt appears for multiple talking segments in the 2007 documentary ''Lifting the Veil of Polygamy''. She has also appeared on ''

Rachael Ray Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook, television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program '' Rachael Ray'', and the Food Network series ''30 Minute Meals''. ...

,'' ''

Anderson Live ''Anderson Live'', known in its first season as ''Anderson'', is an American syndicated talk show that was hosted by CNN anchorman Anderson Cooper, who also served as executive producer in his first foray into daytime talk television. It debuted ...

'' with

Anderson Cooper Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator from the Vanderbilt family. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show '' Anderson Cooper 360°''. In addition to his duties a ...

, and the television show '' Polygamy: What Love Is This?''. Schmidt currently is lobbying the LDS Church to provide aid to those that leave polygamy and speaks at seminars and churches.

External links

susantrayschmidt.com
official website

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Susan Ray 1953 births Living people American Latter Day Saints Former Mormon fundamentalists Writers from Utah LeBaron family