Paul Elden Kingston is an accountant and attorney who has served as the Trustee-in-Trust of the Davis County Cooperative Society (DCCS), 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, ...

denomination, since 1987. The DCCS is a financial cooperative established by his uncle

Elden Kingston Charles Elden Kingston (October 10, 1909 – July 8, 1948 ) was the founder of the Davis County Cooperative Society in 1935. Elden Kingston was supported by his father Charles W. Kingston, his mother Vesta Minerva Kingston, and his siblings ...

in 1935. Kingston succeeded his father

John Ortell Kingston John Ortell Kingston (May 19, 1919 – August 25, 1987) was the Trustee of the Davis County Cooperative Society in Davis County, Utah, from 1948 until his death in 1987. Davis County Cooperative membership John Ortell Kingston was the son of Ch ...

as the Trustee-in-Trust of the DCCS upon his father's death in 1987. During his tenure, some members have continued the practice of

plural The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...

, and intra-family marriage, although neither is practiced by the majority of members and the practice is not required to gain status in the group. Plural marriage is practiced by some members of the DCCS, and members make their own choice in who they marry. Plural marriages for individuals under 18 in the group are not allowed. For more than a decade, the group has publicly spoken out against child-bride marriages and the DCCS has a policy encouraging its members to marry within the legal age of consent. Members generally seek the blessing of parents and religious leaders before choosing to marry. Many consider Kingston the top man in the group. Records show he signed as a witness on 4 lawful teenage marriages over a 20 year period. There are thousands of members in the group."A review of wedding certificates shows how the teen marriages are sanctioned at the highest levels of the Kingston Group. Paul E. Kingston, considered the top man, signed as a witness for four of the marriages that The Tribune found outside Utah.… If the father believes his son received true direction from God, the son is sent to Paul Kingston or one of the people he designates to consider marriages." He is believed to have practiced polygamy in the past, potentially accruing as many as 40 wives and fathering up to 300 Children.

References

1959 births American Latter Day Saint leaders Living people Mormon fundamentalist leaders People from Davis County, Utah Latter Day Saints from Utah {{LDS-stub