A Look Back: 15 polygamists jailed in the 1940s

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

Men convicted in a sensational polygamy trial in 1944 pose for a photo outside the Utah State Prison. The men shown are 1. Joseph White Musser; 2. Morris Quincy Kunz; 3. Joseph Lyman Jessop; 4. Dr. Rulon Clark Allred; 5. Charles Frederick Zitting; 6. Alma Adelbert; 7. Heber Kimball Cleveland; 8. Edmund F. Barlow; 9. Arnold Boss; 10. John Yates Barlow; 11. Louis Alma Kelsch; 12. David Brigham Darger; 13. Ianthus W. Barlow; 14. Albert Edmund Barlow; and 15. Oswald Brainich

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The women in this 1944 photo are front row, L -R, Melbay Finlayson, Jean Barlowe Darger, Marie Beth BArlow Cleveland, Mary Mills, Juanita Barlow; back row, L - R, Leona Jeffs, Myrtle Lloyd, Rhea Allred Kunz, Mabel Finlayson

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

Salt Lake Tribune file photo

The original caption on this 1944 photo says:

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Salt Lake Tribune file photo Men convicted in a sensational polygamy trial in 1944 pose for a photo outside the Utah State Prison. The men shown are 1. Joseph White Musser; 2. Morris Quincy Kunz; 3. Joseph Lyman Jessop; 4. Dr. Rulon Clark Allred; 5. Charles Frederick Zitting; 6. Alma Adelbert; 7. Heber Kimball Cleveland; 8. Edmund F. Barlow; 9. Arnold Boss; 10. John Yates Barlow; 11. Louis Alma Kelsch; 12. David Brigham Darger; 13. Ianthus W. Barlow; 14. Albert Edmund Barlow; and 15. Oswald Brainich Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "Seated at table, Joseph Lyman Jessop, left, Charles Frederick Zetting, Joseph White Musser and Oswald Brainich, members of fundamentalist (plural marriage) cult, eating first meal at Utah State prison where they started prison terms Tuesday. The young fellow walking in background is a news photographer and the other person in background is an inmate of prison -- neither of two in background are members of the cult." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "L- R, Joseph White Musser, Albert Edmund Barlow, John Y. Barlow and Ianthus Winford Barlow shown as they were seated in Third district court room Thursday awaiting sentence. Behind them are spectators who crowded the court room." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The women in this 1944 photo are front row, L -R, Melbay Finlayson, Jean Barlowe Darger, Marie Beth BArlow Cleveland, Mary Mills, Juanita Barlow; back row, L - R, Leona Jeffs, Myrtle Lloyd, Rhea Allred Kunz, Mabel Finlayson Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "Seated are members of the fundamentalist (plural marriage) cult eating their first meal at the Utah state prison where they started terms Tuesday." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "L-R David Bringham Darger, Albert Edmund Barlow, Heber Kimball Cleveland, Alma Kelsch, Captain of Guard H.B. Smart" It shows some of the men convicted in the 1944 polgamy trial posing with a guard at the prison. Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "Barlow Family, Salt Lake City, Utah. This exclusive photo, first ever taken of an alleged polygamous family group now under fire by the federal and Utah governments, Shows Albert E. Barlow, 40, his three alleged wives and 19 of his 21 children. In front row, left to right, Rebecca, 2, Edmund, 2, Susan, 3, Douglas, 4, Virginia, 3. Second Row - Anthius, 7, Vilante, 7, Ramona, 6, John, 6, Hazel, 6. Third row - Mrs. Maurice Barlow, David, 13, Ruth, 9. Back Row - Mrs. Vio Barlow Holding Laura, 1, Mrs. Kate Barlow Holding Ilona, eight months, Maria Beth Barlow Cleveland ,17, and Lee, 11. Two Daughters, one mother of a three day old child, and one living in Pasco, Washington are not shown. Shot March 22, 1944" Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "David Brigham Darger, one of the figures under fire in the Utah Polygamy Case, is show here with 12 of the children borne by the five "Wives" he is alleged to have. Top rear is Darryl. Next row down, left to right, Paul, Carol, Colleen, Ronnie, and Don. Bottom row, left to right, Maurine, Janet, James, Dennis, Michael, and Bonnie Rae..." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "Juanita Barlow and Mary Beth Barlow Cleveland, two of the many women arrested in Salt Lake City for being polygamous 'wives' of members of the fundamentalist cult." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "Left to Right, Charles F. Zitting, Edna Christensen, and May Johnson, pictured as they appeared for federal district court session here where members of "Fundamentalist" Group are facing charges of polygamous practice brought by federal government. Charles Zitting and Edna Christensen, both of Salt Lake, are specifically charged with violation of the Lindbergh kidnapping law." Salt Lake Tribune file photo The original caption on this 1944 photo says: "David Brigham Darger, left, pours some milk for his fellow fundamentalist, Albert Edmund Barlow, as the two "enjoy" their first meal at the Utah state prison where they started terms Tuesday... a prison inmate watches at the right."

The Salt Lake Tribune

· July 29, 2011 7:03 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Salt Lake Tribune occasionally presents images from its archives in a special series called A Look Back.

This collection shows historical images of a court action against polygamous men in the 1940s. In March 1944, authorities spread out across Utah to arrest fundamentalists — among them 12 women — who were allegedly in plural marriages. Most of the media attention soon focused on 15 men charged with unlawful cohabitation and other crimes. They were found guilty and received indeterminate sentences of up to five years in the Utah State Prison, which they entered in May 1945. After nearly seven months in prison, nine of the 15 men were released in December 1945 after signing an oath pledging to not advocate, teach or "countenance" the practice. They were: John Y. Barlow; Joseph W. Musser; Alma A. Timpson; Edmund F. Barlow; Oswald Brainich; Ianthus W. Barlow; Rulon Clark Allred; Joseph Lyman Jessop; and David B. Darger. Four others — Charles Zitting, Arnold Boss, Louis Alma Kelsch and Morris Kunz — refused to sign off and remained in prison nearly three years.

Previous installments showed:

The centennial Days of '47 parade in downtown Salt Lake City from July 1947 • http://bit.ly/nKcYLJ

Mining town of Mercur, Utah • http://bit.ly/qApcTy

NASA history • http://bit.ly/oCO1RR

Vintage aircraft from around Utah • http://bit.ly/irhYBd

Stereoscopic images of Eureka, Utah, in the early 1900s • http://bit.ly/jF02nD

Salt Lake City's Liberty Park from 1935 to 1951 • http://bit.ly/kkKQc6

Historical images of the 100-year-old Hotel Utah, which is now The Joseph Smith Memorial Building • http://bit.ly/mI7JB8

People and events in Salt Lake City from the 1930s, '40s and '50s • http://bit.ly/kAUB9j

Historical images of Sugar House • http://bit.ly/jHQhnX

Aerial images of Salt Lake City in the 1960s • http://bit.ly/iRGaoN

Every gallery of the series is available at http://www.sltrib.com/topics/lookback