"The Truth about Flora Jessop"

[KosherXMorg]

Since just about every sensationalist story can be traced back to Flora Jessop, the following story by her grandmother may shed light on her...

"The Truth About Flora Jessop

To whom it may concern:

My name is Martha Barlow Jessop, wife of the late Fred M. Jessop, whom Flora referred to as “Grandpa.” I am an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife. I was very closely associated with Flora from her birth until she was 16 years old. I was appointed her guardian by the State of Utah when she was 14. She was under my direct care and supervision, living in my home, until she left at age 16 years.

After listening to and hearing of the stories and lies that Flora has been telling and putting out to the world through the media—lies about how she was “abused” and “escaped” from her childhood home and religion, I feel compelled to tell the true story of Flora.

I was very close to Flora’s family. In fact, since Fred raised Flora’s biological father, Joe C. Jessop, he called Fred, “Dad.” His children referred to Fred as “Grandpa.” They were almost as one family with us and came to Sunday dinner every week. We often cared for Joe C.’s children for weeks at a time. There were three children older than Flora and several younger. Flora was a beautiful child, well loved and enjoyable. I was very involved in her childhood, taking her on vacations, shopping sprees and our annual family camping trips. To my knowledge, Flora had a happy, loving and carefree childhood. I felt a special closeness to her as she often sought me out and wanted to “go with me.” As she grew, I noticed a tendency in her to exaggerate and embellish little incidents. She enjoyed being in the spotlight and the center of attention. I remember chiding her at times, to “tell the truth and not make it bigger than it is.” As she got older, she was restless and wild, with unpredictable mood swings, sometimes seeming impulsive and aggressive, then swinging back to the happy and free-spirited Flora we knew and loved. By the time she was eleven years old, she was going out at night, prowling around, “looking for fun.” She seemed to be dissatisfied with the family outings and social times with her friends and siblings. Her biological mother, Pat, as well as the rest of our family noticed her behavior. When Pat tried to talk to her, she became angry and lied about what she was doing. During one of her violent mood swings she cut off her long beautiful hair on a sudden impulse. This was a dramatic statement, as long hair for females is highly valued in our society. Her mother called me and asked if I would help trim and shape her hair, so she would look presentable. Flora came to my house, and I remember asking her why she had cut off her beautiful hair. At times she was penitent and remorseful over the loss of her long hair, and other times she defiantly claimed that she enjoyed it.

So we went on. Everybody still loved her. Grandpa took her with the other children on outings and trips. I know she made extra effort during this time because she loved Grandpa very much. But as her mood swings became more extreme Flora found a whole new set of “friends,” and was with them as often as possible. She would often come home intoxicated and violent. We suspected she was using drugs. Her mother was very concerned and told me she felt that Flora was out of control. One night when she was thirteen years old, she was out all night long and was found with a fifteen year old boy having sexual relations. Such behavior went against everything Flora had been taught. It was emotionally very hard to bear for her mother and those of us who loved her so much. We carried on trying to help her by loving her and involving her in projects in the family and community. Time passed, and she often came to our house (Grandpa’s). Once when Flora was 14 or 15 years old, she was talking to me and telling her feelings. I felt like she was really open and receptive, so I tried to discuss with her the impact of loose morals and relationships at such a young age, when she blurted out, “Well, my father has raped me!” It struck me like a thunderbolt. That was terrible! I was sickened at the thought. I thought maybe she had made it up, but she insisted it was true. Although it was late at night, I took her to find Grandpa, and she told him her story.

As child molestation or abuse of any kind is unthinkable and unacceptable in our society, her father was turned over to legal authority. Flora was taken from her father’s home and placed in our home by court order, and I was appointed her guardian. The court felt that because of my background as a School Health Nurse, and my knowledge in the area of child psychology, that I would be an acceptable choice of guardian for Flora and that I would be able to help her with the healing process she must now go through. I believe that the close bond previously established between Flora, myself and her Grandpa made our home the best place for her. I did love Flora and felt that love would heal her. So she moved in with us and easily integrated into our family life. In our home we tried to make a new life for her. We lavished her with new clothes, shoes and accessories. She roomed with two of her sisters in our home, and we made it special for her with a new bedroom set and furnishings. Her court appointed counselor and I both felt that it would be better for her at that time not to go to high school, but to do home study since she seemed to drift to bad friends so easily. For a time, Flora seemed to be healing. She followed family rules and participated in activities. I have several cards she gave me at that time thanking me for my love and friendship.

One day a first grade teacher from the Unified School District asked if Flora could come help in her classroom some of the days of the week. I could see Flora was restless, and I was very skeptical about letting her be so close to the high school where many of her old friends were. She “swore on a stack of bibles” she would come right home, etc. etc. After a few weeks, Flora started not coming home on time. One day, I called the teacher, and she told me Flora had not even been in to help her that day. At first Flora would make excuses and promise to come home next time. Then she would get angry and yell at me if I asked her where she had been. It just got worse and worse. One day, in a fit of rage, she flailed angrily at me, knocking my glasses off and scratching her own face in the process. She called the counselor and said that I had beaten her up. I had not touched her. I had already learned to keep quiet when she started into a tirade. The counselor came and investigated and heard both sides of the story.

Flora would calm down off and on, but any little thing would make her fly into a rage. I often smelled cigarette smoke on her. She acted pretty nice at times and we just kept trying to love her. She decided she wanted to take an EMT class that was being offered. One part of me suspected that it was for ulterior motives, but in my heart, I always hoped she would get interested in something good, so we enrolled her. Flora went to a couple of classes, and then one night, she never came home from class. I called and her instructor told me she had not even been to class that night. We waited up for her, but she never came home. Friends told us she has been picked up by Jennie Larsen of St. George, Utah. In my motherly way I fretted and stewed and wondered if we should go and find her, but her Grandpa felt we should just wait for her to call. Two weeks later, Grandpa got a call from a poor little Flora. “Will you come and get me?”She was crying on the phone. “Where are you?” he asked. “In Vegas at a Wal-Mart parking lot.” So we drove the 160 miles to Las Vegas to get Flora. When we picked her up in the parking lot, she had hardly anything on (Bikini type). So Grandpa sent me into Wal-Mart to buy her some clothes. We brought her home and tried to pick up the pieces. She really never told me what she had done there. We were just happy she was safe and was home. We continued to provide for all of her physical needs and we never stopped loving her. Of course we were concerned about her influence on the other girls, so we made her a little room at the end of a wide hall by just putting curtains across it. We tried to make it nice and cozy and cute for her. I guess that’s what she refers to in her “stories” to the press about being locked up in the end of a hall. (With Curtains? Oh my!)

She did better for a week or two, then she began going out at night again. At first, she would come in real late and tell me stories like, she had “fallen asleep and had just woken up.” I didn’t believe her and told her so. As time went on she was gone at night more and more. She came in early in the morning and slept all day. If I tried to get her up, she became angry and violent, so we had to let her sleep it off. Other times I could talk to her, and she would act like she wanted to do better. The emotional mood swings were so nerve wracking; I became tired of worrying about her every night. Once I decided to lock the door so she couldn’t get in to bed, but Grandpa said, “No, she will have a place here as long as she wants.”

It became apparent she was regularly smoking and drinking. One day we were going across town and Flora had been gone somewhere for a few hours. We saw her coming up out of the creek and she was staggering around. We stopped to talk to her and offered her a ride, but she shouted profanities at us and wouldn’t get in. She staggered up the sidewalk a ways and then stopped to shake her fists at us and make obscene gestures. Her erratic behavior confirmed my fears that she was doing drugs.

A little time went on, and her behavior was quite oppressive. I felt like such a failure. One night she was out all night with a boy—a cousin. He came the next morning and told Grandpa that they had had sex. So Grandpa asked him if he wanted to marry her. He said he did. Then Grandpa asked Flora if she wanted to marry the boy. She said she did. So he helped them get legally married. Flora was sixteen. The newlyweds left town to settle elsewhere, but I learned later that she left him several weeks after their marriage.

The story does not end here.

Months later, Flora called home again and asked to “come back.” She said she wanted to repent and come home. Grandpa told her to come. He got a room for her in Cedar City and paid for it per month. She was having a bad toothache and didn’t have any money to go to the dentist. He paid for all her dental care, which was several thousand dollars, and visited and encouraged her. She went with the family a few times on outings and everyone was kind to her. One day after all the dental work was done, Flora was just gone. Nothing said—just left her apartment without a word or trace of where she had gone.

The next time we heard from Flora, she was pregnant and called again asking to come “home” to have her baby. She wanted me to deliver her baby since I was a midwife and we had a birth center in our community. Grandpa told her she first had to go to a doctor and be tested for all the venereal diseases as she was not remarried and we had no idea where she had been or what she had done. She never came home, but had her baby somewhere else. She let her mother, Pat, know when the baby was born.

After that time, Flora never came to see me or Fred. One of the last times she visited her mother and family, she brought beer and was giving it to her younger sisters who were underage. Her mother told her to stop giving it to them, but she got angry and said it wasn’t “hurting anything.” So, Pat called the police, and they came and made Flora leave. We have had very little contact with her since then.

When Fred went on a mission for our church a year before he died, Flora made a big fuss with the media about him being “missing” and filled out a missing persons complaint to try to ”find” him. She made some rather emotional statements and shed “tears” over his “disappearance,” when in fact; she had not seen him for many years. When the sensation of this story died out in the media, she put out a missing bulletin for her mother and made a fuss about that. Pat finally told the officials that she had no desire to see Flora.

It is interesting to note that Flora is great friends now with her father, Joe C., who is no longer a part of our religion. She previously stated she hated him, and he was the only one who supposedly “abused” her.

For many years now I have kept quiet about what I knew, thinking Flora was just hurting herself. But now, since her lies and influence with authorities is affecting the lives of many innocent people, I think the truth should be told. The stories she tells have no credence and are fabricated. Her lies about being “locked up “and being “used“ by men in our religious group are outrageous! She was never locked up in our community. When she chose to leave home, she walked out without difficulty—of her own free will and choice. Flora has not been a part of our religion or community for over twenty years. We have never hunted her or tried in any way to interfere in the life she chose to live. We have only helped her when she asked for help and did it without any thanks on her part.

I forgive her, but her lies and deceit should not be allowed to continue on as fact. Her experiences have nothing to do with our religion or way of life. Her story is not typical and should not be used as a template to judge others.

This account is true and honest to the best of my remembrance and I write it knowing the eyes of God are upon me.

Sincerely,

Martha Barlow Jessop

Professionally know as: Martha Barlow, RN, APRN, CNM"

[Moksha]

One night she was out all night with a boy—a cousin. He came the next morning and told Grandpa that they had had sex.

What is the purpose of such gossip? Is it to smear someone who has spoken out against the FLDS and if so, for what purpose would you want to further the smear?

This type of post seems wrong to me.

[KosherXMorg]

What is the purpose of such gossip? Is it to smear someone who has spoken out against the FLDS and if so, for what purpose would you want to further the smear?

This type of post seems wrong to me.

I have to listen to the smear and gossip against the FLDS people everyday... It's called ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News. I think you can bear with ONE article telling the other side of the story.

[bjw]

What is the purpose of such gossip? Is it to smear someone who has spoken out against the FLDS and if so, for what purpose would you want to further the smear?

This type of post seems wrong to me.

Moksha, I see what you're saying, and I felt the same way at first but I got to thinking about it.

It kinda reminds me of the lies William Schnoebelen spreads about our church. Schnoebelen makes a lot of sensational claims about Mormonism and many people believe it, even ministries like Jack Chick publish whole publications based on what he said. However, once people know that Bill Schnoebelen thinks he used to be a vampire and claims to have been visited by UFOs, his claims about Mormonism being Satanic become that much more unbelievable.

Now with Flora Jessop, if she really exagerrates and claims to be abused and locked in a room against her will then I think her credibility needs to be examined. To me, if these stories can be confirmed, she was just sent to her room as a punishment for being out too late with a boy and smoking some pot, and I know many parents would be a lot more strict than just doing that. If Martha can prove some of the allegations, and that the marriage to the cousin was not an arranged marriage but was her idea and that the she was a runaway and a drug user, I think it will go a long way in damaging her credibility.

Sure, I believe the FLDS are a mind-control cult, and I'm not condoning the bondage they have put people under, but not every person may be what Warren Jeffs is said to be. So, I guess this family should get the benefit of the doubt if they can prove what they're saying. I used to be pretty closed minded about this but I would be interested in seeing both sides of the issue brought out more.

[WANDERER]

How is Flora doing now Kosher?

[wa1den]

I think I am a little bit confused. I thought this was LDS.net here. Did I misunderstand something there?

This sounds instead a bit like FLDS.net. While I don't lack sympathy towards anyone who might perhaps

be unjustly represented, or be persecuted because of their faith or religion, I feel that as members of

the LDS church, we already get plenty of people who misunderstand us and want to attribute to us the

practices and beliefs of others that we have nothing to do with. My perception is that as we delve into

pro's and con's of such other groups and what issues they may be embroiled in, we risk having the un-

informed around us take our interest as evidence and/or proof that we really are like these groups

such as the FLDS - that we are really in fact polygamists ourselves and that either we practice it in

secret, or form separate "splinter" groups as cover for what we do, in case it may be discovered; or

at very least that we sympathize with a polygamist lifestyle and the kinds of distortions and abherra-

tions that have occured in some instances in such groups. We really don't need to be throwning any

gasoline on that fire by having others observe that we have such an active interest and and are

running to defend such groups. There is law in the land and recourse for them to defend themselves

if they are wronged. Our interest truly should be in the restored gospel and the true church and

kingdom of God, and we ought better to not waste time with splinter groups (unless you have the

opportunity to re-convert some of them), nor should we be attracting attention and risking giving the

many rabid "mormon" haters more material to point to as evidence of our supposed decadence and

status as supposedly being "abominable" before God. We all understand that they just live for an

opportunity to discover if some "mormon" has said something that can be used as evidence to show

that we are not what we say we are. We are also not likely to be in a position to determine the facts

in such a he said/she said tug-o-war between opposing sides. I just feel that if we show an interest

and fascination with the matter we end up appearing to favor practices and groups that we should not

want to touch with the proverbial ten foot pole. We have enough to occupy us with what the Lord has

asked us to do for His cause and His kingdom. Ok - well, everyone has an oppinion, I know. So, now

you have heard mine. For anyone who desires to "flame" me on the matter (in case any of you might

want to do so), my email address is: [email protected]

[Soulsearcher]

I think I am a little bit confused. I thought this was LDS.net here. Did I misunderstand something there?

This sounds instead a bit like FLDS.net. While I don't lack sympathy towards anyone who might perhaps

be unjustly represented, or be persecuted because of their faith or religion, I feel that as members of

the LDS church, we already get plenty of people who misunderstand us and want to attribute to us the

practices and beliefs of others that we have nothing to do with. My perception is that as we delve into

pro's and con's of such other groups and what issues they may be embroiled in, we risk having the un-

informed around us take our interest as evidence and/or proof that we really are like these groups

such as the FLDS - that we are really in fact polygamists ourselves and that either we practice it in

secret, or form separate "splinter" groups as cover for what we do, in case it may be discovered; or

at very least that we sympathize with a polygamist lifestyle and the kinds of distortions and abherra-

tions that have occured in some instances in such groups. We really don't need to be throwning any

gasoline on that fire by having others observe that we have such an active interest and and are

running to defend such groups. There is law in the land and recourse for them to defend themselves

if they are wronged. Our interest truly should be in the restored gospel and the true church and

kingdom of God, and we ought better to not waste time with splinter groups (unless you have the

opportunity to re-convert some of them), nor should we be attracting attention and risking giving the

many rabid "mormon" haters more material to point to as evidence of our supposed decadence and

status as supposedly being "abominable" before God. We all understand that they just live for an

opportunity to discover if some "mormon" has said something that can be used as evidence to show

that we are not what we say we are. We are also not likely to be in a position to determine the facts

in such a he said/she said tug-o-war between opposing sides. I just feel that if we show an interest

and fascination with the matter we end up appearing to favor practices and groups that we should not

want to touch with the proverbial ten foot pole. We have enough to occupy us with what the Lord has

asked us to do for His cause and His kingdom. Ok - well, everyone has an oppinion, I know. So, now

you have heard mine. For anyone who desires to "flame" me on the matter (in case any of you might

want to do so), my email address is: [email protected]

I won't flame, but your words brought something to mind.

"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew; And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

In this world, even if we don't agree with someone, if we see them being beaten with a stick, we stop it and offer aid. That's the way of Christ if i remember right.

Do the FLDS have issues, i think so yes, but if we let them be an easy target, then what happens when people someday turn against the True church?

[Elphaba]

Since just about every sensationalist story can be traced back to Flora Jessop, the following story by her grandmother may shed light on her...

"The Truth About Flora Jessop

Kosher,

In the future would you please break up these posts into paragraphs? It is very difficult to read as is.

Elphaba

[Guest Xzain]

That's a very interesting article. If it's true, then I am sad that people commit evil that good may come- or, that they believe good may come. If Flora's allegations are true, then her life (if the article is true) sadly discredits all her claims.

From the article, Flora sounds like someone suffering from extreme mental problems. I wonder- why did no one ever take her to a doctor to get her examined? Especially if she was truly raped, which her grandmother seems to have believed was the case for years.

Does anyone know how she is doing now- is she receiving medical and/or psychological help?

[WANDERER]

I think it's worthwhile to see the individual people instead and to be wary of depersonalisation.

Some other things about Flora: although I think there's a lot of misinformation out there:

her rape case was dismissed by the courts when she was 13

her father was convicted in 1983 of sexual assault and sentenced to five years in prison when she was 15 (she left at 16) My guess is that the guardianship was approved when legal procedures started and other evidence was given by others as her own evidence was not enough.

her sister of fourteen was married

she was one of 28 children in her family

Some questions about her grandmother's story:

Flora had money for drinking etc....well that's rather sad...it doesn't take too much to realise links there...taking advantage of and being taken advantage of.

Things in her life sound a bit messy. Here is a quote

Jessop was not prepared for life on the outside - "naive to the point of being socially retarded," as she puts it. She also was tormented that she might have damned herself to hell by fleeing the church. Her untidy life during that period speaks to the difficulty of adjusting to the outside world. And she persists because "every time we can save a child, it's saving a little piece of me too, repairing a little bit of the damage."

I feel rather sorry for Flora and all that she went through. Does her lifestyle discredit her? Does it make her any less of a victim of abuse? Has she and does she continue to make mistakes?

Where exactly are the lines protecting freedom to be drawn? Where will Flora draw them? Where do other people draw them? Are they the right lines? Who are the easiest targets? Is Flora branded because of her moral choices, and more so, because she was FLDS and she is taking on morality issues? Will her battle for victims of abuse lead to the right outcomes and be carried out justly and fairly? Is it a battle against individuals who do wrong or an organisation?

All very sad.

[wa1den]

I still say that this is a matter that isn't fruitful for us to be involved in. The comparison has been made

to what happened in Germany, suggesting that we shouldn't ignore what is happening to others. How-

ever, this is much different than Germany. We have a system here in which people have recourse and

defense. While it is true that nothing is perfect and injustice does still sometimes occur, we really aren't

in a position to know all of the facts, and for us as members of the LDS church to show such active in-

terest in a polygamist group and what they are embroiled in is not helpful.

To begin with, it is simply idle speculation since none of us have any real "inside track" to be able to

ascertain all of the actual facts; and even if we could, since the matter is under jurisdiction of estab-

lished law, the outcome will not be altered by our opinions and speculations - so we really aren't help-

ing any of them by our commentaries, regardless of our opinions. Additionally, we DO give cause for

our opposition (the anti-lds crowd) to point to any expressed sympathies as evidence that we truly

continue to be polygamists in disguise. So, WHERE IS THE BENEFIT TO ANYONE??? I think we hurt the

Lord's cause by showing such interest. And if any injustice is being committed with these people, UN-

LIKE IN GERMANY UNDER HITLER, THERE ARE ACTUALLY LAWS IN PLACE THAT GIVE THEM RECOURSE

TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. That was why the Lord raised up this nation and provided such safeguards,

both to establish freedom and guarantee the rights of all, and to provide a safe place for his Kingdom

to move forward from.

We had to fight that legal battle once upon a time, and had to live with the results, despite the fact that

the resulting decision was taken with bias and prejudice against us, and was not done according to

what the law shoud have been. Others may yet also have to do the same; and perhaps in similar man-

ner, in some cases, have to live with whatever the outcome is under the law. But we believe in and pro-

claim our support for the rule of the law of the land, and have submitted to living with the results of it,

EVEN when it has been applied unjustly to US. We don't have jurisdiction, and we have no business

providing ammunition for the enemies of the cause of righteousness to use against the church and king-

dom of God - they get plenty of that as it is, without us providing them with additional things to sen-

sationalize and squak about.

That is how I see the matter. Let these people seek their redress before the law of the land, which was

established by our Heavenly Father. That opportunity has been provided for them under this system of

government which God raised up in this promised for just that purpose. WE and THEY do not live in

GERMANY, nor are we/they under Hitler nor under someone like him. Our efforts and energies are best

spent in moving forth HIS kingdom in those things in which we have been commanded, and in being

prudent enough to not provide unnecessary fuel for the rabid crowd to use for adverse publicity.

[marthaleah]

In evaluating Flora Jessop's story, it's well to remember we need to assess it's truth based on her own consistencies.

Do you remember last fall they found the bones of the English king Richard the 3rd? This is the king who is hated based on a number of stories. Did you know there was a Richard the 3rd society? Their goal is to reform his reputation. But there is a dynamic here that is also at play with Flora Jessop. Once someone disappears from the scene it is the survivors, alone, that get to write history. Outside of her community of origin, the tales may have grown with the telling without her being around to remind folks, and there may be a number of people to "verify" her mother's version of events. It is impossible to know.

Her story checks out to me. There are no inconsistencies, large memory gaps, or other indicators of lying. We have to remember the FLDS are not us. They may have come from us, but we do not need to be embarassed by their mistakes. Some of the raids against them have been too heavy handed, but we don't need to be embarassed by that either.

[SteveVH]

Does anyone know if "Martha Barlow, RN, APRN, CNM" is actually a credible person? Anyone that starts throwing around titles such as a "Registered Nurse", et al, as some sort of measure of crediblity makes me nervous. Why is an RN more credible than a ditch digger? The fact than she even brings it up is telling.

Edited March 31, 2013 by StephenVH

[Vort]

Does anyone know if "Martha Barlow, RN, APRN, CNM" is actually a credible person? Anyone that starts throwing around titles such as a "Registered Nurse", et al, as some sort of measure of crediblity makes me nervous. Why is an RN more credible that a ditch digger? The fact that she even brings it up is telling.

If you have to ask, you just don't get it.

Vort (BS, RM, LDS, O+, DNR)

[SteveVH]

If you have to ask, you just don't get it.

Vort (BS, RM, LDS, O+, DNR)

[pam]

Wow another 5 year old thread has resurfaced.

[pam]

If you have to ask, you just don't get it.

Vort (BS, RM, LDS, O+, DNR)

The BS I believe sometimes...Oh not that kind of BS? :)

[mordorbund]

Is there a formal method for threads to earn BS or DNR credentials?

[selek]

If not, there should be.

Perhaps another button?

Readers could choose "laugh", "thank", or "Do Not Resuscitate" in response to the various posts...