Montana Community Divided Over Mormon Land Rights and Tithing Disputes

The town of Pinesdale, located in Ravalli County, Montana, was founded over 60 years ago by a splinter group of Mormon fundamentalists known as the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). The group sought a secluded haven in the Bitterroot Valley, where they could live communally and practice polygamy without interference from the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or state laws. The land on which Pinesdale was built was owned by the AUB, and the expectation was that members’ tithing and labor would benefit both the church and the community.

Today, Pinesdale is home to 883 residents, according to the latest census. However, over the past decade, some residents have sought to separate from the AUB, citing concerns over land ownership and the church’s influence. These residents argue that the “Law of Consecration,” a collectivist doctrine from the 1830s, includes a provision that promises eventual ownership of individual family spaces. Peggy Lynch, who moved to Pinesdale in 1972, is among those suing the AUB, asserting that the community built roads, a school, and a store for collective well-being, and that individual lot ownership is now owed to them.

In the 1980s, much of the land in Pinesdale was transferred to Unified Industries (UI), the for-profit arm of the AUB. The town adopted a charter and became the only municipality in Montana operating under a “town meeting” form of government, where residents gather to vote on local affairs. Despite this local governance, most of the land in Pinesdale remains owned by UI/AUB, including the school, church, and several private businesses.

The residents who have sought to separate from the AUB claim their livelihoods and freedom are at stake. They argue that the AUB has maintained ownership of the land despite paying taxes for decades. A Montana judge has been asked to resolve the dispute, which centers on whether the residents are entitled to ownership of the land under their homes. The AUB maintains that it has fulfilled its obligations by paying taxes and continues to own the land.

The situation in Pinesdale highlights the complex relationship between religious doctrine, land ownership, and community governance. It also underscores the challenges faced by communities that have historically been shaped by specific religious practices and the tensions that can arise when those practices come into conflict with individual rights and legal frameworks.

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