A Texas man has gone viral on TikTok after claiming he grew up with around 300 siblings in the Kingston Order, a group he describes as a cult. John, who says he escaped the group, has shared details about his childhood, including claims about his father’s many wives, extreme poverty and the responsibilities placed on children from a young age.
The story was shared by John, who goes by @thejohnbillings on TikTok. He has posted several videos about growing up in the group, with his most successful video receiving nearly one million views. His story has drawn widespread attention as viewers try to understand what life was like inside the group.
In his videos, John claims his father had 27 wives and around 300 children. He says the women were raised within the group and had little understanding of life outside it, which he believes made it easier for them to accept the conditions they lived under.
John also alleges that the women were expected to provide for their children and support their husbands, while the men contributed little financially. He claims children were expected to start working and helping pay household bills when they were only 8 years old.
According to the Texas man, the family lived in extreme poverty, leaving the children with little opportunity to have a normal childhood. He also claims his father had so many children that he sometimes struggled to remember their names and would reuse biblical names for different children.
John has also discussed more disturbing allegations about the group, including claims of incest involving members of the extended family. However, these are allegations made by John in his videos and should not be treated as independently verified facts.
Internet Reacts to Texas Man’s Cult Claims
The details sparked strong reactions online, with many viewers questioning how the alleged practices could have continued and whether they were legal. One commenter wrote, “Just glossing over incest?”
Others were particularly disturbed by the claims involving relatives and questioned how children could grow up in such a large family without knowing who they were related to. Some viewers also wondered what education was like inside the group and whether children were allowed to attend public schools or interact freely with people outside the community.
Several commenters connected the Texas man’s story to other accounts from people who have left similar groups. Others expressed relief that he was able to escape and build a life outside the community.
Some viewers also encouraged John to turn his experiences into a book or documentary, with commenters saying his story could make for a full documentary series. Others simply wanted to hear more about how he managed to leave.
With 300 siblings, remembering everyone’s birthday would already be difficult. Remembering everyone’s name apparently became a whole different challenge.
