William Bickerton (January 15, 1815 – February 17, 1905) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement after the 1844 succession crisis.

Several prominent members, including William E. McLellin and Benjamin Winchester, separated from the church and established a rival organization centered on the leadership of David Whitmer.

They also ordained Bickerton an elder and presiding minister in the new West Elizabeth congregation of the LDS Church.

"[11][12] On 10 March 1852 Bickerton announced to his congregation that he was disassociating himself from the LDS church because of its adherence to doctrines that he felt could not be substantiated in the Bible or the Book of Mormon, particularly plural marriage.

[13][11] Bickerton engaged in public preaching and met with his growing congregation in houses and, by the end of 1854, his church had around 60 members.

At a conference in 1872 in West Elizabeth, Bickerton was chosen to spend the remainder of his days on missionary work.

[10][21] Bickerton maintained his innocence but Cadman believed the accusations leading to the two of them holding rival church conferences in St. John in July 1880.

[22] On 15 July 1880 Cadman began a public inquiry into the accusations but left for Pennsylvania when it ruled Bickerton innocent of adultery.

[24][25] In the 1890s Bickerton and his followers made repeated missionary trips to Oklahoma to attempt to convert Native Americans into his church[26] which was referred to colloquially as the "Stafford County Saints".

After the death of Dorothy, Bickerton married his second wife, Charlotte Rodgers Morgan Hibbs (1819-1895), on July 8, 1863.

[29] Bickerton died at St. John, Stafford County, Kansas, at the age of 90 as a member and leader of the church he organized in 1862.