The Rise and Fall of the RLDS Church

Was caused by the rise and fall of one man: Joseph Smith III.

This was not surprising, because he had bad parents. His father was insane, and his mother concentrated on countering this insanity (including polygamy) telling her sons nothing of what was going on. 

When these sons grew up, married, and had children of their own - they had no income. 

A group of LDS in Northern Illinois, formed a RLDS church - and hired the Smith sons to be its religious leaders. They kept poor records, and it is not clear what this church consisted of at that time. 

But they bought land in Southern Iowa, and built a town on it, they called Lamoni. The RLDS church, gradually became the church of Joseph Smith III, who concentrated on making it better (what these changes were has not been recorded, but they must have included new members and increased income).

Eventually, some of the church (including JS3) moved to Independence Missouri, where he died. 

The Church continued, but its leadership weakened, until it existed no more, but became the Community of Christ church.