 |
| Robert
B. Thompson (1811–1842) |
| General church clerk (1841–1842), Joseph
Smith's scribe. |
| Born |
|
Robert Blashel Thompson, October 1, 1811, in
Great Driffield, Yorkshire, England |
| Died |
|
August 27, 1841 in Nauvoo, of tuberculosis |
|
Papers
2:334–335. |
| Father |
|
Thomas Thompson |
|
Parents'
names courtesy of Scott Jacob, a descendant of Robert's sister, Mary Thompson
Duff. |
| Mother |
|
Mary Barker |
|
| Baptism |
|
May, 1836 by Parley P. Pratt |
|
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| Elder |
|
July 22, 1836 by John Taylor |
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| Mission
to Canada |
|
June 4, 1837 leaves Kirtland on
a mission to Upper Canada with his bride Mercy R. Fielding. Lives
with
friends
and fellow
converts, William and Jane Law in Churchville. Returns to Kirtland, March
1838. |
|
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| Positions |
|
October 3, 1840 "General Church
Clerk." Also referred to as Church recorder, and historian, probably
because he replaced George W. Robinson, who is said to have been appointed
to all three positions on April 6, 1838. |
|
HC 4:204,
3:13–14.
Minutes of April 6, 1838
Church Historians |
| |
|
Colonel, aid-de-camp in the Nauvoo
Legion. |
|
HC
4:411. |
| |
|
February 1841 Nauvoo city recorder. |
|
Papers
2:334. |
| |
|
May 1, 1841 named associate editor
of the Times
and Seasons. The unhealthy room in which he and Don Carlos Smith work
lead to Don Carlos's death on August 7 and Robert's on August 27.
|
|
HC
4:351. |
| Family |
|
Mercy Rachel Fielding (1807–1893)
md. June 4, 1837 in Kirtland by Joseph Smith |
|
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| |
|
Mary Jane (b. June 14, 1838) |
|
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England
Methodist
Canada |
|
Born in England, Robert joined the Methodists
at an early age, "preached what he believed to be the gospel, in connection
with that sect for a number of years," and emigrated to the Toronto
area in 1834 (the same year as his future wife). According to Scott Jacob,
Robert's brother Thomas had emigrated a few years earlier and established
the first school in Toronto. |
|
Jenson 1:284. |
| Far
West |
|
Journey to Far West, Missouri, with Hyrum Smith
and Mary Fielding (married December 27,1837), arriving June 3, 1838. |
|
HC
4:411. |
| Daughter |
|
Robert and Mercy's only child, Mary Jane is born eleven days
later, June 14, 1838. |
|
HC
4:411. |
| Danite |
|
Serves as a Danite in Missouri and was standing near David
W. Patten (h) when the apostle was killed
at the Battle of Crooked River. |
|
Origins
484. |
| Flees Missouri |
|
Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney, and number of other prominent men were
taken by the Missouri to stand trial on October 31. In November Robert and
other leading figures fled in Far West fled to avoid being massacred by
a mob. |
|
|
| Quincy |
|
Moved to Quincy, Illinois, where Mercy and Mary
Jane arrived with Mary and her new son Joseph in February, 1839. |
|
|
| Conference
to find land |
|
That month he served as clerk for a conference
that was called to consider land for Mormons to settle on. William Marks,
who had been appointed president tempore of the stake of Zion, presided. |
|
HC 3:260.
Minutes of April 6, 1838 |
| Excommunications |
|
Serves as clerk to the March 1839 conference that
excommunicates George M. Hinkle, Sampson Avard, John
Corrill, Reed Peck, William W. Phelps,
Frederick G. Williams, Thomas B. Marsh (h),
Burr Riggs, and others. Brigham Young presides. |
|
HC 3:283–284.
|
| Newspaper
writer, court clerk |
|
Robert works as writer for the Argus and
as a court clerk in Quincy until Joseph and Hyrum "escape" from
Liberty Jail and decide the new gathering place will be Commerce, Illinois. |
|
Papers
2:334. |
| Gather
anti-Mormon literature |
|
At a conference in Quincy, Illinois on May 4,
1839, Robert, Almon W. Babbitt, and Erastus Snow are"appointed a traveling
committee to gather up and obtain all the libelous reports and publications
which had been circulated against the Church." |
|
HC
3:345. |
| Joseph
Smith Sr. funeral |
|
Delivers the September 15, 1840 funeral sermon
of Joseph Smith Sr. |
|
HC
4:191–197. |
| Petition
to Congress |
|
Writes the "petition to Congress for the redress of
the grievances of the Latter-day Saints in Missouri" with Elias Higbee,
November 27, 1840. |
|
HC
4:237, 250–251. |
| Solemn
proclamation |
|
Called to help Joseph write "solemn proclamation" to the president-elect
"high-minded governors of the nation" and "to all the nations
of the earth," January 19, 1841. (When Robert dies, Willard Richards
(h) is given the task, but it is not
finished in Joseph's lifetime.)
|
|
D&C
124:2–14. |
| $14,000
in land sales |
|
In March 1841, Robert sells Joseph 50 Nauvoo lots for $10,000.
In July, he sells Emma 123 acres along the south edge of the city for $4,000. |
|
Nauvoo kingdom,
120. |
| Joseph's
trial |
|
Accompanies Joseph and others to the Prophet's trial in Monmouth,
June 7–11, 1841. |
|
HC
4:366–371 |
|
|
Robert B. Thompson: Heber C.
Kimball
Biographies
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