25 May 1816 – 11 Mar. 1891. Printer, editor and publisher, born at Floyd (near Rome), Oneida Co., New York, son of Nathan Robinson and Mary Brown. Moved to Utica, Oneida Co., ca. 1831 and learned printing trade at Utica Observer. Moved to Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio, Aug. 1833, and worked as compositor on The Ohio Star. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, May 1835, and worked in printing office. Baptized into the LDS church by Joe (aka Joseph) Smith, 16 Oct. 1835. Married first Angelina (Angeline) Eliza Works, 13 Dec. 1835 in Kirtland, OH. Ordained an elder 29 Apr. 1836 and a seventy 20 Dec. 1836. Served a mission to Richland Co., Ohio, June – July 1836 and shortly after served a mission to New York. Moved to Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, spring 1837. Assisted with the publication of the Elders’ Journal summer 1838. Church clerk and recorder and clerk of Missouri high council, 1838. Member of Far West high council, Dec. 1838. Justice of the peace, 1839. When driven from Missouri, moved to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, and worked on Quincy Whig, 1839. Became publisher, coeditor, and editor of Times and Seasons 1839 – 1842 at Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois. Member of Nauvoo Masonic Lodge. Justice of the peace in Hancock Co., by 1842. Served mission to New York, 1843. Moved to Pittsburgh, June 1844. Affiliated with Sidney Rigdon and served as his counselor. In May 1846, moved to Greencastle, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, where he edited Rigdonite Messenger and Advocate of the Church of Christ. Moved to Decatur Co., Iowa, Apr. 1855. Baptized into RLDS church by William W. Blair, 29 Apr. 1863, at Pleasanton, Hamilton Township, Decatur Co. Wife died, 1880. Married second Martha A. Cunningham, 5 Feb. 1885. Affiliated with David Whitmer’s Church of Christ, 1888. Edited Whitmerite periodical The Return, 1889 – 1891. Died at Davis City, Decatur Co.
One of David Whitmer’s followers, Ebenezer Robinson, published a newspaper called The Return:
Realizing there has been a departure from the plain and pure doctrine of Christ, as set forth in the New Testament Scriptures and Book of Mormon, in which is the fullness of the gospel, the undersigned proposes to commence the publication, at Davis City, Decatur county, Iowa, of a monthly periodical, to be called THE RETURN, in which we propose to set forth our understanding of the doctrine of Christ, as we find it presented in these sacred records, together with the order of church organization and government. (Vol. 1. No. 1. Davis City, Iowa, January, 1889)
- The Return 1889-1899; select excerpts here.
References:
- Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. Vol. 1, 1830 – 1847. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997.
- Black, Susan Easton, comp. Early Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 6 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1993.