Robert B. Thompson facts for kids

Robert Blashel Thompson (born October 1, 1811 – died August 27, 1841) was an important helper and friend to Joseph Smith, a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He also served as an official historian for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Early Life and Joining the Church

Robert Thompson was born in a place called Great Driffield, England, on October 1, 1811. When he was young, he joined the Methodist church and even preached in Yorkshire.

In 1834, Robert moved across the ocean to Upper Canada, settling in a city called Toronto. Two years later, in May 1836, he was baptized and became a member of the Church of the Latter-day Saints by a man named Parley P. Pratt. Soon after, on July 22, 1836, he was made an elder in the church by John Taylor.

Moving to Kirtland and Family Life

In May 1837, Robert Thompson moved to Kirtland, Ohio. This was where many Latter Day Saints were gathering at the time. On June 4, 1837, he married Mercy Rachel Fielding in Kirtland.

Later that same month, Robert and Mercy traveled to Upper Canada to serve as missionaries for their church. They returned to Kirtland in March 1838. They had one daughter, whom they named Mary Jane Thompson. In May 1838, the Thompson family moved to Far West, Missouri, traveling with the family of Hyrum Smith.

Experiences in Missouri

While living in Missouri, Robert Thompson was involved in a group called the Danites. He also took part in the 1838 Mormon War, which was a conflict that happened in 1838. He was standing near an apostle named David W. Patten when Patten was killed during a fight called the Battle of Crooked River.

In March 1839, Robert Thompson worked as a clerk for a special meeting led by Brigham Young. This meeting decided to remove several well-known Latter Day Saints from the church. These included people like George M. Hinkle and Thomas B. Marsh.

At a church meeting in May 1839, Robert Thompson, along with Almon W. Babbitt and Erastus Snow, was given an important job. They were asked to travel around and collect all the untrue reports and writings that had been spread about the church.

Life in Illinois and Important Roles

When the Latter Day Saints had to leave Missouri, Robert Thompson first moved to Quincy, Illinois. After that, he moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. In Nauvoo, he worked closely with Joseph Smith as his scribe, which means he wrote things down for him.

On September 15, 1840, Robert Thompson gave the speech at the funeral for Joseph Smith Sr., who was a respected leader in the church. In October 1840, Robert took over from Elias Higbee as the official Church Historian. In November of that year, Robert and Elias worked together to write a letter to the United States Congress. This letter asked for help and fairness for the Latter Day Saints because of the difficult experiences they had in Missouri.

Robert Thompson was also a colonel and an aide-de-camp in the Nauvoo Legion, which was a local military group. He also became an editor for the Times and Seasons newspaper in Nauvoo.

Final Years and Legacy

Sadly, the offices where the Times and Seasons newspaper was produced were not very healthy places to work. Because of these conditions, Robert Thompson and Don Carlos Smith both became sick with pneumonia and died in August 1841.

Robert Thompson was survived by his wife, Mercy, and his daughter, Mary Jane. He was buried at the Smith Family Cemetery in Nauvoo.

Robert Thompson also wrote the words to a hymn called "See, the Mighty Angel Flying." This hymn is still sung today and can be found in the 1985 English-language LDS Church hymnal as hymn number 330.