Elizabeth Robinson

Harvard Shaker (1740-1819)
by Roben Campbell, Shaker researcher

Published in 2016

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Elizabeth Robinson, with her sons ,John and Oliver, was one of a significant number of Harvard Shakers from Petersham; they were witnesses to the abuse Mother Ann and the Elders suffered there.

Elizabeth Robinson, with her sons, John and Oliver, was one of a significant number of Harvard Shakers from Petersham; they were witnesses to the abuse Mother Ann and the Elders suffered there.[1] Her son John united with the Shirley Shakers, while her son Oliver served in second place as a Harvard Church family elder and later as first elder North family until his death in 1838.[2]

The following is an example of the healing gift that was possessed by Mother Ann and the Elders:

“Mother laid her hand on Elizabeth’s throat , and the swelling went away, and her throat was healed. Mother said, “When you are bitten by the flying serpent, you must look upon the brazen serpent to be healed; and let your words be few, and seasoned with grace.“[3]

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[1] Vital Statistic, Petersham. Need to re-find page number.

[2] September 1802December 27, 1818, Harvard Record Book, Museum and Library at Old Chatham, New York; and December 29, 1838, Church Sisters Day Journal, FM 4.2, Shaker Manuscript Collection, Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, Mass.

[3] Testimonies of the Life, Character, and Doctrines of Mother Ann Lee, by Shakers, p.202, Second edition, Albany New York, 1888.

 

All rights reserved. © Roben Campbell, 2016.