Winchester, Benjamin, 1817-1901
Dates
- Existence: 1817 - 1901
Biographical History
Benjamin Winchester (1817-1901) was an early convert to Mormonism; participated in the Zion's Camp march to Missouri; was ordained a Seventy; and performed extensive missionary service for the early Mormon Church. Later he would leave the Church due to disagreements with church leadership and lived out most of his life in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Benjamin Winchester was born at Lindy's Lane, Pennsylvania, to Stephen Winchester and Nancy Case on August 6, 1817. His family joined the Mormon Church in 1833 and moved to Kirtland, Ohio. Benjamin accompanied his father on the Zion's Camp march in 1834, attended the School of the Prophet's in Kirtland, Ohio, and was ordained a Seventy in 1835. He was a missionary and leader of the Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and published several Mormon works there, incuding a history of the priesthood and "The Gospel Reflector," a newspaper. Benjamin married Mary Hannah Stone on February 25, 1840, and they had five children who lived to adulthood. Conflicts with authorities of the Mormon Church combined with his disagreement to the practice of plural marriage forced Benjamin to leave the Church, and he was excommunicated on September 26, 1844. Benjamin had short-lived support for Sidney Rigdon's movement, but later owned a cigar shop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1846-1854, and finally moved his family to Council Bluffs, Iowa. During most of his life in Iowa he worked in the brick making business, and also dabbled in farming and fruit growing. Benjamin remained in Iowa until his death on January 25, 1901.