Joseph Elijah Robinson was the first white manchild born in Davis County, Utah. He was born February 2, 1849, in North Canyon, (now Bountiful), Utah, a son of Joseph Lee Robinson and Maria Wood, pioneers who had crossed the plains from Nauvoo, Ill. His father was Bishop in various wards in the Church and later as a Patriarch, also being active in many missions in helping establish the church settlements throughout Utah on which he was sent by Pres. Brigham Young. His father had five wives and Joseph's mother, Maria Wood, was the first wife, the chosen love of his youth who joined the Church with him and stood by him when the Church advocated polygamy, although at first it was a great trial to her. During his mother's confinement they would have to place vessels on her bad to catch the water as it came through the dirt roof during rainy weather. There was so little food in the county that his father's family were obliged to be put on rations, a thin slice of bread two inches square for each person at a meal and had to finish out the meal with roots and whatever they could get. his mother would often put their scanty meal on the table and sit in a chair and nurse the baby who would often nurse blood from her, and then eat the crumbs or what would be left. When he was seven moths old, his parents moved to Farmington, Davis County, then called north Cottonwood Ward, where he resided from then on.
He first married Mary Elizabeth Clark and had four children: Joseph E., Ezra C., Albert C., and May Robinson Porter. They were divorced.
On March 2, 1876, he married Dorothy Watson (Henderson), Aunt Dora, at Farmington. He was 35 and she was 16 when they were married; he was her schoolmaster. The marriage was performed by J.M. Secrist, an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was witnessed by Jacob Miller and Lizzie C. Brown. Uncle Jody and Aunt Dora were loved by all and well-known for leading the Choir and directing the home Dramatic Club.
Shortly before the birth of their first child on July 10, 1874, he suffered a tragic accident, being dragged by runaway horses and having the wheels of his wagon pass over his legs. This accident paralyzed his lower limbs and for the remainder of his life (about 45 years) he had to go about on crutches and in a wheel chair suffering untold agony and pain. His sons had to lift him in and out of bed and his dear wife spent a lifetime nursing him. He was a man of great stamina and courage, however, and such a blow as this did not incapacitate him for an active life. he ceated a large family, many who became talented and famous; at the time of his wife's death she had six sons who were her pallbearers and six living daughters.
Despite his illness and handicaps, he became a power in civic affairs and Church activities. He and his nephew, Henry Robinson, organized the Farmington commercial and Mfg. Company. He also had shares in the Farmington Co-op, Farmington Social Hall and Barton and Co. He was one of the organizers of the Davis County Bank and was a senior director until the time of his death. he was county recorder of Davis County for 16 years; County Treasurer for 6 years and a Deputy County Assessor for 4 years; also a Licensed Abstracter, Notary Public and Justice of the Peace in Davis County.
His Church activities consisted of; Baptism and confirmation in 1857; ordained to the offices of Elder, Seventy and High Priest and on April 16, 1899, was ordained a Patriarch of the Davis Stake under the hands of Apostle John W. Taylor; was the first clerk of the High Council of Davis Stake; was a member of Farmington Choir since he was 17 years old and leader of the same since 1889.
He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather to his numerous posterity. He provided well for his family and grandmother was well taken care of all of her days after his death due to his foresight.
I, a granddaughter, well remember Grandfather Robinson's kindness and how handsome he was with his beautiful silvery curly hair and his dignified, aristocratic mien, as he sat in his wheelchair and he would put us and five us nickles to buy sweets. I never remember hearing him say across word. Mother and I spent a great deal of time at Grandfather's while Daddy was on his mission in England and I well remember well the family prayers we had around the huge table in the kitchen. I remember too how tired my knees used to get from kneeling by my chair because Grandfather always gave such a long prayer and I used to fidget so that Mother had to nudge to to make me be quiet until he was finished. When Grandfather took sick in his last illness (he was dying from gangrene), we were living in Idaho; Daddy had returned from his last mission. Word came that he was dying. Uncle Grant, Aunt Sadie, Mother and Daddy made a bed on the floor of the car for Dorothy and me and we drove as fast as Uncle Grant could drive all night to reach Farmington in time. As we passed through Ogden, a traffice policeman signaled Uncle Grant because he was speeding, but he just leaned out the window and waved at him and sailed right on through. Traffice matters were a bit different in those days and this was a matter of life and death. I remember how still the big house was and gathering around Grandfather's bed, from which the men had to lift him just like a child. The end came slowly and he suffered much.
A short time afterwards, I wandered down through the orchard in back of the house and I saw Grandmother. There was an old brown coat of Grandfather's hanging on the limb of a tree. Grandmother was clinging to it and sobbing her heart out. "Oh Daddy, Daddy"' I shall never forget how heartrending her grief seemed to me, a child. It was surely a true love match between those two. Grandmother never remarried and she never let the wonderful example of her husband's life fade or be forgotten by his children and grandchildren.
