James Elishama Smith

James Elishama Smith, often called Shepherd Smith (1801, Glasgow – 1857, Glasgow) was a British journalist and religious writer.

Smith studied at Glasgow University. Hearing Edward Irving preach in 1828, he became a millenarian and associated with followers of Joanna Southcott. For a couple of years he became a Christian Israelite under John Wroe. He moved to London in 1832, and his millenarianism turned socialist. He translated Saint-Simon, edited Robert Owen's journal ''Crisis'', and wrote for James Morrison's ''Pioneer''.

Smith edited ''The Shepherd'' 1834–5 and 1837–8, and wrote leaders for the ''Penny Satirist''. In 1843 he founded a penny weekly, the ''Family Herald'', which at one point approached a circulation of half a million. Provided by Wikipedia