The Manuscript Witnesses Statements Compared

Name

John Spalding

Martha Spalding

Oliver Smith

Nahum Howard

Aron Wright

Henry Lake

John Miller

Artemus Cunningham

Matilda Davison

Matilda McKinstry

Josiah Spalding

Joseph Miller

Redick McKee

John McKinstry

Daniel Tyler

Erastus Rudd

Joseph Miller

James Briggs

Matilda McKinstry

Hiram Lake

Lorin Gould

Abner Jackson

Joseph Miller

Joseph Miller

Matilda McKinstry

Rachel Derby

J.C. Dowen

Jacob Sherman

Charles Grover

William Hine

William Leffingwell

Redick McKee

James Briggs

James Briggs

James Briggs

Date of statement

Jul/Aug 1833

Jul/Aug 1833

Aug 183

Aug 1833

Aug 1833

Sep 1833

Sep 1833

Sep 1833?

April 1839

1843

Jan 1855

Mar 1869

Apr 1869

Aug 1877

Jan 1878

Jan 1878

Feb 1879

Mar 1875

Apr 1880

Dec 1880

Dec 1880

Dec 1880

Jan 1882

Feb 1882

Oct 1882

Dec 1884

Jan 1885

Feb 1885

Mar 1885

Mar 1885

Jun 1885

Jan 1886

Jan 1886

Mar 1886

Oct 1886

Relation to S.S.?

Brother

Sister-in-law

Boarder/neighbor

Neighbor

Neighbor

Bus. Partner

Employee/Tenet/close neighbor and friend with John Spalding

Lender

Wife

Daughter

Brother

Neighbor in Amity, PA

Boarded at Spalding tavern in Amity for almost 2 years, and friend of Joseph Miller

Grandson

Neighbor

Neighbor's house where the romance was formerly written

Neighbor in Amity

Lawyer for Hurlbut

Daughter

Son of Henry Lake

Acquaintence of Lake, Wright, Miller, and Howard

Neighbor

Neighbor in Amity

Neighbor in Amity

Daughter

Daughter of John Miller and her family was intimate friends with John Spalding family

Attended Hurlbut lecture, and Hurlbut stayed at his house

Attended Hurlbut lecture

Attended Hurlbut lecture

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teacher in Conneaut who claims to have corrected the manuscript of the Mormon Bible alleged to have been written by Rev. Solomon Spaulding

Boarded at Spalding tavern in Amity for almost 2 years, and friend of Joseph Miller

Lawyer for Hurlbut

Lawyer for Hurlbut

Lawyer for Hurlbut

When?

I made a visit in about three years after (1812 or 1813?)

I was at his house a short time before he left Conneaut (1812 or 1813?)

While engaged in this business (land sells) he boarded at my house, in all nearly six months. All his leisure hours were occupied writing an historical novel

first . .acquanted with Solomon Spalding in December, 1810. After that time I frequently saw him at his house, and also at my house.

first acquinted with Solomon Spalding in 1808 or '9. . .When I was at home one day. (?)

I arrived at this place [Conneaut] about the first of January [1811]. Soon after my arrival, I formed a copartnership with Solomon Spalding

In the year 1811, I was in the employ of Henry Lake and Solomon Spalding. While ther I boarded and lodged in the family of said Spalding for several months. I was soon introduced to the manuscripts

In the month of October, 1811. . .I tarried with him nearly two days.

This was about the year 1812

How old were you when your father wrote the manuscript? Ans: About five years of age [1812?]

The war that broke out with England [1812]. . .I went to see my brother and staid with him some time.

fall of 1814 to fall of 1816?

[fall] 1814. . .for eighteen or twenty months

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I think Spauldin removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, prior to my information of his tale on the mounds.

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frequented his house

1833-34

During the war of 1812

1834

1834-35

about the beginning of the year 1812, commenced to write his famous romance. . .This romance, Mr. Spaulding brought with him on a visit to my father, a short time before he moved from Conneaut to Pittsburgh [winter 1812?]

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[1814?]

1811?

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1833?

1833 or 1834

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Long ago in the past, I have forgotten the year

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winter 1833-34

In the winter of 1833-34, or in the early spring of 1834

1833-'34

Writing?

Writing a book

he was then writing

All his leisure hours were occupied writing an historical novel . . .I (Spalding) have been writing the history of the first Settlement of America, and I intend to go to Pittsburg, and there live a retired life, till I have completed the work

He told me he was writing a history

he was writing

from a manuscript he was writing

He soon after failed in business, and told me he would retire from the din of his creditors, finish the book and have it published.

a book, which he had been writing

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He began to compose his novel. . . .There [at the point in the story where the main character meets a civilized nation at war with savages] I left him and never saw him nor his writings any more. . . .She informed me, if I recollect right, that my brother continued his history of the civilized nation and the progress of the war until the triumph of the savages to the destruction of the civilized government.

after it was written

Mr. Spalding spending much time in writing

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She said that my father loaned this "Manuscript Found" to Mr. Patterson, of Pittsburgh, and that when he returned it to my father, he said: "Polish it up, finish it, and you will make money out of it."

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He told me he lived in Ohio when he wrote his manuscript

Patterson said he, Patterson would publish it, if he, Spaulding, would write a title page.

He suggested, however, that Mr. Spaulding should write a brief preface, and perhaps a chapter or two in concluding the romance, giving a little more elaborate description of the Indian mounds in Ohio. Her mother thought he was engaged in doing that at the time I was living with the family at Amity

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Title?

Manuscript Found

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Manuscript Found

Manuscript Found

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Manuscript Found

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The title of his novel, I think, was "Historical Novel," or "Manuscript Found."

He called it The Manuscript Found, or The Lost Manuscript Found

He called it Lost History Found, -- Lost Manuscript, or some such name

Manuscript Found

"Manuscript Found"

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Manuscript Found

It was entitled, "The [Lost Tribes?]: or, The Manuscript Found."

On the outside of this manuscript were written the words, "Manuscript Found."

called 'Manuscript Found; or, the Lost Tribes.'

called 'Manuscript Found; or, the Lost Tribes.'

called by him "The Manuscript Found."

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he called it the lost manuscript found

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Manuscript Found'

"Manuscript Found"

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"Manuscript Found"

"Manuscript Found"

called 'The Book of Mormon

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"manuscript found"

Manuscript Story and "Manuscript Found"

"Manuscript Found" and "manuscript'

Read How Much?

he (Spalding) read to me many passages

I read and heard read

During this time he was at my house, I read and heard read one hundred pages or more.

frequently showed me his writing, which I read.

one day, he showed and read to me . . .Upon the subject we had frequent conversations. . .as I read and heard read in the writings of Spalding

He very frequently read to me from a manuscript. . .I spent many hours in reading said writing, and became well acquainted with its contents.

I was soon introduced to the manuscripts of Spalding, and perused them as often as I had leisure. . . .From this [Manuscript Found] he would frequently read some humorous passages to the company present.

Before showing me his manuscript, he went into a verbal relation of its outlines. . .He then presented the manuscriot, when we sat down, and spent a good share of the night in reading them, and conversing upon them.

As he progressed in his narrative, the neighbors would come in from time to time to hear portions read, and a great interest in the work was excited among them. . . .and when he had sufficient portion prepared he would inform them, and they would assemble to hear it read

When I was about twelve years old, I used to read it for diversion [1819?]

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He used to read select portions of these papers to amuse us [of] evenings. . . .I remember to have heard Mr. Spalding read from his Manuscript

I read, or hear[d] him read, many wonderful and amusing passages from different parts of his professed historical records

Rev. Mr. Spaulding was prevailed upon to read his production to his neighbors as it progressed

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Mr. S. seemed to take delight in reading from his manuscript (written on foolscap) for the entertainment of his frequent visitors, heard him read most, if not all of it, and had frequent conversations with him about it.

At one of the meetings we had before us the original manuscript of the Rev. Solomon Spaulding

Afterward he read the manuscript which I had seen him writing, to the neighbors and to a clergyman, a friend of his, who came to see him. . . .I did not read it, but looked through it and had it in my hands many times. . . .My mother. . .stated to me that she had heard the manuscript alluded to read by my father, was familiar with its contents, and she deeply regretted that her husband, as she believed, had innocently been the means of furnishing matter for a religious delusion.

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Spaulding read much of his manuscript to my father. . . .I . . .heard Spaulding read much of his Romance to my father and explain his views and reasons for writing it

we all assembled at his house in the evenings (as he kept tavern), and he frequently would read from his manuscript

often hoard him read from what he called his MS., he came to our house and wanted me to go with him and bail him for 50 Dollars as he needed the money and while on the road he told some of his history. . . .it used to be very common at that day for to gather in at the Public house in the evenings and often Mr. Spaulding would read from his MS, to entertain us.

heard a conversation in relation to the publication of the 'Manuscript.' There were two Mr. Pattersons present, one an elderly gentleman, with a remarkably mild, pleasant countenance, and much more robust than the other. The more slender Mr. Patterson told Mr. Spaulding that he had read several chapters of the 'Manuscript'

While they were at their meals Spalding would lie on the bed and read to them his manuscripts. Father also frequently read them himself. . . .I often heard him [her father] tell about the Nephists and Zerahemlites before the 'Book of Mormon' was published.

I heard Dr. P. Hurlbut, who had been a Mormon preacher, preach a good sermon, and then deliver his first lecture in the Methodist Church in Kirtland, Ohio, on the origin of the Book of Mormon….Hurlbut staid at my house every three or four days for as many months. I read all of his manuscript, including Spaulding's "Manuscript Found," and compared it with the Book of Mormon

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At the close of his lecture he invited the audience to examine it. I took and read from it a little; it was plainly written on letter-sized paper and nearly two inches thick. Soon after I was witness at a lawsuit in Painesville and again heard Hurlbut lecture. At the close Squire Holbrook read to the audience from Spaulding's "Manuscript Found,"

I was often in Hurlbut's company, and once while fishing with him on Lake Erie, after he had left the Mormons, he told me he was going to ferret out Mormonism and break it up….I heard Hurlbut lecture in the Presbyterian Church in Kirtland….I heard Hurlbut lecture before, and after he saw Spaulding's widow.

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We compared it, chapter by chapter with the Mormon Bible.

we had before us in that investigation, the original "Manuscript Found" written by Rev. Solomon Spaulding. . . .I have no doubt we had the "Manuscript Found" before us, that we compared it with the Mormon Bible. . . .Third, that Hurlbut obtained possession of the original "Manuscript Found," that we had [it] to compare with the Mormon Bible before the committee at Mentor.

we had the manuscript of the Rev. Solomon Spaulding before us, that we compared with the Mormon Bible...At the meeting at Mr. J. Corning's in Mentor, in 1834, I have no doubt we had this very identical "manuscript" now published among the papers submitted by Dr. Hurlburt. We also had a copy of the "Manuscript Found," that was compared with the Mormon Bible

Introduction?

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Manuscript Found', and which he represented a being found in this town

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Purported to have been a record found buried in the earth, or in a cave

It claimed to have been written by one of the lost nation, and to have been recovered from the earth

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My brother told me that a young man told him that he had a wonderful dream. He dreamed that he himself (if I recollect right) opened a great mound, where there were human bones. There he found a written history that would answer the inquiry respecting the civilized people that once inhabited that country until they were destroyed by the savages. This story suggested the idea of writing a novel merely for amusement. . . .They both [the Spalding MS and the Book of Mormon] claimed that the manuscripts from which they pretend they copied were of very ancient date and written by men that came here from the old world.

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the idea being that the romance woven by the ex-preacher was dug up out of one of the mounds in the region

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Spaulding's romance professed to find the Record where the Recorder concealed it, in one of those mounds, one of which was but a few rods from Spaulding's residence.

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Romance?

historical romance

historical novel

historical novel

a history

a history

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a historic novel

fabulous or romantic history

historical sketch. . .historical romance

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historical novel

novel

veritable history

romance

romance

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romantic history

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[her mother said] was a romance

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romance

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drama

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About?

first settlers of America

founded upon the first settlers of America

founded upon the first settlers of this country. . .first settlers of America

account of the inhabitants once in this country

first settlers of America

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It purported to be a history of the first settlement of America, before discovered by Columbus.

of the first settlers of this country. . . .account of the first inhabitants of America

long lost race

Did the manuscript describe an idolatrous or a religious people? Ans: An idolatrous people.

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nations or tribes who inhabited Canaan

history of ancient America

a few mounds at the above named village. . . .The novel, as I was told by those who heard it read, referred to them as idolaters and not otherwise religious.

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lost races or tribes

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purporting to be a history of the lost tribes of Israel

and he commenced writing a history of the mounds near where he lived, or of the people who built them

where he lived he discovered some mounds, they appeared to be the work of an ancient race of people and he concluded he would write their history or a fictitious novel of the people that built the mounds

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Now I am very sure he had the identical story [Manuscript Story] that you have printed with him. I remember about the ancient fort at Conneaut Creek, the mound, and the statement of finding the manuscript about the Indians.

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Race?

show that American Indians are descendants of Jews or lost tribes

He had for many years contended that the aborigines of America were the descendants of some of the lost tribes of Israel, and his idea is carried out in the book in question

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lost tribes of Isreal. . .and that the Indians were there descendents

This book represented the American Indians as the descendants of the lost tribes

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long lost race. . .race now extinct

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I think not a Jew

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nations or tribes who inhabited Canaan when, or before, that country was invaded by the Israelites, under Joshua

forgotten race

ten tribes

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lost races or tribes

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lost tribes of Isreal

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[regarding the Manuscript Story] I remember . . .about the Indians.

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Journey?

It gave a detailed account of their journey

He gave a particular account of their journey

He intended to trace their journey

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He traced their journey

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detailing their travels

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The author of it he brings from the Old World, but from what nation I do not recollect; I think not a Jew; nor do I recollect how long since, but I think before the Christian Era.

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pretending that the ten tribes crossed from the eastern hemisphere via the Behring Straits to this continent

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Why?

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There main objective was to escape the judgement which they supposed were coming upon the old world.

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From where?

from Jerusalem

first came off from Jerusalem

from Jerusalem

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from Jerusalem

gave an account of their leaving Jerusalem

He brought them off from Jerusalem

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the Old World, but from what nation I do not recollect; I think not a Jew

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eastern hemisphere

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He begins with their departure from Palestine or Judea

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To where?

till they arrived in America

till they arrived in America

till their arrival in America

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to America

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landing at the Straits of Darien. . .they were marched about the country for a length of time. . .he brought them across North America in a northeast direction.

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finally landed on the American shore; I think near the mouth of the Mississippi River. . . .He then started and traveled a great distance through a wilderness country inhabited by savages, until he came to a country where the inhabitants were civilized, cultivated their land, and had a regular form of government, which was at war with the savages.

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to this continent

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then up through Asia, points out their exposures, hardships, and sufferings, also their craft for passing over the Straits

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By?

land and sea

land and sea

by land and sea

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land and sea

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He went to sea, lost his point of compass

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via the Behring Straits

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Leaders named?

under the command of Nephi and Lehi

Nephi and Lehi are yet fresh in my memory as the principle heroes of this tale. They were officers…

Nephi and Lehi were by him represented as leading characters

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Nephi, which appeared to be the principle hero of the story.

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He was a man of superior learning suited to that day.

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Disputations?

quarrels and contentions

disputes arose between the chiefs

gave an account of their . . .contentions

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gave account of their. . .contentions. . .which were many and great

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Then after their landing he gave an account of their divisions and subdivisions under different leaders, but two parties controlled the balance.

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Resulting in?

separated into two distinct nations

caused them to separate into two different bands

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Nations named?

denominated Nephites, and the other Lamanites

one of which was called Lamanites, and the other Nephites

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One of them was called the Righteous, worshipers and servants of God. These organized with prophets, priests, and teachers, for the education of their children, and settled down to cultivate the soil, and to a life of civilization. The others were Idolaters. They contended for a life of idleness; in short, a wild, wicked, savage life.

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Wars?

Cruel and bloody wars ensued

Between these two were recounted tremendous battles

gave and account of their. . .wars

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gave account of their. . .wars. . .which were many and great

they were marched about the country for a length of time, in which wars and great bloodshed ensued.

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he came to a country where the inhabitants were civilized, cultivated their land, and had a regular form of government, which was at war with the savages.

He speaks of a battle

He described. . .their wars, stratagems, victories, and defeats &c

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They soon quarreled, and then commenced war anew, and continued to fight, except at very short intervals. Sometimes one party was successful and sometimes the other, until finally a terrible battle was fought, which was conclusive.

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Dead?

great multitudes were slain

which covered the ground with the slain

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All the Righteous were slain, except one, and he was Chief Prophet and Recorder.

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Buried?

They buried their dead in large heaps

their being buried in large heaps

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Mounds?

which caused the mounds so common in this country

was the cause of the numerous mounds in the country

In this way, he would give a satisfactory account of all the old mounds so common to this country

erected. . .mounds, etc.

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In Salem. . .numerous mounds

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said mounds were built by a portion of them, to bury the dead after some hard fighting.

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[regarding the Manuscript Story] I remember about . . .the mound

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Fortifications?

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who erected old forts

account for all the fortifications

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In Salem. . .numerous. . .forts

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[regarding the Manuscript Story] I remember about the ancient fort at Conneaut Creek

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Description of people?

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some of these people he represented as being very large

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Specific accounts?

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One time, when he was reading to me the tragic account of laban,

From this [Manuscript Found] he would frequently read some humorous passages to the company present.

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One passage, on page 148 (the copy I have is published by J. O. Wright & Co., New York) I remember distinctly. He speaks of a battle, and says the Amalekites had marked themselves with red on their foreheads to distinguish them from the Nephites. The thought of being marked on the forehead was so strange, it fixed itself in my memory. This, together with other passages, I remember to have heard Mr. Spalding read from his Manuscript.

He described, with great particularity, their numbers, customs, modes of life

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Then on hearing read the account from the book of the battle between the Amalekites and the Nephites, in which the soldiers of one army had placed a red mark on their foreheads to distinguish them from their enemies, it seemed to reproduce in my mind not only the narrative, but the very words, as they had been impressed on my mind by the reading of Spaulding's manuscript

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All the Righteous were slain, except one, and he was Chief Prophet and Recorder. He was notified of the defeat in time by Divine authority; told where, when and how to conceal the record, and He would take care that it should be preserved, and brought to light again at the proper time, for the benefit of mankind. So the Recorder professed to do, and then submitted to his fate. I do not remember what that fate was. He was left alone of his party. I do not remember that anything more was said of him.