The Spalding Enigma: The Fallacy of Repetition Continued?

Fatal Error #2:
The Conneaut and Other Related Statements: incredible and contrary evidence!

A Critique of Chapter 1, "The Genesis"

Appendix A: Tables

The Manuscript Witnesses:

(special thanks to Dale Broadhurst for providing these online documents):
Pro Spalding Theory Con Spalding Theory
Eye/Ear Witnesses Eye/Ear Witnesses
  1. John Spalding (Jul/Aug 1833), J. Spalding (pre 1851)
  2. Martha Spalding (Jul/Aug 1833)
  3. Oliver Smith (Aug 1833)
  4. Nahum Howard (Aug 1833)
  5. Aron Wright (Aug. 1833) Aron Wright (Dec. 1833)
  6. Henry Lake (Sep 1833), compare with the Boston Watchman version
  7. John Miller (Sep 1833)
  8. Artimus Cunningham (Sep 1833)
  9. Joseph Miller (1869), Miller (1879), Miller (1882), Miller (1882)
  10. Redick McKee (1869) McKee (1886)
  11. James A. Briggs (1875), Briggs (Jan 1886), Briggs (Mar 1886), Briggs (Oct 1886)
  12. John McKinstry (1877)
  13. John C. Dowen (Jan 1885)
  1. Josiah Spalding (1855)
  2. Matilda Davison ( Nov 1833), Davison (1843)
  3. Matilda McKinstry (1843)
Hearsay Witnesses Hearsay Witnesses
  1. Matilda Davison (1839)
  2. Matilda McKinstry (Dec. 1880), McKinstry (1882), McKinstry (1886)
  3. Hiram lake (Dec 1880)
  4. Lorin Gould (Dec 1880)
  5. Abner Jackson (Dec. 1880)
  6. Rachael Derby (1884)
  7. Jacob Sherman (Feb 1885)
  8. Charles Grover (Mar 1885)
  9. William R. Hine (Mar 1885)
  1. Lyman Jackson (pre 1840)
  2. Daniel Tyler and Erastus Rudd (1878)
  3. William H. Leffingwell (Jun 1885)

See also: spreadsheet comparison of all the manuscript witnesses statements; spreadsheet comparison of just the Conneaut witnesses statements; Philastus Hurlbut chronology, Spalding manuscript(s) chronology, Spalding in Conneaut chronology

Comparison Table: Hurlbut's Witnesses vs. Others

Phrase  Investigators and # of respondents
"first settlers of America (or this country)" Hurlbut: 6 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"indians" or "aboriginies" Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"descendants of Jews (or lost tribes)" Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 4 of 20
"detailed their journey" (or close approx) Hurlbut: 5 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"from Jerusalem" Hurlbut: 6 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"arrived in America" (or close approx) Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"by land and sea" Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"Nephi" and/or "Lehi" named as leaders/hero Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"quarrels" and/or "contentions", "disputes" Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"separated into two nations" (or approx) Hurlbut: 2 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"Nephites" and/or  "Lamenites" Hurlbut: 2 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"wars" and/or "battles" Hurlbut: 5 of 9 Others: 5 of 20
many "slain" Hurlbut: 2 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"buried their dead in large heaps" (or approx) Hurlbut: 2 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"which caused the mounds" (or approx) Hurlbut: 3 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"arts", "sciences", "civilizations" Hurlbut: 2 of 9 Others: 2 of 20
wrote in "old", "ancient", "biblical" "style" Hurlbut: 3 of 9 Others: 7 of 20
"It came to pass" (or approx) Hurlbut: 3 of 9 Others: 2 of 20
same except "religious matter" Hurlbut: 5 of 9 Others: 1 of 20
"Nephi" and/or "Lehi" Hurlbut: 5 of 9 Others: 3 of 20
"Moroni" and/or "Mormon" Hurlbut: 1 of 9 Others: 3 of 20
Use book to "pay debt" (or approx) Hurlbut: 4 of 9 Others: 0 of 20
"more than twenty years ago" Hurlbut: 5 of 9 Others: N/A
"I have recently read the Book of Mormon" Hurlbut: 7 of 9 Others: 5 of 20

Comparison Table: Deming's Witnesses

Witnesses Similar statements
John Dowen "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. He said he had been in New York and Pennsylvania and had obtained a copy of Spaulding's 'Manuscript Found.' He read selection[s] from it, then the same from the Book of Mormon. He said the historical part of it was the same as Spaulding's 'Manuscript Found.'"
Jacob Sherman "Myself and wife attended Hurlbut's lecture on Mormonism at the Preysbterian Church at the Center. He said he had been to New York and obtained a copy of the fiction written by Solomon Spaulding called 'Manuscript Found.' He read from it and the same from the "Book of Mormon," the historical part of which he said was taken from Spaulding's 'Manuscript Found.'"
Charles Grover "I heard D.P. Hurlbut lecture on the origin of the "Book of Mormon" in the Willoughby town hall in 1833 or 1834....He said he had been to Pittsburgh, Pa., and learned that Sidney Rigdon had stolen it from the printing office where it was left to be printed. He had obtained another copy from which he read selections and then read the same from the "Book of Mormon," the historical part of which was the same as Spaulding's 'Manuscript Found.' At the close of his lecture he invited the audience to examine it. I took and read from it a little..."
William Hine "I heard Hurlbut lecture in the Presbyterian Church in Kirtland. He said he would, and he did prove that the "Book of Mormon" was founded on a fiction called 'Manuscript Found,' written by Solomon Spaulding, at Conneaut, Ohio, in the early part of the century....Hurlbut had a copy of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found" with him. He and others spoke three hours."

Statements that reference other witnesses or related material

Eye-witnesses References to other Witnesses
John McKinstry "...as Mrs. Davison frequently testified before her death...The widow of Mr. Spaulding and her daughter, Mrs. Dr. McKinstry of Monson, compared the Smith Bible with the parson's romance, and they were essentially the same....That the results of his appropriation of it have been so stupendous was always a great cross to Mr. Spaulding's good widow, Mrs. Davison. She mourned that, even innocently, her husband should have been the means of foisting upon the world so great an evil....Mrs. Davison's story has long been familiar to leading en of Monson, and so impressed was the late Rev. Dr. Ely with it that he prepared a considerable account of it years ago."
Joseph Miller "The passage you refer to, on page 148, as Cooper has it, in his reference to being marked with red in their foreheads."(Jan 1882)
Redick McKee "The statement of Joseph Miller, Sr., enclosed in the communication of your correspondent, J.W. Hamilton, carries me back, in memory...I have also a recollection of reading, in some newspaper, about the time of my removal to California, in 1850, an article on this subject, charging Jo Smith, directly, with purloining or, in some improper way, getting possession of a certain manuscript which an aged clergyman had written for his own amusement, as a novel, and out of it making, up his pretended Mormon Bible."(1869) "I have since learned that Mr. Spaulding was considered the most learned man in Ashtabula County....But touching these I will give below his daughter's (Mrs. McKinstry's) recollections, recently narrated by her to me, which I think more full and explanatory than my own....This was the story which her Uncle John, Mr. Lake, Mr. Miller and other neighbors heard him read at Conneaut on different occasions....Much has been written on the subject of lost manuscripts, "Who wrote the Book of Mormon?....Seeing in the newspapers frequent reference to the names of Solomon Spaulding, Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Miller revived my recollections of early life at Amity....I was thus led to examine the publications made at that time, particularly, a work written by Prof. Turner, letters of Mrs. Davidson -- formerly Mrs. Spaulding -- and by Mrs. McKinstry -- her daughter -- the testimony of John Spaulding, Henry Lake and others....About this time also my attention was called to a letter or statement of Joseph Miller published in the Washington Reporter....After this I read in the History of Washington County, an able and impartial paper on the Mormon controversy by Mr. P., entitled "Who Wrote the Book of Mormon?. ...In the late publication by Mrs. E. E. Dickinson, I have found much that is interesting, both as to the past history and present status of Mormonism, and recommend its perusal.""(1886)
James Briggs "In a letter [from Hurlbut] to Mr. Patterson, of Pittsburg..."(Feb 1886) "Let me state some stubborn facts, not only from my own memory, but substantiated by witnesses....Dr. P. Hurlbut also met with us. He lived in Kirtland and during the winter and spring had given much time in looking up evidence and documents to prove that Mormonism was a delusion. He had much of the evidence that he had collected with him." (Mar 1886) "Now what is this testimony? John Spaulding, a brother of Solomon, of Conneaut, says..." (Oct 1886)
John Dowen "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. He said he had been in New York and Pennsylvania and had obtained a copy of Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." He read selection[s] from it, then the same from the Book of Mormon....He read numerous affidavits from parties in N.Y. and Penn. showing the disreputable character of the Mormon Smith Family."
Hearsay witnesses References to other Witnesses
Matilda Davison "Mr. Solomon Spaulding had a brother, Mr. John Spaulding residing in the place at the time, who was perfectly familiar with this work and repeatedly heard the whole of it read....as Rigdon himself has frequently stated....A woman preacher appointed a meeting there, and in the meeting read and repeated copious extracts from the "Book of Mormon." The historical part was immediately recognized by all the older inhabitants, as the identical work of Mr. S....Dr. Hurlbut brought with him an introduction and request for the manuscript, signed by Messrs. Henry Lake, Aaron Wright and others, with all whom I was acquainted, as they were my neighbors when I resided in New Salem."
Matilda Mckinstry "We heard, not long after she came to live with me...something of Mormonism, and the report that it had been taken from my father's "Manuscript Found;" and then came to us direct an account of the Mormon meeting at Conneaut, Ohio, and that, on one occasion, when the Mormon Bible was read there in public, my father's brother, John Spaulding, Mr. Lake and many other persons who were present, at once recognized its similarity to the "Manuscript Found....My mother mentioned many other circumstances to me in connection with this subject which are interesting, of my father's literary tastes, his fine education and peculiar temperament...and she deeply regretted that her husband, as she believed, had innocently been the means of furnishing matter for a religious delusion....My mother confirmed my remembrances of my father's fondness for history, and told me of his frequent conversations regarding a theory which he had of a prehistoric race which had inhabited this continent, etc....A convincing proof to us of this belief was that my uncle, William H. Sabine, had undoubtedly read the manuscript while it was in his house" (1880)
Hiram Lake "I have conversed with Aaron Wright, John N. Miller, and Nathan Howard, old residents here, now deceased, all of whom lived here in 1811 and 1812, and who had heard Spaulding's manuscript read, and they told me they believed the 'Book of Mormon' was derived from Spaulding's 'Manuscript Found.' Some or all these persons made affidavits to this effect, which were published in a book called 'Mormonism Unveiled.'"
Lorin Gould "During all that period I have known Hiram Lake, whose statement [given above], dated December 23d, 1880, I have read. This statement I believe to be true. I was acquainted with Henry Lake, Aaron Wright, John N. Miller, and Nathan Howard, the persons named in Hiram Lake's statement....I heard them all say that the 'Book of Mormon' was undoubtedly taken from a manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding."
Abner Jackson "You probably have seen Mrs. McKinstry's statement in Scribner's Monthly (already published in the Washington Reporter -- Eds.) for August, 1880....It is a fact well established that the book called the Book of Mormon, had its origin from a romance that was written by Solomon Spaulding....When it was brought to Conneaut and read there in public, old Esq. Wright heard it, and exclaimed, "Old come to pass has come to life again....After I commenced writing this article, I heard that an article in Scribner's Monthly, for August, 1880, on the "Book of Mormon," contained a note and affidavit of Mrs. Matilda S. McKinstry, Solomon Spaulding's only child, stating that she remembered her father's Romance. I sent at once for the Monthly, and on the 613, 614, 615 and 616 pages, found the article and her testimony."

Pro-theory witnesses ages and time-laps between events and statements

Witnesses Age at the time of the event Age(s) at the time of the statement(s) Time-laps
John Spalding ? ? 21 years
Martha Spalding ? ? 21 years
Oliver Smith ? ? 21 years
Nahum Howard ? ? 21 years
John Miller ? ? 21 years
Aron Wright 37 58 21 years
Henry Lake ? ? 21 years
Artimus Cunningham ? ? 21 years
Matilda Davison ? ? 21, 27, and 31 years
Matilda Mckinstry 11 37, 74, 76 31, 68, 70 years
Joseph Miller 25 78, 88, 91 53, 64, 67 years
Redick McKee 16 69, 86 53, 71 years
James Briggs ? ? 41, and 52 years
John McKinstry ? ? 43 years
Hiram Lake 16 69 68 years
Lorin Gould ? ? 68 years
Abner Jackson 16 85 68 years
Rachael Derby ? ? 72 years
John Dowen ? ? 51 years
Jacob Sherman ? ? 51 years
Charles Grover 30 81 51 years
William Hine 31 82 51

Spreadsheet comparing the statements

Back to the Table of Contents

Last updated 7/14/01