(Compiled by Jeff Yorgason using material
written by Dale Broadhurst)
Mid-Feb 1832
Orson Hyde and Samual Smith preach from the Book of Mormon in Conneaut OH.
March 1833
Hurlbut arrives in Kirtland and joins the church.
March 18
Hurlbut ordained to the office of Elder by Sidney Rigdon.
March 19
Hurlbut called on an LDS mission in Eerie Co. Pennsylvania where he meets a few
acquaintances of Solomon Spalding including the Lyman Jackson family. Benjamin
Winchester suggests this is where Hurlbut first learns of the Spalding
authorship claims.
Early June
Hurlbut leaves his mission in disgrace and returns to Kirtland.
June 23
Hurlbut is excommunicated from the Mormon church for the second and final time.
Early July
Hurlbut moves to Springfield, PA in Eerie Co. First Lecture against Mormonism
given there.
July 1833
Hurlbut interviews Lyman Jackson.
Late July
Hurlbut begins making claims regarding Spalding authorship of the Book of
Mormon.
July-Aug
Hurlbut may have collected his first Spalding affidavits from John and Martha
Spalding in Crawford Co. late in his lecture circuit.
Aug
Hurlbut returns to Kirtland, lectures around town and gets hired by a committee
of anti-Mormons to collect information regarding the origins of the Book of
Mormon.
Aug
Hurlbut travels to New-Salem (Conneaut), conducts a town meeting, and collects
statements from Aaron Wright, Oliver Smith, and Nathum Howard.
Sept.
Hurlbut collects statements from Henry Lake and John Miller in Conneaut.
Early Oct.
Possible side-trip to Pittsburgh.
Late Oct.
Hurlbut travels through Buffalo and maybe Palmyra.
Early Nov.
Hurlbut stops in Manchester and collects two statements later published in
Howe’s book.
Nov
Hurlbut heads toward the Sabine residence in Onandago. William Sabine gives
Hurlbut a letter of introduction for Mrs. Spalding and directions to her house
in MA. He passes by Hartwick on his way out.
Mid-Nov
Hurlbut arrives at Dr. Mckinstry’s residence in Monson MA and speaks with Mrs.
Matilda Spalding Davison and Mrs. Matilda Spalding Mckinstry, her daughter. Mrs.
Davison gives Hurlbut a letter granting him permission to take a manuscript from
the trunk at Jerome Clark’s residence in Hartwick.
End of Nov.
Hurlbut arrives at the Clark residence and retrieves at least the extant Oberlin
manuscript from a trunk. There were no witnesses to verify what Hurlbut took
from the trunk and it has been suggested he may have retrieved other documents
or manuscripts at this time as well.
End of Nov.
Hurlbut leaves Hartwick with whatever he retrieved from the trunk and traveled
to Palmyra where he spends 2 weeks collecting statements from Smith’s former
neighbors.
Dec
Hurlbut reportedly mails a letter to Mrs. Davison stating he retrieved what he
was looking for from the trunk in Hartwick. He also notifies the Wayne Sentinal
that he was successful in accomplishing his mission.
Mid-Dec.
Hurlbut leaves Palmyra for Kirtland.
Dec 20
The Wayne Sentinal prints a story that Hurlbut had “succeeded in accomplishing
the object of his mission”, that the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon
was written by a clergyman 30 years earlier, and that Rigdon recently added
religious parts.
Late Dec
Hurlbut lectures at a Presbyterian church and displays a manuscript purportedly
matching parts the Book of Mormon. Five witnesses to this are: James A. Briggs,
John C. Doven, William R. Hine, Jason Sherman, and Charles Grover.
Late Dec.
The committee that sent Hurlbut on his fact-finding mission assigns Hurlbut to
produce a book which would showcase his evidence.
Early Feb.
Hurlbut hands over the Oberlin manuscript and his collection of witnesses
statements to Howe.
Nov 28, 1834
Howe Publishes Mormonism Unveiled.