The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-22
THE BOOK OF ORmON.
Solomon, spaIding the Auth OF.
Letter from RedIcK Mckee.
E,nnrn AZ Rn,1fnaton "a } Reporter


From the Wasntn0to" pa Reporter.
wAsII1SGroN, d. G. April II, 49,
RsIED1ToRs:-Here on business
allv. found in the Wheeling INTELLI.
0EScER of the 9Th inst, an article cop.
led from your paper under the caption
"Who wrote the book of Mormon: 81
The statement of Mr.. Joseph Miller, ST.,
enclosed in the communication of your
correspondent, ]. w. Hamilton, carries
me pAck in memory, to scenes and oc'
currehces OF my youth, at the pleasant
old village of Amity, in your county
and are corroborative in some measure,
OF their conjecture as to the real author
OF that curious production, the "Mor'
mon Bible"
With a view to throw some additional
light upon subject, which in the tu-
ture, If not at present, may possess his.
torical importance, 1 have concluded
to employ leisure hour in giving you
some of my recollections, touching
the "Lost history found" and Its au-
thor.
In the fall of 1914 1 arrived in the viii
lage of "Good WILL" and for Is or &c
months, sold goods in the store previ-
ously occupied by Mr.. Thomas Brice.
It was on the Main street, a few rods
west of Spalding's tavern, whore was
boarder.
With both Mr.. Solomon Spalding and
his wife, I was quite intimately &C
quainted. He was regarded as an ami
able. inoffensive, Intelligent old gen.
tleman, of some sixty winters; and as
having been formerly teacher or pro-
lessor in some eastern Academy or
College, but was not aware of his haV-
ing been u preacher or called "Rever-
end" He was afflicted with rupture.
which made locoInOtion painful, and
confined him much to his home. They
possessed but little OF this worlds
goods, and as I understood, selected
Auity us u residence, because 1t. was a
healthy and Inexpensive place to live In.
Irecollect quite welt Mr.. Spalding
spending much time in writing on
sheets of paper (torn out OF an old
book }, what purpOrted to be veritable
history of the nations or tribes, who
inhabited Canaan when, or before, that
country was invaded by the 1sraeliteS
under Joshua. He described with
great particularly, their numbers, Gus
toms, modes of life; their wars, STRATA
gems, victories and defeats, &c. His
style was flowing and grammatical,
though gauut and abrupt; very like the
story Ut the "Maccabees', and other
apochryphal books in the old bibles.
He Called 1t Lost History Founa,''-
"Lost Manuscript" or some such name;
not Disgusting that it was wholly II
work OF the imagination, written to
nmuse himself, ana without any imne-
diate view to publication.
read, or heard him read, many
wonderful and amusing passages from
different parts OF his prOtessed histOri-
cal records; and was struck with the
minUteness OF his details, and the ap-
parent truthfulness and sincerity of
the author. DeiOe's veritable Robinson
Crusoe, was not more reliable!
passage referred to by Mr.. Miller,
about the Hmelikites making u CROSS
with red paint on their toreheads to
distinguish them from enemies in the
confusion of battle; but the manuscript
was full of equally ludicious descrip-
tiOns. After my removal to Wheelin g
in 1918, l understood (from Cephas
Dodd, perhaps), that Mr.. SpaIding had
died and his widow had returned to her
friends in northern Ohio, or western
New York. She would naturally take
| the manuscript with her. Now it was
| in northern Ohio, probably in Lake or
Aehtabula county, that the first Nor
mon prophet, or impostor 10. Smith,
lived and published what he called the
"Book OF MoEmon." or the mormon
Bible" It is quite probable therefore,
that with some alterations, the "Book
OF Mormon" was in fact the "Lost
Book" or "Lost History Found" of
my old landlord, Solomon Spalding. OF
Amity, Washington county, Pernsyl-
vauia.
have also recollection of reading
in some newspaper, about the time OF
my removal to California in 1850, an
article on this subject, charging 10.
Smith directly, with purloining, OF in
some improper way, getting possession
OF certain manuscript, which an aged
| clergyman had written for his own
amusement, as a novel, and ont Of IL
making APP his pretended Mormon bible.
Smiths converts or followers, were
challenged to deny the statement. Both
the date and name of the paper, have
forgotten. Possibly in your own file CT
the Reporter, some notice OF the matter
| may be found to verify my recollection.
Many changes have occurred in old
"Cat Fish's Camp" as we'll as in "Am-
| ity," since 1 first knew them. Mr..
Joseph Miller, Sr., is presume, my
old friend, 10. Miller, with whom in
1915, had many game of house ball,
at the east side of Spalding's tavern. 1t
so. and this article meets his eye, he
will recOllect the STRIPPING who sold
tape and other necessaries In the frame
house, nearly opposite good old Tibba
Cooks residence, in Amity. He was
then in the prime of life, always in
good humOr; told story well; a good
shot with a rifle: and the best ball play.
er in the crowd. When he and hap
pened to be partners, we were sure TO
win. l wish him many happy days in
a green old age.
If any of these desultOry recollections
of the Olden time. can aid in any way
the truth OF history, and the suppress
sion of II miserable imposter, use them
as you deem proper, either In print or
In the waste basket. Respectfully,
REDICK M'KEE