USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 65
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" By these strange operations the human frame was commonly so trans- formed and disfigured as to lose every trace of its natural appearance. Sometimes the head would be twitched right and left to a half round, with such velocity that no feature could be discovered. but the face appeared as much behind as before; and in the quick, progressive jerk, it would seem as if the person was transmuted into some other species of creature.
" Head-dresses were of little account among the female jerkers. Even handkerchiefs, bound tight round the head. would be flirted off ahnost with the first twitch, and the hair put into the utmost confusion. This was a very great inconvenience. to redress which, the generality were shorn, though contrary to their confessions of faith. Such as were seized with jerks, were wrested at once, not only from their own government, but that of every one else, so that it was dangerous to attempt confining them or touching them in any manner. to whatever danger they were exposed. Yet few were hurt, except it were such as rebelled against the operation through
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wilful and deliberate enmity, and refused to comply with the injunctions which it came to enforce.
"All who witnessed this unaccountable movement, agree in the declara- tion that the convulsions were not only involuntary, but resistless. Stout, burly, wicked men. would come to the meetings to scorn and to revile. Suddenly the paroxysms would seize them, and they would be whirled about and tossed in every direction. though cursing at every jerk. Travelers pass- ing by, and who, from curiosity, looked in upon the religious meetings, would be thus seized. These facts are apparently as well authenticated as any facts can be from human testimony. There is no philosophy which can explain them. The faithful historian can only give them record, and leave them there."-{Abbott's Ohio. 653.
THE MORMONS.
A short history of the Mormons is added to these pages here; not becanse Seneca county has in any wise been connected with them, but because a dis- tinguished character, who was once identified with the order, was for several years a respected citizen of Tiffin. A man, also, who now holds a high posi- tion among the Mormons at Salt Lake City, is a native of Tiffin.
Mormonism is about to undergo a great change. Public sentiment is opposed to it. The Mormons have but this alternative, viz: either to aban- don polygamy, or remove beyond the boundaries of the United States, as they did once before. While, therefore, the sect is in this transitory rondi- tion, a sketch of their past history may be found of interest to the reader:
MORMONISM.
New England fanaticism always found a large field of familiar spirits on the western reserve, and the jerks were followed by a movement for a new religion in Ashtabula county.
Mr. Solomon Spaulding moved to Conneaut in 1809. He preached some- times, but with very little success. He was regarded as a worthy man, however, and having turned his attention to the mercantile business for a while, he also failed in that. Some people at that time advocated the idea, that the American Indians were the lost tribe of Israel. Spaulding being a man of eccentric tastes and habits, and of considerable antiquarian lore, became quite interested in the subject of the origin of our country's abori- gines.
Conneaut was rich in monuments, mounds and fortifications of a past race ; and as the past was buried entirely in obscurity, he undertook to write an imaginary narrative of the wanderings of the lost tribes. The book was intended as a historical romance, written in the style of the Bible, and founded upon the supposition that the American Indians were descendants of the Jews. Mr. Spaulding's brother, John, visited him while he was writing the book, which he entitled, " Manuscript Found." John writes:
" It gave a detailed account of the journey of the Jews from Jerusalem, by land and sea, till they arrived in America. They afterwards had quar- rels and contentions, and separated into two distinct nations. Cruel and bloody wars ensued, in which great multitudes were slain. They buried their dead in large heaps, which caused the mounds so common in this
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country. Their arts, sciences and civilization were brought into view, in order to account for all the curious antiquities found in various parts of North and South America."
Mr. Jolin Spaulding testifies that the Mormon Bible, so called, is essen- tially this book. Mr. Henry Lake, of Conneaut, also corroborates this tes- timony in the following emphatic words :
" I left the state of New York late in the year 1810, and arrived at Con- neant the Ist of January following. Soon after my arrival, I formed a co- partnership with Solomon Spaulding for the purpose of rebuilding a forge, which he had commenced a year or two before. He very frequently read to me a manuscript which he was writing, which he entitled the " Manu- script Found," and which he represented as being found in this town. I spent many hours in hearing him read said writings, and became well ac- quainted with their contents. He wished me to assist him in getting his productions printed, alleging that a book of that kind would meet with a rapid sale. I designed doing so, but the forge not meeting onr anticipa- tions, we failed in business, when I'declined having anything to do with the publication of the book.
"This book represented the American Indians as the descendants of the lost tribes ; gave an account of their leaving Jerusalem. their contentions and wars, which were many and great. One time when he was reading to me the tragic account of Laban. I pointed out to him what I considered an inconsistency, which he promised to correct. But by referring to the Book of Mormon. I find to my surprise, that it stands there just as he read it to me then. Some months ago I borrowed the Mormon Bible, put It into my pocket, carried it home and thought no more about it.
" About a week after, my wife found the book in my coat pocket as it hung up, and commenced reading it alond, as I lay upon the bed. She had read but a few minutes till I was astonished to find the same passages in it that Spaulding had read to me more than twenty years before from the " Man- cript Found." Since then I have more tully examined the Mormon Bible. and have no hesitaney in saying that the historical part of it is principally, if not wholly. taken from the " Mannseript Found." I well recollect telling Mr. Spaulding that the so frequent use of the words : " And it came to pass,' rendered it ridiculous. Spaulding left here in 1812. and I furnished him means to carry him to Pittsburgh, where he said he would get the book print- ed and pay me. I heard nothing more from him."
The testimony of six other witnesses is equally clear on this point. Spaulding was vain of his writings and was continually reading them to his neighbors. It is much easier to write such a book than to get any one to publish it. It is not known what use he made of the manuscript. He re- mained in Pittsburgh two or three years and died in Amity in 1816.
Several years afterwards, when this mannscript, with sundry additions aud alterations, appeared as the Mormon Bible, Spaulding's widow testified that it was her impression that her husband took the mannseript to the publishing house of Messrs. Patterson & Lambdin, but that she did not know that it was ever returned. Lambdin died. The establishment was broken up. Patterson had no recollection of the manuscript.
About the year 1823. a man by the name of Sidney Rigdon came to Pitts-
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burgh. He was a very eccentric character, with an unbalanced mind and somewhat of a mono-maniac on the Bible. He had been a wandering preacher without any ecclesiastical affiliation. He became very intimate with Lambdin and was often in the office where the manuscripts were kept. He quit preaching for three years to study the Bible. He was fond of dis- putations and was a sort of religious Istunaelite. Here in Lambdin's office Rigdon found Spaulding's manuscript and read it with great interest. His crazy mind absorbed it all. He copied the whole thing and claimed the authorship in himself.
In his wanderings. he made the acquaintance of another singular man, named Joe Smith, who professed to possess the art of divination, by which were revealed to him treasures hidden in the ground. Smith was at that time digging for money on the banks of the Susquehanna. He is represent- ed by those opposed to his pretentions as a man of low associates, averse to all regular industry. very voluble in speech, having great self confidence. and with unusual power of duping others. He had some seer-stones, by which he could look into futurity as well as into the bowels of the earth.
Smith dodged around the country, from place to place, sometimes attend- ing revival meetings, praying and exhorting with great exmmberance of words. It was hard to tell whether Joe was a hypocrite or a fanatic, or a mixture of both. Smith and Rigdon just suited for company. These mono- maniacs took the " Manuscript Found " for their guide, and originated Mormonism. No doubt they felt themselves guided by the Holy Ghost to form a new religion. Smith was ennning and versatile and had the seer- stone, in which the illiterate had faith. Sidney was a printer and a preacher. full of words and full of Spaulding's manuscript. Smith had brass and self- confidence that knew no binsh. He took the lead.
Writes Mr. Ferris : " A portion of mankind have been looking for the last days for the past eighteen hundred years, and at the period in question were ready to run into Millerism or any other "ism," where their notions could be accommodated in this respect. A prophet. therefore, who could super- add to the discovery of the golden Bible a proclamation of a speedy destrue- tion of all mundane things, a power of attorney for the restoration of an authorized priesthood and the gathering of the saints, and make a formidable display of miraculous powers, was the most acceptable gift which could be made to popular superstition. Here. then, would seem to have been com- bined the elements of an atmosphere, which has since branched ont and gathered strength, until it has become the most noted instance in modern times of the development and growth of religious fanaticism."
Joe Smith's story is as follows : He says, in the year 1820, as he, in a re- tired place, was earnestly engaged in prayer, two angels appeared to him. They informed him that God had forgiven all his sins, and that he was the chosen instrument to introduce a new dispensation : that all the then reli- gious denominations were in error : that the Indians were the descendants of the lost tribes ; that they had brought with them to this country, inspired writings ; that these writings were safely deposited in a secret place, and that he was selected by God to receive them, and translate them into the English tongne.
There was considerable negotiation before the angel condescended to put
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the plates into his hands. At length the angel told him where they were to be found. About four miles from Palmyra, New York, there was a small hill or monnd. Smith dug down on the left side of the mound and found a large stone box. so carefully sealed that no moisture could enter it. Here the plates were found. Orson Pratt, one of the first converts to Mormon- ism, and one of its most distinguished advocates, gives the following account of the plates as then found :
" These records were engraved on plates which had the appearance of gold. Each plate was not far from seven by eight inches in width and length, being not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled on both sides with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and were bound together in a volume, as the leaves of a book, and fastened at one edge with three rings running through the whole. This volume was something like six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed.
" The characters or letters upon the unsealed part were small and beanti- fully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, as well as much skill in the art of engraving. With the record was found a curious instrument, called by the ancients the Urim and Thum- min, which consisted of two transparent stones, clear as crystal, set in the two rims of a bow. This was in use in ancient times by persons called spers.
It was an instrument, by the use of which, they recived revelations of things distant or of things past or future."
Is it not provoking that a boy who had ever attended a school in Titlin should embrace such humbng as religion ?
Joe Smith boldly exhibited these apparently golden plates, but no unsanc- tified hands were permitted to tonch them. He also showed a very highly polished marble box, which he said had contained the plates, and which, in that case, must have miraculously retained its lustre for countless centuries. But it had been observed some time before that Joe Smith, his brother, Hiram and another man by the name of MeKnight were very busily em- ployed in some secret work, which particularly engrossed their time in the hours of darkness. It was suspected that they were engaged in some count- erfeiting operations. According to Joe Smith's account, they were engaged in lonely vigils and in prayer.
It was emphatically true of the new prophet that he had but very little honor in his own country. His peculiar claims excited ridicule and con- tempt. Mobs beset his house, demanding a sight of the most famous plates. At length the annoyance became so great that he fled from Palmyra and took refuge in the northern part of Pennsylvania, where his father-in-law . resided. He secreted his plates for the journey in a barrel of beans. Being quietly housed in his retreat, he commenced, by divine inspiration, trans- lating the Egyptian hieroglyphics. As he scarcely knew how to write him- self, he employed a scribe, one Oliver Cowdery. Stationed behind a screen, where Cowdery could not see him. he professed to look through the Urim and Thummim, and thus translated the unknown symbols, sentence by sen- tence.
The work proceeded very slowly. and month after month passed away while it was in progress. During this time, John the Baptist appeared to them, having been sent by the Apostles Peter, James and John, and or-
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dained first Smith and then Cowdery into the priesthood of Aaron. The family of the prophet's father became converts, and then an individual by the name of Martin Harris. The character of this man's mind may be in- ferred from the fact that he had been a Quaker, Methodist. Baptist and finally a Presbyterian. Harris had some property and Smith importuned him to furnish funds to publish the book, assuring him that it would pro- duce an entire change in the world and save it from ruin.
Mr. Harris, a simple-minded, well-meaning man, was very anxious to see the wonderful plates, but the prophet avowed that he was not yet holy enough to enjoy that privilege. However, after much importunity, he gave Mr. Harris a transcript of some of the characters on a piece of paper. As Mr. Harris was parting with his money, he evidently felt some solicitude lest he might be deceived, since all around him were speaking contemptu- ously of the prophetic claim of Joe Smith, and he adopted the wise precau- tion, probably urged to it by some of his friends, of submitting the paper with the hieroglyphics to Professor Charles Anthon, a distinguished Oriental scholar in New York.
Mr. Howe, in writing a history of Mormonism, subsequently wrote to Professor Anthon, making inquiries upon this subject. He received a reply under date of February 17, 1834, from which we make the following ex- tracts :
" Some years ago a plain, apparently simple-hearted farmer called on me with a note from Dr. Mitchell. requesting me to decipher, if possible, the paper which the farmer would hand me. Upon examining the paper, I soon came to the conclusion that it was all a trick, perhaps a hoax. When I asked the person who brought it, how he obtained the writing, he gave me the following account :
' A gold book, containing a number of plates, fastened together by wires of the same material, had been dug up in the northern part of the state of New York and along with it an enormous pair of spectacles. These spec- tacles were so large that if any person attempted to look through them, his two eyes would look through one glass only, the spectacles being altogether too large for the human face.' . Whoever,' he said, ' examined the plates through the glass, was enabled not only to read them, but fully to under- stand their meaning.'
" Although this knowledge was confined to a young man, who had the trunk containing the book and spectacles in his sole possession. This - young man was placed behind the curtain, etc., etc.
" The farmer had been requested to contribute a sum of money towards the publication of the golden book, and that he had intended to sell his farm and give the amount for that purpose.
"On hearing this old story, I changed my opinion about the paper, and instead of viewing it any longer as a hoax, I began to regard it as a scheme to cheat the farmer of his money, and I warned him to look out for rogues.
" The paper was a singular scroll. It contained all kinds of singular characters, Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and flourishes. Roman letters inverted or placed sideways were ranged and placed in perpendicular col- umns, etc.
Sometime after, the farmer paid me another visit. He brought with him
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the ' gold book ' in print, and offered it to me for sale. I declined purchas- ing. I adverted once more to the roguery which, in my opinion, had been practiced upon him and asked him what had become of the gold plates. Hle informed me that they were in the trunk with the spectacles. I advised him to go to a magistrate and have the trunk examined. He said the curse of God would come on him if he did. On my pressing him, however, to go to a magistrate, he told me he would open the trunk if I would take the curse of God upon myself. I replied that I would do so with the greatest. willingness and would incur every risk of that nature, provided I could only extricate him from the grasp of a rogue. He then left me, etc.
" Yours respectfully, CHARLES ANTHON."
Again the community became clamorous to see the plates, and it was re- vealed to Joe. to show them to three witnesses chosen by the Lord. These were Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris and David Whitmer. a new convert. who subsequently getting into a quarrel with some of the Mormons, was areused, together with Cowdery, of being connected with a gang of counter- feiters, thieves, liars and blacklegs of the deepest dye, to deceive. cheat and defraud the saints. This tirade of abuse was set on foot. however, only after the Mormons had finished their temple at Nauvoo, and Joe Smith found Cowdery to be very much in his way for the leadership, when he resorted to all manner of violence to drive Cowdery out of his way.
The Elders' Journal also spoke of Martin Harris in the following disre- spectful terms :
" Martin Harris is so far beneath contempt, that a notice of him would be too great a sacrifice for a gentleman to make."
These were the apostles to testify to the golden plates. Their meagre tes- timony was as follows :
* An angel of God came down from heaven and brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw, the plates and the engraving thereon."
No one doubted that Joe had prepared these things, yet he was accepted as a divinely appointed prophet. On the Ist of June. 1830, he organized a band of thirty followers at Fayette, Ontario county. Pennsylvania, but these saints were held in such slight repute where they were known, that their leader concluded to remove them to Kirtland, Ohio. Here they assumed the name of the Latter Day Saints. Three thousand persons gave in their ad- hesion to Joe Smith. Some of these had wealth. Now it was revealed to Joe that they should build for him a house and give him food and raiment and all he needed, which was done. Joe became rich and established a bank which. he said, could never fail. as it was instituted " by the will of God." But it did fail -- and badly.
The losers by the failure of the bank proenred process for Joe and Rigdon. who both ran away. For this runaway Joe excused himself afterwards upon Bible grounds : And as Jesus said, when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. Joe said. " these perscentors followed them more than two hundred miles, armed with swords and pistols, seeking their lives."
Thereupon the Mormons moved to Independence. Jackson county, Mis- sonri, where they bought a large tract of land. Converts were multiplied, a newspaper established and a town sprang up as by magic. Soon they num- bered twelve hundred.
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Ere long the disgust of the people of Missouri was excited against them. People did not wish to live near them, and their presence diminished the value of property in the surrounding country. The Mormons became de- fiant, raised a large military force and declared that they were a law unto themselves, and set the public authorities at defiance. The governor mar- shalled a force of four thousand militia to keep order and probably to intimi- date the Mormons and actuate them to leave the State. There had already been a conflict, in which eight Missourians were wounded and twenty-five Mormons were killed and thirty wounded. The enraged Mormons burnt the small towns of Gallatin and Millport. They ravaged the country in mid- winter, driving the women and children from their homes and laying the farm houses in ashes.
General Clark was in command of the governmental forces, who wrote to the governor : " There is no crime, from treason down to petit larceny, but these people, or a majority of them, have not been guilty of ; all, too, under counsel of Joseph Smith, the prophet. They have committed treason, arson, burglary, robbery, larceny and perjury. They have societies formed under the most binding covenants and the most horrid oaths to circumvent the laws and put them at defiance, and to plunder, burn and murder and divide the spoils for the use of the church."
The governor issued an order, which was worded very unfortunately :
" The ringleaders of this rebellion, should be made an example of. If it should become necessary to the public peace, the Mormons should be exter- minated, or expelled from the State."
The people of Jackson county offered to buy them out and to have the prices of their property fixed by three commissioners, with one hundred per cent. in addition. They refused to leave. The militia disarmed the Mor- mons and took abont forty prisoners, Joe Smith amongst them. They were compelled to enter into a treaty, hy which they agreed to withdraw from the state. Five commissioners were appointed to sell their property, pay their debts and aid them in removing. The state appropriated two thousand dol- lars for their relief. Still there was much suffering, as, in mid-winter, these numerous families traversed nearly the whole breadth of Missouri, and crossing the Mississippi river, entered the state of Illinois.
The cry of persecution had preceded them, and the people of Illinois re- ceived them very kindly. The American people are very prompt in throw- ing their sympathies on the side of those that are perscented for opinion's sake.
The Mormons settled down in Hancock county, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi .. Here they commenced rearing a new city, which they called Nauvoo. Missionaries of the new faith had been sent abroad in all direc- tions. Converts were multiplied. They flocked to Nauvoo. In a short time they increased to fifteen thousand inhabitants. Smith had a new revelation. The faithful were enjoined to " bring gold and precious materials for the building of a temple for the worship of God, and a house for the dwelling- place of the prophet."
Ere long it was estimated that by the labors of the missionaries in this country and Europe, the Mormons numbered 150,000. Nauvoo assumed a thriving aspect. A military band was organized, consisting of 4,000 men,
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well armed and disciplined. Joe had another new revelation, not only au- thorizing the saints to take more than one wife, but enjoining it upon them as a duty to take several maidens to wife, and thus lead them to heaven.
This step shocked quite a number of the simple-minded victims and led them to withdraw, but more were Inred to join them by the license, and con- verts were multiplied faster than ever. Joe was accused of seducing the wife of a Dr. Foster. The injured husband published affidavits, clearly proving the charge. A warrant from a neighboring magistrate was secured for the arrest of the culprit. Joe called out his armed men and drove the sheriff from the city. This caused great excitement and the state militia was called ont to enforce the laws. There was every prospect for civil war. The governor came to Nauvoo. Joe knew what was coming, and he and his brother, Hiram, surrendered to the warrant under a pledge of personal safety. They were both taken to the jail at Carthage, where they were held under the charge of treason. Popular excitement and indignation were in- tense. A guard was placed around the jail to protect the prisoners from an exasperated community. The cry was lond for the destruction of Nauvoo. and the expulsion of all the inhabitants.
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