Early Mormon Documents (Volume 1) [Hardcover]

Dan Vogel (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Series: Early Mormon Documents | Publication Date: October 15, 1996

Over 450 documents relating to pre-1831 Mormon origins (Many otherwise unavailable in their entirety outside library archives)

Autobiographical writings (diaries, letters, interviews, reminiscences, and statements) of:

Emma Hale Smith, Katharine Smith, Joseph Smith Jr. Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith SR. William Smith

Parallel Comparative texts of original drafts and published versions of Joseph Smith's and Lucy Mack Smith's histories.

Statements by close relatives, George A. Smith, Jesse N. Smith, John Smith

Family Documents from: Don Carlos Smith, Family Bibles

Observations by: Acquaintances, early converts

Official census, court, parish, school and tax records.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A collection of more than 450 documents, this book offers primary sources on Mormon origins in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania. The entries document certain aspects of the lives of members of the Joseph Smith Sr. family down to January 1831, when Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, moved to Ohio. The editor attempted to include all known authentic documents relating to the Smith family and Mormonism except the affidavits gathered in 1833 by Dr. Philastus Hurlbut. He considered these of little value because of the prejudice in their method of collection and in the statements contained in them. The most valuable of the entries consist of such things as legal documents, accounts, diaries, and letters written by participants in events at or near the time of their occurrence. Other valuable documents include later reminiscences and journals written by participants in or observers of the events. Less useful are those documents written by people unfamiliar with the events. Often many of these contain misinformation written either by persons antagonistic toward Mormonism or by those anxious to defend their own beliefs. The most useful documents are found in the "Joseph Smith Jr. Collection" (5-209) and the "Lucy Mack Smith Collection" (213-452). The least useful indeed often perverse documents are the Vermont and New Hampshire "Miscellaneous Sources" (595-628). --Church History, Thomas G. Alexander

This is the first of a multi-volume reference series that will include all known primary documents relating to the origins of the Mormon church, many of which having never before been published. Volume one features over 450 documents relating to pre-1831 Mormon origins (many otherwise unavailable outside library archives). They include autobiographical writings (diaries, letters, interviews, reminiscences, and statements) of Smith family members such as Emma Hale Smith, Lucy Mack Smith, Katharine Smith, Joseph Smith, Sr., William Smith, and the Prophet himself. For example, one of the documents is the 1832 "Joseph Smith History" that contains Joseph's earliest account of the First Vision. There are also statements, documents, and observations by various Smith relatives, as well as several early converts and acquaintances. Rounding out the collection are official records such as census, court, parish, school, and tax reports. The editor provides lengthy and informative annotations and numerous footnotes that give the necessary background to put these important documents in their historical context. The unprecedented wealth of first-person narratives in Early Mormon Documents makes this an essential resource for anyone interested in Joseph Smith's formative years. This series promises to be an unparalleled achievement which, when completed, will provide more primary source material on Mormon origins and history than has ever been made available to the reading public before. --Benchmark Book News

From the Publisher

The first of a five volume series.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 724 pages
• Publisher: Signature Books; Second printing edition (October 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560850728
• ISBN-13: 978-1560850724
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,010,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good collection of rare primary sources, May 25, 2000

By 

L. Troy Beals (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Early Mormon Documents (Volume 1) (Hardcover)

This book is a collection of primary sources about Joseph Smith, his family and his friends and detractors. The book recreates the original language, which makes it hard to read sometimes, in order to give us a picture of Early Mormonism and Joseph Smith. The book also has several Journals written by Joseph Smith about his life and the early LDS church. The book is well organized and well footnoted making it easy for any researcher or the curious person to find where the actual documents are located. It is recommended to anyone interested in the Mormon Church or is studying it.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A collection of historical documents, selectively edited., February 21, 2007

By 

Matthew Bryde (Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Early Mormon Documents (Volume 1) (Hardcover)

Having read enough books on Mormon history citing this book in their bibliography, I finally succumbed and bought all five volumes of Vogel's "Early Mormon Documents".

Dan Vogel is a well known, non-Mormon historian. This collection is his attempt at publishing authentic historical accounts that are not common knowledge to the average inquirer, as well as containing excerpts from well known, published accounts.

My biggest disappointment is that the accounts produced are not complete. Most reproductions end with "...", showing Vogel has only included a portion of the account he thought was worth sharing, and so the collection is only an extract from the original.

Volume 1 focuses on the Smith family documents and contains the following:

Joseph Smith Jr., Collection
Lucy Mack Smith Collection
Joseph Smith, Sr., Collection
William Smith Collection
Katharine Smith Collection
Emma Hale Smith Collection
Relatives of Smiths Collection
Miscellaneous Smith Family Documents

From the Introduction:

"This multi-volume collection of over 450 documents offer readers access to the primary written and printed sources relating to Mormon origins in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania".

In this volume, Vogel has included "all known biographical and autobiographical accounts of Joseph Smith's parents: Joseph Smith, Sr., and Lucy Mack Smith; his siblings: William Smith and Katherine Smith; Joseph Smith, Jr., himself; his wife Emma Hale Smith; and a number of statements by family relatives. Also included are statements about the Smiths from residents of Vermont and New Hampshire as well as various civil records useful for tracing the family's movements and activities in these states."

I must say I was disappointed by the editing. For example, the largest account is from Lucy Mack Smith's history, but again, it is not a complete account. It skips the first 8 chapters, and ends 15 chapters short and is edited throughout: e.g. p.447, footnote 306. "Lucy's description of the Kirkland church...digresses from the purpose of this collection and is therefore deleted."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Collection of Primary Sources Rarely used by LDS Church., May 29, 2011

By 

Kay Burningham (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Early Mormon Documents (Volume 1) (Hardcover)

This is the first in a five-volume set compiled by Dan Vogel. These primary source documents can be located elsewhere. However, it is quite convenient to have them all in a multi-volume collection. These sources are those which are rarely, if ever used by the LDS Church since many, if not most of these documents raise issues regarding early LDS history. The only criticism I have is that the organization of the documents is initially a bit confusing, but works fine once the compiler's system is understood.

Kay Burningham, Attorney

Author of "An American Fraud: One Lawyer's Case against Mormonism"