Thanks for this, Sam. In your reading and research, have you come across the figure of Porter Rockwell yet? If I remember correctly, he was Joseph Smith's bodyguard and was somehow implicated in an assassination attempt on Boggs. I grew up in Salt Lake City, and some of the tall tales preserved as history are pretty interesting. He was supposedly "impervious to bullets" and a "modern-day Samson," with long hair and a penchant for booze.
Thank you Ben! Yes, I have come across Rockwell. I'll write more about this in part two of the series, but there was a whole inner band that seems to have been frankly gangsterish - involved in currency counterfeiting, horse thievery, a few murders, and the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs. They were also closely tied in with Joseph Smith's lavish sexual lifestyle. Rockwell is the most fascinating of this group - a real tough guy who also was fanatically loyal to Smith.
I'll look forward to it! It's amazing that Brodie did all this heavy historical lifting in the 40s. My understanding is that the source gathering itself was something of an adventure. I'm also curious about Brodie's other historical and psychobiographical work. Rick Perlstein draws from her character study of Nixon in his magnificent "Nixonland," and I've been meaning to check it out as well.
Wonderful history and so glad it's only part one! I'll admit that growing up I was actively prejudiced toward a Mormon kid who lived a block away, but after the past decade of broad-based societal derangements I no longer perceive Mormons so much as "others" as an idiosyncratic sect very deep in the American grain.
Thank you Jesse! Yeah, that's been the interesting dichotomy with Mormonism. On the one hand, it seems so different, but on the other nothing could be more distinctly American!
Great write up and I look forward to the following parts!
One small note. The Urim and Thummim was retrofitted into the story at a later date. It was never part of the story of translation until 1833 (10 years after Joseph Smith would have seen them for the first time in the Hill Cumorah) when mention was made to them in the Mormom publication Evening and Morning Star (Vol 1, No 8, January 1833). The idea of the Urim and Thummim was later canonized when the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants was published which edited the text of a previously published revelation to add in the Urim and Thummim. Prior to the idea of the Urim and Thummim, the translation was either decribed as "by the gift and power of God" (or some such statement), or mentioned the peep stone (a.k.a., the rock in the hat).
Sam, interesting read. It was curious to see it put this way. As a Latter-day Saint (we don’t really go by Mormons anymore), I’d be happy to chat if you have any questions about the lived experience of the faith today.
Thanks for this, Sam. In your reading and research, have you come across the figure of Porter Rockwell yet? If I remember correctly, he was Joseph Smith's bodyguard and was somehow implicated in an assassination attempt on Boggs. I grew up in Salt Lake City, and some of the tall tales preserved as history are pretty interesting. He was supposedly "impervious to bullets" and a "modern-day Samson," with long hair and a penchant for booze.
Thank you Ben! Yes, I have come across Rockwell. I'll write more about this in part two of the series, but there was a whole inner band that seems to have been frankly gangsterish - involved in currency counterfeiting, horse thievery, a few murders, and the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs. They were also closely tied in with Joseph Smith's lavish sexual lifestyle. Rockwell is the most fascinating of this group - a real tough guy who also was fanatically loyal to Smith.
I'll look forward to it! It's amazing that Brodie did all this heavy historical lifting in the 40s. My understanding is that the source gathering itself was something of an adventure. I'm also curious about Brodie's other historical and psychobiographical work. Rick Perlstein draws from her character study of Nixon in his magnificent "Nixonland," and I've been meaning to check it out as well.
Wonderful history and so glad it's only part one! I'll admit that growing up I was actively prejudiced toward a Mormon kid who lived a block away, but after the past decade of broad-based societal derangements I no longer perceive Mormons so much as "others" as an idiosyncratic sect very deep in the American grain.
Thank you Jesse! Yeah, that's been the interesting dichotomy with Mormonism. On the one hand, it seems so different, but on the other nothing could be more distinctly American!
Fascinating! You always have such good research along with a personal spin.
I found this line quite funny:
“Having revealed The Book of Mormon, Smith had the usual 23-year-old’s problem of finding a publisher.”
Thank you Kathleen! I really appreciate it.
Great write up and I look forward to the following parts!
One small note. The Urim and Thummim was retrofitted into the story at a later date. It was never part of the story of translation until 1833 (10 years after Joseph Smith would have seen them for the first time in the Hill Cumorah) when mention was made to them in the Mormom publication Evening and Morning Star (Vol 1, No 8, January 1833). The idea of the Urim and Thummim was later canonized when the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants was published which edited the text of a previously published revelation to add in the Urim and Thummim. Prior to the idea of the Urim and Thummim, the translation was either decribed as "by the gift and power of God" (or some such statement), or mentioned the peep stone (a.k.a., the rock in the hat).
Ah. Thank you mogabi.
Hey! I have this obsession too! You must read Under The Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
So true. I can't believe I haven't read it. I really lose track of Mormon history after the emigration to Utah. Would love to read more.
Sam, interesting read. It was curious to see it put this way. As a Latter-day Saint (we don’t really go by Mormons anymore), I’d be happy to chat if you have any questions about the lived experience of the faith today.
Hi Miles, appreciate it. Apologies if there is anything that you feel is misrepresented. I certainly am writing as an outsider.