Twenty-One (1826)Joseph’s True History
There are countless lies and half-truths recorded as “facts” in the annals of history
about Joseph Smith’s life. So-called “witnesses” distort time periods, events, and details
according to their individual agendas, for or against Joseph. This biography would become
voluminous in addressing each lie (for or against) and countering it with the real truth. It
has already been stated that no man knew Joseph Smith’s true history—this included his
own family and his mother in particular.
The purpose of this biography, however, is to focus on the overall purpose of what
Joseph was asked to do by the advanced humans who oversee this earth for the sake of all
its inhabitants—not just for those who choose to believe in Joseph Smith and the Book of
Mormon, but for the sake of ALL people. Many of the particulars that have offended and
biased many against Joseph, or other particulars that might endear one to him, are not
important to the resurrected and living advanced human once known as Joseph Smith, Jr.
He couldn’t care less if his “name should be had for good [or] evil among all nations,
kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good [or] evil spoken of among all
people.”^18 What’s important to him now is that the world is given the opportunity to
understand who he really was and what he really did under the direction of those who
called and mentored him while he lived in mortality.
NOTES
(^1) See Eber D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (Painesville, Telegraph Press, 1834) 247, 257, 260,
267, for the following quotes:
“I have regarded Joseph Smith Jr. from the time I first became acquainted with him until he
left this part of the country, as a man whose word could not be depended upon.—Hiram’s character
was bet very little better. What I have said respecting the characters of men, will apply to the whole
family. ...Although they left this part of the country without paying their just debts, yet their
creditors were glad to have them do so, rather than to have them stay, disturbing the neighborhood.”
–Willard Chase
“I, Roswell Nichols, first became acquainted with the family of Joseph Smith, Sen. nearly five
years ago, and I lived a neighbor to the said family about two years. My acquaintance with the family
has enabled me to know something of its character. ...For breach of contracts, for the non-payment of
debts and borrowed money, and for duplicity with their neighbors, the family was notorious.”
“[T]he whole of the family of Smiths, were notorious for indolence, foolery and falsehood. ...they
were daily harassed by the demands of creditors, which they never were able to pay.” –Joseph Capron.
“Joseph Smith Jr. is not a man of truth and veracity; and that his general character in this part
of the country, is that of an imopster [sic], hypocrite and liar.” –Nathaniel C. Lewis.
(^2) Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism, 80–1, Affidavit of Isaac Hale,
Susquehanna Register, May 1, 1834. See also n. 15 below.
(^3) Lucy Smith, Progenitors, 91–2.
(^4) JSH 1:49.
(^5) See DHC, 1:17, 93; 3:29.
(^6) Lucy Smith, Progenitors, 93.