1840-08-Western Messenger-Copy of a Letter

Copy of a Letter

Western Messenger, v8 n4, August 1840, p. 190.

Copy of a letter written by Mr. John 
Haven of Holliston, Middlesex co. Massachusetts, to his daughter Eliza
beth Haven of Quincy, Adams co. 
Illinois.

Your brother Jesse passed through 
Monson, where he saw Mrs. Davidson 
and her daughter, Mrs. McKinestry, and 
also Dr. Ely, and spent several hours with them, during which time he asked 
them the following questions. viz:

Did you, Mrs. Davidson, write a let
ter to John Storrs, giving an account of 
the origin of the Book of Mormon? 
Ans: I did not. Did you sign your name 
to it? Ans: I did not, neither did I ever 
see the letter until I saw it in the Boston 
Recorder: the letter was never brought 
to me to sign. Ques. What agency 
had you in having this letter sent to Mr. 
Storrs? Ans: D. R. Austin came to my 
house and asked me some questions, took 
some minutes on paper, and from these 
minutes wrote that letter. Ques. Is 
what is written in the letter true? Ans: In the main it is. Ques. Have you 
read the Book of Mormon? Ans: I 
have read some in it. Ques. Does Mr. 
Spaulding's manuscript, and the Book of 
Mormon agree? Ans: I think some 
few of the names are alike. Ques. Does 
the manuscript describe an idolatrous or 
a religious people? Ans: An idolatrous 
people. Ques. Where is the manuscript? 
Ans: Dr. P. Hurlburt came here and 
took it, said he would get it printed, and 
let me have one half the profits. Ques. 
Has Dr. P. Hurlburt got the manuscript 
printed? Ans: I received a letter stating it did not read as they expected, and 
they should not print it. Ques. How 
large is Mr. Spaulding's manuscript? 
Ans: About one third as large as the 
Book of Mormon. To Mrs. McKinestry—how old were you when your father 
wrote the manuscript? Ans: About five 
years of age. Ques. Did you ever read 
the manuscript? Ans: When I was 
about twelve years old, I used to read it 
for diversion. Ques. Did the manuscript 
describe an idolatrous or religious peo
ple. Ans: An idolatrous people. Ques. 
Do the manuscript and the Book of 
Mormon agree? Ans: I think some of 
the names agree. Ques. Are you certain that some of the names agree? Ans: I am not. Ques. Have you ever read 
any in the Book of Mormon? Ans: I 
have not. Ques. Was your name attached to that letter which was sent to 
Mr. John Storrs by your order? Ans: No. I never meant that my name should 
be there.

You see by the above questions and 
answers, that Mr. Austin, in his great 
zeal to destroy the "Latter Day Saints," 
has asked Mrs. Davidson a few questions, 
then wrote a letter to Mr. Slorrs in his 
own language. I do not say that the 
above questions and answers, were given 
in the form that I have written them; but 
these questions were asked, and these 
answers given. Mrs. Davidson is about 
seventy years of age, and somewhat 
broke. This may certify that I am personally acquainted with Mr. Haven, his 
son and daughter, and I am satisfied they 
are persons of truth. I have also read Mr. Haven's letter to his daughter, which 
has induced me to copy it for publication, and I further say, the above is a 
correct copy of Mr. Haven's letter.

A. BADLAM.