The Kinderhook Plates

40 Primary Sources

Date
Summary
800 BC - 601 BC

Genesis 37; Joseph's brothers fake his death, trick Jacob/Israel into thinking he is dead.

800 BC - 601 BC

Genesis 27; Jacob deceives Isaac into blessing him.

Jul 1835 - Nov 1835

In WWP's hand, GAEL gives definition of "boat" hieroglyph.

1842

Parley P. Pratt's pamphlet that inspired the Kinderhook hoaxers.

May 1, 1843

John Taylor describes discovery of Kinderhook Plates.

May 1, 1843

William Clayton journal entry describing Joseph translating Kinderhook Plates.

May 1, 1843

B. H. Roberts reproduces Joseph's statement about the facsimiles.

May 2, 1843

Charlotte Haven describes her encounter with the Kinderhook Plates.

May 3, 1843

Brigham describes seeing the Kinderhook Plates.

May 3, 1843

Quincy Whig report on Kinderhook Plates discovery.

May 7, 1843

Parley P. Pratt describes Kinderhook Plates to John Van Cott, and says they contained genealogy of the Jaredites back to Ham.

May 7, 1843

JS journal entry describing encounter with Kinderhook Plates.

May 29, 1843

Contemporary non-LDS report of JS translating Kinderhook plates.

May 30, 1843

Anonymous source describing experience with Kinderhook Plates.

Jun 1, 1843

Contemporary reprint of reports of Kinderhook plates discovery.

Jun 14, 1843

David Orr writes to Joseph for information on plates.

Jun 1843

John Taylor & Wilford Woodruff broadside with facsimile of Kinderhook plates.

May 22, 1844

Thomas C. Sharp gives an account of the Kinderhook Plates.

Jun 1, 1844

LDS missionary Richard Savary compares Kinderhook Plates with Egyptian papyri.

Feb 15, 1845

Reprint of Times and Seasons account of Kinderhook Plates that includes facsimiles of plates.

Dec 31, 1851

John Taylor reprints facsimile of Kinderhook Plates.

Dec 31, 1852

Non-LDS recounting of the Kinderhook Plates.

Apr 25, 1855

"Discoverer" of Kinderhook Plates gives recollection of event.

Sep 3, 1856

William Clayton records Joseph's history account of plates in first person.

Sep 10, 1856

William Clayton records Joseph's history account of plates in first person.

Dec 31, 1857

Disaffected critic accounts for Kinderhook Plates.

Apr 8, 1878

Confession letter of WF; says JS would not translate the plates until authenticated.

Jun 30, 1879

Wilburn Fugate's confession letter.

Jan 31, 1888

The Daily Inter Ocean provides critical account of Kinderhook Plates discovery.

Mar 1904

Improvement Era writer uses Kinderhook Plates as evidence for the Book of Mormon.

1909

B. H. Roberts made an argument for plates being genuine.

Apr 5, 1909

Late account, published in Decatur Illinois Herald, of the Kinderhook Plates incident.

Jul 1912

Anonymous source published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society describing motive behind the Kinderhook Plates hoax.

Sep 1962

WWR published arguments for plates being authentic.

1966

George M. Lawrence provides scholarly examination of the plates.

1979

Mark E. Petersen uses Kinderhook Plates as evidence for the BOM.

Aug 1981

Stanley B. Kimball published article in the Ensign on Kinderhook Plates.

Aug 1981

Stanley Kimball published article in the Ensign on Kinderhook Plates.

2015

Religious Studies Center 2015 publication on JS interest in ancient languages, artifacts.

2020

Don Bradley reprints a photograph of a surviving Kinderhook Plate.