Henry Halkett's summary of John Quincy visiting Joseph, seeing mummies. Claims one mummy is Pharaoh Necho.
Henry Halkett, "Henry's Notes Upon Joe Smith the Prophet [May 1844]," ca. 1845, 5–6, Miscellaneous Collection, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan
On Mr Quincy's return to Joe's house (which was the Hotel or Public House), he said they would probably perhaps like to see his curiosities, on their assenting, he took them down to his cellar, where there were found <several> common pine presses, he opened these & to their astonishment they saw several black corpses — "That one" said Joe "is the body of Pharoah Necko" Joe it seems had imported four mummies & having taken off the wrappers, had stuck them upright in these presses— He then opened the little boxes which are always found about a mummy & took out some papyrus. "This" said he "is the hand-writing of Abraham, that one is Moses'" and so on —
"These are hieroglyphics, nobody can read them but myself, I can read all writing & all hieroglyphics—"
Mr Quincy pointed to one of them which had a representation of a man, a woman, a tree & a kr non descript animal — "That" said Joe "is the creation of the World, there is Adam "Eve the Tree of Knowledge & the Serpent—" Mr Quincy asked him how it could be a serpent as it had legs. Joe answered "Oh you knows that serpents originally had legs like chickens, "but afterwards God said "'Upon the belly shalt thou crawl' and "so he lost his legs"
Mr Quincy speaks of Joe having an extraordinary acquaintance & with the Bible & that he was very ready in reply, & clever in supporting his notions by quotations & reasoning —
After the exhibition was closed Joe said "Persons who "see my curiosities usually give my mother a quarter of a dollar."