Book of Mormon first published at Palmyra

Background. Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, resided in Palmyra, New York, from 1816 to 1825 and again in 1830. Martin Harris, a financier and scribe, also lived in Palmyra from 1791 to 1831. Smith described the book as an English translation of golden plates, produced through dictation to various scribes between 1828 and 1829.

Publication. The completed work, titled the Book of Mormon, was published in Palmyra and first advertised for sale on March 26, 1830. The original 1830 edition included the Testimony of Three Witnesses, featuring statements from Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer, which corroborated Smith's claims about the plates.

Scribes and Dictation. Smith dictated the text to his wife Emma until April 1828, when Martin Harris took over as scribe. Harris, prompted by his wife, requested loaned manuscript pages. Smith resumed dictation to Emma in September 1828, and Oliver Cowdery joined in April 1829. The English manuscript was produced by scribes recording Smith's dictation throughout multiple sessions.