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First I wish to present that official account from the pages of the Hitory
of the Church:
The Finding of Zelph.
During our travels we visited several of the mounds which had been thrown up by the
ancient inhabitants of this country—Nephites, Lamanites, etc., and this morning I went up on a
high mound, near the river, accompanied by the brethren. From this mound we could overlook
the tops of the trees and view the prairie on each side of the river as far as our vision could
extend, and the scenery was truly delightful.
On the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three altars
having been erected one above the other, according to the ancient order; and the remains of
bones were strewn over the surface of the ground. The brethren procured a shovel and a hoe, and
removing the earth to the depth of about one foot, discovered the skeleton of a man, almost
entire, and between his ribs the stone point of a Lamanitish arrow, which evidently produced his
death. Elder Burr Riggs retained the arrow. The contemplation of the scenery around us
produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms; and subsequently the visions of the past being
opened to my understanding by the Spirit of the Almighty, I discovered that the person whose
skeleton was before us was a white Lamanite, a large, thick-set man, and a man of God. His
name was Zelph. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Onandagus, who was
known from the Hill Cumorah, or eastern sea to the Rocky mountains. The curse was taken from
Zelph, or, at least, in part—one of his thigh bones was broken by a stone flung from a sling, while
in battle, years before his death. He was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs,
during the last great struggle of the Lamanites and Nephites. fn
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And Second I would like to quote from a letter written by Joseph Smith
to his wife while the prophet was on his journey with Zions Camp.
The day after the finding of Zelph, the Prophet Joseph Smith, “on the banks of the
Mississippi River,” wrote a letter to his wife, Emma. While he does not mention Zelph by• name,
Joseph describes the setting in general:
The whole of our journey. in the midst of so large a company of social honest and sincere
men, wandering ovcr thc mounds of the Nephitcs, recounting occasionally the history of the
Book of Mormon. moving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking
up their skulls & their bones. us a proof of its divine authenticity, and gazing upon a country
the fertility, the splendour and the goodness so indescribable, all serves to pass away time
unnoticed.4
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Reuben McBride
Tuesday 3 [June 1834] visited the mounds. A skeleton was dug up [by] Joseph, said his
name was Zelph a great warrior under the Prophet Omandagus. An arrow was found in his Ribs
His name was Zelph a warrior under the Prophet Omandagus. Zelph was a white Lamanite
[Joseph said] he Zelph was killed in battle. Said he was a man of God and the curse was
taken off or in part he was a white Lamanite was known from the Atlantic to the Rocky
Mountains.
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Moses Martin
This being in the Co of Pike, here we discovered a large quantity of large mounds. Being
filed with curiosity we excavated the top of one some 2 feet when we came to the bones of an
extraordinary large person or human being, the thigh bones being 2 inches longer from one
Socket to the other than of the Prophet who is upwards of 6 feet high which would have
constuted some 8 or 9 feet high. In the trunk of this skeleton near the vitals we found a large stone
arrow which I suppose brought him to his end. Soon after this Joseph had a vision and the Lord
showed him that this man was once a mighty Prophet and many other things concerning his
people. Thus we found those mounds to have be deposits for the dead which had fallen no doubt
in some great Battles. In addition to this we found many large fortifications which also denotes
civilization and an innumerable population which has fallen by wars and commotion and the
Banks of this Beautiful River became the deposit of many hundred thousands whose graves and
fortifications have are overgrown with the sturdy oak 4 feet in diameter.
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Wilford Woodruff
While on our travels we visited many of the mounds which were flung up by the ancient
inhabitants of this continent, probably by the Nephites & Lamanites. We visited one of those
Mounds and several of the brethren dug into it and took from it the bones of a man. Brother
Joseph had a vission respecting the person he said he was a white Lamanite, the curse was taken
from him or at least in part, he was killed in battle with an arrow, the arrow was found among his
ribs, one of his thigh bones was broken, this was done by a stone flung from a sling in battle
years before his death, his name was Zelph. Some of his bones were brought into the camp and
the thigh bone which was broken was put into my waggon and I carried it to Missouri. Zelph was
a large thick set man and a man of God, he was a warrior under the great prophet that was
known from the hill Cumorah to the Rocky mountains. The above knowledge Joseph received in a
vision.
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Levi Hancock
On the way to Illinois River where we camped on the west side in the morning, many went to
see the big mound about a mile below the crossing, I did not go on it but saw some bones that
was brought with a broken arrow, they was layed down by our camp Joseph addressed himself to
Sylvester Smith, "This is what I told you and now I want to tell you that you may know what I
meant; this land was called the land of desolation and Onendagus was the king and a good man
was he, there in that mound did he bury his dead and did not dig holes as the people do now but
they brought there dirt and covered them untill you see they have raised it to be about one
hundred feet high, the last man buried was Zelf, he was a white Lamanite who fought with the
people of Onendagus for freedom, when he was young he was a great warrior and had his th[igh]
broken and never was set, it knited together as you see on the side, he fought after it got strength
untill he lost every tooth in his head save one when the Lord said he had done enough and
suffered him to be killed by that arrow you took from his brest." These words he said as the camp
was moving of[f] the ground; as near as I could learn he had told them something about the
mound and got them to go and see for themselves. I then remembered what he had said a few
days before while passing many mounds on our way that was left of us; said he, "there are the
bodies of wicked men who have died and are angry at us; if they can take the advantage of us
they will, for if we live they will have no hope." I could not comprehend it but supposed it was all
right.
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Heber C. Kimball
On Tuesday the 3rd, we went up, several of us, with Joseph Smith Jr. to the top of a mound
on the bank of the Illinois river, which was several hundred feet above the river, and from the
summit of which we had a pleasant view of the surrounding country: We could overlook the tops
of the trees on to the meadow or prairie on each side the river as far as our eyes could extend,
which was one of the most pleasant scenes I ever beheld. On the top of this mound there was the
appearance of three altars, which had been built of stone, one above another, according to the
ancient order; and the ground was strewn over with human bones. This caused in us very
peculiar feelings, to see the bones of our fellow creatures scattered in this manner, who had been
slain in ages past. We felt prompted to dig down into the mound, and sending for a shovel and
hoe, we proceeded to move away the earth. At about one foot deep we discovered the skeleton of
a man, almost entire; and between two of his ribs we found an Indian arrow, which had evidently
been the cause of his death. We took the leg and thigh bones and carried them along with us to
Clay county. All four appeared sound. Elder B. Young has yet the arrow in his possession. It is a
common thing to find bones thus drenching upon the earth in this country.
The same day, we pursued our journey. While on our way we felt anxious to know who the
person was who had been killed by that arrow. It was made known to Joseph that he had been an
officer who fell in battle, in the last destruction among the Lamanites, and his name was Zelph.
This caused us to rejoice much, to think that God was so mindful of us as to show these things to
his servant. Brother Joseph had enquired of the Lord and it was made known in a vision.
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George A. Smith
"Monday, 2 June 1834: Some of us visited a
mound on a bluff about 300 feet high and dug up some bones, which excited deep interest among
the brethren. The President and many others visited the mound on the following morning." 14
According to this brief version, Joseph's visit to the mound came on the morning after the
discovery of the skeleton.
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