Zelph, The Mighty White Lamanite Warrior not mentioned in the Book of Mormon

[kirtland r.m.]

First an experience at the Logan Temple. Brother Roskelley was in his early teen's when first baptized, and the only member in his family. Several years later, he crossed the Atlantic to gather with the saints. A very interesting story follows.
Brother Samuel Roskelley, recorder of the Logan temple, relates that in early days the United States Marshals were making lots of trouble for the Mormons, and were conducting "polygamy raids" to pick up the men who had more than one wife.
Two deputy marshals arrived at the temple door one day to find it locked so they could not gain entrance. Brother Roskelley went out to talk to them. They were told that there were no records available to show them. Brother Roskelley told them good bye and locked the door. The lawmen knew that polygamous marriages were being performed and did not like being denied access to the records. They immediately wired for help, and the next day the head United States Marshal for Utah, and a whole posse of deputies arrived. This time they demanded, in the name of the United States Government, that the records be given to them. They were again told that no records were available. The marshal then said: "We know you are doing polygamous marriages and that these records are available. We know you have them, and we are going to have them. We will burn the temple down or even destroy it entirely but what you comply with our request." The Recorder told them goodbye and locked the door on them again.
Brother Roskelley was very worried and spent the next eight or ten hours in constant prayer, asking the Lord to help him preserve the records, that no harm should come to him or to the people concerned, and that the temple records should not fall into the hands of the United States Marshals. He went out under cover of darkness to visit families in the Seventh Ward area. He was up well before daybreak the next morning, dressed in his oldest clothes, put a corn cob pipe in his mouth, and axe on his shoulder as if he were going to the canyon to work, and walked up the middle of the road whistling a happy tune. As he walked towards the temple and crossed a bridge, two men stepped out to stop him. He immediately struck a match to light his pipe, which had nothing in it, said "Good Morning" and walked on past the men. Evidently they supposed he was not a Mormon polygamist, but just a woodcutter going to the canyon.
When Brother Roskelley reached the front door of the temple, there stood two giant men dressed in complete armor with head dress, breast plate, spears and full regalia. They gave him a friendly nod as he passed, unlocked the door and entered the temple. As he neared his office, there stood two more large men dressed in full armor And as he went to the record vaults on the third floor, he came to two other huge men, both dressed in full armor.
As soon as he was sure the records were safe, he asked who they were. They told him: "We are Nephite Warriors, and we are here in answer to your prayers." They told him not to worry, that they would not allow the temple to be injured or the records to be destroyed in any way.
When Brother Roskelley related the incident to President Taylor, he was told that they were, indeed, Nephite soldiers, and that this was not the first time they had been assigned to protect the temple and its people.
Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary

In 1834, Joseph Smith said he received a revelation from God, calling for a militia to be raised in Kirtland which would then march to Missouri and "redeem Zion." About 200 men and a number of women and children volunteered to join this militia, which became known as "Zion's Camp." On June 3, 1834, in Pike County, Illinois, some of the men of Zion's Camp located some bones and an arrowhead about a foot below the ground. Smith himself wrote nothing about the event; however, seven of the members of Zion's Camp who were with him either recorded or orally related their accounts of what was said.These accounts declared that the bones were from Zelph, a "white Lamanite" general who was a righteous man. In 1834, Joseph Smith said he received a revelation from God, calling for a militia to be raised in Kirtland which would then march to Missouri and "redeem Zion." About 200 men and a number of women and children volunteered to join this militia, which became known as "Zion's Camp." On June 3, 1834, in Pike County, Illinois, some of the men of Zion's Camp located some bones and an arrowhead about a foot below the ground. Smith himself wrote nothing about the event; however, seven of the members of Zion's Camp who were with him either recorded or orally related their accounts of what was said.These accounts declared that the bones were from Zelph, a "white Lamanite" general who was a righteous man.

John Taylor publisher of the Times and Seasons had been writing the History of Joseph Smith and included in the January 1, 1846 issue, the following account " ..on the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three alters having been erected one above the other, according to ancient order; and human bones were strewn over the surface of the ground. The brethren procured a shovel and hoe, and removing the earth to the depth of about one foot discovered skeleton of a man, almost entire, and between his ribs was a Lamanitish arrow which evidently produced his death, Elder Brigham Young retained the arrow and the brethren carried some pieces of the skeleton to Clay county. …... I discovered that the person whose skeleton was before us, was a white Lamanite, a large thick set man, and a man of God. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Omandagus, who was known from the hill Cumorah, or Eastern sea, to the Rocky Mountains. His name was Zelph. The curse was taken from him, 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 Lammanites and Nephites.Taylor, John, "History of Joseph Smith", Times and Seasons, Vol 6, page 1076 – via Internet Archive

Reuben McBride's journal account states, "His name was Zelph a war[r]ior under the Prophet Onandagus Zelph a white Lamante." McBride also wrote that "an arrow was found in his Ribs ... which he said he sup[p]osed oc[c]aisoned his death." McBride wrote that Zelph "was known from the atlantic to the Rocky Mountains."[6] Moses Martin stated, "Soon afterward, Joseph had a vision and the Lord shewed him that this man was once a mighty Prophet and many other things concerning his death in which he had fal[l]en no doubt in some great bat[t]le."[7] Martin also described the skeleton "to be eight or nine feet tall because of the size of the thigh bone."[8] Levi Hancock's journal also refers to "Onendagus," stating that "Zelf he was a white Lamanite who fought with the people of Onendagus for freedom."[9] Onondaga is the name of a county in New York state as well as the name of a tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy that once occupied the area. Hancock 1834
Mohawk, John (Summer 1986), "Origins of Iroquois Political Thought", Northeast Indian Quarterly, 3: 16–20.

Zelph's Mound dated by non latter day saints to the time Joseph said. This was very near the end of the Nephites. They are saying about 380 A.D.. A short video, very interesting.posting.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8VBKVHBgKo

[Pazooka]

First an experience at the Logan Temple. Brother Roskelley was in his early teen's when first baptized, and the only member in his family. Several years later, he crossed the Atlantic to gather with the saints. A very interesting story follows.
Brother Samuel Roskelley, recorder of the Logan temple, relates that in early days the United States Marshals were making lots of trouble for the Mormons, and were conducting "polygamy raids" to pick up the men who had more than one wife.
Two deputy marshals arrived at the temple door one day to find it locked so they could not gain entrance. Brother Roskelley went out to talk to them. They were told that there were no records available to show them. Brother Roskelley told them good bye and locked the door. The lawmen knew that polygamous marriages were being performed and did not like being denied access to the records. They immediately wired for help, and the next day the head United States Marshal for Utah, and a whole posse of deputies arrived. This time they demanded, in the name of the United States Government, that the records be given to them. They were again told that no records were available. The marshal then said: "We know you are doing polygamous marriages and that these records are available. We know you have them, and we are going to have them. We will burn the temple down or even destroy it entirely but what you comply with our request." The Recorder told them goodbye and locked the door on them again.
Brother Roskelley was very worried and spent the next eight or ten hours in constant prayer, asking the Lord to help him preserve the records, that no harm should come to him or to the people concerned, and that the temple records should not fall into the hands of the United States Marshals. He went out under cover of darkness to visit families in the Seventh Ward area. He was up well before daybreak the next morning, dressed in his oldest clothes, put a corn cob pipe in his mouth, and axe on his shoulder as if he were going to the canyon to work, and walked up the middle of the road whistling a happy tune. As he walked towards the temple and crossed a bridge, two men stepped out to stop him. He immediately struck a match to light his pipe, which had nothing in it, said "Good Morning" and walked on past the men. Evidently they supposed he was not a Mormon polygamist, but just a woodcutter going to the canyon.
When Brother Roskelley reached the front door of the temple, there stood two giant men dressed in complete armor with head dress, breast plate, spears and full regalia. They gave him a friendly nod as he passed, unlocked the door and entered the temple. As he neared his office, there stood two more large men dressed in full armor And as he went to the record vaults on the third floor, he came to two other huge men, both dressed in full armor.
As soon as he was sure the records were safe, he asked who they were. They told him: "We are Nephite Warriors, and we are here in answer to your prayers." They told him not to worry, that they would not allow the temple to be injured or the records to be destroyed in any way.
When Brother Roskelley related the incident to President Taylor, he was told that they were, indeed, Nephite soldiers, and that this was not the first time they had been assigned to protect the temple and its people.
Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary

In 1834, Joseph Smith said he received a revelation from God, calling for a militia to be raised in Kirtland which would then march to Missouri and "redeem Zion." About 200 men and a number of women and children volunteered to join this militia, which became known as "Zion's Camp." On June 3, 1834, in Pike County, Illinois, some of the men of Zion's Camp located some bones and an arrowhead about a foot below the ground. Smith himself wrote nothing about the event; however, seven of the members of Zion's Camp who were with him either recorded or orally related their accounts of what was said.These accounts declared that the bones were from Zelph, a "white Lamanite" general who was a righteous man. In 1834, Joseph Smith said he received a revelation from God, calling for a militia to be raised in Kirtland which would then march to Missouri and "redeem Zion." About 200 men and a number of women and children volunteered to join this militia, which became known as "Zion's Camp." On June 3, 1834, in Pike County, Illinois, some of the men of Zion's Camp located some bones and an arrowhead about a foot below the ground. Smith himself wrote nothing about the event; however, seven of the members of Zion's Camp who were with him either recorded or orally related their accounts of what was said.These accounts declared that the bones were from Zelph, a "white Lamanite" general who was a righteous man.

John Taylor publisher of the Times and Seasons had been writing the History of Joseph Smith and included in the January 1, 1846 issue, the following account " ..on the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three alters having been erected one above the other, according to ancient order; and human bones were strewn over the surface of the ground. The brethren procured a shovel and hoe, and removing the earth to the depth of about one foot discovered skeleton of a man, almost entire, and between his ribs was a Lamanitish arrow which evidently produced his death, Elder Brigham Young retained the arrow and the brethren carried some pieces of the skeleton to Clay county. …... I discovered that the person whose skeleton was before us, was a white Lamanite, a large thick set man, and a man of God. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Omandagus, who was known from the hill Cumorah, or Eastern sea, to the Rocky Mountains. His name was Zelph. The curse was taken from him, 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 Lammanites and Nephites.Taylor, John, "History of Joseph Smith", Times and Seasons, Vol 6, page 1076 – via Internet Archive

Reuben McBride's journal account states, "His name was Zelph a war[r]ior under the Prophet Onandagus Zelph a white Lamante." McBride also wrote that "an arrow was found in his Ribs ... which he said he sup[p]osed oc[c]aisoned his death." McBride wrote that Zelph "was known from the atlantic to the Rocky Mountains."[6] Moses Martin stated, "Soon afterward, Joseph had a vision and the Lord shewed him that this man was once a mighty Prophet and many other things concerning his death in which he had fal[l]en no doubt in some great bat[t]le."[7] Martin also described the skeleton "to be eight or nine feet tall because of the size of the thigh bone."[8] Levi Hancock's journal also refers to "Onendagus," stating that "Zelf he was a white Lamanite who fought with the people of Onendagus for freedom."[9] Onondaga is the name of a county in New York state as well as the name of a tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy that once occupied the area. Hancock 1834
Mohawk, John (Summer 1986), "Origins of Iroquois Political Thought", Northeast Indian Quarterly, 3: 16–20.

Zelph's Mound dated by non latter day saints to the time Joseph said. This was very near the end of the Nephites. They are saying about 380 A.D.. A short video, very interesting.posting.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8VBKVHBgKo

I had a neighbor who was the great grand-daughter of Samuel Roskelley. Every night I would go over and take off her compression socks for her and, when she moved back up to the Logan area, as a thank-you, she gave me the ancient Indian grinding stone Samuel Roskelley dug out of one of his fields, back in the day.

[kirtland r.m.]

J.M. Sjodahl made the following conclusion on the Zelph Mound in his book on Book of Mormon geography The Onondagas: These have special interest… It appears from this, that this warrior, Zelph, was an Onondaga, as well as a “white” Lamanite, and that the Onondagas [of New York], consequently must be of Lamanite lineage. It also appears that at least some of the mounds in the Ohio Valley were erected by the descendants of Lehi” (J.M. Sjodahl, An Introduction to the Study of the Book of Mormon 1927, 266-67).

[kirtland r.m.]

Author L. Taylor Hansen wrote intriguingly of a site in New York State: “On the authority of some older inhabitants of Onondaga, it is stated that on a ledge of rocks, about a mile south of Jamesville, (Near Syracuse and Oneida Castle)is a place which used to be pointed out by the Indians as a spot where the Great Spirit once came down and sat and gave good advice to the chiefs of Onondagas. That there are the prints of his hands and his feet, left in the rocks, still to be seen. In the former years the Onondagas used annually to offer, at this place, tobacco and pipes, and to burn tobacco and herbs as a sacrifice to the Great Spirit, to conciliate his favor and which was a means of preventing diseases. From the different accounts and Joseph’s own written testimony, we may at least conclude that Zelph was a descendent of Book of Mormon people, and that he died in battle in northern America. His remains were interred atop one of the mounds made by ancient North American people. Joseph attributed some of these mounds to the Nephites. The revelation which Joseph received concerning Zelph was poignant enough to convince Joseph that Zion’s camp had been traveling through Nephite territory, and that the remains they had handled were “proof” of the Book of Mormon’s divine authenticity. The “south countries”, south of Lake Erie, referred to by the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants 75:8, 17, are likely the same as the Nephite “south countries”. (Mormon 6:15; 8:2)