He was born 28 February 1808, eldest son of David Harding and Abigail Hill (Brown) Harding in Ontario County, New York. David Harding and Lydia Harding were siblings. Lydia Harding married James Smith, they are the parents of Abigail Smith. The Hardings family moved to Ripley County, Indiana to farm in 1820 and later lived in Old Milan.

With only nine month's formal school training he began teaching school in Ripley County at the age of sixteen; studied law in office of William R. Morris, Brookville, Indiana; licensed to practice law in Indiana on March 17, 1828; had law office in Richmond, Indiana, for six months.

Stephen went to New Orleans in fall of 1828 and came into direct contact with slavery for the first time. Witnessing the harsh treatment slaves received there, he returned to Indiana a changed man and became a key Hoosier player forming statewide antislavery political organizations and in 1833 attended the formation of the American Anti-Slavery Society in New York and Philadelphia

He returned home in spring of 1829; spent summer of 1829 in Palmyra, New York, and met Joseph Smith and followers there; opened law office, Versailles, Indiana, December 1829 and worked there until 1862..

October 31, 1830 he married Avoline Sprout of Chautauqua County, New York, daughter of James Sprout and Sybil Lydia Newberry.. They had ten children.

Abraham Lincoln named him governor of Utah Territory in March 31, 1862. On May 1862 Stephen started overland from Fort Leavenworth to assume his duties. He arrived Salt Lake City, July 7, 1862. Conciliatory toward the Mormons at first, he soon became critical of church leaders and the practice of polygamy. The Mormons successfully petitioned for his removal in January 1863 and he returned to Washington D.C..

Stephen was appointed U.S. consul at Valparaiso, Chile, but the health of wife and other domestic difficulties prevented him from going so far from home;

Stephen was then appointed as Chief Justice of the Colorado Territorial Supreme Court by President Abraham Lincoln on July 10, 1863 and served in that capacity and as District Judge of the 1st Judicial District until February 2, 1865, when he was reassigned as District Judge of the 3rd Judicial District May 1865. He was forced out of office for alleged incompetence and immorality and so resigned from the Bench on December 31, 1865 and returned to Indiana where he resumed his practice of law until his death on February 12, 1891 in Indiana..

 
Right Click mouse on image to view enlarged photo

THE INDIANAPOLIS SUNDAY STAR. Vol. 8. Indianapolis, April 23, 1911. No. 322.
*DID HOOSIER'S FAKE DREAM FOUND MORMONISM?* Stephen S. Harding

It is not a matter of common information that an Indianian had a prominent part in the staging of Mormonism when it was founded in Palmyra, N. Y., more than ninety years ago. Yet glints of history of that early movement slightly connect the late Stephen S. Harding of Milan, Ind. with the genesis of the creed. His connection, however, is entirely negative, because he opposed, exposed and ridiculed the pioneers of the now great sect which at present is receiving an unmerciful grilling at the hands of prominent periodicals.

During the tedious process of the printing of the Book of Mormon Mr. Harding, then a young man scarcely of legal age, went to Palmyra, where he was born, for a visit. He was acquainted with the promoters of the Mormon project and he immediately became involved in their strange doings. His account of his experiences, which contains a complete expose of the fraud of the golden plates, has been found in an old manuscript buried in his law office near Milan, Ind.

Stephen S. Harding was born in Palmyra, N. Y., in 1809. He was the second son of David Harding, a hardy old pioneer who fought valiantly on the occasion of the Wyoming massacre. The horrible atrocities enacted by the savages in that brutal conflict were often related by the father to the son and on his mind they made a profound impression.

When Stephen was eleven years old his father moved his family to Indiana and they settled on a large tract near the present town of Milan. Here the family struggled with poverty and every form of hardship until they had won a home from the primeval forest.

His story lays bare many of the "mysteries" of Mormonism. The history of the faith is well known. At this point it is perhaps well to consider the nature of the book on which is founded one of the most colossal frauds of history. Briefly it is as follows: In the reign of Zedekiah, six hundred years before Christ, a Jewish family, with a few friends and retainers, left Jerusalem, being warned of God that a great destruction and captivity were at hand, and journeyed eastward in search of a "land of promise." After much wandering and the death of the patriarch, they reached the sea, where Nephi, who had succeeded his father in the patriarchate and priesthood, was directed by the Lord to build a boat; and having completed this task, the vessel was equipped with a "double ball and spindle" which served the exact purpose of a modern mariner's compass.

They embarked and in due time reached America. Subsequent revelations have determined that they landed in Central America. Here they increased rapidly until a schism arose and one Laman, with his followers, refused to obey the true priesthood, for which they were cut off and condemned to be "a brutish and a savage people, having dark skins, compelled to dig in the ground for roots and hunt their meat in the forests like beasts of prey." These Lamanites became the American Indians, while the Christian party was known as the Nephites, who spread out all over North and South America, thus accounting for the many ruins found in this continent.

The Lamanites and Nephites, however, did not continue on friendly terms. They waged warfare almost continually. Finally they encountered in a mighty conflict south of Lake Ontario in New York state and made the last stand at the Hill Cumorah about 430 A. D. Here the fight was waged until the whole land was covered with dead bodies. It is recounted that two hundred and thirty thousand Nephites were slain. The little remnant was captured by the Lamanites, only two making their escape, Mormon and his son Moroni.

The various kings and priests had kept a record of their history which Mormon collected in one volume, added a book of his own and gave them to his son. The latter finished the record and buried the whole in the Hill Cumorah, being assured of God that, fourteen centuries later, a great prophet would restore them to man. History of the "Manuscript Found." Such is the book and Joseph Smith's account of it. On such testimony alone there is sufficient cause to reject it, and the book itself contains abundant internal evidence of fraud.

But there is an opposing account. In the year 1812 a written work, called the "Manuscript Found," was presented to a Mr. Patterson, a bookseller of Pittsburg, Pa., by the author, the Rev. Solomon Spaulding. This gentleman was born in Pennsylvania, was a graduate of Dartmouth, and for many years a Presbyterian minister. he wrote the "Manuscript Found" as an historical romance in an effort to account for the early settlement of America, and he proposed that Mr. Patterson publish it with a preface giving an imaginary account of its having been taken from plates dug up in Ohio. Mr. Patterson, however, did not think the enterprise would pay.

Mr. Sidney Rigdon was then at work in the office of Mr. Patterson, and when the latter died, in 1826 [sic], the Spaulding manuscript could not be located. Mrs. Spaulding had in her possession a complete copy of the story, but this disappeared in 1825 [sic], while Joseph Smith was digging a well for a neighbor of the Spauldings in Ontario County, New York. Mrs. Spaulding afterwards testified that it was stolen from her trunk. Thus far all is clear and there is no particular discrepency between the two accounts. But when the Book of Mormon was published the widow and brother [of] Solomon Spaulding, and several others who heard him read his fanciful tale, forthwith claimed that the Mormon book was nearly identical with the "Manuscript Found," varying only in certain interpolated texts on doctrinal points.

These two accounts are given merely to show the probable source of the inspiration of Joseph Smith /et al./ for the manifest frauds contained in the Book of Mormon. And at this point the expert testimony of the late Stephen S. Harding of Milan, Ripley County, Indiana, is offered: "When I left my home in Indiana to visit Palmyra, I had never heard of Mormonism by that name. During the time I was studying law in Brookville, Ind., I chanced to look through a copy of a paper in which was an account of the finding of a book of metallic plates, in the neighborhood of Palmyra. But in trying to recall the identity of Joseph Smith, the alleged finder of the plates, I had only a dim recollection of a long-legged, tow-head boy of my time, who was usually fishing at the mill-pond

"On arriving in Palmyra and learning that Martin Harris was one of those associated with Joseph Smith I sought an early interview with him in the office of the Wayne County Sentinel, where the Book of Mormon was being printed. He had heard several days before of my arrival in the neighborhood, and expressed delight at seeing me and took up a few minutes in recalling little incidents of my boyhood about the village. Then he introduced me to Oliver Cowdery, the scribe, Joseph Smith, the prophet, seer and revelator, and to the prophet's father, who looked on the strange proceedings with awe and gaping wonder. Martin Harris took me aside and informed me that at least three of them were in daily attendance at the printing office, and that they came and went as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun.

Harris explained this by saying that 150 pages of the original manuscript of the translation from the golden plates had been stolen, lost, or destroyed, by some evil-minded person, and that the angel of the Lord had appeared before Joseph. informing him that the devil himself, disguised as a man or woman, had taken possession of the missing parts. Therefore, it followed that at least three should guard the safety of the remaining pages.

"I looked at Harris in amazement. I had always heard him spoken of as being superstitious and ready to believe any sort of a wild story that savored of mystery, but I found it difficult to understand how such a well-thought-of man as he could be duped by such a low-bred, ignorant ne'er-do-well as Joseph Smith. Of all of the early Mormons he alone could have been held responsible for a single dollar and to this day I have tried to force myself to believe that his connection with the sect was prompted by mercenary reasons. But I fear that such a conclusion would be false, even if more humane.

"After talking with the Mormon quartet for an hour, I turned to my cousin. Pomeroy Tucker, who was foreman of the print shop. From him I learned many things relating to the origin of the book and I became curious to read the manuscript. When I broached the subject to Martin Harris he held a consultation with the prophet, and the latter, in drawlling tones, invited me to accompany them to the Smith home in the evening and hear the book read. I accepted the invitation and at sundown we set out down the hot, dusty road through the village.

"Arriving at our destination, I found that the house was very small and crude, being composed of two parts -- one of logs and the other of hemlock slabs. I was ushered into the house in company with the prophet, the scribe and the financial sponsor -- the exchequer, if you will. Lucy Smith, the prophet's mother came in and introduced herself. Coming close, she took me by the hand and said: 'I've seed you before. You are the same young man I seed in my dream. You had on this nice ruffled shirt with the same gold breastpin in it that you have now. Yes, jest exactly sich a one as this.' She scrutinized the pin closely.

"Cowdry commenced the reading of the 'sacred' work and absolute silence reigned in the room, save for the sound of Cowdry's raucous voice, with which the spluttering of the candle vied. The elder Smith was kept busy, pinching the wick of the candle to prevent the light from going out, but despite his efforts, it flickered and we were lefti n darkness at the conclusion of the fourth chapter. Mother Smith made haste to light her clay pipe in the dying flame before she turned to me with a burst of tobacco smoke and a dissertation on the wonders of the text, of which we had heard a part. She then added that maybe I would have dreams and visions that night, but she bade me not become frightened, because the angel of the Lord would protect me.

"With this final remark she gave us directions for sleeping. The prophet and his financial backer occupied one bed and the scribe and myself were assigned another in the same room. In a few moments profound slumber had closed the history of the day. The latter statement, however, in order to be accurate, must be modified. I did not sleep. I lay awake for a period that seemed hours, thinking of the strange events of the day and I was much too excited to close my eyes. There was, perhaps, another reason why I failed to sleep. I became aware that I had other bedfellows besides Cowdry. With a combined feeling of astonishment and disgust I raised myself to peer across the room. One glance convinced me that they were in the same predicament and I was left to meditate on the troubles that some people are sometimes afflicted with.

"Morning broke without my having closed my eyes and I arose with a distresssing headache. The whole family was soon astir, because the manuscript must be delivered to the printers by sunup. At the table I found myself shorn of appetite, and was only able to sip some coffee. My haggard countenance immediately aroused the suspicion of the Smiths and Harris and Cowdry. Mrs. Smith plied me with many questions in an effort to discover what sort of a vision had 'skeered' me. I answered soberly enough that I had experienced something new and that I hardly cared or dared to tell it then. Being pressed for an account of my 'revelation,' I announced that I would tell them when I had recovered from the excitement it had occasioned.

"Martin Harris importuned me to tell him of my revelation at the Smith home. I knew that he would persist until I was forced to improvise some sort of a wild dream to assauge his curiosity. So I began cudgeling my brain for some weird ideas that would answer for the purpose. We soon arrived at an extensive cornfield and here I agreed to tell Harris my 'dream' on condition that he would not repeat it. My 'dream' ran something like this: "'I was walking along in a strange country, where everything about me differed from anything I had ever seen. A sweet sense of peace pervaded everywhere and I was content. Soon, this tranquil enjoyment was broken and terrible phenomena began to manifest themselves in the heavens. While I was absorbed in watching I found myself almost in the grasp of a huge tiger. Immediately an angel in white sprang to my rescue and the fierce beast, instead of springing, dwindled and disappeared as a small cloud of dust.

"'Hastily leaving the region where I was so sore beset, I found myself passing through a wonderful forest, where the flowers were luxuriant and fragrant and the trees were bending under their burden of ripening fruit. In the center of this marvelous grove I came across a large fountain of such clear water that I could easily see the bottom of white sand, fathoms below. While gazing at this wonderful fount an old man arose from its depths and bade me drink from the Fountain of Mysteries. I obeyed and to the sound of martial music I was ordered to continue my journey to a tiny brook, where I would be further instructed. Arriving at the brook, I knelt to drink of its cool waters and as I rose up I noticed a huge bird coming rapidly toward me from the west. It was so large as to cast a shadow like a storm cloud and I noticed that its beak was blood covered and that in its talons it carried a parchment. With a cry that seemed to shake all nature, it passed over me and dropped the scroll at my feet.

"'I picked up the scroll and noticed that it contained many characters of mysterious formation. The characters were written in vertical lines. (Here Martin Harris interrupted me to ask if I could reproduce any of the characters. I told him I would try to imitate them. So on the fly leaf of a pamphlet I began making letters. I knew the Greek alphabet and the system of shorthand then in vogue and with these adjuncts I nearly filled up the page. When I had finished I handed it to him.)

"Speechless with surprise, Harris looked first at me and then fell on his knees with his hands folded. When his voice returned he said in half-sobbing tones: 'Before the Lord, these are the same characters that are on the golden plates of Nephi.' His excitement was such that I began to have some compunction of conscience for the fraud I had practiced on him. But I found out that Greek and shorthand were the basis of a religion destined to become as powerful and widespread as that founded by the camel driver of Mecca.

"It was not long until the rumors of my 'dream' began to reach the ears of many persons and for this I felt some concern, for I had no desire to be in any way identified with the Smiths or their foolishness. But my apprehensions quickly vanished when I heard that my 'dream' had become a real vision of the prophet himself. Title Page Now Sacred Relic.

"When the Book of Mormon was finally ready for publication Pomeroy Tucker set up the first title page and after striking it off gave it to me as a souvenir. Years later I presented this to the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City, where it is now on exhibition as a sacred historical relic.

"That was the last I ever saw of Martin Harris, who, by his financial aid, placed Joseph Smith on a pedestal. only to be thrust away and ignored when the success of the venture was assured and Joseph had accumulated sufficient competence to walk without holding on.

"Years later, in March, 1862, President Lincoln appointed [Stephen S.] Harding Governor of Utah territory. This in itself is more or less strange, that the man whom the Mormons in the beginning had cause to despise because he had fathomed the baseness of their fraud should be sent to govern their band in bloody Utah. Yet, while he held domain over them, he did not have a pleasant experience. At that time, when any person, and especially a Gentile or an apostate, interfered with their machinations the church under Brigham Young prescribed the "blood atonement" treatment. This consisted of a disappearance that was as sudden as it was mysterious. The victim was sometimes found with a knife in his back or with a gunshot wound. That the Mormons had intentions of giving Governor Harding this treatment is evident from the wording of the interview between the Governor and the Mormon committee on March 4. 1863.

The Governor had warned the church in his annual message that it must be decent. In his diary he records the interview in these words: "Elder Taylor said: 'Governor, we have come on unpleasant business, yet it is our duty to do so." To this I replied that if it were their duty to do so, it should be pleasant for that fact alone. Then Elder Taylor proceeded to state the business of the committee, and I suggested that he present his business in writing. Elder Taylor then handed me a copy of the Deseret News of that day, containing resolutions passed at the mass meeting of the Mormons that day. After perusing them carefully, I turned to the committee, and with the best control I could muster, said: 'Gentlemen, I believe I understand you thoroughly. You may go back and tell your constituents that I will not resign my office of Governor, nor will I leave this territory until it shall please the President to call me from duty. I came here amongst you, a messenger of peace and good will, but I confess that my opinions have been changed on many subjects. But I came, also, sirs, to discharge my duties honestly and faithfully to my government, and I shall do it to the last. It is in your power to do me violence -- to shed my blood -- but this will not deter me from my purpose.

If the President can be made to believe that I have acted wrong, that I have been unfaithful to the trust he confided in me, he will doubtless remove me, and then I shall be glad to return to my home in the states, carrying with me no unjust resentments against you or anybody else. But I will not be driven away -- I will not cowardly desert my post. I may be in danger by staying, but my mind is fixed. I desire no trouble; I am anxious to live and meet my family, but, if necessary, an administrator can settle my affairs. Your allegations in this paper are false, without the shadow of truth.

"After serving out his term in Colorado, Mr. Harding returned to Milan and again took up the practice of law. Here he remained, writing much in both prose and verse, never for profit, but more for the relaxation it afforded, until 1885, when total blindness overtook him. He died April 19, 1891, and was buried in Greendale Cemetery, Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Note 1: The writer of the above article was apparently unaware that substantially the same Stephen S. Harding account, of his experience with the earliest Mormons at Palmyra, was previously published -in Thomas Gregg's 1890 book, /The Prophet of Palmyra./ The 1890 version is significantly longer and more detailed, but covers the same time period and the same major events. It does not, however, relate the details of Harding's fabricated "dream," nor Harding's obligue explanation as to why he was unable to sleep in the Smiths' cabin.

Note 2: A communication from Harding, to his cousin, Pomeroy Tucker, may be found in Tucker's 1867 book, on pp. 280-287 -. A Collection of Stephen S. Harding Papers, dated 1862-1901, is on file at the Utah State Historical Society in Salt Lake City, Utah. These papers consist mostly of letters written to and from Harding, beginning with his governorship of Utah Territory, in 1862-1863 and continuing through the decade following his death. The text published in the 1922 /Indianapolis Sunday Star/ is not preserved in that collection, however. Indianapolis News Vol. ? Indianapolis, Jan 22, 1922. No. ? *Beginning of Mormonism* /To the Editor of the News --/ Sir -- In discussing "the beginning of Mormonism," the editor of your Questions and Answers column evidently overlooked the fact that fairness is, or should be, a dominating factor in modern journalism. Linn's "Story of the Mormons." or rather "Attack on the Mormons" may be widely accepted as history by enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but that does not make it history. For instance, Joseph Smith did not publish the translations from the golden plates as "revelations from heaven," but as a record of the peoples who lived in America before the days of Columbus, and of God's dealings with them. He did not call the publication "The Golden Bible;" this was a title sneeringly given it by his enemies. Nor did he select "the Book of Mormon" as the title; this was the name given to the work by the editor of it, Mormon. The Solomon Spaulding manuscript myth has been time and again "exploded," and as the manuscript is still in existence, any honest investigator can satisfy himself that it and the "Book of Mormon" are not the same, and while it is a fact that the three witnesses to the plates, and the fact that they were translated by the gift and power of God, did leave the church, neither of them ever suggested that the book was a "fraud," but all were firm in their [testimony]... J. Frank Pickering Chicago, Ill.

Etta Martha (Reeves) French's "Stephen S. Harding: A Hoosier Abolitionist," M.A. thesis, University of Arkansas, 1930, published in somewhat condensed form in the Indiana Magazine of History, XXVII: pp. 207-229, September 1931

Mrs. Etta Martha (Reeves) French's "A Letter from Stephen S. Harding to William H. Seward: forward," Indiana Magazine of History, XXVI, pp. 157-159, June 1930.

Copyright 2001 www.OrsonPrattBrown.org

STEPHEN S. HARDING'S ACCOUNT OF MARTIN HARRIS' EARLY LIFE AND TESTIMONY