Autobiography Volume 1 circa 1842-1865
we encamped over the bank of the river untill Tuesday the . During our Travels we visited many mounds
trown up by the Ancient Inhabitants the Nephites & Lamanites & this morning we went onto a high mound near
the river Joseph & many of the Brethren went up this mound was vary high from the top of it we could over look
the tops of the treese 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 Alters having been erected one above the other
according to the Ancient order of things & human bones were seen upon the ground. we had taken a shovel
along with us Brother Joseph wished us to dig into the mound we dug into it about 1 one foot & kame upon the skeleton
of a man almost entire and an Arrow was found sticking in his back bone Elder Milton Holmes picked it
out & brought it into camp with one of his legs bones which had broaken He put the leg bone in my waggon
& I carried it to Clay County Missouri. Brother Joseph feeling Anxios to learn somthing concerning this man
prayed to the Lord & the Lord gave him a vision in open day while lying in his waggon this man & his history was
placed before him His Name was Zelph He was a white Lamanite the curse had been taken off from him
because of his faith & righteousness He had embraced the gospel He was a short stout thick set man He had been a
great warrior Had Joined the Nephites & fought for them under the direction of the great Prophet Onandagus
who held sway & command over the Armies of the Nephites from the Hill Cumorah & Eastern Sea to the
Rocky mountains though the Book of Mormon does not speak of him He was a great warrior leader Guard
& prophet. Zelph Had his thigh bone broaken from the sling of a stone while in battle in the days of
his youth He was killed with the Arrow sticking in his back bone the vision of the great slaughter of the
people at the time that Zelph was killed was opened to the prophet Joseph & there bodies were heeped upon
the Earth & that great Mound of near 300 feet High placed over them. I felt anxious to bury Zelphs thigh
bone in the Temple Block of Jackson County Missouri but I did not have an opportunity & I buried it
in Clay County near the House owned by Colonel Arthur ocupied by Lyman Wight
^The arrow head is now in possession of his wife Emma Woodruff^
