Indian Origins
and the
Book of Mormon

“Well researched and deftly written … An outstanding job.” —Henry Warner Bowden, Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University

“An excellent summary of the elements in the literary and folkloric environment of the early nineteenth century that influenced the content of the Book of Mormon … Solid, clear, well researched.”
—Mario S. De Pillis, Professor of History, Amherst University

“A wide range of sources used intelligently and fairly … A sound scholarly job. —Francis Jennings, Director Emeritus, D’Arcy McNickle Center for the History of the American Indian, The Newberry Library

“This book does a good job of recreating the issues in the debates on Indian origins in the early nineteenth century and in suggesting how that debate might have influenced Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.” —Neal Salisbury, Visiting Reader of English and American Studies, University of Essex.

“Carefully worked out, thoroughly researched, and convincingly reasoned … The sources used here and the opinions they contain are representative of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ideas. This is not a study of fringe materials. The ideas discussed here were at the heart of an ongoing debate. The author does not misrepresent the climate of opinion at the time … A solid, well-researched book.” —–Richard White, Professor of History, University of Utah

“The author is on solid ground.” —Allen T. Vaughan, Professor of History, Columbia University

“Erudite, succinct, and painstakingly documented.” —–Gustave H. Blanke, Professor Emeritus of American Studies, University of Mainz

about the author

Dan Vogel is a senior in history at California State University at Long Beach, where he will graduate in the fall of 1986. This is his first book-length work.

title page

Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon:
Religious Solutions from Columbus to Joseph Smith

Dan Vogel

Signature Books

copyright page

Copyright 1986 Signature Books, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America

cover illustration from an engraving by John McGahey,
“Joseph Smith Preaching to the Indians.” ca. 1870

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Vogel, Dan, 1955-

Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon.
Bibliography: p. Includes index.
1. Book of Mormon—Criticism, interpretation, etc.
2. Indians–Origin. 3. Religious thought—United States—History.
I. Title

BX8627.V64 1986 288.3'22 86-61016
ISBN 0-941214-42-7

dedication page

to my parents