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John N. Miller
(1782-1866)
See also: Rachael Miller Derby statement | Phoebe Miller Randall remarks
Document: 1884 Rachel Miller statement Source: Deming, Arthur B. (ed.) Naked Truths About Mormonism, I , CA, Jan. 1888. Notes: While Rachel Miller Derby said her father "settled in Springfield, Erie County, Pa., near Conneaut," she does not say where the family was living when D.P. Hurlbut stooped to visit them in Sept. 1833. While the 1810 census report shows John N. Miller was living in Erie Co., PA, it does not indicate which township -- perhaps Springfield encompassed most of northeastern Erie Co. then. Both the 1820 and 1830 census records show John N. Miller as having lived in Conneaut Twp., immediately to the south of the Springfield area. John Spalding arrived in Erie Co., PA in 1810 but his name was not recorded in the census for that year. In 1820 the census records show John Spalding was living in Cusawago Twp., Crawford Co., PA -- which (at least today) is five miles from the nearby southeast corner of Conneaut Twp. Ten years later the John Spalding family was living in Sadsbury Twp., near Conneaut Lake. Rachels remark about Hurlbut having "stayed two nights with a Mormon woman of very bad character, who lived alone," may provide some insight into Hurlbut's contacts in Erie Co., PA in Sept. of 1833. At that date there were Mormon branches located both in Springfield Twp. and in nearby Elk Creek Twp. In the latter district, shortly before Hurlbut's first arrival in Erie Co., a certain William Riley Howard had rented out his wife, Minerva Sagers Howard (1809-1849) to a Mr. Joseph Eaton (1805-1845) for purposes of prostitution. Minerva's brother, William Henry H. Sagers (1815-1886) was an early Erie Co. Mormon convert who met Hurlbut on April 27, 1833, if not before that date. While Minerva was not baptized a Mormon until 1836 (well after Hurlbut left the area) Rachel Miller Derby may well have remembered this particular prostitute as a "Mormon woman of very bad character." |
Springfield, Pa. He said he liked Spaulding. While they were at their meals Spaulding would lie on the bed and read to them his manuscripts. Father also frequently read them himself. I have often heard him tell about the Nephites and Zarahemlites before the "Book of Mormon" was published. I well remember D.P. Hurlbut coming to our house about fifty years ago and his telling father that he was taking evidence to expose Mormonism, and hearing him read from the "Book of Mormon." Frequently father would request Hurlbut to stop reading and he would state what followed and Hurlbut would say that it was so in the "Book of Mormon." He expressed great surprise that father remembered so much of it. Father told him that the "Manuscript Found" was not near all of Spaulding's writings and that probably there would soon be another prophecy out. Father said he had no doubt the historical part of the "Book of Mormon" was Spaulding's "Manuscript Found." John Spaulding, Solomon's brother, lived half a mile from our house and our families were quite intimate. I saw father sign a statement and give [it to] Hurlbut. He had statements from Henry Lake, Aaron Wright and Dr. Howard, of Conneaut. Hurlbut stayed two nights with a Mormon woman of very bad character, who lived alone. Several of the lowest families in Springfield became Mormons. Mr. Hartshorn, a Mormon, whose wife was a Methodist, did not go West, but he insisted and she hung herself on the way. RACHEL (MILLER) DERBY Witnessed by: Lee DemingA. B. Deming |
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