The authorship of The Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet has
been the object of some debate. While the book bears only the name of George Q.
Cannon, historical sources inform us that it was actually a collaborative
effort within the Cannon family. The reason for dispute is that some historians
have named Frank J. Cannon, a son of President Cannon, as the principal or
“real” author. This is provocative because silvery tongued Frank Cannon often
did not live the standards of the Church, bringing public shame to his highly
prominent father, and after his (George’s) death, became a bitterly apostate
anti-Mormon who travelled the United States giving lectures seeking to harm the
Church as much as possible.
The
journals of Cannon family members reveal that Frank wrote a rough first draft,
but that it was extensively added to and revised by President Cannon and his
sons Abraham H. and John Q. For example, one entry from President Cannon’s
journal reads; “Friday, September 1, 1888. I worked very hard at the message of
my ‘Life of Joseph.’” Other journal entries from President Cannon speak of his
work on various chapters. A journal entry from Abraham Cannon reads: “I got his
[G. Q. Cannon’s] consent to get John Q. to revise the ms. of ‘Joseph the
Prophet’ which Frank prepared, after which Father and Joseph F. Smith will review
it and we can then print the same.” President George Q. Cannon had final
approval of the finished product. Each of these Cannon family members were
literary men, often earning their living as editors and publishers of
newspapers and books. A parallel might be drawn with today’s college professor,
who produces a book with his own name as sole author, when in reality one or
more assistants have substantially contributed to the research and writing.
Obviously, as a practical matter, President Cannon’s name would help the book
sell better than his less prominent children. President Cannon’s biographer,
Davis Bitton, wrote, “Of course George Q. Cannon had the final right of
approval and was responsible for the final product” (Davis Bitton, George Q. Cannon: A Biography, 296 and
511 n.140.
President Cannon did some of the
work while serving time in the Utah penitentiary for breaking anti-polygamy
laws. The preface in the first and second editions of the book closes with the
unique notation: “Utah penitentiary, October 1, 1888.” This has given these
editions of the book added desirability among collectors.
Also worth notice is the removal of
a story found in the first and second editions (on pages 56-57), but not the
third and succeeding editions published by Deseret Book. The story relates that
when Martin Harris acted as scribe during a part of the translation of the Book
of Mormon, he substituted a regular rock or pebble for the seer stone which Joseph
may have occasionally used in his work. When Joseph could not then translate,
Martin confessed his prank and returned the real seer stone to Joseph, who went
on with the work. It is not known why it was removed, or who removed it, but
the assumption is that the story may be of questionable historical
authenticity. (Some twenty-six years ago when I first learned of this silent
removal of text by the publisher, I wrote a letter to Deseret Book inquiring
why the story was removed, but was ignored.)
The last
third of the below letter written by President Joseph F. Smith is of some
interest on the question of authorship:
May 27th, 1901
Mrs. Belle Harris Nelson,
Provo
Dear Sister;
… The lady
who stated that Martin Harris apostatized over a pint of milk or striplings is
entirely mistaken as to the identity of the person she accuses. It was stated
and was generally believed that Thomas B. Marsh, the senior member of the
twelve apostles, and at the time the presiding member, got vexed over a pint of
striplings and allowed his passion to get so much the better of him that it
finally led to his and his wife’s apostasy in the church, but no such thing as
this ever happened with Martin Harris or either of the other witnesses to the
Book of Mormon. The trouble with them was, they had endured so much persecution
that they finally yielded so far to the spirit of the world as to claim that it
was through the persistence of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, in the course marked
out for him that persecutions came upon the church, and in this way they fell
into the dark, and finally concluded that Joseph was wrong and had fallen and
was leading the church astray, while they only were right, a very common
condition for apostates. The History of Joseph Smith the Prophet by President
George Q. Cannon was to all intents and purposes written by himself. It is true
that Frank J. Cannon and perhaps John Q. assisted him in the clerical work of
compiling the History, but it all passed through President Cannon’s hands, he
dictating it, reviewing and revising it as any author would do. To this
statement I am prepared to make affidavit if necessary, for I was with
President Cannon during the greater portion of the time which he occupied in
getting out this History.
With very kind regards, your brother,
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