I recently contacted the Chenango County historian with regard to the rediscovery of some legal records relating to Joseph Smith. She informed me that the later AP report that she turned over the records to the LDS Church is incorrect. The second version of the story reported that a church spokesperson said that she was pleased that the records had been located and returned to “their proper place,” apparently meaning Chenango County. An AP reporter, however, thought she was referring to the LDS Church and wrote a third version of the story stating that the county historian gave the original records to the church.

In fact, the originals remain in custody of Chenango County, according to the county historian.

She also informed me that the previous county historian was being beseiged in the 1970s by various parties wanting access to the original records. She decided to take personal possession of the records for safety purposes, feeling that they were in danger (they had been stolen once). Over the years she became forgetful and is now in a nursing home. The present county historian feels her predecessor did her best to safeguard the records.