Joseph Knight Jr. — One of the Very First to Hear Joseph Smith Speak of His Visions (November 1826)

Joseph Knight Jr., the son of Joseph Knight Sr., was one of the very first persons outside the Smith family to hear Joseph Smith speak openly about his visions and the visitation of the angel Moroni. His testimony, preserved in historical recollections, provides a remarkable firsthand witness of the early prophetic experiences of Joseph Smith.

In November 1826, Joseph Smith was working near the Knight farm in Colesville, New York. Joseph Knight Jr., who was about the same age as the Prophet, bunked with him and had the opportunity to hear Joseph speak of his divine experiences. According to the recollection: Joseph Smith "made known to us that he had seen a vision, that a personage had appeared to him and made known to him where the plates were."

This account is remarkable for its timing. In November 1826, nearly a year before Joseph obtained the plates in September 1827, he was already confiding in trusted friends about his visions. Joseph Knight Jr. was one of the very first to hear this extraordinary account directly from the Prophet's own lips. At this early date, Joseph had not yet received the plates; he was still in the period of waiting and preparation that the angel Moroni had mandated.

Joseph Knight Jr.'s testimony is significant for several reasons:

— It places Joseph Smith's account of his visions as early as November 1826 — before the plates were obtained — confirming that Joseph was speaking of his visions before he had any physical evidence (the plates) to show.

— It comes from a young man of approximately the same age as Joseph, who knew him personally and bunked with him, and who had no motive to fabricate such an account.

— It demonstrates that Joseph was not secretive about his visions in the way critics sometimes claim; he shared them with trusted friends and associates even before the plates were obtained.

— It establishes that the Knight family was among the very first to hear and believe Joseph's account of his divine experiences, forming one of the foundational families of the Restoration.

Joseph Knight Jr. and his family were among the first to be baptized when the Church was organized on April 6, 1830. The Knight family's faith was rooted in this early, personal knowledge of Joseph Smith and his visions. Joseph Knight Jr.'s testimony stands as a powerful witness that Joseph Smith was speaking of his visions and divine manifestations well before the Book of Mormon was published, and that those who knew him best believed his account.