Summary:

Why this matters:

• The Book of Mormon was not unique in it's assertion that the Native Americans came from the house of Israel. Many theologians and the common folk of the day believed that the Native Americans were descended from the Lost Ten Tribes.
• Some early church members used View of the Hebrews as proof of the Book of Mormon's authenticity.
• View of the Hebrews was published 7 years before the Book of Mormon.
• Oliver Cowdery was a native of the same town as Ethan Smith and was a member of his congregation. He would have been very familiar with the book.
• This book has so many similarities that the church historian B.H. Roberts looked into it and stated: 

Did Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews furnish structural material for Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon? It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major things in the other. Not a few things merely, one or two, or half dozen, but many; and it is this fact of many things of similarity and the cumulative force of them that makes them so serious a menace to Joseph Smith's story of the Book of Mormon's origin. - B.H. Roberts, Studies of the Book of Mormon, pg. 240

Summary:

Why this matters:

• The fact that these items were owned by the Smith family implies that they had more than a passing interest in magic.
• It demonstrates that the Smith family and the people of the time had no problem mixing Christianity with magic.
• The purpose of this parchment seems to be to help protect the house from evil.

Summary:

Why this matters:

• The remaining Smith family accused Brigham Young of  having Samuel murdered, although his official cause of death is "bilious fever".
• William Smith, the brother of Joseph and Hyrum and a former apostle (before Brigham Young had him excommunicated), published two newspaper articles about this tragedy. The first stating that his brother Samuel was poisoned and the second pointing an accusing finger directly at Brigham Young:

"I have good reason for believing that my brother Samuel H. Smith, died of poison at Nauvoo, administered by order of Brigham Young and Willard Richards, only a few weeks subsequent to the unlawful murder of my other brothers, Joseph and Hiram Smith, while incarcerated in Carthage jail. 

"Several other persons who were presumed to stand between Brigham Young and the accomplishment of his ambitions and wicked designs, mysteriously disappeared from Nauvoo about the same time, and have never been heard from since." -William Smith, "Mormonism," letter to the “New York Tribune,” 28 May 1857

• Samuel's wife Levira also accused Brigham of having her husband killed. She also stated that Samuel  realized he had been poisoned. "[He ]spit it out and said he was poisoned. But it was too late--he died."
• Samuel's daughter Mary also accused Brigham of having her father killed. 
• Samuel was violently opposed to Polygamy and thus a threat to Brigham Young and his vision of the church, so Brigham had motive.
• Brigham denied from the pulpit any knowledge of Samuel's suspicious death, though he certainly profited from it. 

Summary:

Why this matters:

• The fact that these items were owned by the Smith family implies that they had more than a passing interest in magic.
• It demonstrates that the Smith family and the people of the time had no problem mixing Christianity with magic.
• The purpose of this parchment seems to be to protect from supernatural beings.

Summary:

Why this matters:

• Emily lived with Joseph while he made advances towards her
• Emily first shut him down when he asked if he could write her a letter

After a year in the Smith home, Emily remembers: “...in the spring of 1842...Joseph said to me one day, ‘Emily, if you will not betray me, I will tell you something for your benefit.’ Of course I would keep his secret...he asked me if I would burn it if he would write me a letter. I began to think that was not the proper thing for me to do and I was about as miserable as I ever would wish to be...I went to my room and knelt down and asked my father in heaven to direct me...[At Joseph’s insistence] I could not speak to any one on earth...I received no comfort till I went back...to say I could not take a private letter from him.  He asked me if I wished the matter ended. I said I did.” Emily recalls, “he said no more to me [for many months].”

• Joseph acquired the help of a third party (an older woman already married to Joseph) to help convince Emily to marry Joseph
• Joseph married Emily and her older sister Eliza twice. Once behind Emma's back in secret and then another time when Emma picked out Emily and Eliza as brides for Joseph. They had to pretend they were not already married for Emma and Joseph's sake.

Emily recalls, “I do not know why she gave us to him, unless she thought we were where she could watch us better...” Emily continued, “To save the family trouble Brother Joseph thought it best to have another ceremony performed...[Emma] had her feelings, and so we thought there was no use in saying anything about it so long as she had chosen us herself...Accordingly...we were sealed to JS a second time, in Emma’s presence.” 

Summary:

Why this matters:

• The fact that these items were owned by the Smith family implies that they had more than a passing interest in magic.
• The purpose of this parchment seems to be to help procure a visitation from a supernatural being.
• It demonstrates that the Smith family and the people of the time had no problem mixing Christianity with magic.
• There is an obvious connection to Mormon Temples as they all have the inscription "Holiness to the Lord" on them.