Summary:
Captain William Kidd was a privateer and pirate that sailed the Indian Ocean. At first he only attacked French ships but after he took a huge English ship he was marked for piracy and several naval commanders began to hunt for Kidd. He ditched at least some treasure in the New England area knowing that it was only a matter of time before he was captured. He hoped that he could use the hidden location of the treasure to bargain for his life. He was arrested in Boston and to this day some people believe his treasure is yet to be found. Over time this hidden treasure contributed to the legends and myths about Captain Kidd.
Why this matters:
- Joseph Smith and his contemporaries were fascinated by William Kidd and believed his treasure could be found in their geographical region
- According to witnesses, Joseph owned "dime novels" about Captain Kidd and likely read other works about the notorious pirate that were popular at the time.
- Eyewitness accounts, including Porter Rockwell state that Joseph, with the aid of his "peep stone", was looking for Kidd's treasure along the Susquehanna River and that he had a vision through the stone where he saw Kidd sailing up the River to hide his treasure, and described in great detail, where it was hidden, yet the treasure was not found.
- There is some Book of Mormon connections regarding the names Cumorah and Moroni which are unusual names but appear together in Kidd's history and on maps from the era.
Learn More:
- Wikipedia - William Kidd
- MormonThink - Joseph Smith, Captain Kidd, Cumorah and Moroni
- FairMormon - Comoros Islands and Moroni
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