Summary:

Why this matters:

• The Smith family had a business where farmers and other land owners would pay them to search for buried treasure on their property. There was a general conception that there was lots of buried chests and ancient Native American gold in the hills and mounds around the countryside.
• As far as the records indicate, the Smith's would never find anything instead explaining that the enchantments were too strong, or that the spirit guarding the treasure could not be appeased. They would explain that the chest of gold would slip deeper into the earth, always just out of reach.
• Magic Circles are typically viewed today as a type of witchcraft, yet here we have the first prophet of the Mormon faith fully believing and performing these magic ceremonies.