Folk Magic and Treasure Seeking: The Smith Family's Early Spiritual Landscape

Before the formal organization of Mormonism, Joseph Smith and his family engaged in common 19th-century folk magic and treasure-seeking practices, deeply influencing their early spiritual worldview.

By Garret Merkley · Explainer · Jun 2, 2026

Branched from Smith Family Visions and Dreams: How Spiritual Experiences Shaped Early American Religion

Quick take

The early Smith family, including Joseph, participated in widespread 19th-century folk magic and treasure-seeking traditions.
These practices involved using 'seer stones' to locate lost items, buried treasure, and discern hidden knowledge.
This cultural background provided a conceptual framework for understanding spiritual manifestations and divine communication.
Elements of these early practices, notably the use of a seer stone, later featured in the translation of the Book of Mormon.

In early 19th-century rural America, particularly in regions like upstate New York where the Smith family lived, folk magic and treasure seeking were common cultural practices. This wasn't necessarily seen as separate from or opposed to Christian belief, but rather as an integrated part of how people understood and interacted with the spiritual world. For the Smith family, these activities were a significant part of their daily lives and shaped their understanding of divine communication and spiritual experiences.

The Practices: Seer Stones and Treasure Quests

A central element of this folk magic was the use of 'seer stones' (also called 'peep stones'). These were ordinary-looking stones that certain individuals, known as 'seers' or 'stone-gazers,' claimed could allow them to see visions, locate lost objects, find buried treasure, or interpret hidden meanings. Joseph Smith Sr. and his son Joseph Smith Jr. were both known to possess and use such stones. People would form 'treasure companies,' contributing money and labor to dig for rumored buried riches, often based on a seer's visions. These quests were driven by economic hardship and the popular belief that Spanish conquerors or Native Americans had hidden vast fortunes in the region.

Another practice involved divining rods, typically for finding water or minerals, though sometimes also associated with treasure. These tools and methods were widely accepted as legitimate ways to access hidden knowledge or influence the natural world, operating within a worldview where the veil between the physical and spiritual was considered thin and permeable.

Shaping a Spiritual Worldview

For the Smith family, participation in folk magic and treasure seeking cultivated a particular spiritual sensitivity and a framework for understanding revelations. The idea that hidden knowledge could be revealed through special instruments (like seer stones) and that spiritual beings guarded treasures or communicated with humans was deeply ingrained. This environment fostered a belief in direct divine intervention and the possibility of extraordinary spiritual experiences, preparing them conceptually for later religious claims involving angels, golden plates, and divine translations.

The experiences with seer stones, in particular, provided a tangible precedent for how Joseph Smith Jr. would later describe the process of translating the Book of Mormon. He stated that he used a seer stone, placing it in a hat to block out ambient light, and would see words appear that he would then dictate to scribes. This method drew directly from his earlier experiences with folk magic, demonstrating a continuity in his understanding of how spiritual knowledge could be accessed and conveyed.

Why This History Matters

Understanding the Smith family's engagement with folk magic and treasure seeking isn't about dismissing their later religious claims, but rather about providing crucial historical context for their early spiritual development. It highlights the cultural soil from which Mormonism emerged, showing how prevalent beliefs and practices of the time could inform and shape an individual's spiritual journey. This background helps explain the language Joseph Smith used to describe his visions and the mechanics of the Book of Mormon's translation, revealing a continuity between his early experiences and the foundational events of a new religious movement. It underscores that early American religious experiences often blended what we might now separate as 'magic' and 'religion' into a singular, integrated worldview.

Was folk magic considered unusual or sinful in early 19th-century America?

While some mainstream religious leaders condemned it as superstitious or even demonic, for many ordinary people, folk magic practices like using seer stones or divining rods were common and not necessarily seen as antithetical to their Christian faith. They were often viewed as practical ways to deal with daily challenges, find lost items, or understand the unseen world.

Did Joseph Smith continue treasure seeking after founding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

Joseph Smith largely moved away from treasure seeking after his religious experiences began to mature and the Church was organized. However, the conceptual framework and tools, particularly the seer stone, were recontextualized and applied to his religious work, most notably in the translation of the Book of Mormon.

How did the Smith family's folk magic background influence their understanding of angels and revelations?

Their experiences with folk magic fostered a worldview where the spiritual and physical worlds were closely intertwined. The idea of spiritual beings guarding treasures or communicating through seers provided a conceptual foundation for understanding later claims of angelic visitations, divine revelations, and the discovery of ancient records.

Were the Smith family ever accused of fraud related to treasure seeking?

Yes, Joseph Smith Jr. was brought to court in 1826 on a charge related to 'glass-looking' (using a seer stone) and failing to find treasure, though the exact outcome of the trial is debated among historians. Such accusations were not uncommon for those involved in treasure-seeking ventures that often yielded no results.

Sources

Quinn, D. Michael. *Early Mormonism and the Magic World View*. Signature Books, 1998.
Bushman, Richard Lyman. *Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling*. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.
Hill, Marvin S. *Quest for Refuge: The Mormon Flight from American Pluralism*. Signature Books, 1989.