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Steven L. Mayfield correspondence, 1970-2013

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 3088 Series 5

Scope and Contents

Contains letters and checks, including letters concerning Mark Hoffman's forgery of the Solomon Spaulding letter. Materials dated 1970 to 2013.

Dates

  • 1970-2013

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Steven L. Mayfield papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coordinating Committee.

Biographical / Historical

Mark Hofmann (born 1954) is a convicted forger and murderer in Utah.

Mark W. Hofmann was born December 7, 1954 and grew up in the Salt Lake Valley, eventually graduating from Olympus High School and serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the England Southwest Mission. Hofmann became a coin collector, and by 1978 was also a serious student of Mormon documents. He sold his first Mormon document in October 1979. From then until 1985 he was active in hunting down and studying both Mormon and American historical documents. He forged many false document discoveries, one of the most notable being the "White Salamander" letter. In an attempt to cover the truth of his forgeries from getting out, he murdered 2 people with car bombs before one of his own bombs injured him. He was convicted and is spending the remainder of his life in Utah State Prison.

Extent

1 carton

1 folder

Language of Materials

English

Other Finding Aids

More detailed finding aid available upon request. Further information regarding individual items and accessions is recorded and available.

General

Mark Hofmann forgery of the Solomon Spalding letter is in box 164 folder 24.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States