Luke Johnson publishes his history "History of Luke Johnson," Millennial Star 26 (December 31, 1864). It is the ultimate source for the castration story:
In the fall of [sic, should be spring of 1832], while Joseph was yet at my father's [John Johnson], a mob of forty or fifty came to his house, a few entered his room in the middle of the night, and Carnot Mason dragged Joseph out of bed by the hair of his head; he was then seized by as many as could get hold of him, and taken about forty rods from the house, stretched on a board, and tantalized in the most insulting and brutal manner; they tore off the few night clothes that he had on, for the purpose of emasculating him, and had Dr. Dennison there to perform the operation; but when the Dr. saw the Prophet stripped and stretched on the plank, his heart failed him, and he refused to operate.
[Source: Exploring Mormonism: Polygamy Timeline, http://www.exploringmormonism.com/polygamy-timeline/]
see HC 1:261-264 (late Saturday Mar.24,1832 at Hiram, Ohio).
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