"We feel truly thankful to our white friends who have come so far, and been at such pains to tell us good news, and especially this new news concerning the Book of our forefather;" — Kikthawenund¹

Kikthawenund, also known as Chief William Anderson, was the leader of the Delaware (Lenape) tribe.² For over twenty-five years he struggled to keep his people together while they were being relocated by the U.S. government. In January 1831, Kikthawenund warmly received Latter-day Saint missionaries Oliver Cowdery and Parley P. Pratt. They shared the message of the Book of Mormon and said it was a record of the tribe’s forefathers. Cowdery reported that the Chief believed every word of the Book of Mormon and that many other Delaware also believed. Kikthawenund allowed the missionaries to teach a large council of Delaware and planned for the people to be taught further, but government intervention eventually halt the missionaries’ efforts.³

1. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, Chapter VIII, 60, archive.org

2. "Chief Anderson and His Legacy," Madison County Historical Society

3. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 11, 116-117, 123-124