Editing Michigan relics (section)

=="Discovery" of the Relics==
In October 1890, James O. Scotford of [[Edmore, Michigan]], claimed that he had found a number of artifacts, including a clay cup with strange symbols and carved tablets, with symbols that looked vaguely [[logogram|hieroglyph]]ic. The find attracted interest, and eager looters arrived to look for more artifacts. Many more elaborate discoveries were made in the area around Wyman in [[Montcalm County, Michigan]] following Scotford's original discovery.<ref>Kelsey, Francis W., "Archaeological Forgeries from Michigan." ''American Anthropologist'', New Series, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1908), 48-59. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/659777.pdf</ref> Scotford was a well-known digger and sign painter in the area of Wyman. He and his company "would dig until they located an artifact, and then the dignitaries who sponsored the work were invited to remove that artifact".<ref name=Stamps/> Within the first year of Scotford's initial discovery a syndicate was formed in Montcalm County of interested parties. The syndicate purchased many of the artifacts and attempted to exploit the finds financially for the region.<ref>{{Cite journal| first= Mark |last= Ashurst-McGee | date= 2001|title= Mormonism's Encounter with the Michigan Relics |journal= BYU Studies|volume= 40 |issue= 3 |pages= 177–178|url= https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/mormonisms-encounter-with-michigan-relics  }}</ref>

By 1907, Scotford joined forces with [[Daniel E. Soper]], former [[Michigan Secretary of State]], and together they presented thousands of objects made of various materials, supposedly found in 16 counties across Michigan.  Soper had resigned as Secretary of State for the State of Michigan after being accused of embezzlement. The objects included coins, pipes, boxes, figurines and [[cuneiform]] tablets that depicted various biblical scenes, including Moses handing out the tablets of the [[Ten Commandments]]. On November 14, 1907, the ''Detroit News'' reported that Soper and Scotford were selling copper crowns they had supposedly found on heads of prehistoric kings, and copies of [[Noah]]'s diary. Scotford often arranged for a local person to witness him "unearthing" the objects.

Scotford and Soper had many trusting customers who strongly believed in the relics. In 1911, one John A. Russell published a pamphlet, "Prehistoric discoveries in Wayne County, Michigan," in which he argued for their authenticity. James Savage, former pastor of the [[Most Holy Trinity Church, Detroit|Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], bought 40 of the objects. Savage believed them to be "remains relevant to the descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel,"<ref>{{cite book|author=Givens, Terryl L.|year=2002|title=By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=108}}</ref> and continued to believe in the relics until his death (in 1927).