Joseph Smith’s history says Oliver Cowdery began work as his scribe on April 7, 1829.
History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834], p. 13, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed October 15, 2025
On the fifth day of Aprile Eighteen hundred and twenty nine Oliver Cowdery came to my house, untill when I had never seen him. He stated to me that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided, and my father being one of those who sent to the school, he had went to board for a season at my father’s house, and while there the family related to him the circumstance of my having received the plates, and accordingly he had came to make enquiries of me.
Two days after the arrival of Mr Cowdery (being the seventh of April) I commenced to translate the book of Mormon and he commenced to write for me, which having continued for some time I enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin and obtained the following revelation.
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