Oliver Cowdery was born in the town of Wells, Rutland County, Vermont, October, 1805. About 1825 he removed to the State of New York, and was employed as clerk in a store until the winter of 1828-9, when he taught school in the town of Manchester, Ontario County, New York. There he became acquainted with the family of Joseph Smith, Sr., who sent children to his school, and Oliver went to board with them.

While here he learned of Joseph Smith, the younger, having found plates containing ancient records of the history of the early settlers of this, the American continent, and revealed to him by a heavenly messenger. This so engaged his attention and occupied his mind that he could not be satisfied until he made a visit to the now reputed Prophet, which he did at Harmony, Pennsylvania, on the fifth day of April, 1829.