Matthias and his Impostures

Robert Matthews was a religious impostor whose aliases included Robert Matthias, Jesus Matthias, Matthias the Prophet, and Joshua the Jewish Minister. He is remembered today chiefly for his brief encounter with Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Matthews succeeded in convincing three wealthy merchants named Mills, Folger, and Elijah Pierson to give him a great deal of money and the deeds to two houses. Folger went bankrupt and in 1835 had Matthews arrested and briefly incarcerated for obtaining money under false pretenses. Matthews, along with his servant Isabella (later known as Sojourner Truth), was accused of murdering Pierson, but was acquitted. Upon his release from prison later in 1835, Matthews traveled through Ohio, and on 9 November of that year he paid a visit to Joseph Smith. The two discussed resurrection and reincarnation. His meeting with Smith ended with the two prophets denouncing each other as Satanic.