.

William Smith 

“After my father's family moved to New York State, in about five years they cleared sixty acres of land, and fenced it. The timber on this land was very heavy. Some of the elms were so large that we had to nigger them off. They were too large to be cut with a cross-cut saw. We built a frame dwelling house and out buildings. My brothers Joseph and Hyrum had to work. Joseph did not have time to make gold plates.

The time to receive the plates came at last. When Joseph received them, he came in and said: "Father, I have got the plates." …Father knew his child was telling the truth. When the plates were brought in they were wrapped in a tow frock. My father then put them into a pillow case. Father said, "What, Joseph, can we not see them?"

"No, [said Joseph] I was disobedient the first time, but I intend to be faithful this time; for I was forbidden to show them until they are translated, but you can feel them."

"We handled them [the plates] and could tell what they were. They were not quite as large as this Bible. Could tell whether they were round or square.  Could raise the leaves this way (raising a few leaves of the Bible before him). One could easily tell that they were not stone, hewn out to deceive, or even a block of wood. Being a mixture of gold and copper, they were much heavier than stone, and very much heavier than wood.”

 

"I was permitted to lift them as they lay in a pillow case; but not to see them, as it was contrary to the commands he had received. They weighed about sixty pounds according to my best judgment. They were not quite as large as this Bible. . . . One could easily tell that they were not stone, hewn out to deceive, or even a block of wood. Being a mixture of gold and copper, they were much heavier than stone, and very much heavier than wood. "  (William Smith interview, The Saints’ Herald, 4 October 1884, 644.)

Source and Additional Information:
Biographies of the eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
Life, Character and Testimonies of The Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon 
And Other Statements and Testimonies Relating To the Book of Mormon
Biographies in Preston Nibley Witnesses of the Book of Mormon Deseret Book Co., 1958