Dr. Humphrey Gould wrote to his cousin, George Albert Smith of his family and history, May 2, 1870 he confirmed that Asael Smith had a crooked neck, one shoulder higher then the other. Humphrey was born in 1797, the son of a Zaccheus Gould of the fifth generation, who was the same age as Asael Smith. Apparently referring to Asael's retrun to visit Topsfield after moving to Vermont, Humphrey Gould wrote: "My fahter and he were not only first cousins but intimate friends. I remmeber wehn a very small boy seeing him sittinga t my father's table. He wa a wry necked man, which fact attracted my attention." Grandson George Albert Smith also remembererd Asael's physical defect. His family had a nore that he was not deformed in any way, but while a small childe his neck was severely burned, which caused the cords to contract, making his neck stiff: ("Asael Smith of Topsfield)
These notes from Joseph Smith, New England Heritage, page 268 by RIchard Lloyd Anderson 1971/2003