John Whitmer was born 27 August 1802 in York, York County, Pennsylvania, United States to Peter Whitmer (1773-1854) and Mary Elsa Musselman (1778-1856) and died 11 July 1878 Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, United States of unspecified causes. He married Sarah Mariah Jackson (1809-1873) 10 February 1833 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.
Biography
Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery (1806-1850), June 1829, most likely in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. Acted as scribe during translation of Book of Mormon at Whitmer home. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Ordained an elder, by 9 June 1830. Copied revelations as scribe to JS, July 1830. Sent by Joseph Smith (1805-1844) to Kirtland, Ohio, ca. Dec. 1830.
Ordained a high priest by Lyman Wight (1796-1858), 4 June 1831, at Kirtland. With Oliver Cowdery, left Ohio to take revelations to Missouri for publication, Nov. 1831. Appointed member of United Firm, Apr. 1832. Married to Sarah Maria Jackson by William W. Phelps, 10 Feb. 1833, at Kaw Township, Jackson Co., Missouri. Expelled from Jackson Co. into Clay Co., Missouri, Nov. 1833.
Book of Mormon Witness
The Eight Witnesses, by Olinda Reynolds
- See article Witnesses of the Book of Mormon]
John Whitmer is most famous for being one of the eight witnesses to whom Joseph Smith (1805-1844) showed the Gold Plates from which he translated the Book of Mormon. He was one of the earliest of converts to the Latter Day Saint movement.
This second group of witnesses met together outside the Joseph Smith home in Fayette, New York, on 02 July 1829, just four days after the experience of the Three Witnesses.[1]
Unlike the Three Witnesses, the Eight testified that they both saw and handled the plates. Another difference is that the Eight testified that they were shown the plates by Joseph Smith rather than by an angel as had the Three Witnesses.
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
- Christian Whitmer (1798-1835)
- Jacob Whitmer (1800-1856)
- Peter Whitmer (1809-1836)
- John Whitmer (1802-1878)
- Hiram Page (1800-1852)
- Joseph Smith (1771-1840)
- Hyrum Smith (1800-1844)
- Samuel H Smith (1808-1844)
1830 LDS Church Organization
1830 Whitmer log home re-creation.
On 06 Apr 1830, Joseph Smith (1805-1844) and five other men officially organized a new church in accordance with the laws of the state of New York at the Whitmer Family Farm in Fayette, New York.
Today, visiters can tour the farm where Peter Whitmer, Sr. and his wife Mary supported the Book of Mormon translation, hosted the newborn Church, and witnessed some of Joseph Smith’s earliest revelations. On this land, some of the foundational events of the Restoration unfolded and some of the first Saints gained testimonies of God’s latter-day work.
Second LDS Church Historian
The church was formally organized on April 6, 1830. Whitmer was one of the earliest members and he was ordained an elder of the church on June 9. The next year, on March 8, 1831, Smith said that he received a revelation from God, calling Whitmer to "write and keep a regular history" of the church. This revelation was printed by Latter Day Saints as Book of Commandments 50, and in the Doctrine and Covenants (originally section 63, the revelation is now section 47 of the LDS Church edition).
Appointed church historian, ca. Mar. 1831. He worked on a church history, 1831–ca. 1847.
He never returned to the church but continued to affirm the testimony of the golden plates until his death. Although he refused to release historical documents when he left the church, his descendants provided an exact copy of the early history to the Mormon Church in 1893.
- See also D&C 47 -
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 8, 1831. John Whitmer, who had already served as a clerk to the Prophet, initially hesitated when he was asked to serve as the Church historian and recorder, replacing Oliver Cowdery (1806-1850). He wrote, “I would rather not do it but observed that the will of the Lord be done, and if he desires it, I desire that he would manifest it through Joseph the Seer.” After Joseph Smith received this revelation, John Whitmer accepted and served in his appointed office.
Behold, it is expedient in me that my servant John should write and keep a regular history, and assist you, my servant Joseph, in transcribing all things which shall be given you, until he is called to further duties. Again, verily I say unto you that he can also lift up his voice in meetings, whenever it shall be expedient. And again, I say unto you that it shall be appointed unto him to keep the church record and history continually; for Oliver Cowdery I have appointed to another office. Wherefore, it shall be given him, inasmuch as he is faithful, by the Comforter, to write these things. Even so. Amen.
LDS Missouri Church Presidency
Memorial Plaque located at the foot of the gravestone for John Whitmer.
Appointed an assistant to his brother David Whitmer in Missouri church presidency, July 1834. Editor of LDS Messenger and Advocate, Kirtland, 1835–1836. Lived in Clay Co., 1836. Helped establish Latter-day Saints at Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, 1836–1837. Excommunicated, 10 Mar. 1838, at Far West. Expelled from Far West; moved to Richmond, Ray Co., Missouri, June 1838. Returned to Far West after departure of Latter-day Saints.
Later in 1831, Whitmer joined the growing number of Latter Day Saints in Jackson County, Missouri. Local opposition to Mormon settlement in the county resulted in the expulsion of most of the Latter Day Saints by the summer of 1833. Whitmer, along with many of the others, took refugee in neighboring Clay County, Missouri. At a July 3, 1834, conference of the church, Whitmer's brother David was called to be the president of the church in Missouri. John Whitmer and W. W. Phelps were called as David's counselors. Because David returned to Kirtland, John Whitmer and Phelps were left to preside in his absence. Whitmer wrote several petitions to Missouri's governor, Daniel Dunklin, asking that the Latter Day Saints be allowed to return to their lands in Jackson County.
Working with sympathetic non-Mormon residents in Clay County, Missouri, including Alexander Doniphan, Whitmer and Phelps began to purchase land northeast of Clay in what became a new county, set aside for Mormon settlement. Together with Phelps, Whitmer purchased land for the church in his name in what became Caldwell County and founded the town of Far West, Missouri.
Whitmer's Excommunication
Problems at church headquarters in Kirtland relating to the Kirtland Safety Society bank caused Smith and Sidney Rigdon to relocate to Far West in early 1838. A brief leadership struggle ensued, which led to the excommunication of the entire Whitmer family as well as Oliver Cowdery, Phelps, and others. These men continued to live in Far West for a time and became known as the "dissenters". Sidney Rigdon, in his "Salt Sermon", warned the dissenters to leave the county and his words were soon followed up by perceived threats from the newly formed Mormon confraternity known as the Danites.
The Whitmer family moved to Richmond in neighboring Ray County, Missouri. Their complaints and those of the other dissenters are sometimes cited as one of the causes of the 1838 Mormon War. This conflict between Latter Day Saints and their neighbors in northwestern Missouri ended with the expulsion of the former, who eventually relocated to a new headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois.
Whitmerite Church Sect
Whitmer's parents and his brother David remained in Richmond for the rest of their lives, but John and his own family returned to Far West. Emptied of the Latter Day Saints, Far West became a ghost town. Many of its houses were moved off to other settlements, and Far West lost the county seat to nearby Kingston. Whitmer continued to live in Far West, buying up land (including the proposed temple site) and eventually amassing a large farm. He occasionally gave visitors tours of the former settlement.
After Smith's death in 1844, several leaders asserted their claims to be his rightful successor. Among these was Whitmer's brother David. In 1847, Whitmer was briefly part of a renewed Church of Christ (Whitmerite).
Whitmer died in Far West. He is buried in Kingston Cemetery in nearby Kingston.
In Sept. 1847, met with his brother David Whitmer and William E. McLellin at Far West in an attempt to reconstitute Church of Christ under presidency of David Whitmer. Died at site of Far West.
Book of John Whitmer
After his call as Church Historian, Whitmer began to write a record entitled The Book of John Whitmer, Kept by Commandment. His book begins with an account of events leading up to the relocation of the church's headquarters from New York to Kirtland, Ohio. He discusses many of the troubles experienced by the Latter Day Saints in Missouri and ends the work with an account of his own excommunication in March 1838. Afterwards, a continuation tells of the mistreatment he felt he and the other dissenters had received at the hands of Smith and Rigdon. Whitmer's manuscript is now in the archives of the Community of Christ.
Marriage and Family
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Nancy Jane Whitmer (1834-1834) | |||
| John Oliver Whitmer (1835-1846) | |||
| Sarah Elizabeth Whitmer (1837-1922) | |||
| Alexander Peter Jackson Whitmer (1841-1864) | |||
| Jacob David Jefferson Whitmer (1843-1921) | |||
Siblings
Vital Records
Missouri Gravestone
- Location: Kingston Cemetery
John Whitmer Historical Association
- John Whitmer Historical Assocation - Official Website if JWHA
On September 18, 1972, historians and scholars associated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church) founded the John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA) as "an independent scholarly society composed of individuals of various religious faiths who share a lively interest in ... Latter Day Saint history, especially the history of the Community of Christ."[1] The association publishes two academic journals (John Whitmer Historical Association Journal and Restoration Studies) and a newsletter as well as holding conferences and lecture series and giving awards.[2]
References
- John Whitmer Biography - JosephSmithPapers.
- Wikipedia:John Whitmer
- The Whitmers: A Family that Nourished the Church - LDS Ensign Aug 1979.
- True to the Book of Mormon: The Whitmers - LDS Ensign Feb 1989.
- Whitmer Farm - LDS Church Historic Sites.
- John Whitmer at Find A Grave #13033
- ^ Anderson, Gale Yancey (Spring 2012), "Eleven Witnesses Behold the Plates", Journal of Mormon History 38 (2)