Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources: John Whitmer, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)
John Whitmer, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2025)
John Whitmer
(1802–78)
John Whitmer, ca. 1870, photograph, Church History Library, PH 1700 77.
John Whitmer was born in Pennsylvania. He was baptized in Seneca County, New York, in June 1829. Whitmer served as one of Joseph Smith’s scribes during the translation of the Book of Mormon and for the Bible revision, and he was one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Several early revelations were directed wholly or in part to Whitmer (Doctrine and Covenants 15; 26; 30). In December 1830, he relocated from New York to Kirtland, Ohio. In 1831 he was appointed Church Historian (Doctrine and Covenants 47) and began writing a history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Doctrine and Covenants 69). In 1833 he married Sarah Maria Jackson. In 1834 he was appointed assistant to the Missouri Church presidency. He later served as editor of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, and during 1836 and 1837, he helped the Latter-day Saints establish a settlement at Far West, Missouri. However, he was excommunicated in March 1838 and expelled from Far West the following June.
References in the Doctrine and Covenants