Peter Whitmer Sr. (April 14, 1773 – August 12, 1854) was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family. Whitmer was born in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together:

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, Jacob, John, David, Catherine, Peter Jr., Nancy, and Elizabeth Ann. In 1809, the family moved to Waterloo, New York, where they joined a German Reformed church and where Peter became a road overseer and school trustee. After 1827, they moved to Fayette. In June 1829, Peter's sons and his son-in-law Hiram Page became witnesses to the golden plates. When the

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

was organized on April 6, 1830, the Whitmers were among its first members. Their Fayette home is the traditional site of the church's organization (some place the organization at Manchester, New York). Oliver Cowdery, who had assisted Smith in the translation of the Book of Mormon from the golden plates, married Elizabeth Ann Whitmer in December 1832. All surviving members of the Whitmer family broke with Smith in 1838 in

Far West, Missouri Far West was a settlement of the Latter Day Saint movement in Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, during the late 1830s. It is recognized as a historic site by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, added to the register in 1970. It ...

, and were excommunicated from the church. Whitmer moved to Richmond, Missouri, where he lived until his death.

Notes

References

*Keith W. Perkins
"True to the Book of Mormon—The Whitmers"
'' Ensign'', February 1989. * *Richard Lloyd Anderson
"The Whitmers: A Family that Nourished the Church"
'' Ensign'', August 1979. Cite 1773 births 1854 deaths American Latter Day Saints Converts to Mormonism Doctrine and Covenants people Leaders in the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) People excommunicated by the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) People from Fayette, New York People from Richmond, Missouri People from Waterloo, New York Religious leaders from New York (state) Whitmer family {{LDS-stub