He is primarily remembered as one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates.

Born in Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Whitmer moved with his parents to New York in 1809.

In June 1829 he possibly assisted Joseph Smith with the translation of a few pages of the Book of Mormon by acting as his scribe.

On April 11, 1830, he and Ann were baptized into the newly organized Church of Christ.

[3] They subsequently moved to Jackson County, Missouri, where Whitmer was appointed a leading elder of the church.