Whittaker was born in Oldham, England and became a weaver and a member of the artisan and merchant class.
Under Whittaker's lead, Shaker communities were formed in New England and the meetinghouse was built at Mount Lebanon in 1785.
[3] Whittaker had suffered from physical abuse and traveled a great deal for the sect.
Having a premonition of his death, he chose to die at Enfield, Connecticut Shaker community.
After James Whittaker's death in 1787, the American Joseph Meacham, with whom he had a power struggle, became the next leader of the Shakers.