Mary Musselman Whitmer Timeline

August 27, 1778

Mary Elsa Musselman is born in Germany to Jacob and Elizabeth Musselman

Before 1798

Mary immigrates to Pennsylvania.

Meets and marries Peter Whitmer, a farmer, also of German descent.

1809

They move to Waterloo, New York and later purchase a farm in Fayette, New York.

They have eight children: Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, John Whitmer, David Whitmer, Catherine Whitmer Page, Peter Whitmer Jr., Nancy Whitmer, and Elizabeth Whitmer Cowdery.

May, 1829

David Whitmer arrives in Harmony, Pennsylvania, and first meets Joseph Smith.


Peter and Mary Whitmer's Home

June, 1829

Joseph and Emma Smith move to Fayette, New York with David Whitmer’s aid, to continue the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Mary Whitmer is shown the plates by Moroni.

Joseph Smith finishes translating the Book of Mormon at the Whitmer home.

April 6, 1830

The Church is officially and legally organized and holds it’s first meeting in Mary’s log home.

April 18, 1830

Mary is baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Oliver Cowdery.

1831

Moves with her family to an area near Kirtland, Ohio

1832

Moves to Jackson County, Missouri.

1833

Moves to Clay County, Missouri.

1838

Moves to Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri.

April, 1838

Numerous Church members are excommunicated for apostasy including David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery.

June, 1838

Sidney Rigdon preaches the “Salt Sermon” on June 17th.

Mary and the surviving members of the Whitmer family (Peter Jr. and Christian were deceased by this time) move to Richmond, Missouri, where they live out the rest of their days.

January 1856

Mary dies at Richmond, Missouri at the age of 77.