The 26 January 1888 edition of the Missouri Daily Republican reported the death of David Whitmer, the last survivor from the ranks not only of the Three Witnesses but from those of the official Book of Mormon witnesses altogether: “[Special.] — David Whitmer, the last witness to the divinity of the Book of Mormon, died at his home in Richmond, at 5 O’clock this evening, surrounded by his family and a few of his immediate friends. . . . Recently, and during his illness, he claimed to have received many manifestations as to the divinity of the Book of Mormon, and took great pleasure in so stating the fact to his many friends who were assembled at his bed side. And although in his 83rd year, with a feeble constitution and a frame bent with old age, his mind was as bright and active, and his conceptions as clear as the noonday sun.”
Cited by Ronald E. Romig, Eighth Witness: The Biography of John Whitmer [Independence, MO: John Whitmer Books, 2014], 486-487.
For more information, see the Witnesses of the Book of Mormon — Insights series compiled from the many interviews conducted during the course of the Witnesses film project. These episodes are hosted by Camrey Bagley Fox, who played Emma Smith in Witnesses, as she introduces and visits with a variety of experts. These individuals answer questions or address accusations against the witnesses, also helping viewers understand the context of the times in which the witnesses lived. And watch the documentary movie Undaunted. Short clips from the Insights episode are also available on TikTok and Instagram.
Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/theinterpreterfoundation and our other social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.