In the aftermath of the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri, John Whitmer moved back to Far West and consolidated large land holdings from the departing Saints. He even acquired the temple site.

    As vacated city lots quickly reverted to sections of farmland, John reclaimed his former farm and log house east of town in July of 1839. The location where his log house once stood is now in the middle of a field, south east of the temple site. John's made his living by farming, raising stock, hauling freight, and selling various wood and lumber products. John and Sarah Whitmer's surviving daughter [Sarah Elizabeth (Whitmer) Johnson] was born in her father's hotel, just south of the Public Square. The family prospered and in 1856 John constructed a larger frame house on the farm about 100 yards north of their earlier log home site.

    John and Sarah lived in this frame house the rest of their lives. Sarah Maria (Jackson) Whitmer, died first, 15 October 1873. John died on 11 July 1878 at the age of seventy-five. His obituary stated, “Mr. Whitmer remained at Far West and has since been a highly respected and law abiding citizen.” He was buried locally, in the Kingston Cemetery, Kingston, Missouri. His family marked his grave with an unusual and impressive white marble gravestone. John's estate included 625 acres of farmland at Far West, considerable livestock and farm machinery, as well as his elegant home.

    Many of their descendants remained in the Far West area. Sarah Johnson continued living in the old Whitmer homestead following her parent's death. During the 1880s, their son Jacob D. Whitmer was noted for having one of the best farms in that part of the country, including the Temple Block, which he had inherited from his father. It has been said, John D. “never plowed the temple site, leaving about two acres untouched by plow or otherwise. The Jacob D. Whitmer's residence was just east of the temple site.
    -edited by Romig, 9-16-2002