Edward Stevenson Interview, 22-23 December 1877, Richmond, Missouri, From Diary of Edward Stevenson
Three Witnesses
Friday 21… put up at the Hudgins Hotel [in Richmond, Ray County, Missouri] about 10 p.m.
Sat 22. after Breakfast wee took a walk up to David Whitmers the onley one of the 3 Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, that is now Living & Spent 4 [h]ours with him & again 4 [h]ours more in the Evening it being about 9 P. M. on Sunday Evening about 2 [h]ours again So that in all wee Spent 10 [h]ours haveing & being herd and as I was Successful in Emegrateing Martin Harris to Utah, I hope & Pray that I may be instrumental in the hands of the Lord in doing good & Bring Bro David to Zion. I will relate Some of the Items of Conversation as they Passed between us. [page 11]
Bro David Please relate your feelings in regard to the Testamoney of yours in the Book of Mormon, & the orrigen of the Gosple through Joseph Smith. Well as I know that the Sun Shines So do I know that I was Plowing one forenoon & I herd a voice & Saw a Personage Who Said Blessed is the Lord & he that keepeth his Comandments & the very next Round Bro. Joseph & Oliver Came along & Said come David & be one of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon Wee walked through A clearing & all Sat on a log it was about 11 A. M. When A Light appeared & it Grew Brighter until an Angle Stood before us and on the appearance of A table Was laid the Plates Urum & Thumin Ball or Director Sword of Laban &c & A voice Declared & Bore record of the truth of the Translation turning the Leaves over & thus the vision ended.
David Whitmer is 73 in Jan. 1878, & Stands 5, 10 in. & Weighs 150 lbs. fair & Prominent Features, he has only one son David & one Daughter Now A Widdow. Wee had Shown us the Transcript Coppy of the original of the Book of Mormon Written by Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, Em[m]a Smith, the Prophets Wife, & Ch[r]istian Whitmer. It was foolscap & about 2 inches thick & clean & well preserved, he Gave us the Names of the 6-at the organisation of the Church
1 Joseph Smith Jr
2 Oliver Cowdry
3 David Whitmer
4 Hyrum Smith
5 John Whitmer
6 Christian Whitmer As near as he could remember it was about Diner time at Peter Whitmers house, thare was presant about 40 or 50 Persons Mostley Members of the Church at F[ayet]t N York his testamoney is as Strong as Possible that Joseph Smith did receive Revelations & did organise the Church With apostles & Gifts on the Rock. But at the Reorganisation about the year 1836, varied Some as for Instance Nameing the Church [page 12] of Christ the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, & young David spoke up Saying that that Was about the first Dispute or disagreement betwee[n] the Prophet and his father, he alsoe States that the Prophet Suffered the Publication of the Revelations (Doctrine & Convents) to be Printed, in Jackson Co Mo Premature & that he told them that it would result in Evil & that the Prophet had Gone astray & he did not believe in Revelations Received By the Prophet Since that time & that Evry one was for Something & his time would come by & by. that his testamoney was now going the World over in the Book of Mormon
[above the margin]
David Said that the Prophet translated first by the Urim & thumim & afterwards by A Seer Stone-E Stevenson
[The Whitmer group] they No. [number] about 15 & hold meeting in the Whitmer School house [south of Richmond] once in 2 or 3 weeks. Wee Bore A Faithful testamoney to him of the work being onward & Invited him to give heed & Search for the mind of the Lord & gather up to Zion in the tops of the mountains acording to Isaiah 2 Chap & that at anytime that wee would be on hand to Render him Evry necessary assistance & that I would [do] any thing for him he could write to me any time
Bro dark alsoe Made the Same Proposition & Said take our Names & he observed I have his Name aludeing to me. I am Sattisfied that he Pertook of our spirit Even the Spirit of Zion I also Bore Remembrance of Orson Pratt & W. Woodruff Inviteing him in his old age to visit Zion & be Blesed &c &c
Sunday 23d Wee visited Christian Church & alsoe Methodest meeting afternoon & Evening alsoe the Graves of the Father & Mother of David Whitmer & Oliver Cowdry the court House & Whare the old Jail was that contained our brethren in 1838 & Paid our Last visit to David W. & had the opertunity of Speaking to Several on our doctrines in our [page 13] Hotel one of the Conspikous ones Was Gen Donophin who was A Guest at our Hotel. The Sen paid the best of attention. I [k]new the Sen when he was practicing law in Liberty Clay Co concerning this co. & he is who was the noble general who at Far west said he would move his reg. before that he would consent to shed innocent blood.
... She [David's mother, Mary M. Whitmer] Died in the room ware Wee visited Sitting up in her chair without a Strugle.
[Lyndon Cook, David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness (Orem, UT: Grandin Book Company, 1991), 10-13; see also Edward Stevenson, Journal, MS 4086, reel 2, folder 5, vol. 14, LDS Family and Church Historical Department, Archives.]
Recommended Reading: Lyndon W. Cook, ed., David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness (Orem, UT: Grandin, 1991).
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