In the latter county he acted a short time as a temporary High Councilor and also as a member of the building committee for the erection of the Lord's House at Far West. He severed his connection with the Church in 1838, after which he settled near Richmond, Ray Co., where he remained until his death which occurred April 21, 1856. He was then 56 years 2 months and 26 days old. He was a shoemaker bv trade and also owned a little farm at the time of his demise. One of his sons, David P. Whitmer, was a lawyer of considerable prominence and served one or more terms as mayor of Richmond. His only living daughter, Mrs. Mary Ann Bisbee, widow of the late J. P. Bisbee, lives near Richmond, Mo., and has been a widow for a number of years. John C. Whitmer, his only remaining son, also lives about a mile south of Richmond. He is the custodian of the original Church record which his uncle John Whitmer refused to give up to the proper authorities, and he also presides over the so-called "Whitmer Faction" or the Church of Christ, who believe in some of the doctrines taught by the Prophet Joseph and reject others.

John C. Whitmer testified to the writer of this article in September, 1888, as follows: "My father (Jacob Whitmer) was always faithful and true to his testimony in regard to the Book of Mormon, and confirmed it on his death-bed." From other sources it is known that Jacob Whitmer ever remained firm and stead- fast to his testimony of the divinity of that sacred record, of which he was permitted to be so important a witness.