Peter Whitmer Farm

The Peter Whitmer Farm visitors center is in the beautiful Fayette LDS chapel. This chapel was built in 1980 for the 150 years commemoration of the restoration of the LDS Church.

Members of the Whitmer family did much to further the budding Church. They took in the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. and his wife Emma for a period of time and allowed Joseph and Oliver Cowdery to work on the translation of the Book of Mormon in their home. Joseph also received revelations comprising 20 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, and some of the first priesthood ordinances were performed in or near this home. The Church was organised on April 6th 1830 in the Whitmer home.

Mary Whitmer had to work hard to maintain the household during the early days of the church. She was shown the plates of the Book of Mormon by a holy angel, whom she always called Brother Nephi. (She undoubtedly refers to Moroni, the angel who had the plates in charge.) Her account is as follows."It was at the time, she said, when the translation was going on at the house of the elder Peter Whitmer, her husband. Joseph Smith with his wife and Oliver Cowdery, whom David Whitmer a short time previous had brought up from Harmony, Pennsylvania, were all boarding with the Whitmers, and my grandmother in having so many extra persons to care for, besides her own large household, was often overloaded with work to such an extent that she felt it to be quite a burden."One evening, when (after having done her usual day's work in the house) she went to the barn to milk the cows, she met a stranger carrying something on his back that looked like a knapsack. At first she was a little afraid of him, but when he spoke to her in a kind, friendly tone and began to explain to her the nature of the work which was going on in her house, she was filled with inexpressible joy and satisfaction. He then untied his knapsack and showed her a bundle of plates, which in size and appearance corresponded with the description subsequently given by the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. This strange person turned the leaves of the book of plates over, leaf after leaf, and also showed her the engravings upon them; after which he told her to be patient and faithful in bearing her burden a little longer, promising that if she would do so, she should be blessed; and her reward would be sure, if she proved faithful to the end. The personage then suddenly vanished with the plates, and where he went, she could not tell. "

From that moment Mary was enabled to perform her household duties with comparative ease, and she felt no more inclination to murmur because her lot was hard. She was a strong believer in the Book of Mormon until the day of her death."