Richmond

When we visited Richmond we visited the gravesites of David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdry. At the beginning of church history, David Whitmer and family were called to settle in Missouri while Joseph stayed in Kirtland. He did so and it was said the Joseph was the president of Iowa and David was the president of Missouri -- he really would have been considered a stake president. By the time Joseph Smith moved to Missouri in 1838 David Whitmer was in Far West and there became quite a leadership crisis. David Whitmer and his family left the church and subsequent groups that left the church all commonly wanted Whitmer as their leader. So he must have been a magnificent leader. David Whitmer evenually moved to Richmond, where he died.






Oliver Cowdry left the church at the same time because his wife was a Whitmer. Oliver later rejoined the church and was going to go west with the saints when he came to Richmond so that his wife could say goodby to her family. He suddenly took ill and died. He is buried at Pioneer park, which is kept up by the Church.