Hiram Page

Hiram Page (1800–1852), was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement and one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon's Golden Plates.

Related Topics:
Latter Day Saint movement - Eight Witnesses - Book of Mormon's - Golden Plates

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On November 10, 1825, Page married Catherine Whitmer who was the daughter of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and Mary Musselman. The two had nine children together: John, Elizabeth, Philander, Mary, Peter, Nancy, Hiram, Oliver, and Kate.

Related Topics:
November 10 - 1825 - Peter Whitmer, Sr. - Mary Musselman

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Page became one of the Eight Witnesses during June of 1829. He and Catherine were baptized on April 11, 1830 by Oliver Cowdery. On June 9, he was ordained a teacher in the church, one of the first 12 officers.

Related Topics:
Eight Witnesses - Oliver Cowdery

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While living with the Whitmers in Fayette, New York, Joseph Smith, Jr. arrives in August of 1830 to discover Hiram using a "seerstone" to receive revelations for the church. The only details of the stone was that it was black. The types of revelations were on the organization and location of Zion. Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmers both believe the revelations he receives, along with probably others. Joseph receives revelation in the September conference of that year to have Oliver Cowdery go and convince Hiram that the revelations are of the devil (D&C 28:11). At the said conference, there is considerable discussion on the topic. Hiram agrees to discard the stone and the revelations he received and joins in following Joseph Smith as the sole revelator for the church. The members present confirm it unanimously with a vote. Later, the stone is ground to powder and the revelations it received are burned.

Related Topics:
Fayette, New York - Joseph Smith, Jr.

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In May of 1831, he moves his family to Thompson, Ohio, under Lucy Mack Smith's direction.

Related Topics:
1831 - Thompson, Ohio - Lucy Mack Smith

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Page moved his family to Jackson County, Missouri in 1832 and joined the Latter Day Saints gathering there. With the other Whitmers, they form a cluster of ten or twelve homes called the "Whitmer Settlement". Hiram owns 120 acres (486,000 m²) of land in the area.

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Amid the building hostilities in the County, Page was severely beaten by a group of non-Mormon vigilantes on October 31, 1833. July 31 and August 6, 1834 he testifies to the facts of the beatings. By 1834, he and his family were expelled along with the other Latter Day Saints, and lived for a time in neighboring Clay County, before moving to Far West.

Related Topics:
Clay County - Far West

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Page and other members of the Whitmer family were excommunicated from the Latter Day Saint church in 1838. He later bought a farm in Excelsior Springs, back in Clay County.

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William E. McLellin baptizes Hiram, David, John, and Jacob on September 6, 1847 into his newly formed Church of Christ. William ordains Hiram a high priest in the church. Hiram participates in the following ordinations.

Related Topics:
William E. McLellin - David - John - Jacob - Church of Christ

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He died on his farm in Excelsior Springs on August 12, 1852, still affirming his testimony of the Book of Mormon. The cause of death was his wagon turning over.

Related Topics:
August 12 - 1852

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A commemorative marker was placed April 27, 2002, on the rediscovered Hiram Page grave, near Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

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