During my stay at the Springs, I became well acquainted with a Mr. Hughes, a banker of Richmond, Clay County, Missouri. In conversations with him, I learned that he was well acquainted with David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon. David Whitmer was living in Richmond, which is located some seventy miles from Sweet Springs, and, at my suggestion, Mr. Hughes agreed to accompany me to Richmond and introduce me to Mr. Whitmer, who was not well at that time, having been severely injured in a cyclone that passed over his home a short time previously, doing considerable damage to that building and others of the neighborhood. The wind had struck the main portion of the home, but had not done any real damage to a small side room that contained the original 'Printer's' copy of the translated portion of the Book of Mormon. In addition to that manuscript, the room contained a large number of books, including early editions of the Book of Mormon, some manuscripts and other relics of the early days of the Church. The 'printer's' manuscript was shown to us. It was written in a plain, but clear, small hand, on paper about like foolscap. We were also shown a piece of paper and we were told that the paper had been taken by Martin Harris and shown to Professor Anthon.
David Whitmer was confined to his bed, but we were introduced to him by one of his grandsons. He was cheerful and apparently in good spirits and received us cordially, making kindly references to his many former acquaintances, Mr. Whitmer Orson Pratt and others. During our interview, Mr. Whitmer reiterated his testimony as given at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, saying that all he testified to there was true; that he had seen the plates and the Heavenly messengers, as he had stated.
The visit was a very interesting one and I have always felt glad that I saw David Whitmer and had from his own mouth the same testimony that is contained in the Book of Mormon and from the only living of the Three Witnesses.
David Whitmer, as I saw him, was a tall spare man, with white hair, worn somewhat long, of a pleasing address and kindly presence.
Editorial note. Cook footnotes the entry (n. 10): "The diary entry is not dated, but the Woolley family has dated this interview sometime in 1882." No day-or-month date is attested in the manuscript; the workspace CSV's "18 Jan 1882" is an over-precise gloss.