David J. Whittaker
Encyclopedia
David Jay Whittaker is a Mormon historian and bibliographer. He has authored or co-authored seven books and about fifty scholarly articles. He was the curator of Western and Mormon history manuscripts for the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Library of the Harold B. Lee Library
. He was also a professor of history at Brigham Young University
(BYU). Currently he is working with the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
. Whittaker has written several articles for publications from the Ensign to the Journal of Mormon History. Among the articles he has written for the Journal of Mormon History is "East of Nauvoo: Benjamin Winchester and the Early Mormon Church (1995).
Whittaker has also been a Beinecke fellow at Yale University
and a Fulbright Fellow in the David and Mary Eccles Center for American Studies at the British Library in London. Whittaker has served as the president of the Mormon History Association
.
He has written or co-authored several books related to Mormon History. Early Mormon History: A Selected Bibliography, 1771-1847 was published in 1973 by the University of Southern California
. Mormon History a historiagraphical survey of Mormon history written with James B. Allen
and Ronald W. Walker
. Studies in Mormon History, a bibliography of Mormon history which is considered to be the premier collection in this field. He was also a co-author of Men with a Mission: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles (written with James B. Allen and Ron Esplin
.) Whittaker co-edited Supporting Saints with Donald Q. Cannon
. He has also written Mormon Americana: A Guide to Sources and Collections in the United States. Whittaker has also written Early Mormon Pamplettering (published 2003). Whittaker has also published short and highly specialized bibliographies on specific topics in early Mormon History.
Whittaker is married to the former Linda Struhs. They are the parents of four children.
Whittaker and Dean Jessee's 1988 piece in BYU Studies
which examines the Danites using Albert P. Rockwood
's journal is considered one of the best studies on this matter.
Whittaker also wrote the foreword to The Essential Orson Pratt.
Whittaker has lectured widely on the development of early Mormon thought.
Currently Whittaker is on partial leave from BYU and is serving as an editor and team leader for the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Harold B. Lee Library
The Harold B. Lee Library , located in Provo, Utah, is the main academic library of Brigham Young University, the largest religious and second-largest private university in the United States. The library has approximately of shelving for the more than 6 million items in its various collections, as...
. He was also a professor of history at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). Currently he is working with the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Biography
Whittaker received his bachelors degree from BYU in 1967. Whittaker also received his Ph.D. from BYU. Whittaker was a contributor to the Encyclopedia of MormonismEncyclopedia of Mormonism
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism is a semi-official encyclopedia for topics relevant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
. Whittaker has written several articles for publications from the Ensign to the Journal of Mormon History. Among the articles he has written for the Journal of Mormon History is "East of Nauvoo: Benjamin Winchester and the Early Mormon Church (1995).
Whittaker has also been a Beinecke fellow at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and a Fulbright Fellow in the David and Mary Eccles Center for American Studies at the British Library in London. Whittaker has served as the president of the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
.
He has written or co-authored several books related to Mormon History. Early Mormon History: A Selected Bibliography, 1771-1847 was published in 1973 by the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. Mormon History a historiagraphical survey of Mormon history written with James B. Allen
James B. Allen (historian)
James Brown "Jim" Allen is an American historian of Mormonism and was an official Assistant Church Historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1972–1979.-Biography:...
and Ronald W. Walker
Ronald W. Walker
Ronald Warren Walker is a historian of the Latter Day Saint movement who was formerly a professor at Brigham Young University and president of the Mormon History Association.-Biography:...
. Studies in Mormon History, a bibliography of Mormon history which is considered to be the premier collection in this field. He was also a co-author of Men with a Mission: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles (written with James B. Allen and Ron Esplin
Ron Esplin
Dr. Ronald Kent Esplin is the managing editor of The Joseph Smith Papers project and the former director of the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University .- Biography :...
.) Whittaker co-edited Supporting Saints with Donald Q. Cannon
Donald Q. Cannon
Donald Quayle Cannon is a retired professor at Brigham Young University who specializes in Mormon history, particularly early Mormon history and international Mormon history....
. He has also written Mormon Americana: A Guide to Sources and Collections in the United States. Whittaker has also written Early Mormon Pamplettering (published 2003). Whittaker has also published short and highly specialized bibliographies on specific topics in early Mormon History.
Whittaker is married to the former Linda Struhs. They are the parents of four children.
Whittaker and Dean Jessee's 1988 piece in BYU Studies
BYU Studies
BYU Studies is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing articles on a broad array of topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
which examines the Danites using Albert P. Rockwood
Albert P. Rockwood
Albert Perry Rockwood was an early Mormon leader and member of the First Seven Presidents of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....
's journal is considered one of the best studies on this matter.
Whittaker also wrote the foreword to The Essential Orson Pratt.
Whittaker has lectured widely on the development of early Mormon thought.
Currently Whittaker is on partial leave from BYU and is serving as an editor and team leader for the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
Sources
- http://www.dialoguejournal.com/store/?id=76
- Review of Mormon History
- Review of Mormon Americana, in Church History, Vol. 66, No. 1 (Mar, 1997) p. 180-181.
External links
- 19th Century Western & Mormon Manuscripts, curated by Whittaker at BYU