David Whitmer was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint Movement and one of the Three Witnesses to the gold plates of the Book of Mormon. Whitmer later distanced himself from Joseph Smith and was excommunicated from the church in 1838, but continued to affirm his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He separated, mainly troubled by polygamy, and created an offshoot of the LDS church called the Church of Christ. He was the most-interviewed Book of Mormon witness.