Harriet "Hattie" L. Whitaker (b. Shriver) (1839-1911) was born in Iowa and died in Los Angeles, California. In 1866, she married Reuben Whitaker, who had been a drugstore clerk and served in the Union Army, but later became a bookseller, stationer and wallpaper dealer, from 1878-1887 together with her brother Levi P. Shriver as Whitaker & Shriver and later on his own. Whitaker's first contact with Christian Science came through being treated by Jennie B. Fenn of Omaha. She and Reuben were sufficiently impressed by her experience that Reuben became an agent for Eddy's books, and the couple went on to study Christian Science. The Whitakers took the Primary Class with Fenn around 1886 and wrote in 1887 asking to take the Normal Class with Eddy. Instead, in 1888, the couple took the Primary Class with Eddy. That same year they joined the Christian Scientist Association and had a brief personal meeting with Eddy. The couple worked together as pracitioners and were listed in The Christian Science Journal from 1887 until their respective deaths.Reuben proposed starting a Christian Science Academy with Harriet S. Cowan, who had taken the Primary Class at the same time as the couple. In 1892, the couple moved to Los Angeles, California, and were instrumental in setting up a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, there. Both were granted the degree of C.S.D. in 1905.

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