The previous wars had ceased in the thirty-first year of the Reign of the Judges (Alma 62:39). Now, in the thirty-fifth year, both Helaman and Moroni, two of the great leaders during those war years, have died. We do not know how old they were, or whether there were injuries that they had sustained in the battles that might have complicated their health. We only know that they died in the same year.
Rather than giving the job of record keeping to his son, Helaman designates his brother, Shiblon, as the record keeper. Helaman does have a son, but we are not told why he does not get the records at this time.