Biography - MARK WHITEAKER
Captain Mark Whiteaker, a prominent and highly respected citizen of Johnson
county and a veteran of the Civil war, now retired after a busy life devoted to
agriculture and public service, is the scion of one of the oldest families of
Southern Illinois. His birth occurred on the 28th day of March, 1833, on a farm
in the southwestern corner of Williamson county, his parents being Hall and
Elvira (Hall) Whiteaker, natives of Tennessee. Hall Whiteaker was the son of
Mark Whiteaker, who came to Southern Illinois among the earliest pioneers, but
who lost his life shortly after his arrival, in 1818.
Mark Whiteaker was reared upon the farm, receiving a practical training in its
many departments and receiving his introduction to the "Three R's" behind a desk
in the district school-room. He enlisted in Company G, of the One Hundred and
Twentieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at the outbreak of the Civil
war. He took the initiative in the organization of the company in Johnson county
and received the rank of captain. He was in service nearly one year, but was
mustered out in June, 1863, on account of disability. He served in and around
Memphis and did scout duty in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. In May 1862,
he went to Vicksburg, but soon returned to Memphis and was quartered at Fort
Pickering. Two brothers, William H. and John A., were in the same regiment and
engaged in General Forrest's raid.
Captain Whiteaker was not the first of his family to come to the defense of the
country in its hour of need, his maternal grandfather, John Dameron, having
served in the Revolutionary war. John Dameron, who was English by birth, was one
of the first pioneers of Burnside township, Johnson county.
When Captain Whiteaker was twenty-five years of age he purchased forty acres of
land in Burnside township, one mile west of New Burnside. Not long afterward he
bought twenty acres more and later one hundred and twenty, making in all a good
sized farm of one hundred and eighty acres. Upon this he resided from his
marriage in 1860 until 1882. In that year he was elected sheriff, and rented a
farm one mile north of Vienna and lived there during his term of sheriff, which
lasted until 1886. He then bought the one hundred and sixty acre farm which he
had been renting and upon this made his residence until 1902, when he sold it
and bought forty acres in Bloomfield township, where he lived until 1907. With
the competence won by many years of diligence and thrift, he decided to retire
from the more strenuous duties of life, and disposing of his farm land, removed"
to Vienna, where he now lives, secure in the high regard of all whoknow him.
Captain Whiteaker has made a good record as a public official, always serving
with credit to himself and profit to his constituents. He was a county
commissioner, or member of the county court, from 1864 to 1868; he served a four
year term as constable of Burnside township; was twelve years justice of the
peace in the same township and held the same office" in Vienna township for four
years. For the past two years he has been police magistrate. In all the length
and breadth of Johnson county it is safe to say no one is better or more
favorably known than this venerable and public-spirited citizen. He has ever
given heart and hand to the men and measure of the Republican party and is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason
and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Captain Whiteaker was happily married October 24, 1860, to Elizabeth Deaton,
daughter of William and Martha Beaton, natives of Alabama, who located in
Southern Illinois at an early date.
Captain and Mrs. Whiteaker became the parents of eleven children, two of whom
died when young and the following being an enumeration of the number: Arista Ann
(McElroy); Martha Elvira (Burris); Geneva A. (Brown); Dr. Hall Whiteaker, Jr.;
William J.; Thomas H., who lost his life on the Illinois Central Railroad;
Charles Franklin, deceased; Elizabeth (Mathis); and Daisy Gertrude (Compton.)
Extracted 07 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Southern Illinois, by George Washington Smith, published in 1912, volume 3, pages 1328-1330.
