WILSON B WHITLEY, b 5 Feb 1820

WHITLEY, AMES, RIGBY, CRONK, SWEESY

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/28/2005 at 17:54:36

This name is recognized as representing one of the finest families in Farmers' Creek Township, people of more than ordinary intelligence, educated and refined, and held in the highest respect by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. They occupy one of the finest homesteads in the south-western part of the county, and have borne no unimportant part in its moral as well as its financial development.

It may be well before proceeding further, to glance at the ancestry of Mr. Whitley, which is traced to the North of England. His father, George by name, was the son of John Whitley, who emigrated from his native hills when a young man of twenty-one years, and going into the city of London indulged too heartily in the various attractions presented him, and was arrested by the Press Gang, and put on board a man-of-war. Upon learning he was to be taken to America he swore he would desert at the first chance and join the American Army. He finally made his escape, and succeeded in reaching Long Island Sound, although shot at several times, one ball striking the little boat by which he had escaped, and one going through his coat. He was closely followed for three days along the Atlantic shore, and soon after setting foot upon terra firma was pressed into the ranks of the American army.

Thus originated the name of Whitley in the United States. After the war had ended grandfather Whitley settled in New Hampshire, where he was first married to a lady who became the mother of one child and died. He contracted a second union with a lady of German descent, whose name has not been preserved, and to them there was born a family of sixteen children, George, the father of our subject, being the fourth child. A few years later they removed, first to Vermont and then to New York State, and in the latter spent the remainder of their lives.

The father of our subject, in Tioga County, N.Y. married Miss Anna Jones, whose father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and who died in the army. this union resulted in the birth of six children, namely: Wilson B., our subject; Almira, Lyman, Matilda, Wilburn, and Loueza, of whom only two are living: the latter named, and Wilson B. the parents, after their marriage, removed to Pennsylvania, where they resided a number of years, then, in 1859, emigrated to Iowa, taking up their abode in Fulton Township, this county. The father engaged in merchandising, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-one years, passing away in February, 1877. The mother preceded her husband to the silent land, her death taking place in 1871, at the age of seventy-one.

The subject of this sketch was born, Feb. 5, 1820, in New York State, and was married, in Crawford County, Pa., March 14, 1850, to Miss Joanna, daugher of the Rev. Abraham, and Christina (Thurston) Daniels, the father being a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John Daniels, the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Whitley, was an eminent physician of New Jersey, and of English ancestry. To Abraham and Christina Daniels there were born seven children, all of whom lived to mature years, and of whom Mrs. W. was the fourth child; three are now living, and the two besides Mrs. W. are located in Webster and Hamilton counties, Iowa.

On the 24th of April following their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Whitley started for the young State of Iowa, making their way by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Bellevue, and thence to this county, arriving in Farmers' Creek Township on the 14th of May. Soon afterward Mr. W. purchased the land which constitutes his present farm. There was then upon it a little log-house, and twenty acres of ground had been plowed and fenced. The young husband began the cultivation and improvement of his land, and his bride, in order to eke out the family income, taught school three terms. Mr. W. also taught during the winter season. He has had considerable experience as a pedagogue prior to this, taking up the profession at the early age of fifteen years. After leaving New York he taught in Pennsylvania three years.

Mr. Whitley, in early youth, became greatly interested in the eye and its diseases, and at the age of twenty started out as an oculist, and traveled through the principal cities of the United States and the Canadas, practicing with wonderful success. He followed this until near the time of his marriage. He had received his education chiefly in the schools of New York State, and his wife was educated in Pennsylvania. The latter began teaching at the age of seventeen, and was thus occupied until her marriage. In this county both she and her husband prosecuted their duties in a little log school-house, with puncheon floor, and clap-board roof, held in place by poles. The seats were made of slabs, with wooden pins for legs. Several of the pupils of Mrs. W. are still living, among them is W.C.M. Mordon, of Fulton, this township, who is represented elsewhere in this work; and the Rev. John Said, of Iron Hill.

Our subject and his estimable wife, in former years were members of the Christian Church, but Mrs. W., later, united with the Presbyterians. Politically, Mr. W. is an earnest supporter of Republican principles. He has held nearly all the township offices, and been a member of the County Board of Supervisors, likewise County Treasurer. In consideration of the fact that Jackson County is strongly Democratic, his election as County Treasurer was no small honor.

Mr. and Mrs. Whitley have no children of their own, but their benevolent hearts reached out to several homeless ones, they having at one time seven orphan children in their care. Three of these lived with them until reaching their majority: Mary Ames, now Mrs. J.C. Rigby, is a resident of Andrew; Samuel Cronk, at the age of twenty years, while acting as Deputy Sheriff was murdered, near Cottonville, this county, Jan. 23, 1867. It was supposed that he had considerable money on his person, and for that he was probably killed. He had served for three years in the late Civil War. Another boy, W.S. Sweesy, is now a man grown, and living at Fulton. Two other children, for whom they were caring, died in infancy. For long years their home has been noted for its hospitality to the friendless, and has frequently been familiarly called the "Orphan Asylum."

The farm of Mr. Whitley comprises 190 acres of choice land, pleasantly located on section 14. The residence is a solid stone structure, which, with good care, will stand for many years, probably long after the time, when, in the course of nature, its present occupants shall have passed away.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)