Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in Jefferson County, 1931 Lewis Elton Whitney

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Saturday, July 18, 1931
Front Page

Who's Who In Jefferson County
By Herbert F. McDougal

Lewis Elton WHITNEY

Ten thousand of Southern Iowa's and Northern Missouri's dead sleep beneath memorials erected by the Whitney family in its fifty-six years of business, established by the late Mark Whitney in Keosauqua and continued by his son, L. E. Whitney.

When the business had its modest beginnings, back in 1875, graves largely were marked by marble slabs, generously inscribed with Gates Ajar and Mansions in the Skies designs and whole verses of poetry. But as the country grew more opulent, granite began to be used until now the less enduring marble is little employed.

Mr. Whitney was born in Mt. Zion, Iowa, June 14, 1874. When he was six months old, the family moved to Keosauqua. His father took Young Lou into the marble shop when he was 15 years old and taught him the marble cutting business. During vacations and at odd times the boy struggled with the mallet and chisel, and many is the limestone block, quarried at Crequest (sic) or near Vernon, that he labored into bases for tombstones.

But it was the sales end of the business that really attraced (sic) him, so at 20 he went to Wyaconda, Missouri, and opened a shop, remaining there for two years. Twice he has owned the business and twice he has owned the Bloomfield memorial business. His brother still owns the Wyaconda plant.

He moved to Fairfield in 1911 and has been active here ever since, expanding his business, introducing new methods, changing with the innovations in memorials. Five years ago he took his son Harry into partnership and two years later, Warren Young. Both of these he trained thoroughly in the Whitney traditions, teaching them the business in all its details. Both have become important factors in the firm.

He married Miss Blanche Brady August 19, 1895. They have three children--Mrs. Richard E. Crail of Los Angeles, Mrs. Warren Young and Harry Whitney of Fairfield.

Mr. Whitney is modest almost to the point of reticence, but he has played his part in the life of the city. He does good deeds in the Scriptural manner of not letting his left hand's know what his right hand does (sic). He is a member of the Methodist church.