For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 279
ALBERT WHITACRE....A successful man has been defined as one who has the good sense to learn even from his own instruction. The man who is not willing to learn or easily becomes discouraged is seldom found among the leaders of any community. It requires courage, zeal, good judgment and perseverance to win a permanent place in the estimation of a community, and Albert Whitacre certainly possesses all of these requisites. He was born in Warren county, Ohio, March 15, 1853, and is a son of Aquilla and Ann ( Cook ) Whitacre, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The father lived on the same farm in Ohio for sixty years. In 1852 he paid a visit to Johnson county, Iowa where he entered about four thousand acres and built five or six small houses, which he rented. He returned to Ohio but in 1865 came with his family and located permanently in this state, buying another farm, upon which he lived until his death. His wife was called away a few years after his death.. There were five children in the family: Ruth Ann, deceased; Sarah, now the wife of Ross Leach, of West Branch, Iowa; Albert, of this review; Maurice, of West Liberty; and Amos C., also of West Liberty.Albert Whitacre came with his parents to Iowa when Twelve years old and after arriving at the age of nineteen years began operating a farm given him by his father. In 1895 he removed to West Liberty and purchased one hundred and twenty-five acres adjoining the city, which he has since very highly improved, and to which he has added forty acres, so that at the present time he is the owner of five hundred and eighty-five acres of valuable land, of which four hundred acres lie in Johnson county, Iowa. He is up-to-date in everything he undertakes and has built a modern barn and silo, which is provided with a concrete floor, electric lights and the most modern improvements, making it one of the most complete plants of the kind in the entire county. He takes great pride in everything his hands find to do, and, as he is well informed as to the very latest scientific developments along lines in which he is interested, he is regarded as an authority upon many matters pertaining to agriculture and stock-raising. He has for a number of years been a member of the board of directors of the People's State Bank of West Liberty.
On the 21st of October, 1875, Mr. Witacre was united in marriage to Miss Harriet L. Nichols, born in Muscatine county in 1857, a daughter of Phineas and Martha ( Gibson ) Nichols, both of whom are deceased. Six children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs Whitacre: Lewis A., born September 24, 1879, who is now assisting his father in cultivating the homestead; Herbert P., who was born September 8, 1884, and died September 26, 1887; Edna A., a graduate of the State University, who was born October 25, 1886, and is now the wife of Dr. J. E. Kemble, of West Liberty; Wilma L., who was born April 8, 1889, and is a student of the Sate University; Harold C., who was born April 30, 1891, and died May 16, 1901; and Martha A., who was born May 14, 1894, and is now a student of the West Liberty High school.
Mr. Whitacre since arriving at manhood has given his support to the republican party. Fraternally, he is identified with the lodge of Knights of Pythias at West Liberty, and his wife is a member of the Pythian Sisters and also of the Presbyterian church, being a prominent factor in works of charity and mercy. As indicated by this review, Mr. Whitacre is a man of sterling virtues, highly honored by his friends and acquaintances, and respected as a progressive and useful citizen, who has assisted very materially in the development of the permanent interests of Muscatine county.
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