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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Elmer Ellsworth WHITEHEAD 

Pages 257-258, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: ODLE, OGDEN, PHILLIPS, WHITEHEAD] 

    
ELMER ELLSWORTH WHITEHEAD, the enterprising editor of the Fairview Bee, is a young gentleman possessed of those happy traits of character that enable him to keep up the liveliness of the Bee with all ease, and talent that is much admired throughout this community. There is certainly no position in life that requires more energy, good judgment and education than does editorial work. Mr. Whitehead was ushered into this world at Canton, July 10, 1861, and is the son of Savill and Anna (Ogden) Whitehead. 
    
Savill Whitehead was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, as was also his wife. He was a machinist by trade and upon leaving his native shores located in Canton, where he is still living and following his trade in his own shops. He rendered his country good service by joining the ranks of the Union Army during the late Civil War. The parental family of our subject included nine children, namely: two who died in infancy in England, Joseph, born in England, and who is foreman on the Canton Ledger, at Canton; Mary, who resides in Chicago; John J., who died at the early age of one and one-half years; our subject was next in order of birth; Ida M., a resident of Canton; Fred G., who died when two years old and Albert, who makes his home in Canton. 
    
Our subject passed his childhood in his native place, attending the public and high schools in Canton, and completing his education at Toland's College in that city. When seventeen years of age he entered the Ledger office as type-setter and "printer's devil," (be it understood that he was by no means possessed of satanic nature except in newspaper phraseology, kind reader). After filling his laborious and far from congenial position for about two years, and in the meantime developing his talent for journalistic work, he next connected himself with the Vermont Chronicle, but after chronicling news for about six months, he worked on the Burlington Hawkeye--that most amusing of all papers. His next venture was with the Canton Register, after which he was with the Lewistown Democrat and the Havana Republican. Naturally this varied experience admirably fitted him to take charge of a paper, and since coming to Fairview he has been busy, not as a bee, but on the Bee. This paper was established January 3, 1883, by F. B. Phillips. 
    
Mr. Whitehead bought out the owners of the Bee the same year in which it was established and has continued to make it a breezy and interesting sheet up to the present time. His is not a "bee" that stings, but one that "buzzes" in a most musical manner, and flies regularly into about three hundred and fifty homes that would be lost with out their spicy little visitor. 
    In June, 1886, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Lillian M. Odle, of Havana, and daughter of William Odle. Her father is a retired merchant and she is the third in order of birth of the four children born to her parents. Mrs. Whitehead is a graduate of the Havana High School and a most estimable woman. Her union with our subject has been blest by the birth of two children--Violet and Floyd Nelson. 
    
Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead have a comfortable home in the central part of the village, and here they entertain many a brilliant visitor and in their cozy parlor numerous "bon-mots" fly about. Our subject is a member of the Fairview Lodge, No. 120, I. O. O. F., of which he is Secretary. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics our subject is an Independent. In addition to his editorial duties, he has a nice business in job work and is gaining ground so rapidly in this work that the older printing houses through the county should look to their laurels. He is a very popular man and especially so in his own township, having served as Township Clerk through 1880 and 1889.