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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 Theodore O. WHITENACK 

Pages 240-241, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: ELWOOD, HUMMELL, WHITENACK, WILCOXEN] 

    
THEODORE O. WHITENACK. There is something about the life of a prosperous and popular young man very pleasant to contemplate; something that gives encouragement to those seeking to make for themselves desirable positions in life. Such an example is given in the person of Theodore Whitenack, who is generally conceded to deserve unlimited praise for the success he has attained and for the strict integrity of his business transactions. He is a native-born citizen of this county, and is now numbered among the intelligent farmers of Liverpool Township. In the fall of 1882 he bought his present farm of one hundred and tree acres on section 9. Under our subject's careful management the farm has been placed under excellent cultivation and is now a neat and well-ordered piece of property, comparing favorably with any other farm in the neighborhood in point of tillage and improvement. Here Mr. Whitenack is engaged in cultivating his land and in raising stock to a considerable extent with a very good profit. 
    
Peter Whitenack, the father of our subject, was born in the State of New York in 1820. His father, who bore the same name as himself was a native of Pennsylvania. The Whitenack family are of German antecedents and its representatives in America are descended from two brothers who came to America from Holland in Colonial times in the early part of the eighteenth century. The grandfather of our subject was a farmer in Pennsylvania, and finally removed from that State to New York, where he passed his last days on a farm. 
    
The father of our subject was born and reared on a farm in Western New York, and in early life he became proprietor of a farm of eighty acres in that part of the country upon which he lived until 1850. In that year he settled up his affairs in that State and took up his residence in Canton, this county, making the journey from his old home by rail and boat. He and his family resided in Canton two years and then settled on a farm in Canton Township. Later Mr. Whitenack moved to Union Township, and farmed there about six years. At the expiration of that time he took up his residence at Ellisville. In 1865 he removed to Bryant in Buckheart Township, and for twenty years was engaged in business as a blacksmith at that point. Since that time he has made his home with our subject. The wife who has journeyed with him so far on life's road, lives with him and devotes herself to his comfort. Her maiden name was Sarah S. Elwood, and she was born in the State of New York in 1825. Both the parents of our subject are devoted Christians and members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Whitenack is a firm Republican in his political sentiments. He held the office of Justice of the peace in this Township four years. 
    
Our subject is one of four children of whom he and his sister Hettie are the only survivors. The names of those deceased are, Isadore and Jennie. Theodore Whitenack was born in Canton, January 23, 1855. He was but an infant when his parents moved to the country where he was reared on a farm. He attended school some in the country but gained his education mainly in the villages of Ellisville and Bryant. When he was twenty-one years of age he began his independent career as a farmer on a rented farm of sixty acres in Buckheart Township. He rented land for about six years and then purchased his present farm as before mentioned. 
    
Our subject by his marriage with Lavina Hummell, April 2, 1876, secured a wife who has greatly aided him in making their pleasant home. Mrs. Whitenack was born in Bryant this county, August 11, 1854. She is a daughter of William Hammell a native of Licking County, Ohio, who came to this county in 1831, and was one of its early settlers. He was a farmer and continued to carry on that occupation until the time of his death at the age of seventy-two years. The maiden name of Mrs. Whitenack¹s mother was Nancy M. Wilcoxen, and she belonged to a noted family whose history appears elsewhere in this Album. She died at the age of sixty-nine years and thus closed a well-spent life. Our subject and his wife had three children, namely: Grace T., Anna Blanche (deceased) and Leota C. Mrs. Whitenack is a devoted member of the Christian Church and is well thought of by all about her. 
    
Our subject is a member of the Republican party. He is active in public life and in the spring of 1889 was elected to the important office of Supervisor to represent Liverpool Township on the County Board of Supervisors, to which position he was reelected in 1890. He has served as School Director for nine years and does all that he can to advance educational interests in his township. He possesses many pleasant social qualities and has a host of warm friends who delight in his success.