ISAAC WHITEMAN. Among native-born agriculturists of West Finely township, none stands higher in the esteem and regard of the community than this gentleman. A representative self-made man, he has from the bottom rung of the ladder of life worked upward to an honorable competency, a solid reputation and a good name. Mr. Whiteman is a son of Isaac Whiteman, who was born in 1764, in Washington County, Penn., and was reared on his father’s farm to the noblest of all occupations - the cultivation of the soil. He was here married to Miss Eleanor Maughaman, also a native of the county, born March 7, 1766, and by her he had seven children, viz.: Andrew, Matthias, Ester, Susan, John, Isaac, and one that died in infancy.
Isaac Whiteman, son of Isaac and Eleanor (Maughaman) Whiteman, was born March 1, 1820, in Canton Township, this county, in what was then called Razortown, and very early in life commenced working on the farm. When he was but three years of age his father died, leaving a widowed mother with a large family to be provided for; and young Isaac had his share to do in providing food and clothing for them. As a consequence his educational training - inside the school-room- was very limited and meager as compared with the practical lessons he received outside. Up to the age of forty years he worked as a farm laborer by the month, or on rented farms, the first money he earned being for mowing wheat for a neighbor, two days being occupied on the job, for which he received the munificent sum of 6 1/4 cents.
Our subject was married December 20, 1840, to Sarah Bedillion, of Washington County, Penn., and nine children were born to them, the following being their names and dates of birth: Christian B, 1841; Matthias J., July 27, 1843; Eleanor, August 15, 1845; Mary J., March 13, 1848; Elsie M., February 1, 1850; John B., December 29, 1852; Susanna, May 5, 1855; Sarah E., May 20, 1859, and Phoebe B., September 23, 1861, all now living except Christian B., who died young, and Mary J. who died March 16, 1879. the mother departed this life November 8, 1890, a consistent member of the Baptist Church of Enon.
About 1850 Mr. Whiteman bought a farm in West Virginia, investing all his savings in it, and when the last dollar had been paid the title turned out to be totally worthless, so all his hard-earned substance of the best part of his life went like chaff before the wind. This disaster naturally much depressed him, but being possessed of a stout heart and great will power, he again set to work to retrieve his lost fortune. This time he bought a farm in West Fineley Township, this County, the one he still owns, and here commenced to deal in live stock and wool, becoming known in course of time as one of the leading wool buyers in the county. By hard labor, strict economy, and indomitable perseverance Mr. Whiteman has, in spite of adversity, made life a success, being now the owner of 300 acres of fine farm land in West Finely township, besides a house and lot in the thriving little town of Businessburgh, where he is now living retired from active work. He has been a lifelong member and one of the substantial supporters of the Baptist Church at Enon, in which he is a deacon, and in politics he has always been a sterling Democrat.
Text taken from page 1394 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed September 1999 by Sandra Camman as part of the Beers Project.
Published October 1999 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]