Biography - Davis B. Whiteside
DAVIS B. WHITESIDE, the second child of James H. and Sarah Whiteside, was
born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 6th, 1809. James H. Whiteside was born in
Rutherford county, North Carolina, in 1782, and while he was very young his
parents emigrated to the small French settlement at St. Louis. Thomas S.
Whiteside, the grandfather of Davis B., built what was known as Whiteside's
Station, which was situated a little south of St. Louis, and used as a
protection against the Indians. On the breaking out of the war of 1812,
James H. Whiteside enlilsted, and was elected major of one of the Missouri
regiments. He remained a citizen of St. Louis until June 10, 1817, when he
removed to Greene county, and settled south of Macoupin Creek, and was one
of the two first settlers in Greene county, David Stockton, who came with
Mr. Whiteside, being the other. A few years after, Mr. W. settled on Apple
Creek Prairie, where he died, in March, 1862.
Davis B. Whiteside came to Greene county with his father, and on the
breaking out of the Indian war, in 1831, enlisted in Captain Thomas Carlin's
company. He was mustered in at Carrollton, and then marched up to Rock
Island, where a treaty was soon after effected with Blackhawk; after which
the troops were disbanded, and he returned home. In August, 1831, he was
married to Miss Margaret Freeman, daughter of Richard Freeman, an old
resident of this county, and soon after engaged in farming on a tract of
land which he had bought on Apple Creek Prairie. The Indian war again
breaking out in 1832, Mr. W. again enlisted, under the same captain, the
regiment being commanded by Colonel Fry. He participated in the battle of
Bad Axe, and soon after returned home and resumed farming.
Stephen A. Douglass, soon after his arrival in Illinois, made his home for a
few weeks at Major Whiteside's house, in Morgan county, and the subject of
this sketch remembers having attended parties with the "Little Giant." Mr.
Whiteside was a member of the convention that nominated Douglass for
congress the first time, about the year 1836.
Mr. and Mrs. Whiteside had a family of nine children, four of whom are yet
living. Mrs. W. died April 19,1867, while on a short visit to Calhoun
county. In 1852, Mr. W. was elected justice of the peace, and served as such
about nine years. Previous to this, he had held the office for twelve years.
Mr. W. is now residing with his son-in-law, in township 11, range 13, Greene
county.
Extracted 07 Sep 2018 by Norma Hass from Atlas Map of Greene County Illinois, 1873, pages 50, 51.
