Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 257-258; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Elmer Ellsworth Whitehead, the enterprising editor of the
Fairview Bee, is a young gentleman possess 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 his community.
There is certainly no position in life that requires more energy, good
judgment and education than does editorial work. Mf. 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
on-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 at 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 flied
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.
