He was educated in the public schools of Marlboro and studied in the high school, but in 1888, when seventeen years of age, he went west to Portland, Oregon, where he was engaged as a bookkeeper for a year. He was then in eastern Oregon and in Seattle, Washington, and from the latter place he came to Reno, Nevada, finally locating at Yerington, Nevada, where he has since resided.

When the silver question became so important he espoused its cause, and by his party was elected justice of the peace, which office he filled very efficiently for two terms. In 1901 and 1903 he was elected a member of the state assembly, and was a member of the ways and means committee and of the agricultural committee, and he was one of those who drafted Nevada's irrigation law. In fact he was very active in all the measures before the sessions of which he was a member which were calculated to prove beneficial to the state in general. For several years, and during the time he was justice of the peace, he has studied law, and will probably soon be admitted to the bar, already being well qualified to pass all examinations.

In 1895 Mr. Whitacre was married to Miss Lillian Webster, a native of California, born in Plumas county. They have three children, born in Yerington, namely: Robert Howard, Walter and John. Mr. Whitacre is a member of the Woodmen of the World; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the grand lodge of the state.

Source:
A History of the State of Nevada: Its Resources and People
By Thomas Wren, Lewis Publishing Company
Published by The Lewis publishing company, 1904