WHITESIDES, John

JOHN WHITESIDES.

John Whitesides, one of the best known citizens of Johnson county, died at his home at the corner of King street and Home Avenue, this city, on last Sunday evening at 7:15 o’clock. Though he had been in feeble health for some time, his death came very suddenly and unexpected. Together with the infirmities of age he had an affection of the lungs and had caught cold. He had a spell of violent cough­ing and heart failure resulted. Up to within a few moments of his death, he seemed to be recovering from the se­vere attack of a few days previous. The funeral services and burial occurred on Tuesday at the Hurricane Baptist church and in the Hurricane cemetery. The services were conducted by Rev. C. H. Hall, of the college, assisted by Revs. E. S. Gardiner and L. P. Marshall, of this place, and Rev. J. L. Barclay, of the Hurricane M. E. church. A very large number of relatives and friends were in attendance.

John Whitesides was a native of Kentucky, born in April, 1816, the year in which Indiana became a State. At the age of eighteen years, 1834, he came to Johnson county and here he resided until his death, a period of fifty-seven years. He was therefore one of the first settlers and oldest residents of the county. At the time of his coming, Johnson county was a primitive forest. It was the dauntless energy and iron constitution of such men as Mr. White­sides that transformed the forest into fertile fields. Mr. Whitesides owned a large and fertile farm in the Hurricane neighborhood, upon which he lived un­til two years ago when he moved to his new home which he had built in this city. He was first married to a Miss Tilson and to them were born five chil­dren of whom four, David, Robert, Sa­rah and Stephen, survive. The first wife died in 1850, and in the next year Mr. Whitesides and a Mrs. Woodburn were married. To them were born seven children. The mother and six of these, Nort, John, Eb, Dr. L. L., By­ron and Addie, survive the husband and father.

Mr. Whitesides was a member of the Hurricane Baptist church from its or­ganization. In politics he was a Dem­ocrat. He had been a stock-holder and director in the Citizens national bank since its organization. He was an hon­orable gentleman, courteous and kind and respected by all who knew him.

The Franklin Democrat, Friday, December 4, 1891,
Volume XXXII Number 24, page 1 column 5

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A GOOD CITIZEN GONE.

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Unexpected Death of John White-
sides Sr.—Sketch of His Life.

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John Whitesides Sr., one of the most widely known and respected of Franklin’s citizens, died last Sunday at 7 o’clock P. M. Mr. Whitesides had been in bad health for some time and during the last few weeks had been seriously ill with pneumonia. He was however slowly recovering. He was seized with a violent spell of coughing a short time before his death and the extra exertion brought on heart failure and death. Mr. Whitesides was a retired farmer, having lived in Needham township until about two years ago when he built a very handsome residence at the corner of Home Avenue and King streets and removed to this city. He was born in Oldham county, Ky., in 1816 and was therefore at the time of his death, about seventy-six years of age. He removed to this county in 1834 and by industry and economy had succeeded in amassing quite a competence. He was a very successful farmer and owned at the time of his death some 350 acres of well improved land in Needham township. Mr. Whitesides had been twice married, his first wife being a Miss Tilson. Of this union five children were born, one of whom, Mary, is dead, and four of whom David, Robert, Sarah and Stephen, survive. Mrs. Whitesides died in 1850 and Mr. Whitesides was again married in the fall of 1851 to Mrs. Woodburn, who survives him. Of this union six children are living, F. N., John, Eb., L. L., L. B., and Addie. One child, Albert, died in infancy. The deceased was one of the earliest members of the Hurricane Baptist church. He was one of the stockholders of the Citizens National Bank of this city and a man of sterling integrity. Mr. Whitesides was a lifelong democrat, thoroughly believing and upholding the principles of that party. A man of strong convictions, unwavering in his advocacy of what he conscientiously believed to be right, he yet respected the views of others and was free from any imputation of a partisanship that would be offensive to his neighbors. The funeral occurred at the Hur­ricane Baptist church, Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock, the procession leaving the city at 12:30. Rev. C. H. Hall conducted the funeral services.

Link to John Whitesides’ grave

Note: The Johnson County Indiana WPA Death Index, 1882–1920, page 229, referencing Book H-16, page 27, records that John Whitesides, a seventy-five-year-old white male, died 29 Nov 1891 in Franklin.

Submitted by Mark McCrady, Cathea Curry and Lois Johnson