George Whitham

    George Whitham, farmer, Shelby Township, is the son of Benjamin Whitham, who was born in Maryland, but spent his boyhood days in Kentucky, and came to Ripley County, Indiana, about eighty years ago, where he died twenty-four years ago. The mother of the subject of this sketch was Nancy Birchfield, daughter of Robert Birchfield, who came from Kentucky in early times to Indiana. Her father was a Revolutionary soldier.

    Mr. George Whitham was born in 1832, in Ripley County, Indiana, was raised on the farm, and was educated in the country schools of his day.

    At the age of 24 he married Emily J. Schnetger, daughter of Charles Schnetger, a native of Germany, and they are the parents of eight children: Benjamin B., Charles C., Anis, Mollie, William M., Joseph W., Robert Newton and John L. Mr. Whitham entered the service in 1864 as private in Company I, Fortieth Reg. Indiana Infantry, and served some eleven months. He was in the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville and in some minor engagements. After the close of the war he returned home and settled down to the quiet life of a farmer. He owns some 600 acres of well improved land in Jefferson and Ripley Counties, and is one of Jefferson's best and most energetic citizens.

    He was married a second time to Miss Sallie E. Conner, daughter of Louis Conner, who was a son of Louis Conner, a pioneer of this county.

    He has never been an office seeker, and is not a member of any order save the G. A. R.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.