DUBUQUE CO., IA: BIOGRAPHY: Barrett Whittemore
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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BARRETT WHITTEMORE was born in Fitz William, Cheshire County 
New Hampshire, Feb. 26, 1806. 
 
His grandfather was Josiah Whittemore, who married and had the 
following family. His wife's maiden name is not remembered. 
 
JOSIAH WHITTEMORE and Miss ______ _____, parents 
Children 
I. WILLIAM SNOW, born July 26, 1774. 
II. JOHN, born Oct 17, 1775 
III. SALMON, born July 17, 1778 
IV. MARY, born Sept. 28, 1780 
V. LUCY, born July 28, 1783. 
VI. JOSIAH, born Oct 28, 1784. 
VII. LEVI, born June 12, 1786. 
VIII. CEPHAS, born Dec 2, 1787. 
IX. OTIS, born Aug. 8, 1789. 
X. BETSEY, born Sept. 26, 1793. 
XI. CEPHAS (2d), born April 26, 1797. 
XII. ZENAS, born Sept. 15, 1798. 
XIII. PATTY, born April 1, 1800. 
XIV. SALENAS, born Aug. 19, 1803 
 
Mr. Whittemore's father was the oldest son Josiah. He married Polly 
Locke. The following is his family: 
 
WILLIAM SNOW WHITTEMORE and POLLY LOCKE, parents. 
Children 
I. SOPHRONIA, born Aug 12, 1801. 
II. HARRIETT, born Oct 31, 1802. 
III. WILLIAM LOCKE, born May 15, 1804. 
IV. BARRETT, born Feb 26, 1806. 
V. MARY, born April 12, 1808. 
VI. REBECCA, born May 27, 1811. 
VII. WILLIAM, born Jan 14, 1814. 
VIII. OTIS, born March 5, 1816. 
 
We have inserted the above families for the purpose of preserving the 
record of the two previous generations, that their posterity may be able to 
trace their descent from them. 
 
Mr. Whittemore, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the Common 
Schools of New Hampshire attending occasionally the High School in the 
vicinity where he lived, which was taught by graduates of Amherst 
College. 
 
He aided his father on the farm during his minority, and remained at the 
old homestead until he was about twenty-four years of age, and then 
went to Bureau County, Illinois, where he remained one year - from there 
to Galena, in the same state. Here he engaged in mining and smelting 
lead, and continued in that business until about the year 1834, when he 
went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he followed the same business for a 
while. 
 
During his first winter in Dubuque he taught the second school ever 
taught in that city. 
 
Subsequently he engaged in a saw mill near Durango, Dubuque County, 
where he remained until he went to Bowen's Prairie, in Jones County, in 
the year 1838. Here he took up about 120 acres of land and has ever 
since made it his home. His first residence was a log cabin, which stood 
near the site of his present home. 
 
In 1841 he opened the first school in Jones County, on Bowen's Prairie. 
 
In 1842 he returned to his old home in New Hampshire, where he made 
an extended visit of about eighteen months, and then brought back his 
brother Otis and family, and J. H. Eaton, who settled near him, on 
Bowens Prairie. 
 
He continued teaching and farming until 1846, when he once more 
visited the scenes of his childhood, and the friends of former days, and 
was successful in persuading Miss Louisa Blodgett to return as a "help 
meet" to his home far in the West. In sharing his toils, in prosperity and in 
adversity, she has ever been the true and faithful wife. 
 
In 1844 Mr. Whittemore was elected Clerk of the Board of County 
Commissioners, the duties of which office included both that of the Clerk 
and Auditor of the present day. 
 
In 1858 he was elected the first County Superintendent of Schools, of 
Jones County, and served about two years. During the past ten years he 
has served the public as Justice of the Peace, Township Collector, 
District Secretary, etc., and, in every position, has discharged the duties 
of his office with fidelity and precision. 
 
During his settlement in this state, he aided in braking the ground for the 
first captiol at Iowa City. The first election in Jones County was held in 
his cabin, and the whole number of votes cast for Territorial officers was 
eleven. He was in the Black Hawk War, and was active on the side of the 
Government during the exciting times of the Rebellion. 
 
It would be easy to fill a volume, detailing the life of Mr. W., but our space 
will not admit of a more extended notice. For the past fifty years he has 
served the rising generation as a teacher, and, at the age of sixty-nine, 
his school last winter was a success. 
 
Mr. Whittemore is a good writer, and in his sketches of the early 
settlement of Bowen's Prairie, etc., published in the Monticello Express, 
a few years ago, were read by the people of the county with increasing 
interest.