Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Whitehead, The Family
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by 
J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
New Britain Township


   THE WHITEHEAD FAMILY The first ancestor of the Whitehead 
family came from England, settled at Jamaica Plains, Long 
Island, and took part in the revolutionary war.  Thomas 
Willet Whitehead, a son of this early settler, married Maria 
Elaway of Philadelphia, who was of German descent. They were 
members of the Third Baptist church of Philadelphia.  To 
this couple were born eight children, four of whom are now 
living:  Mary Whitehead, married to Mortimer R. George, of 
Philadelphia; John Gaskill Lawrence Whitehead, M. D., 
Philadelphia; Elizabeth Whitehead, married to Joseph S. 
Rotzell, M. D., New Britain, Bucks county, Pennsylvania.  
William Manlove Whitehead, the eldest son, was born in 
Philadelphia, December 12, 1823.  At the age of 16 he was 
baptized by Rev. George Higgins, one of more than ninety who 
were baptized in the river Delaware, the largest baptism on 
record.  He went out with Mr. Higgins from the Third church, 
when he formed the Second Baptist church of Southwark.  He 
was a man of liberal education, at one time a student at the 
University of Pennsylvania.  He took a six years' course at 
Hamilton College and Madison University, New York, and was 
graduated at Union College in 1849.  In 1850 he was ordained 
to the work of the gospel ministry in the Second Baptist 
church, Southwark (Rev. John A. McRuan pastor), now the 
Calvary Baptist church.  His ministry extended over 
twenty-two years. He aimed not at being a pastor, but rather 
to build up weak and enfeebled churches. Beaula, Chester 
county, Frankford, Twenty-third ward, Philadelphia, Great 
Valley, Chester county, McKeesport and Elizabeth, Western 
Pennsylvania, New Britain, Bucks county, and Woodbury, New 
Jersey, were churches which he served.  In 1851 he married 
Eleanor Jennings, daughter of George and Catharine (Mac 
Gowan) Beaston, of Baltimore, Maryland. Eight children were 
born to this union:  William Manlove Whitehead, of 
Philadelphia, born at Frankford, Twenty-third ward; George 
Beaston Whitehead, of New Britain, born at Frankford; Mary, 
of New Britain, born at Great Valley Baptist parsonage; 
Elaway, of Philadelphia born at Great Valley Baptist 
parsonage; Annie, of New Britain, born at McKeesport, 
western Pennsylvania; Henry Kauffman, of Philadelphia, born 
at New Britain Baptist parsonage; and Nellie, of New 
Britain, born on Iron Hill, New Britain.  In 1861 he was 
pastor at Great Valley Baptist church.  The young people of 
the Valley church raised their pole and floated their flag.  
In a few months the 97th regiment was raised at West 
Chester.  Young men from the Valley church and surrounding 
country swelled its ranks, and he went forth with them to 
battle for the rights of men.  When urged by his aged mother 
not to go, he said, "I cannot see this great struggle going 
on, and not take part."  The 97th was sent to Hilton Head, 
South Carolina.  While here he and another chaplain, and 
some colored brethren, formed a colored Baptist church.  
Many are the letters held sacred to-day from officer and 
private written to him concerning the better life. 
Contracting the southern malarial fever on the coast of 
Georgia, where the regiment lay for weeks in transports, 
waiting the attach upon Fort Pulaski, he became unable to 
perform his duties, and he resigned, and was honorably 
discharged August 20, 1862.  In 1872 he graduated at 
Hahnemann Medical Colleg of Homoeopathy.  While pastor at 
New Britain church, charmed with the beautiful county of 
Bucks, he purchased the old Iron Hill tavern property, 
improving it, and intending to spend his last days (he was 
an invalid) amidst its beautiful landscapes.  He died at 
Woodbury, New Jersey, January 28, 1874, and was buried at 
Great Valley church-yard, Chester county.  After his death 
his family came back to the home selected by the father, and 
tearing away all traces of the tavern, built their modern 
country home, Hillside.