BIO: William A. WHITTAKER, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 195-196.
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  WILLIAM A. WHITTAKER, Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born 
July 12, 1826, in the old stockhouse in which his father resided for 
many years. It was one of those built for security during the days of 
Indian depredations, and was very strongly constructed. Its doors were 
of two-inch plank. After the cessation of those early disturbances, the 
port-holes were filled up with plaster, and the house was for a long 
time used as a dwelling. Mr. Whittaker's grandfather, John Whittaker, 
is supposed to have been a native of Chester county, Pa., where he was 
an extensive distiller. He carried on the same business in Huntingdon 
county, and was at one time the owner of six distilleries. He was also 
proprietor of two or three "keel boats," which he used in sending 
supplies to the numerous stores along the banks of the Juniata river. 
He owned a number of houses in Huntingdon, and erected the seventh one 
that was built in that borough; he also kept a general store. John 
Whittaker married Miss Shockey, and after his marriage made his home in 
Huntingdon; his residence was on the site of the present P. R. R. 
station. Mr. and Mrs. John Whittaker had several sons and daughters; 
their descendants reside in various parts of the county. Both died at 
their home in Huntingdon.
  Their son Thomas Whittaker, born in Walker township in 1800, was 
married at the age of twenty-two to Margaret Alexander. They resided at 
Whittaker's Mills until 1847, when Mr. Whittaker bought another farm in 
Porter township, the one on which his son, William A., now resides. 
Mrs. Thomas Whittaker died in 1844. Their children are: John, born in 
1824, took an active interest in public affairs, and held several 
township offices, was greatly esteemed and respected, and was for many 
years an elder in the Presbyterian church; William A.; Thomas, married 
to Lydia Steele; Eliza; Charles, ranchman in Kansas, where he has 640 
acres of land; and Margaret (Mrs. Porter B. Zentmyer), of Clearfield, 
Clearfield county, Pa. Mrs. Margaret Whittaker dying in 1844, Mr. 
Whittaker married her sister, Catherine Alexander; their child is Mary, 
who resides with Mr. C. A. Whittaker. Thomas Whittaker was active in 
township business, being a public-spirited man. He was a life-long 
member of the Presbyterian church. He died in 1867.
  After an attendance of two or three terms at the public schools, 
William A. Whittaker became a pupil at the Huntingdon Academy, and 
there completed his education. During one term, he was under the 
tuition of Samuel Calvin, afterwards a member of Congress. Mr. 
Whittaker never learned a trade, but had considerable natural 
mechanical talent and ingenuity; by experimenting with his father's 
tools, he became expert at carpentry, and is never at a loss if making 
or mending is to be done. In 1859, William A. Whittaker and his brother 
John Whittaker bought the home farm. He, William A., has always been 
engaged in farming, except during four years, 1851-1854, when he was 
employed as contractor of the Pennsylvania R. R. and Broad Top R. R. 
His farm contains 300 acres. He has twice suffered seriously from the 
kick of a horse; about 1886, when he was kicked about the right ankle, 
causing a fracture of the ankle bone, and again in April, 1896, when a 
bone in his left knee was broken. Mr. Whittaker is a strong Republican, 
and has held various township offices.
  In 1872, William A. Whittaker married Caroline, daughter of Col. John 
and Anna C. (Harnish) Huyett, and widow of Reuben Oaks. Mrs. 
Whittaker's daughter by her first husband, Mary Oaks, is married to G. 
A. Beckley, a druggist, of Altoona, Pa. The children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Whittaker are: Frederick; Wilbur; Mabel, who died young; and Ralph. Mr. 
Whittaker has been for eight years an elder in the Presbyterian church.