Biography of

William Whitten, Co E

 


William Whitten, Co E
(courtesy Alan Routt)


Click on diploma for a larger image.

William Whitten was born October 8, 1840 in North Union Township, Ross County, Ohio. His parents were William Bond and Miranda Whitten. On his enlistment papers, his occupation is listed as a farmer. He is described as 5 foot 8 inches tall with a dark complexion, black eyes, and black hair.

At the age of 21, he enlisted in Company E of the 18th Ohio at Camp Wool, Athens, Ohio for a period of three years, along with his brother, Stephen Whitten. During the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee, December 31, 1862, he was captured and sent to Richmond Virginia. He was paroled and sent to Camp Parole, Maryland and subsequently to Camp Chase, Ohio. It is unclear if he was sent back to his unit in June of 1863 as were some of his other parolees from the 18th.

After the war, he returned to Yellowbud in Ross County, Ohio where he lived out the remainder of his 93 years. He married Sarah Jane Briner on January 29, 1867. Their two children, William Harrison, born 1868, and Emma, born 1876 did not outlive their father. Sarah Jane died in 1919 and William followed in 1934. They are both buried in Springbank Cemetery, Ross County, Ohio.

(Information and Photos provided by Alan Routt and Gwen Whitten. )