John M. Whitehead
BornMarch 6, 1823 (1823-03-06)
Wayne County, Indiana
DiedMarch 8, 1909 (1909-03-09) (aged 86)
Topeka, Kansas
Buried
Topeka Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas
RankChaplain
Unit15th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsBattle of Stones River, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
AwardsMedal of Honor
Spouse(s)Mary Whitehead
ChildrenJohn W. Whitehead

John Milton Whitehead (March 6, 1823 - March 8, 1909) was an American chaplain who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.

Biography

Whitehead was born in Wayne County, Indiana on March 6, 1823.[1] He was ordained as Baptist Minister at age 21 before the war and would continue working in that profession after the war.[2][3]

He served as a chaplain in the 15th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War after enlisting at Westville, Indiana at age 39.[3][4][5] He earned his medal in action at Battle of Stones River, Murfreesboro, Tennessee on December 31, 1862.[4][6]

Whitehead was married to Mary with whom he had a son named John.[2] He also had a sister named Linda.[2] He moved to Kansas in the 1880s and stayed in Silver and eventually Topeka.[4] He helped found the First Baptist Church in Topeka. Whitehead received his Medal of Honor on April 4, 1898.[1] Whitehead died in Topeka, Kansas on March 8, 1909, and is now buried in Topeka Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas.[2][4]

References

  1. ^ a b "John Whitehead - Recipient -". valor.militarytimes.com. Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Rev. John M. Whitehead". topekacemetery.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  3. ^ a b Rutter, David (November 11, 2015). "On Veterans Day, remember 'The Angel of Stone River'". Chicago Tribune. p. 95. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "John Milton Whitehead | U.S. Civil War | U.S. Army | Medal of Honor Recipient". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Archived from the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  5. ^ United States. Congress., Senate. Committee on Labor and Public Welfare (1964). Medal of Honor Recipients, 1863-1963. The Ohio State University: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 608. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  6. ^ "Whitehead, John M". The National Medal of Honor Museum. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
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