James Whitehead, the son of Benjamin and Sarah Smith Whitehead, was born near Union Grove, Racine County, Wisconsin on August 27, 1846 and resided there until his parents moved to Buffalo, Wisconsin in 1855. Whitehead enlisted in the 27th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry at Portage City on July 4, 1862, but was given a medical discharge in 1863. He re-enlisted in the 19th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry on January 23, 1864 and was discharged in August, 1865. After the war, Whitehead returned to Buffalo and married Hannah M. Eagleston, daughter of David and Sarah Eagleston, on December 31, 1867. They had one daughter, Sadie, born on August 27, 1874.
In January, 1884, Whitehead moved his family to Redfern, Custer County, Nebraska, where he claimed a homestead. He represented his district in the State Legislature in 1888 and 1889, and was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for the Redfern district. He likewise served as receiver at the United States Land Office at Broken Bow. In 1892, Whitehead was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for Congress. After a year's term as state agent of the Nebraska Penitentiary at Calloway, Nebraska, Whitehead moved his family to Emporia, Kansas in 1907. James Whitehead died at Emporia in 1920, survived by his wife and daughter.
