The following information was obtained from the ‘History of Monona County, Iowa’ published by the National Publishing Company, Chicago Ill., 1890.

HON. CHARLES E. WHITING. No man in Monona County enjoys a more wide spread and merited reputation than the old pioneer of Monona County whose name heads this sketch and a condensed epitome of whose life it is our honor to present for the perusal of the rising generation.

Coming to this county in its infancy in 1855, Judge Whiting has seen this county progress from an absolute wilderness to a prosperous and fertile land, covered with a numerous population, and has been a very important factor in its growth and development.

After holding some of the more important offices in the gift of the people of the county, at the convention held by the State delegates in the summer of 1885, he received the nomination of Democratic candidate for Governor of the State, and willingly accepted the unthankful, unremunerative and almost desperate duty of acting as standard bearer of a party largely in the minority in Iowa. Notwithstanding this or his defeat, he can proudly point to the fact that although his own county is largely Republican, still his majority herein was almost one hundred over his more fortunate opponent, and that he reduced the majority against the party from 79,000 in 1880 to 5,349, coming the nearest to success of any of the candidates who preceded him.

Judge Whiting, as he is familiarly called, was born in Otsego County, N. Y., January 17, 1821, and is the son of Charles and Lorinda (Eveleth) Whiting, natives of Princeton, Worcester County, Mass., who had settled at the town of Butternuts (Note: my grandfather, G.C. Pullen left a hand written note in a copy of this document stating the name of the town is now Gilbertsville) in the Empire State, in about 1815. When about three years of age, he was taken by his parents to Wayne County, N. Y., and in the spring of 1837 to Lake County, Ohio, where, upon a farm and pursuing the daily avocations of agricultural and buccolie life, as he has all his life, he remained with his parents until April 13, 1843. Having enjoyed excellent facilities for acquiring an education, of which he freely availed himself, he took up the burdens of life, and leaving the parental roof tree, removed to Madison County, in the Northern part of Alabama, where, engaged in the dry goods and cotton trade, he remained until 1850. Reports from the golden lands of the West induced him to make the trip to California, by way of New Orleans and the isthmus of Panama, and in that "land of the summer sun," remained until the spring of 1853. Returning, via Panama and Aspinwall to New York, and thence to Ohio, to visit his parents, he returned to Alabama, but closing up his affairs in that locality, a few weeks later came to Iowa, and locating in Iowa County, purchased a large tract of land known as the Old Homestead Place, formerly the reservation of the Musquakie Indians. Returning to Alabama for a short trip. He came back to this State, reaching Keokuk the morning of March 1, 1854. When he left his "sunny southern home" the air was balmy and sweet, and the grass and trees wore their summer colors, but when he arrived at Keokuk, he found everything covered with snow and ice, and the biting chill of winter’s breath filled the air. On July 4, 1855, Mr. Whiting disposed of his place in Iowa County to its present owners, the Amana Society, a colony of German socialists, and investing his money in land warrants in Alabama, to which he took a trip for the purpose, came to Monona County, and with them, in company with his brother Newell A., purchased some 7500 acres of land. Here he had the usual experience of pioneer life, for there were then but few settlers within the limits of what is now Monona County, and in common with them suffered all the hardships attendant upon frontier life.

At the April election in 1857, Mr. Whiting was elected to fill the then very important office of County Judge of Monona County, and for two years presided at the head of its government. In 1864 he was elected member of the board of supervisors, and the next year chosen Chairman of that body. From that period until the close of 1870, be was found in his place upon the board, and most of the time in the chair. In 1874, receiving the nomination of the Democratic Party for the position of Member of Congress, he made the race with Hon. Addison Oliver, and although suffering defeat in the district, carried his home county, where they both lived, by some sixty-three majority. In 1883 the Judge again, met his old opponent, Judge Oliver, in the political field, and from him, this time, captured the office of State Senator, and served the district in that capacity for four years. Of his candidacy for Governor, we have already spoken.

Judge Whiting, September 7,1848, was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Criner, a native of Madison County, Ala., and daughter of Isaac and Nancy (McCain) Criner. They have been the parents of six children: Julia C., the wife of M. B. Pullen, of Onawa; Ida, (Mrs. E. M. Cassady) of Whiting; Will C., who married Miss Mamie Elliot, and lives in Whiting; Ella and Woodson, at home; and Edwin C., who married Miss Helen Waldron, and still makes his home with his parents.