John Wilkins WHITFIELD, Congress, KS (1818-1879)

WHITFIELD John Wilkins , a Delegate from the Territory of Kansas; born in Franklin, Williamson County, Tenn., March 11, 1818; attended the local schools; served in the Mexican War in 1846; moved to Independence, Mo., in 1853 to serve as Indian agent to the Pottawatomies at Westport, Mo., and to the Arkansas Indians in 1855 and 1856; upon the admission of the Territory of Kansas to representation was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-third Congress and served from December 20, 1854, to March 3, 1855; presented credentials as a Delegate-elect to the Thirty-fourth Congress and served from March 4, 1855, to August 1, 1856, when the seat was declared vacant; again elected to the Thirty-fourth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the action of the House of Representatives in declaring the seat vacant and served from December 9, 1856, to March 3, 1857; register of the land office at Doniphan, Kans., 1857-1861; began his military career as captain of the Twenty-seventh Texas Cavalry in 1861; promoted to the rank of major in 1862; commissioned brigadier general May 9, 1863; at the close of the war in 1865 went to Texas and settled in Lavaca County and engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising; member of the State house of representatives; died near Hallettsville, Lavaca County, Tex., October 27, 1879; interment in Hallettsville Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present