WHITENACK, JOSEPH R., a retired farmer and stockraiser, of Ashland, Cass County, Ill., is very well and favorably known throughout that portion of the county where his residence is situated, and where he carried on farming and stockraising successfully for a number of years. He is a bachelor, and having amassed a snug competency, has retired from active pursuits while still in the prime of life, making his home with his sister, Mrs. Lizzie Whitenack Reynolds, widow of Joseph Reynolds, on a farm of 148 acres located in section 23, township 18, range 8, Cass County. Mr. Whitenack is a native of Cass County, where he was born February 9, 1868, a son of Joseph Whitenack, born in New Jersey, December 25, 1836, and Elizabeth (Drake) Whitenack, born in the same state, March 17, 1832. The father was a farmer and stockraiser. In 1856 Joseph Whitenack and wife came from New Jersey to Illinois, and they lived and farmed in Menard County about two years, moving then to Cass County, where they spent the remainder of their lives, and reared a family. He passed away in 1903, his wife having died in 1877. They had seven sons and three daughters, the first two born in Menard County, and the others in Cass. Their names are as follows: Joseph R.; John O.; George R.; Anna (Whitenack) Schrimsker, who is in Kansas; Mattie (Whitenack) Haywood, in Cass County; Charles H., in Oklahoma; Lizzie (Whitenack) Reynolds, in Cass County; William, of Iowa; Edward, of Menard County; and Walter, who died in infancy. Joseph R. Whitenack passed his childhood on the homestead place, received his early education in the country schools, and then went to work on the farm, continuing this until the time of his retirement. He rents out his farm in section 28 in the same township, which is very productive land and highly improved. He has traveled considerably in this country and has made one trip to the western states. Mr. Whitenack is a man of very pleasant manners, agreeable and sociable to all. In politics he acts with the Democratic party.