John Whitaker was born about 1760. We are not sure exactly where he was born but it appears it was in North Carolina. John’s parents are still a mystery as there are several Whitaker families in the area at that time. From records it is noted that several Whitaker families came to America starting in the late 1600s. Most researchers believe John is the son of Mark, and grandson of William Whitaker and Elizabeth Carlton. William came to America in 1722. There is much information on William in the Quaker records in Pennsylvania, however, as there is no definite proof we will not go into that family at this time.
We do know that John had a brother, Mark. They lived in the forks of the Yadkin River in Rowen County, North Carolina. There were several Whitakers in that area including a Mark and Ann Whitaker who may have been his parents.

In February of 1872 John married Martha Willcocksin, a widow with two children. Sometime that year they moved to Wilkes County as John is listed on the tax records there in 1782. His name is spelled Whitechar. There are several other Whitakers on that list which further confuses his heritage as these men appear to be part of the Whitaker family that moved to North Carolina from Maryland. It is possible that they are all family, being possible cousins to John and Mark. Records show that John was given three land grants from the State of North Carolina totaling 402 ½ acres. These land grants were given to most men who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Later in the mid 1780s John and Martha moved to Fayette Co. Kentucky. Later that part of the State became Woodford Co. Land records show that they lived near Mortonsville with several creeks and roads being mentioned in the land deeds. Tax records show that John owned 235 acres on Craig’s Creek as well as about 100 acres on Green Creek.

John and Martha had eight known children. William born in 1783; John J. born in December 1785; John J and William married sisters Elizabeth and Sarah Hammond. The other children were Joseph born September 1788; Nancy born about 1790; Benjamin born about 1793: there were twins Daniel and Thomas. The youngest was Martha born in May of 1799.

Revolutionery War records show that John was an officer in the Second Regimen, Captain Woolfolk’s Company. He was commissioned as Lieutenant on August 23, 1786. Since he was born in 1760 he must have joined as a very young man, possibly in his mid to late teens.

John’s wife Martha had died by 1809. Records show that John was married to Nancy Guess in Fayette Co. Kentucky in late 1809. John and Nancy had two sons. Madison Guess and Newton. In 1808 John had purchased 1,155 acres on Mulberry Creek in Bedford Co. Tennessee. This area later became part of Lincoln Co. when it was created in 1809. John was one of five men who were appointed by the Tennessee General Assembly to purchase the land on which to build the county seat of Fayetteville. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in Lincoln Co. His brother Mark was also a settler of Lincoln Co. Mark was married to Catherine Boone, first cousin of Daniel Boone.

After they moved to Lincoln Co., John built the first grist mill. He also built a large log house with a hallway in the center. This was a fairly common floor plan as it allowed air to circulate between the walls of the hallway which kept the rooms cooler. Later John built a large brick house that he called “Pleasant Garden”. This was built in front of the log house with a porch that connected them. This was where the servants lived except for one room which was used for a kitchen. The house was still owned by the Whitaker family as late as 1932.

John wore a wooden leg having lost his leg it is said, by his being thrown from his horse. The story is that he and others were out hunting for a lost child. The injury was so bad that the leg had to be amputated. Hence, the nickname “Peg-leg".

John Whitaker and his family were members of the Baptist Church, he was known as Elder John and there is evidence that he may have done some preaching. He and his son-in-law founded the Primative Baptist Church at the forks of Mulberry Creek. Prior to this members used John’s log house for services. There is some evidence that John and other members of the church would ride horses from house to house preaching the Gospel.
John Whitaker died in 1837 and is buried in the Mulberry Cemetery. His head stone was inscribed: