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- Whitehead, Peter Green, Bishop of the Franklin Ward, Franklin Stake, Idaho, from 1923 to 1929, was born Sept. 7, 1874, in Franklin, the son of William Whitehead and Margaret Green. He was baptized Dec. 6, 1883, ordained a Seventy April 18, 1905, by Seymour B. Young, filled a mission to the Southern States in 1905-1907, and was ordained a High Priest March 2, 1923, by Melvin J. Ballard. He was sustained as Bishop July 29, 1923.
(Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. [Salt Lake Cit 468.)
HISTORY OF PETER GREEN WITEHEAD Peter Green Whitehead was born September 7, 1874 in Franklin, Idaho, the son of William and Margaret Green Whitehead. When he was two years old, two Indian bucks came to his home and picked him up and put him on their horse and rode off with him. His mother and father were frantic with worry not knowing how he would be treated by the Indians. So they organized a group of men to go and see if the Indians would release him for food. They said they would, so they took potatoes, flour, wheat, meat and sugar. The Indians were so pleased to see all the food that they released him. The Indian camp was just a little ways from his home down in the river bottom. The Whitehead home is still standing where he was born. Besides the home in which he was born, there was a little log cabin on the lot where his mother’s sister (Aunt Alice) and grandmother Green lived. He seemed to be a favorite of the elderly ladies. They would protect him from the abuse of the older children, and when his mother chastised him, they would hide him under their bed. They fed him on the choice food they could obtain in those days of poverty. As he grew a little older he drove cows to the pasture on the rocky bench across Spring Creek. Here he played, fished, and learned to swim. He was very young when he was taught to work on his mother’s farm. He showed great ability at driving horses and doing farm work. His father died when he was but seven years of age. And soon after he would go to the canyon to get wood out for winter fuel for the two families. Almost from the day of his father’s death, he assumed a great deal of the responsibility of supporting his mother during his remaining years. He was always spiritual minded. He attended Sunday School where his father took great interest in teaching the children of the ward how to sing, pray and live. When he was old enough to take girls out, he courted them by taking them to dances, sleigh riding in t he winter and to the mountains in the summer. He met and courted Martha Elizabeth (Maggie) Comish. They were married in the Logan Temple, Dec. 16 1896. To this union, three were born: Margaret Emma (Greta) born Feb. 10 1898, Phyllis, born April 24, 1899 and Maggie, Dec. 5, 1900. When Maggie was fifteen days old her mother died and was buried Dec. 23, 1900 in the Franklin Cemetery. He kept the children together by placing them with their grandmother, Emma Comish, who cared for them while he fulfilled a two year mission and until he remarried again. Bishop L.L. Hatch called him to fill a mission to the Southern States. The following is a faith promoting incident that happened while he was on his mission. When I was on a mission to the Southern States, during conference on North Carolina, Pres. John A. Barrett and I were visiting the saints and elders of that conference. We stopped in Half-Moon to hold a meeting. A family who before had been very bitter toward the elders asked us to stay all night. After supper we were shown to our rooms. Towards morning Pres. Barrett became very ill. When morning came he felt so weak he said he would be unable to continue the journey, so he asked me to administer to him which I did. We had an appointment to fill some 12 miles from Half-Moon. On the way I became very ill. Pres. Barrett administered to me and through the help of the Lord we were able to fill our appointment. The following day we went to Jacksonville where we separated. Pres. Barrett going to another conference and I to the city of Kingston where I had labored before. I began to get worse until I was very weak and my tongue became paralyzed. I asked my companion to administer to me. The missionaries and the family where we were staying said I had been poisoned and could not live, but, if I did recover my bowls would never heal. The elders kept administering and giving me medicine and in two weeks I was made whole. Before the illness I weighed 195 pounds and when I recovered I weighed 120 pounds. When I went to pay the doctor he was very surprised to see me because he didn’t think I would recover. I t was through the power of God and the administering of the elders that I am here today enjoying good health. He returned July 24, 1907 after having filled an honorable mission of 27 months. He married another splendid woman,, Martha Ella Morrison on Dec. 18. 1907 in the Salt Lake Temple. To this union six children were born: Martha Vanona, born Oct. 23, 1908; Peter Golden, born July 17, 1910; Joseph William, born June 3, 1912; Elma, born March 31, 1914; DeIsta, born Oct. 4, 1915 and drowned July 14, 1917; and Adele, born June 14, 1917. He was again left without a wife and mother to his children. Martha Ella, died Oct. 22, 1918 of influenza and was buried Oct. 24, 19918 in the Franklin Cemetery. Yet he kept his family together until Jan. 2, 1923 when he married Jessie Elizabeth Merrill in the Logan Temple. She had been a fond mother to the children by both his former wives. She was blessed with a beautiful daughter, Elizabeth (Betty). She was born March 29, 1926 in Preston, Idaho. Since Jessie and he were married, his oldest son, Golden was killed in a accident on Cub River hill, June 9, 1923. His second and only remaining son, Joseph was taken from them through a heart ailment, March 26, 1936 leaving his wife, Selma Mockie. He was married Aug. 15, 1934. Jessie’s only child, Betty, in whom they took great pride, grew to young woman hood to the age of 15. While returning from Logan where her mother had taken her and a number of friends for an outing, their car was struck by a speeding truck, Betty and two of the other children were killed. She died Jut 18, 1941. Just as they were recovering from this last shock, came the tragedy depriving Jessie of her husband. He was walking along the east side of the highway driving some calves. As he raised up from picking up a rock to throw at the calves, he was struck by the rear of an oil tanker. The oil tanker passed another truck, but, as it completed the pass the back wheels skidded in the gravel on the east shoulder of the highway. The impact threw him some 12 feet. He suffered a fractured skull an other head injuries. He passed away four days later in the Preston Hospital, Oct. 4, 1945 and was buried Oct. 8, in the Franklin Cemetery. He was educated in the Franklin schools and was a farmer by trade. H was President of the William Whitehead Family Organization. He was ordained to the office of High Priest March 2, 1925 by Apostle Melvin J. Ballard. He served as Bishop of the Franklin Ward for seven years. He was one who was always willing and able to make and have peace in the ward and in his home. He used sound judgment. His honesty and integrity was beyond question. He was a hard worker and a leader in the community, was always improving the land and as President Rawlings said at his funeral services, he saw him leveling with a big machine down on the river trying to improve the land and said to him “Pete, haven’t you lived long enough to know better than this? You have built up your own farm and now you are still trying to improve the land.” He said, “Well, I don’t want to live when I can’t be of some benefit to my country.” While he was Bishop, many people went to him for recommends to go to the temple, and they were impressed with what he said and the council he gave them. His work will follow him and they are many. When he would speak or offer prayer, there was something in his tone of voice which impressed people. He was always thoughtful of people in need and was always helping someone. He was a real friend of everyone and always took time to visit and be sociable with the people he met. He was a real kind and loving father and husband, but he meant what he said. He taught his children the principles of the gospel and to keep the commandments of the Lord, and to keep thei r bodies pure and clean. He always had family prayer morning and night in the home. He enjoyed clean sports and entertainment. He liked canyon gatherings, also traveling and seeing different places. He said there is no such thing as half brothers and sisters. So his children grew to love each other as if they were all from the same mother. That love and devotion is still with his family. All are united and willing to help each other out when they need help. He was the father of 10 children and has 25 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren at the time of this writing. He was a fine built man weighing over two hundred pounds. He was 5 foot 10 inches tall and had dark hair and dark gray eyes. He was good looking and held his age. Everyone said he looked much younger than he was. He died at the age of 71. Impressive services were held for him Oct 8, 1945 in the Franklin Ward. The chapel and recreation were filled to capacity with relatives and friends. The floral offerings were many, showing the great esteem in which he and his family were held.. His six daughters and their families were all present except two grandsons that were in the service of their country.
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Darrell & Rose Hansen's Family Roots
1874 - 1945 (71 years)
