WILLIAM A. WHITESIDES, farmer, Rochester township, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, November 5, 1815, son of Charles and Elizabeth (Graves) Whitesides. His father, Charles Whitesides, was born in 1785, in Virginia, and taken by his parents to Fayette county, Kentucky. They traveled in boats from Pittsburg down the Ohio river to Limestone _ now Maysville _ Kentucky. Charles Whitesides was married in 1810, in Fayette county, Kentucky, to Elizabeth Graves, who was born in 1788, in that county. They had five children in Fayette county, and in 1819, moved to Cumberland county, same State, where five children were born, and the family moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving June 30, 1831, in Springfield. In 1833, they moved to the vicinity of Williamsville, and in 1835 moved to German Prairie, northeast of Springfield, where he farmed until his death, March 31, 1836. His mother died June 25, 1855, in Logan county, Illinois. The subject of this sketch received a common school education in the State of Kentucky, and was raised on a farm. He came to this county with his parents, where he has continued to reside ever since. He was married February 19, 1846, to Honor A. Branch, born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, March 24, 1827, the daughter of Edward and Rebecca (Cassity) Branch, natives of Kentucky, and came to Sangamon county in the fall of 1830, and resided in Rochester till the death of Mr. Branch, after which the widow made her home at the house of her son_in_law, and daughter for sixteen years, prior to her death. July 25, 1876. They have had two children, Albert, born December 27, 1846, and died December 7, 1860, and Louisiana, born September 11, 1849, who was married October 13, 1870, to Edward Miller and died November 23, 1871. Mr. Whitesides has been an active farmer, and one of Rochester's best citizens. He is the owner of one hundred and forty acres of fine farming land, which is under good cultivation, and worth $50 per acre. He has given up farming on account of failing health, and now rents his farm, while he retires from active life, having recently purchased a good residence in the village of Rochester.