Edmund Burke Whitman

Edmund Burke Whitman (1812-1883) was an American military officer and General Land Agent in Kansas during the so-called ‘Bloody Kansas’ era (1854-58). He was born in Massachusetts and was educated at Harvard, graduating in 1838. During his time at university, Burke developed strong abolitionist sentiments, which were central to his decision to uproot his family and move to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1855. He became a vocal Free Stater, fighting against the pro-slavery forces from especially Missouri.

The following year, Whitman partnered up with fellow New Englander Albert D. Searle to establish a Land Agent Company that assisted immigrants with resettling in Kansas. As part of this work, they published an important map of Eastern Kansas shortly after the sacking of Lawrence by pro-slavery ruffians.

During the Civil War, Whitman served as quartermaster for the Union Army, and he was subsequently appointed Superintendent of National Cemeteries, a job that entailed recovering the remains of more than 100,000 fallen Union soldiers from the southern theaters of war.