Jared Whitaker

Who was Jared Whitaker?

Jared Irwin Whitaker was a Georgia newspaperman and politician who served as the 14th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, during the early days of the American Civil War.

Whitaker was named for his grandfather Jared Irwin, a former Governor of Georgia. In 1861, he was elected to the mayor's office in a contentious election the saw him defeat three-term incumbent mayor William Ezzard. However, Whitaker did not finish his term, instead being appointed as Commissary General of Georgia's state troops during the war. He was succeeded as Mayor of Atlanta by Thomas Lowe on December 13, 1861.

Starting in 1864, Whitaker published an Atlanta newspaper, The Daily Intelligencer, and employed John H. Steele as editor. The newspaper was closed down in April 1871 as it was not able to compete financially with the larger Atlanta Constitution, which bought all of its mechanical equipment in June of that year.

Jared Whitaker is buried in Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery.