| John Allen Wakefield | |
|---|---|
 Purportedly Wakefield's only portrait, first published in 1903 | |
| Born | John Allen Wakefield February 11, 1797 Pendleton, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | June 18, 1873 (1873-06-19) (aged 76) Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Historian, politician, soldier, physician, and lawyer |
John Allen Wakefield (February 11, 1797 – June 18, 1873) was an American historian, politician, soldier, physician, and lawyer.
Born in Pendleton, South Carolina, Wakefield moved with his family to Tennessee, Kentucky, and then to Illinois, where they settled. During the War of 1812, Wakefield served in the Illinois militia as a scout. He later studied medicine and became a physician. He then studied law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar. Wakefield served in the Illinois House of Representatives as well.
In 1832, Wakefield took part in the Black Hawk War and wrote a book discussing the war, especially the Bad Axe massacre, near present-day Victory, Wisconsin. Wakefield moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1849, where he owned the Tremont House and became the first justice of the peace.
After living for a time in Iowa, John Wakefield moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where he took part in the Bleeding Kansas events. In 1864, Wakefield served in the Kansas House of Representatives. He died in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1873.
References
- "Descendants of Diana Verner". Archived from the original on 2007-11-08. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/doc/history/badaxe.pdf
- "Historic Diaries: Black Hawk War". Archived from the original on 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- "Pig's Eye's Notepad - W". Archived from the original on 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- "Kansas Bogus Legislature - John A. Wakefield".
- Kansas State Library. Kansas Legislators: Past and Present.
Further reading
- Wakefield, John A. and Frank E. Stevens. Wakefield's History of the Black Hawk War. Chicago: The Caxton Club, 1908.
- 1797 births
- 1873 deaths
- American militiamen in the War of 1812
- People from Pendleton, South Carolina
- Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Politicians from Lawrence, Kansas
- Bleeding Kansas
- Members of the Illinois House of Representatives
- Members of the Kansas House of Representatives
- American people of the Black Hawk War
- 19th-century Kansas politicians
- 19th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly