Clement Whitaker was the owner and editor of the Bloomington Republican newspaper during the Civil War. He bought the paper with W.S. Bush in 1858 and became the sole owner in January 1859 when Bush sold out to Walker. In 1863 he gained a new partner when John F. Walker bought a half interest in the paper. They eventually sold in 1867 to William A. Gabe.

Whitaker was born in Fairfield, New Jersey around 1827. According to the 1850 census, he eventually moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was listed as a "printer." According to his obituary in the Republican Progress, Clement moved to Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1856 where he worked on the publication of the Republican. Two years later he found his way to Monroe County, Indiana and eventually married Harriet (Cornelia) Cochran, on May 14, 1860. Clement died at 47 years of age on March 6th, 1873 at his home in Bloomington, Indiana. Up to the last week before his death, he had been an employee in the Democrat office, but ended his employment due to ill health. It is currently unknown when his wife Cornelia died. She was alive at the time of her youngest son's death in 1900, but seems to have passed away before the 1910 census.

Clement and Cornelia had three sons that survived into adulthood: Clement (Clem), Martin (GM), and Clarence. Clem was born in 1860, married Orpha Sare on September 8, 1882 in Monroe County, and they had four children. Jennie and Herbert were both listed as survivors in Clem's obituary, but John W and an unknown daughter were not. Presumably they did not live to adulthood. Clem died on February 14, 1927 in the Bloomington Hospital of stomach cancer. He had been a successful carpenter contractor in Chicago, Orlando, as well as locally. Clem was buried in the family plot at Rose Hill Cemetery. Clem's wife, Orpha, had died in early January, 1900 after a lingering sickness.

Martin, known as G.M. was born in 1864, and married Mary (maiden name unknown). G.M. and his wife lived locally their entire lives and their two children both died in infancy. The 1909 and 1916 Bloomington City directory's listed G.M. as the President of Whitaker Grocery Co. located at 100 E Kirkwood Ave. In the 1920, 1922, and 1925 City Directory's the grocery had the same address, but changed the name to reflect a new partner, Homer Carpenter. The name became Whitaker-Carpenter Grocery. Whitaker had a different partner for the grocery, Edward Rumple, as well as a new address, 101 S Walnut, in the 1927, 1929, and 1931 City Directory's. The grocery became Whitaker-Rumple Grocery Co. G.M. was killed in an auto accident near Anderson, Indiana on October 16, 1936 at 72 years old. His wife, Mary, lived until November 9, 1963.

Clarence Whitaker was the youngest of Clement and Cornelia's children. He was born in 1870 and never married. According to his obituary, Clarence was an invalid his entire life. He died suddenly of a stroke of apoplexy during his sister-in-law's, Orpha, funeral. He had not attended the funeral with his family, and upon their return they found him dead.