Son of Samuel Willhoit & Susan Parman Willhoit. He was born in Greene County, TN. Married Catherine Greer (1st wife) on June 18, 1851 in Carter County, TN. They had 5 children - Mary E, Benjamin H, Augustus Luther, Sarah Katherine, Hannah A. He then married Louisa Paxton (2nd wife) in Greene Co. Tn. on Oct 20, 1874. They had 7 children - Bessie Agnes, Bertha May, Bonnie Bell, Cecile Maude, Joseph Emanuel, Jessie Mabel, and David Albert.

[Following provided by skcoffman (#47777321)]
Story by Ruby Weinman Hillier (Emanuel's granddaughter who was raised by Louisa when her mother died):
Grandfather was one of a big family of boys; I have forgotten how many. He was the only Union sympathizer. When a Confederate contingent came to conscript him for the southern army, he took off fast, but had to make a dash across a clearing to get to wooded land. Two of his brothers were with this group. His younger brother saw him sprinting across the clearing, but kept mum. Grandma (Louisa) said had it been the older brother who saw him, he would have shot Grandfather. His duty, as he saw it, would not have been swayed by relationship. So, of course, Grandfather went on to the Union Army and enlisted.

If you remember your Civil War history, you know that Libby prison and Andersonville prison (in Sumter Co, south-central Georgia near Americas and Plains) were notorious Confederate prisons. Conditions were unspeakable. I remember the story Grandma (Louisa) told about Andersonville. The prisoners had no water except filthy, stagnent water from which they had to skim out the vermin. Men were dying like flies and everyone was sick and emaciated (built early in 1864 and existed 14 months. 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here and almost 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure to the elements). Then a spring of fresh water broke forth right in the prison yard. They drew a line around the spring and put guards on duty with orders to shoot any prisoner who stepped over that line to get a drink of pure water. Many men stepped over the line just so they would be shot and put out of their misery.

When Grandfather and these other prisoners were informed that they were being transferred to Andersonville (Libby was horrible, but Andersonville had a still worse reputation) they decided they would rather die in an escape attempt then go there. The men were in a box car and huge searchlight directed on them. Some of them asked a guard if they might hang up a blanket to keep the light out of their eyes so they could sleep, and they got permission. They hacked together their steel knives and made saws and then sawed through a rail of the box car. Most of the men chickened out, but Grandfather and these two rolled off the moving train. One of the men was injured very badly and that is one reason they were so long getting back to the Union lines. They had to hide out by day and make their painful way be night, begging food from the Negroes when they could.

Found on the internet:
Emanuel was in the Civil War for 3 years for the Union Army as a 1st Lieutenant, Company F, Fentress County TN, Second Tennessee Infantry Regiment, USA at age 36. Organization began at Camp Dick Robinson, Kentucky, in August, 1861; 7 companies mustered out at Knoxville, TN, October 6, 1864; final muster out at Nashville, August 3, 1865. Captain David Fry, Co. "F". Enrolled at Camp Dick Robinson, Sep 23, 1861; mustered out at Knoxville, Oct 6, 1864.

He was captured at Rogersville and confined at Libby Prison in Richmond VA. Sent to Danville VA on May 1, 1864. Sent to Macon GA (Andersonville) on May 7, 1864. Escaped by jumping from the train on May 15, 1864 about 60 miles east of Macon GA while being transferred. Was 30 days getting back to unit. Granted 20 day furlough. Returned to regiment about July 10, 1864. He mustered in Sept 26, 1861, Camp Wildcat, Clay, KY to Oct 6, 1864, Knoxville, Knox, TN, expiration of service.

He moved from Tennessee with his family in Oct 1878 to Nebraska, and in 1884 he moved to Custer County where he lived until he died. He suffered many years with diseases contracted in the army and prison. He was a good citizen, neighbor, husband and father.