Born in County Kildare, Ireland, Whiteley immigrated to the United States in 1836 with his parents, who settled in Georgia.

[1] Whiteley opposed secession, but after the adoption of the ordinance entered the Confederate States Army and fought throughout the Civil War.

[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1866 to the Fortieth Congress, then presented credentials as a senator-elect to the United States Senate on July 15, 1870, to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4, 1865, but as the election took place prior to the readmission of Georgia into the Union was not admitted to a seat.

[1] Whiteley was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the House declaring Nelson Tift not entitled to the seat.

[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress