James Whitehill, son of Robert Whitehill and Margaret Moody, was born in 1679 in Cardross, Dumbartonshire, Scotland. He married in 1699 and his only known sons are James, John and Thomas. His sons all emigrated and settled in Pennsylvania. Descendants and relatives live mainly in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas and California.

"Soon after his arrival in California from Boston during 1860, King joined a small group of friends for an excursion to Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove. On his return he described the trip in a seies of eight letters to the 'Boston Evening Transcript'. These communications, never before reprinted in their entirety, form the body of 'A Vacation among the Sierras'--Book prospectus.