wˈaɪthɛd wʌz bˈɔːɹn ˌɔn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ tˈɛn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt ɪn θɹˈiː ˈoʊks, mˈɪʃɪɡən tə pˈɛɹənts wˈɪljəm sˈɪɹɪŋ wˈaɪthɛd ænd luːwˈiːz ˈɛm. wˈaɪthɛd nˈiː stɹˈeɪəl.
Whitehead was born on December 10, 1888 in Three Oaks, Michigan to parents  William Searing Whitehead and Louise M. Whitehead (nee Strehle).