The Whiting family is of English descent, our subject's great-grandfather, Theophilus Whiting, having been born in England. He came to this country during the early colonial period and settled in Connecticut, where his son Thomas was born. Thomas Whiting remained in his native state until 1811, when he with his wife and eight children moved to Spafford, Onondaga County, N. Y. There he spent most of his life, but was living at Onondaga Hill, near Syracuse, when his earthly career ended. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Spafford, which was then called Babcock Settlement, and followed the occupation of a farmer.
Anson Lord Whiting was a native of Connecticut and was four years of age when he came with his father to Spafford, in 1811. There he grew to manhood and followed farming; in 1833 he moved to the town of Scott, where he operated a mercantile store for the following sixteen years. He also manufactured flax for many years. He was an extensive land-owner and shortly before his death gave each of his five children a good farm. He was a shrewd and energetic business man and accumulated considerable money, besides owning no small amount of real estate.
He was united in marriage to Nancy Burdick, a daughter of Henry and Jemima (Crandall) Burdick. The Burdick family is of Scotch descent, and, upon coming to this country, settled in Hopkinton, R. I., where Henry, our subject's maternal grandfather, was born. There he remained until the year 1800, when he came to Scott and purchased a farm. After a stay of two years, he went back to his native state and upon returning to Scott, he was accompanied by his father and mother, and his four brothers, Joseph, Paul, Jesse and Russell. They all settled within a radius of five miles of Scott, and his brothers, with the exception of Paul, lived to be prosperous and successful farmers. Paul was of a mechanical turn of mind and was an inventor; his son Orin became well known all over the country by his connection with the Osborne reaper. Henry Burdick was a pioneer settler of Scott and one of its leading citizens. Besides clearing his own farm of 100 acres, he cleared farms for others. He was an active and industrious man and possessed the confidence of all who knew him. He acted as justice of the peace for many years and served on the board of supervisors. He married Jemima Crandall, by whom he had the following children: Elmira, deceased, was the wife of Daniel Babcock of Scott; Sallie, deceased, married Abel Lewis of Scott; Nancy, married Anson Lord Whiting, our subject's father; Betsy, deceased; Henry Lee; Jared C. was a prominent publisher of New York City, where he was at the head of the Ladies' Wreath and Parlor Annual; Russell M. was a prominent business man of Hartford, Conn., and was interested in the cultivation of oranges in Florida; William M.; and Asher B., who was the publisher of "Helpers Impending Crisis." Henry Burdick had reached the advanced old age of eighty-nine years, when he died in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting's union was blessed by the birth of five children, namely: Lucelia O., deceased, who was the wife of Hon. S. A. Childs, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this book; Henry Lee, after attaining his majority, went to Hartford, Conn., where he was in the mercantile business for twenty-five years, then returning to Scott in 1892, where he died in the same year; Hamilton I., our subject; Lorinda F., the wife of James B. Spencer, whose personal history appears elsewhere in this book; and Adelle O., who married Leland Griffin, a resident of Scott. At one time our subject's father was a Whig, but later became a Republican. He was quite active in politics and held a number of public offices; for many years he was a member of the board of supervisors, and was also town clerk. Religiously, he was a member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church, and contributed largely to the support of that organization.
Hamilton I. Whiting received his primary education in the district school at Scott, after which he attended the De Ruyter Institute of Madison County, N. Y. At the age of eighteen he left school and engaged in the manufacture of flax in partnership with his father, under the firm name, A. L. Whiting & Son. Eight years later he began to manufacture green tow and continued in that business for some fifteen years; he was the first in this section to engage in that business, but he was quickly followed by others. In 1884, he opened a general merchandise store in Scott and conducted it alone until 1891, when his son, Merton A., became a member of the firm. One year later, Mr. Whiting retired from active business life, and his son has since conducted the store with the same good judgment, that characterized all of his father's business ventures. Mr. Whiting still oversees the farm of 148 acres, upon which he now lives, but does none of the hard work.
He was united in marriage to Josephine A. Truman, a daughter of Dr. William M. Truman of Alfred Center, Allegany County, N. Y., in 1858. Dr. Truman was born in Madison County, N. Y., and studied medicine in Scott. He graduated when he was nineteen years old and then went to Richburg, Allegany County, where he practiced for about seven years. He next went to Alfred Center, where he acquired a large practice, and remained the rest of his life. He married Hulda L. Babcock of Scott, and they reared a family of four children, namely: Josephine A.; Elosia A.; Adelbert W., M. D., lives in Rochester, N. Y.; and Mary, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting have reared four children, whose names are as follows: William I., who is head clerk and manager of a grocery store at Skaneateles, N. Y., Lena M., the wife of John B. Brown, a farmer of Scott; Merton A.; and Mary E. In politics, Mr. Whiting is a stanch Republican and takes an active interest in state as well as local politics. He is serving in an official capacity as county committeeman, and was supervisor one term. He is also a director of the Homer National Bank. He is a well informed man, sociable, genial, and has a large number of friends.
Source: pages 407-409
FRED C. WHITMARSH is one of the representative and prominent men of the County of Cortland. He is a son of Hon. Hiram and Zelia (Brown) Whitmarsh, and was born in Cuyler, this county, June 30, 1862. He is engaged in dairy-farming, cheesemaking, and in operating a feed store with his brother under the firm name of Whitmarsh Bros.
His grandfather, Job Whitmarsh, was born in Massachusetts; moving west from his native state, he located in Cuyler, where he took up a tract of land consisting of 220 acres, which is now resided upon by our subject. His wife, Arabella (Wheat) Whitmarsh, bore him a large family of fifteen children, of whom three were boys and the rest daughters. He passed from this life in 1854, his death being mourned by his family and a large circle of friends.
Hon. Hiram Whitmarsh was born on the old homestead on May 25, 1830. After he attained his majority he moved to the town of Fabius, Onondaga County, where he attended the academy, in which he received a liberal education. Later he went to Syracuse with his brother Jesse, and engaged in the hotel business for a couple of years, renting the old Fayette House. After the death of his brother, he sold out and returned to the old homestead, where he followed the pursuits of an agriculturist the rest of his days, passing away on April 11, 1890. Politically, he was an active Republican, and received many expressions of confidence from his fellow-citizens; he served as supervisor and represented his county in the Assemblies of 1869-70. Religiously, he was an earnest worker of the Methodist Church. He was joined in wedlock with Miss Zelia Brown, and a family of four children blessed their home. They are: Carrie, the wife of Dr. F. C. Clark, a prominent physician of Catskill, N. Y.; Jesse B., a prominent farmer of Keeney, this county; Fred C., subject of this personal history; and Paul L., who is associated in business with Fred C., and conducts their feed store in Cuyler. Mrs. Whitmarsh died November 18, 1891, aged fifty-nine years.
Fred C. Whitmarsh received his primary education in the ward and high schools of Syracuse, which was supplemented by a course in Cazenovia College, from which institution he graduated in 1884. He remained home a short time, when he was appointed clerk in the War Department at Washington, D. C., which office he filled for six months, being forced to retire because of ill health. After spending six months in California, he returned home and went to Catskill, N. Y., and engaged in the drug business with his brother-in-law, Dr. Clark, the firm being known as Clark & Whitmarsh. After the death of his father in 1890, he took charge of the old homestead and engaged in dairying, and in the manufacture of cheese; he also operated a feed store with his brother, under the firm name of Whitmarsh Bros. His farm is stocked with forty-five milch cows.
On September 12, 1888, he married Miss Ruby A. Webb, daughter of James Webb of Syracuse, N. Y. Two children have been born to them---Margaret and F. Clayton. The family favors the Methodist Church. Mr. Whitmarsh is a zealous Republican, and an active worker in the interests of his party. He is now officiating in the capacity of assessor. He is a member of Cuyler Lodge, No. 701, I. O. O. F.
Source: pages 458-461
All biographies are from Book of Biographies - Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cortland County, NY
Biographical Publishing Company - Buffalo, NY - 1898
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