_Samuel Whipple _____+
| (1702 - 1775) m 1726
_Samuel Whipple _____|_Bethia Patch _______
| (1730 - 1815) (1700 - 1774)
_David Whipple ______|
| (1762 - 1849) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Mercy ______________|_____________________
|
_Joseph Whipple _____|
| (1787 - 1872) m 1813|
| | _____________________
| | |
| | _Jonathan Jones _____|_____________________
| | |
| |_Joanna Jones _______|
| (1760 - 1848) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Hannah Tompkins ____|_____________________
|
_Henry Francisco Whipple _|
| (1819 - 1864) m 1844 |
| | _____________________
| | |
| | _____________________|_____________________
| | |
| | _Alpheus Finch ______|
| | | |
| | | | _____________________
| | | | |
| | | |_____________________|_____________________
| | |
| |_Betsy Finch ________|
| (1795 - 1859) m 1813|
| | _____________________
| | |
| | _____________________|_____________________
| | |
| |_Sarah Tripp ________|
| |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_____________________|_____________________
|
|
|--James Spencer Whipple
| (1852 - 1941)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|_____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | | _____________________
| | | |
| | |_____________________|_____________________
| |
| _Stephen Hatch ______|
| | (1791 - 1880) m 1818|
| | | _____________________
| | | |
| | | _____________________|_____________________
| | | |
| | |_____________________|
| | |
| | | _____________________
| | | |
| | |_____________________|_____________________
| |
|_Martha Alvira Hatch _____|
(1826 - 1896) m 1844 |
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|_____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | | _____________________
| | | |
| | |_____________________|_____________________
| |
|_Mary Holdridge _____|
(1795 - 1881) m 1818|
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|_____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|_____________________
!GOVERNMENT: Represented his district in the Assembly for two terms and was elected clerk of the Senate of New York. --H. B. Whipple
!SOURCE: William Richard Cutter, Families of Western New York (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996), p. 260-261. Gives birth in Steamburg, New York. Gives name James Spencer Whipple.
!SOURCE: GEDCOM file from Shari Nixon to Weldon Whipple, 26 Aug 2002. Gives birth in Coldspring, New York.
!OCCUPATION: Lawyer, politician, legislator, lecturer on forestry, orator. --W.R. Cutter
!OBITUARY: Published in Salamanca, N.Y., Tuesday, April 1, 1941, mailed to the Whipple Website by Nana J. Redell (email hidden), 4 Nov 2004:
Hon. J.S. Whipple Dies on Train from FloridaPublic Career Extending over Sixty-two Years Included High State Office and National Prominence in Conservation
James Spencer Whipple, Who as a boy lived in a log house in Newton Run, Salamanca, and who rose to high political office in his county and state and was nationally known in conservation circles, died early this morning on a train enroute from Florida to New York City. He had suffered an attack of flu, but appeared to have recovered, then had a relapse. He started for New York Sunday. Mrs. Whipple was with him.
Burdette Whipple and Dr. W.W. Whipple, sons residing in Salamanca, were notified Monday of their father's illness and left for New York.
The body will be brought to Salamanca, probably arriving here tomorrow.
Mr. Whipple was one of the prominent members of a group of Republicans who rose to power in New York state at the turn of the century. He was best known for his work as State Forest, Fish & Game Commissioner (a position corresponding to the present office of State Conservation Commissioner). One of the first conservationists, Mr. Whipple while in this office went up and down this state (and frequently was called to other states) urging the planting of trees and other conservation policies. In 1907 forest fires did extensive damage in the Adirondacks, Mr. Whipple conceived and set up the system of observation towers for detection of forest fires, put through a regulation compelling railroads to use oil for fuel in the forest reserve, established the first state game farm, and issued the first state hunting licenses. When President Theodore Roosevelt called a conservation convention of Governors in Washington in 1908, Mr. Whipple was one of the four representatives of New York state, the others being Governor Charles E. Hughes, Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, president of Columbia University, and Dr. Jacob Gould Schurman, president of Cornell. Mr. Whipple was one of the speakers at the convention, presenting the conservation situation in New York state. His work as Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner took him into all parts of the state, and few men had a wider acquaintance than he had in those years.
On His Own at Ten
Mr. Whipple was born in Steamburg October 1, 1852, the third son of Henry and Martha Whipple. His father, engaged in farming and lumbering, enlisted in Company H 154th Regiment, in 1862, fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, was taken prisoner at Belle Isle and died in a Southern prison. Left on the farm, his wife and six children were thrown on their own resources. At ten years of age James drove an ox team hauling white oak logs down the slopes of North Mountain (on whose summit in later years he had a summer home) to a barrel mill at what is now Salamanca's West End. The barrels were made into huge rafts and floated down the Allegany river to Oil City. He also worked around the sawmill.
Becomes Railroader
Learning the steamfitter's trade, young Whipple worked in Toledo, O., for a brief period. On reaching twenty-one he went to work on the Erie railroad at Salamanca as switchman. Later he was advanced step by step to car dispatcher, clerk in the freight office, clerk in the ticket office, and ticket agent.
Turns to Law and Politics
In this latter position he had more leisure than on the other jobs, and used it to put in more time at the study of law, which he had begun nights while still employed in the yards. In 1881 he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession.
Before this, however, he had become interested in politics, and rose rapidly in the public career which claimed most of his adult years. In 1879 he was elected coroner and also justice of the peace. This led to his election as police justice of the village of Salamanca. In 1887 he was elected to the state assembly, serving till 1890. In 1892 he was elected supervisor of the town of Salamanca, and became chairman of the county board. In 1892, also, he was appointed U.S. Commissioner.
In 1891 Mr. Whipple was made clerk of the state senate--a position at that time of much political influence. He served until 1905 (the longest period of service in the senate's history), when he resigned to become State Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner by appointment of Gov. Frank W. Higgins.
In this office he had several battles that attracted wide attention. One was with railroads over the substitution of oil for coal on locomotives traversing the forest area, to eliminate a cause of many forest fires. Commissioner Whipple won. He had another long fight against squatters on state lands. In violation of a provision of law against erection of permanent structures on state lands, numerous well-to-do and influential persons had put up elaborate camps on some of the choice spots in the Adirondacks owned by the state. Commissioner Whipple instituted proceedings to compel them to get off, and eventually won out, restoring these camping grounds to use by the public.
In 1914 the honorary degree of doctor of science was conferred on him at Syracuse university, in recognition of his services in connection with the development of forestry.
Delivered Hundreds of Addresses
As a lecturer on forestry Mr. Whipple had few equals, and he has been widely credited with having been one of the foremost Americans in creating public sentiment for conservation of natural resources. During his services as commissioner, he delivered more than six hundred addresses on forestry and conservation of natural resources, and yet was unable to meet all the demands made on him for addresses. Those who know Mr. Whipple best agree that as a convincing speaker he had few equals. The class of the Buffalo Law School in 1919 said in regard to his public addresses "his forte is that of a teacher, as he possesses the faculty of making all who hear him understand and believe what he says." He had always been more the orator, pleader and teacher than the business man, his years of public service having allowed him to gratify his natural tastes and disposition.
Appointment from Gov. Al Smith
After his service as commissioner Mr. Whipple resumed the practice of law and was attorney for the state excise department and later a referee in workmen's compensation cases. In 1927 Governor Alfred E. Smith appointed him to the State Industrial Board, where he served until attaining his eightieth birthday, when he retired on pension.
Local Activities
During his later years Mr. Whipple was away from Salamanca most of the time, but he retained his interest in local affairs. He was a member of the local Masonic bodies, of the Buffalo Shrine, of the Odd Fellows and Elks here. As chairman of a special legislative commission appointed in 1888 to study Indian problems in New York state, Mr. Whipple wrote much of the report which was laid before the legislature in 1889 and which is still an authority on Indian life, habits, land, titles, etc., and his advice was valued in matters arising in recent years regarding Indian matters.
Wife and Three Sons Survive
On November 25 1873, Mr. Whipple married Sarah R. Dean, daughter of Seymour and Margaret Dean, and their three children survive him--Gurth, who is with the state forestry school at Syracuse University, Burdette and Dr. W.W. Whipple, of Salamanca. Mrs. Whipple died August 30, 1928, and two years later he married Miss Amy Tucker of Albany, who survives him.
!SOURCE: Email from N. Combs to Weldon Whipple, 6 Nov 2005. Cites the following:
!SOURCE: Blaine Whipple, 15 Generations of Whipples: Descendants of Matthew Whipple of Ipswich, Massachusetts, Abt 1590-1647: An American Story (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 2007), 2:G721-G722.
RIN 7712. Quick link to this page: https://genweb.whipple.org/7712
View this person at the Whipple One-Name Study