The careers of five generations of Whipple medical professionals began in New London, NH in 1849 when Solomon Whipple began his practice as a country doctor.  His son, Ashley Cooper  received his M.D. degree from Dartmouth, College in Hanover, NH in 1874 and began his practice in Ashland, NH.  Ashley’s oldest son, George Hoyt was graduated from Baltimore’s John Hopkins University of Medicine in 1905 and 29 years later was a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Medicine.  His son, Dr. G.  Hoyt PhD., earned degrees from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT the Massachusetts of Technology, and the U. of Rochester (Rochester, NY) and worked in the fields of environmental and industrial health.  G.  Hoyt’s daughter, Margaret also became a doctor. (more…)

Leander E. Whipple

Leander E. Whipple, great (7) grandson of Matthew, Sr., was a teacher and practiced mental healing in Hartford, Conn. and New York City and authored several books. A native of Southborough, Mass, he used the term “mental science” when he began his work as mental healer. The interest aroused by his highly successful work made him a pioneer in mental healing.

He founded the Metaphysical Publishing Co. in 1893 in New York. It was originally located at 331 Madison Avenue and later had headquarters at 503 and 465 both on Fifth Avenue. In addition to publishing, it sold books and advertised that it would “supply any number of copies of any book relating to Meta Physics, Philosophy, or any of the Mental Sciences and works on kindred subjects – which are its speciality. Also any book on any subject published in any part of the world. Those having overstocked libraries or possessing CHOICE EASTERN WORKS to sell or exchange should write us, giving full descriptions and prices.”

He founded The Metaphysical Magazine, a monthly review devoted to science, psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, and occult subjects. It was the first magazine devoted to mental healing in the country. (more…)

Blaine Whipple, Portland, Oregon. December 2008

In response to requests for additional details on the historical volume on the Matthew Whipple set of books, I offer the following.

A readable family history must be more than a collection of names, dates, and places. Consequently, this history presents the context of specific lives. It includes the history of the times in which our ancestors lived, the food they ate, the medical care they received, the amusements they enjoyed, the housing they lived in, the work they did, the education they received, the books they read, their religious practices, how they dressed and furnished their homes, what their towns and farms were like, what the weather was like, what the countryside looked, felt, smelled, and sounded like. (more…)

Commodore Abraham Whipple

Abraham Whipple, great great grandson of Captain John Whipple of Providence R. I. and eldest son and fourth child and of Noah Whipple, Jr. and Mary Dexter, was born 26 September 1733 in Providence and died 86 years later. He married a distant cousin Sarah Hopkins at Providence 26 August 1761. His introduction to the sea was probably as a privateer with his cousin Esek Hopkins when he was in his early teens. He rose rapidly, commanding his first ship in his 20s. In 1759-1760 (the French and Indian War period), he commanded the privateer Gamecock and captured 23 French ships in one six-month cruise. He delighted in daring exploits and never withdrew from dangerous circumstances.

The evening of June 9, 1772, Abe led the Providence Sons of Liberty in an act of rebellion against his Majesty’s customs ship Gaspé , commanded by Lieut William Dudingston, which lay aground on a sand spit near Nanquit Point in Narragansett Bay. They set fire to the Gaspé and its gunpowder exploded and it burned to the waterline. The British could not let this successful act of rebellion go unpunished and offered a thousand British pounds reward for information “under pledge of amnesty and secrecy”about the people involved. The people of Providence so strongly supported the actions of Abe and his followers, they did not respond to the reward offer. Instead, a doggerel broadsheet was widely circulated:

King George has offered very stout
One thousand pounds to find out one
that wounded William Dudingston.

One thousand more he says he’ll spare
for those who say they sheriffs were.

Likewise 500 pounds per man
For any one of all the clan.

But let him try his utmost skill
I’m apt to think he never will
Find out any of those hearts of gold
Though he should offer fifty-fold. (more…)

Gen. William Whipple

William Whipple, great (2)      grandson of Elder John and (3) of Matthew, Sr., of Bocking, England, was born 14 January 1730 In Kittery, Maine and died 28 November 1785 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He married his cousin Katharine Moffatt at Portsmouth abt. 1769. His early career was at sea where he was Captain of his own ship at age 21. He left the sea and entered the mercantile business in Portsmouth with his two younger brothers, Robert and Joseph. He was active in Portsmouth affairs and represented the city in the Colonial Legislature, the Colony when it formed an independent governing body, and served in the Continental Congress from 29 February 1776 to 25 September 1779. After leaving Congress he was New Hampshire’s first Federal Tax Collector and Judge and President of the Court to try the first case heard under the Articles of Confederation. He again represented Portsmouth in the Legislature and the State as Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature.

The following statements were made by him at various times during his public career: [Thomas Paine’s] Common Sense has made that illustrious stranger [independence] that was so much feared, a friend of the southern colonies and I hope the northern colonies will soon open their arms to receive him. It’s my opinion that the salvation of America depends on him. (Philadelphia 3-24-1776). The prospect of laying a foundation of liberty and happiness for posterity and securing an asylum for all who wish to enjoy those blessings is an object in my opinion sufficient to raise the mind above every misfortune. (Baltimore, 2-7-1777). We have nothing to fear but ourselves. (Philadelphia, 7-27-1777). Peace is desirable, but in my opinion a secondary object. War with all its horrors is preferable to an inglorious peace. I hope we never consent to a peace [that leaves our] posterity greater evils than we have suffered. (Philadelphia, 2-28-1779). The more difficult we are in obtaining the jewel the higher value we shall set on it, consequently shall be more careful to preserve. (Philadelphia, 8-24-1779). (more…)

If a man means to be an historical figure, it is a good idea to impress a literary patron – a Homer, a Virgil, a Boswell, a Longfellow. Odysseus, Aeneas, Samuel Johnson, and Paul Revere were fortunate in this regard. General William Whipple of New Hampshire and Commodore Abraham Whipple of Rhode Island were not. As a result, they have been left out of practically all the history books about the American Revolution. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put Paul Revere on the Revolutionary map. He even gave us the exact hour at which Paul reached Concord on his “midnight” ride despite the fact Revere says he was captured by the British before he got there.

The Revolutionary accomplishments of the General and the Commodore were among the significant exploits of the struggle for independence. Both joined the struggle early in the contest. Both immediately rose to positions of leadership. Both were recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions: William for the major role he played in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1779; Abraham for his unbelievable exploits in the Continental Navy from 1775 to 1780. Unfortunately, historians mostly ignored them.

Though carrying the same surname, they were not related by blood but were related by commitment to the American cause. (William descends from “Elder” John Whipple of Ipswich and Abraham from Capt. John Whipple of Providence). (more…)

Two Whipple brothers and a young Whipple indentured servant settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s making their descendants among the oldest families in America. There is no known relationship between the brothers and the indentured servant other than the country of origin, England.

The first to arrive was John Whipple, age approximately 15 when he sailed into Boston Harbor 16 September 1632, one of 132 passengers on the 12-week voyage from London on the ship Lyon. They saw no land for eight weeks and weathered five days of east wind and thick fog. When John settled at Dorchester to work off his apprenticeship to Israel Stoughton, the population of the Colony was about 2,000.

Brothers Matthew and John arrived in the fall of 1638 when the population was estimated to be between 16,000 and 20,000. They settled in Ipswich, Essex Co. where they became a part of the hierarchy, assuming leadership roles in church, town, and Colony. (more…)

English luminaries Elizabeth I (Queen, 1558-1603); Francis Bacon (1561-1626),
philosopher, statesman, essayist; William Shakespeare (1564-1616) poet and playwright; Ben Jonson (1572-1637) renaissance dramatist, poet, and actor; and Christopher Wren (1632-1723) the greatest architect of his time, are better known today than they were in their own time. Only a few then living were rich or well educated enough to relate to what is the first era of really creative science or to acquaint themselves with the enormous literary output of the time. For those few, it was a magnificent century, The best of all places for an Englishman to be. For many, it was pure misery. (more…)