William Turner Whedon of 56 Bullard Street, who was honored on his eightieth birthday by the Norwood Historical Society last night, also celebrated fifty-eight years of civic activity in Norwood. Although he has been a Massachusetts industrialist for over four decades and his. name and ancestry is wholly New England in origin, he is a native of Michigan. Mr. Whedon was born at Chelsea, Michigan, July 20, 1859. On his father’s side he is descended from Peregrine White of “Mayflower” fame, and he traces’ his maternal ancestry to John Alden and Edward Rawson, first secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony,
His academic education was acquired in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he graduated from High School in 1877, and from the University of Michigan in 1881, with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy and a special diploma in Pedagogy.
While in college, Mr. Whedon was prominent in literary, musical and social activities, interests that have held his attention down through later years. He was, for example, a contributor to the University’s “Palladium,” but longest will be remembered for his football song, “Win for Michigan,” which was published in 1912.
Moves to Norwood in 1881
After graduation, he taught Latin in the Ann Arbor High School for several weeks as a substitute, but immediately after completing his work, removed in October, 1881, to Norwood, where he entered the employ of Lyman Smith’s Sons tannery. He became sales and export manager in 1901 upon the tannery’s consolidation as Winslow Brothers and Smith Company. He is now in his fifty-ninth year of this connection, a record seldom equaled in the annals of industry, even in New England where more lifetime identifications with a single line of endeavor are to be found than in any other section of the United States. The Chandler Oil Cloth and Buckram Company of East Taunton is now fortunate in having Mr. Whedon as a director.
The best features of Middle West and New England life are reflected in Mr. Whedon’s community activities. Loyal, constructive citizenship has been a part of his creed since young manhood. One of the first things he did after coming to Norwood was to become editor of “The Norwood Review,” a weekly publication, continuing from 1882-86, and thereafter acting as associate editor of the consolidated “Norwood Advertiser and Review” until 1890.
During this time he was nominated for the office of treasurer of Norfolk County, but declined the honor. He has long been a member of the Republican Club of Norwood, but party partisanship has played but a small part in civic endeavors or public offices held.
His many offices include: acting town treasurer of Norwood, 1901-02, chairman of the publicity committee for the five Liberty Loan drives in Norwood during the World War, chairman of the Pageant Committee celebrating the anniversary of Norwood in October, 1922, secretary of Norwood Board of Trade (Chamber of Commerce), from 1896 to-1905 and its president from 1905-07.
President Emeritus Of Historical Society
There are several outstanding; records of community service, mainly educational and cultural, rendered by Mr. Whedon which deserve more than a passing note. In the early eighties, he was actively interested in the Norwood Temperance Union; in 1899 he was elected trustee of the Morrill Memorial Library, a work he did not lay aside until 1931, a period of 32 years during which the institution made its greatest advance in all fields; and as president of the Norwood Historical Society, he was busy from 1932 to 1937. Upon his retirement, he was made president emeritus for life.
On July 23, 1898, Mr. Whedon married Mrs. Florence Barker Loomis of Norwood.
Neither college glories nor, later, business success have undermined William Turner Whedon’s practicability or ability to arrive at sound decisions. Perhaps this is the secret of his full, famous life. At any rate, Mr. Whedon is more than worthy of the honors that have been bestowed upon him, and as he enters his 81st year, we wish to thank him for his efforts on behalf of Norwood and to wish him many happy years to come!