Walter was born in Hindsdale, NH to Rev Thomas Whipple and Lydia Gates and moved with his family at an early age to Bethlehem NH where his mother died when he was three. His father remarried and took the family to Hanover NH. Walter learned the leather trades at a very early age and built a tannery on the Mikascota River before the age of 19. He then got the wanderlust and spent his early manhood moving from place to place, studying and learning new trades. He had a sharp mind, an easy manner, and a thirst for knowledge.
When Walter returned from his travels to the West Indies, he went to Otsego County, NY. He taught school for a while until the age of 25 when he left that occupation to study medicine in Palmyra and from there went to Tecumseh Michigan. He purchased three 80 acre parcels and one 160 acre parcel. He returned to New York and married his first wife, Susan Donaldson, returning to Michigan to raise a family. They first lived on the property of his Uncle Paul Tabor (husband of Waity Whipple) along with his father, Rev Thomas Whipple and wife Rhoda. His father died in 1833 and was buried on the property bordering the farm (now the McLain Cemetery). Walter's wife Susan died in 1840 leaving two young children, Lothario and Frank Thomas. In 1844 he married Ruth Baker and had a daughter Susan. After the death of his son Lothario in 1847, Walter moved a short distance away to Adrian, Michigan where he remained for the rest of his life and where he operated a city newspaper and the circulation for another. His only child to grow to adulthood, Frank Thomas, died at age 21 in the Civil War 1861.
Walter was among the early pioneers of Lenawee County. He made early efforts to settle people whom he had met in his early travels. He was instrumental in inducing Darius Comstock whom he had met back East, along with Addison Constock who had been his pupil in New York, to invest in the Tecumseh area. His efforts contributed much to the population growth in the area in the 1830's.
Walter died at age 90 of a stroke. He was survived another 9 yrs by his widow Ruth who is buried with him.
Walter was born in Hindsdale, NH to Rev Thomas Whipple and Lydia Gates and moved with his family at an early age to Bethlehem NH where his mother died when he was three. His father remarried and took the family to Hanover NH. Walter learned the leather trades at a very early age and built a tannery on the Mikascota River before the age of 19. He then got the wanderlust and spent his early manhood moving from place to place, studying and learning new trades. He had a sharp mind, an easy manner, and a thirst for knowledge.
When Walter returned from his travels to the West Indies, he went to Otsego County, NY. He taught school for a while until the age of 25 when he left that occupation to study medicine in Palmyra and from there went to Tecumseh Michigan. He purchased three 80 acre parcels and one 160 acre parcel. He returned to New York and married his first wife, Susan Donaldson, returning to Michigan to raise a family. They first lived on the property of his Uncle Paul Tabor (husband of Waity Whipple) along with his father, Rev Thomas Whipple and wife Rhoda. His father died in 1833 and was buried on the property bordering the farm (now the McLain Cemetery). Walter's wife Susan died in 1840 leaving two young children, Lothario and Frank Thomas. In 1844 he married Ruth Baker and had a daughter Susan. After the death of his son Lothario in 1847, Walter moved a short distance away to Adrian, Michigan where he remained for the rest of his life and where he operated a city newspaper and the circulation for another. His only child to grow to adulthood, Frank Thomas, died at age 21 in the Civil War 1861.
Walter was among the early pioneers of Lenawee County. He made early efforts to settle people whom he had met in his early travels. He was instrumental in inducing Darius Comstock whom he had met back East, along with Addison Constock who had been his pupil in New York, to invest in the Tecumseh area. His efforts contributed much to the population growth in the area in the 1830's.
Walter died at age 90 of a stroke. He was survived another 9 yrs by his widow Ruth who is buried with him.
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