William Seward Whittlesey, a lifelong resident of Rochester and for many years identified with the postal service, in which he advanced from clerk to postmaster, died yesterday morning at his home, No. l23 South Fitzhugh Street, of pneumonia. Mr. Whittlesey was born in Rochester July 15, 1840, the son of Frederick Whittlesey, a noted lawyer and member of Congress. He attended public school and later took up the study of law in the office of his brother, Frederick A. Whittlesey, lawyer and diplomat. After six years of study he decided against entering the legal profession and became stamp clerk in the Rochester post office which at that time was in the Reynolds Arcade in the space now occupied by the Western Union Telegraph Company's offices. His appoirUmcnt took place under the first Reublican postmaster of Rochester, Scott W. Updyke, in 1861. At that time only eight clerks were employed in the office and there was no delivery service. The mail was put into boxes and handed out through windows, and the daily receipts of the office were about $50. Mr. Whittlesey was advanced to the position of assistant postmaster in 1867 by appointment of Postmaster John W. Stebbins and held the
office continually for forty years, serving under Postmasters John W. Stebbins, Edward W. Smith, Daniel T. Hunt, Valentine T. Fleckenstein, John A. Reynolds, George H. Perkins and James S. Graham. His appointment as postmaster was made by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and he held the office four years, lacking a few days, he served the government fifty years. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition and not given to mixing in politics. In 1868 Mr. Whittlesey married Miss Clara Walker, daughter of Albert Walker who survives him. He leaves also two daughters, Mrs. Benjamin Hotchkiss of Summit, N.J. and Mrs. Edward M. Harris of Rochester; a son, Clarence Whittlesey of Rochester, and two sisters, Miss Florence Whittlesey and Mrs. Anna Oliver of Rochester. He was a member of the Rochester Whist Olub, the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was an active member of St. Luke's Church and deeply interested in all its affairs. The funeral service will be held at the home on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Samuel Tyler, rector of St Luke's Church. Burial will be made at Mount Hope cemetery.
[Rochester NY Democrat & Chronicle]
office continually for forty years, serving under Postmasters John W. Stebbins, Edward W. Smith, Daniel T. Hunt, Valentine T. Fleckenstein, John A. Reynolds, George H. Perkins and James S. Graham. His appointment as postmaster was made by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and he held the office four years, lacking a few days, he served the government fifty years. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition and not given to mixing in politics. In 1868 Mr. Whittlesey married Miss Clara Walker, daughter of Albert Walker who survives him. He leaves also two daughters, Mrs. Benjamin Hotchkiss of Summit, N.J. and Mrs. Edward M. Harris of Rochester; a son, Clarence Whittlesey of Rochester, and two sisters, Miss Florence Whittlesey and Mrs. Anna Oliver of Rochester. He was a member of the Rochester Whist Olub, the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was an active member of St. Luke's Church and deeply interested in all its affairs. The funeral service will be held at the home on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Samuel Tyler, rector of St Luke's Church. Burial will be made at Mount Hope cemetery.
[Rochester NY Democrat & Chronicle]
William Seward Whittlesey, a lifelong resident of Rochester and for many years identified with the postal service, in which he advanced from clerk to postmaster, died yesterday morning at his home, No. l23 South Fitzhugh Street, of pneumonia. Mr. Whittlesey was born in Rochester July 15, 1840, the son of Frederick Whittlesey, a noted lawyer and member of Congress. He attended public school and later took up the study of law in the office of his brother, Frederick A. Whittlesey, lawyer and diplomat. After six years of study he decided against entering the legal profession and became stamp clerk in the Rochester post office which at that time was in the Reynolds Arcade in the space now occupied by the Western Union Telegraph Company's offices. His appoirUmcnt took place under the first Reublican postmaster of Rochester, Scott W. Updyke, in 1861. At that time only eight clerks were employed in the office and there was no delivery service. The mail was put into boxes and handed out through windows, and the daily receipts of the office were about $50. Mr. Whittlesey was advanced to the position of assistant postmaster in 1867 by appointment of Postmaster John W. Stebbins and held the
office continually for forty years, serving under Postmasters John W. Stebbins, Edward W. Smith, Daniel T. Hunt, Valentine T. Fleckenstein, John A. Reynolds, George H. Perkins and James S. Graham. His appointment as postmaster was made by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and he held the office four years, lacking a few days, he served the government fifty years. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition and not given to mixing in politics. In 1868 Mr. Whittlesey married Miss Clara Walker, daughter of Albert Walker who survives him. He leaves also two daughters, Mrs. Benjamin Hotchkiss of Summit, N.J. and Mrs. Edward M. Harris of Rochester; a son, Clarence Whittlesey of Rochester, and two sisters, Miss Florence Whittlesey and Mrs. Anna Oliver of Rochester. He was a member of the Rochester Whist Olub, the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was an active member of St. Luke's Church and deeply interested in all its affairs. The funeral service will be held at the home on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Samuel Tyler, rector of St Luke's Church. Burial will be made at Mount Hope cemetery.
[Rochester NY Democrat & Chronicle]
office continually for forty years, serving under Postmasters John W. Stebbins, Edward W. Smith, Daniel T. Hunt, Valentine T. Fleckenstein, John A. Reynolds, George H. Perkins and James S. Graham. His appointment as postmaster was made by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 and he held the office four years, lacking a few days, he served the government fifty years. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition and not given to mixing in politics. In 1868 Mr. Whittlesey married Miss Clara Walker, daughter of Albert Walker who survives him. He leaves also two daughters, Mrs. Benjamin Hotchkiss of Summit, N.J. and Mrs. Edward M. Harris of Rochester; a son, Clarence Whittlesey of Rochester, and two sisters, Miss Florence Whittlesey and Mrs. Anna Oliver of Rochester. He was a member of the Rochester Whist Olub, the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was an active member of St. Luke's Church and deeply interested in all its affairs. The funeral service will be held at the home on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Samuel Tyler, rector of St Luke's Church. Burial will be made at Mount Hope cemetery.
[Rochester NY Democrat & Chronicle]
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