(T. D. Seymour)
Northampton, Massachusetts, half a century ago, was one ofthe best examples of a typical New England town—amongstately hills, on the banks of the Connecticut River, with broadstreets well shaded by great spreading elms, with large homesteadsstill occupied by the descendants of early settlers, withpeople of much culture and refinement who were given to "plainliving and high thinking." It was the town of Edwards, ofDwight, of Hawley, of Stoddard, of Strong, and of many anotherworthy. It was the seat of the once famous Round Hill Academy.There, on February 9, 1827, William Dwight Whitney was born,—thesecond surviving son and fourth child of Josiah DwightWhitney and Sarah Williston Whitney. His mother was adaughter of the Rev. Payson Williston (Yale, 1783), of Easthampton,and sister of the Hon. Samuel Williston, who foundedWilliston Seminary. His father was born in Westfield, Mass.,—theoldest son of Abel Whitney, who was graduated at Harvardin 1783.
No company of brothers and sisters of any American familyhas been so remarkable for scholarly attainments and achievementsas that family in Northampton: Josiah D. Whitney, Jr.(Yale, 1839), Professor of Geology at Harvard; William D.Whitney, of Yale; James L. Whitney (Yale, 1856), of the Boston[2]Public Library; Henry M. Whitney (Yale, 1864), Professor ofEnglish Literature at Beloit College; Miss Maria Whitney, thefirst incumbent of the chair of Modern Languages in SmithCollege.
William D. Whitney was fitted for college in his native town,and entered the Sophomore class of Williams College in 1842,at the age of fifteen. Tradition says that the studies of thecollege course were easy to him, and that he spent most of histime in wandering over the fields, studying geology and thehabits of birds and of plants, although he maintained the firstrank for scholarship in his class. On his graduation he pronouncedthe valedictory oration, on 'Literary Biography.'
After graduation—at eighteen, the age when most now entercollege—Mr. Whitney remained for three years in uncertaintywith regard to his life-work, meanwhile busy as teller in hisfather's bank. He did not take an active part in the social life ofthe young people of Northampton, but employed himself in hisown pursuits. His leisure time was given largely to the collectionof birds and plants; a large and beautiful case of birdsstuffed by him at this period is in the Peabody Museum at NewHaven. His tastes for natural science were marked, and he wasmore than an amateur in that field. He spent the summer of1849 in the United States Survey of the Lake Superior region,conducted by his eminent brother, Josiah D. Whitney—having"under his charge the botany, the ornithology, and the accounts."In the summer of 1873, also, he was invited to take part in theHayden exploring expedition in Colorado. The Report of theSurvey says that he "rendered most valuable assistance ... ingeographical work." His account of this expedition of 1873 waspublished in the New York Tribune, and afterwards was translatedinto French for a popular publication of that country, asgiving a clear view of the work of such scientific parties. Hehad a brief article in the American Journal of Science for thesame year on the U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories.He gave several months of his time just before leaving home forhis last visit to Europe, to helping Professor J. D. Whitney putthrough the press the latter's work on 'The Metallic Wealth of