THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST 
Vol. IV. NOVEMBER, 1889. No. 5 
CHARLES WHITTLESEY. 
By Alexander Winchell. 
To the generation now passing away the name of colonel 
Whittlesey was a familiar sound; and his high, noble and 
benevolent physiognomy was a genial and inspiring vision in 
the circles of intellectual life. He was the moving spirit in 
numerous enterprises of science, literature and industry ; his 
intelligence was many-sided, and diverse in the direction of its 
activity ; his earnest life was prolonged almost to the limit of 
four-score years, and he established himself firmly in the 
regards of an extraordinary number of acquaintances, friends, 
and admirers. He achieved many important results which 
will perpetuate his memory as long as civilization endures ; 
andyet adversitieS'.of fortune prevented his accomplishment 
of all that he aspired to, or all that he was fitted to achieve 
with honor and usefulness. Few have passed from active life 
more widely mourned or more profoundly venerated. 
Charles Whittlesey was born in Southington, Connecticut, 
October 4, 1808.' He was the son of Asaph and Vesta (Hart) 
Whittlesey, who settled in Ohio in 1813. Asaph was descended 
from John, who arrived in America about 1650. He died in 
* Most of the biographical data of the present sketch are taken from 
the "Memorial of Colonel Charles Whittlesey'' drawn up by the 
honorable C. C. Baldwin of Cleveland, and published as Tract No. 68. 
of the WeBtern Reserve Historical Society, pp. 406-434. 
