Page:One of a thousand.djvu/656

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642 WETHERBEE. WHARTON. Weston formed a partnership with William H. Imlay, a wealthy paper manufacturer, of Hartford, Conn. ; but Mr. Imlay's death, a year later, and the panic of 1857, neces- sitated its being closed, and Mr. Weston went to Texas for a few months. He re- turned, and once more entered the mills of Platner & Smith, and when the civil war broke out, he enlisted as a private in the 49th Massachusetts. Upon its organiza- tion he was elected captain. His regiment was sent to the department of the Gulf, and Captain Weston had his full share in the good service it rendered, especially at the siege of Port Hudson. Although en- listed for nine months, the 49th regiment served for about a year, and was mustered out of service August 24, 1S63. On his return from the war he purchased the Chamberlain Mill, in his native town, and began the manufacture of the highest grades of paper. He greatly enlarged his own mill, and later purchased the Bartlett Cutting mill property, near his own, pro- ducing upon an extensive scale a grade of linen record and' ledger paper which has won a world-wide reputation. These pa- pers attracted great attention at the cen- tennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, and also at similar exhibitions in New York, Boston, Louisville and Atlanta. At the Australian exposition in 1882 they re- ceived a gold medal. By request of the Berkshire Historical Society, Mr. Weston read before that body in 1881 an excellent history of paper-mak- ing in this country. In 1865 Mr. Weston was married, in Dalton, to Julia Mitchell. They have four children, and their present residence is still in Dalton, one of the loveliest towns in the beautiful Housatonic valley. Mr. Weston is an ardent Republican, and early in life held positions of political trust and responsibility in his native town and county. In 1876 he was a member of the state Senate, and in 1879 was elected lieutenant-governor on the ticket with Governor John D. Long, to which position he was re-elected after a nomination by acclamation. WETHERBEE, AUGUSTUS WlNSLOW, son of John and L. S. B. (Brown) Wether- bee, was born in Boxborough, Middlesex county, September 1, 1S39. His early education was received in the public schools of his native town. He afterwards graduated from the Pepperell Academy in 1861. He worked with his father on the old ancestral estate until 1865. The two years succeeding he was in the produce and com- mission business in Boston. He then learned the business of carpenter and builder, in which he is at present engaged. Mr. Wetherbee was married in Boxbor- ough, January 1, 1870, to Hattie, daughter of Simon P. and Clarissa Gregg Lane, of Windham, N. H., who died June 15, 1S84, without issue. Mr. Wetherbee served as a representa- tive to the General Court from the 33d Middlesex district in 1882, and was for ten years chairman of the Republican town committee. He was chaplain of G. A. R. Post 138, Acton, and clerk and treasurer of the Con- gregational church thirteen years ; three years superintendent of the Sunday-school, and eighteen years a member of the school board, four times its superintendent. He was fifteen years secretary of the Farmers' Club. Mr. Wetherbee was three years a soldier. He enlisted in company B, 32d regiment, Massachusetts volunteers, November 26, 1861, and was discharged November 26, 1864. He was with the army of the Potomac in the 2d brigade, 1st division, 5th army corps, from Harrison's Landing to Weldon R. P., Petersburg, Va. He served two years as commissary-sergeant of the 1st division. WHARTON, William Fisher, son of William Craig and Nancy W. (Spring) Wharton, was born at Jamaica Plain, Nor- folk county, June 28, 1847. When a boy he attended Epes Sargent Dixwell's school, Boston. He entered Harvard College in 1867, and was gradu- ated in the class of 1870 with honors in Latin, Greek, and ancient history. He studied law in the office of John C. Ropes & John C. Gray for a year, then attended Harvard law school two years, and was graduated in 1873, being admitted to the Suffolk bar the same year. He then traveled in Europe until the autumn of 1875, when he returned to Bos- ton and began the practice of the law in that city, which he continued until April 2, 1889, when he was appointed by President Harrison the assistant secretary of state of the United States. Mr. Wharton was married in Boston, Oc- tober 3r, 1877, to Fanny, daughter of Wil- liam Dudley and Caroline (Silsbee) Pick- man, who died in October, 1880. Of this union was one child : William Pickman Wharton. Mr. Wharton was a member of the Bos- ton common council from 1880 to '84, in-