author
William Henry Whitmore
1836–1900
A Boston businessman and public figure who turned his spare hours into serious historical detective work, he became one of the best-known American genealogists of the 19th century. His books and reference works helped readers trace families, local history, and early New England connections.
1 Audiobook
A Memoir of Sir Edmund Andros, Knt., Governor of New England, New York and Virginia, &c., &c.
by William Henry Whitmore
About the author
Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, on September 6, 1836, he was educated in Boston’s public schools and built a career in business while also serving in public life. He was active in Boston politics and became known as a careful antiquarian researcher with a lasting interest in local and family history.
Much of his reputation comes from his work in genealogy. He wrote and compiled family histories, created reference tools for researchers, and produced The American Genealogist, a catalog of genealogical publications in the United States. He was also associated with learned and historical organizations, including the founding of the Prince Society and the Historical Magazine.
He died in Boston on June 14, 1900. More than a century later, his writing still offers a window into the early development of American genealogy as both a scholarly pursuit and a popular passion.