educator, Seventh Day Baptist, politician, college president, b. West Edmeston, N.Y. He graduated from Union College, Schenectady, N.Y., and in 1850 moved to Wisconsin, settling in Milton, where he taught for one year at Milton Academy. Returning to the East in 1851, he was principal of Shiloh Academy (N.J.) from 1851 to 1853, and from 1853 to 1856 attended Union Theological Seminary. In 1856 he returned to Milton to become pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist Church there, and in 1858 became principal of Milton Academy. In 1867 he was appointed president of Milton College, and served in that capacity until his death. Whitford was also president of the Wisconsin Teachers' Association (1865), and a member of the state board of normal school regents (1867-1875, 1878-1882). A Republican, he was state superintendent of public instruction (Jan. 1878-Jan. 1882), and was a member of the state assembly in 1868. U.S. Biog. Dict.... Wis. (Chicago, 1877); C. E. Patzer, Public Educ. in Wis. (Madison, 1924); Wis. Blue Book (1880); Commem. Biog. Record of the Cos. of Rock . . . (Chicago, 1901); Milwaukee Sentinel, May 21, 1902.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the William Clarke Whitford Letter for details.

Learn More

Dictionary of Wisconsin History

Explore more than 1,600 people, places and events in Wisconsin history.

[Source: Blue book]