"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Solomon D. Whiting, a well-known and well-to-do farmer and stock raiser, of Rosendale township, Watonwan county, and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity of St. James, is a native of Vermont, born at Johnson, in Lamoille county, that state, May 31, 1864, son of Zachariah and Lydia M. (Spaulding) Whiting, both natives of Vermont, the former of whom also was born at Johnson, December 25, 1826, and the latter in 1836. Zachariah Whiting was a farmer and a man of considerable substance. He was a Republican in his political views and a Baptist by religious persuasion. He died at his home in Vermont in October, 1897. His wife had long preceded him to the grave, her death having occurred in October, 1873. They were the parents of three children, of whom the subject of this biographical sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Alfred E., who lives in La Feria, Texas, and Sarah L., who lives in California.

Solomon D. Whiting was graduated from the Vermont State Normal, at Johnson, on January 20, 1882, and for ten years thereafter served as a teacher in the public schools of his home county, at the same time being tions in Vermont until 1902, in which year he came to Minnesota and located at Madelia, where he lived for somewhat more than two years, at the end of which time, in 1904, he bought the quarter of a section of land in Rosendale township, where he ever since has made his home and where he has been quite successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. His specialty in the latter line is Holstein cattle and Poland China swine and he has done very well. Mr. Whiting's farm is well improved and well kept, and he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably situated.

It was on February 10, 1892, back in his native state of Vermont, that Solomon D. Whiting was united in marriage to Abigail A. Stebbins, who was born at Enosburg Falls, in Franklin county, that state, March 7, 1869, daughter of Salmon and Cornelia (Eldred) Stebbins, both natives of that same state, the former born on May 4, 1840, and the latter, February 25, 1842, who were the parents of ten children, of whom Mrs. Whiting was the third in order of birth, the others being Charles M., Ralph Ernest (deceased), Everett, Gertrude and Grace (twins, both deceased), Henry C, Rollin H., Lois C. and Carrie M. (deceased). Salmon Stebbins, who was a well-to-do farmer, died on June 22, 1903, and his widow is now living at Waterville, Vermont.

To Solomon D. and Abigail A. (Stebbins) Whiting seven children have been born, Lydia C., Zach, Robert A., Mildred S., Roland W., Lois A. (deceased) and Alice Mae. Mr. and Mrs. Whiting are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a warm interest in church work, Mr. Whiting is a Republican and gives his thoughtful attention to political affairs, but has never been a seeker after public office.

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