Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-03
GONE BEYOND.
w. III. Whitman crosses the Dark
River. After Long, FitfuI Illness
A. asyn.tfup uSSa suosaa

W. N. w nhtmhu CrOSSfS tne D0rk
River. After Long, FitfaI Illness
An Eventful Life Closed.
At midnight last night at his home,
526 Eighteenth street, Mr.. W. III. Whit
man breathed his last, after an illness of
two months and half duration, the all
ment being heart disease.
William III. Whitman was born at
Pennington. Conn, March IS. 1898.
There were but three children In the fam
Farnam, the great railroad contractor. an
his brother, the Hon. Chas. Whitman, q
state senator, in Connecticut. The fam
lily was of the old original Yankee stock
and the subject of this sketch had lib.
eral education and other advantages such
as fitted him for the successful career he
afterwards pursued. In his younger days
he was man OF great physical powers
and he was not long in developing those
excellent business qualifications, which
were shown in his after life.
In 1857, at the age of twenty eight.
Mr.. Whitman associated himself in con-
tract business with John r. Boyle, now
OF Davenport. and came west with Far
nam & Sheffield, contractors for the
Southern Michigan & Northern Indiana
railroad. which was being built west to
Chicago. 1t was after the junior member
of this we'll known firm that the town of
Sheffield in this state took its name.
Messrs. Boyle and Whitman and also
our esteemed townsman, John Warner,
were among the sub,contractors for this
great railroad undertaking. and then it
was that Mr. Warner became acquainted
with Mr.. Whitman, as well as with
Messrs. Farnam and Boyle, and from that
time Mr.. Whitman and Mr.. Warner ha We
been earnest and fast friends.
The latter part of February, 1859. and
before the Michigan Southern and
Northern Indiana and any other road was
completed to Chicago, Mr.. Farnam, its
contractor, in company with MIR. Jarvis,
his chief engineer, John E. Henry, after
ward prominent citizen and mayor of
Davenport, but now of Des Moines. Rod
ney Sherwin, John Warner and W. FL i.
Whitman, left Chicago for Rock Island
in two carriages, the then terminus of the
contemplated Chicago 81 Rock Island,
now the c., r. 1. s. P. The party ar.
rived here on Sunday, the last day of Feb
ruary, after six days drive.
Mr.. Farnam Immediately let contracts
for some of the most important part of
the work to Messrs. Whitman and War
ner and when the Rock Island road was
built MIR. Whitman became one of its of.
ficials. being not only a practical track
builder but an engineer. and he could
run locomotive as well as any one.
For number of years he was assistant
superintendent of the Chicago and Rock
Island division.
After severing his connection with the
railroad he was considerable period
engaged in various works of contracting,
being associated most of the time with
MIR. Warner. the last important I'M
dertaking in which these gentlemen were
interested being on the Union Pacific
road in Utah.
In the latter years of his life Mr..
Whitman was honored by his fellow
citizens with the Offices of alderman and
supervisor and in all such positions cons
Quoted himself in a manner that won the
confidence and good will of the public.
Mr.. Whitman leaves with his wifes
whose maiden name was Alzerah A.
Woodruff. three daughters, Mrs. j. s.
Dart, of Norfolk, Neb, and Misses Ann
F. and Clara Whitman of this city. There
were two sons in the family, but all are
dead.
Mr.. Whitman was widely esteemed by
the community in which he has so many
years resided, and in all his acts and
undertakings and in his every walk
proved himself man in the truest sense
of the word.
. The funeral has not yet been decided
upon, but will probably be held from
Trinity church Wednesday