The death of Mrs. Whitford, May 31, following so soon upon that of President Whitford, was a great shock to the people of Milton and vicinity. And yet so entirely did she live in his life and labors that when his work was done it seemed as though there was nothing left for her but to pass on with him.
Mrs. Whitford was the daughter of James Hemphill and Sarah Densmore Hemphill, who came from New Hampshire to Western New York seventy years ago. She was educated in Alfred Academy, afterward Alfred University, and entered upon the work of teaching. About 1850 she was employed in an academy at Shiloh, N. J., of which William C. Whitford was, at the time, principal. There they were married, March 23, 1852, - 50 years ago. After this she taught for two or three years [at] a private school in New Market, N. J., known as the 'Seminary,' while Mr. Whitford was completing his theological education, and in 1856 they came to Milton which has since been their home, and the field of their united, untiring labors.
The funeral, in spite of a severe storm which arose about the time of the service, was largely attended, and was conducted by Dr. Platts who was assisted by Rev. A. L. McClelland. The music, beautiful and appropriate, was furnished by Dr. Stillman and his College Choir, the floral offerings were rich and beautiful, and were furnished by the students and alumni as well as by personal friends both in and out of town, and the church was draped, in fitting tokens of the sorrow which all hearts felt, by Mrs. Bliss, Mrs. Boss, and Mrs. J. H. Babcock, the entire arrangements of all details being, as nearly as possible, the same as those at President Whitford's funeral, made by the same loving hands, and expressing the same universal esteem and sorrow.
Mrs. Whitford was a descendant, in the second generation, of the Revolutionary patriots, her grandfather having served as a soldier during the entire period of that struggle for liberty, and she inherited their noblest spirit of patriotic loyalty.
She had four sisters and five brothers who lived to become heads of families. The sisters have now all passed away, and also two of the brothers. One of the remaining brothers now lives in Pennsylvania, one in Oregon, and the other, William Hemphill, still keeps a home in the town of Fulton, some four miles west of Milton, where he has lived most of the time for the past forty years. Of the four children born to Elder and Mrs. Whitford, only one, M. C. Whitford, this village, remains, he and his little daughter, Maude Whitford, being their sole survivors. To them the heartfelt sympathies of a large circle of friends go out in this great double affliction.
