"Seattle and Environs, 1852-1924." Vol. 2.  Hon. C. H. Hanford, Editor. Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1924.  p. 403.
 
CHARLES FAUNTLEROY WHITTLESEY

     Prominent among lawyers identified with Seattle's history for forty years
past is Charles Fauntleroy Whittlesey, pioneer abstractor, specializing in real
estate and patent law. Gifted with keen perception and logical mind, he is
eminent as an authority on law governing real estate in this state, and by
reason of his technical and legal knowledge and persistence in urging claims
before the patent office in Washington, D. C., he has secured patents for many
valuable inventions for his clients. He is a stockholder in the Washington Title
Insurance Company and connected with the Osborne, Tremper & Company abstract
corporation, and is dean of the corps of title examiners for these companies.
     Charles Fauntleroy Whittlesey was born at Fort Union, New Mexico, August
19, 1855, and in both the paternal and maternal lines is descended from
prominent old families and Revolutionary stock.  John Whittlesey, the progenitor
of the Whittlesey family in America, came to this country from Cambridge,
England, in 1635, settling in Saybrook, Connecticut, where his son Joseph was
born, on the 15th of January, 1671. He became the father of the second Joseph
Whittlesey, who was born at Saybrook, May 20, 1722, and during the Revolutionary
war served as adjutant quartermaster of a Connecticut regiment. He was made a
prisoner by the British during that struggle. His son, John Baldwin Whittlesey,
was born in Saybrook, November 20, 1782, and was the grandfather of, Charles F.
Whittlesey. He entered the Presbyterian ministry in the state of New York, and
his death there occurred September 10, 1833. He married Nancy Hotchkiss, a
daughter of Lemuel and Penelope Hotchkiss, who were from Connecticut.
     Joseph Hotchkiss Whittlesey, the father of Charles F. Whittlesey, was born
in Avon, New York, August 22, 1822, and was a graduate of West Point Military
Academy. During the Mexican war he was made second lieutenant, and for gallant
service at the battles of Buena Vista and Cbapultepec, in which he served under
General Taylor, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. After the war
he was with a cavalry regiment on the western plains and along the Columbia
river, to hold the Indians in subjugation, until the outbreak of the Civil war.
In this struggle he served his country as a brave and loyal soldier, having
command of a cavalry regiment in the Army of the Potomac. He was with that
regiment at the battle of Antietam, in the charge of Yorktown and in other
engagements, and was taken prisoner at Winchester, Virginia, but on account of
disability was soon afterward paroled and exchanged. For a time thereafter he
was engaged in recruiting volunteers for the Union army throughout Pennsylvania,
New York, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. He was retired for disability incurred in
the line of duty and afterward became professor of military science at Cornell
University. He was next treasurer of the Soldiers' Home at Washington, D. C.,
serving in the latter position for five years. The year 1884 witnessed his
arrival in Seattle, but after a residence here of only two years he was called
to his final rest, passing away August 1, 1886, at the age of sixty-four years.
His wife, who bore the name of Catherine Knox Fauntleroy, was a descendant of an
old French family of Virginia, the ancestry being traced back to Moore
Fauntleroy, the founder of the family in America, who came to this country from
Scotland, settling in Frederick county, Virginia. He was of French and Scottish
descent. The maternal great-grandfather of our subject, Charles Fauntleroy, sat
upon the supreme bench of the Old Dominion, was also a member of the Virginia
legislature and won the title of general in the Revolutionary war, having charge
of a Virginia brigade. So great was his sympathy for the cause of the colonies
that he disinherited a son who espoused the British cause. His daughter married
Charles Magill, who was a colonel on General Washington's staff, while another
daughter became the wife of Charles M. Thurston, who was also a member of
Washington's staff during that memorable struggle.
     To Mr. and Mrs. Whittlesey were born two sons, William Hickox and Charles
Fauntleroy. The latter was educated principally by private tutors during his
early boyhood but subsequently became a student in Princeton College, from which
institution he was graduated in 1874 with valedictorian honors. His professional
education was received in Columbian College, Washington, D. C., where he
completed his course by graduation in 1876, and from that time until 1880 he
followed his chosen profession in the capital city. In the latter year he took
up his abode in Colorado, where he was a member of the legal profession for
three years. Since 1883 he has been a resident of the state of Washington,
spending the first year in Whatcom and Tacoma, while since 1884 he has made his
home in Seattle. Following his arrival in this city he turned his attention
principally to land law, and compiled a set of abstract books and conducted an
abstract of title business in partnership with U. R. Niesz and later as manager
of the Whittlesey Abstract & Title Guaranty Company, until early in 1893, when
the latter corporation was consolidated with the Booth & Hanford Abstract
Company and reincorporated under the name of Booth-Whittlesey-Hanford Abstract
Company, now consolidated with Osborne, Tremper & Company, Incorporated.
     Mr. Whittlesey has been an active politician in the democratic ranks, and
for two terms of two years each he served King county as its treasurer. He was
appointed by Governor Eugene Semple as regent of the University of Washington
and occupied that position for nearly five years, being the incumbent when the
territory was admitted into the Union.
     On the 23d of July, 1886, Mr. Whittlesey was married to Miss Louisiana De
Wolfe, a daughter of Captain Frederick S. De Wolfe, and a native of Charlotte,
North Carolina. Her father served as a captain of Confederate forces during the
Civil war. Three daughters blessed this union: Charlotte De Wolfe, now wife of
Walter S. Fitz of Spokane, Washington; Laura De Wolfe, now the wife of Dr. J.
Tate Mason of Seattle, Washington; and Katherine Fauntleroy. The last named died
in infancy.
     Mr. Whittlesey belongs to the Phi Kappa Psi, Alpha chapter, of the District
of Columbia; to Seattle Lodge, No. 92, B. P. O. E.; to the Loyal Legion, and to
the Washington Pioneers Association. Not only is he a pioneer of forty years
ago, but his residence in Washington dates back to the late '50s, when his
father was in military service at The Dalles, Oregon, and later at Vancouver and
Walla Walla, Washington Territory, at which last named place the family was
located at the time of the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south.
By reason of his uniformly courteous manner, his keen wit and kindly
disposition, he has a large circle of stanch friends in the community where he
has so long made his home.

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in October 2008 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.