The subject is "Elder" John Whipple of Ipswich, Massachusetts and 6.880 of his American Descendants. The book is divided into two sections- historical and genealogical
Blaine Whipple is the author of three published family genealogies: History and Genealogy of "Elder" John Whipple of Ipswich, Massachusetts His English Ancestors and American Descendants published in 2003; 15 Generations of Whipples Descendants of Matthew Whipple of Ipswich, Massachusetts Abt. 1590-1647 published in 2007; and Scott A Name Worth Looking Into published in 1981, a history-genealogy of his mother's line which includes Irish and French-Canadian ancestry. The Scotts settled in Quebec Province by 1712 and migrated to Minnesota in 1845. Both Irish and French lines have been traced to the 1600s in their native lands.
The first two books resulted from 52 years of research on one of America's earliest families. Beginning in 1956, he did original research in all of the locations where his ancestors settled, including Bocking, Essex Co., England where they were living in the mid 1500s. They settled in Ipswich, Essex Co., Massachusetts in 1638. While in London, he was able to get a copy of Matthew Whipple, Sr.'s will from the Principal Probate Registry. It is dated 19 December 1616 and was proved 28 January 1618-19. The will was written in Old English, the probate in Latin, suggesting Matthew was an educated man.
Matthew is Blaine's eighth great grandfather. He is also the eighth great grandfather of President Calvin Coolidge and the seventh great grandfather of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His research revealed that many of Matthew's descendants played an active role in their communities, in state and local government, business endeavors, agricultural pursuits, and the country's various wars. Consequently, public records are the sources for much of the biographical information on many of the individuals included in the Whipple books.
His goal was to create a singular resource of Whipple history and genealogy on the Bocking-Ipswich families. During his 52 years, he identified and wrote about approximately 20,000 descendants of Matthew and 6,910 of John.
Like many Whipples before him, Blaine has been active in political and public affairs. He has been an Oregon State Senator, School Board Chairman, Water District Chairman, Fire District Treasurer, and a Director of the Washington County, Oregon Emergency Medical Services District. He spent eight years as Oregon's Democratic National Committeeman and was Oregon Chairman of the Eugene McCarthy for President Committee in 1968 and the George McGovern for President Committee in 1972. He was his Party's nominee for Congress and Secretary of State.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the U. Of Minnesota and a Master of Science Degree from the U. Of Oregon. A commercial real estate broker in Portland, Oregon since 1963, he has been an officer in several local genealogical organizations, editor of genealogy newsletters, long-time member of the New England Historic Genealogy Society, the National Genealogical Society, and several state genealogical societies. He is married, has three children, and six grandchildren.
