Born: 9 March 1857, United States
Died: 1932
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Mrs. Royal Whiton, Ella C. Rice
The following is republished with permission from the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail.
Founded in 1892, the Dorchester Woman’s Club united women to promote intellectual growth and community values, led by early members Clara Ripley (1855-1931) and Ella Whiton (1857-1932).
Founded in 1892, the club was non-sectarian and brought together women from all sections of Dorchester. The mission of the club was to foster positive values and the intellectual growth of the community. It began with twenty-eight members and quickly grew to three hundred with a waiting list for membership. In its formative years, the club held classes in local history and chorus and sixteen organized programs annually to stimulate “the thought, the sympathies, or the artistic sense of attending members.” Among the early members who helped establish the club as a successful institution were Clara Ripley and Ella Whiton.
Born Ella Rice in Brookline, Massachusetts, she was educated in the public schools of both Brookline and Boston. She married Royal Whiton in 1887 and became active in social and charitable causes in Dorchester. She was a charter member of the Dorchester Woman’s Club who helped advance the building of a permanent meeting place and later served as president of the organization. Her other associations included the Charity Club Hospital and the Aged Couples’ Home. In the1904 publication, Representative Women of New England, Whiton is described as “interested in all well-considered movements for the public good, and is a resourceful, unselfish, and conscientious worker.”
The following is excerpted from Representative Women of New England, published in 1904. It was written by Mary H. Graves.
ELLA C. R. WHITON (Mrs. Royal Whiton) was born in Brookline, Mass., March 9, 1857, daughter of Alvin A. and Eleanor J. (Woodbury) Rice. Her father died in December, 1865, and her mother in March, 1902.
Ella C. Rice was educated in the public schools of Boston and Brookline, and early entered upon a business life. She was married March 9, 1887, to Royal Whiton, who was born July 2S, 1846, in Hingham, Mass., son of Royal and Rebecca A. (Lothrop) Whiton. Mr. Whiton is a descendant in the eighth generation of James Whiton (or Whiting), who was in Hingham as early as 1647.
Mrs. Whiton for a number of years has taken an active part in club life and philanthropic work. She was associated for some time with the workers for the Charity Club Hospital and later for the Aged Couples’ Home and in recent years with the Dorchester Woman’s Club. She was a charter member of that club, and served it for five years as treasurer. She did very efficient work in securing the building of the beautiful club-house of the Dorchester Woman’s Club House As.sociation, of which from its organization she has been the president. This house, now six years old, was the first woman’s club-house of any importance in Massachusetts, and has always been managed by women. Its success has been largely due to Mrs. Whiton’s untiring efforts. Through her skilful financial management it will begin its seventh year entirely free from debt.
Mrs. Whiton is interested in all well-considered movements for the public good, and is a resourceful, unselfish, and conscientious worker. The good of her cause is always her first thought, and she works with untiring zeal to accomplish the end in view. Mrs. Whiton has the confidence and esteem of those with whom she has been so long and ultimately associated in club work and other benevolent endeavor to which her life has been devoted.