WIlson 'Bill' Simonds, 88

Wilson John "Bill" Simonds, 88, passed away at his Whiting home on Sunday, March 29, 2020, according to an April 1 obituary in the Rutland Herald.

Photo from Miller & Ketcham
Funeral Homes, Inc.

Simonds is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Grace Baker Simonds, four children, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Following a private graveside committal service, he was interred at the Whiting Community Cemetery.

Simonds was born in Whiting on December 25, 1931, and grew up in the community, attending local schools. Following 1950 graduation from Brandon High School, he served in the United States Air Force, and then returned home to Whiting.

He married Grace Baker on March 10, 1962. Two years later, the couple purchased the Simonds' sixth-generation family homestead of 130 acres.

Simonds, who retired from Polymers Plastics in Middlebury in 1993, enjoyed hunting, flying, reading and outdoor work. He was a member of Whiting Community Church.

Whiting's early history

An early history of the Town of Whiting has been incorporated into this website. The history was originally published as Chapter 37 of History of Addison County Vermont: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, edited by H.P. Smith (Syracuse, NY: D.Mason & Co., 1886). Formatting and a few web links have been added. Visit the history by clicking on this link or by selecting the "Early History" tab above.

This site also includes the page images for the Vermont State Register of Historic Places' 1992 booklet, The Historic Architecture of Addison County: Whiting. This booklet includes a brief history of the town, along with a map, descriptions and some photographs of significant historic structures. Visit the booklet by clicking on this link or by selecting the "Historic Buildings" tab above.

The earliest document relating to the Town of Whiting is also preserved on this site. It is the Colonial Era town charter, issued in 1763. Visit the charter by clicking on this link or by selecting the "1763 Charter" tab above.

Finally, we have included images and descriptions of the Whiting-related portions of three United States censuses: U.S. Census of 1790, U.S. Census of 1800, U.S. Census of 1810.

---

Update: The website of the Town of Whiting contains information relating to town history and local genealogy. A Whiting "Early Town Genealogy" document is a lengthy listing of Whiting families dating back to the 18th Century. "A Complete Listing of the Stones in the Whiting Cemetery" is an ordered and indexed presentation of the grave markers from the late 18th Century through the 20th Century. Both documents were compiled by Grace Simonds. The website also lists the historic Whiting maps that may be viewed at the Town Office.