Biographical Information

Born on November 9, 1801 in Boston, Massachusetts Winchester took the middle name Parsons in 1823 to distinguish himself from another prominent William Winchester. The title of Colonel was earned through his participation in the First Corps of Cadets the organization originally formed as the body guard of the governor of Massachusetts. He commanded the corps from October 1842 to August 1844.
Known for his good business sense and outgoing personality Winchester was socially popular and a generous patron of the arts. In 1839 upon his fathers death Col. Winchester took over as head of the family wholesale business which was a provisioner for the U.S. Navy.He also held the position of a director of the Boston Exchange Company and the Merchants Bank of Boston.
An avid yachtsman Winchester owned the racing yachts Mermaid(bought from Benjamin C. Clark 1836) and Northern Light (launched 1839).
Upon his death in 1850 Col. Winchester was among the richest people in Boston. http://www.winchester.us/communityconnection/townname.html

Relation to Town of Winchester

William P. Winchester of Watertown

Watertown, Massachusetts

The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...

 was a wealthy businessman for whom the town of Winchester, Massachusetts

Winchester, Massachusetts

Winchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...

 was named in 1849 following a gift of $3,000 towards the construction of the town hall. Col. Winchester never visited the town having died suddenly soon after.http://www.winchestermass.org/history.html The last of his direct descendants carrying the Winchester name, Jean Winchester wife of James K. Baldwin (last known Baldwin to have lived for any period in the Baldwin Mansion

Baldwin House

The Baldwin House, also known as the Loammi Baldwin Mansion, is a fine Colonial American mansion located at 2 Alfred Street in Woburn, Massachusetts. On October 7, 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places....

) until her death in 1989.

(1) http://www.winchester.us/communityconnection/townname.html

(2) http://www.winchestermass.org/history.html