Gideon Olin Whittemore was the son of John Whittemore and Abigail Olin. In 1828, he married Harriet N. (Mack) Hatch, the widow of Lt. Rufus Hatch. Harriet Mack was the daughter of Col. Stephen Mack, the founder of Pontiac.

Gideon O. Whittemore came to Pontiac, Michigan, in 1826 where he engaged in the practice of law. In Pontiac, he held many positions of trust, was a Justice, Associate Judge of Oakland County, and a member of the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1850.

He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Pontiac for 25 years. Whittemore Street in Pontiac is named for him.

In addition, Judge Whittemore was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, 1837-1840; a member of the State Board of Education, 1852-1856; and Secretary of State from 1846 to 1848 under Michigan's fifth Governor, Alpheus Felch. In 1850 he was a delegate to the Michigan state constitutional convention.

In June of 1854 he founded Tawas City, and his company, G.O. Whittemore and Co., built a large steam saw-mill, the first on Tawas Bay. He was Probate Judge and Prosecuting Attorney of Iosco County.

Source: Michigan Government Biographies 1924, Volume 3, pg 440
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According to the "History of the Lake Huron Shore," Gideon O. Whittmore was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, viz.,
"...on a peaceful Summer evening, June 30, 1868, while sitting on the front porch of his sou's dwelling at Tawas City, in full view of the lovely bay he had opened to civilization, he suddenly fell asleep—the sleep of the just—for he had been a faithful, consistent Christian man—for about twenty-five years a member of the Congregational Church in Pontiac. His remains were taken to Pontiac and buried in the beautiful cemetery on Oak Hill."

Source: History of the Lake Huron shore. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.
H.R. Page & Co. Chicago: H.R. Page & co., 1883.
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The following is from the Iosco County website:

"In 1853 Gideon O. Whittemore of Oakland County, Michigan purchased large tracts of white pine land on Tawas Bay, founded Tawas City, and established the County Seat in 1857. After locating and purchasing 5000 acres of timber he built a steam sawmill in the virgin forest as the nucleus of the community. By 1857, a mill and dock had been built, a general store building had been erected; dwellings for the pioneers had been built; the river had been cleaned out to permit logs to float down to the mill, a town had been platted and a post office had been established–-a staggering amount of work."

"Then not satisfied with building a town, the Whittemores realized that some form of local government was imperative and they were instrumental is having the county organized in 1857. Two townships were created, Tawas and AuSable, dividing the county equally between its northern and southern boundaries." ...

"The first newspaper in the county was established in 1868 by the Whittemores."

Gideon Olin Whittemore was the son of John Whittemore and Abigail Olin. In 1828, he married Harriet N. (Mack) Hatch, the widow of Lt. Rufus Hatch. Harriet Mack was the daughter of Col. Stephen Mack, the founder of Pontiac.

Gideon O. Whittemore came to Pontiac, Michigan, in 1826 where he engaged in the practice of law. In Pontiac, he held many positions of trust, was a Justice, Associate Judge of Oakland County, and a member of the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1850.

He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Pontiac for 25 years. Whittemore Street in Pontiac is named for him.

In addition, Judge Whittemore was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, 1837-1840; a member of the State Board of Education, 1852-1856; and Secretary of State from 1846 to 1848 under Michigan's fifth Governor, Alpheus Felch. In 1850 he was a delegate to the Michigan state constitutional convention.

In June of 1854 he founded Tawas City, and his company, G.O. Whittemore and Co., built a large steam saw-mill, the first on Tawas Bay. He was Probate Judge and Prosecuting Attorney of Iosco County.

Source: Michigan Government Biographies 1924, Volume 3, pg 440
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According to the "History of the Lake Huron Shore," Gideon O. Whittmore was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, viz.,
"...on a peaceful Summer evening, June 30, 1868, while sitting on the front porch of his sou's dwelling at Tawas City, in full view of the lovely bay he had opened to civilization, he suddenly fell asleep—the sleep of the just—for he had been a faithful, consistent Christian man—for about twenty-five years a member of the Congregational Church in Pontiac. His remains were taken to Pontiac and buried in the beautiful cemetery on Oak Hill."

Source: History of the Lake Huron shore. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.
H.R. Page & Co. Chicago: H.R. Page & co., 1883.
---
The following is from the Iosco County website:

"In 1853 Gideon O. Whittemore of Oakland County, Michigan purchased large tracts of white pine land on Tawas Bay, founded Tawas City, and established the County Seat in 1857. After locating and purchasing 5000 acres of timber he built a steam sawmill in the virgin forest as the nucleus of the community. By 1857, a mill and dock had been built, a general store building had been erected; dwellings for the pioneers had been built; the river had been cleaned out to permit logs to float down to the mill, a town had been platted and a post office had been established–-a staggering amount of work."

"Then not satisfied with building a town, the Whittemores realized that some form of local government was imperative and they were instrumental is having the county organized in 1857. Two townships were created, Tawas and AuSable, dividing the county equally between its northern and southern boundaries." ...

"The first newspaper in the county was established in 1868 by the Whittemores."