Having an interest in very obscure composers I am wondering if anyone has any information about these American brothers. I have a little information about George born 1842 died 1923 but nothing on Amos.
You probably have this information already, Giles, but a quick Google search uncovers four items:
1855: A. Whiting, teacher of the organ, piano forte, and vocal music: Also, agent for Brown & Allen's splendid piano fortes. No. 2 Piper's Block, up stairs, Main St., Worcester. ... Also, agent for Taylor & Farley's seraphines and melodeons. ... [4pp.]
1860: Mechanics Hall: Grand concert on May-day evening, Tuesday, May 1st, 1860, by the Worcester S.S. Singing Society, numbering 275 voices, A. Whiting--director, assisted by the National Union Band, M. Arbuckle, leader . [4pp.]
1861: Washburn Hall: Musical soiree. Mr. A. Whiting, assisted by Mrs. Doane, Mrs. Whiting, Messrs. B.D. Allen, Geo. P. Burt, C.C. Stearns, and the Mendelssohn Choral Club, will give a musical soiree on Tuesday evening, March 19, 1861. ... [1p.]
1861-2, The Worcester Magazine: [1861] Amos Whiting lately volunteered his services for a' few weeks in the public schools, with the purpose of giving a juvenile concert to the public on New Year's night. The concert was given and repeated, much to the gratification of those who listened to the harmony of a thousand voices singing the songs that stir the patriot's and the Christian's heart." Evidently the committee favors music, but the expense is still in the way.
In 1862 may be read: "Vocal music, which, for a long period, has annually claimed the attention of the committee, has at length been subjected to the test of a trial. An appropriation of $300 was made for that purpose. It was deemed best that the exercise should be a study rather than a recreation, etc. * * * It was decided to confine the instruction to the high, grammar and secondary schools, the high school to have two lessons per week and the others one of a half hour each; the secondary schools to be taught by a female and the higher grades by a male. Mr. Amos Whiting wa's placed in charge of the higher grades, and Mrs. Wm. Sumner of the lower."
Clues for further searches may be obtained by googling "Descendents of Lady Jane Beaufort," which just may possibly document Amos's parental and grand-parental generations (In both of which Barre, Massachusetts Amos Whitings appear together with a George Whiting). Of course, there were two George Chadwicks composing concurrently in Massachusetts, so the Beaufort angle could be a red herring.
Also, if you can turn up the index referred to (Bio-bibliographical index of musicians in the United States of America since colonial times) in http://musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100307577 (http://musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100307577), while apparently it does not contain birth and death dates for Amos Whiting, it may contain some useful information (I don't know but hope so.)
George Elbridge Whiting Born 14.9.1842 Holliston, Ma. Died 14.10.1923 Cambridge, Ma.
His initial studies were with his older brother Amos. From an early age he held various posts as an organist - including Hartford ,Conn. King's Chap. Boston, Music Hall Society, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, Cincinnati Music Hall. He became head of the organ department of the New England Conservatory. In 1874 he went to Berlin to study with Haupt and Roedecke.
Orchestra
Symphony in C minor
Overture to Tennyson's The Princess Op.44
Prologue to Longfellow's 'Golden Legend' Op.11
Piano concerto in D minor
Suite for cello and orchestra Op.32
Chamber
Suite for violin and piano Op.38
Song
Six songs Op.10
Set of part songs Op.12
Choral
Tale of the Viking cantata Op.40
Dream Pictures cantata
Leonore cantata Op.42
March of the Monks of Bangor cantata Op.41
Midnight cantata OP.43
Henry of Navarre cantata
Our Country Festival choral march for mixed voices Op.60 words by G E Whiting pub. by T Presser
Bethlehem for female voices Op.31
Church
Te Deum Op.21
Vesper Service
Mass in C minor Op.4 1872
Mass in F minor Op.371874
Hymns and Offertory Pieces Op.33
Psalm Op.34
Organ
The organist, twelve pieces Op.1
Three preludes Op.2
Twenty five studies Op.3
Fantasia Op.22
Registration Fantasia Op.23
Storm Fantasia Op.24
Magnificat Op.25
Preludes for Grand Mass Op.26
Grand Sonata Op.35
Preludes Op.36
Melody - Homage to Greig 1908 pub. T Presser
Six pieces Op.57: Requiem-funeral march, Postlude in D, Gradual, Postlude, Processional Toccata. pub. by White-Swan Music 1907
Three Pieces: Prelude in B flat, Melody in B flat, Canzonetta in A minor pub. by O. Ditson & Co.
His nephew was the composer Arthur Battelle Whiting 1861-1936