He was born in Cleveland to Henry Devereux Whiton and Frieda Frasch, heiress to the Union Sulpher Company.

He was also the grandson of inventor and entrepreneur Herman Frasch and died in New York City.

After graduating he was a supporter of the university's Physics Department, and was instrumental in its acquisition of a Synchrotron.

He competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he won a gold medal in the 6 metre class with the boat 'Llanoria'.

[3] At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki he won a gold medal with the same boat Llanoria, but with a different crew that included his wife Emelyn Whiton.