Family:Whitney, Benjamin (1660-a1748)

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Benjamin3 Whitney (John2, John1), son of John2 and Ruth (Reynolds) Whitney, was born 28 Jun 1660 at Watertown, MA.[1] He died after 28 Mar 1748, when he sold land (see below).

Benjamin married, 30 Mar 1687, Watertown, MA, Abigail Hagar,[2] daughter of William and Mary (Bemis) Hagar.[3] She was born circa 1665,[4] and allegedly died in 1767.[5]

He was mentioned in the unsigned will of his father, 27 Feb 1685. He was granted administration, along with mother Ruth and brother John, on the estate of his father after 12 Oct 1692 at Watertown, MA.[6]

"His [John2 Whitney's] son Benjamin served in the French war of 1690."[7]

"Benjamin the youngest son received in the division 'all the land that I bought of How or also as a small meddo [-----] after his mother's decease.' ... He was the owner of land adjoining having purchased six acres on Orchard Street of J. Ormes who married Elizabeth the granddaughter of Rev. George Phillips. Benjamin was born in 1660 and died after 1732 and perhaps in 1736. I have read all the deeds and probate records to or from every Benjamin Whitney in Middlesex Co. 1689-1743 & do not find his will or probate record. The will of Benjamin Whitney proved in 1736, mentioned by Barry is not his will. The second marriage to Elizabeth which Barry gives us and Pierce follows him in giving to our Benjamin is wrong. That Benjamin is the son of Joseph another son of John. Our Benjamin the soldier who fought the French married Abigail Hagar Mar. 30th 1687 and had two daughters and four sons. All of the sons settled in Watertown or Waltham. ... Benjamin the Soldier's home was on Orchard Street perhaps opposite Hovey Street in the house now owned by the Whiting Estate or another on the same site. His father owned the land which he purchased of Father Arnold 1661, and Benjamin conveyed it to his youngest son Capt. Daniel in 1725.'"[8]

"Benjamin with fifty two others bound their estates in the sum of one thousand pounds as an obligation to pay Rev. Robt. Sturgeon £84 annual support as their 'Evangelical Pastor,' 'A gospel minister among us where the late Rev. Mr. S. Angier preached.'"[9]

The following deeds involve Benjamin Whitney, recorded in Middlesex County, MA (South Registry):[10]

  • 17 Dec 1714, Benjamin Whitney to Benjamin Harrington et al. (17:369)
  • 11 Jan 1721, Benjamin Whitney to Robert Sturgeon (22:273)
  • 15 Mar 1724, Benjamin Whitney to David Whitney (40:72)
  • -- --- 1725, Benjamin Whitney to Daniel Whitney (24:374)
  • 26 Jan 1732, John and Elizabeth Ormes to Benjamin Whitney (34:495)
  • 28 Mar 1748, Benjamin Whitney to Josiah Stearns (46:627)

Watertown, MA, Meetinghouse seating 24 Apr 1732: Mr. Benja Whitney, 4th seat.[11]

Watertown, MA, Meetinghouse seating, 15 Jun 1741: Mr. Benjamin Whitney, 6th seat.[12]

On 5 Jul 1741, Watertown, MA, Abigail Whitney, owned the covenant.[13]

Watertown, MA, Meetinghouse seating, 10 Jun 1748: Benja Whitney, 2nd seat in ye front.[14]

No probate records have been found for either him or his wife.

Children of Benjamin3 and Abigail (Hagar) Whitney:

i. Abigail4 Whitney, b. 3 May 1688, Watertown, MA;[15] m. Richard Sawtell.
ii. Benjamin Whitney, b. circa 1691; guess based on order of baptisms: Benjamin, John, David, Abigail, and Ruth; baptized 10 Jul 1698, Watertown, MA;[16] d. 13 Nov 1713, Watertown, MA.[17] He was also known as Benjamin Whitney Jr.
iii. John Whitney, b. 15 Jun 1694, Watertown, MA;[18] m. Susan -----.
iv. David Whitney, b. 16 Jun 1697, Watertown, MA;[19] m. Rebecca Fillebrown.
v. Ruth Whitney, bapt. 10 Jul 1698, Watertown, MA;[20] m. John Bond.
vi. Daniel Whitney, b. 17 Jul 1700, Watertown, MA;[21] m. Dorothy Tainter.

References

1.^  "Benjamin Whetny, s. John & Ruth Whetny, b. 28 9mo 1660," according to Watertown Records, Comprising the First and Second Book of Town Proceedings, with the Land Grants and Possessions. Also, the Proprietors' Book, and the First Book of and Supplement of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, 1894), volume 1, page 23.

2.^  "31 Mar 1687, Benjamin Whitney (s. of John Whitney) and Abigail Hager (d. of widdow Hager), married with parents consent," according to Watertown Records, Comprising East Congregational and Precinct Affairs, 1697 to 1737. Also, Record Book of the Pastors, 1686-1819 (1906), volume 4, page 97.

3.^  Henry Bond, Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Including Waltham and Weston (2nd ed., 1860), p. 264.

4.^  This date is a guess, based on the ages of her siblings, her marriage date, and the birth dates of her children.

5.^  The source of this date is unknown. It appears in the L.D.S. Pedigree Resource File.

6.^  Middlesex County, Massachusetts, probate file #24,681.

7.^  William H. Whitney, A Watertown Farm in Eight Generations: A Memorial of the Whitney Family (Cambridge, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, and Watertown Historical Society, 1898), p. 76.

8.^  William H. Whitney, op. cit., pp. 77-78.

9.^  William H. Whitney, op. cit., pp. 79-80.

10.^  William H. Whitney, op. cit., p. 133.

11.^  "Meetinghouse seating 24 Apr 1732: Mr. Benja Whitney, 4th seat," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 90.

12.^  "Meetinghouse seating, 15 Jun 1741: Mr. Benjamin Whitney, 6th seat," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, pages 91-92.

13.^  "5 Jul 1741, Abigail Whitney, o. c.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 146.

14.^  "Meetinghouse seating, 10 Jun 1748: Benja Whitney, 2nd seat in ye front," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 93.

15.^  "Abigall Whetny, d. Benjamin & Abigal, b. 3 May 1688," according to Watertown Records, volume 1, page 60.

16.^  "Benjamin, John, David, Abigail and Ruth" (in that order), children of Benjamin Whitney, were baptized on 10 Jul 1698, according to Henry Austin Whitney, "The Descendants of John and Elinor Whitney, of Watertown, Mass.," NEHGR, vol. XI (1857), p. 118. The implication is that Benjamin was older than John, b. 1694. Given the 1687 marriage date and 1688 birth of Abigail, it seems reasonable to guess the date of Benjamin's birth at about 1691, within one year.

17.^  "Benjamin Whitney, Jr., d. 13 Nov 1713," according to Watertown Records, Comprising the Third Book of Town Proceedings and the Second Book of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, to the End of 1737. Also Plan and Register of Burials in Arlington Street Burying Ground (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, 1900), volume 2, page 50. That it was this Benjamin Whitney who died in 1713 is discussed in an essay available on-line.

18.^  "John Whitny, s. Benajmin & Abigall Whitney, b. 15 Jun 1694," according to Watertown Records, volume 2, page 3.

19.^  "David, s. Benja. & Abigail Whittny, b. 16 Jun 1697," according to Watertown Records, volume 2, page 10.

20.^  Henry Austin Whitney, loc. cit.

21.^  "Daniel Whitny, s. Benja. & Abigail Whitny, b. 17 Jul 1700," according to Watertown Records, volume 2, page 15.


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