Family:Whitney, Henry Burleigh (1875-1928)

Henry Burleigh⁹ Whitney (William Henry⁸, Charles⁷, Charles⁶, Daniel⁵, Daniel⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of William Henry⁸ and Mary Ann (Giddings) Whitney,^[1] was born 5 Jan 1875, Providence, Rhode Island, and died 5 Dec 1928, Walkerville, ON.

He married, 2 Dec 1905, Toronto, ON, Elsie Edna Medcalf, daughter of Charles and Mary (Sunnex) Medcalf. She was born 27 Apr 1881, Toronto, ON, and died 1 May 1965, Terra Linda, CA. She is buried at Sunset View Cemetery.

She was naturalized 13 Nov 1944, San Francicso, CA.

According to WWI draft registration card: Henry Burleigh Whitney lived at 15 Victoria, Buffalo, NY, on 17 Sept 1918. He was 43 yrs old. He was a foreman at Russell Motor Co., 93 Dewey Ave., Buffalo, NY. He was described as medium height and medium build with grey eyes and brown hair. He had injured his right hand.

Henry Burleigh Whitney was a tall, thin man. He was over 6 feet tall and only about 130 pounds. He loved to travel. He went to visit his friend in Toronto, Ontario. His friend sold vacuum cleaners, door to door. He rang Elsie’s doorbell. A few weeks later they were married. His marriage caused a scandal within the family. He was a tool and dye maker. He traveled between the United States and Canada. His daughter, Alys remembers her father:

"My dad always bought the best, whether it was food, clothes, cars, etc. He always owned a new automobile. During the early 1900's few people owned cars. When I was young we would take a ride into the country. My father would have me sit on between his legs and steer the car. The goal was to see if I could find my way home.

"My father always smoked a pipe. I remember sitting on his lap and he would blow smoke into my face. I would wave the smoke away and we would both laugh.

"My dad love sports. He taught me how to play golf. We would go to the golf course and he would teach me how to swing a club. One day my mom, dad and I were standing on a golf tee and I swung the driver not realizing how close my mother was, and hit her in the eye.

"My mother wanted to buy a house, so they did. They purchased a home in Toledo, Ohio. They only stayed a year, for we moved again to Mt. Gilead, Ohio and they sold the house. My father was a very clever man, even though he only went to grade school. He was a tool and die maker. During the 1920's they were very much in demand. We would travel to where ever he found work. He ran factories (the machine shop). My brother Henry told me that our father would take over a factory that was failing, or in the red, and put it in the black. His last job was with General Motors. We we located in Canada when he died."

Children of Henry Burleigh⁹ and Elsie Edna (Medcalf) Whitney:

i.	Henry Burleigh10 Whitney, b. 22 Mar 1909, Toronto, ON; d. 9 Dec 1993, Napa, CA.
ii.	Edward Bernard Whitney, b. 30 Aug 1910, Toronto, ON; d. 31 Oct 2000, Santa Rosa, CA.
iii.	Alys Edna Whitney, b. 1 Jan 1916, Welland, ON, d. 9 May 2007, Cotati, CA, m. Robert Ernest Durenberger.

Census

• 1900, 32 Olivia Street, Derby Ward 1, New Haven Co., CT:

4 8 Wernsman, Charles Head W M Jun 1851 48 mar 30 Germany Germany Germany Machinist, Rents house, Immig. 1863, Nat. -----, Hesnena Wife W F May 1846 54 mar 30 2ch 2liv Connecticut Germany Germany -----, Charles Son W M Nov 1874 25 sgl Connecticut Germany Connecticut Pattern maker -----, Maud Dau W F Feb 1877 25 sgl Connecticut Germany Connecticut Scranton, James Brdr W M Jun 1870 29 sgl Ireland Ireland Ireland Station foreman, Immig. 1887, Nat. Kelley, Ferguss Brdr W M May 1847 53 mar 30 Ireland Ireland Ireland Mfr. brass spets, Immig. 1857, Nat. Whitney Harry B. Brdr W M Jan 1875 25 sgl Rhode Island Massachusetts Massachusetts Machinist

References

• Copy of Certificate of Birth, place of birth: Bellevue Ave, Providence, RI.
• Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths - 1869-1907. MS 929, 190 reels. Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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Copyright © 2007, 2012, 2020, Ann Mathewson, Robert L. Ward, and the Whitney Research Group.