Family:Whitney, John (1677-1713)
John3 Whitney (John2, Henry1), son of John2 and Elizabeth (Smith) Whitney,[1] was born 12 Mar 1676/7, Norwalk, CT,[2] and died 3 Feb 1712/3, Norwalk, CT.[3]
He married, 4 Mar 1709/10, Norwalk, CT, Elizabeth Finch,[4] daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Austin) Finch of Greenwich, CT.[5] She was born say 1687,[6] and died after 28 Feb 1712/3.[7]
She may have been the "Elizabeth Whittne" who married, 6 May 1723, Greenwich, CT, Samuell Hurley,[8] and had a daughter Elizabeth Hurley, born 8 or 29 Mar 1727, Greenwich, CT, who married, about 1748, John Austin of Stamford.
Phoenix said the following:
- "He [John2 Whitney] built a fulling-mill at Norwalk, which he gave, 14 Ap. 1707, to his son John Whitney, with needful conveniences of land and water,
- to Injoye use and improve, so long as there shall be a grist or corne mill maintained by the sd John Whittney, Senr., or his heirs for to grind the Inhabitants corne, According to his covenant with the sayt Towne and noe longer. This I do Grant unto my sayd sonn so long as he or his heires shall se cause to maintaine a fulling Mill there where it now standeth and no Longer; provided allso that in case the sayd John Whitney sone of sayd John Whitney, senior, shall marry, and he Decease, and leave a widow, she shall Inioy the privilledges above mentioned so long as she shall remain his widow, & noe longer, and then to return to his Eldest Brother surviving; and in case he shall Refuse, then the next surviving, and so successively to all the Brethren of the sayd John Whittney, Junior.
- He sold to his son, John Whitney, 8 July 1712, in consideration of a bond to pay certain sums of money, the grist-mill, and land belonging thereto, taking, 9 July 1712, a life-lease of the premises. His son reconveyed the whole property, three days before his death; and a month later, the father secured the fulling-mill to the widow during the minority of her son, with remainder to him. He finally sold the grist-mill, 20 May 1713, to his son Joseph Whitney, for which Joseph was to pay his father's debts, give him one half of all grain that should be received for toll at the mill during the father's life, if demanded; "and, after ye decease of ye said John Whitne, to maintain his mother, Elizabeth Whitne (if she survive) Honourably During her natural life, if she Remaine ye sd John Whitne's widdow," and within four years after John Whitney's death, pay to his heirs £50 "in Provision pay at price currant equivalent to two thirds of said sum in money."[9]
- "... a miller .... They settled in Norwalk, .... He reconveyed the mills, 31 Jan. 1712-13, during his last illness, to his father, who gave the fulling-mill to the widow, 28 Feb. 1712-13."[10]
Child of John3 and Elizabeth (Finch) Whitney:
i. John4 Whitney, b. 4 Mar 1710/1, Norwalk, CT;[11] apparently died unmarried.[12]
References
1.^ Stephen Whitney Phoenix, The Whitney family of Connecticut, and its affiliations; being an attempt to trace the descendants, as well in the female as the male lines, of Henry Whitney, from 1649 to 1878; to which is prefixed some account of the Whitneys of England. (New York : Priv. Print. [Bradford Press] 1878), p. 13.
2.^ "John [Whitney], s. John, b. 12 Mar 1676/7," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Norwalk LR1:112.
3.^ "John [Whitney], Jr., d. 3 Feb 1712/3," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Norwalk LR4:4
4.^ "John [Whitney], Jr., m. Elizabeth Finch, d. Joseph, of Greenwich, 4 Mar 1709/10," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Norwalk LR4:4.
5.^ His name is mentioned in her marriage record.
6.^ This is a guess, based on the marriage date.
7.^ She was given the fulling-mill by her father-in-law on that date.
8.^ "Elizabeth [Whitney], m. Samuel Burley, 6 May 1723, by Samuell Peck, J.P.," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Greenwich 1:49; ER:190. "Burley" is an error for "Hurley".
9.^ Phoenix, op. cit., pp. 11-12.
10.^ Phoenix, op. cit., p. 13.
11.^ "John [Whitney], s. John [& Elizabeth], b. 4 Mar 1703/4," [sic - should be 1710/1] according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Norwalk LR4:4.
12.^ Phoenix, op. cit., pp. 21-22.
Copyright © 2007, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group
