Family:Widney, James (c1720-1770)
James Widney, parentage unknown, was born about 1720 and died 1770, co. Monaghan, Ireland.
He married, about 1750, Mary Wilson. She was born about 1732, Ballybay, co. Monaghan, Ireland, and died 1790.
Children of James and Mary (Wilson) Whitney, all born in Ireland:
i. James1 Widney, b. 10 Feb 1753; m.(1) Ann Erwin; m.(2) Ann Burd Wilds. ii. Sarah1 Widney, b. 1757, Newry, co. Down, Ireland; m. Hugh Linn. iii. Margaret1 Widney, b. 1758; m. William Williams. iv. Charles1 Widney, b. 1 Nov 1763; d. 13 Mar 1844, Franklin Co., PA; m. Mary Dolly Henderson. v. John1 Widney, b. 9 Feb 1766, d. 29 Jun 1836, Near Piqua, IA; m. Mary Johnston. vi. Mary Ann1 Widney, b. 1768; m. Thomas Wright. vii. Nicholas Widney, b. 1770; d. 1772.
Notes
He was almost certainly a close relative (possibly an uncle) of Alexander Widney (b1784-1831), of Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA. Similarly for William Widney (c1798-1865), of the same place. He could be a brother of William Widney (b1755-a1800), of Fannet and Hamilton Townships, Franklin Co., PA.
This family apparently descends from a "Colonel Widney" who fought in the Battle of the Boyne, for which he was given an estate in County Tyrone, Ireland.
According to a post by Carroll Spear, Buelah Widney Wall of Oklahoma City compiled the genealogy chart which states that James Widney was the son of Colonel John Widney, who was the son of Captain John Widney, who was part of the Scottish Brigade in Holland.
See "Widney / Woodney / Udny: In Search of Colonel Widney and the Family in Ireland Through the End of the Eighteenth Century," by Loretta Layman, for a thorough discussion of the Irish Widney family and its probable origin. For the family of Udny of Udny, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, see The thanage of Fermartyn including the district commonly called Formartine; its proprietors, with genealogical deductions; its parishes, ministers, churches, churchyards, antiquities &c., by Rev. William Temple (Aberdeen: Wyllie & Sons, 1894), pp. 425-442.
Census
- 1810, Fannett, Franklin Co., PA: Alexander Widney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 0-9, and 1 female 16-25.
References
Copyright © 2009, 2011-2013, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.
