Mailing List:2007-01-27 06, Re: Phinehas Whitney, by J. Michael Poston
Mailing List Archives > 2007-01-27 06, Re: Phinehas Whitney, by J. Michael Poston
From: Mike Poston <poston8 -at- verizon.net> Subject: Re: [WHITNEY] Phinehas Whitney Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 11:40:54 -0500 References: <[email protected]> In-Reply-To: <[email protected]> Another Farns10th -at- aol.com wrote: >Subject: Phinehas Whitney, Minister of Shirley, MA >Source: History of Groton by Caleb Butler 1848 >Chapter XX >p.367 > >The first vote of the district of Shirley to raise money for hiring a >minister was passed >September 27, 1753 when ten pounds were granted. April 4, 1754 a committee >was chosen to >ask advice of six neighboring ministers about settling a minister. May 2, >1754 "Voted, To >hire three months' preaching, and also voted, to try for some other minister >besides what >we have had." June 18, 1755, was appointed a fast, according to the custom >of >the times, >as a preparation for giving a minister a call to settle in the place. > >A Mr. Goodhue from Hollis, New Hampshire, preached some time as a candidate, >and received >two several invitations to settle; the first which he accepted >conditionally, >and the last >he declined. April 30, 1760, it was again voted to take advice of the >neighboring ministers >and probably another fast was kept. A Mr. Sparhawk of Lynn then preached >some time, received >a call to settle, but declined. At length, Mr. Phinehas Whitney of Weston, a >graduate at >Harvard college, 1759, having preached some time as a candidate, received a >unanimous in- >vitation to become the minister of the district. To this invitation Mr. >Whitney gave an >affirmative answer. His ordination took place June 23, 1762 on which day a >church was duly >organized, a church covenant adopted and signed by the pastor and twelve >male >members. July >26, 1762, a church meeting was held when John Longley and Hezekiah Sawtell >were chosen deacons. >The church covenants and confession of faith were taken from those in the >church at Groton. >They were plain, simple expressions of Christian duties and obligations >without the unscriptur- >al and unintelligible formulas which at a later period became general in the >churches. > >The church received a present of 1 pound, 6 shillings, 8d from Mr. Samuel >Barron of Groton, >which was expended for a cloth and cups for the communion tables; and Capt. >B. Bancroft of >Groton presented a flagon for the church's use. John Ivory was chosen Deacon >December 2, >1777; Joseph Brown, July 5, 1784 and John Heald September 13, 1790. > >Mr. Whitney's ministry exceeded half a century. It was peaceful, harmonious, >prosperous. >The only controversy he had with his people, and that seems to have been >conducted with >friendly feelings on both sides, was respecting the competency of his >support. His salary >at his ordination was fixed at 66 pounds, 13 shillings, 4 d. This, at the >time, Mr. Whitney >acknowledged to be liberal. But as the revolutionary war soon after >commenced, deranging the >currency, and enhancing the price of the necessaries of life, that sum paid >in paper currency >was evidently inadequate to his support. Several communications passed on >the subject between >the pastor and the people, and the matter was finally adjusted to the >satisfaction of the >parties by some temporary grants and a method of equalizing the salary by >the >price of grain. > >During his ministry, one hundred and thirty-seven persons were admitted to >the church in full >communion; one hundred and ten acknowledged the baptismal covenant; eight >hundred and forty-one >persons were baptized. No record of marriages is found. > >Having suffered several years from a paralytic affection, and arrived at the >age of almost 80 >years, he expired, December 13, 1819. His family are named in the list of >families in the >Appendix. (see p. 497, below) > >Mr. Whitney was a prudent manager of his temporal affairs; so that, >notwithstanding the small- >ness of salary, he provided well for the education of his children and left >them some property. >He was one of the trustees of Groton Academy from its foundation till his >death, and patronized >science and literature. His standing among the clergymen of his time and >vicinity was respect- >able, and he was often called to take part in ecclesiastical councils, and >to >deliver occasional >discourses, some of which were published. In his religious sentiments, he >was liberal, as were >most of the clergy with whom he associated. He was a kind parent, >affectionate husband and >faithful friend. > >p.497 Reverend Phinehas Whitney m. Meriam Willard. >He m. (2) Lydia Bowes and m. (3) Jane Gar- >field, widow. He died December 13, 1819 > >Meriam Willard died March 20, 1769 >Rev. Whitney m. (2) in 1770 Lydia Bowes d. Oct 11, >1805. >Rev. Whitney m. (3) Jane Garfield who died March 4, >1824. > >1. Thomas Whitney b. Mar 19, 1771 m. Henrietta Parker; died Jan 14, 1844. > >2. Nicholas Bowes Whitney b. March 21, 1772, m. Nancy Adams; died Nov 6, >1835. > >3. Lydia Whitney b. Sept 8, 1773, m. John Watson. > >4. Elizabeth Whitney b. Nov 8, 1775, m. Dr. Amos Parker. > >5. William Whitney b. Oct 30, 1778, m. Betsey Fisk and Martha Simonds; died >Jan 30, 1837. > >6. Rebecca Cook Whitney b. Sept 2, 1781, m. William B. Meriam. > >7. Phineas Sullivan Whitney b. July 6, 1785, m. Lucy Cobb and Julia Ann >Robinson. > >8. Sarah Whitney b. Dec 19, 1787. > >9. Clarissa Whitney b. Dec 2, 1790, m. Henry Isaacs. > >10. Charles Whitney b. Jan 2, 1794 m. Dolly Davenport; died Oct 6, 1832. >10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)10:37, 11 July 2010 (UTC)~ >Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth > > > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WHITNEY-request -at- rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >
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