Family:Whitney, James Riley (1823-1895)

James Riley⁷ Whitney (Samuel Starfield⁶, Thomas⁵, James⁴, Henry³, John², Henry¹), son of Samuel Starfield⁶ and Lois (Stewart) Whitney, was born 8 Jan 1824, New Canaan, CT, and died 21 Jul 1895, Rock County, WI. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Magnolia, WI.

He married, 15 Sep 1850, Shelby, NY, Catherine Letts, daughter of Simon and Margaret (Fortiner) Letts. She was born 7 Jul 1828, Shelby, NY, and died 1911. She was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Magnolia, WI.

Phoenix says the following:

". . . a plough-wright . . . . They settled in Kendall, N.Y.; and, in 1855, moved to Magnolia, Wis., where they were still living in Jan. 1875. He is the inventor, proprietor and manufacturer of the "Little Giant Plough," with an adjustable beam. He followed the sea for six years after leaving his father's house. He has been, for twelve years, a justice of the peace, and was, in 1869 and 1870, supervisor of his town."

Children of James Riley⁷ and Catharine (Letts) Whitney:

i.	George Chauncey8 Whitney, b. 31 Aug 1853, Kendall, NY; d. 13 Feb 1867, Magnolia, WI, where he was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery.
ii.	John Fuett Whitney, b. 6 Jun 1857, Magnolia, WI; d. 16 Jan 1939, Madison, WI; m. Minnie -----. FORMER LOCAL MAN DIES IN MADISON John Whitney Succumbs Monday After Short Illness; Final Rites Held Wednesday. John F. Whitney, 82, former resident of this locality whose parents were among the first settlers of Magnolia township, died at 8 a.m. Monday in his home at 17 South Hancock street, Madison, following a several days' illness from heart trouble and complications. �The body was brought to the Allen funeral home here Monday and services were conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Magnolia Advent Christian church, four miles south of the city, by the Rev. E. L. Woodworth, pastor. �Burial was made in the West Magnolia cemetery with John and Elliot Frazier, Frank Bennett, W. D. Brown, Herbert lee, and Ralph Harvey, all of Evansville as pallbearers.� Mr. Whitney, son of James Reilly and Catherine Letts Whitney, was born June 6, 1856 in Magnolia. His father was a pioneer blacksmith of Magnolia who invented the first riding plow and the steel beam plow. The latter, who will be remembered here by old timers served in the early days as postmaster of Magnolia, justice of the peace, and president of the school board. As path master his duties were to look after the roads of that locality. The deceased, a pensioned railroad man, served as conductor for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway company for 50 years, and at one time was conductor of the "Bobby," a two car passenger train operating through Evansville between Janesville and Madison and Madison via Footville.� While employed with the railroad company, Mr. Whitney resided in Baraboo, Lancaster, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison; and a sister, Mrs. Edith Micka, Lone Rock, Ia. A brother F. M. Whitney, Eagle Grove, Ia., also a pensioned railroad man, and a sister, Mrs. Fred Burr, Lancaster, preceded him in death.[1]
iii.	Frank Melvin Whitney, b. 15 Jun 1862, Magnolia, WI; d. after 1910; m.(1) after 1880, ----- -----; m.(2) ----- -----; m.(3) about 1903, Daisy (-----) Hoyt; resided Eagle Grove, IA.
iv.	Myrtle Mabel Whitney, b. 16 Aug 1869, Magnolia, WI; m. 24 Jan 1894, Rock Co., WI, Fred Clark Burr,[2] of Lancaster, WI.
v.	Edith Lois Whitney, b. 16 Mar 1873, Magnolia, WI; m.(1) 29 Nov 1893, Rock Co., WI, Erwin Wright Whaley;[3] m.(2) about 1906, Herbert E. Micka, of Lone Rock, IA.

Census

• 1850, Shelby, Orleans Co., NY:

274 278 John W. Wilkison 28 M - Blksmith $500 Conn. Patty " 27 F - N.Y. James Whitney 26 M - " Conn. Rebecca Wilkison 52 F - "

• 1860, Magnoia, Rock Co., WI:

872 876 James R. Whitney 36 M - Blk. Smith $1500 $2000 Conn. Catharen " 30 F - N.Y. Geo. C. " 7 M - " Attended school John F. Whitney 3 M - Wis. John Price 50 " - Blk. Smith $1600 $550 Penn.

• 1870, Magnoia, Rock Co., WI:

53 52 Whitney, J. R. 45 M W Manufrng Plows $1500 $1100 Conn. Male citizen over 21 -----, Catherine 40 F W Keep house N.Y. -----, John 13 M W at home Wis. Attended school -----, Frank 8 M W " " Attended school -----, Myrtie 11/12 F W " " Born Jun Towes, Emma 19 F W House keeping N.Y.

• 1880, Magnoia, Rock Co., WI:

J. R. WHITNEY 56 Self M M W CT Blacksmith NY SCO J. F. WHITNEY 22 Son M S W WI Laborer CT NJ Frank M. WHITNEY 17 Son M S W WI Laborer CT NJ Myrtie M. WHITNEY 10 Dau F S W WI CT NJ Edith L. WHITNEY 7 Dau F S W WI CT NJ Katherine WHITNEY 51 Wife F M W NY Keeping House NJ NJ

• 1900, Magnolia, Rock Co., WI:

195 196 Whitney, Catherine Head W F Jul 1828 71 wid 5ch 4lv New York New York New York Landlord, owns free house

• 1900, Lancaster, Grant Co., WI:

193 197 Whitney, John Head W M Jun 1857 42 m17 Wisconsin Connecticut New York R.R. Conductor, Rents house -----, Minnie Wife W F Nov 1866 33 m17 1ch 1lv Wisconsin Ireland England -----, Stewart Son W M May 1883 17 sgl Illinois Wisconsin Wisconsin

• 1900, 202 Broadway Avenue, Eagle Grove, Wright Co., IA:

170 173 Kuehn, George Head W M Mar 1838 72 m0 Germany Germany Germany Merchant Tailor . . . Whitney, F. M. Brdr W M Jun 1862 37 m9 Wisconsin Connecticut New York Train Despatcher . . .

References

• All data imported from 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. 544 and p. 1245.

1.^  Obituary of John F. Whitney, Evansville [WI Review, January 19, 1939].

2.^  Rock Co., WI, Marriages, vol. 5, p. 382.

3.^  Rock Co., WI, Marriages, vol. 5, p. 371.

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Copyright © 2009, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group