Family:Widney, James (1753-1835)

James¹ Widney, son of James and Mary (Wilson) Whitney, was born 10 Feb 1753, co. Armagh or co. Tyrone, Ireland, and died 19 Mar 1835, Concord, PA.

He married firstly, 1775, co. Tyrone, Ireland, Ann Erwin, daughter of John Erwin. She was born 1754, and died 7 Nov 1806, PA.

He married secondly, 6 Jun 1809, Ann Burd Wilds. She was born 1762, and died 21 Feb 1836.

He was listed on a tax list dated 1786, Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA.^[1]

His son James "Wooney" Jr. was listed on a tax list of 1828, Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA.^[2]

Children of James¹ and Ann (Erwin) Widney:

i.	Annie2 Widney, b. 1777, co. Tyrone, Ireland.
ii.	John Widney, b. 10 Nov 1779, Emyvale, co. Monagham, Ireland; m. Ann Patterson.
iii.	Margaret Widney, b. 1781, Emyvale, co. Monagham, Ireland; d. 19 Sep 1848, Westside, IA.
iv.	Elizabeth Widney, b. 1783; d. 1804.
v.	Ann Erwin Widney, b. 22 Dec 1785, Path Valley, PA; d. 25 Apr 1865, Concord, PA; m. 27 Oct 1808, Concord, PA, Hugh Linn, son of Hugh and Sarah1 (Widney) Linn, b. 10 May 1785, co. Down, Ireland, d. 3 Apr 1870, Concord, PA. Ch.: Sarah Ann, b. 28 Aug 1814, Concord, PA, d. 9 Mar 1896, Mount Morris, IL, m. 14 Aig 1838, Samuel Henry; Margaret, b. 26 Mar 1822, Franklin Co., PA, m. 1840, Abraham Loughridge.
vi.	Mary Ann Widney, b. 1787; d. 4 Nov 1852, Concord, PA.
vii.	Jane Widney, b. ca. 1787. Perhaps identical to x. below.
viii.	James Widney, b. 1791; d. Concord, PA; m. 1837, Path Valley Prebyterian Church, Fannettsburg, PA, Ann Smiley.[3]
ix.	Sarah Widney, b. 1793; d. 4 Jan 1860.
x.	Jane Widney, b. ca. 1795; d. 1 Sep 1872.

Children of James¹ and Ann Burd (Wilds) Widney, if any, unknown.

Census

• 1800, Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA: James Widney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 16-26, 1 male under 10, 1 female over 45, 2 females 10-16, 3 females under 10.
• 1810, Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA: James Widney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-25, and 1 female 10-15.
• 1820: not found.
• 1830: not found.

Note: The following appears to be too young to have been this James, but may still apply:

• 1820, Metal, Franklin Co., PA: James Widney, 1 male 26-45, 1 male 16-18, 1 female over 45, 3 females 10-16, 1 person in agriculture.

Notes

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. This James sold that land and settled in Franklin Co., PA. Further research is needed to determine if the others near him are children or siblings. The earliest Widney ancestor may have been a Whitney descendant, or may have been from a completely unrelated family.

See also:

• PAFRANKL-L Archives
• World Connect index page for WIDNEY
• Title of Acts Passed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania at the session of 1822-23
• Re: James Widney Ireland & PA in the Widney Family Genealogy Forum
• A History of a Fragment of the Clan Linn and a Genealogy of the Linn and ... (several entries here)
• Franklin County, PA Biographies
• Biography of John P. Widney
• More Surnames of Co Tyrone
• Descendant chart for James and Mary (Wilson) Widney
• Family of James and Mary (Wilson) Widney

References

• Census records

• Ancestral File family group record.

1.^  Fannet Township Tax Listing for 1786.

2.^  Tax List: 1828 Listing: Fannett Township, Franklin Co, PA.

3.^  Path Valley Presbyterian Church Records, Marriages 1802-1855.

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Copyright © 2008, 2009, 2011, Tim Doyle, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group