Family:Whitney, Thomas Richard (1807-1858)

Thomas Richard⁷ Whitney (Asa⁶, Ebenezer⁵, David⁴, Joseph³, John², Henry¹), son of Asa⁶ and Catherine (Leggett) Whitney, was born 30 Apr 1807, Norwalk, CT, died 12 Apr 1858, New York, NY, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

He married firstly, 7 Oct 1827, Wilton, CT, Elizabeth Comstock, daughter of Enos and Albacinda (Chapman)(Hanford) Comstock. She was born 6 Nov 1808 or 7 Nov 1809, Wilton, CT, and died 13 Mar 1840, New York, NY.

He married secondly, 22 Jun 1848, New York, NY, Sarah Ann (Heustis) Giffing, daughter of Edward Heustis. She was born 8 May 1810, Westchester, NY, and died after 1867. She had married firstly Richard Giffing.

Phoenix says the following:

. . . author and engraver; . . . . He was a Senator of New York in 1854 and 1855, from the Fourth District; and a Representative in the 34th Congress, from New York, 5th Congressional District, from 1855 to 1857. He devoted much of his life to literary pursuits, having been at one time editor of The Republic and The Sunday Times, and was the author of an historical poem, called "The Ambuscade" (New York, 1845), and of a political work entitled "Defence of the American Policy" (New York, 1856). He resided in New York city, . . . . She was living in New York, in Oct. 1867.

Children of Thomas Richard⁷ and Elizabeth (Comstock) Whitney:

i.	Sarah Elizabeth8 Whitney, b. 22 Sep 1829, Wilton, CT; m. 28 Sep 1846, South Salem, NY, John Davenport, son of Samuel and Susan (Betts) Davenport, of Wilton; b. 28 May 1822, Norwalk, CT; a clerk and collector. They lived at 1293 Fulton Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, Jul 1868. He enlisted, 31 Mar 1864, in the 25th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry; was soon appointed sergeant; and was discharged 7 July 1865. His regiment was, for a short time, in Gen. Custer's Brigade, and most of the time in Virginia, under Gen. Sheridan, and was in thirteen engagements and many skirmishes.
ii.	Josephine Matilda Whitney, b. 26 Oct 1831; d. 16 Apr 1834.
iii.	Helen Eugenia Whitney, b. 22 Oct 1833, New York, NY; m. 21 Oct 1855, Wilton, CT, John Raymond Comstock, son of Nathan and Clarissa (Raymond) Comstock; b. 13 Sep 1825, Wilton, CT. They lived at Wilton, where he was the station-agent of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad in Nov 1874.
iv.	Thomas Eben Whitney, b. 1 Mar 1836, New York, NY; m.(1) Harriet Isabella Benedict; m.(2) Antoinette Hay Griffin.
v.	William Everdell Whitney, b. 24 Nov 1838, New York, NY; d. 19 Oct 1843.

Census

• 1830, Ward 7, New York, New York Co., NY: Thomas R. Whitney, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 10-14, 1 female 20-29, 1 female 10-14, and 1 female 0-4.
• 1840, Ward 4, New York, New York Co., NY: Thos. R. Whitney, 1 male 30-39, 2 males 20-29, 1 male 15-19, 2 males 0-4, 2 females 20-29, 1 female 5-9, and 1 female 0-4; 1 engaged in manufacture or trades.
• 1850, Ward 2, New York, New York Co., NY:

356 691 Mary Edwards 64 F - Boarding H. $500 Conn. ... Thomas R. Whitney 45 M - Editor N.Y. Sarah " 33 F - Conn. ... Thomas C. Whitney 15 M - Clerk N.Y. ...

• 1850, Weston, Fairfield Co., CT:

173 179 Albazinda Platt 67 F - $1000 Ct. Helen Whitney 17 F - N.Y.

This was his first mother-in-law and his daughter Helen.

• (possibly) 1860, Ward 17 District 2, New York, New York Co., NY:

78 184 Alice Reynods 37 F W Ireland 185 Thomas Kink 28 M " Painter $150 England Mary " 24 F " New York Sarah Whitney 51 F " " 186 Leonard Chandler 25 M " Trunk Maker $200 " Catharine " 22 F " " Nathaniel " 5 M " " Attended school William " 2 M " "

This seems likely to be the widow Sarah, but this is not certain.

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. 383 and p. 999.

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Copyright © 2009, 2012, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.