Family:Whitney, Joseph Benjamin (1847-1908)

Joseph Benjamin⁸ Whitney (Aaron⁷, [prob.] Aaron⁶, Ezekiel⁵, John⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of Aaron⁷ and Deziah (Dillingham) Whitney, was born 30 Nov 1847, Fairfield, ME, and died 26 April 1908, Canaan, ME, aged 60 years 4 months 4 days, of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The death certificate in the pension file says that Joseph B. Whitney died in Canaan, Maine 26 April 1908, age 60 years, 4 months, 4 days. (This means he was 15 years old when he enlisted.) He was born in Fairfield, Maine, where he was a farmer. His father was Aaron Whitney, a farmer, and his mother's maiden name was Deziah Dillingham. The cause of Joseph's death was pulmonary tuberculosis.

He married, 21 May 1869, Fairfield, ME, Ida Emma Wyman, daughter of John and Olive (Wiggins) Wyman. She was born Sep 1852, Skowhegan, ME, and died 10 Sep 1927.

Joseph Whitney enlisted as a Private, Co. B, 2nd Maine Cavalry, 16 Nov 1863, was mustered in 30 December 1863, and was discharged 6 December 1865. He lived in Fairfield, Somerset Co., Maine at the time of enlistment.

Joseph Whitney and Ida E. Wyman were married in Fairfield, Maine on 21 May 1869 by A. P. Fuller, Trial Justice. A copy of the birth certificate of their daughter, Grace M. Whitney, says that she was born 29 December 1893 in Canaan, Maine. (Another reference to her birth in the file says 1883.) Her father's name was Joseph Whitney, birthplace Fairfield, Maine, color white, residence Canaan, Maine, occupation farmer. Her mother's maiden name was Ida E. Wyman, birthplace Skowhegan, Maine, color white, occupation housekeeper.

In May of 1908, the widow Ida Whitney's address is RD2, Skowhegan, Somerset Co., Maine.

At some point after the death of Joseph, Ida was declared incompetent, and a guardian, Basil B. Ames, was appointed so that she could collect Joseph's pension. On 7 September 1926, Ida was said to be 77 years old. Ida died 10 September 1927.

Children of Joseph Benjamin⁸ and Ida Emma (Wyman) Whitney:

i.	George Everett9 Whitney, b. 20 Mar 1870, Fairfield, ME; m. Framingham, MA, Nellie Dennis. Listed as "Walter E." in the 1870 census.
ii.	Charles Edwin Whitney, b. 19 Feb 1872, Fairfield, ME; m. Harmony, ME, Sadie Lizzie Ames; res. Cornville, ME
iii.	Ervin Whitney, b. 17 Nov 1874, Fairfield, ME; d. 2 May 1877, Fairfield, ME.
iv.	Walter Whitney, b. 5 Mar 1876, Fairfield, ME; d. 7 May 1877, Fairfield, ME.
v.	Harry Whitney, b. 18 Jul 1878, Fairfield, ME; d. 20 Sep 1881, Fairfield, ME.
vi.	Henrietta Whitney, b. 6 Nov 1880, Fairfield, ME; not in family, 1900.
vii.	Richard Whitney, b. 11 Feb 1883, Canaan, ME.
viii.	Mida Bell Whitney, b. 13 Dec 1884, Fairfield, ME; m. William B. Austin.
ix.	Mattie Whitney, b. 31 Jan 1887, Fairfield, ME; d. 28 Feb 1971, ME.
x.	Frederick Ernest Whitney, b. 20 May 1888, Canaan, ME.
xi.	William Whitney, b. 29 Aug 1891, Canaan, ME.
xii.	Grace May Whitney, b. 19 Dec 1893, Canaan, ME; d. 12 Jan 1979, Skowhegan, ME; m. Ashley Robinson.

Census

• 1870, Fairfield, Somerset Co., ME:

246 263 Whitney, Joseph B. 22 M W Keeping house Maine Male citizen over 21 -----, Ida 17 F W Maine -----, Walter E. 3/12 M W Maine Born in Mar

• 1880, Fairfield, Somerset Co., ME:

Joseph WHITNEY 30 Self M M W ME Laborer --- --- Ida WHITNEY 29 Wife F M W ME Keeping House --- --- George WHITNEY 9 Son M S W ME At Home --- --- Charles WHITNEY 8 Son M S W ME At Home --- --- Harry WHITNEY 1 Son M S W ME At Home --- ---

• 1890 Veterans Schedule, Canaan, Somerset Co., ME:

199 108 Joseph Whitney Private B 2 ME Cav 30 Nov 1863 6 Dec 1865 2y 6d Canaan, ME Heart trouble

• 1900, Cornville, Somerset Co., ME: Joseph P. Whitney, b. Nov 1847, ME; wife Ida E. Whitney, b. Sep 1852, ME; son Richard Whitney, b. Feb 1883, ME; daughter Mattie Whitney, b. Jan 1887, ME; son Fred E. Whitney, b. May 1889, ME; son William Whitney, b. Aug 1891, ME; daughter Grace M. Whitney, b. Dec 1893, ME.
• 1900, Framingham, Middlesex Co., MA: Geo. Whitney, b. Mar 1870, ME, and wife Nellie, b. Aug 1870, MA.

References

• Abbott, Lemuel Abijah, Descendants of George Abbott, of Rowley, Mass., ..., p. 416.

• Civil War Pension File, Joseph Whitney (1847-1908).

• Census records.

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Copyright © 2013, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.