Family:Whitney, Mary (1804-1873)

Mary⁷ Whitney (Jonas⁶, Jonathan⁵, Zaccheus⁴, Jonathan³, Jonathan², John¹), daughter of Jonas⁶ and Mary (Hawkes) Whitney, was born 7 Mar 1804, Lancaster, MA,^[1] was baptized 5 Aug 1810, Lancaster, MA,^[2] and died 19 Nov 1873, Lancaster, MA, aged 69 years.^[3]

She never married.

Her will:^[4]

Worcester Co., MA, Whitney, Probate Records

Vol. 454 Wills 1873-1874

Extracted from LDS Film No. 0868502

Be it Remembered that I Mary Whitney of Lancaster in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts being of sound and disposing mind and memory but mindful of the uncertainty of life, and desirous of making a disposition of my worldly affairs while I have the strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say:

First, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Nancy Haskell of Dedham, Massachusetts, the use income and interest during her natural life of the sum of one thousand dollars, and from and after her decease, I give and bequeath said principal sum of one thousand dollars to her daughters, Mary and Sarah Haskell, to be equally divided between them.

Second, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Sarah Howlett of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, the sum of six hundred dollars; to Mrs. Edward Whitney of said Cambridgeport the sum of five hundred dollars; to Fanny Osgood of Leominster, Massachusetts, the sum of two thousand dollars, to Harriet Whitney of Marlborough, Massachusetts, the sum of five hundred dollars; to Rebecca Parker of Holliston, Massachusetts, the sum of four hundred dollars; to Mary Hawkes of Templeton, Massachusetts, the sum of four hundred dollars, to Augusta T.C. Stickney of Pepperell, Massachusetts, the sum of one hundred dollars; to Irene Locke the sum of five hundred dollars; to Diana S. Locke the sume of two hundred dollars, to Mary L. Carter of Boston, Massachusetts, the sum of six hundred dollars; to Dorcas Farnsworth of Lancaster aforesaid the sum of six hundred dollars; to Lydia and Angeline Farnsworth of said Lancaster the sum of two hundred dollars; to Hannah Mallard of said Lancaster the sum of two hundred dollars; to Mrs. Mary R. Vose of said Lancaster the sum of two hundred dollars; to Mrs. Solon Whiting of said Lancaster the sum of one hundred dollars; to Catharine Vose of said Lancaster, the sum of two hundred dollars; to Mrs. Elizabeth Stearns of Dedham aforesaid, the sum of four hundred dollars; to Mrs. Mary E. Eldridge of Newfield, New Jersey, the sum of two hundred dollars; to Mrs. Lucy Reugg of Lancaster aforesaid the sum of four hundred dollars; to Addie White of said Lancaster, the sum of three hundred dollars; to Mrs. Dana and her daughter Carrie, of said Lancaster, the sum of one hundred dollars each, to Mrs. Laura Whitney of said Lancaster the sum of one hundred dollars and to Emily R. Whitney the sum of three hundred dollars.

Third, I give and bequeath to Alice Houghton of said Lancaster the use interest and income during her natural life of the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, and from and after her decease, I give and bequeath said principal sum of fifteen hundred dollars to Mary and Sarah Haskell, herein before mentioned, to be equally divided between them.

Fourth, I give and bequeath to the Ladies Benevolent Society of Lancaster aforesaid the sum of five hundred dollars for the uses and purposes for which said Society was instituted, in trust nevertheless, and upon condition that during the natural life of Mrs. Abby Parmenter said Society shall annually pay to her the sum of twelve dollars.

Fifth, I give and bequeath to Hannah Mallard above mentioned my pew in the Unitarian Meeting House in Lancaster aforesaid to have and to hold the same to her, her heirs and assignees forever.

Sixth, I give and devise to Elizabeth J. Faulkner of Keene, New Hampshire all my furniture, books, ornaments, and wearing apparel, to be disposed of by her in accordance with directions which will be found among my papers.

Seventh, I give devise and bequeath to Dorcas Farnsworth, Lydia Farnsworth, Angeline Farnsworth and Fanny Osgood my cottage and lot of land upon which it stands in Lancaster aforesaid, to have and to hold the same to them, and the survivor of them, so long as they or either of them shall desire to occupy the same. In case neither of them shall choose to occupy said cottage, I give devise and bequeath said cottage and land to said Fanny Osgood, Diana Locke and Irene Locke; to have and to hold the same to them the survivors of them for and during the term of their natural lives.

Eighth, Upon the determination of the estate herein before limited I authorize and empower order and direct my Executor hereinafter named to sell my said cottage and land, either at public auction or private sale as he may deem best, and to execute and deliver to the purchaser thereof proper instruments for the conveyance of the same, and to pay over the proceeds of said sale to the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts, whenever said town shall vote to accept said proceeds in trust to expend the interest thereof annually in the support of free public lectures in the Town Hall in said Lancaster.

Ninth, If any estate shall remain after payment of the legacies hereinbefore mentioned, I give and bequeath one hundred dollars thereof to said town of Lancaster, to be expended in the improvement of the Town Library, and I give and bequeath to Frances T. W. Browne of Boston, Massachusetts, Rebecca A. Browne of said Boston, Catharine Ballard of Athens, Ohio, and Elizabeth J. Faulkner above mentioned the sum of twenty five dollars each.

Tenth, All the rest residue and remainder of my estate, I give devise and bequeath to Mary Haskell and Sarah Haskell, above mentioned, to have and to hold the same to them their heirs and assigns forever.

Eleventh, I direct my said Executor at the expense of my estate to put my family lot in the Cemetery in the best possible order.

Twelfth, I hereby constitute and appoint Francis A. Faulkner of Keene, New Hampshire, sold Executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In witness whereof I the said Mary Whitney have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty eighth day of October A.D. 1873.

Mary Whitney (seal)

Signed sealed published and declard by the said Mary Whitney to be her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request, in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto -- the word "Houghton" being erased and the words "during her natural life" being interlined on the third page before signing; the words "Rebecca A. Browne of said Boston" on the fifth page being also interlined before signing; the word two being also erased and the word one being also interlined on the second page before signing.

J. L. Y. Thompson

Nancy Carleton

Mary Thompson

Notes

It would be an interesting exercise to identify the people mentioned in her will, and what their relationship to her might be:

1. Mrs. Nancy Haskell of Dedham, MA, was Nancy W. (Stearns) Haskell, wife of Otis Haskell, b. 13 Apr 1806, Lancaster, dau. of Eli and Mary⁶ (Whitney) Stearns, granddaughter of Jonathan⁵ and Mary (Wyman) Whitney. First cousin of the testator.
2. Mary Haskell was Mary Whitney Haskell, her daughter, b. 24 Jun 1835, Groton, MA, or Claremont, NH. First cousin once removed of the testator.
3. Sarah Haskell was Sarah Sophia Haskell, her daughter, b. 10 Mar 1844, Claremont, NH. First cousin once removed of the testator.
4. Mrs. Sarah Howlett of Cambridgeport.
5. Mrs. Edward Whitney of said Cambridgeport.
6. Fanny Osgood of Leominster.
7. Harriet Whitney of Marlborough.
8. Rebecca Parker of Holliston.
9. Mary Hawkes of Templeton.
10. Augusta T. C. Stickney of Pepperell.
11. Irene Locke.
12. Diana S. Locke.
13. Mary L. Carter of Boston.
14. Dorcas Farnsworth of Lancaster.
15. Lydia Farnsworth and Angeline Farnsworth of said Lancaster.
16. Hannah Mallard of said Lancaster.
17. Mrs. Mary R. Vose of said Lancaster.
18. Mrs. Solon Whiting of said Lancaster.
19. Catharine Vose of said Lancaster.
20. Mrs. Elizabeth Stearns of Dedham.
21. Mrs. Mary E. Eldridge of Newfield, New Jersey.
22. Mrs. Lucy Reugg of Lancaster.
23. Addie White of said Lancaster.
24. Mrs. Dana and her daughter Carrie, of said Lancaster.
25. Mrs. Laura Whitney of said Lancaster.
26. Emily R. Whitney.
27. Alice Houghton of said Lancaster.
28. Mrs. Abby Parmenter.
29. Hannah Mallard.
30. Elizabeth J. Faulkner of Keene, New Hampshire.
31. Dorcas Farnsworth.
32. Lydia Farnsworth.
33. Angeline Farnsworth.
34. Fanny Osgood.
35. Fanny Osgood.
36. Diana Locke.
37. Irene Locke.
38. Frances T. W. Browne of Boston.
39. Rebecca A. Browne of said Boston.
40. Catharine Ballard of Athens, Ohio.
41. Elizabeth J. Faulkner.
42. Francis A. Faulkner of Keene, New Hampshire.
43. J. L. Y. Thompson.
44. Nancy Carleton.
45. Mary Thompson

Census

• 1850, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

288 305 Mary Whitney 73 F - $3000 Mass. Mary " 46 F - " Albert Barker 22 M - Labourer " Patrick Kelley 22 M - " Ireland

Mary is living with her widowed mother.

• 1855, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

62 63 Mary Whitney 80 F - Mass. " " 51 F - "

Mary is living with her widowed mother.

• 1860, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

1127 1171 Mary Whitney 83 F - $2000 $5000 Mass. Mary " 56 F - "

Mary is living with her widowed mother.

• 1870, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

239 252 Whitney, Mary 66 F W Keepinghouse $2500 $8000 Mass. Withington, Loreinda P. 68 F W No occupation $2000 " Chase, Augusta S. 36 F W School Teacher $2000 "

References

• Census records.

1.^  "Mary [Whitney], d. of Jonas and Mary, [born] Mar. 7, 1804. T.R.2," according to Lancaster Vital Records, p. 224.

2.^  "Mary [Whitney], d. of Jonas, bap. Aug. 5, 1810. C.R.1.2," according to Lancaster Vital Records, p. 344.

3.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 258, page 329. Also Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915, at FamilySearch.org.

4.^  Worcester County, MA, message board posting by Jeanne Muse, at Ancestry.com.

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Copyright © 2014, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.