Family:Whitney, Eliphalet (1789-1850)

Eliphalet⁷ Whitney (Eliphalet⁶, Joshua⁵, Joshua⁴, Richard³, Richard², John¹), son of Eliphalet⁶ and Sarah (Tenney) Whitney, was born 2 Aug 1789, Putney, VT,^[1] and "Capt." died 23 Apr 1850, Putney, VT.^[2]

He married firstly, 28 Aug 1814, Putney, VT, Sally Ryan,^[3] daughter of Charles and Miriam (Muzzey) Ryan. She was born about 1793, and died 1 Jul 1843, Putney, VT, aged 50 years.^[4]

He married secondly, 13 Feb 1844, Putney, VT, Annah (-----) Closson.^[5] See Notes below.

Children of Eliphalet⁷ and Sally (Ryan) Whitney:

i.	Charles Ryan Whitney, b. ca. Jun 1815, Putney, VT; m. Diantha S. Davis.
ii.	Willard W. Whitney, b. 29 Aug 1818,[6] Putney, VT; m. Mary Ann S. Fickett.
iii.	Cynthia Merriam8 Whitney, b. 18 Aug 1819, Putney, VT;[7] d. 12 May 1894, Putney, VT; m. 25 May 1842, Putney, VT, Reuben Clough.[8]
iv.	(child) Whitney, b. ca. 1822; d. 26 Dec 1824, Putney, VT, aged 2 years.[9]
v.	Merrill E. Whitney, b. ca. 1822; m. Martha E. Fickett.
vi.	John J. Whitney, b. ca. 1828; m. Charlotte Sawyer.
vii.	Sarah E. Whitney, b. 10 Jun 1830, Putney, VT; d. 31 Jul 1865, Stamford, VT; m. 7 Feb 1844, Whitingham, VT, William Jillson.[10]
viii.	Marshall Marion Whitney, b. 14 Oct 1833, Putney, VT;[11] m. Margaret Dockera Fickett.

Children of Eliphalet⁷ and Annah (-----)(Closson) Whitney, if any, unknown.

Notes

Willard W. Whitney's birth is recorded in the vital records of Cape Elizabeth, ME, as son of Eliphalet. This may have been recorded many years after his birth. In the 1850 and 1860 censuses, his birthplace is given as Maine, but in 1870 and 1880, it is given as Vermont. The only known Eliphalet of the right age in Maine or Vermont is the father of the above family.

In addition, in Willard's family in 1850 are Merrill E. Whitney, aged 28, born in VT, and John J. Whitney, aged 22, born in ME. It seems pretty clear that they are brothers of Willard, and so sons of Eliphalet Whitney, Jr., of Putney. In 1860, a few houses away from Merrill E. Whitney is the family of Marshall Whitney, aged 25, born in ME, who is another brother. He married a Fickett, just as his two brothers, and the three Ficketts may be sisters. Furthermore, Willard had a son named Marshall M. Whitney, named after his brother.

Widow Annah Closson may well be Annah (Pierce) Closson, daughter of Reuben and Arvilla (Gilson) Pierce, born 13 Oct 1800, Putney, VT, and died 9 Jan 1871. She had married firstly, 13 Dec 1831, Westminster, VT, Alvin Safford Closson, as his second wife, who died 25 Nov 1836, Westminster, VT. She was buried in Michael Gilson Cemetery, Westminster, VT.^[12] Her gravestone reads: "ANNAH WIFE OF ALVIN CLOSSON DIED JAN 9 1871 AGE 70 YRS 3 MOS." I couldn't find her in the 1850, 1860, or 1870 censuses, neither under the surname Whitney nor Closson, nor under her given name Annah with birth in Vermont about 1800. She may have married a third husband.

Census

• 1820, Putney, Windham Co., VT: Eliphalet Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 2 males 10-15, 2 males 0-9, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-25, 1 female 10-15, and 1 female 0-9; 4 engaged in agriculture.
• 1830, Putney, Windham Co., VT: Eliphlet Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 1 male 0-4, 1 female 60-69, 1 female 30-39, 1 female 10-14, and 1 female 0-4.
• 1840, Putney, Windham Co., VT: E. Whitney, 1 male 50-59, 2 males 15-19, 2 males 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 1 female 30-39, 1 female 15-19, and 1 female 0-5; 5 engaged in agriculture.
• 1850, widow Annah not found.
• 1860, widow Annah not found.
• 1870, widow Annah not found.

References

• Public User Trees at Ancestry.com.

• Census records.

1.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records. Also Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

2.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

3.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records. Also Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

4.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

5.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

6.^  "Willard Whitney, b. 29 August 1818, s. of Eliphalet Whitney," according to Diehm, Anne, comp., Vital Records of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 63 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, c2009), p. 170.

7.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

8.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

9.^  Putney, Vermont, Vital Records.

10.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

11.^  Lyman Simpson Hayes, History of the Town of Rockingham, Vermont, Including the Villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Campbridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with Family Genealogies (Bellows Falls, VT: The Town, 1907), p. 788.

12.^  Descendants of Josiah Closson and Mary Williamson.

---

Copyright © 2011, 2014, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.