Family:Whitney, Israel (1751-1826)

Dea. Israel⁵ Whitney (Elijah⁴, Isaiah³, Thomas², John¹), son of Elijah⁴ and Mercy (Heald) Whitney,^[1] was born 22 Jun 1751, Harvard, MA,^[2] and died 20 Dec 1826, Harvard, MA, aged 75 years 5 months 15 days,^[3] or Feb 1827.^[4]

Israel married firstly, 14 May 1772, Harvard, MA, Hannah Mead,^[5] daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Willard) Mead. She was born 13 Aug 1753, Harvard, MA, and died 14 Aug 1788, Harvard, MA, aged 34 years.^[6]

Israel married secondly, 22 Apr 1789, Bolton, MA, Abigail (Fairbanks) Puffer both "of Harvard,"^[7] daughter of Joseph and Abigail (Tarbell)(Hodgman) Fairbanks.^[8] She was born 24 Nov 1756, Harvard, MA,^[9] and died 13 Sep 1841, Harvard, MA, aged 85 years.^[10] She had married firstly, 5 May 1774, Harvard, MA, Jonathan Puffer.^[11]

Pierce says the following:^[12]

He was born on his father's farm, which had been purchased before the town was incorporated. He enlisted early in the Revolutionary war. In 1778 he was a member of Capt. Manasseh SAWYER's company in Col. Josiah WHITNEY's regiment which took part in the operations in Rhode Island. In 1775 he was corporal of Capt. Isaac GATE's company, which marched to the Lexington Alarm April 19, but which company was not mustered into the American service. In 1781 he was first lieutenant in Capt. Thaddeus POLLARD's company, and had seen active service most of the time since 1775. In seating the meeting house in 1775 he was given the "fore seat in the side gallery." In 1795 he was chosen one of the deacons of the church, and for nearly twenty-five years filled the office, but to the horror of all the members of the church Mar. 9, 1819, having adopted the views of the Universalists, he was dismissed. He held a number of town offices, and in 1786 was selectman. The epitaph on his first wife's tombstone reads as follows:

With serious joy the enlightened soul
Surveys a part, admires the whole,
Nor always silently surveys,
But fir'd, with gratitude to praise;
In holy confidence is blest,
And calmly waits eternal rest."

He made his will Dec. 11, 1826. It was probated Feb. 6, 1827. Capt. Ephraim WARNER was executor. He mentions his wife, Abigail, sons and daughters, viz: Israel, Oliver, Hannah SAWYER, Rebecca FAIRBANK, Lydia SPRAGUE, Betsey FAIRBANK, Arathena FARWELL and Neoma Sawyer and Luther WHITNEY.

Children of Dea. Israel⁵ and Hannah (Mead) Whitney, all born Harvard, MA:

i.	Hannah6 Whitney, b. 23 Apr 1773;[13] m. 17 May 1791, Bolton, MA, "both of Harvard",[14] or 19 May 1791, Harvard, MA, Phinehas Sawyer,[15] son of Caleb and Sarah (Patch) Sawyer, both "of Harvard".
ii.	Israel Whitney, b. 18 Apr 1775 (but his gravestone says 18 Apr 1776);[16] m. Phebe Jennison.
iii.	Rebecca Whitney, b. 13 Apr 1777;[17] m. 26 Apr 1795, Harvard, MA, Amose Fairbank.[18]
iv.	Lydia Whitney, b. 25 May 1779;[19] m. 18 Jan 1798, Harvard, MA, Samuel Sprague.[20]
v.	Betsey Whitney, b. 24 May 1782;[21] m. 7 Jun 1803, Harvard, MA, Joseph Fairbank.[22]
vi.	Arathusa Whitney, b. 12 Dec 1783;[23] m. 22 Jun 1802, Harvard, MA, John Farwell, Jr.[24]
vii.	Oliver Whitney, b. 16 May 1786;[25] m. 16 Mar 1809, Harvard, MA, Mercy Whitcomb.

Children of Dea. Israel⁵ and Abigail (Fairbanks)(Puffer) Whitney, all born Harvard, MA:

i.	Luther6 Whitney, b. 5 Feb 1790;[26] m. 3 Jan 1814, Harvard, MA, Melinda Wetherbee.
ii.	Luke Whitney, b. 8 Feb 1793;[27] d. 2 May 1795, Harvard, MA, aged 2 years 2 months 24 days.[28]
iii.	Naomi Whitney, b. 28 Apr 1797;[29] d. 17 Mar 1874, Boxborough, MA, aged 79, of old age;[30] m. 17 Jun 1817, Harvard, MA, James Sawyer.[31]

Census

• 1790, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Israel Whitney, 1 male over 16, 4 males 0-15, and 9 females.
• 1800, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Israel Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 10-15, 1 female 26-44, 2 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9.
• 1810, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Israel Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 female over 45, 1 female 10-16.
• 1820, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Israel Whitney, 1 male over 45 and 1 female over 45; 1 engaged in agriculture.

References

1.^ 

2.^  "Israel [Whitney], s. of Elijah and Rebeckah, [born] June 22, 1751," according to Thomas W. Baldwin, ed., Vital Records of Harvard, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1917).

3.^  "Israel [Whitney], Dea., [died] Dec. 20, 1826, a. 75 y. 5 m. 15 d. G.R.1," according to Harvard Vital Records.

4.^ 

5.^  "Israel [Whitney] and Hannah Mead, [married] May 14, 1772," according to Harvard Vital Records. Also see Frederick W. Bailey, ed., Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800 (1897-1914), 3 vols.

6.^  "Hannah [Whitney], w. of Lieut. Israel, [died] Aug. 14, 1788, a. 34 y. G.R.1," according to Harvard Vital Records.

7.^  "Israel [Whitney] and Abigail Puffer, both of Harvard, [married] April 22, 1789," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Bolton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1910). Also, "Israel [Whitney] and Abigail Puffer, in Bolton, [married] Apr. 22, 1789," according to Harvard Vital Records.

8.^ 

9.^ 

10.^  "Abigail [Whitney], wid. of Dea. Israel, [died] Sept. 13, 1841, a. 85 y. G.R.1," according to Harvard Vital Records.

11.^ 

12.^  Frederick C. Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 (Chicago, IL: The Author, 1895), p. 95.

13.^  "Hannah [Whitney], d. of Israel and Hannah, [born] Apr. 23, 1773," according to Harvard Vital Records.

14.^  "Hannah [Whitney] and Phineas Sawyer Jr., both of Harvard, [married] May 17, 1791," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Bolton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1910).

15.^  "Hannah [Whitney] and Phineas Sawyer Jr., in Bolton, [married] May 19, 1791," according to Harvard Vital Records.

16.^  "Israel [Whitney], s. of Israel and Hannah, [born] Apr. 18, 1775. (Apr. 18, 1776). G.R.1.)," according to Harvard Vital Records.

17.^  "Rebecca [Whitney], d. of Israel and Hannah, [born] Apr. 13, 1777," according to Harvard Vital Records.

18.^  "Rebecca [Whitney] and Amose Fairbank Jr., [married] Apr. 26, 1795," according to Harvard Vital Records.

19.^  "Lydia [Whitney], d. of Israel (Jr. C.R.1.) and Hannah, [born] May 25, 1779," according to Harvard Vital Records.

20.^  "Lydia [Whitney] and Samuel Sprague, [married] Jan. 18, 1798," according to Harvard Vital Records.

21.^  "Betsey [Whitney], d. of Israel and Hannah, [born] May 24, 1782," according to Harvard Vital Records.

22.^  "Betsy [Whitney] and Joseph Fairbank, [married] June 7, 1803," according to Harvard Vital Records.

23.^  "Arathusa [Whitney], d. of Israel and Hannah, [born] Dec. 12, 1783," according to Harvard Vital Records.

24.^  "Arethusa [Whitney] and John Farwell Jr., [married] June 22, 1802," according to Harvard Vital Records.

25.^  "Oliver [Whitney], s. of Israel and Hannah, [born] May 16, 1786," according to Harvard Vital Records.

26.^  "Luther [Whitney], s. of Israel and Abigail, [born] Feb. 5, 1790," according to Harvard Vital Records.

27.^  "Luke [Whitney], s. of Israel and Abigail, [born] Feb. 8, 1793," according to Harvard Vital Records.

28.^  "Luke [Whitney], s. of (Dea., G.R.1.) Israel and Abigail, [died] May 2, 1795," according to Harvard Vital Records.

29.^  "Naomi [Whitney], d. of Israel and Abigail, [born] Apr. 28, 1797," according to Harvard Vital Records.

30.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 284, page 48.

31.^  "Naomi [Whitney] and James Sawyer, [married] June 17, 1817," according to Harvard Vital Records.

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Copyright © 1999, 2006-2008, 2012, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.