Family:Whitney, John (1720-1805)

John⁴ Whitney (Richard³, John², Henry¹), son of Richard³ and Hannah (Darling) Whitney,^[1] was born 17 Jan 1719/20, Stratfield, CT,^[2] and died 29 March 1805, Branford, CT, aged 85 years.^[3]

He married, 17 Jan 1750/1, Branford, CT, Deborah Smith,^[4] by Rev. Philemon Robbins, daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Brockway) Smith.^[5] She was born 7 1731, East Haddam, CT,^[6] and was buried 21 Apr 1804, Branford, CT, aged 73 years. Branford First Church 2:49.^[7]

Phoenix says the following:^[8]

His uncle, Benjamin Darling, for "Natural Love and affection," gave to him, 12 Dec. 1748, a part of his homestead in Greenfield parish, being one-fourth of an acre of land, which he sold, 15 March 1749-50, to Joseph Jennings, Jr. .... He was a ship-carpenter, and lived at Stony Creek, in Branford, in a house that has been torn down; and later he lived near the landing, in a house which still stands, near what is called the "Dutch House Quarter," which, tradition says, belonged to his garden. He owned the baptismal covenant in Branford, 18 Feb. 1753; and bought eighty-six rods of land at Stony Brook, 11 July 1763, of William Barker, for £1 10s.

Deborah was admitted to full communion, 25 Oct 1767, Branford First Church 1:82.^[9]

He appears in the 1790 Census of Branford, New Haven County, CT, with 2 males over 16 and one female.^[10]

Children of John⁴ and Deborah (Smith) Whitney:

i.	Hannah5 Whitney, b. 7 Dec 1751, Branford, CT;[11] bapt. 29 Apr 1753, Branford, CT;[12] Phoenix says she probably died young.[13] It seems likely she was the Hannah Whitney who m. 16 Jun 1773, Branford, CT, Alpheus JOHNSON.[14] No children are found for them.
ii.	John Whitney, b. 13 Apr 1754, Branford, CT;[15] bapt. 19 May 1754, Brandford, CT;[16], m.(1) Amy Howd; m.(2) Hannah (Lamphier) Chidsey.
iii.	Sarah Whitney, b. 10 Dec 1757, Branford, CT;[17] bapt. 10 Jul 1758, Northford, CT;[18] was admitted to communion 6 Nov 1796, Branford, CT;[19] m. 1 Jan 1797, Branford, CT, Eber Hotchkiss,[20] of Guilford, CT, and had no children.[21] She was a church member 15 Jun 1808, Branford, CT.[22]
iv.	Joseph Whitney, b. 9 Aug 1759, Branford, CT;[23] bapt. 11 Nov 1759, Branford, CT;[24] was probably drowned when young; possibly bur. 30 Nov 1770, Branford, CT.[25]
v.	Enos Whitney, b. 10 Aug 1761, Branford, CT;[26] bapt. 16 Oct 1763, Branford, CT;[27] m.(1) Eunice Avery; m.(2) Mrs. Mary Hiscox.
vi.	Deborah Whitney, b. 30 Jun 1763, Branford, CT;[28] bapt. 16 Oct 1763, Branford, CT;[29] m. 21 Dec 1784, Branford, CT, William Kirkum.[30]
vii.	Jared Whitney, b. 13 Sep 1765, Branford, CT;[31] bapt. 10 Nov 1765, Branford, CT;[32] m. Sarah Rogers.
viii.	Margaret Whitney, b. Branford, CT; bapt. 3 Jul 1768, Branford, CT;[33] m.(1) 10 Apr 1786, Branford, CT, George Farrell/Ferald;[34] m.(2) Sylvester Redfield.
ix.	(child) Whitney, b. 1770; bur. 30 Nov 1770, Branford, CT.[35]

Census

• 1790, Branford, New Haven Co., CT: John Whitney, 2 males over 16 and 1 female.
• 1800, Branford, New Haven Co., CT: John Whitney, 1 male over 45 and 1 female over 45.

References

1.^  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. 32.

2.^  Ibid.

3.^  "John [Whitney], bd. 29 Mar 1805 ae 94," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 2:49.

4.^  "John [Whitney], m. Deborah Smith, b. of Branford, 17 Jan 1750/1, by Rev. Philemon Robbins," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:130. Also, "John [Whitney], m. Deborah Smith, 17 Jan [1751]," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:102. Also, "John Whitney & Deborah Smith, [married] 17 Jan. 1751," according to Bailey, Frederick W., ed., Early Connecticut Marriages, as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (1896-1906), Branford, 2:108.

5.^  Donald Lines Jacobus, "Some Other Lyme Smiths," The American Genealogist, vol. 25 (1949), p. 143.

6.^  Lyme Land Records, vol. 2, p. 189.

7.^  "Deborah [Whitney], bd. 21 Apr 1804 ae 73," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 2:49.

8.^  Phoenix, op. cit., p. 32.

9.^  "Deborah [Whitney], adm. full com., 25 Oct 1767," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:82.

10.^  1790 Census Index, Connecticut.

11.^  "Hannah [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, b. 7 Dec 1751," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:130.

12.^  "Hannah [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, bp. 29 Apr 1753," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:56.

13.^  Phoenix, op. cit., p. 88.

14.^  "Hannah [Whitney], m. Alpheus JOHNSON, 16 Jun 1773," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Branford First Church 1:110. Also, "Alpheus Johnson & Hannah Whitney, [married]16 Jun. 1773," according to Bailey, Frederick W., ed., Early Connecticut Marriages, as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (1896-1906), Branford, 2:109.

15.^  "John [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, b. 13 Apr 1754," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:168.

16.^  "John [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, bp. [19 May 1754]," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:57.

17.^  "Sarah [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, b. 10 Dec 1757," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:168.

18.^  "Sarah Russell [Whitney] ("Russell" crossed out), d. John & Deborah, bp. 10 Jul 1757," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:60.

19.^  "Sarah [Whitney], adm. com. 6 Nov 1796; dec'd.," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 2:20.

20.^  "Sarah [Whitney], m. [ ] Hotchkiss, 1 Jan 1797," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 2:37. Also "_____ Hotchkiss & Sarah Whitney, [married] 1 Jan. 1797," according to Bailey, Frederick W., ed., Early Connecticut Marriages, as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (1896-1906), Branford, 2:112.

21.^  Phoenix op. cit., p. 89

22.^  "Sarah [Whitney], ch. mem. 15 Jun 1808; dec'd.," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 2:66.

23.^  "Joseph [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, b. 9 Aug 1759," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:168.

24.^  "Joseph Tyler [Whitney] (line drawn through "Tyler"), s. John & Deborah, bp. 11 Nov 1759," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:63.

25.^  Phoenix op. cit., p. 89. Probably this record applies to him: "Whitney, John, his unnamed child, bd. 30 Nov 1770," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:93.

26.^  "Enos [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, b. 10 Aug 1761," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:186.

27.^  "Enos [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, bp. 16 Oct 1763," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:66.

28.^  "Deborah [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, b. 20 Jun 1763," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:186.

29.^  "Deborah [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, bp. 16 Oct 1763," according to Connecticut Church Record Index, Branford First Church 1:66.

30.^  "Deborah [Whitney], m. William KERKUM, 21 Dec 1784," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Branford First Church 2:35. Also "William Kirkum & Deborah Whitney, [married] 21 Dec. 1784," according to Bailey, Frederick W., ed., Early Connecticut Marriages, as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (1896-1906), Branford, 2:110.

31.^  "Jared [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, b. 13 Sep 1765," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford 3:187.

32.^  "Jared [Whitney], s. John & Deborah, bp. 17 Nov 1765," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford First Church 1:68.

33.^  "Margret [Whitney], d. John & Deborah, bp. 3 Jul 1768," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford First Church 1:70.

34.^  "Margret [Whitney], m. George FERALD, 10 Apr 1786," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford First Church 2:35. Also "George Ferald & Margaret Whitney, [married] 10 Apr. 1786," according to Bailey, Frederick W., ed., Early Connecticut Marriages, as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (1896-1906), Branford, 2:110.

35.^  "John [Whitney], his unnamed child, bd. 30 Nov 1770," according to Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Branford First Church 1:93.

---

Copyright © 2007, 2011, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group