Family:Whitney, Samuel Stillman (1815-1855)

Dr. Samuel Stillman⁶ Whitney (George⁵, Jason⁴, Mark³, Benjamin², John¹), son of George⁵ and Esther (Morse) Whitney, was born 6 Jan 1815, Natick, MA,^[1] and died 30 Jun 1855, Dedham, MA, aged 40 years 5 months 25 days, of paralysis.^[2]

He "of Newton" married, 29 Sep 1838, Natick, MA, Sarah Wilder Spalding,^[3] daughter of Dr. Stephen H. and Sarah (Harrington) Spalding. She was born about 8 Jan 1817, Littleton, MA, and died 15 Feb 1907, Dedham, MA, aged 91 years 1 month 7 days, of bronchitis.^[4] She was buried in Old Parish Cemetery, Dedham, MA.

Dr. Stephen H. Spalding of South Natick, MA, died 15 Jul 1866. A native of Chelmsford, he was educated as a physician and practiced a few years in Dublin, NH, with good success. At length he was invited to establish himself in South Natick, MA, where the greater part of his life was spent, and where he succeeded in securing an extensive and successful practice. His services were widely sought and were highly valued. For several years disease and the infirmities of advancing age led him to withdraw from the active duties of his profession. In his last days he suffered much, but he bore his sufferings with Christian patience and fortitude. The funeral service was held in the Unitarian church, of which church and parish he was a member. It was attended by a large number of friends who thus testified their regret at his loss, and their respect to his memory.

Samuel Stillman Whitney was born at Natick, MA. He fitted for college at Leicester, and entered Harvard University at the age of 14. After remaining a year at Cambridge, he removed to Amherst to finish his collegiate course there. Toward the close of it, however, a long sickness having interrupted his studies, so as to prevent his graduating with his class, he concluded not to take a degree. His parents had intended to educate him for the ministry; but being strongly inclined toward medicine, with their consent he immediately entered the office of Dr. S. H. Spalding, then practicing at Natick, and applied himself with great diligence to his medical studies. The following year he entered the office of the late lamented and eminent Dr. John D. Fisher, of Boston, whose friendship and confidence he always possessed. The last six months of his studentship were passed at the City Institutions at South Boston. He received his diploma at Boston, in February, 1838. While at South Boston, a vacancy occurred at Newton Upper Falls, by the death of Dr. Alfred Hosmer, and by the advice of friends he at once opened an office there. He succeeded rapidly in gaining the confidence of the community and consequent practice, and in the course of the year was married to Miss Sarah Spalding, only child of his first preceptor. During the six years which Dr. Whitney spent at Newton he secured a practice extending far beyond his immediate neighborhood, requiring very long and tedious rides, but he still found time, stolen from the night, to prosecute his studies and keep himself well informed of all the additional contributions to medical science. Having disposed of his practice at Newton, Dr. Whitney re-removed to Dedham in 1844, carrying with him a well-established reputation. Before, however, permanently settling in Dedham, he passed a year in Europe, making careful use of its advantages. Dr. Whitney was thoroughly educated in auscultation and percussion under the tuition of Dr. Fisher, and it may be safely said that few ever surpassed him in delicacy and quickness of ear. In addition to his large general practice at Dedham and vicinity, Dr. Whitney paid particular attention to surgery. He was successful in all the greater operations, and more especially in the arts of modern surgery for the cure of congenital or accidental deformities. The operation for cleft palate he performed many times, and treated with success a gentleman from Canada, who had been unsuccessfully operated upon by the celebrated Dieffenbach. For this operation, in addition to his fee, his grateful patient presented him with a silver tea service. His surgical cases came from distant parts of the country. In the fall of 1848, in the midst of these active pursuits, Dr. Whitney was attacked with diarrhoea and sub-acute enteritis. He died in his residence at Dedham, peaceful and resigned, in the bosom of his young and beloved family, 30 Jun 1855, aged 40. Few men have accomplished more at so early an age. Cast in a tall and manly mould, his personal appearance was calculated to make an impression upon those with whom he came in professional contact. An anchylosis of one knee, the result of an accident received in his academic days, instead of detracting from, rather added to the dignity of his carriage. He was remarkably generous in disposition, and this, with a peculiar suavity in his manner, and unbounded confidence in his skill, strongly attached to him a large circle of students, patients and friends. So great was the confidence of the public in Dr. Whitney's skill, that his frequent absence and sickness did not seriously interfere with his business. Even up to the last moment patients continued to solicit his advice, and when he could no longer see them, desired to have their symptoms reported to him in order to receive the benefit of his counsel. He died Dedham, MA.

Children of Samuel Stillman⁶ and Sarah W. (Spalding) Whitney:

i.	Stillman Spaulding7 Whitney, b. 4 Aug 1848 or 1849, Dedham, MA;[5] m. ----- -----.
ii.	Sarah Wilder Whitney, b. 10 May 1854, Dedham, MA;[6] d. 23 Sep 1855, Dedham, MA, aged 16 months, or aged 1 year 4 months, of disease of the brain.[7]

Notes

He was probably named after Rev. Samuel Stillman, a Baptist minister.

Census

• 1840, Newton, Norfolk Co., MA: Saml. Whitney, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 15-19, 1 female 20-29, and 1 female 10-14; 1 engaged in learned professions.
• 1850, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

326 368 Samuel S. Whitney 34 M - Surgeon $10000 Mass. Sarah W. " 33 F - " Stilman S. " 1 M - " Henrietta R. Williams 20 F - " Henrietta L. " 5/12 F - " George H. Munroe 23 M - Printer $1500 " Catharine Costilla 19 F - Ireland Margaret Celoson 23 F - " James " 1 M - Mass. Patrick Teamey 50 M - Laborer Ireland Michael " 6 M - " Attended school Patrick O'Hara 40 M - Laborer "

• 1855, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

27 27 S. S. Whitney 40 M - Physician Mass. Sarah S. Whitney 40 F - Mass. Stillman S. Whitney 6 M - Mass. Sarah S. Whitney 1 F - Mass. Patrick Tierney 50 M - Ireland Michael Tierney 11 M - Ireland Margaret Mcdonough 22 F - Ireland Elisabeth Green 20 F - Mass. Ebenezer P. Burgess 28 M - Physician Mass. Carrie F. Burgess 26 F - Mass.

• 1860, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

2530 2529 Sarah Whiting 43 F - $8000 $110 USA Mass. Stelman S. " 11 M - Attended school Patrick Lowrey 50 M - Servant Ireland Illiterate Michael " 15 M - Attended school James Cushing 35 M - Merchant USA Mass. Minerva " 34 F - " Fanny " 4 F - " Mary Fay 20 F - Servant Ireland Illiterate Elizabeth Comes 20 F - do "

• 1865 State, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

191 203 Whitney, Sarah W. 48 F - Mass. W Housekeeper - - - - - " , Stillman S. 15 M - " - - - - - - Tierney, Patrick 63 M - Ireland W Servant - - 1 - - Corcoran, Bridget 24 F - " S Servant 1 - - - - Gordon, Geo. D. 58 M - Conn. M Sec'y Ins. Co. - - 1 1 - " , Harriet 53 F - " M - - - - -

• 1870, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

971 1139 Whitney, Sarah W. 51 F W Keeping house $6000 $5000 Mass. -----, Stillman S. 20 M W Clerk in store Mass. Spaulding, Sally 82 F W No occupation Mass. Brooks, Edward A. 25 M W Clerk in bank Mass. Male citizen over 21 Turnay, Patrick 70 M W Laborer Ireland Parents foreign born Gallagher, Bridget 32 F W Domestic servant Ireland Parents foreign born, Illiterate

• 1880, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

94 105 Whitney, Sarah W. W F 58 wid Keeps house Mass. Mass. Mass. " Stilman S. W M 28 Son sgl Physician Mass. Mass. Mass. Spaulding, Sally W F 92 Moth wid At home Invalid Mass. Mass. Mass. broken hip Denuf, Elizabeth W F 18 Srvt sgl Mass. Ireland Ireland

• 1900, 726 High Street, Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA:

298 318 Gleason, George A. Head W M May 1853 47 mar 0 Massachusetts New Hampshire Massachusetts Bookeeper-grocery store, Free house -----, Linette G. Wife W F Sep 1874 25 mar 0 0ch 0liv Maine Maine Maine -----, Mary E. Moth W F Jul 1826 73 wid 2ch 1liv Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts Whitney, Sarah W. Aunt W F Jan 1816 84 wid 2ch 0liv Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts Owns free house Johnson, Josephine Srvt W F Sep 1875 24 sgl Finland Finland Finland Servant, Immig. 1898

Samuel's sister Hannah Whitney married Henry Rice, and became the maternal grandmother of George A. Gleason.

References

• Census records.

• All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), pp. 243-244.

1.^  "Samuel Stilman [Whitney], s. of George and Ester, [born] Jan. 6, 1815," according to Thomas W. Baldwin, ed., Vital Records of Natick, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: 1910).

2.^  "Samuel S. [Whitney], M.D., [died] June 30, 1855, a. 40y.," according to Don Gleason Hill, ed., Dedham, Records of Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths 1638-1845 (Dedham, MA: Dedham Transcript, 1886). Also "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 94, page 139.

3.^  "Samuel S. [Whitney], Dr., of Newton, and Sarah W. Spalding, [married] Sept. 29, 1838," according to Natick Vital Records. Also, "Samuel S. [Whitney], Dr., and Sarah W. Spaulding, int. Sept. 2, 1838," according to Vital Records of Newton, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1905).

4.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 1907/34 (death), page 250.

5.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 36, page 18.

6.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 82, page 202.

7.^  "Sarah W. [Whitney], only d. S. S. and Sarah W., [died] Sept. 23, 1855, a. 16m.," according to Dedham Vital Records. Also "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 94, page 140.

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