Family:Whitney, William Wilson (1798-1861)

William Wilson⁸ Whitney (Cyrus⁷, Lemuel⁶, Joshua⁵, Nathaniel⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of Cyrus⁷ and Ruth (Mayo) Whitney, was born 7 Mar 1798, Springfield, VT,^[1] and died 14 Mar 1861, Springfield, VT.

He married, 28 Nov 1837, Springfield, VT, Matilda H. Walker,^[2] daughter of John and Philena (Spencer) Walker. She was born 23 Jul 1810, Springfield, VT, and died 23 May 1912, Springfield, VT.

William Wilson, son of Cyrus and Ruth Mayo Whitney, was born 7 Mar 1798, in Springfield, VT. He enjoyed the meager advantages then possible in the common schools. He supplemented these by extensive reading, mostly of borrowed books, and by study at home, with occasional help from Samuel Hemminway, a retired teacher whose delight was to teach young men mathematics. In this way he mastered the harder parts of the arithmetic and learned algebra, geometry, trigonometry, surveying and navigation. He also studied philosophy and chemistry; and made some progress in Latin to fit himself for a teacher. At the age of 18 years he begin teaching district school in winter while he continued to work on the farm in the summer. In 1821 he went to New Brunswick, NJ, to teach in the Lancasterian school there; from thence he went to Trenton, NC, where he taught two years and returned on account of the unfavorable climate. Here he learned a hatred of intemperance and slavery which lasted through life. Against these he wrote, chiefly for the local press, talked, lectured and voted as long as he lived, but he had no affiliation with the so-called Birney or abolition party. After his return from the south he assumed care of his father's farm but continued to teach in winter for many years. He held various town offices, was overseer of the poor seven years and in 1850 was a member of the constitution of convention called by the council of censors of Vermont. He resided Springfield, VT.

Children of William Wilson⁸ and Matilda (Wolkes) Whitney:

i.	Luthera9 Whitney, b. 22 Dec 1841, Springfield, VT;[3] d. aft. 1900; unmarried; resided Springfield, VT. She was born in Springfield, VT, where she has always resided. An injury received in her youth made her a delicate child and a woman whose health is far from firm. It followed from this that her education was acquired in a somewhat desultory manner, but complete enough, however, to soon enter upon the profession of teaching, in which she was especially successful. She has written, at intervals, for the local and methodist newspapers, sketches and poems mostly, and occasionally stories for the Wide Awake and Youths' Companion. She has also done a large (gratuitous) business in poems, and historical and biographical sketches and other etceteras, for local societies. The Lathrops gathered up a few articles (family legends and traditions) written for the Wide Awake and published them in book form. "Old Time Days and Ways, by Luthera Whitney, with sixty-two drawings by W. Parker Bodfish. Quarto, gilt edges." Her chief ambition has been to write a school history and manual of Vermont. She resides at home with her mother.
ii.	Amanda Whitney, b. 22 Jan 1844, Springfield, VT;[4] m. 22 Jan 1866, Springfield and Windham, VT, Asahel Upham;[5] resided Windham, VT. He was b. 18 Feb 1834. He is a farmer, Congregationalist and a Republican. Children: a. Constance Upham, b. 1 Jun 1871. b. Bradford Upham, b. 30 Sep 1874; d. 6 Sep 1876. c. Grace Whitney Upham, b. 28 Aug 1876.
iii.	Rollin W. Whitney, b. 30 Mar 1848, Springfield, VT;[6] m. Ann E. Taylor.

Census

• 1840, apparently the male 40-49 and female 20-29 in his father's family.
• 1850, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT:

225 228 William W. Whitney 51 M - Farmer $3000 Vt. Matilda W. " 39 F - " Luthera " 8 F - " Attended school Amanda " 6 F - " Attended school Rollin " 2 M - " J. Emeline " 27 F - " Henry C. Washburn 16 M - O. Attended school 229 Cyrus Whitney 79 M - Mass. Jerusha " 65 F - Cont. Abiah " 50 F - Vt.

• 1860, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT:

57 57 William W. Whitney 62 M - Farmer $3600 $1500 Vermont Matilda " 49 F - Housewife " Luthera " 18 F - Housewife " Amanda " 16 F - School Teacher " Attended school Rollin " 12 M - " Attended school Jerusha " 75 F - Housewife Connecticut Abiah " 60 F - " " Vermont Darius Parker 18 M - Farm Laborer "

• 1870, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT:

36 39 Whitney, Rollin 22 M W Farmer $5000 $1400 Vermont Male citizen over 21 -----, Matilda 60 F W Keeps house Vermont -----, Jerusha 85 F W Connecticut Illiterate, Idiotic Walker, Philema 92 F W Vermont Whitney, Luthera 26 F W School Teacher Vermont Fullam, Lucian 21 M W Farm laborer Vermont Male citizen over 21 Spencer, Mary A. 69 F W Vermont

• 1880, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT:

Rollin W. WHITNEY 32 Self M M W VT Farmer VT VT Ann E. WHITNEY 35 Wife F M W VT Keeping House VT VT Agnes F. WHITNEY 5 Dau F S W VT VT VT William S. WHITNEY 3 Son M S W VT VT VT Walter R. WHITNEY 1 Son M S W VT VT VT Matilda H. WHITNEY 69 Moth F W W VT House Keeper CT VT Luthera WHITNEY 38 Sis F S W VT School Teacher VT VT Henry LOVELL 21 Oth M S W VT Farm Laborer PA VT Anna GOLDEN 15 Oth F S W VT House Keeper IRE IRE

• 1900, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT:

65 69 Whitney, Rollin W. Head W M Mar 1848 52 mar 26 Vermont Vermont Vermont Farmer, Owns mortgaged farm -----, Ann Wife W F Oct 1845 54 mar 26 7ch 6liv Vermont Vermont Vermont -----, Philip H. Son W M Mar 1881 19 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont At school -----, Ruth H. Dau W F Jan 1883 17 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont At school -----, Helen L. Dau W F Jun 1885 14 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont At school -----, Anne J. Dau W F Apr 1887 13 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont At school -----, Matilda H. Moth W F Jul 1810 89 wid 5ch 2liv Vermont Connecticut Vermont -----, Luthera Sist W F Jan 1842 58 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont

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. 445-446.

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

2.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

3.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

4.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

5.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

6.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

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