Family:Whitney, John (c1763-1826)

Rev. John⁶ Whitney (John⁵, (poss.) Samuel⁴, John³, Benjamin², John¹), son of "Elder" John⁵ and Joanna (Foy) Whitney, was born about 1763, Meduncook, ME, and died 1826, Leeds, ME.

He "Mr." married, 3 Dec 1789, Thomaston, ME, "Mrs." Lois Wadsworth, "both of Camden",^[1] daughter of Sedate and Polly (Smith) Wadsworth. She was born 3 Aug 1767, Lincolnville, ME.

"Whitney, Rev. John, of Gouldsborough, Me., went 150 miles to New Durham, N. H., in June 1785, to attend the Q. M., and there related his Christian experience and call to the ministry. The question of his ordination was referred to the next Q. M., when it was decided in the affirmative, and he was ordained at Westport, Sept. 7; Randall himself preached the sermon, Tingley made the consecrating prayer, and Hibbard gave the hand of fellowship. He was the first to be ordained to the ministry in the denomination, and for thirty years he was successful especially in awakening sinners in his evangelistic work. He frequently met with opposition in his preaching tours. He visited the frontier settlements with Tingley the year of his ordination, and souls were saved and a few churches organized. He went to reside at Edgecomb, where a church of twenty members was organized by the aid of Hibbard. In 1787 a remarkable revival was enjoyed by him at Royalsborough. In 1798 he baptized several at Lewiston and visited the "Eastern country." He moved his family to Leeds. where they resided for several years. He organized churches at Canaan, Bristol, and at the present Camden. In 1791, from the revival in Kittery, a church was embodied. In September, 1793, with Randall Tingley, Hibbard, and Deacon Otis he went from the Y. M. to answer the call for help from the churches in the Sandy River valley. Later he was requested by the Y. M. with Hibbard and two laymen to visit what is now Burnham. He was partly drawn into Lock's plan to form a Christian community with common property in 1800, but he made a public confession and a speedy return. In 1813 he moved to Newfield, and through faithful labors the place of death soon bloomed as a garden. One hundred and fifty were converted during the year. Samuel Burbank, the teacher, with many pupils was among the number."^[2]

Children of John⁶ and Lois (Wadsworth) Whitney:^[3]

i.	Joseph7 Whitney, b. ca. 1794; m. Betsey Mains.
ii.	Samuel Whitney, m. 17 Nov 1816, Leeds, ME, Salome Berry.
iii.	Joanna F. Whitney, b. 1797, Linconville, ME; "Joan" m. (int. 20 Jul 1833, Lincolnville, ME) Abner Heal 2d "both of Lincolnville",[4] b. 2 Jun 1782, Edgecomb, ME, d. 7 Dec 1859, Lincolnville, ME, son of Isaac and Ruth (Dunton) Heal, as his second wife. They were living next door to her brother Sedate in 1850 (she as "Lovina", but Joanna in 1860 and 1870). A daughter by his first wife Anna Young was Dolly Ann Heal, who married her brother Sedate Whitney (below).
iv.	John Whitney, b. 30 Apr 1800; m. Mahala Clark
v.	Sedate Whitney, b. 7 Feb 1803, Leeds, ME (twin); m. 25 Mar 1825, Dolly Ann Heal/Held/Head.
vi.	Lois Whitney, b. 7 Feb 1803, Leeds, ME (twin); d. 29 Oct 1872, Lagrange, ME, aged 74 years 8 months; m. 25 Jan 1821, Leeds, ME, James L. Bishop.
vii.	Mary Whitney. She may have been the Mary Whitney who was b. 21 Apr 1792; d. 25 May 1879, Lincolnville, ME; m. 26 Aug 1817, Lincolnville, ME, Sedate W. Young.[5]
viii.	(child) Whitney. This child may have been the Rhoda Whitney who m. (int. 31 Oct 1840, Lincolnville, ME), Charles M. Young, "both of Lincolnville".[6]
ix.	(child) Whitney.

Census

• 1790, Littleborough Plantation, Lincoln Co., ME: John Whitney, 3 males over 16, 1 male 0-15, and 6 females.
• 1800, Leeds, Kennebec Co., ME: John Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 3 males 0-9, 1 female 26-44, and 3 females 0-9.
• 1810, Leeds, Kennebec Co., ME: Whitney, John, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 2 males 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 0-9, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, 2 females 10-15, and 1 female 0-9.
• 1820, Leeds, Kennebec Co., ME: Whitney, John, 1 male over 45, 1 male 18-15, 1 male 16-17, 2 females over 45, 2 females 16-25, and 1 female 0-9; 3 engaged in agriculture.

References

1.^  "Dec. 3, 1789, Mr. John Whitney & Mrs. Lois Wadsworth, both of Camden, by David Fales, Esq., J.P. of Thomaston," according to Judith Holbrook Kelley and Clayton Rand Adams, comps. and eds., Marriage Returns of Lincoln County, Maine. Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 39 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, [2002]), p. 357.

2.^  E-mail message from John L. Whitney, 10 Oct 2002.

3.^  Burgess, Rev. G. A., and Ward, Rev. J. T., Free Baptist Cyclopaedia. Historical and Biographical (Chicago, IL: Free Baptist Cyclopaedia Co., 1889), p. 697.

4.^  "Joan [Whitney] and Abner Heal 2d both of Lincolnville, [intentions] 20 July, 1833," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

5.^  "Mary [Whitney] m. Sedate Young 26 Aug. 1817," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

6.^  "Rhoda [Whitney] and Charles M. Young, both of Lincolnville, [intentions] 31 Oct. 1840," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

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Copyright © 2007, 2011, 2012, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.