Family:Whitney, Moses (1739-1820)

Moses⁵ Whitney (Nathaniel⁴, Nathaniel³, Benjamin², John¹), son of Nathaniel⁴ and Hannah (Day) Whitney, was born 17 Mar 1739, Biddeford, ME,^[1] and died 12 Apr 1820, Harrison, ME.^[2]

He married firstly, 27 Dec 1760, Falmouth, ME, Susanna Crockett, both "of Gorham", daughter of Samuel Haley and Sarah (Cobb) Crockett of Gorham. She was born circa 1743, probably Gorham, ME, and died 1 Jul 1762, Gorham, ME.

He married secondly, 6 Sep 1763, Gorham, ME, Mary Page^[3] "of England", an old diary of the time, chronicling it as "a tall wedding". She was also known as Molly Page.

Marriage intentions were published 30 Dec 1791, Gorham, ME, for him and his third wife Abigail (Skillings) Kimball.^[4] He married thirdly, 22 Jan 1792, Gorham, ME, Abigail (Skillings) Kimball, by Rev. Caleb Jewett,^[5] daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Pride) Skillings. She was born 30 Mar 1753, Cumberland, ME, and died 8 Oct 1844, Harrison, ME. She had married firstly, 17 Feb 1774, Gorham, ME, Caleb Kimball. Her surname is given as Kimball in the marriage intentions (30 Dec 1791), but as Knight in the record of the marriage on 22 Jan 1792 (Gorham, ME, VR's). The VR's say 2nd wife in both places. R. L. Ward, in his additions to Ridlon's Early Settlers of Harrison, Maine, gives her maiden name as Skillings and her parents. She widow of Caleb Kimball (McLellan's The History of Gorham, Maine, p. 832). Caleb and Abigail had three children, whose births are registered in the Gorham records.

Rev. G. T. Ridlon, in his Early Settlers of Harrison, Maine says that he was a Revolutionary War pensioner. Moses served in the French and Indian Wars and in the Revolution (McLellan's The History of Gorham, Maine; Rev. War pension #W26005). Moses received all of his father's land and buildings in Harrison 10 Jul 1785 (McLellan's The History of Gorham, Maine, p. 832). He lived in 1763, Gorham, ME; called "Jr."

Pierce says the following:^[6]

He was a man of remarkable physical strength and courage. He was a sturdy, unyielding, self-reliant character, but with much kindness of heart. He moved to Harrison, Me., from Gorham, in 1815. He was captain in the French and Indian war, and also served in the Revolutionary war. Ridlon, in his History of Harrison, says: "The WHITNEY family is remarkable for its firmness and force of character of its members. Indeed they are a people of singular stability and persistency of purpose. They have been possessed of strong physical organizations, and frequently lived to be very old. Public spirited and progressive they have been foremost in defending the rights of their countrymen, and in all matters designed for the elevation and well-being of society."

From the Revolutionary War Pension File of Moses Whitney:

W.26005

Abigail Whitney, Widow
National Archives Building,
Washington, DC; M-804, Roll # 2568 7953:

From a letter replying to an inquiry about service record. Letter is dated August 15, 1925:

From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W. 26005, it appears that Moses Whitney enlisted at Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine, May 18, 1775 and served about eight months, as a private in Captain Samuel Dunn's Company, Colonel Phinney's Massachusetts Regiment. He enlisted October 1, 1779 and served to October 23, 1779, as a corporal in Captain Roger Libby's Company, Colonel Nathan Jordan's Massachusetts Regiment.

He married at Gorham, Maine, January 22,1792, Abigail Kimball. He died in April 1820, at Harrison, Maine and she died there October 8, 1844 aged ninety-one years. Only one child survived her, namely Sally born October 22, 1793, the wife of Joseph H. Phinney of Harrison, Maine. Said daughter Sally Phinney applied for pension on March 12, 1844, on account of her father's services and her claim was allowed.

Also from the file:

I Joseph H. Phinney of Harrison in the County of Cumberland on oath depose and say that I am fifty five years of age. I have been intimately acquainted with Moses Whitney and his widow Abigail Whitney for more than thirty-three years last past. Moses Whitney lived with me since the year 1812 to the time of his death, which was in April 1820. His widow Abigail Whitney died on the eighth day of October 1844 and was not married after the death of her husband. My wife Sally Phinney who has this day made a declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Acts of 1838, 1843, and 1844, is the only surviving child of said Abigail, widow of Moses Whitney aforesaid. Abigail Whitney resided with me from the time of her husband's death to the said 8th of October last.

J.H. Phinney

12 March 1845

Marriage information from Gorham is also attested to in the file.

He bought land in Standish, 30-Acre Lots 13 and 14: Stephen Phinney to Moses Whitney, May 9, 1792.^[7]

He was said to have been remarkable for his strength and courage. He served in the French and Indian wars, and also in the Revolution, and finally settled in Gorham.

Mr. Whitney moved to Harrison about 1813, and resided with his son-in-law, Mr. Phinney.

Children of Moses⁵ and Susanna (Crockett) Whitney were:

i.

Susannah6 Whitney; b. 29 Jun or 29 Jul 1762, Gorham, ME; m. 5 Jul 1781, Buxton, ME, Gibbons Elden,[8] b. 2 Jun 1761, Buxton, ME. Their son, Capt. Silas C. Elden, b. 16 Sep 1783, Buxton, ME, m. 16 Nov 1809, Gorham, ME, Patience6 Whitney, dau. of Joseph5 and Betty (Phinney) Whitney, b. 25 Sep 1786, Gorham, ME.

Children of Moses⁵ and Mary (Page) Whitney, all born Gorham, ME:

ii.	Molly6 Whitney; b. 17 Aug 1764;[9] d. OH; "of Gorham" m. (int. 14 Jul 1781, Gorham, ME,[10] and 27 Jul 1781, Buxton, ME[11]) 26 Jul 1781, Buxton, ME, Lemuel Rounds "of Buxton",[12] b. 26 Jul 1760, Buxton, ME, son of Joseph and Abigail (Gerry) Rounds. She was also known as Mary Whitney. They emigrated to Ohio about 1800.
iii.	Lucy Whitney; b. 30 Sep 1768;[13] d. 2 Sep 1846, Brownfield, ME; m. (int. 27 Mar 1788, Gorham, ME) 17 Mar 1788, Brownfield, ME, or 27 Mar 1788, Gorham, ME, John Greenlaw,[14] b. 11 Feb 1766, Deer Isle, ME, or b. 17 Feb 1766, Westbrook, ME, son of William and Elizabeth (Fossett) Greenlaw, d. 2 Jun 1842, Brownfield, ME. Her gravestone in Brownfield, Oxford, ME, shows she died aged 76 years 11 months 4 days, and her husband died four years earlier, aged 76 years 3 months 15 days. She was also known as Lucy Ann Whitney.
iv.	Enoch Whitney; b. 8 Apr 1773;[15] m.(1) Hannah Newcomb; m.(2) Mary (-----) Kendall; m.(3) Abigail (Ricker) Dennett.
v.	Moses Whitney; b. 30 Aug 1776;[16] no further record found.
vi.	Betsey Whitney; b. 1 Nov 1777;[17] "Betty" bapt. 24 Feb 1778, Buxton, ME;[18] d. NY; m. 10 Dec 1797, Gorham, ME, James Cates,[19] b. 2 Feb 1775, Gorham, ME, the son of Benjamin and Ann (Skilling) Cates. She emigrated to New York State, according to Early Settlers of Harrison, Maine.
vii.	Richard Whitney; b. 20 Jul or Nov 1780;[20] m. Martha Flanders.
viii.	Susanna Whitney; b. 9 Apr 1783;[21] d. 16 Dec 1873, Harrison, ME; m. 22 Jan 1809, Gorham, ME, Dea. Seth Carsley, b. 18 Jul 1782, Gorham, ME, the son of John and Marcy (Freeman) Carsley, d. 27 Mar 1874, Harrison, ME. She was also known as Susanna Worthley Whitney. He subsequently settled on the eastern or Otisfield side of the road and lived there all the rest of his life. It is the same homestead now owned by Charles Roberts. Deacon Carsley was one of the original members of the Free Will Baptist Church and as the first deacon with his noble coadjustor, deacons Bray and Walker, was instrumental in building up a large and flourishing religious community of the denomination. He was greatly esteemed and honored for his piety and firmness as a Christian citizen. Children: a. Maria Carsley, b. 2 Feb 1810, Bridgton, ME; d. 29 Jul 1839; unmarried. b. Susanna Carsley, b. 11 Dec 1811, Bridgton, ME; d. 9 Oct 1848; m. 13 Jun 1833, Stephen Blake. c. Edmund P. Carsley, b. 25 Mar 1815, Bridgton, ME; d. 13 Feb 1883; lived at home; never married. He was, by trade, a brick mason and plasterer, but worked mostly at farming. d. Nathan Carsley, b. 20 Apr 1817, Bridgton, ME; m. Elizabeth Whitney; settled in town, working as a carpenter and farmer. He lived for years on the farm known as the Brackett Woodsum place; now owned and occupied by Maurice Lakin. They had three children: Children: 1. Emily A. Carsley, b. 16 Jul 1843; d. young. 2. George F. Carsley, b. 20 Nov 1845; now living in Aroostook County. 3. John E. Carsley, b. 18 Oct 1848; deceased. e. (child) Carsley, b. -----, Bridgton, ME. f. (child) Carsley, b. -----, Bridgton, ME. g. (child) Carsley, b. 1826, Bridgton, ME.
ix.	Samuel Whitney; b. 2 or 8 Jul 1785, Morrill, ME;[22] m. Margaret Darrow.

Child of Moses⁵ and Abigail (Skillings)(Kimball) Whitney:

x.	Sally6 Whitney; b. 22 Oct 1793, Gorham, ME;[23] d. prob. Harrison, ME; m. 26 Sep 1812, prob. Harrison, ME, Rev. Joseph Phinney, son of Edmund, Jr., and Sarah (Hamblen) Phinney, b. 18 Oct 1789, Gorham, ME, d. 3 Dec 1869, Harrison, ME.

Census

• 1771, Gorham, ME (tax list): Moses Whitney.
• 1790, Gorham, Cumberland Co., ME: Moses Whitney, 2 males over 16, 3 males 0-15, and 3 females.
• 1800, Gorham, Cumberland Co., ME: Moses Whitney, 2 males over 45, 1 male 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 2 females over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 10-15.
• 1810, Gorham, Cumberland Co., ME: Moses Whitney, 1 male over 45 and 1 female over 45.
• 1820: not found.

References

• Moulton, Alphonso, Howard L. Sampson, and Granville Fernald, comps. and eds., Centennial History of Harrison, Maine: Containing The Centennial Celebration of 1905, and Historical and Biographical Matter (Portland: Southworth Printing Company, 1909), pp. 405, 406, 701.

1.^  "Moses [Whitney], s. of Nathaniel and Hannah, b. Mar. 17, 1739," according to Beatty, John D., ed., Vital Records of Biddeford, Prior to 1856; Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 28 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1998), p. 38.

2.^  Source

3.^  "Sept. 6, [1763.] [married] Moses Whitney and Mary Page," according to Charles Burleigh, Esq., "Marriages in Falmouth (Cape Elizabeth), Solemnized by Rev. Ephraim Clark, Pastor 2d Parish," Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 3 (Portland, Me.: S.M. Watson, 1886), p. 101. Also

"Moses [Whitney] and Mary, [married] [bef. Aug. 17, 1764] [1st wife]," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

4.^  "Moses [Whitney], with Abigail Kimball ["Kimbal" in original], [intentions] Dec. 30, 1791 [2nd wife]," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

5.^  "Moses [Whitney] and Abigail Knight, [married] Jan. 22, 1792 [2nd wife]," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897). Also, "Jan. 22, 1792, [married] Moses WHITNEY & Abigail KIMBALL; by Rev. Caleb JEWETT, Gorham (A:59)," according to Kelley, Judith Holbrook, ed. and transcr., Clayton Rand Adams, ed., Marriage Returns of Cumberland County, Maine, Prior to 1892, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 29 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1998), p. 98.

6.^  Frederick C. Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 (Chicago, IL: The Author, 1895), p. 119.

7.^  Standish, Maine, Vital Records.

8.^  "1781, July 5. - [married] Gibbons Elden & Susanna Whitney both of Buxton," according to Buxton, Maine, Vital Records.

9.^  "Mary [Whitney], d. Moses and Mary, [born] Aug. 17, 1764," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

10.^  "Molly [Whitney] ["Molley" in original], with Lemuel Rounds, of Buxton, [intentions] July 14, 1781," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

11.^  "Molly Whitney of Gorham and Lemuel Rounds of Buxton pub. 27 July 1781," according to Buxton, Maine, Vital Records.

12.^  "1781, July 26. - [married] Lemuel Rounds of Buxton and Molly Whitney of Gorham," according to Buxton, Maine, Vital Records.

13.^  "Lucy [Whitney], d. Moses and Mary, [born] Sept. 30, 1768," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897). Also, "Lucy, his wife [of John Greenlaw], b. 30 September 1768 (Lucy Whitney)," according to Brownfield, Maine, Vital Records.

14.^  "Mar. 27, 1788, [married] John GREENLAW & Lucy WITNEY; by Caleb JEWET, Gorham (A:32)," according to Kelley, Judith Holbrook, ed. and transcr., Clayton Rand Adams, ed., Marriage Returns of Cumberland County, Maine, Prior to 1892, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 29 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1998), p. 69. Also, "Lucy [Whitney] and John Greelaw ["Greenlaw" in original], [married] Mar. 27, 1788," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

15.^  "Enoch [Whitney], s. Moses and Mary, [born] Apr. 8, 1773," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

16.^  "Moses [Whitney], s. Moses and Mary, [born] Aug. 30, 1776," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

17.^  "Betsy [Whitney], d. Moses and Mary, [born] Nov. 1, 1777," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

18.^  "1778, Feb. 24. - [baptized] Betty, Daugr of Moses Whitney & Mary his wife of Gorham," according to Buxton, Maine, Vital Records.

19.^  Betsy [Whitney] ["Betty" in original], and James Cates, [married] Dec. 10, 1797," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

20.^  "Richard [Whitney], s. Moses and Mary, [born] July 20, 1780," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

21.^  "Susanna [Whitney], d. Moses and Mary, [born] Apr. 9, 1783," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

22.^  "Samuel [Whitney], s. Moses and Mary, [born] July 2, 1785," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

23.^  "Sally [Whitney], d. Moses and Abigail, [born] Oct. 22, 1793," according to Marquis Fayette King, comp., Publishments, marriages, births and deaths from the earlier records of Gorham, Maine (Portland, ME: Maine Genealogical Society, 1897).

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Copyright © 1999, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, Robert L. Ward, Kenneth L. Whitney, and the Whitney Research Group.