Family:Whitney, John (5 May 1795-1869)

John⁷ Whitney (John⁶, Joshua⁵, Nathaniel⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of John⁶ and Rachel (Hiscock) Whitney, was born 5 May 1795, MA, and died 2 May 1869, Chicago, IL.

He married, Nancy Van Tuyl, daughter of John Van Tuyl. She was born 1801, and died Feb 1883.

John Whitney was born in Massachusetts and went to western New York in 1815; he was an extensive contractor. In 1826 he was implicated in the abduction of the celebrated William Morgan, at the time of the anti-Masonic agitation in central New York. Morgan was a Mason who had written a book exposing Masonry and soon after mysteriously disappeared. Whitney admitted he was with Morgan in a carriage on the night he was abducted and also afterwards at Niagara. The Craftsman of Jun 1829, says: "Of the character of John Whitney through his career in life thus far, it is almost irrelevant to speak, for the voice of the community, the unwilling testimony even of those who for purposes best known to themselves have seen fit to persecute him, is lifted up in his praise. He was the useful citizen, the kind neighbor, the generous friend, the industrious mechanic, the faithful husband and the fond father." Nancy Van Tuyl was the daughter of John Van Tuyl, who was born 12 Jan 1767, and died 9 Oct 1836, and Isabel Mcvickar, who was born 1 Apr 1762. He resided Rochester, NY, and Chicago, IL.

Children of John⁷ and Nancy (Van Tuyl) Whitney:

i.	John B.8 Whitney, b. 13 Jun 1823; m.; resided Kendall, IL.
ii.	Henry Whitney, b. 26 Jul 1829; m.; resided Kendall, IL.
iii.	Uriah Whitney, b. 4 Aug 1838; accidentally shot at Calumet by Vincent Bell, while hunting, 1 Apr 1856.
iv.	Adaline Whitney, b. 26 Dec 1820; d. 10 Jan 1864; m. Frank Parmelee. For more than 40 years the transfer and baggage express business of Chicago has been controlled by one man, Franklin Parmelee. He started the first regular omnibus in that city 9 May 1853. The original outfit was six omnibuses and thirty horses, and required the work of a dozen men. At present he employs 80 omnibuses, 70 baggage-wagons, 250 horses, and over 200 men. His eldest son is in charge of the city office. He married a second wife, and resides at the Palmer House, Chicago, IL. Ch.: John Whitney, Frank Jr., Charles K., all unmarried; resided Chicago; and Adaline W., m. Charles Wheeler; resided Auditorium hotel, Chicago, IL.
v.	Harriett Jane Whitney, b. 14 Apr 1822; m. 9 Jun 1841, Charles A. Harrington; resided Albion, NY. He was b. 19 Aug 1815; d. 11 Oct 1878. Charles A. Harrington was an ardent anti-slavery Whig and Republican, a warm supporter of Seward in the months preceding the war, and one of the strongest supporters of government throughout war times; was largely engaged in contracts on canals and railroads in this country and Canada from 1850 to 1870; went to New York in 1875 and took contracts on Southern boulevard, and was engaged in these and other contracts and in furnishing supplies for such contracts until his death in 1878; was one of the organizers and strongest supporters of Episcopal church in Albion, of which he was always vestryman or warden, and one of most active and energetic promoters of all public enterprises for benefit of town or country. She d. 22 Dec 1878. Ch.: Clara, m. Henry Harrington; resided Denver, CO; Belle W.; m. G. H. Lockley, Jr.; resided Buffalo, NY; Rollin Whitney, d. infancy; Emma, Adeline, and Harriett W.; resided Albion, NY.
vi.	Charles Whitney, b. 4 May 1835; drowned 30 Apr 1839, in the Erie canal, NY.

References

• 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. 264-265.

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Copyright © 2006, 2009, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group