Family:Whitney, Henry (1834-1863)

Henry⁹ Whitney (William Miller⁸, William Henry⁷, Henry⁶, Benjamin⁵, Daniel⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of William Miller⁸ and Delilah (Williams) Whitney, was born 4 May 1834, Dummerston, VT, and died 11 Jan 1863, Washington, DC. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, East Aurora, NY.^[1]

He married, 7 Sep 1854, Aurora, NY, Amelia Lee. She was born 2 Jan 1837, Detroit, MI, and died 22 May 1930, Sandwich, IL. She married secondly, 3 Apr 1865, Erie, PA, Reese Davis.

Civil War soldier.

Dr. Verel R. Salmon, Common Men in the War for the Common Man:

[p. 381f.] Henry Whitney had been courting Ms. Amelia Lee in the town of Aurora. Amelia was bourn on January 2, 1837, at Detroit. He was married to Amelia Lee at Aurora, Erie County, New York, on September 7, 1854, by the Reverend James Harlow. The Whitneys had three children: Clara May on September 21, 1855, delivered by Dr. Edwin Blakely at Aurora; Charles Edgar on July 13, 1858, as Wesleyville, Erie County, Pennsylvania, delivered by Dr. M. M. Moore, the local physician, and Ernest Ellsworth Whitney on July 22, 1861, delivered at Wesleyville by Dr. John Bennett. Henry Whitney mustered as a private in Company D on September 10, 1862, at Erie. Amelia Whitney recalled that her husband and father of her three young children "left the training camp which was a mile from our home in Sept, the 4th day from camp he helped bury the dead from Battle of Anteitum." D. B. McCreary, as lieutenant colonel commanding the 145th, certified on December 22 that Private Whitney of Company D, "was wounded in his leg at the battle of Fredericksburg on the 13th day of December 1862 . . . whilst in the discharge of his duty . . ."[64]

64. [not available]

[p. 391f.] Henry D. Whitney in Company D would have his operation the night of the ill-fated battle. Surgeon C. S. Wood of the Sixty-sixth New York would decide to amputate the thigh in the lower third. A shot had fractured the femur. The results of the operation were not promising, and Whitney would die of complications on January 11, less than one month later.[102]

102. [not available]

[p. 447] As a result of the terrible wound to the leg of Pvt. Henry Whitney of Company D at the battle of Fredericksburg, a "dangerous amputation" was performed at the "lower third of thigh," the "right leg amputated below knee" on December 25. Henry Whitney died on January 11, 1863, at Emory Hospital in Washington as the result of the gunshot wounds he had sustained at Fredericksburg on December 13 and the subsequent amputation of the leg (vulnus sclopeticum). William M. Whitney, Henry's brother [sic: should be father], of Aurora, New York, recalled that "the remains or body of . . . Henry Whitney deceased was removed to the town of Aurora and interred on the 12th day of February 1863." On which occasion, he saw and identified the same. Many years later, his widow claimed Henry was "buried in Arlington." Milo A. Whitney and Wm. R. Whitney of Buffalo, Henry's father and brother [sic: should be brothers], attested to Amelia's declaration for widow's pension until April 3, 1865, when she was married to forty-seven-year-old Reese Davis at Erie by Rev. George A. Lyon in the First Presbyterian Church on April 3, 1865. Her life with an alcoholic would prove to be tumultuous.[37]

37. Pension record of Henry Whitney, National Archives, Washington DC (Victor Wheeler, Girard, PA).

Children of Henry⁹ and Amelia (Lee) Whitney:

i.	Clara May10 Whitney, b. 21 Sep 1855, Aurora, NY; d. 14 Oct 1914, Greenville, PA; m. ca. 1880, Alvah B. Smith.
ii.	Charles Edgar Whitney, b. 13 Jul 1858, Wesleyville, PA; d. 15 Jun 1941, Columbus, OH; m.(1) Mary C. -----; m.(2) Jessie Whoerle.
iii.	Ernest Ellsworth Whitney, b. 22 Jul 1861, Wesleyville, PA; d. 15 Dec 1944, Sandusky, OH; m. 16 May 1888, Kelleys Island, OH, Ella Eliza Dean; bur. Oakwood Cemetery, Sandusky, OH.

Census

• 1855 State, Aurora, Erie Co., NY:

273 Frame $550 287 George H. Addington 30 M - - Erie Co. 1 - 20 None 1 - - - - 1 - Elizabeth Addington 23 F - Wife Erie 1 - 3 - - - - - - - - Charles H. Addington 2 M - Chld Erie Co. - - 2 - - - - - - - - Wiliston Addington 8m M - Chld Erie Co. - - 8m - - - - - - - - Angeline Williams 12 F - Srvt Erie Co. - - 5 - - - - - - - - Nelson Elmer 61 - - Srvt Vermont - - 7 Laborer 1 - - - - - - 288 Henry Whitney 21 M - - Vermont 1 - 20 Painter 1 - - - - - - Amelia Whitney 18 F - Wife Camada 1 - 6 - - - - - - - - William R. Whitney 24 M - Brot Vermont - - 20 Painter 1 - - - - - - Warren Gibbs 21 M - Brdr Canada - - 4 - - - - - - - -

• 1860, Harbor Creek, Erie Co., PA:

663 675 Henry Whitney 25 M - Painter $100 Vt. Amelia 22 F - Mich. Clary 5 F - N.Y. Attended school Chs. 2 M - Pa.

• 1870, widow Amelia Davis not found.
• 1870, Erie Ward 4, Erie Co., PA:

733 772 Vincent, John P. 52 M W Judge of Courts $20000 $4500 Penna. Male citizen over 21 " Harriet 43 F W Keeping house " Vincent, Harriet 20 F W At home Penna. Attended school " Katie 18 F W " " Attended school Whitney, Clara 15 F W Domestic New York Carter, Maggie 21 F W " Germany Parents foreign born

• 1870, Findley, Mercer Co., PA:

[State Orphan School] 206 224 White, Charles H. 24 M W Manager of S. O. School $1500 $1000 Pennsylvania Male citizen over 21 ... Whitney, Charles 11 M W Pupil Pennsylvania -----, Ernest E. 8 " " " " ...

• 1880, Mercer South Ward, Mercer Co., PA:

Amelia WHITNEY 43 Self F W W MI Keeping House --- CAN Clara WHITNEY 23 Dau F S W NY Music Teacher --- MI Charles WHITNEY 21 Son M S W PA Painter --- MI John DALE 19 Oth M S W PA Painter PA PA

• 1880, son Ernest not found.

References

• Census records.

1.^  Find A Grave memorial #18903140, Pvt. Henry Whitney.

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