Family:Widney, Charles (1763-1844)

Charles¹ Widney, son of James and Mary (Wilson) Whitney, was born 1 Nov 1763, and died 13 Mar 1844, Franklin Co., PA.

He married, Jul 1793, PA, Mary Dolly Henderson. She was born 7 Jun 1775, Cumberland Co., PA, and died 28 Jan 1858, Concord, PA.

He is listed as Charles "Wooney", farmer, age 55, on an 1828 tax list of Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA.^[1] Either the age is wrong, or he was born in 1773, not 1763.

Children of Charles¹ and Mary Dolly (Henderson) Widney:

i.	John2 Widney, b. 3 May 1794, d. Apr 1825, Piqua, Miami Co., OH, m. 1826, Caroline Broderick.
ii.	Samuel Widney, b. 29 Jul 1796, Franklin Co., PA, d. ca. 1855, DeKalb Co., IN, m. 22 May 1822, Joanna Brearley.
iii.	Mary Widney, b. 28 Oct 1800, d. 30 Oct 1887, m. 22 May 1822, Franklin Co., PA, Thomas M. McKim.
iv.	Sarah Widney, b. 3 Jul 1803, d. 1870, m. John M. McIntyre.
v.	Charles Wilson Widney, b. 11 Nov 1805, d. 28 Sep 1878, Baton Rouge, LA, m. 13 Aug 1831, Cumberland Co., PA, Mary Alexander Gilson.
vi.	James Henderson Widney, b. 27 Apr 1808, d. 1889, m. Ann E. Tydings.
vii.	Wilson Widney, b. 27 May 1810, Franklin Co., PA, d. 4 Aug 1845, DeKalb Co., IN.
viii.	Alexander Erwin Widney, b. 29 Aug 1812, d. 18 Dec 1883, Woodhull, Henry Co., IL, m. 2 Feb 1837, Path Valley, PA, Margaret Hammond.
ix.	Ann Elizabeth Widney, b. 10 Oct 1814, Franklin Co., PA, d. 1896, Evanston, IL, m. Apr 1839, John Bamborough.
x.	Johnston Widney, b. 13 Oct 1818, PA, d. 7 Jan 1877, Concord, PA, m. 5 Dec 1839, Franklin Co., PA, Molly Mary Skinner.

Census

• 1800, Fannett Township, Franklin Co., PA: Charles Wideney, 1 male 26-45, 1 male 16-26, 1 male 10-16, 2 males under 10, 1 female 26-45, 1 female 16-26, 1 female under 10.
• 1810: not found.
• 1820, Metal, Franklin Co., PA: Charles Widney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 16-26, 3 males 10-16, 2 males under 10, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-26, 1 female under 10, 2 people in agriculture.
• 1830: not found.
• 1840: not found.
• 1850, Fannett, Franklin Co., PA:

269 269 Mary Widney 75 F - [Penna.] Susan Wagoner 60 F - [Penna.] John McElise 35 M - Laborer [Penna.] Idiot Noah Stephenson 15 M - [Penna.] Attended school

Notes

This family apparently descends from a "Colonel Widney" who fought in the Battle of the Boyne, for which he was given an estate in County Tyrone, Ireland. This James sold that land and settled in Franklin Co., PA. Further research is needed to determine if the others near him are children or siblings. The earliest Widney ancestor may have been a Whitney descendant, or may have been from a completely unrelated family.

See also:

• PAFRANKL-L Archives
• World Connect index page for WIDNEY
• Title of Acts Passed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania at the session of 1822-23
• Re: James Widney Ireland & PA in the Widney Family Genealogy Forum
• A History of a Fragment of the Clan Linn and a Genealogy of the Linn and ... (several entries here)
• Franklin County, PA Biographies
• Biography of John P. Widney
• More Surnames of Co Tyrone
• Descendant chart for James and Mary (Wilson) Widney
• Family of James and Mary (Wilson) Widney

References

• Census records
• Ancestral File family group record.

1.^  Tax List: 1828 Listing: Fannett Township, Franklin Co, PA.

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