Archive:Early Pleasant River Families

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Tibbetts, Lawrence F., &amp. Lmson, Darryl B., Early Pleasant River Families of Washington County, Maine (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1997).

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WHITNEY

John Whitney (1592-1673) came from London, England, to Watertown MA in June 1635; descendants lived near York ME and later at Gorham. Two Whitney brothers, cousins to Joel⁵ Whitney (21 May 1743-28 July 1791) of Jonesboro, were early settlers at Pleasant River: Nathan and Matthias:

Additional reference: Machias Union newspaper article of 16 Feb 1897.

1. Capt. NATHAN⁵ WHITNEY Jr, b at Biddeford 30 April 1742; d at Columbia bef 7 April 1834 [when the town paid his funeral costs]; son of Nathan⁴ (Nathaniel³, Benajmin², John¹) and Lydia⁴ (Young) Whitney of York and Gorham, came from York to Columbia Falls in 1768 {per John Bucknam's business ledger entries in Jan 1769} [PR 1778-1784, CFS 1790, COL 1800-10]; moderator for first town meeting in 1796; called "gentleman of Columbia" in 1797 when he obtained 2 settler's lots on west side of Pleasant River in Township #13 [Washington Co Deed 2:71]; town constable in 1798; supported by the town after 1816; m. c1770 PATIENCE BERNARD/BURNHAM, b at Portsmouth {now Greenland} NH c1752; d 1840, ae. "98"; 9 children [COL Vrs]:

+ 3 i NATHAN⁶ 3rd, b 8 July 1772; d 1816.

  4    ii LYDIA, b 8 June 1775; d 1843; m 1801 MATTHEW6 COFFIN Jr
          (Coffin #26).
  5   iii DANIEL, b 10 Feb 1778; d young; unm.

+ 6 iv THANKFUL, b 16 Dec 1780; d 1850+. + 7 v JOSEPH, b 15 Feb 1782; d 1860.

  8   vi MARTHA "Patty", b 1 Feb 1785; d 1814+; m 1805 LORIN ANSON
         SMITH (A. Smith #1) lived at Columbia {1810}, then moved to
         Connecticut.
  9  vii JEREMIAH, b 26 Aug 1787; drowned at Columbia 9 Aug 1797, ae. 10.
 10 viii SIMEON, b 6 April 1790; k 1812-14 during War of 1812; unm.
 11   ix LUCY, b 6 April 1793; d 1830-50; m at Columbia [Cfd VR] 4 Nov
         {int. 22 Sept} 1819 ISAAC5 GUPTILL, b at Gouldsboro 24 July 1788,
         d at Harrington 3 Jan 1872, son of William4 and Jane5 (Downs) Guptill;

farmer at Columbia [1820], Cherryfield [1830], and Harrington [1850].

2. MATTHIAS⁵ WHITNEY, b at Biddeford 8 March [bapt. 12 April there at First Congregational Church] 1743/44; d 1820s; son of Nathan⁴ (Nathaniel³, Benajmin², John¹) and Lydia⁴ (Young) Whitney of York and Gorham, came from York to Addison [ADD 1784-1790, HAR 1800, ADD 1810, JBO 1820]; was reported to be the first Colonist to board the English vessel Margaretta during the Battle of the Margaretta at Machias; m say 1773 [probably] ABIGAIL --, b 175?; d probably between 1810-20; she appears to have been living at Columbia in 1810 with one male aged 16-26 {one of their sons?}, when Matthias was living at Addison {apparently alone}, so perhaps they were separated at that time; census and probate records indicate 10 children {5 sons and 5 daus}: [no list naming them has been found, but they apear to have included the following]

12 i (dau)⁶, b say 1774; d 1790+.

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 13   ii HANNAH, b say 1776; d 1810-1819; m at Columbia 1801-02 WIL-
         LIAM5 GRAY (Gray #1), he m 2nd her sister Lydia.
 14  iii MATTHIAS Jr, b say 1779; d bef 27 July 1840 [Wash Co Probate
         record], [ADD 1830-40]; apparently never married {censuses show him
         living alone}; in 1840 his heirs were Lydia Gray, Anna True, and
         Henry True.
 15   iv (son), b say 1781; d 1810+, [HAR 1800, COL 1810 w/mother?].
 16    v (son), b. say 1783; d probably 1790s.
 17   vi SUSANNA, b say 1785; d 1802-40; m at Columbia {int. at Columbia
          29 May and int. at Machiaas 16 June} 1802 EDWARD BENNETT.
 18  vii (son), b say 1787; d probably 1790s.

+ 19 viii SAMUEL, b 17 Dec 1790; d 1838.

 20   ix LYDIA, b c1794; d 1840s; m WILLIAM5 GRAY (Gray #1) widower
          of her sister Hannah.
 21    x ANNA, b 1796; d 1857; m 1829 HNERY6 TRUE (True #1) as his 2nd

wife.

3. NATHAN⁶ WHITNEY 3rd (Nathan⁵), b 8 July 1772; d at Columbia 6 Nov 1816; lived at Columbia [1800-10], in 1806 sold half his homestead at Columbia to brother Joseph for $1,000 [Washington Co Deed 4:307] and also some marshland for $1,200 [Deed 4:324], and moved to Edmunds by 1818; m at Columbia SARAH COX, b say 1775; d 1820+; (Cox #7), {living 31 Jan 1820 at Dennysville}; 11 children b at Columbia:

22 i ELMIRA G.⁷, b 7 April 1795; d at Machias 12 March 1869, m at

         Edmuns 1819 her cousin DAVID6 REYNOLDS Jr, b at Dennysville
         5 Aug 1792 {or 19 June 1789}, d at Machias 9 April 1864, (son of E
         Reynolds #2), lived at Edmunds and Machias [1850].
 23   ii NATHAN 4th, b 7 Oct 1796; d at Machias 8 June 1881, ae. 84
         [Machias Union of 28 June 1881]; [COL 1810] lived at Machias [JBO
         1830]; m (int. at Jonesboro 25 Oct 1825) his cousin REBECCA
         WESTON WHITNEY, b at Jonesboro 29 Sept 1807, d at Machias 18
         May 1901, (Whitney #35).
 24  iii JEREMIAH, b 21 April 1798; d 1830+; [COL 1820-30] unm.
 25   iv ANNA "Annie", b 24 Dec 1800; m at Edmunds her cousin ISAAC6
         REYNOLDS, b 18 July 1800, (son of E Reynolds #2).
 26    v LEAH, b 7 Oct 1803; m. NEHEMIAH2 PRESTON, b at Dennysville 9
         July 1800, d at Plant.#14 8 Feb 1874, son of Nathan1 and Elizabeth
         (Rumery) Preston of Dennysville.
 27   vi MARY ANN, b 22 March 1807; m JOHN BENNER, b 1798, son of
         Christopher and Thankful (Gardner) Benner, lived at Eastport.
 28  vii JOEL BONNEY, b 22 March 1809; d 1840+, [JBO 1830-40], m
         EMILY3 PRESTON, b 11 June 1813, d 1840+, (dau of Cox #11), no
         children.
 29 viii CALLAHAN WINCHESTER, b 8 March 1811; lightkeeper at Blue Hill

and hotel keeper at Ellsworth; m. ELIZA NEWMAN.

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 30   ix SARAH JANE "Sally", b 7 Feb 1813; m ABRAHAM SEELEY.
 31    x EPHRAIM, b 15 Feb 1815; d 1841+; m at Columbia 14 Sept 1841
         LUCY NASH5 McCASLIN, b at Columbia 16 Nov 1811, d 1841+,
         (McCaslin #14).

32 xi ASA, b 7 March 1817.

6. THANKFUL⁶ (Nathan⁵), b 16 Dec 1780; d 1850+; by Col. JEREMIAH² O'BRIEN, b 1744; d at Mchias 5 Sept 1818; son of Morris¹ and Mary² (Keen) O'Brien {Jeremiah had no children by his wife Elizabeth Fitzpatrick (d 1810)}, had one dau; Thankful then m (1st) at Machias 8 Oct 1805 MOSES LEAVITT, d 1800-1808; of Machias; Thankful m. (2nd) at Machias 15 July 1808 ISAAC MEADER of Durham NH, lived at Freedom NH [1850].
Child by Jeremiah² O'Brien:

33 i LYDIA⁷ WHITNEY "O'BRIEN", b at Machias 10 June 1804; d at

         Lynbrook {Hempstead Co [Long Island]}, NY 18 March 1898, ae.
         93-9-8; [raised by Jeremiah O'Brien and after his death by his nephew
         Gideon3 O'Brien of Machias] m at Machias 10 March 1823 AARON
         SIMMONS7 SHERMAN, b at Marshfield MA 20 Oct 1798, d at
         Bridgewater MA 22 July 1881, son of Aaron6 and Lydia (Mitchell)
         Sherman of Duxbury MA; drummer ae. 15 in War of 1812; designer
         and master carpenter for churches and homes at Machias and for
         Ruggle's House at Columbia Falls 1810-19 {for which Alvah Peterson
         (see Peterson #1) was the chief wood-carver}; lived at Columbia Falls
         in 1818, Machias in 1820, moved in 1827 to Marshfield MA, then to

Boston MA, and finally to Bridgewater MA.

7. JOSEPH⁶ WHITNEY (Nathan⁵, b 15 Feb [or 31 Oct?] 1782; d in Sept 1860 [g.s.]; farmer at Jonesboro [COL 1810, JBO 1820-60]; m (1st) 5 June {int. at Columbia 19 March} 1803 MARY⁶ LIBBY, b 28 Jan 1783; d 23 Oct 1822, ae. 38; dau of Reuben⁵ and Rebecca⁴ (Weston) Libby, and had 7 children; Joseph m (wnd) (int. at Jonesboro 1 July 1823) her sister REBECCA⁶ LIBBY, b 22 Dec 1877; d 25 June 1868; no more children.

Children by 1st wife, first 5 b at Jonesboro:

34 i RUTH RUGGLES⁷, b 11 April 1805; d at Whitneyville 25 Sept 1888,

         ae. 83-5-14; m (1st) 1823 CHANDLER ROBBINS6 DRISKO (Drisko
         #85); m (2nd) (int. 19 Jan 1849) THOMAS GREENLEAF5 WATTS, b
         at Jonesboro 22 Dec 1804, d at Whitneyville 10 Dec 1888, ae.
         83-10-28; son of Thomas Dustan4 and Susanna6 (Noyes) Watts, he had
         m 1st 1828 Ruth Yates7 Marston {see Marston #9}, joiner at Whitney-
         ville [1850].
 35   ii REBECCA WESTON, b 29 Sept 1807; d 1901; m 1825 her cousin
         NATHAN7 WHITNEY 4th (Whitney #23).
 36  iii JOHN HASKELL, b 7 April 1810; d 1850s; lived at Machias; m at
         Machias 11 Oct 1835 CLARISSA5 MESERVE, b 1813; d 1807+, dau

of Josieph⁴ and Betsey (Burnham) Meserve of Machias, she m 2nd at

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         Addison 13/16 Sept 1853 Jason Clapp8 Look {see Look #58} of
         Addison.
 37   iv GEORGE RUSSELL, b 20 March 1813; d in Boston MA 29 May 1859;
         m c1839 MARTHA LYON8 NOYES, b 23 Feb 1821, d at St. Cloud
         MN in Nov 1906, "of Beddington", dau of Josiah Stickney7 and
         Elizabeth Bowden3 (Kelley) Noyes, she m 2nd c 1859 {div 1886?}
         Dennis A. Hoyt (b in ME 1834, d 1886+) of Main Prairie MN, then
         she m 3rd 188? Sylvanus Jenkins Jr, widower of her former sis-
         ter-in-law Eunice {see #38 below}.
 38    v EUNICE KILTON, b at Jonesboro 3 June 1816; d at Farmington
         {Dakota Co.} MN 14 May 1888; m (1st) 27 Jan 1838 DAVID
         KELLEY7 NOYES, b 10 July 1815, d 1838+, son of Josiah Stickney7
         and Elizabeth Bowden3 (Kelley) Noyes, lived at Beddington; m (2nd)
         (int. at Beddington 7 aug 1841) SYLVANUS JENKINS Jr, b at St.
         Johnsbury VT 6 March 1818, d at Farmington MN 28 June 1896, ae.
         79th yr, son of Sylvanus and Olive (--) Jenkins, he m 2nd 188? David's
         sister Martha Lyon7 (Noyes) Whitney, lived at Cherryfield [1850] and
         Beddington, then moved to Farmington, Minnesota.
 39   vi EPHRAIM B., b at Whitneyville 2 April 1819; d at Clearwater {Wright
         Co.} MN in Oct 1900; lived at Beddington [1850], then moved in 1854
         to St. Cloud MN [1860], and finally to Clearwater MN [1870]; m (1st)
         at Beddington [TR] 9 June {int 6 June} 1848 ELIZABETH MARIA7
         WAKEFIELD, b at Cherryfield 24 March 1831, d at Clearwater MN
         31 May 1870, dau of Nathan Godfrey6 and Phebe Ann7 (Noyes)
         Wakefield of Cherryfield; m (2nd) ELIZABETH BODNAHAN, d
         1899.
 40  vii MARY, b at Jonesboro 23 March 1822; d 1896+; m (1st) 1844
         EPHRAIM WHITNEY6 CORTHELL (Corthell #36); m (2nd) at
         Jonesboro 19 March 1864 JAMES PARKER4 LAWRENCE, b at
         Cherryfield 1825, d 1896+, "of Cherryfield", son of Aaron3 and Lucy
         Hope7 (Leighton) Lawrence, he had m 1st c1846 Caroline S.6 Corthell

{Corthell #38}, lumberman at Cherryfield.

19. SAMUEL⁶ WHITNEY (Matthias⁵), b 17 Dec 1790; d bef March 1838; [JBO 1820, ADD 1830]; m at Columbia bef 19 April {int. at Jonesboro 15 Aug 1822} 1823 SARAH⁶ "Sally" LEIGHTON, b at Cherryfield 17 Dec 1790; d 1838+; {ADD 1838} dau of Theodore⁵ and Hannah (Plummer?) Leighton of Cherryfield; 4 children {supported by town of Addison [1838 town meeting record]:

41 i (dau)⁷, b c1824; d 1838+.

 42   ii (son), b c1825; d 1838+; [Was this Joshua Whitney, b 1825, d 1850+,
         living at Harrington [1850] w/family of Isaac [b 1819] and Mary E. (--)
         [b 1826] Tuttle; was Mary also a Whitney? {perhaps #43?}.
 43  iii (dau), b 1825-30; d 1838+.

44 iv (son), b 1825-30; d 1838+.

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