Family:Whitney, Joel (1765-1857)

Joel⁶ Whitney (Jonas⁵, David⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of Jonas⁵ and Sarah (Whittemore) Whitney, was born 13 Sep 1765, Westminster, MA, and died 15 Apr 1857, Gardner, MA.

He married firstly, 4 Dec 1790, Lucy Holden. She was born 25 Feb 1770, and died 15 Dec 1791.

He married secondly, 16 Aug 1796, Westminster, MA, Mrs. Abigail (Holden) Merriam. She was born 25 Aug 1767, and died 18 Nov 1848.

He was a man of vigorous intellect, good practical judgment, and great force of character. His positive convictions and love of argument won for him in certain circles the expressive title of "Old Reason." He lived for a few years with his brother Jonas on the paternal estate, but at length sold to him, and purchased the place now owned by J. C. Goodridge, on the No. Common, where his remaining life was spent. His services were much in demand as an arbitrator for the settlement of personal differences and questions of controversy, requiring for their proper adjustment, good sense, an impartial judgment, freedom from prejudice, and the disposition to deal fairly and honorably with all parties concerned. He married 1st, Lucy, dau. of Abner and Elizabeth (Darby) Holden. She bore him 1 child and he married 2d, her sister, Abigail (Holden) Merriam, wid. of Nathan, by whom he had 6 ch. He resided Westminster, MA.

Child of Joel⁶ and Lucy (Holden) Whitney:

i.	Lucy Whitney, b. 25 Nov 1791; d. 18 Oct 1821; m. 28 Oct 1813, Joseph Brown, of Westminister. Ch.; Lucy, b. 14 Jul 1814; m. Rev. Robert Stuart: George, b. 12 Dec 1816; m. Mary Perkins; Huldah, b. 8 Sep 1818; m. Calvin Whitney, 7 Sep 1837; Joseph, b. 23 Sep 1820; m. Mary Everett.

Children of Joel⁶ and Abigail (Holden)(Merriam) Whitney:

ii.	Cynthia7 Whitney, b. 12 Oct 1797; d. 7 Apr 1891; m. 21 Sep 1826, Ebenezer Jones, of Westminster. Ch.: J. Walter, b. 8 Aug 1829. In 1830 they went to Troy, NY. She died 1892. His wid. resided 47 Grand Division St., Troy.
iii.	Joseph H. Whitney, b. 27 Dec 1799; m. Betsey Pratt.
iv.	Horace Whitney, b. 26 Apr 1802; m. Mary Sawin.
v.	Elizabeth Barnard Whitney, b. 27 May 1804; d. 17 Apr 1887; m. 6 Oct 1825, Timothy Weeks. He was b. 13 Nov 1801, Bridgewater, NH; d. 1 Jul 1854. Ch.: Adeline Elizabeth, b. 2 Oct 1826; m. 24 Jan 1860, Nathan W. Frye; P. O. address, Mrs. Nathan W. Frye, 616 Main St., Woburn, MA; Mary A., b. 28 Jul 1828: m. 1 Feb 1849, Henry A. Fielding; P. O. address, Mrs.. Henry A. Fielding, Bozeman, MT; Harriet G., b. 25 Sep 1830; m. 1 Jul 1849, Jeremiah S. Hall; P. O. address, Mrs. H. G. Hall, 46 Tyler St., Lowell, MA; Augustus Whitney, b. 5 Feb 1833; m. 25 Mar 1867, Lauretta Frye; d. 21 Feb 1892, Lowell: Cynthia Jones, b. 25 Mar 1836; d. 15 May 1842; Ellen b. 2 Oct 1838; m. 8 Dec 1862, Rev. E. P. Tenney; P. O. address, Mrs. E. P. Tenney, Pembroke, NH; Emma D., b. 13 Mar 1841; m. 2 Mar 1869, Lester Willson: P. O. address, Mrs. Lester S. Willson, Bozeman, MT.
vi.	Theodore Whitney, b. 2 Apr 1807; m. Betsey Wheeler.
vii.	Relief Farnsworth Whitney, b. 22 Feb 1810; d. 26 Apr 1875; m. 21 Oct 1835, Troy, NY, Willet G. Tripp; resided Troy and Brooklyn, NY. He was b. 8 Feb 1810; d. 17 Apr 1869. Ch.: Caroline A., b. 27 Sep 1859; m. Ansen Adams; she d. 10 Apr 1880; Sarah A., b. 19 Mar 1842; resided 723 Federal St., Troy, NY; John W., b. 7 Sep 1844; m. Mary Higgins; P. O. address, 372 Pacific St., Brooklyn, NY; Harriet E., b. 18 May 1847; m. Henry Parker; P. O. address, 285 Clifton Pl., Brooklyn, NY; Franklyn M., b. 18 May 1850; m. June 1879, Alma Morris; P. O. address, 233 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY: four other children, who died in infancy.

Census

• 1800, Westminster, Worcester Co., MA: Joel Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 2 males 0-9, 1 female 26-44, and 3 females 0-9.

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. 155-156.

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Copyright © 2006, 2007, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group