Family:Whitney, James Harris (1835-a1900)

James Harris⁸ Whitney (Benjamin Franklin⁷, Cyrus⁶, Isaiah⁵, Isaiah⁴, Isaiah³, Thomas², John¹), son of Benjamin Franklin⁷ and Louisa (Lawrence) Whitney, was born 16 Aug 1835, Harvard, MA,^[1] and died after 1895.

He married, 11 Apr 1860, Adrianne Thomas of Boston. She was born about 1840, MA, and died 31 Dec 1864, of consumption.

He married secondly, 29 May 1869, New York, NY, Myra Louise (Washburn) Cushing, daughter of Carver and Harriet (Harding) Washburn. She was born about 27 Dec 1827, Bridgewater, MA, and died after 1880. She had married firstly, 12 Jan 1845, Providence, RI, Frederick Cushing (1823-1868).

James H. went to Seneca Falls, NY, when an infant in 1836, returned to Acton, MA, in 1845, and to Harvard in 1848. He spent a portion of his boyhood, 1845-49, with his father farming; in 1849 in Worcester, 1850-1853 in a store in Shirley, MA; 1853-54 at Normal Institute, Lancaster, charge of upholster department at Stewart's and afterwards at Arnold, Constable & Company's in New York City. During these 30 years he had occasion to cross the ocean to and from Europe many times (nearly 90) to buy goods, traveling over a large part of Europe in search of the finest goods known to the trade. Since 1891 he has returned to Harvard and for a time at least, is quietly cultivating his paternal acres, as a gentleman farmer; resided Harvard, MA.

Children of James Harris⁸ and Addie (Thomas) Whitney:

i.

George Clarence9 Whitney, b. 5 Nov 1861; d. 3 Oct 1888. He lived most of his life and was educated in New York City, spent two years in Columbia College, went into the oil broker's business, had a seat in Exchange, traveled in Europe for his health, but returned not much improved, went as far west as Minneapolis, but failing rapidly returned to New York City, to die of consumption, which he probably inherited of his mother.

ii.

Minnie Whitney, b. 1863; d. 1864, of consumption.

James Harris⁸ and Myra Louise (Washburn)(Cushing) Whitney had no children.

Census

• 1860, Boston Ward 10, Suffolk Co., MA:

1255 2670 [Boarding House] ... J. H. Whitney 24 M - Clerk Mass. Adrianne " 20 F - " ...

• {{Missing|1870, New York Ward 18, New York Co., NY, p. 31/344:

121 144 Whitney, James 56 M W Upholster Merchant $2000 Mass. Male citizen over 21 -----, Emily 38 F W Keeping House " -----, George 8 M W " Furgenson, Ruffers 25 M W Sea Captin " Male citizen over 21 -----, James 20 M W Traveling Agent " Williard, Henry 36 M W Clerk in Store " Male citizen over 21 -----, Isabella 22 F W " Sampson, William 51 M W Civil Engineer $3000 " Male citizen over 21 -----, Susan 51 F W " Knight, Henry 30 M W Physician England Parents foreign born Beatty, Anna 30 F W " Parents foreign born Reilly, Mary 26 F W Domestic Servant Ireland Parents foreign born McQuench, Cathrin 22 F W Domestic Servant Ireland Parents foreign born, Illiterate

James's age of 56 is an error for 36.

• 1880, New York, New York Co., MA:

James WHITNEY 46 Self M M W MA Merchant ENG MA Mira WHITNEY 48 Wife F M W MA Keeping House MA MA George C. WHITNEY 18 Son M S W MA At School MA MA Anna BRANNIGAN 30 Othe F S W IRE Servant IRE IRE

Apparently his father was not born in England, but the presence of son George means that this is the right family.

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), p. 544.

1.^  "James Harris [Whitney], s. of Benjamin F. and Louisa, [born] Aug. 16, 1835," according to Thomas W. Baldwin, ed., Vital Records of Harvard, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1917).

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