Family:Whitney, William Wallace (1817-1883)

Dr. William Wallace⁷ Whitney (Paul⁶, Timothy⁵, Jonas⁴, Moses³, Richard², John¹), son of Paul⁶ and Lucinda (Marsh) Whitney, was born 29 Apr 1817, Cowansville, QC, and died 10 Mar 1883, Springfield, MA, aged 66 years 11 days, of erysipelas.

He married firstly, about 1842, Betsey Winter, of Montpelier, VT.

He married secondly, Mrs. Perry.

He married thirdly, about 1874, Boston, MA, Sarah Maria Eaton. She was born 2 Apr 1821. Note that in 1852, his wife was "Sarah M."

He resided Springfield, MA.

He learned the shoemaking trade when a boy, but not liking it, studied medicine and veterinary surgery, and was considered one of the best veterinary surgeons in that section. He also farmed several years, and at his death, in 1884, was running a drug store in Springfield, MA. He died from erysipelas. I believe he was an Episcopalian in belief. He resided Atkinson, NH, and Springfield, MA.

Children of Dr. William Wallace⁷ and Betsey (Winter) Whitney:

i.	Robert H.8 Whitney, b. ca. 1842, QC; resided VT.
i.	Phebe Marcella Whitney, b. ca. 1844, QC; m. William Parmalee, of Waterloo, QC [sic -- ON]; res. Ottawa; 7 ch.
ii.	Angeline R. Whitney, b. about 1845; d. ae. 12; not in 1852 census.
iii.	Harriett Augusta Whitney, b. 20 May 1847, QC; m.(1) 31 Aug 1869, Dr. Albert R. Whitney; b. 1837; d. 11 Sep 1872; m.(2) 16 Feb 1874, Gen'l. Dennis T. Kirby, of New Orleans, LA. He was b. 15 Sep 1838; res. Washington, DC, 132 11th St., S. E. Albert Reed Whitney was born in Williston, VT, in 1835, on the 11th day of April, and was raised at said place. When he finished his school education he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and entered the St. Louis College of Medicine. He enlisted while attending the medical college on a hospital steamer on the Mississippi river and was in charge of a hospital at Natchez, MS. At the close of the war he returned to medical college and graduated with honor on 1 Mar 1865. He then went to Waterproof, Tensas Parish, LA, where he became a merchant, and practised his profession as a physician until he was elected to state (Louisiana) Senate in 1869 for a term of four years. He served in the position but three years, dying at Mallett Bay, VT, 9 Sep 1872. Brevet Brigadier General Dennis T. Kirby was born in Niagara County, NY, 15 Sep 1837, moved with his parents to Buffalo, NY, in 1847, and to St. Louis, MO, in 1854. He entered the service as captain, Company E, Eighth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, 25 Jun 1861. Served in Missouri and Kentucky to Feb 1862. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel 3 Aug 1863. He was mustered out with regiment 7 Jul 1864; commissioned colonel and aide-de-camp on the staff of Gov. W. P. Hall, of Missouri, and colonel of Fifth Regiment St. Louis City Guard, 1 Oct 1864; lieutenant-colonel Twenty-Seventh Missouri Volunteer Infantry, 6 Oct 1864, and at once detailed as chief picket officer of the Seventeenth Army Corps, on the staff of Major General Frank P. Blair, commanding. He was on the march to the sea Nov. 16 to Dec. 13. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general for gallant and meritorious services during the war, to date from 13 Nov 1863; and present at the surrender of General Joseph Johnston, and in the grand review at Washington, May 24. Mustered out 13 Jun 1863, he was appointed captain of Company E, Thirty-Ninth U. S. A. Infantry, 28 Jul 1866, brevetted major for gallant conduct at Chickasaw Bayou, lieutenant-colonel for gallant conduct in the assaults on Vicksburg, and colonel U. S. A. for gallant and meritorious conduct at Chickamauga Creek, GA, Mission Ridge, TN, and Rivers' Bridge, SC. He served in the regular army until the fall of 1868, when his services ended. He now resides in Washington, DC. Ch.: William Tommas, b. 10 Apr 1875; Martha Wynona, b. 19 Jun 1880; Wallace Whitney, b. 17 Sep 1881.
iv.	Lucinda Ellen Whitney, b. 21 Oct 1848, QC; m. 14 Aug 1875, Charles R. Baldwin; b. 11 Feb 1830. He is a retired farmer: resided 1307 R. St. N.W., Washington, DC. Ch.: Marian Ernestine, b. 12 May 1876.
v.	Carlos Franklin Whitney, b. Apr 1850, QC. He was perhaps the same man as Family:Whitney, Carlos (c1848-1917).
vi.	George W. Whitney, b. ca. 1851, QC.
vi.	William Clarence Whitney, b. 21 Oct 1858: m. Mary Lyde Marks.
vii.	Charles Alfred Whitney, b. Apr 1860. He was perhaps the same man as the Charles A. Whitney who resided with his brother Carlos Whitney in 1900.
viii.	George Albert Whitney, b. Apr 1862; resided Manchester, NH; was a lawyer in TN.

Child of William Wallace⁷ Whitney, maternity uncertain:

ix.	Franklin P. Whitney, also recorded as "Frank E.", b. ca. 1858, NH.

Children of William Wallace⁷ and Mary A. (Hildreth) Whitney:

x.	Clarence W. Whitney, b. ca. 1869, NH.
xi.	Lillian May Whitney, b. ca. 1871, Nashua, NH; m. 6 Jun 1900, Springfield, MA, Henry Sumner Thompson.
xii.	Florence C. Whitney, b. 25 Mar 1874, Springfield, MA.
xiii.	Mary Louisa Whitney, b. 15 Mar 1878, Springfield, MA.

Notes

There is some confusion about the wives and the maternity of the children in this family. It seems probable that two different families have been intermixed here.

The 1880 census, Florence C. and Mary Louisa's birth records, and his death record, all indicate that William W. Whitney was born in Lanesborough, MA, not in Cowansville, QC. The 1870 census indicates his birth in Vermont. None of the known Lanesborough Whitney families has a son William who could be this man.

The youngest two daughters' mothers are listed in their birth records as Mary Hildreth and Mary A. Hildreth. Lillian's mother is also listed as Mary Hildreth on her marriage record. Mary A. (Hildreth) Whitney died 26 Oct 1899, Springfield, MA, aged 63 years, of chronic rheumatic arthritis and multiple anthrax, daughter of Joel H. Hildreth, born Amherst, NH. Probably she was the Mary A. Hildreth, daughter of Jotham and Abigail (Converse) Hildreth, in the 1850 census, aged 14, Nashua, NH.

No record is found in MA for a marriage to Sarah Maria Eaton. No record of "Mrs. Perry" has been found.

It seems bizarre that this family should have a son named William Clarence and another named Clarence W. Since the former, b. 1858, was married in 1883, he could not be the same as the latter, b. ca. 1869.

The 1852 census information below fits the little information handed down through Carlos Whitney's family: That Carlos' family came from Conn. (Mass.?), went up to Canada, then Carlos ended up being a guide in the Adirondacks. Also family notes has Carlos' daughter Harriet Whitney Bigalow recalling that Carlos had a brother Robert in VT and a brother George a lawyer in TN.

The border between Vermont and Canada was very "fluid'--a lot of coming a going, and few/no records keeping track. (This situation existed right up to 9/11/2001).

The above marriage date to Sarah M. may not be correct, as the Canadian 1852 has them married. As the births of Robert through George are all only about 2 years apart each, it is more likely that Sarah M. is this particular William W. Whitney of Dunham's first wife at this point. A biography of Clarence Petty has Carlos in the NY Adirondacks in the 1850's, so the family must have migrated south soon after 1852. There was a lot of trade and movement up and down the Champlain Valley between Canada and the States due to a large lumber trade. this point.

Also interesting is that Carlos' married Elisa Marsh in Crown Point, NY, a possible relative?

Census

• 1850: not found. Possibly in QC.
• 1852, Canada East, Missisquoi, 223 Dunham township p. 21d,22a (43):

Witney, William W., shoemaker, born: lower Canada, Episcopalian age 34. Witney, Sarah M., United States, " " 31. Witney, Robert H., " " " " 10. Witney, Phebe M., " " " ' 8. Witney, Hariet A., " " 6. Whitney, Lucinda E., " " " 4. Withney, Carlos F., " " " 3. Witney, George W., Canada ' " 1.

The above spellings are what is in the census.

• 1860: not found. Possibly in QC.
• 1870, Nashua, Hillsborough Co., NH, p. 54:

338 477 Whitney, William W. 50 M W Physician $1000 Vermont Male citizen over 21 -----, Mary 34 F W Keeping house N.H. -----, Franklin P. 12 M W N.H. Attended school -----, Clarence 1 M W N.H.

• 1880, Springfield, Hampden Co., MA:

William W. WHITNEY 62 Self M M W MA Doctor MA MA Mary A. WHITNEY 43 Wife F M W NH Keeping House NH MA Frank E. WHITNEY 22 Son M S W NH Doctor MA NH Clarance W. WHITNEY 11 Son M S W NH At School MA NH Lillian M. WHITNEY 9 Dau F S W NH At School MA NH Florance E. WHITNEY 6 Dau F S W MA At School MA NH Mary L. WHITNEY 2 Dau F S W MA At Home MA NH

References

William W. Whitney and various family is listed on the 1851,'61 and '71 Dunham QC census'.

• 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. 317-318.

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