Family:Whitney, Jacob M. (s1798-1861)

Jacob M. Whitney, parentage unknown, was born about 1785-1800, MA, CT, or NY, and died 9 Aug 1861, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY.

He married, about 1822, Nellie Freeman, daughter of Jonathan and Nellie (Beardsley) Freeman. She was born about 1807, and died 9 Aug 1861 Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY. Husband and wife perished in a nighttime house fire. Family hearsay is that a hornet's nest in the attic had been burned out earlier in the day.

Nellie was a descendant of "Mayflower" passenger Stephen Hopkins in the following line:

1. Stephen Hopkins, m. Mary -----
2. Constanta Hopkins, m. Nicholas Snow
3. Mary Snow, m. Thomas Paine
4. Elisha Paine, m. Rebecca Doane
5. Mary Paine, m. Robert Freeman
6. Robert Freeman, m. Anna -----
7. Jonathan Freeman, m. Nellie Beardsley
8. Nellie Freeman, m. Jacob M. Whitney

According to Jacob's grandson, John Howard Whitney, Jacob had a brother, Eli, born 31 Jul 1797, Dutchess Co., NY, and died 5 Apr 1867, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY. Eli Whitney married Catherine Longyear, of Shandaken. [See his family page.]

Jacob and Eli both appear in the 1830 Census for Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY. Eli remained there for the rest of his life, but in 1833 Jacob and his family moved to adjoining Delaware Co.

Jacob and Nellie had thirteen children, the first six of whom were born in Shandaken, Ulster Co., and the remaining seven, in Andes, Delaware Co. At least five of the children lived with other families. Three were known to be adopted: George, by a Sands family; Dustin, by a Yaple family; and Louisa, by a Hewitt family. Each of them, however, retained the Whitney surname.

Five of Jacob and Nellie's sons--Eli, Freeman, George, Dustin, and Jacob--served in the Civil War in New York regiments.

Jacob and Nellie lived on a farm near Union Grove, Delaware Co., and several of their sons owned land nearby. Over 100 years later, in 1954, Union Grove disappeared, as it were, under the waters of the Pepacton Reservoir, constructed by the City of New York to supplement their water supply. Cemetery removals were authorized for some of Jacob and Nellie's children and grandchildren for re-burial in other locations.

Children of Jacob M. and Nellie (Freeman) Whitney:

i.	William R. Whitney, b. 4 Jan 1823, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY; m. Margaret J. Yeomans; d. 15 Feb 1899.
ii.	Henry Whitney, b. 24 Mar 1824, Shandaken, Ulster Co.; m. Margaret E. Burhans; d. 28 May 1915.
iii.	Mary (Polly) Whitney, b. 18 Feb 1827, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY; m. Townsend Miller; d. 13 Feb 1904.
iv.	Eli Whitney, b. 19 Oct 1829, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY; m. Freelove Barnhart; d. 19 May 1895.
v.	Sarah B. Whitney, b. 1830, Shandaken, Ulster Co.; d. 6 May 1847; unmarried.
vi.	Freeman Whitney, b. 24 Jul 1832, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY; m. (1) Mariette Gregory; m. (2) Esther Gregory; d. 1 Nov 1917.
vii.	John Leroy Whitney, b. 24 Jan 1834, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY; m. (1) Caroline E. Dann; m. (2) Catherine Wilkomm; d. 27 Feb 1918.
viii.	James Whitney, b. 9 Aug 1835, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY; m. Emily Aurelia Haynes; d. 1918.
ix.	Amanda Whitney, b. 8 Apr 1837, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY; m. James Page Hitt; d. 7 Aug 1912.
x.	George S. Whitney, b. 18 Apr 1838, Andes, Delaware Co., NY; m. Delilah Jane Gavett; d. 5 Jun 1918.
xi.	Louisa Whitney, b. 1843, Andes, Delaware Co., NY; m. John Burrows; death date unknown.
xii.	Dustin Wood Whitney, b. 17 Jul 1844, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY; m. Ellen J. Lathan; d. 16 May 1921.
xiii.	Jacob S. Whitney, b. ca. 1846, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY; m. Mary Cole; death date unknown.

Census

• 1830, Shandaken, Ulster Co., NY: Jacob Whitney, 1 male 30-39, 2 males 5-9, 1 male 0-4, 1 female 20-29, and 2 females 0-5.
• 1840, Middletown, Delaware Co., NY: Jacob Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 2 males 10-14, 2 males 5-9, 2 males 0-4, 1 female 30-39, and 1 female 0-4; 1 engaged in commerce.
• 1850, Andes, Delaware Co., NY:

2699 Jacob Whitney 65 M - Laborer N.Y. Nelly " 60 F - " Freeman " 18 M - Laborer " Jacob " 3 M - " [Notes written on schedule: "Union Grove/ Jacob was father of William Henry Eli and John/ See page 977"]

Jacob and Nelly's ages appear to be wrong. Jacob was probably about 50 and Nelly about 43, in accordance with the 1830, 1840, and 1860 Censuses.

• 1860, Andes, Delaware Co., NY:

485 488 John Whitney 26 M - Farmer $1000 [N.Y.] Jacob M. Whitney 60 " - Shingle Maker [N.Y.] Nelly 53 F - [N.Y.]

References

• Death notice, Bloomville [NY] Mirror. Vol. 11, No. 11, Tuesday, August 13, 1861, under "Mirror Correspondence."

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Copyright © 2011, 2013, Helen Rogers, Sally Whitney Goodfellow. and the Whitney Research Group.