Family:Whitney, John F. M. (1836-1906)

John F. M. Whitney (Otis Crocker, Ephraim), son of Otis Crocker and Mary (Brown) Whitney, was born 15 Oct 1836, Machias, Washington Co., ME, and died 5 Sep 1906, Buh, MN.

He married, 26 Jul 1855, St. Anthony's, Hennepin Co., MN, Penelope Mary Ward, daughter of William and Sarah (McNeal) Ward. She was born 25 Jul 1830, NB, and died 14 Aug 1910, Freedhem, MN.

Children of John F. M. and Penelope (Ward) Whitney:

i.	Sarah Jane Whitney, b. 25 Jun 1856, MN.
ii.	Mary Maud Whitney, b. Dec 1858, WI.
iii.	Cyrus J. Whitney, b. 10 Aug 1861 (twin), Hartland, Pierce Co., WI. He m. Emma Bedow. Migrated to WA Territory. Ch: Otis, d. on a hunting trip at the age of 14 from appendicitis; Edward.
iv.	Sanford Bate Whitney, b. 10 Aug 1861 (twin), Hartland, Pierce Co., WI.
v.	Ida Marie Whitney, b. 7 Mar 1862 (twin), St. Anthony, MN.
vi.	Gary Whitney, b. 7 Mar 1862 (twin), St. Anthony, MN.

Notes

In the 1860 census of Wisconsin, Pierce Co., town of Hartland, John Whitney and Penelope are living right next to Otis Whitney and his family. John and Penelope have twin sons while living there. Cyrus J. b. August 10, 1861 (my great-grandfather), and Sanford Bate. John and family move back to St. Anthony's and then around 1880 the migrate to Morrison county MN and homestead near the town of Little Falls, MN.

John Whitney died on September 5, 1906 and Penelope on August 14, 1910. A few years earlier Penelope had made application for a Civil War Pension from duty served by John Whitney in the Civil War. Her pension was denied because she had by mistake filed her application on the wrong John Whitney's service. There was another John Whitney that had served in MN infantry that she believe to be her husband. It was not. Researching the Civil War records I found that Penelope's husband John F. had served in the Civil War in Brackett's Battalion of Mounted Rangers along with his brother Ephraim Whitney. I had ordered from the National Archives the erroneous application of Penelope and in the 205 documents they sent was a letter from a Mrs. Rufus Goss stating that she was the sister of John F. Whitney. Research in the 1900 Census showed the wife of Rufus Goss to be Josephine, b. in 1851 in MN. Exactly as shown in the 1860 census of Wisconsin and Otis's family, the family that John F. Whitney is the first born of.

This then proves that John F. M. Whitney, (the name used on his probate documents in my possession), is the son of Otis of Machias, ME, and NOT the John Whitney b. in Weld, ME, as some have alluded to. It took me five years to sort this out but it feels good to know for certain I am working on the right line of ancestors.

Cyrus Whitney my great-grandfather migrated to Washington Territory about 1881 after marrying Emma (Bedow). They lived near Spokane, Washington in a town called TumTum. Their first born son, Otis Whitney, died on a hunting trip at the age of 14 from appendicitis and was buried on the homestead. Their next son, Edward Whitney was my grandfather.

Census

• 1860, Hartland, Pierce Co., WI:

314 318 Otis Whitney 43 M - Farmer $1500 $600 Maine Eliza " 27 F - Arkansas Nehemiah Whitney 21 M - Raftsman Maine Ephraim " 18 M - " " Louisa " 16 F - " Attended school Josephine " 11 F - Minnesota Attended school Jane " 3 F - Wisconsin William " 4/12 M - " Zilpha Parks 7 F - Missouri Augustus Jackson 15 M - France 315 319 John Whitney 24 M - Farm Hand $300 Maine Penelope " 27 F - New Brunswick Sarah " 3 F - Minnesota Mary " 1 F - Wisconsin John Simpson 32 M - Farm Hand $100 Canada West

• 1870, St. Anthony Ward 3, Hennepin Co., MN:

488 552 Whitney, John 33 M W Laborer $400 Maine Male citizen over 21 -----, Penelope 38 F W Keeps House N. Brunswick Parents foreign born -----, Sarah 11 F W Minnesota Mother foreign born, Attended school -----, Mary 10 F W Wisconsin Mother foreign born, Attended school, Illiterate -----, Cyrus 8 M W Wisconsin Mother foreign born, Attended school -----, Sanford 8 M W Wisconsin Mother foreign born, Attended school -----, Ida 6 F W Minnesota Mother foreign born

• 1880: not found.
• 1890 Veterans Schedule, Anoka, Anoka Co., MN:

471 485 John Whitney Private C 1 MN Cav 23 Sep 1862 31 Oct 1863 1y 1m Anoka, MN

• 1900, Buh, Morrison Co., MN

References

• JOHN F. WHITNEY son of OTIS WHITNEY of MACHIAS ME.

• Civil War Pension File of Penelope Ward Whitney.

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Copyright © 2010, 2014, Tim Doyle and the Whitney Research Group.