Family:Whitney, Jonathan (1737-1792)

Capt. Jonathan⁵ Whitney (Jonathan⁴, Jonathan³, Benjamin², John¹) son of Jonathan⁴ and Lydia (Jones) Whitney was born 26 Jul 1737 at Mendon, MA^[1] and died 22 Aug 1792 at Milo, NY, at age 55.

Jonathan Whitney was born in Mendon, in that part subsequently Milford, Mass., and soon after his marriage in 1761, moved to Conway, where he resided until 1782. With his son, Joel, he went in 1789 to Ontario Co., N.Y., cut a stock of hay on the "Old Castle" farm near Geneva and put in four or five acres of wheat, put up a log house 18 feet square and roofed it up with bark, and returned home to Conway in the fall. In 1791 with his family he moved to the "Old Castle" farm with ox teams and were some seventeen days on the road.

Jonathan was in the Revolutionary War and was at the seige of Ticonderoga. The trees around the fort had been felled to allow the guns to be used. One tree, however, remained upright, against which another had fallen in a slanting direction. He climbed into the crotch of the upright tree and fired into the fort, a party under the tree loading guns and handing them up to him. It was some time before he was discovered and driven away by the garrison."

He began his miltary career during the Lexington Alarm on 22 April 1775 as a Sergeant. In May of 1776 he was a 1st Lieutenant. In June of 1780 he was made a Captain of the 7th Co., 5th Regt. of the Hampshire County, Massachusetts militia.

Jonathan married Esther Parkhurst, daughter of Jonas Parkhurst and Abigail Bigelow, 6 Nov 1760 at Mendon, MA; both "of Mendon;" d. 22 Aug 1792 at Seneca Castle, NY, at age 55. Esther was a descendant of George Parkhurst of Watertown, Mass. who was born in England in 1595, and John Bigelow of Watertown,1636.

Esther Parkhurst was born on 22 Jun 1741 at Weston, MA. She was born on 22 Jun 1741 at Mendon, MA. She was baptized on 9 Aug 1741 at Milford, MA. She died on 6 Dec 1812 at Milo, NY, at age 71.

Children of Capt. Jonathan⁵ and Esther (Parkhurst) Whitney:

i.	Nathan6 Whitney, b. 18 Oct 1761 at Conway, MA; Marriage banns for he and Olive Whitney were published 18 Oct 1780 at Conway, MA; both "of Conway;" m. Thankful Caldwell after 1829; second wife; d. 19 Apr 1838 at Seneca, NY, at age 76; gravestone.
ii.	Abigail Whitney, b. 12 Mar 1764 at Conway, MA; Marriage banns for she and Simeon Amsden were published 2 Apr 1787 at Conway, MA; both "of Conway;" d. 7 Jul 1853 at Lodi, MI, at age 89. She was also known as Nabby Whitney.
iii.	Joel Whitney, b. 13 Nov 1766 at Conway, MA; m. Sybil Wetmore 6 Jan 1791 at Conway, MA; husband "of Township No. 10, Ontario Co., N.Y.", wife "of Conway;" d. 31 Jan 1825 at Seneca Castle, NY, at age 58. He Children NOT born in Conway. Must be in NY.
iv.	Esther Whitney, b. 16 Dec 1769 at Conway, MA; Marriage banns for she and Solomon Gates were published 31 Aug 1789 at Conway, MA; d. 16 Aug 1848 at age 78.
v.	Experience Whitney, b. 6 Jun 1772 at Conway, MA; m. Immor Crittenden 17 Sep 1789 at Conway, MA; both "of Conway;" d. 5 Feb 1826 at Geneva, NY, at age 53.
vi.	Jonas Whitney, b. 12 May 1775 at Conway, MA; m. Catherine Parker 29 Nov 1795 at Conway, MA; d. 27 Dec 1823 at Seneca Castle, NY, at age 48.
vii.	(--?--) Whitney, b. circa Dec 1777; calculated from age at death; d. 6 Jun 1780 at Conway, MA; aged 2-1/2 years. He/she Identified in the VR's only as ch. of Capt. Jonathan, aged 2-1/2 yrs. at death.
viii.	Ami Whitney, b. 12 Jan 1781 at Conway, MA; m. Anna Amsden.
ix.	Parkhurst Whitney, b. 25 Sep 1784 at Conway, MA; m. Celinda Cowing 10 Oct 1805; d. 26 Apr 1862 at Niagara Falls, NY, at age 77.

Refereneces

1.^  Source

2. Don Worth's family records.

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