Family:Whitney, Isaac L. (1794-1834)

Isaac's Locations

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Isaac L. Whitney (Whitneys of SC..., Samuel¹), was born 1775-1794,^[1] probably in South Carolina, and died 10 June 1834, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).^[2]

He married, in The Cherokee Nation (Alabama), about 1828, Elizabeth "Betsey" Thompson, daughter of John "Jack" Thompson and Elizabeth Murrell. She was born about 1814, and died about 1851, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).^[3]

Although Isaac's parentage has not yet been identified, DNA analysis has shown that he is a descendant of or otherwise genetically related to Samuel¹ Whitney of Bermuda. Isaac L. had a brother named Hiram C. Whitney.

Isaac L. Whitney lived in the Cherokee Nation, but as many other men, he used the neighboring Blount County Alabama court system when necessary.

In 1829, Isaac L. Whitney did the Inventory of the Estate of James Scott in Blount County, Alabama. He also appears on a listing of people who owned money to the estate. Sometime before the end of 1827, Isaac borrowed $6.00 from James Scott. The notation stated "..due 25th next December (1828)". Also appearing on this listing with Isaac are Hezekiah B. Posey and Moses M. Posey who were known close neighbors of the Whitney's in Orangeburg, South Carolina. ^[4]

Issac L. Whitney filed assult charges against Owen Brady. Isaac was apparently not physically able to appear in court on this day.

February - 1829 - 7th day

Blount County

The State of Alabama

Isaac Whitney against Owen Brady

This day came the plaintiff by his attorney and defendant being solmnly called came not but made default. Therefore on motion of the plantiff it is considered by the Court that Judgement be entered for the plantiff against the said Defendant, but because it is not known what damages the said Plantiff hath sustained by reason of his injuries let a Jury come here at the present term of this Court and enquire of the damges aforesaid and therefore upon came a Jury. To wit......and having heard the evidence upon their oath, do say, that they assess the damages herein to three hundred and thirty three dollars.

Court djourned til Court in course

Patrick Scott

Judge ^[5]

nunahi-duna-dlo-hilo-i -- "the trail where they cried"

Sometime in March or April, 1834, Isaac Whitney, his pregnant wife Betsey and three children, boarded the Steamship, Thomas Yeatman, at Guntersville Landing, on the Tennessee River, in Alabama, bound for what was called the " new country" (Indian Territory). Their emigration was completely voluntarily. They were paid approximately $2,000, for the improvements, on their lands, by the Federal Government. The long journey quickly turned into a nightmare complete with epidemics of Cholera and Measles.

Lt. J.W. Harris, Army Escort for this traveling group, duly made the following note in his journal:

Betsey Whitney (3) arrived May 16, 1834, two

died on the way.

One birth, June 9, 1834.

Isaac S. Whitney June 10, 1834

Arrived--DEAD.^[6]

The Cherokee Emigration Rolls 1819-1835 list the Isaac Whitney Family:

One male 25-50

One female 10-25

One male under 10

One female under 10^[7]

Following the death of Isaac Whitney, his widow married (about 1835) Robert Runyan. The older children Marien Joseph Whitney and Ruth Whitney are later, on the Dawes Final Rolls (1895), referred to as Joseph Runyan and Ruth Runyan, both noted as "dead, no issue". ^[8] A review of all collected data for the Whitney, Thompson, and Runyan Families strongly suggest that these 2 people are the children who removed from Alabama to Indian Territory with their parents, Isaac and Betsey Whitney. However, this fact cannot be proved at this time.

Children of Isaac L. and Betsy (Thompson) Whitney:

i.	Marien Joseph Whitney, b. 1829, Alabama, d. aft 1850.
ii.	Ruth Whitney, b. 1830, Alabama, d. before 1890.
iii.	(child) Whitney, b. 1832, Alabama, d. April-May, 1834 "died on the way" to Indian Territory via The River Trail
iv.	Mariah Whitney, b. 9 June, 1834 Indian Territory, d. after 1900, married (----) Gore/Goree. [9]

Census

• 1800: not found., probably residing with parents
• 1810: not found., probably residing with parents
• 1820, St Matthews Parish, Orangeburg Co., SC: Isaac L. Whitney, 1 male 26-45, 1 male 16-18, 1 female over 45, 2 females 10-16, 9 people engaged in agriculture, 2 male slaves 26-45, 1 male slave 14-26, 3 male slaves under 14, 2 female slaves over 45, 2 female slaves 26-45, 2 female slaves under 14.
• 1830: not found.
• 1840: not found.
• 1850, Walker County, AL: "Marien Whitney", living in the household of Thomas Reed and Minerva (Jones-Whitney) Reed.

References

1. ^  Age range taken from the 1820 Census, St. Matthews, Orangeburg County, South Carolina

2. ^  Noble, Jane B. (year unknown) The River Trail: The Saga of the Cherokee Removal, Park Hall, Oklahoma Cultural Center.

3. ^  Starr, Emmett (1921) History of the Cherokee Indians p.454-456 Thompson Family.

4. ^  Blount Co. Alabma,Orphans Court Minutes 1829-1841,Pages 12-14.

5. ^ Blount County Alabama, Final Court Records, 1820-1835, Page 178, 7 February 1829.

6. ^  Noble, Jane B. (year unknown) The River Trail: The Saga of the Cherokee Removal, Park Hall, Oklahoma Cultural Center.

7. ^  Baker, Jack D., Cherokee Emigration Rollls, 1817-1835, p. 48.

8. ^ NARA Microfilm T985, Roll 2, PMT ROll for Old Cherokee Settlers 1895, p. 372.

9. ^  Ibid.

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Copyright © 2007,Jeanne Neilon, Tara Bellomy and the Whitney Research Group.