Family:Whitney, Asa Hammond (1819-1858)
Asa Hammond8 Whitney (Asa7, Elisha6, Elijah5, Daniel4, John3, John2, John1), born Boston, 17 Jun 1819; married 3 Oct 1842, Laura Leffingwell Henshaw; born June 23, 1820; died 20 Apr 1886.
He was born in Boston and was graduated at Harvard college in 1838. After leaving college he made a voyage to the Mediterranean for his health and subsequently went to Rio de Janerio as supercargo. On his return he embarked in business as a junior partner in the house of Henshaw & Whitney, wholesale druggists, in Boston. He resided in Cambridge, but subsequently removed to Norfolk, Virginia where he managed the financial affairs of the Seaboard & Roanoke R.R. He was a man of great energy and earnestness of character. He died 7 Oct 1858; resided Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Children of Asa Hammond8 Whitney:
i. Laura L.9 Whitney, born 15 Jun 1843; died 24 Jan 1870. ii. Anna H. Whitney, born 30 Nov 1844; resided Lancaster, Massachusetts. She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, spent her childhood there and in Norfolk, Virginia, and in 1856 was sent to boarding school with elder sister, at Keene, New Hampshire. In 1858 they entered Lasell seminary, Auburndale, Massachusetts, graduating in 1860. The following autumn she returned there as teacher remaining two years after which she taught one year in a private school in Worcester. In Feb., 1864, she went to Lancaster, Massachusetts, to be assistant in the academy, it was afterwards changed to a public free high school. With the exception of a year in Europe, 1880-81, she continued at any work until 1888, when it seemed best to take up something different for the sake of health. Since then she has been farming on a small and unremunerative scale. Always fond of nature and of animals, especially dogs, in earliest days she had greyhounds, then Newfoundlands, Mexicans, King Charles, and mongrels. In 1875 Mr. L.B. Collins, the principal of the high school here, imported some pure bred St. Bernards. She had owned two before, but of doubtful pedigree. Mr. Collins offered her the first choice of the first litter. She selected a female, and, with it founded her kennels. During her connection with the schools here had the honor of serving as a member of the school committee for several years, during a part of the time as chairman. She was also a member of the public Library board of trustees, serving as secretary and treasurer. In each case she was the only lady member. 1870 to 1880 she was able to do some work in drawing and painting, teaching drawing in the public schools of an adjoining large town and private classes elsewhere, besides having a studio with a friend here. Of late years she has endeavored to live out of doors as much as possible, and with most satisfactory results as to health. Most unintentionally she has become somewhat a public character in connection with dogs. Several years ago she was asked to judge St. Bernards, Newfoundlands and pugs at the New York annual exhibition. She accepted and has done it ever since, officiating at various other places here and in Canada also. iii. Catherine Dean Whitney, born 17 Jun 1849; married Robert George Lawton, of Hudson, New York ; born 1839, on the English frigate Narcissus, off Havana, Cuba, 31 May 1871; Mr. Lawton is a resident of Havana, a member of Lawton Bros., bankers. - Ch.: Robert Henshaw, born in Havana 3 Apr 1872; died at Lancaster, Massachusetts; Sydney Allan, born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, 2 Nov 1873; Ethel Whitney, born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, 4 Oct 1875; Richard Henshaw, born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, 23 Mar 1888; Sydney Allan is a member of the Class of 1895, Harvard university.
iv. Hammond M. Whitney, born 28 Jun 1851; married Catherine Reed v. Emily Starks Whitney, born 10 Jul 1854. vi. Richard Sullivan Whitney, born 19 Jun 1846; died 23 Aug 1847.
References
1. 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. 426-427.
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