Family:Whitney, Abel (1756-1807)

Major Abel⁶ Whitney (Aaron⁵, Moses⁴, Moses³, Richard², John¹), born Petersham, Massachusetts, 15 Mar 1756; married 23 Dec 1783, Clarissa Dwight, born 4 Jul 1762; died at Northampton 22 Aug 1820. After his death she was married in 1809 to Calvin Waldo, Esq., of Dalton.

Mrs. Whitney was an intelligent and lovely woman, faithful to her household, and a patient, gentle, and earnest and careful mother and wife. After the death of her second husband she resided with her son, Josiah, at whose house, in Northampton, she died.

From the Dwight Book: "Major Abel Whitney, a merchant of Westfield, Massachusetts, born Petersham, Massachusetts, 15 Mar 1756 (son of Rev. Aaron Whitney, of Littleton, Massachusetts, and Alice Baker, of Phillipston, Massachusetts), grad. Harvard 1773, and studied law with the troublous times of the Revolution, and entered into mercantile life. He was a man of more than ordinary talents, and held several government offices, as commissioner of taxes, postmaster, etc. He was also a Major of milita and aid to Gen. Shepard, who was the commanding officer in Springfield in the battle had there in the Shay's rebellion. He was a decidedly religious man. He married 21 Dec 1783, Clarissa Dwight, of Springfield, born 4 Jul 1762, dau. of Josiah Dwight and Elizabeth Buckminister." He died 2 Mar 1807; resided Westfield, Massachusetts.

Children of Abel⁶ Whitney:

i.	Elizabeth Buckminster7 Whitney, born 4 Jan 1785, unmarried; died at Northampton, 31 Jan 1860.
ii.	Josiah Dwight Whitney, born Julu 9, 1786; married Sarah Williston and Clarissa James.
iii.	Clarissa Whitney, born 22 Mar 1788, unm; died 24 Jan 1871, in Northampton.
iv.	Frances Whitney, born 5 Dec 1789; married 8 Oct 1810, Rev. Horatio Waldo, born 5 Mar 1778; died 3 May 1846. She died 26 Dec 1871. He was a son of Dr. John Waldo and grad. at Williams College in 1804, was a tutor there 1806-7. Settled in Grsiwold, Connecticut, 1810-30, but on account of poor health resigned and removed to Portage, New York, where he preached occasionally. Ch.: John, born Aug. 10, 1811; married Eunice Flint; he died 1 Dec 1868; Dwight, born Nov. 26, 1814; married Julia Ball and Juliette Hitchcock; Sarah, born June 7, 1818; married Elmon D. Smith; Frances, born 24 Jun 1820; married Dr. James S. Cowdrey; resided Lafayette, Indiana; Harriett, born 11 May 1822; married William S. Mcnair; Margaret, born 28 Oct 1824; married Dr. Lorin J. Ames; res.Mt. Morris, New York.
v.	A Son Whitney, born 3 Aug 1791; died same day.
vi.	Francis Whitney, born 10 Oct 1792, unmarried died N. 30 Dec 1863.
vii.	Robert Whitney, born 18 Aug 1794; married Margaret Dwight.
viii.	Sarah Whitney, born 8 Jul 1796; married 5 Sep 1821, Henry Walsh, born Feb. 9, 1797; died 4 Jun 1852. The grandson of Dr. Perez, grad. Harvard Coll., 1748. She died Racine, Wisconsin, 11 Mar 1883. He grad. Will. Coll. 1815; resided at Dalton and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Racine, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, and St. Louis; married at Northampton, Massachusetts. Was a lawyer, merchant and manufacturer. Ch.: Henry Lawrence, born 9 Jul 1822; Rev. Dwight Whitney, born 5 Nov 1823; Colorado. Calvin Waldo, born 8 Apr 1825; Robert, born 25 Apr 1828; died Dec. 18, 1828; Elizabeth Willard, born 28 Nov 1829; died 24 Apr 1882; Clarissa Dwight, born 4 Feb 1834; Sarah Williams, born May 24, 1836; died 14 May 1841; Charles Francis, born 11 Oct 1842; all born at Dalton except C. F., born at Pittsfield.
ix.	Caroline Whitney, born 10 May 1798; died 21 Aug 1804.
x.	Abel Whitney, born 15 Mar 1800; married Pamelia Babcock and Belinda Baxter Bliss.
xi.	Hannah Buckminster Whitney, born 28 Dec 1802; died 12 Aug 1804.

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. 163-164.

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