Family:Widney, Robert McClay (1838-1929)

Robert McClay³ Widney (Wilson², John¹, James^A), son of Wilson² and Arabella (MacClay) Widney, was born 23 Dec 1838, OH, and died 14 Nov 1929.

He married, 11 Nov 1868, San Francisco, CA, Mary Barnes, daughter of Alexander West and Sarah Stone (Johnston) Barnes. She was born May 1843, IL, and died 12 Jan 1924, Los Angeles, CA.

His obituary, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov 1929, p. A1:

"CITY HONORS JUDGE WIDNEY

"Council Expresses Regret for Pioneer's Death; Funeral to be This Afternoon.

"Final rites for Judge R. M. Widney will be conducted this afternoon from the Bresee Brothers chapel with pallbearers chosen from the immediate family and with the simple funeral service read by a brother of the aged pioneer, Dr. J. P. Widney. Judge Widney, who was 91 years of age, died Saturday after a month's illness.

"The pallbearers at the service will be J. H. Scarborough, Jr., Forrest Bower, Erwin Widney, Wilson Widny, S. R. McClay and James Neikle.

"Yesterday the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution honoring the memory of Judge Widney, upon the montion of Councilman Randell. The resolution said:

"'Whereas teh City Council learns with much regret of the passing of Judge Robert M. Widney, a pioneer who was responsible for the organization of many of the outstanding institutions of Southern California, notably, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the University of California, the First Methodist Episcopal Church of the city of Los Angeles and others.

"'Therefore, be it resolved. That the City Council of Los Angeles extend the deepest sympathy to the family of Judge Widney and that the clerk of the Council be instructed to present an engrossed copy of this resolution to the family of Judge Widney.'

"Judge Widney was admitted to the bar of California in 1868, and shortly after, came to Los Anglese where he was a practicing attorney until the time of his illness, and was credited with taking a leading part in many of the important civic enterprises in the early days of the city."

Children of Robert McClay³ and Mary (Barnes) Widney:

i.	Mary Helen Louise4 Widney, b. 13 Sep 1869, CA; d. 1926; m. ca. 1893, Harry Walcott Watson.
ii.	Robert Johnston Widney, b. 12 Dec 1871, Los Angeles, CA; d. 2 Jun 1917, NY; m.(1) 28 Oct 1891, Los Angeles, CA, Clara Louise Carran; m.(2) ca. 1901, Elizabeth "Bessie" Hupp; m.(3) before 1914, Frances Vannon Lyons.
iii.	Martha Frances Widney, b. 17 Jan 1874, CA; d. 3 Jul 1971, Los Angeles, CA; m. 17 Nov 1895, Los Angeles, CA, Andrew Boyle Workman.
iv.	Joseph Wilson Widney, b. 25 Mar 1879, CA; d. 1884, CA.
v.	Arthur Barnes Widney, b. 16 Jan 1884, CA; d. 1931, Pomona, CA; m. Thekla Huntington Mertens. Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov 1913; p. 119: "Arthur Widney is Convicted. "Court Sets Friday to Sentence Him. "Los Angeles Judge, Father of the Young Man and Who Had Appeared as One of His Cousel, GivesNotice of Motion for New Trial. "SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 18. -- Arthur B. Widney, a married man and son of Judge Robert Whitney of Los Angeles, was found guilty of having accepted the earnings of a fallen woman by a jury in the Superior Court here this afternoon. Widney, who had been out on bail, was ordered into custody, and Friday was set for his sentence. Notice of a motion for a new trial was given by Judge Widney, who had defended his son. "Noel Murphy, a San Francisco woman was the complaining witness against Widney. She testified that she had given him more than $400 in one month here, and that she had paid four visits to him last winter in Los Angeles, each time giving him money. Telegrams were introduced to show that Widney had wired the woman from Los Angeles for money, which had been sent him by telegraph."

Notes

See his biography at Wikipedia.com, and another at West Adams Heritage Association.

Census

• 1870, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA:

702 718 Widney, Robert M. 31 M W Lawyer $4000 $2000 Ohio Male citizen over 21 -----, Mary D. 27 F W Keeps House Illinois -----, Mary H. 9/12 F W At Home California b. in Sep

• 1880, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA:

Robert M. WIDNEY 41 Self M M W OH Attorney At Law PA PA Mary B. WIDNEY 37 Wife F M W IL Keeping House NC VA Mary H. WIDNEY 10 Dau F S W CA At School OH IL Robert J. WIDNEY 8 Son M S W CA At School OH IL Martha F. WIDNEY 5 Dau F S W CA OH IL Joseph W. WIDNEY 1 Son M S W CA OH IL

• 1900, San Fernando, Los Angeles Co., CA.
• 1910, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA.
• 1920, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA.

References

• Census records.

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Copyright © 2013, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.