Archive:Gentleman's Magazine
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Gentleman's Magazine
Volume 130 (1860), pp. 418-419:
OBITUARY.
Feb. 23. At New York, aged 84, Stephen Whitney, a merchant, whose wealth is estimated at twelve millions of dollars. The war of 1812 laid the foundation of his fortunes. He had previously been a grocer, and had largely trusted Southern cotton planters. In consequence of the war, prices were greatly depreciated; he received payment of his debts in bales of cotton, then got them conveyed into Florida, at that time a Spanish colony, and shipped them in neutral vessels for Europe. During the war the speculation proved so lucrative, that he carried it on till the peace of 1815, and in the last battle fought at New Orleans, his cotton bales formed a part of the ramparts hastily constructed, from behind which the volunteers withstood the advance of the British under Sir E. M. Pakenham. Mr. Whitney was one of the "merchant princes" of New York. His charities were extensive, and without publicity or ostentation.
NOTE: This was Stephen5 Whitney (Henry4, Josiah3, John2, Henry1), born 14 Sep 1776, Derby, CT, and married Harriet Suydam.
Copyright ©2006, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group
