Family:Whitney, Ephraim (1728-1801)

Ephraim⁵ Whitney (Jonas⁴, Moses³, Richard², John¹), son of Jonas⁴ and Dorcas (Wood) Whitney, was born 19 Sep 1728, Stow, MA,^[1] and died 26 Jul 1801, Petersham, MA, aged 79 years.^[2]

He married, 11 Jan 1759, Petersham, MA, Marcy Winslow.

He was also known as Dr. Ephraim Whitney.

Pierce says the following:^[3]

Doctor Whitney was born in Stow, Mass., but resided in Petersham at the time of his marriage. During the Revolutionary war he was a Tory and on that account was obliged to flee to the provinces. His property was confiscated by the Massachusetts authorities and to partially recompense his loss the Crown granted him a township in Canada called Charlotte. His descendants have a claim there yet, but have not done anything in relation to it, as it would cost more to substantiate it than the property is worth. He died in 1801, aged 72. He was an eccentric man; wore his beard the latter part of his life, and left directions that he should be buried with it unshaven.

Children of Ephraim⁵ and Marcy (Winslow) Whitney, all born Petersham, MA:

i.	John6 Whitney, b. 1 Jul 1760; m. 8 Nov 1787, Petersham, MA, Hannah Bigelow, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Bond) Bigelow. He appeared on the census of 1790 at Colrain, MA.
ii.	Susanna Whitney, b. 25 Aug 1762; m. (int. 26 Aug 1783, Petersham, MA) Samuel Dickinson.
iii.	Lemuel Whitney, b. 18 Oct 1764; m.(1) Lydia Bryant; m.(2) Ruth Banister.
iv.	Richard Whitney, b. 23 Feb 1767; d. 1806. B.A., 1787, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA; A.M., 1796, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. Pierce says the following: "Hon Richard WHITNEY was the third son of Dr. Ephraim and was born in Petersham; he fitted for college and entering Harvard was graduated in 1787 in the same class with John Quincy ADAMS. He was a man of superior talents, and uncommon aptitude for teaching. He studied law, and entered his profession at Brattleboro, Vt., with fair prospects of a brilliant career, but he fell a lamented victim of a well known destroyer. In 1806 he was elected Secretary of State of Vermont. He died while undergoing treatment for insanity at Hinsdale, N.H., and is buried there. His gravestone reads as follows: 'Here lies the mortal remains of Richard WHITNEY, Counsellor at Law, Brattleboro, Vermont, who departed this life Sept. 9, 1815; ae. 39 years. Those who knew him not, may learn from this monumental stone that his virtues have rendered his memory precious to his bereaved friends. The sight of it will excite a tender recollection of his worth in the bosom of those who knew him, and a tear of sincere regret at his early and untimely departure. Let us humbly hope he has gone where his virtues will be justly appreciated.'"[4]
v.	Samuel Winslow Whitney, b. 17 Dec 1769; m. Pamela -----.
vi.	Ephraim Whitney, b. 9 Sep 1776.
vii.	Rufus Whitney, b. 26 Jul 1781.
viii.	Harriet Whitney, b. 1 Jan 1784.

Census

• 1790, Templeton, Worcester Co., MA: Ephraim Whitney, 1 male over 16 and 1 female.
• 1800: not found.

References

1.^ 

2.^ 

3.^  Frederick C. Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 (Chicago, IL: The Author, 1895), p. 81.

4.^  Frederick C. Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 (Chicago, IL: The Author, 1895), p. 81.

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