Archive:Early Pleasant River Families
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Tibbetts, Lawrence F., &. Lmson, Darryl B., Early Pleasant River Families of Washington County, Maine (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1997).
[p. 626]
John Whitney (1592-1673) came from London, England, to Watertown MA in June 1635; descendants lived near York ME and later at Gorham. Two Whitney brothers, cousins to Joel5 Whitney (21 May 1743-28 July 1791) of Jonesboro, were early settlers at Pleasant River: Nathan and Matthias:
Additional reference: Machias Union newspaper article of 16 Feb 1897.
1. Capt. NATHAN5 WHITNEY Jr, b at Biddeford 30 April 1742; d at Columbia bef 7 April 1834 [when the town paid his funeral costs]; son of Nathan4 (Nathaniel3, Benajmin2, John1) and Lydia4 (Young) Whitney of York and Gorham, came from York to Columbia Falls in 1768 {per John Bucknam's business ledger entries in Jan 1769} [PR 1778-1784, CFS 1790, COL 1800-10]; moderator for first town meeting in 1796; called "gentleman of Columbia" in 1797 when he obtained 2 settler's lots on west side of Pleasant River in Township #13 [Washington Co Deed 2:71]; town constable in 1798; supported by the town after 1816; m. c1770 PATIENCE BERNARD/BURNHAM, b at Portsmouth {now Greenland}
NH c1752; d 1840, ae. "98"; 9 children [COL Vrs]:
+ 3 i NATHAN<sup>6</sup> 3rd, b 8 July 1772; d 1816.
4 ii LYDIA, b 8 June 1775; d 1843; m 1801 MATTHEW<sup>6</sup> COFFIN Jr
(Coffin #26).
5 iii DANIEL, b 10 Feb 1778; d young; unm.
+ 6 iv THANKFUL, b 16 Dec 1780; d 1850+.
+ 7 v JOSEPH, b 15 Feb 1782; d 1860.
8 vi MARTHA "Patty", b 1 Feb 1785; d 1814+; m 1805 LORIN ANSON
SMITH (A. Smith #1) lived at Columbia {1810}, then moved to
Connecticut.
9 vii JEREMIAH, b 26 Aug 1787; drowned at Columbia 9 Aug 1797, ae. 10.
10 viii SIMEON, b 6 April 1790; k 1812-14 during War of 1812; unm.
11 ix LUCY, b 6 April 1793; d 1830-50; m at Columbia [Cfd VR] 4 Nov
{int. 22 Sept} 1819 ISAAC<sup>5</sup> GUPTILL, b at Gouldsboro 24 July 1788,
d at Harrington 3 Jan 1872, son of William<sup>4</sup> and Jane<sup>5</sup> (Downs) Guptill;
farmer at Columbia [1820], Cherryfield [1830], and Harrington [1850].
2. MATTHIAS5 WHITNEY, b at Biddeford 8 March [bapt. 12 April there at First Congregational Church] 1743/44; d 1820s; son of Nathan4 (Nathaniel3, Benajmin2, John1) and Lydia4 (Young) Whitney of York and Gorham, came from York to Addison [ADD 1784-1790, HAR 1800, ADD 1810, JBO 1820]; was reported to be the first Colonist to board the English vessel Margaretta during the Battle of the Margaretta at Machias; m say 1773 [probably] ABIGAIL --, b 175?; d probably between 1810-20; she appears to have been living at Columbia in 1810 with one male aged 16-26 {one of their sons?}, when Matthias was living at Addison {apparently alone}, so perhaps they were separated at that time; census and probate records indicate 10 children {5 sons and 5 daus}: [no list naming them has been found, but they apear to
have included the following]
12 i (dau)<sup>6</sup>, b say 1774; d 1790+.
[p. 628]
13 ii HANNAH, b say 1776; d 1810-1819; m at Columbia 1801-02 WIL-
LIAM<sup>5</sup> GRAY (Gray #1), he m 2nd her sister Lydia.
14 iii MATTHIAS Jr, b say 1779; d bef 27 July 1840 [Wash Co Probate
record], [ADD 1830-40]; apparently never married {censuses show him
living alone}; in 1840 his heirs were Lydia Gray, Anna True, and
Henry True.
15 iv (son), b say 1781; d 1810+, [HAR 1800, COL 1810 w/mother?].
16 v (son), b. say 1783; d probably 1790s.
17 vi SUSANNA, b say 1785; d 1802-40; m at Columbia {int. at Columbia
29 May and int. at Machiaas 16 June} 1802 EDWARD BENNETT.
18 vii (son), b say 1787; d probably 1790s.
+ 19 viii SAMUEL, b 17 Dec 1790; d 1838.
20 ix LYDIA, b c1794; d 1840s; m WILLIAM<sup>5</sup> GRAY (Gray #1) widower
of her sister Hannah.
21 x ANNA, b 1796; d 1857; m 1829 HNERY<sup>6</sup> TRUE (True #1) as his 2nd
wife.
3. NATHAN6 WHITNEY 3rd (Nathan5), b 8 July 1772; d at Columbia 6 Nov 1816; lived at Columbia [1800-10], in 1806 sold half his homestead at Columbia to brother Joseph for $1,000 [Washington Co Deed 4:307] and also some marshland for $1,200 [Deed 4:324], and moved to Edmunds by 1818; m at Columbia SARAH
COX, b say 1775; d 1820+; (Cox #7), {living 31 Jan 1820 at Dennysville}; 11 children b at Columbia:
22 i ELMIRA G.<sup>7</sup>, b 7 April 1795; d at Machias 12 March 1869, m at
Edmuns 1819 her cousin DAVID<sup>6</sup> REYNOLDS Jr, b at Dennysville
5 Aug 1792 {or 19 June 1789}, d at Machias 9 April 1864, (son of E
Reynolds #2), lived at Edmunds and Machias [1850].
23 ii NATHAN 4th, b 7 Oct 1796; d at Machias 8 June 1881, ae. 84
[<i>Machias Union</i> of 28 June 1881]; [COL 1810] lived at Machias [JBO
1830]; m (int. at Jonesboro 25 Oct 1825) his cousin REBECCA
WESTON WHITNEY, b at Jonesboro 29 Sept 1807, d at Machias 18
May 1901, (Whitney #35).
24 iii JEREMIAH, b 21 April 1798; d 1830+; [COL 1820-30] unm.
25 iv ANNA "Annie", b 24 Dec 1800; m at Edmunds her cousin ISAAC<sup>6</sup>
REYNOLDS, b 18 July 1800, (son of E Reynolds #2).
26 v LEAH, b 7 Oct 1803; m. NEHEMIAH<sup>2</sup> PRESTON, b at Dennysville 9
July 1800, d at Plant.#14 8 Feb 1874, son of Nathan<sup>1</sup> and Elizabeth
(Rumery) Preston of Dennysville.
27 vi MARY ANN, b 22 March 1807; m JOHN BENNER, b 1798, son of
Christopher and Thankful (Gardner) Benner, lived at Eastport.
28 vii JOEL BONNEY, b 22 March 1809; d 1840+, [JBO 1830-40], m
EMILY<sup>3</sup> PRESTON, b 11 June 1813, d 1840+, (dau of Cox #11), no
children.
29 viii CALLAHAN WINCHESTER, b 8 March 1811; lightkeeper at Blue Hill
and hotel keeper at Ellsworth; m. ELIZA NEWMAN.
[p. 629]
30 ix SARAH JANE "Sally", b 7 Feb 1813; m ABRAHAM SEELEY.
31 x EPHRAIM, b 15 Feb 1815; d 1841+; m at Columbia 14 Sept 1841
LUCY NASH<sup>5</sup> McCASLIN, b at Columbia 16 Nov 1811, d 1841+,
(McCaslin #14).
32 xi ASA, b 7 March 1817.
6. THANKFUL6 (Nathan5), b 16 Dec 1780; d 1850+; by Col. JEREMIAH2
O'BRIEN, b 1744; d at Mchias 5 Sept 1818; son of Morris1 and Mary2 (Keen) O'Brien
{Jeremiah had no children by his wife Elizabeth Fitzpatrick (d 1810)}, had one dau; Thankful then m (1st) at Machias 8
Oct 1805 MOSES LEAVITT, d 1800-1808; of Machias; Thankful m. (2nd) at Machias 15 July 1808 ISAAC MEADER
of Durham NH, lived at Freedom NH [1850].
Child by Jeremiah2 O'Brien:
33 i LYDIA<sup>7</sup> WHITNEY "O'BRIEN", b at Machias 10 June 1804; d at
Lynbrook {Hempstead Co [Long Island]}, NY 18 March 1898, ae.
93-9-8; [raised by Jeremiah O'Brien and after his death by his nephew
Gideon<sup>3</sup> O'Brien of Machias] m at Machias 10 March 1823 AARON
SIMMONS<sup>7</sup> SHERMAN, b at Marshfield MA 20 Oct 1798, d at
Bridgewater MA 22 July 1881, son of Aaron<sup>6</sup> and Lydia (Mitchell)
Sherman of Duxbury MA; drummer ae. 15 in War of 1812; designer
and master carpenter for churches and homes at Machias and for
Ruggle's House at Columbia Falls 1810-19 {for which Alvah Peterson
(see Peterson #1) was the chief wood-carver}; lived at Columbia Falls
in 1818, Machias in 1820, moved in 1827 to Marshfield MA, then to
Boston MA, and finally to Bridgewater MA.
7. JOSEPH6 WHITNEY (Nathan5, b 15 Feb [or 31 Oct?] 1782; d in Sept 1860 [g.s.]; farmer at Jonesboro [COL 1810, JBO 1820-60]; m (1st) 5 June {int. at Columbia 19 March} 1803 MARY6 LIBBY, b 28 Jan 1783; d 23 Oct 1822, ae. 38; dau of Reuben5 and Rebecca4 (Weston) Libby, and had 7 children; Joseph m (wnd) (int. at Jonesboro 1 July 1823) her sister REBECCA6 LIBBY, b 22 Dec 1877; d 25 June 1868; no more children.
Children by 1st wife, first 5 b at Jonesboro:
34 i RUTH RUGGLES<sup>7</sup>, b 11 April 1805; d at Whitneyville 25 Sept 1888,
ae. 83-5-14; m (1st) 1823 CHANDLER ROBBINS<sup>6</sup> DRISKO (Drisko
#85); m (2nd) (int. 19 Jan 1849) THOMAS GREENLEAF<sup>5</sup> WATTS, b
at Jonesboro 22 Dec 1804, d at Whitneyville 10 Dec 1888, ae.
83-10-28; son of Thomas Dustan<sup>4</sup> and Susanna<sup>6</sup> (Noyes) Watts, he had
m 1st 1828 Ruth Yates<sup>7</sup> Marston {see Marston #9}, joiner at Whitney-
ville [1850].
35 ii REBECCA WESTON, b 29 Sept 1807; d 1901; m 1825 her cousin
NATHAN<sup>7</sup> WHITNEY 4th (Whitney #23).
36 iii JOHN HASKELL, b 7 April 1810; d 1850s; lived at Machias; m at
Machias 11 Oct 1835 CLARISSA<sup>5</sup> MESERVE, b 1813; d 1807+, dau
of Josieph<sup>4</sup> and Betsey (Burnham) Meserve of Machias, she m 2nd at
[p. 630]
Addison 13/16 Sept 1853 Jason Clapp<sup>8</sup> Look {see Look #58} of
Addison.
37 iv GEORGE RUSSELL, b 20 March 1813; d in Boston MA 29 May 1859;
m c1839 MARTHA LYON<sup>8</sup> NOYES, b 23 Feb 1821, d at St. Cloud
MN in Nov 1906, "of Beddington", dau of Josiah Stickney<sup>7</sup> and
Elizabeth Bowden<sup>3</sup> (Kelley) Noyes, she m 2nd c 1859 {div 1886?}
Dennis A. Hoyt (b in ME 1834, d 1886+) of Main Prairie MN, then
she m 3rd 188? Sylvanus Jenkins Jr, widower of her former sis-
ter-in-law Eunice {see #38 below}.
38 v EUNICE KILTON, b at Jonesboro 3 June 1816; d at Farmington
{Dakota Co.} MN 14 May 1888; m (1st) 27 Jan 1838 DAVID
KELLEY<sup>7</sup> NOYES, b 10 July 1815, d 1838+, son of Josiah Stickney<sup>7</sup>
and Elizabeth Bowden<sup>3</sup> (Kelley) Noyes, lived at Beddington; m (2nd)
(int. at Beddington 7 aug 1841) SYLVANUS JENKINS Jr, b at St.
Johnsbury VT 6 March 1818, d at Farmington MN 28 June 1896, ae.
79th yr, son of Sylvanus and Olive (--) Jenkins, he m 2nd 188? David's
sister Martha Lyon<sup>7</sup> (Noyes) Whitney, lived at Cherryfield [1850] and
Beddington, then moved to Farmington, Minnesota.
39 vi EPHRAIM B., b at Whitneyville 2 April 1819; d at Clearwater {Wright
Co.} MN in Oct 1900; lived at Beddington [1850], then moved in 1854
to St. Cloud MN [1860], and finally to Clearwater MN [1870]; m (1st)
at Beddington [TR] 9 June {int 6 June} 1848 ELIZABETH MARIA<sup>7</sup>
WAKEFIELD, b at Cherryfield 24 March 1831, d at Clearwater MN
31 May 1870, dau of Nathan Godfrey<sup>6</sup> and Phebe Ann<sup>7</sup> (Noyes)
Wakefield of Cherryfield; m (2nd) ELIZABETH BODNAHAN, d
1899.
40 vii MARY, b at Jonesboro 23 March 1822; d 1896+; m (1st) 1844
EPHRAIM WHITNEY<sup>6</sup> CORTHELL (Corthell #36); m (2nd) at
Jonesboro 19 March 1864 JAMES PARKER<sup>4</sup> LAWRENCE, b at
Cherryfield 1825, d 1896+, "of Cherryfield", son of Aaron<sup>3</sup> and Lucy
Hope<sup>7</sup> (Leighton) Lawrence, he had m 1st c1846 Caroline S.<sup>6</sup> Corthell
{Corthell #38}, lumberman at Cherryfield.
19. SAMUEL6 WHITNEY (Matthias5), b 17 Dec 1790; d bef March 1838; [JBO 1820, ADD 1830]; m at Columbia bef 19 April {int. at Jonesboro 15 Aug 1822} 1823 SARAH6 "Sally" LEIGHTON, b at Cherryfield 17 Dec 1790; d 1838+; {ADD 1838} dau of Theodore5 and Hannah
(Plummer?) Leighton of Cherryfield; 4 children {supported by town of Addison [1838 town meeting record]:
41 i (dau)<sup>7</sup>, b c1824; d 1838+.
42 ii (son), b c1825; d 1838+; [Was this Joshua Whitney, b 1825, d 1850+,
living at Harrington [1850] w/family of Isaac [b 1819] and Mary E. (--)
[b 1826] Tuttle; was Mary also a Whitney? {perhaps #43?}.
43 iii (dau), b 1825-30; d 1838+.
44 iv (son), b 1825-30; d 1838+.
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