Family:Whitney, Israel Goodwin (1831-1901)
Israel Goodwin7 Whitney (Israel6, Elisha5, Daniel4, Benjamin3, John2, John1), born 30 Jan 1831; married 17 Jul 1861, Christiana K. S. Sargent; born 3 Feb 1837.
Israel Goodwin Whitney was born in Beverly and received his preparatory education at the Boston Latin School in 1847. All his class entered Harvard, but his father could not afford to send him there unless he could earn his own living in one of the professions after graduating. He knew enough at 16 to be aware that he was no student, but he wanted to go on a sea voyage and loved the idea of becoming an East India merchant. So he was placed in the commercial counting-room of Mr. William Perkins, and in four years was sent to Calcutta in the ship "Walpole" as supercargo. From that time, 1851, he made three voyages to India, and in 1853 established the house of "Whitneys" in Calcutta, then styled Whitney & Young, and in 1860 Whitney Bros. & County, under which title it still exists with his two brothers in control, and of which his cousin, W. M., and himself are the home partners. The business has almost vanished, however, and it has proved a good workshop for his father's seven sons, all of them having shared in the work over a period of more than 40 years. He has often thought that had the plan been carried out of giving him a collegiate education in 1846-7 it would have seriously altered the fate of this Whitney family of seven sons, as they all followed his footsteps and all made moderate fortunes. To the conservative element planted in his father's male issue their India house is the only American foreign firm eastward of the Cape of Good Hope which has not at some time in the past forty years failed. This is a fact, and includes China, Manila and Singapore, as well as India, and is considerable to say and Mr. Whitney can take pride in the thought that he was the pioneer of the house. In 1864 he returned to Boston and established an agency in that city. His domestic life has been particularly happy. resided Boston, Massachusetts; ad. 44 Kilbey St.
Children of Israel Goodwin7 Whitney:
i. Mary B.8 Whitney, born 3 May 1862; married 10 May 1886 Henry S. Hunnewell; resided Boston, Massachusetts - Ch.: Christine, born 3 May 1887; Henry, born 5 Mar 1890; died Mar., 1890; Gertrude, born 24 Apr 1891.
ii. Henry S. Whitney, born 20 Jun 1864; died Sept., 1867 iii. Christeaze S. Whitney, born 6 May 1866 iv. Margaret S. Whitney, born 11 Aug 1868 v. Israel G. Whitney, born 16 Mar 1871; died Aug., 1877 vi. John Farley Whitney, born 3 Apr 1875 vii. Nelson Whitney, born 30 Jul 1878
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. 293-294.
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