Family:Whitney, Aaron (1714-1779)
Aaron5 Whitney (Moses4, Moses3, Richard2, John1, ThomasA), son of Moses4 and Lydia (Taylor) Whitney was born 14 Mar 1714 at Littleton, MA[1] and died 8 Sep 1779 at Petersham, MA, at age 65[2], aged 65 years.
Aaron married Alice Baker, daughter of Joseph and Alice (Jefts) Baker, 12 Jul 1739 at Littleton, MA; first wife; wife "of Phillipston;" m. Alice Baker, daughter of Joseph and Alice (Jefts) Baker, 12 Jul 1739 at Littleton, MA; Robert Ward says in his 6-Gen study that they were married in Littleton, but the collected Whitney VR's from that place don't show that entry. Alice is shown in his study as being "of Phillipston", but there is nothing in the VR's of that place either; m. Ruth Hubbard, daughter of Jonathan Hubbard, 6 Nov 1768 at Petersham, MA; second wife, second husband; wife "of Lunenburg;" m. Ruth Hubbard, daughter of Jonathan Hubbard, 9 Nov 1768 at Lunenburg, MA; Intent published in Petersham 21 Oct 1768 (Petersham VR) and in Lunenburg on 20 Oct 1768 (Lunenburg VR); m. Ruth Hubbard, daughter of Jonathan Hubbard, 9 Nov 1768 at Lunenburg, MA; husband "of Petersham;".
He was also known as Rev. Aaron Whitney. He The Rev. Aaron seems to have lived in Littleton for a time and then removed to Petersham in Worcester County. All of the children are listed in both town's vital records, with only the first child, Abel, b. 1740, specified in both records as having been born in Littleton. All others are given as if they were born IN the town in which the listing appears. The only solution to the birth location of the seven children after the first Abel would be a church record that shows the year of change of residence.**From Robert Ward's notes: He was also known as Rev. Aaron Whitney. He was educated (graduated) in 1737 at Harvard College, Cambridge, Middlesex, MA. He was ordained at Petersham in 1738 (HAW). He was a strong loyalist during the Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783.**(Henry Austin Whitney, NWHGR, Vol. 11) "Mr. Whitney was a strog loyalist in Revolutionary times, was prevented from preaching in his pulpit, and held services in his own house. (See Rev. E. B. Willson's address in com. of the 100th anniversary of the Incor. of Petersham, July 4, 1854.) He had numerous correspondents (sic) in England, and is supposed to have had strong friends and admireres, but as was natural at that period was harshly judged by those who were opposed to his political course. Himself a clergyman he was the progenitor of a race of able divines; a son, grandson, and two great-grandsons of his name having been settled ministers." He was educated in 1737 at Cambridge, MA; graduated. He was ordained. He was strong loyalist during the Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783.
Alice Baker was born circa 25 Nov 1717 at Concord, MA; calculated from age at death. She was born on 25 Nov 1717 at of Phillipston, MA. She died on 26 Aug 1767 at Petersham, MA. She died on 26 Aug 1767 at Petersham, MA; aged 49 years 9 months 1 day.
Children of Aaron5 and Alice (Baker) Whitney:
i. Abel6 Whitney, b. circa 1740; calculated from age at death; b. 7 Jul 1740 at Littleton, MA; d. 15 Mar 1756 at Cambridge, MA, at age 15; aged 16 years, student at Harvard College. - He Died while a student at Harvard College in Cambridge, age almost 16. See Harris's Cambridge epitaphs, p. 16. (HAW).
ii. Charles Whitney, b. 14 May 1742 at Petersham, MA; b. 14 May 1742 at Littleton, MA; m. Elisabeth Kimball 31 Oct 1765 at Petersham, MA; husband "of Petersham", wife "of Fitchburg." - He RW says resided Phillipston, VT, but birth of children also indicates that he lived for at least a time in Templeton, Worcester, MA. He lived at Phillipston, VT.
iii. Peter Whitney, b. 6 Sep 1744 at Petersham, MA; b. 6 Sep 1744 at Littleton, MA; Marriage banns for he and Julia Lambert were published 10 Feb 1768 at Northborough, MA; wife "of Reading;" m. Julia Lambert 11 Mar 1768; wife "of Reading;" m. Julia Lambert 17 Mar 1768 at Reading, MA; d. 29 Feb 1816 at Northborough, MA, at age 71; aged 71 years. - He was also known as Rev. Peter Whitney. He was educated in 1762 at Cambridge, MA; graduated. He was ordained. He wrote "History of the County of Worcester" in 1793 at Northborough, MA.
iv. Aaron Whitney, b. 5 Sep 1746 at Littleton, MA; Marriage banns for he and Hannah Wait were published 4 Feb 1769 at Petersham, MA; husband "of Templetown;" m. Hannah Wait 20 Jul 1769 at Templeton, MA; wife "of Petersham." v. Alice Whitney, b. 23 Sep 1748 at Littleton, MA; Marriage banns for she and Ensign Mann were published 5 Aug 1773 at Petersham, MA; d. 1807. vi. Lucy Whitney, b. 9 Apr 1751 at Littleton, MA; Marriage banns for she and Samuel Kendall Jr. were published 4 May 1776 at Petersham, MA; husband "of New Salem;" m. Samuel Kendall Jr. 22 May 1776 at New Salem, MA; husband "of New Salem", wife "of Petersham." - She Named as Lucey in the Littleton VR's, but as Mary in the Petersham VR's.
vii. Paul Whitney, b. 23 Mar 1753 at Littleton, MA; d. 9 Mar 1795 at prob. Westfield, MA, at age 41; d. 1807 at Westfield, MA. - He was educated in 1772 at Cambridge, MA; graduated.
viii. Abel Whitney, b. 15 Mar 1756 at Lunenburg, MA; b. 15 Mar 1756 at Petersham, MA; b. 15 Mar 1758 at Petersham, MA; m. Clarissa Dwight 23 Dec 1783 at Westfield, MA; m. Clarissa Dwight 23 Dec 1783; wife "of Springfield;" m. Clarissa Dwight 23 Dec 1783 at Springfield, MA; d. 1807 at Westfield, MA; d. 2 Mar 1807 at Westfield, MA, at age 50. - He HAW article: Merchant, Westfield, d. March 2, 1807. He m. Dec. 23, 1783, Clarissa Dwight of Springfield, who m. 2d, Calvin Waldo, July 4, 1809. He had 11 children. Josiah Dwight Whitney, 2d child and eldest son, b. at W. July 9, 1786; m. Dec. 4, 1818, Sarah Williston. They reside at Northampton, and had five children. Their oldest son, Josiah Dwight, Junr., b. Nov. 23, 1819. Grat. Yale, 1839; m. and has one child. He is the author of a valuable work on the mineral wealth of the United States, and in the winter of 1856-7, is absent in Mexico prosecuting his mineralogical investigations. Their second surviving son, William Dwight Whitney, b. Feb 9, 1827. Grad. Williams College. In 1852 he was associated with Prof. Roth of the Univ. of Tubingen in the preparation of a new edition of the sacred books of the Hindus, the "Atharva Veda." He is distinguished as an oriental scholar and holds the Professorship of Sanskrit in Yale College. Absent in Europe 1856 - 7.
Ruth Hubbard was born circa 1717; calculated from age at death. She married Rev. David Stearns, son of John Stearns and Abigail Fiske, on 7 Apr 1736 at Lunenburg, MA; first husband; husband "of Lunenburg." She died on 1 Nov 1788 at Keene, NH; in her 72nd year.
There were no children of Aaron5 and Ruth (Hubbard) Whitney.
References
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