Archive:Benjamin Whitney of Marlborough and Boston
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[?Whitney, Henry Austin?], Benjamin Whitney of Marlborough and Boston, monograph, NEHGS Library, Boston, MA, call no. G WHI 6885.
OF
MARLBOROUGH AND BOSTON.
Benjamin Whitney (the grandson, or great-grandson, of JOHN and ELINOR WHITNEY, who settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1635) married in Marlborough, Feb. 7, 1710, SARAH BARRETT. She was the daughter of John Barret, jun., and his wife Deborah, and the great-granddaughter of Humphrey Barrett, who settled in Concord in 1640. She was born Nov. 28, 1692; and died in M., Feb. 15, 1729-30, aged 37 years. They had the following children, viz.:--
- DEBORAH, b. Nov. 7, 1711; m. Joseph Wheeler, of M., March 17, 1730; and they had twelve children.
- BARRETT, b. Sept. 22, 1715; m. Elizabeth Adams, in Boston, June 16, 1737; m. by Rev. Joseph Sewell.
- DAVID, b. Jan. 21, 1716-17; wife Mercy.
- PERSIS, b. Jan. 10, 1718-19; m. Nathan Goodale, of M. They had thirteen children.
- SOLOMON, b. Dec. 20, 1721; m. Elizabeth Smith, Oct. 5, 1749. Died before March, 1761. He moved to Petersham, Worcester Co., and left--
Marian, b. in M., July 31, 1751;
Benjamin, b. in M., June 10, 1753;
Job, b. in P., June 25, 1755;
Sarah, b. in P., Aug. 11, 1757.
NOTE. -- Ensign John Barrett died in M., Oct. 5, 1715. His will was
proved Dec. 21, 1715; by which he bequeathed to Benjamin Whitney and his wife the following
property: -- "Item: I will and bequeath unto my son and daughter, Benjamin Whitney and
Sarah Whitney, and to their heirs, all my land and meadow, and town-rights, -- with one cedar
swamp lying in Chancy Swamp; -- that is lying without the cow-common within the town of
Marlborough, after the crop that is now on the Ground is taken off; he paying to Joseph Taintor
£50 money, at £10 a year, until the £50 money be paid. Also I give to
Benjamin Whitney one yearling hefer, and the musket that was my father's, and a
sword."
Deborah Barrett died in Marlborough, Nov. 4, 1743. They left several daughters, but no
son.
- SARAH, b. July 13, 1723; m. Abraham Joslin, of Marlborough, 1745. They had nine children. He had nine children by a former wife.
- TIMOTHY, b. July 6, 1725; d. young.
- DINAH, b. July 12, 1727; unm. 1751.
- JOB, b. Oct. 22, 1729; graduated Harvard College, 1758; died June 13, 1761, unm. He was
the second person of the name of whitney who received a degree at Cambridge. Every member of
his Class, excepting himself, -- he having died the month previous, -- was present at
Commencement, in 1761, to take the degree of Master of Arts; and it is the only class of which
every surviving member has been present, in person, to take the second degree. Before
graduating, he "supplied ye Desk" for several months on the "South side of the
rive" (Brighton). At the time of his death, he was about preaching as a candidate at
Marblehead, to be colleague with Rev. John Barnard. (See "Mass. Histo. Coll." vol.
v., third series, p. 236.) He was the youngest child by the first wife. He was buried in his native
town, Marlborough; and his gravestone bears the following inscription: --
In Memory of
MR. JOB WHITNEY
Shall rise, his throne surround.":
WHO DIED JUNE YE 13th,
A.D. 1761, AETATIS 32.
Tuba mirum spargens sonum,
Per Sepulchra Regiorum,
Coget omnes ante thronum.
-----
":At the last Trumpet's sound,
The Dead, tho' underground,
For his second wife, Benjamin married ABIGAIL BRIDGE, ----- 1730. She was the daughter of Matthew and Abigail Bridge, of Cambridge-farms (Lexington), and the great-granddaughter of John Bridge, who settled in Cambridge, 1632. She was born April 1, 1696. Their children were: --
- ABIGAIL, b. [May 13], 1731; m. in Boston by the Rev. John Lathrop, to Samuel Austin, merchant, May 4, 1769. He was the son of [Benjamin and Elizabeth is crossed out, and written in is Ebenezer and Rebecca (Sprague)] Austin. He died September, 1792. She died a widow, leaving no children, May, 1793.
- BENJAMIN, b. May 8, 1732; d. in Boston, March 22, 1750-51.
- GEORGE, b. March 25, 1733; d. in Boston Dec. 26, 1751.
- SAMUEL, b. Sept. 5, 1734; m. in Boston by the Rev. Dr. Cooper, pastor of the church in Brattle-Close, Oct. 20, 1757, to ABIGAIL CUTLER. She was the daughter of David and Lydia Cutler, and was born March 24, 1735, in Boston; baptized by Dr. Colman, March 26, 1736. He died at Castine, Maine, May 29, 1808, aged 74. She died at Castine, July 2, 1813, aged 78. They had seventeen children, born in Boston and Concord, Mass.
- ANNA, b. Oct. 23, 1736; m. William Bowes, of Boston, merchant, Dec. 22, 1761. She died Jan. 2, 1762. He was the son of Rev. Nicholas and Lucy (Hancock) Bowes; b. Dec. 3, 1734; d. at London, Eng., April, 1805. For his second wife, he married Mary Stoddard, by whom he had issue. He was the nephew of Hon. Thomas Hancock, who left him, by will, -- together with his cousins, the children of Rev. John Hancock (of whom Gov. John Hancock was one), -- a large property.
These children, with the exception of Abigail, were all born in Marlborough. Benjamin and his wife Abigail probably removed from Marlborough to Boston in 1737; and he died there in the latter part of October, or first of November, the same year. She died in Boston, Aug. 1, 1767, and was buried in the Granary Burying-ground beside her sisters, Elizabeth and Martha Bridge, her sons, Benjamin and George, and her daughter, Anna Bowes.
In presenting the inquiry regarding the birth and parentage of Benjamin Whitney, the following facts may be of service: --
In 1710, Nov. 2, he bought one hundred seventy-three and one hundred forty-eight acres in Agoganquemassett, with house and barn of Samuel Morse.
In 1717, Benjamin, and Sarah his wife, sold land formerly belonging to John Barrett, to which they have right by inheritance.
In 1728, he conveyed to Gershom Keyes seventy acres in Shrewsbury.
In 1729, he sells one-sixth part of fifteen hundred and sixty acres in Shrewsbury, and declares that he is possessed and seized of the same in his own proper right and inheritance.
In 1736-7, he sold fifty acres to Thomas Hapgood, in Agoganquemassett, so called, in Marlborough.
In his will, he leaves to his son Solomon his Narragansett right in township No. ----- (left blank), to be taken as a part of his inheritance, at the valuation of £40.
Benjamin's youngest son (by the first wife) Job Whitney, mentions in his will, in 1761, his cousin Silas Whitney; he also mentions his cousin Abigail Livermore, of Waltham.
Benjamin's will, dated Oct. 19, 1737, was proved Nov. 9, 1737. He therein speaks of himself as "late of Marlborough, now of Boston." He appoints "my well-beloved wife Abigail, and my friend Benjamin Woods, sole Executors." Each of his children is mentioned by name, excepting Timothy, who, it is presumed, died before his father. No mention is made of any other relative. James Wood, Peter How, and John Hapgood, appraised the estate of which he died seized in Marlborough; and they were duly sworn, &c., March 6, 1737-8, before Benjamin Wood, Judge, &c. His estate in Suffolk County was appraised by Samuel Gardner, Henry Howell, and John Cornish.
His age at the time of his death has not been ascertained. It is probable that his remains were carried to Marlborough for burial, to be placed beside those of his first wife. Next to the grave of Job Whitney in Marlborough are two very old graves, without headstones, which may be those of Job's father and mother, Benjamin and Sarah.
Sarah Barrett was in her eighteenth year when Benjamin married her in 1710, having been born Nov. 28, 1692; and, as he was then doubtless twenty-one years of age and upwards, his birth must have been previous to 1690.
[Handwritten marginal notes:]
Joshua Whitney of Tolland, Ct.
Issue
Lydia, May 22, 1737
Lucy, Apr 28, 1739
Timothy, May 8, 1741
Eunice Whitney Gr-d Josiah & Rebecca Whitney early
Gravestones Uxbridge:
Hannah Whitney cons Capt Moses May 30 1793 37 y.
Mercy Whitney wife Ezra Sept 23 1794 a. 59
Miriam, b 1686 da Joseph Barrett m. a Whitney
In Halifax Vt Jacob Whitney a. 74 to his niece [??] Dency Sabine
He was 18 years older than his 1st wife
& 45 yrs older than 2d
has 3 chn older than 2nd w. d Jany 1832
Danl. Hill of Natick & Jenny Whitney of Dedham pub. Apr 12 1777
Joseph & Joseph Whitney, Jr., rated Shutesbury 1770. (State House)
Timothy Whitney form. of Westboro obt. Sept 28, 1812 in Windsor Vt ae 59. (Spooner Journal)
Ezekiel Whitney, Sutton, will May 5, 1758 to 3 Drs Susanna Jennet & Margaret Whitney kinswoman Rachel Bennet vol. IV/183. Proved May 28 1753. [Margaret] of Ezekl. & Jennet bpt at Uxbridge Sept 11, 1748
Isaac Tenny & Susanna Whitney m. June 25/52 (Dr of Jona. of Mendon)
Gershom Whitney of Woodstock m. in Mendon March 21/ 1751 Sarah Wood
Timo. Whitney of Lanc. & Alice Whitney of Harvard m. May 20 1752
Joshua & Hannah Whitney Issue in Uxbridge
1. Mary b. Oct. 27, 1732.
2. Joshua b Feb. 27, 1738/9.
3. Joseph b. Mar 21, 1739/40.
4. Benj b. Mar 14, 1743.
5. Phebe b. July 25, 1745.
6. Hannah b. Feb 4, 1746.
Aaron & Margaret [Muty?]
Is Hannah Sept 28 1760
Samuel May 23 1764
David Whitney of Harvard father of Enoch 1800
Jona Wh Esq. Wrentham June 10 68 Adm to [S Lethbridge?]
8 July Fisher Invy July 13/68 87.11.1-1/2
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