Archive:Dennis Whitney (1828-a1886)
Archives > Archive:Biographies > Dennis Whitney (1828-a1886)
Portrait & Biographical Album of Clinton County, Iowa. Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County (Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1886), pp. 259-260.
DENNIS WHITNEY. Among the leading business-men of the thriving little village of DeWitt, who have made what they have of this world's goods, not as the recipients of any legacy, but through their own indomitable energy and perseverance, we take pleasure in mentioning the name of Dennis Whitney, attorney at law and real-estate dealer.
Mr. Whitney was born at Allen's Hill, Ontario Co., N.Y., Aug. 7, 1828. His father, Dennis Whitney, Sr., was also a native of that State and was born in Malta, Saratoga County, Dec. 6, 1783. The grandfather of our subject, Samuel Whitney, was born in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Conn., April 25, 1761, and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Wright, was born at Oyster Bay, Queens Co., L.I., May 4, 1761. They were married in 1782. The father of Mr. Whitney, of this notice, grew to manhood in his native county, and while yet a young man learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner. He was married at Richmond, Ontario Co., N.Y., in 1811, to Elizabeth Henderson, who was born in Pennsylvania Nov. 17, 1790. In 1806 he emigrated to Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N.Y., accompanied by his father and family. The journey was made overland with ox-teams and they were among the first to make settlement at Marcellus, and there lived until 1810. They then removed to Allen's Hill, where the father of our subject purchased timber land, and when he was not busy working at his trade, occupied his time in the clearing and improving of his land. He succeeded in clearing a farm of nearly two hundred acres and was there diligently engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1838. He then removed to Royalton, Niagara County, bought a farm and continued to labor at that vocation up to 1856. He then removed to Macomb County, Mich., and lived there until 1862, when he went back to Ontario County, and located at West Bloomfield and resided with his daughter, Mrs. Dr. D. M. Hale, until his death, in April, 1865. His wife had preceded him to the home beyond, her demise occurring Aug. 8, 1863, while the family were residents of Royalton. There were ten children born of the parents' union.
Dennis Whitney was the youngest child of his parents' family and was but 10 years of age when they removed to Niagara County, and there lived and developed into manhood. It was in the common schools of that county that he received his primary education, and at the age of 14 he was so far advanced in his studies as to enable him to commence the profession of a pedagogue. He taught during the winters, and during the summers worked on the farm, and thus alternated his labors from the age of 14 until the year 1849. He then secured a clerkship in the County Clerk's office and soon thereafter was appointed Deputy, which position he held until 1856, the date of his coming to this county. Arriving here, he had charge of the railroad company's transfer from Clinton to Fulton, until 1862. In January of that year he located at De Witt and was appointed Deputy Treasurer and Recorder, which he held until 1864, when the offices were divied and he was elected the first Recorder in Clinton County, serving in that capacity until 1868. During this year he opened an office for the purchase and sale of real estate, together wih a loan office and collection agency. During these years Mr. Whitney was a constant reader of jurisprudence, and was admitted to the bar in 1875.
Mr. Whitney was married May 11, 1854, to Helen M. Butrick. She was born in Bergen, Monroe Co., N.Y., May 26, 1833. Mr. Whitney is a member of Lodge No. 34, A. F. & A. M., and Eagle Lodge, No. 82, I.O.O.F. In politics he voted with the Republican party, and in the different branches of his vocation he is meeting with more than ordinary success.
A portrait of Mr. Whitney will be found on page 258.
Copyright © 2006, Carolyn W. Cook and the Whitney Research Group
