Archive:Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Part 3

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[p. 642, WHITNEY]


 WHITNEY.
Families of the name of Whitney are very numerous, not only in every State in
New England, but in many other parts of the United States. There is scarcely
a single large town, where they may not be found, and it is probable that most
if not all of them are descendants of John and Elinor Whitney, of Watertown.*
A concert of action among the many intelligent, well-educated persons of the
name, might produce a very copious and interesting family memorial. The fol-
lowing is offered as a contribution towards such an undertaking.

1 Embarked at Danger.jpg Ipswich, Engl. Apr., 1635, for New England, in the Elizabeth and
Ann, Roger Cooper, master, JOHN WHITNEY, aged 35; wife ELLIN (Elinor),
aged 30; sons JOHN, aged 11; RICHARD, aged 9; NATHANIEL, aged 8; THOMAS,
aged 6; and JONATHAN, aged 1 year. He was admitted freeman, Mar. 3, 1635-6;
was Selectman several years between 1638 and 1655 inclusive, and was Town
Clerk, 1655. In 1642, his homestall lot of 16 acres (where he continued to reside),
was bounded E. and S. by William Jennison; W. by Martin Underwood; N. by
Isaac Mixer. [See 60.] He at the same time owned 8 other lots, amounting to
212 acres. The Registry of Deeds shows that he made additions to these posses-
sions. His early admission as a freeman, and his early election as Selectman,
show that he held a respectable social position. His wife, Elinor, d. May 11,
1659, and he m. (2d), Sept. 29, 1659, JUDAH (Judith) CLEMENT. He died a
widower, June 1, 1673, aged 74. His Will, dated Ap. 3, 1673, attested by Wil-
liam Bond, Sr., and Sarah Bond, Sr., mentions sons John, Richard, Thomas, Jona-
than, Joshua, and Benjamin. Inventory, dated June 4, 1673, 50 acres dividend
land, £25; 3 acres of Beaver Brook meadow, and 1½ acre upland,£60; 1 acre
plain meadow, £10. He had probably previously
distributed much of his estate in the settlement of ["John Whitney" autograph]
his sons. See his son Benjamin. [60.]
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Children of JOHN and ELINOR WHITNEY.
10.2 1. JOHN, b. in England, 1624.
21.3 2. RICHARD, b. in Eng., 1626.
4 3. NATHANIEL, b. in Eng., 1627; not mentioned in his father's Will; probably d.
young.
32.5 4. THOMAS, b. in Eng., 1629.
* Henry Whitney settled in Norwalk, Conn., as early as 1665. Whether he was related to the Wa-
tertown family, as not been ascertained; but probably he was not a son, nor a grandson of John and
Elinor. At a town meeting in Norwalk, July 24, 1655, Henry Whitney agreed and engaged with the
town to make, build, and erect a good and sufficient ground corn mill, at the mouth of Norwalk River,
by the Falls. At the same meeting, the town voted and granted him a house lot, consisting of 2 acres,
to be laid out upon the Mill Plain, upon the right hand of the path leading down to the Old Mill, being
over the Runlett, two or three rods from the said Runlett, and also from the cartway. [See Hall's His-
tory of Norwalk, pp. 51 and 52.] There is no evidence in the History of Norwalk, that he had any
family; but it is probable that it was his son, John Whitney, who m., in Norwalk, Mar. 17, 1674-5, Eli-
zabeth, dr. of Richard Smith, and who inherited the mill; for, at a town meeting, held May 29, 1678, "it
was votaed and agreed upon between the town and the miller, John Whitney," &c. Families of this
name have continued to reside in Norwalk to a recent date, if not to the present time. For some ac-
count of them, see the Genealogicial Register in Rev. Edwin Hall's History of that town.

[p. 643, WHITNEY]

40.6
5. JONATHAN, b. in Eng., 1634.
49.7 6. JOSHUA, b. in Watertown, Danger.jpg Feb. 15, 1635-6.
8 7. CALEB, Danger.jpg b. in Wat., July 12, 1640; not mentioned in his father's Will; probably
Danger.jpg d. young.
60.9 8. BENJAMIN, b. in Wat., June 6, 1643.
2.10 (II.) JOHN WHITNEY, Jr., was adm. freeman, May 26, 1647, then aged 23;
was Selectman, 1673, '74, '75, '76, '78, and '79. He m. RUTH, dr. of Robert
Reynolds, of Boston. [The Will of Robert Reynolds, of Boston, dated April 20,
1658, mentions his dr. Ruth Whitney, and her eldest son; his dr. Sarah Mason,
and her son Robert.] He d. Oct. 12, 1692, and adm. granted to wid. Ruth, and
sons John and Benjamin. Inventory, dated Oct. 26, 1692, taken by Elnathan
Beers and Thomas Hammond. It embraced 18 lots or parcels of land, amount-
ing to about 210 acres, and prized at £197.15. It embraced one lot of 17 acres,
"purchased of father Arnold." [See Arnold.]
--------------------------------------------------------------
11 1. JOHN, b. Danger.jpg Sept. 17, 1642; (?) of Rox.; adm. freeman, May 7, 1684. Was he
the one who m. Sarah, dr. of Richard Haven, of Lynn?
12 2. RUTH, b. Apr. 15, 1645; m. (1st), June 20, 1664, JOHN SHATTUCK [9]; 4 chil.
He was drowned, Sept. 14, 1675, and she m. (2d), in Wat., Mar. 6, 1676-7,
ENOCH LAWRENCE, son of John Lawrence, q.v.; 4 chil. Her descendants are
very numerous.
63.13 3. NATHANIEL, b. Feb. 1, 1646-7; d. in Weston, Jan. 7, 1732-3
14 4. SAMUEL, b. July 28, 1648; m., Feb. 16, 1683-4, MARY BEMIS. [3.] Chil.,
14½     1. Mary, b. Sept. 30, 1689; m., July 13, 1715, John Knapp [5-1], of Newton.
15 5. MARY, b. Ap. 29, 1650; unm. in 1693.
70.16 6. JOSEPH, b. Jan. 15, 1651-2; d. Nov. 4, 1702
17 7. SARAH, b. Mar. 17, 1653-4; m., Oct. 18, 1681, DANIEL HARRINGTON. [Harring-
ton, 26.]
18 8. ELIZABETH, b. June 9, 1656; m., Dec. 19, 1678, DANIEL WARREN. [War-
ren, 23.]
19 9. HANNAH, unm. 1693.
77.20 10. BENJAMIN, b. June 28, 1660.
3.21 (II.) RICHARD WHITNEY NOTE, adm. freeman, May 7, 1651; m., Mar. 19, 1650-1,
MARTHA COLDAM. He was a proprietor of Stow, 1681, and probably moved
there when it was a part of, or belonged to Concord. His chil. were all, at least 8,
born in Wat. Chil.,
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22 1. SARAH, b. Mar. 17, 1652-3
23 2. MOSES, b. Aug. 1, 1655; m., in Stow, Sept. 30, 1686, SARAH KNIGHT.
24 3. JOHANAH, b. Jan. 16, 1656-7.
25 4. DEBORAH, b. Oct. 12, 1658.
5. REBECCA, b. Dec. 15, 1659; d. next Feb.
26 6. RICHARD, b. Jan. 13, 1660-1; of Stow. His Will, dated Dec. 22, 1723, men-
tions son Richard (exe'r.), son Jonathan (exe'r.), son Joshua; drs. Hannah Farr,
Elizabeth Wetherby, Sarah, Ruhamah, and Hepzibah.
27 7. ELISHA, b. Aug. 26, 1662.
28 8. EBENEZER, b. June 30, 1672.
5.32 (II.) THOMAS WHITNEY, adm. freeman, Ap. 18, 1690; m., Jan. 11, 1654-5,
MARY KEDALL [? Kettle.] Jan. 16, 1682, Thomas Whitney (? father, or son),
purchased of John Hayward, of Boston, scrivener, and wife Mary, 45 acres of
land in Pompasitticut (Stow). Chil.,
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33 1. THOMAS, b. Aug. 24, 1656; d. Sept. 20, 1719; m., Oct. 18, 1681, ELIZABETH
LAWRENCE. [Lawrence, 2.] Probably he was father of that Thomas who m.,
July 1, 1720, Hannah Smith [Smith, 43], and had,
    1. Eleazer, b. Nov. 30, 1720; d. 1738. 2. Thomas, b. Sept. 2, 1722.
    3. Hannah, b. July 17, 1724. 4. Nathan, bap. Mar. 3, 1728.
    5. Joshua, b. May 14, 1728. 6. Susanna, b. May 17, 1729.
2. JOHN, b. May 19, 1659. 3. JOHN, b. 22, d. 26 Aug., 1661.
84.34 4.{ ELEAZER, b. Ap. 7, 1662.
35 5.{ ELNATHAN, b. Ap. 7, 1662.

[p. 644, WHITNEY]

36
6. MARY, b. Dec. 22, 1663; d. young. 7. BEZALEEL, b. Sept. 16, 1665.
37 8. SARAH, b. Mar. 23, 1666-7; m., Ap. 11, 1697, CHARLES CHADWICK. [Chad-
wick, 7.]
9. MARY, b. Aug. 6, 1668; d. Sept. 6, 1669.
38 10. ISAIAH, b. Sept. 16, 1671; by wife SARAH, had in Camb.,
    1. John. 2. Isaiah. 3. John. 4. Nathaniel.
    5. Sarah. 6. Elijah. 7. Jonas.
39 11. MARTHA, b. Jan. 30, 1673-4.
6.40 (II.) JONATHAN WHITNEY NOTE, m., in Wat., Oct. 30, 1656, LYDIA JONES. [See
Jones.] He d. in Sherburne about 1702, where he was as early as 1679. About
1659, his father gave him 39 acres of land, which he had purchased of Richard
Woodward. Nov. 7, 1664, Jonathan Whitney, and wife Lydia, sold, for £40, this
land, situated in the little plain in Wat., to Thomas Flagg. Nov. 7, 1664, he sold
to Richard Child, 5 acres of meadow, situated on a branch of Stony Brook. Chil.
all b. in Watertown. [See Barry, p. 436.]
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41 1. LYDIA, b. July 3, 1657; d. 1719; m., in Sherburne, April 15, 1681, MOSES
ADAMS.
91.42 2. JONATHAN, b. Oct. 20, 1658.
43 3. ANNA, b. Ap. 28, 1660; (?) m. CORNELIUS FISHER.
100.44 4. JOHN, b. June 27, 1662.
45 5. JOSIAH, b. May 19, 1664. Perhaps he was the Josiah Whitney who moved
from Groton about 1707. [Butler, 99.] [There was a Josiah, "formerly of Ded-
ham, now of Weston," where he m., Feb. 28, 1725-6, Elizabeth Grant, of Con-
cord, and had 1. Elizabeth, bap. July 13, 1735. 2. Phinehas, bapt. May 11,
1740.]
6. ELINOR, b. Oct 12, 1666; d. Nov. 23, 1678.
7. JAMES, b. Nov. 25, 1668; d. in Sherburne, Nov. 30, 1690.
8. ISAAC, b. Jan. 12, 1670-1; d. Dec. 2, 1690.
46 9. JOSEPH, b. Mar. 10, 1672-3; probably f., by wife REBECCA, at Sherburne, of,
    1. Jonas, b. 1708. 2. Joseph, b. 1710. 3. Sylvanus, b. 1712.
    4. James, b. 1714. 5. Ephraim, b. 1716.
47 10. ABIGAIL, b. Aug. 18, 1675.
48 11. BENJAMIN, b. Jan. 6, 1678-9; m., in Sherburne, Oct. 24, 1700, MERCY TRAVIS,
and d. 1718, probably s.p.
7.49 (II.) JOSHUA WHITNEY NOTE, went early to Groton, where the births of 3 children are
recorded. He afterwards lived some time in Watertown, whither he probably
returned on the outbreak of King Philip's War. [See Benjamin Whitney, 60.]
He m. (1st), LYDIA -----. He m. (2d), MARY -----. She d. in Wat., Mar. 17,
1671-2, and he m. (3d), in Wat., Sept. 30, 1672, ABIGAIL TARBALL. [See Tarball,
1.] His Will, dated Ap. 17, 1713, mentions several children, whose births are
not recorded, and the order of their births has not been ascertained.
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50 1. JOSHUA, b. in Groton, June 14, 1666. 2. SARAH, b. in G., Oct. 10, 1668.
52 3. MARY, b. in Groton, July 1, 1675.
53 4. WILLIAM, b. in Wat., Feb. 28, 1677-8; of Groton; m. (1st), LYDIA -----. She
d. Jan. 20, 1716, and he m. (2d), MARGARET -----. Chil.,
    1. William, b. May 5, 1701. 2. [[Lydia, b. Dec. 26, 1710.
    3. Joshua, b. Nov. 1, 1714. 4. John, b. Jan. 30, 1717-8.
    5. Elizabeth, b. Aug. 12, 1719.
54 5. CORNELIUS, mentioned in his father's Will; of Groton [see Butler, p. 99]; m.
SARAH -----. Chil.,
    1. Sarah, b. Ap. 17, 1715. 2. Abigail, b. Dec. 9, 1717.
    3. Matthias, b. May 26, 1720. 4. Mary, b. Aug. 20, 1722.
    5. Joshua, b. Dec. 1, 1724. 6. Lydia, b. Ap. 23, 1729.
    7. Sarah, b. Jan. 8, 1731-2.
55 6. DAVID. 7. MARTHA. 8. ELIZABETH; each mentioned in their father's Will.
58 9. dr. HUTCHINS, mentioned in her father's Will; probably ABIGAIL, b. about 1673,
wife of JOHN HUTCHINS, of Groton; 5 chil.
59 10. dr. WOODS, mentioned in her father's Will; perhaps ALICE, wife of NATHANIEL
WOODS, of Groton; 12 chil.

[p. 645, WHITNEY]

9.60
(II.) BENJAMIN WHITNEY. It appears by the Registry of Deeds, Vol.III,
p. 451-2, that he first settled in York, Me., and in 1668, his father desired him to
leave York, and settle with him on the homestead during his lifetime, promising
him his house, and barn, and all his land about home (about 17 acres, bounded
N. by John Sherman; E. and S. by William Bond; W. by Martin Underwood),
which promise he confirmed by a deed, dated Ap. 5, 1670. Mar. 9, 1670-1, Ben-
jamin and wife Jane, with the consent of his father, sells to his brother Joshua, for
£40, his right in his father's homestead, obtained as above stated. He probably
moved to Sherburne soon after the above sale. He m. (probably in York), JANE
-----, who d. in Sherburne, Nov. 14, 1690. [See Barry, p. 437] Only the births
of 2 chil. are recorded, one of whom was born in Watertown. It is possible
that he had other children born in York, or Sherburne, and perhaps Benjamin, of Fram., was his eldest child.
--------------------------------------------------------------
61 1. JANE, b. in Wat., Sept. 29, 1669; m., in Sherburne, Jan. 4, 1693-4, JONATHAN
MORSE, b. July 11, 1667; eldest son of Lieut. Jonathan and Mary (Barbour)
Morse, of Sherburne. [See Memorial of Morses, p. 20.]
62 2. JOSHUA, b. in Sherburne, Sept. 21, 1687.
13.63 (III.) NATHANIEL WHITNEY, of Wat., m. Mar. 12, 1673-4, SARAH HAGAR,
who d. in Weston, May 7, 1746, "aged about 88 yrs." [Hagar, 6.] He d. in
Weston, Jan. 7, 1732, "aged about 90 yrs."
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106.64 1. NATHANIEL, b. Mar. 5, 1675-6; d. Sept. 23, 1730.
65 2. SARAH, b. Feb. 12, 1678-9; m., Jan. 5, 1709-10, JONATHAN BALL. [Ball, 31.]
119.66 3. WILLIAM, b. May 6, 1683.
67 4. SAMUEL, bap. July 17, 1687.
68 5. HANNAH, bap. Mar., 1688-9.
69 6. ELIZABETH, b. Dec. 15, 1692.
†69 7. GRACE, bap. in Weston, Dec. 3, 1710, aged 10 years; d. Mar. 23, 1719-20.
16.70 (III.) Danger.jpg JOSEPH WHITNEY, m., January 24, 1674-5, MARTHA BEACH. [See Beach, 4.]
--------------------------------------------------------------
71 1. JOSEPH, b. Aug. 15, 1675; m., Ap. 10, 1701, HEPZIBAH FLAGG. [Flagg, 19.]
72 2. MARTHA, b. Dec. 20, 1677; d. 1702.
125.73 3. JOHN, b. July 29, 1680.
4. ISAAC, b. 10, d. 20 Mar., 1681-2. 5. ISAAC, b. Feb. 4, 1682-3; d. 1702.
131.74 6. BENJAMIN, b. Jan. 31, 1684-5. Isaac Beach, of Newton, his guardian.
75 7. MARY, b. Ap. 21, 1694; m., June 7, 1711, JOHN FISKE, Jr. [J. Fiske, 25.]
76 8. SARAH, bap. June 20, 1697.
20.77 (III.) BENJAMIN WHITNEY, m., Mar. 30, 1687, ABIGAIL HAGAR. [Hagar,
10.] [Barry says he had 2d wife, Elizabeth; that his Will, proved 1736, mentions
4 chil., viz.: Benjamin, Samuel, Joseph, and Elizabeth.]
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78 1. ABIGAIL, b. May 3, 1688; m., Mar. 18, 1717, RICHARD SAWTEL. [Sawtel, 11.]
139.79 2. BENJAMIN, bap. July 10, 1698.
80 3. RUTH, bap. July 10, 1698; m., July 7, 1715, JOHN BOND. [Bond, 78.]
148.81 4. JOHN, b. June 15, 1694.
159.82 5. DAVID, b. June 16, 1697.
178.83 6. DANIEL, b. July 17, 1700.
34.84 (III.) ELEAZER WHITNEY, a wheelwright, m., Ap. 11, 1687, DOROTHY
ROSS, dr. of James Ross, of Sud. She d. in Wat., June 22, 1731. He resided in
Sud., in 1692. His children were bap. in the 2d church of Watertown, by Mr.
Angier.
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85 1. SARAH, b. in Sud., 1688. 2. JAMES, d. in Wat., Feb. 12, 1697-8.
86 3. THOMAS, bap. in Wat., Jan. 28, 1699-1700.
4. JAMES, bap. Jan. 28, 1699-1700; d. young.
87 5. MARY, bap. Jan. 28, 1699-1700.
†88 6. DOROTHY, bap. June 16, 1700.

[p. 646, WHITNEY]

†89
7. ELEAZER, bap. Ap. 15, 1702; a town charge, 1737 and '38.
217.88 8. ELNATHAN, bap. May 5, 1705.
224.89 9. JAMES, bap. June 1, 1708.
90 10. JONAS, Danger.jpg bap. July 14, 1723.
42.91 (III.) JONATHAN WHITNEY, Jr., m. SARAH ----- [probably a dr. of Shadrach
Hapgood, late of Sherburne]. He had a lot and built a house near Chestnut
Brook, in Sherburne, about 1691 or '2. [Barry.] He, however, did not remain
long in Sherburne, for his eldest seven children were born in Watertown. The
eighth was born in Sherburne. He afterwards went to Concord, where he d., leaving
wid. Sarah. His Will was proved 1735.
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91½ 1. SARAH, b. Mar. 2, 1692-3; m., Nov. 1712, JONATHAN WARREN. [91.]
2. JONATHAN, b. Sept. 27, 1694; d. young.
92 3. TABITHA, b. Aug. 22, 1696; m. (1st), Feb. 28, 1715-16, JACOB FULHAM, of Wes-
ton, who d. (killed in "Lovewell's Fight"), May 8, 1725 [Fulham, 2]; 4 chil.
She m. (2d), Ap. 19, 1726, GEORGE PARKHURST [Parkhurst, 24]; 5 chil.
93 4. SHADRACH, b. Oct. 12, 1698.
94 5. JONATHAN, b. Nov. 25, 1700. [It is supposed that he was the Jonathan Whit-
ney, who d. in Mendon, in 1755 (admin. granted to Isaac Whitney [(?)98]),
leaving wid. Lydia and 6 chil., viz.: 1. Jesse. 2. Jonathan. 3. Sarah. 4.
David. 5. Susanna, wife of Isaac Tenney. 6. Lydia, wife of Samuel Bowker.]
95 6. ANNE, b. May 22, 1702; m., Mar. 3, 1723-4, EBENEZER CUTLER, of Weston.
[Cutler, 67.]
96 7. AMOS, b. May 1, 1705.
97 8. ZACCHEUS, b. in Sud., Nov. 16, 1707.
98 9. ISAAC, mentioned in his father's Will; (?) of Mendon. [See 94.]
99 10. TIMOTHY, mentioned in his father's Will; (?) of Groton, 1739.
44.100 (III.) JOHN WHITNEY, of Fram., m., in Wat., Ap. 10, 1688, MARY HAP-
GOOD, dr. of Shadrach Hapgood, of Sherburne. About 1694, he m. (2d), SARAH
-----, who d. Ap. 23, 1718, and he m. (3d), Nov. 10, 1718, MARTHA WALKER,
who d. Nov. 14, 1721. [See Barry, 437.]
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101 1. MARY, b. in Sherb., Mar. 27, 1688; m., Feb. 1, 1709, DANIEL MOORE.
102 2. ELIZABETH, b. in Fram., Jan. 29, 1690-1; m. JONATHAN WILLARD.
229.103 3. JAMES, b. Dec. 28, 1692.
104 4. LYDIA, b. Ap. 18, 1695; m., Feb. 4, 1713-14, RICHARD HAVEN.
105 5. HANNAH, b. Sept. 27, 1697; m., Jan. 23, 1722-3, EZEKIEL RICE.
64.106 (IV.) NATHANIEL WHITNEY, Jr., of Weston, m., Nov. 7, 1695, MARY
ROBINSON, who d. Dec. 31, 1740.
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107 1. Danger.jpg NATHANIEL, b. Jan. 23, 1695-6; d. Sept. 23, 1730; m., June 22, 1722, MARY
CHILD, of Wat. [?dr. of Joseph Child, 76]. Chil.,
    1. Ephraim, b. in Groton (birth recorded in Weston), June 2, 1723.
    2. David, bap. in Weston, Nov. 6, 1726.
108 2. SARAH, b. Mar. 3, 1698-9; m. (pub. Aug. 3), 1726, EPHRAIM RICE, of Wor-
cester.
109 3. AMOS, b. Ap. 19, 1701.
110 4. ELIZABETH, b. July 23, 1702; admitted to church, 1727; m. DANIEL BIGELOW,
and moved to Worcester. [Bigelow, 97.]
111 5. JONAS, b. Dec., 1703. 6. JAMES, b. Mar. 2, 1704-5.
112 7. SUSANNA, bap. June 17, 1711, aged 4 yrs.; had dr. Mary, b. Dec. 29, 1732; m.,
May 31, 1736, ABRAHAM GREGORY. [Gregory, 17.]
237.113 8. SOLOMON, bap. June 17, 1711, aged 3 yrs.
243.114 9. SAMUEL, bap. June 17, 1711, aged 6 mo.
115 10. EBENEZER, bap. Ap. 25, 1714, aged -- yrs.
116 11. JOSHUA, bap. Ap. 25, 1714, aged 1 m.
66.119 (IV.) WILLIAM WHITNEY, of Weston, m., May 17, 1706, MARTHA PEIRCE.
[Peirce, 17.]

Copyright © 1999, 2002, 2006, Robert L. Ward, and the Whitney Research Group.

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