Archive:Free Baptist Cyclopaedia
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Burgess, Rev. G. A., and Ward, Rev. J. T., Free Baptist Cyclopaedia. Historical and Biographical (Chicago, IL: Free Baptist Cyclopaedia Co., 1889).
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Whitney, Rev. A. L., of Holton, Mich., son of William and Elizabeth (Howard) Whitney, was born in Genesee County, N. Y., in 1831. He was married to Mary A. Hagar in 1855, and now has two children. His conversion took place in 1877. Two years later he received license to preach, and in 1884 he was ordained. He has ministered to the Hazel Grove church of the Holton and White River Q. M., Michigan, and now also to the Maple Grove church recently organized by himself.
Whitney, Rev. Geo. W., died in Rochester, N. H., September, 1878. He was born in Gorham, Me., June 14, 1792. He was a brother of Rev's John and Samuel Whitney. His father, Asa Whitney, died when he was about fourteen years of age. In 1810 he with his mother moved to Bridgton, then a comparatively new town affording few privileges. In 1813 he served as a soldier and was stationed in Portland. In March 1817, he married Miss Mary Whitney, of Buxton. In an extensive
revival in the winter and spring of 1827-28 under the labors of Rev. Samuel Lewis, assisted by Rev. Clement Phinney, he was converted, was baptized by the latter and united with the First church of Bridgton at its organization. The Lord having blessed his labors he was licensed by the Gorham Q. M. About three years afterwards he was ordained at a session of the Otisfield Q. M. held at Bridgton in February, 1835. His was the first ordination after the organization of the Q. M. He continued to serve the churches in Bridgton and adjacent towns, on the Sabbath mostly with those destitute, and during the week devoting much time also to visiting the churches, attend
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ing funerals, Quarterly Meetings and protracted meetings. At the same time he was compelled to labor on the farm for support. In the winter of 1839-40 there was an extensive revival, known as the great reformation, and several towns in which he had been preaching shared in it largely. In this work he took deep interest, and afterwards devoted all his time to the ministry. He lived in Bridgton until 1842. He was pastor of the following churches in the order named: Harrison, Gray, West Bethel, Sherbam, N. H., Gonic, N. H., North Berwick, Me., Hiram, East Parsonfield, South Parsonfield and Buxton Centre. In these pastorates of from one to five years each he baptized many and added them to the churches. He resided with a daughter in Bethel until her death and afterwards with a daughter in Rochester. He was a member of the General Conference held at Topsham, Me. He gave the church at Rochester his earnest efforts; was a member at its organization and remained useful till death.
Whitney, Rev. John, of Gouldsborough, Me., went 150 miles to New Durham, N. H., in June 1785, to attend the Q. M., and there related his Christian experience and call to the ministry. The question of his ordination was referred to the next Q. M., when it was decided in the affirmative, and he was ordained at Westport, Sept. 7; Randall himself preached the sermon, Tingley made the consecrating prayer, and Hibbard gave the hand of fellowship. He was the first to be ordained to the ministry in the denomination, and for thirty years he was successful especially in awakening sinners in his evangelistic work. He frequently met with opposition in his preaching tours. He visited the frontier settlements with Tingley the year of his ordination, and souls were saved and a few churches organized. He went to reside at Edgecomb, where a church of twenty members was organized by the aid of Hibbard. In 1787 a remarkable revival was enjoyed by him at Royalsborough. In 1798 he baptized several at Lewiston and visited the "Eastern country." He moved his family to Leeds. where they resided for several years. He organized churches at Canaan, Bristol, and at the present Camden. In 1791, from the revival in Kittery, a church was embodied. In September, 1793, with Randall Tingley, Hibbard, and Deacon Otis he went from the Y. M. to answer the call for help from the churches in the Sandy River valley. Later he was requested by the Y. M. with Hibbard and two laymen to visit what is now Burnham. He was partly drawn into Lock's plan to form a Christian community with common property in 1800, but he made a public confession and a speedy return. In 1813 he moved to Newfield, and through faithful labors the place of death soon bloomed as a garden. One hundred and fifty were converted during the year. Samuel Burbank, the teacher, with many pupils was among the number.
Whitney, Rev. Reuben, was ordained in 182-, and labored in Maine. He died in 1837.
Whitney, Rev. Samuel, died in Jackson, Me., Oct. 13, 1859. He was born in Gorham, Me., July 29, 1777. In 1798 he married Miss Hannah Snow, of Gorham. At the death of his wife, he provided a suitable home for his babes, arid settled on a lot of land in Thorndike, Waldo County. Here, in 1801, he married Miss Mary Rich. During a revival in this place in 1803 he was converted, and baptized soon after by Rev. John Whitney his brother. He was one of eight who were organized to form the Thorndike church. His deep interest and earnest efforts soon led his brethren to look to him as leader. He began to hold meetings, and Dec. 27, 1806, was licensed by their request, and July 29, 1807, was ordained. Rev. E. Stinchfield preached the sermon. Working on that farm during the week and preaching on the Sabbath, his health failed, and he sold his farm and moved to Brooks. Business there proved to his disadvantage. During this time, however, he saw some revival interest attend his preaching. In 1819 he was a delegate to the convention at Portland which framed the constitution of Maine. He served in the Legislature several times as representative and senator, and also as one of the
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Governor's council. In the year 1823 his wife died. He moved to Newport, where he married Mrs. Ring, who survived him. He resided in Jackson, Monmouth, Hallowell, Bath, Portland and Plymouth. He spent two years in New York.
He was moderator of General Conference at Strafford, Vt., in 1833, and at Byron, N. Y., in 1835. He labored in Lowell, Mass., and in New Hampshire for a time. He made a tour to New Brunswick, and through an extensive revival gathered a large church in that province. He preached at Frankfort on the Penobscot River, and at Mt. Desert. In these places the work was blessed and churches gathered. Soon after this he was employed by the anti-slavery society to travel and lecture as an advocate of human freedom. He was bold and fearless. For the last five years of his earthly life his mind was a blank, his memory refused to act, but Jesus and heaven were sweet to him. His funeral was attended by Rev. A. Lovejoy.
Whitney, Rev. William E., a native of Penfield, N. Y., died at Leslie, Mich., Sept. 17, 1883, aged 71 years. He was converted in 1832, moved to Canada in 1834, commenced to preach in 1844, and was ordained in 1846. He went to Michigan in 1849 and labored with various churches there. He served as a soldier in the early part of the Civil War and re-enlisted in 1864. He lost a limb, but on his return resumed the work of the ministry and was a faithful soldier of the Lord.
Copyright © 2002, 2006, The Whitney Research Group
