Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney, page 243
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The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago: 1895)
Transcribed by the Whitney Research Group, 1999.
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| WHITNEY GENEALOGY. | 243 |
3699. i. JOSEPH L., b. Aug. 18, 1835; m. Martha Jane RICHARDS. 3700. ii. LUCIE MARIA, b. Jan. 8, 1838; m. in so. Framingham, May 18, 1854, Selah Bennett ALDEN, b. Lyme, N.H., May 18, 1833; d. May 25, 1864, in Natick, from wounds received in the battle of the Wilderness, May 8, 1864, after serving three years in company D, 13th Mass. regiment, She m. 2d, Aug. 22, 1866, Charles Henry CHILD, b. Boston, Mar. 18, 1837. He is a foreman in a shoe factory; res. Natick. Ch.: Eugene Llewellyn, b. Dec. 25, 1859; d. Sept. 4, 1860. 1720. DR. SAMUEL STILLMAN WHITNEY (George, Jason, Mark, Benjamin, John), b. Natick, Mass., Jan. 6, 1815; m. Sept. 27, 1838, Sarah W. SPALDING, dau. of Dr. S. H. SPALDING, of So. Natick, Mass., who died July 15, 1866. A native of Chelmsford, he was educated as a physician and practiced a few years in Dublin, N.H., with good success. At length he was invited to establish himself in South Natick, Mass., where the greater part of his life was spent, and where he succeeded in securing an extensive and successful practice. His services were widely sought and were highly valued. For several years disease and the infirmities of advancing age led him to withdraw from the active duties of his profession. In his last days he suffered much, but he bore his sufferings with Christian patience and fortitude. The funeral service was held in the Unitarian church, of which church and parish he was a member. It was attended by a large number of friends who thus testified their regret at his loss, and their respect to his memory. Samuel Stillman WHITNEY was born at Natick, Mass. He fitted for college at Leicester, and entered Harvard University at the age of 14. After remaining a year at Cambridge, he removed to Amherst to finish his collegiate course there. Toward the close of it, however, a long sickness having interrupted his studies, so as to pre- vent his graduating with his class, he concluded not to take a degree. His parents had intended to educate him for the ministry; but being strongly inclined toward medicine, with their consent he immediately entered the office of Dr. S.H. SPALDING, then practicing at Natick, and applied himself with great diligence to his medical studies. The following year he entered the office of the late lamented and eminent Dr. John D. FISHER, of Boston, whose friendship and confidence he always possessed. The last six months of his studentship were passed at the City Institutions at South Boston. He received his diploma at Boston, in February, 1838. While at South Boston, a vacancy occurred at Newton Upper Falls, by the death of Dr. Alfred HOSMER, and by the advice of friends he at once opened an office there. He succeeded rapidly in gaining the confidence of the community and consequent practice, and in the course of the year was married to Miss Sarah SPALDING, only child of his first preceptor. During the six years which Dr. WHITNEY spent at Newton he secured a practice extending far beyond his immediate neighborhood, requiring very long and tedious rides, but he still found time, stolen from the night, to prosecute his studies and keep himself well informed of all the additional contributions to medical science. Having disposed of his practice at Newton, Dr. WHITNEY re-removed to Dedham in 1844, carrying with him a well-established reputation. Before, however, perma- nently settling in Dedham, he passed a year in Europe, making careful use of its advantages. Dr. WHITNEY was thoroughly educated in auscultation and percussion under the tuition of Dr. FISHER, and it may be safely said that few ever surpassed him in delicacy and quickness of ear. In addition to his large general practice at Dedham and vicinity, Dr. WHITNEY paid particular attention to surgery. He was successful in all the greater operations, and more especially in the arts of modern surgery for the cure of congenital or accidental deformities. The operation for cleft palate he performed many times, and treated with success a gentleman from Canada, who had been unsuccessfully operated upon by the celebrated DIEFFENBACH. For this operation, in addition to his fee, his grateful patient presented him with a silver tea service. His surgical cases came from distant parts of the country. In the fall of 1848, in the midst of these active pursuits, Dr. WHITNEY was attacked with diarrhoea and sub-acute enteritis. He died in his residence at Dedham, peaceful and resigned, in the bosom of his young and beloved family, June 30, 1855, aged 40. Few men have accomplished more at so early an age. Cast in a tall and manly mould, his personal appearance was calculated to make an impression upon those with whom he came in professional contact. An anchylosis of one knee, the result of an accident received in his academic days, instead of detract- ing from , rather added to the dignity of his carriage. He was remarkably generous in disposition, and this, with a peculiar suavity in his manner, and
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