Family:Whitney, Abraham (1735-b1813)
Abraham5 Whitney (John4, Benjamin3, John2, John1), son of John4 and Susan (-----) Whitney , was baptized 7 Dec 1735, Watertown, MA,[1] and died before 12 Oct 1813, Watertown, MA.[2]
He married firstly, 10 Jul 1766, Watertown, MA, Elizabeth6 Whitney,[3] daughter of Joseph5 and Mary (Child) Whitney, "both of Watertown.". She was baptized 23 Nov 1746, Watertown, MA (forename omitted in record), and died before 3 Dec 1772.
He "of Watertown" married secondly, 3 Dec 1772, Watertown, MA, Mary Mead "of Waltham",[4] daughter of Joshua and Lucy (Parker) Mead. She was born 1 May 1753, Watertown, MA, and died after 9 Feb 1814.
Pierce says the following:[5]
- He was born in Watertown, Mass., and resided there for some time after his marriage. With his brothers he served in the company commanded by Capt. Barnard from Watertown in the Revolutionary war and marched from Watertown to to Lexington on the alarm April 19, 1775. Paul Revere was ably assisted in spreading the intelligence of the landing of the British at Cambridge, by Abraham Whitney. The night before the battle of Lexington, Abraham Whitney started off for Lynn on horseback, at about midnight, with panniers filled with shoes, which his brother desired to have delivered in Lynn early in the morning. Abraham Whitney had got about to Charlestown when he was startled by a voice in the dark, which stealthily asked him, "If he knew the regulars where landing." He replied that he did not; whereupon he was informed of the particulars. Relieving his horse of the load of shoes, he galloped him back to Watertown, where, arousing a few of his neighbors, it was not long ere the words, "The regulars have landed, be on the church green at sunrise," had resounded on the still night air, from each man's doorway, and soon lights began to gleam from house to house an index of life and bustle within. Prompt to the summons, the sun arose on a line of men ranged on the green in front of the old meeting house. We can imagine the anxious countenances of the wives and children, the compressed lips and stern faces of the men, as they listened to a few words from their leader, and their strong and measured tread, as at the roll of the drum they hastened away, in answer to the first call of liberty.
Admin. to Amos Whitney of Watertown (elsewhere of Waltham), paper-maker.
Estate sold at public auction.
Petition of widow Mary Whitney, widow of Abraham Whitney late of Watertown, yeoman, signed Maria Whitney, by Amos Whitney, her agent, 9 Feb 1814.
12 Oct 1813, widow declined admin. & requested Amos Whitney of Waltham be appointed instead.
12 Oct 1813, Amos Whitney was appointed admin. Abraham died leaving wid. Mary and nine children. Moses, oldest surviving son, is desirous that Amos, 2nd surviving son of intestate, be appointed. Sureties were Moses Whitney, yeoman, and Phinehas Sanderson, cordwainer, both of Watertown.
Inv. taken 3 Nov 1813 by Daniel Bond, Joseph Peirce, Esq., and Edward Lowd, all of Watertown.[6]
Children of Abraham5 and Elizabeth (Whitney) Whitney:
i. Abraham6 Whitney, b. circa 1767; b. before 11 May 1791; d. bef. 1813. ii. Elizabeth Whitney, b. circa 1769; b. before 3 Dec 1772; "of Watertown" m. (int. 26 Oct 1793, Watertown, MA[7]) 20 Oct 1793, Watertown, MA, Isaac Taylor "of Acton".[8] She was also known as Betsey Whitney. iii. Lois Whitney, b. circa 1771 (calculated from age at death); d. 14 Sep 1794 at Concord, MA, aged 23 years.[9] 5 Apr 1791, Jonathan Whitney of Watertown was appointed guardian for Lois Whitney, a minor granddau. of Joseph Whitney of Watertown, dec., & Elizabeth his wife, decd., by his daughter Elizabeth, who is also deceased. She chose her father Abraham Whitney as guardian, 12 Apr 1791, but her uncle Mr. Jonathan Whitney was recommended instead.
Guardian bond, 11 May 1791. Jonathan Whitney, cordwainer, with Jonathan Harrington, gent., and Josiah Norcross, yeoman, as sureties, all of Watertown, was appointed guardian of Lois Whitney, dau. of Abraham Whitney, who has refused to make choice of guardian.[10]
On 3 Nov 1796, Watertown, MA, was recorded a petition by Abraham Whitney that John Richardson be appointed guardian of the estate of his daughter Lois Whitney, deceased; on 11 Nov 1796, Concord, MA, John Richardson, gentleman, of Concord, was appointed administrator of the estate of Lois Whitney, late of Concord, singlewoman, deceased, and posted bond with Ephraim Wood, Esq., and Stephen Wood, tanner, both of Concord, as sureties; on 15 Mar 1798, Watertown, MA, a receipt was given by Abraham Whitney, for her estate.
iv. Joshua Whitney, b. 1772; d. young.
Children of Abraham5 and Mary (Mead) Whitney, born Watertown, MA:
v. Mary Ann6 Whitney, b. -----; d. bef. 1813. vi. Moses Whitney, b. ca. 1773; m. Jane Polley. vii. Lucy Whitney, b. 1775; d. 15 Nov 1848, Boston, MA [recorded at Watertown, MA], aged 73 years, of dropsy;[11] unmarried. viii. Esther Whitney, b. 4 Feb 1779; d. 1 Jun 1861, Watertown, MA; m. (int. 23 Aug 1806, Watertown, MA[12]) 9 Oct 1806, Watertown, MA, Zaccheus Pond "both of Watertown".[13] ix. Elisha Whitney, b. say 1780; d. bef. 1813; apparently the Elisha Whitney "of Watertown" who m. (int. 12 Mar 1806, Watertown, MA[14]) 24 Jul 1806, Wayland, MA, Sukey Corey "of East Sudbury".[15] x. Lydia Whitney, b. 1782; d. 27 Jan 1844, Watertown, MA, aged 62, of palsy; spinster;[16] unmarried. xi. Susanna Whitney, b. 1783; d. 4 Jul 1849, Boston, MA; m. (int. 20 Apr 1799, Watertown, MA[17]) 13 Apr 1800, Watertown, MA, Jeremiah Knowlton "both of Watertown".[18] xii. Maria Whitney, b. say 1784; m. (int. 10 Jan 1807, Watertown, MA[19]) 11 May 1807, Watertown, MA, Joel Smith, Jr., "both of Watertown",[20] also of Weston. xiii. Amos Whitney, b. ca. 1786, Watertown, MA; m. Martha Priest. xiv. Mary Whitney, b. 21 Jan 1792; d. 26 Jul 1828; m. 2 Jul 1815, Adam Goodnow, of Watertown.
Census
- 1790, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Abraham Whitney, 1 male over 16, 3 males 0-15, and 6 females.
- 1800, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Abrm Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, and 2 females 0-9.
- 1810, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Abraham Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9.
- 1820, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Mary Whitney, 2 females over 45, 2 females 16-25, and 2 females 10-15.
- 1830, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Susan Whitney, 1 female 60-69. This may have been Susan (Corey) Whitney, widow of Elisha.
References
- All data copied from William H. Whitney, A Watertown Farm in Eight Generations: A Memorial of the Whitney Family (Cambridge, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, and Watertown Historical Society, 1898).
1.^ "7 Dec 1735, Abraham, s. of John Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Records, Comprising East Congregational and Precinct Affairs, 1697 to 1737. Also, Record Book of the Pastors, 1686-1819 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, 1906), volume 4, page 141.
2.^
3.^ "Abraham Whitney & Elizabeth Whitney, b. of Watertown, m. 10 Jul 1766," according to Watertown Records, Comprising the Fourth Book of Town Proceedings and the Second Book of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, from 1738 to 1822 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, c1903), volume 3, page 152.
4.^ "Abraham Whitney of Watertown & Mary Mead of Waltham, m. 3 Dec 1772," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 157. Also, "Abraham [Whitney] of Watertown, and Mary Mead, [married] Dec. 3, 1772, in Watertown," according to Vital Records of Waltham, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1904).
5.^ Frederick C. Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 (Chicago, IL: The Author, 1895), pp. 73-74.
6.^ Middlesex County, MA, Probate Files, #24602.
7.^ "Isaac Taylor of Acton & Betsey Whitney of Watertown, int. 26 Oct 1793," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 226.
8.^ "Isaac Taylor of Acton & Betsey Whitney of Watertown, m. 20 Oct 1793," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 183.
9.^ "Lois [Whitney], Miss, [died] 14 Sep 1794, a. 23y. (church record)," according to Town of Concord, Concord, Massachusetts. Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850 (Boston, MA: Todd, 1895), p. 421.
10.^ Middlesex County, MA, Probate Files, #24600.
11.^ "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 40, page 283.
12.^ "Zaccheus Pond and Esther Whitney, b. of Watertown, int. 23 Aug 1806," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 229.
13.^ "Zaccheus Pond and Esther Whitney, b. of Watertown, m. 9 Oct 1806," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 197.
14.^ "Elisha Whitney of Watertown and Sukey Corey of East Sudbury, int. 12 Mar 1806," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 232.
15.^ "Elisha [Whitney] of Watertown, and Sukey Cory, [married] [July] 24, 1806," according to Vital Records of Wayland, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1905).
16.^ "Jeremiah Knowlton & Sukey Whitney, b. of Watertown, int. 20 Apr 1799," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 229.
17.^ "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 9, page 59.
18.^ "Jeremiah Knowlton & Sukey Whitney, b. of Watertown, m. 13 Apr 1800195.
19.^ "Joel Smith, Junr., and Maria Whitney, b. of Watertown, int. 10 Jan 1807," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 233.
20.^ "Joel Smith, Jr., and Maria Whitney, b. of Watertown, m. 11 May 1807," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 198.
Copyright © 1999, 2006, 2007, 2017, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.
