Family:Whitney, Benjamin (1741-1821)
Benjamin5 Whitney (Joseph4, Joseph3, Jonathan2, John1), son of Joseph4 and Abigail (Nutting) Whitney, was born 27 Oct 1741, Groton, MA,[1] and died 21 Sep 1821, Pepperell, MA, "husband of Anna" aged 79 years 11 months.[2].
He married firstly, 12 Aug 1761 or 1762, Pepperell, MA, Mary Turner.[3] She was born born about 1741. She may have been a daughter of Eliab and Hannah (Barstow) Turner.
He married secondly, 14 Oct 1779, Pepperell, MA, "Mrs." Rebecca Fitch "of Groton",[4] daughter of Zechariah and Rebekah (Davis) Fitch. She was born 4 Jul 1759, Bedford, MA, and died 23 Jun 1793, Pepperell, MA, aged 35 years, of fever.[5]
He "Lt." "of Pepperell" married thirdly, 5 Mar 1794 at Pepperell, MA, Olive Farnsworth "of Groton",[6] daughter of Dea. Isaac and Anna (Green) Farnsworth. She was born 19 Jun 1753, Groton, MA, and died 13 Jan 1809, Pepperell, MA, "wife of Benjamin", aged 55 years, of bilious fever.[7]
From THOSE DISMISSED FROM THE EARLY CHURCH AT GROTON TO OTHER CHURCHES FROM EARLY CHURCH RECORDS. Source: Groton Historical Series by Dr. Samuel A. Green. 1899 Vol IV, p. 82:
- Sept 16, 1798 Olive wife of Benjamin Whitney dism. & recom. to the church of Christ in Pepperell.
Marriage intentions were published 2 Sep 1809, Pepperell, MA, for him and his fourth wife Anna Woods. He married fourthly, 11 Oct 1809, Groton, MA, Anna Woods,[8] daughter of Abel and Anna (-----) Woods. She was born 15 Jul 1772, Groton, MA, and died 11 Sep 1866. She "Mrs." married secondly, 16 Feb 1826, Pepperell, MA, John Varnum.[9]
He was also known as Lt. Benjamin Whitney.
Will of Benjamin Whitney of Pepperell, dated 12 Sep 1821:
- wife Anna Whitney, all estate; also executrix.
Witn: Joseph Hiah(?), Asa Parker, Eleazer Kemp. Proved 8 May 1822.
Inv. 26 Nov 1821, by James Lewis, Asa Parker, and Zechariah Fitch.
Executrix's bond, 8 May 1822, by Anna Whitney of Pepperell, wid., with James Lewis of Groton and Stephen Longley of Shirley, sureties.[10]
Children of Benjamin5 and Mary (Turner) Whitney, all born Pepperell, MA:
i. Mary6 Whitney, b. 4 Mar 1763; d. 27 Aug 1778, Pepperell, MA. ii. Benjamin Whitney, b. 5 May 1764;[11] m. Philena Boyce. iii. David Whitney, b. 11 Feb 1766;[12] m. Susanna Huntington. iv. Abigail Whitney, b. 8 May 1768; d. 28 Aug 1778, Pepperell, MA. v. Abel Whitney, b. 15 Mar 1770;[13] m. Phebe Scott. vi. Martha Whitney, b. 19 Jan 1772; d. 28 Aug 1778, Pepperell, MA. vii. Abijah Whitney, b. 29 Nov 1774; d. 3 Sep 1778, Pepperell, MA. viii. Anna Whitney, b. 5 Nov 1775; d. 25 Aug 1778, Pepperell, MA. ix. Thomas Whitney, b. 23 Jul 1777; d. 29 Aug 1778, Pepperell, MA.
Children of Benjamin5 and Rebecca (Fitch) Whitney:
i. Thomas6 Whitney, b. 15 Jul 1780, Pepperell, MA;[14] m.(1) Betsy Wallis; m.(2) Annie York. ii. Abijah Whitney, b. 22 Aug 1781, Pepperell, MA;[15] m. Lydia Tarbell. iii. Rebecca Whitney, b. circa 1782 (calculated from age at death); d. 19 Sep 1790, Pepperell, MA, aged 8 years, of dysentery.[16] iv. Joseph Whitney, b. 18 Apr 1784, Pepperell, MA;[17] d. 18 Aug 1805. v. Aaron Whitney, b. 22 Feb 1786, Pepperell, MA;[18] m. Betsy Parker. vi. Polly Whitney, b. 25 Jan 1788, Pepperell, MA;[19] "Mary" m. 19 Dec 1816, Boston, MA, Leonard Lakin.[20] vii. Sally Whitney, b. circa 1789 (calculated from age at death); d. 11 Sep 1791, Pepperell, MA, aged 2 years, "scalt."[21] viii. Hannah Whitney, b. 7 Jan 1792, Pepperell, MA;[22] d. 22 Oct 1794, Pepperell, MA, aged 2-1/2 years, of palzy.[23] ix. (child) Whitney, b. circa 26 May 1793, Pepperell, MA (calculated from age at death); d. 1 Jun 1793, Pepperell, MA, aged 6 days.[24]
Benjamin5 and Olive (Farnsworth) Whitney had no children.
Children of Benjamin5 and Anna (Woods) Whitney, both born Pepperell, MA:
x. Franklin6 Whitney, b. 30 Nov 1810;[25] m. Catherine Kemp. xi. George Whitney, b. b. 24 Mar 1813;[26] d. 5 Sep 1836, Pepperell, MA, aged 23 years, of fever.[27] On 5 May 1823, Pepperell, MA, Anna Whitney, widow of Benjamin Whitney, late of Pepperell, yeoman, deceased, petitioned that William Livermore of Groton, housewright, be appointed guardian to her two children Franklin Whitney and George Whitney, minors under 14. On 7 May 1823, Pepperell, MA, William Livermore, housewright, of Groton, was appointed guardian of Franklin Whitney and George Whitney, sons of Benjamin Whitney, late of Pepperell, yeoman, deceased, and posted bond, with Calvin Boynton, yeoman, and Joseph T. Hall, innholder, as sureties.
Census
- 1790, Pepperell, Middlesex Co., MA: Benja Whitney, 2 males over 16, 4 males 0-15, and 5 females.
- 1800, Pepperell, Middlesex Co., MA: Benja Whitney, 1 male over 45, 3 males 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, and 1 female 16-25.
- 1810, Pepperell, Middlesex Co., MA: Benjn Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 16-25, 1 female 26-44, and 2 females 16-25.
- 1820, Pepperell, Middlesex Co., MA: Benjn Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 0-9, 1 female over 45, and 1 female 16-25; 1 engaged in agriculture.
- 1850, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT:
59 66 Franklin Whitney 39 M - Farmer $1400 Mass. Catharine " 29 F - " Martha I. " 7 F - Vt. Attended school Mariette " 3 F - " Anna Varnum 76 F - Mass.
2308 2475 Franklin Whitney 49 M - Farmer $2000 $450 Mass. Catharine " 39 F - " Mary F. " 13 F - Vermont Attended school George F. " 9 M - " Attended school Anna Farnham 36 F - Mass.
While the image is clear that Anna's age is 36, she was actually 86, and Franklin's mother.
References
1.^ "Benjamin [Whittney], s. Joseph and Abigail, [born] Oct. 27, 1741," according to Vital Records of Groton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1926-1927). Also, "Benjamin [Whitney], s. Joseph & Abigail, b. Oct. 27, 1741," according to George A. Rice, comp. and ed., Vital Records of Pepperell, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1985).
2.^ "Benjamin [Whitney], h. Anna, [died] Sept. 21, 1821 [a. 79y. 11m.]," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
3.^ "Benjamin [Whetney], and Mary Turner, [married] Aug. 12, 1762," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
4.^ "Benja[ami]n [Whitney], and [Mrs. int.] Rebecah Fitch of Groton, [married] Oct. 14, 1779," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
5.^ "Rebeccah [Whitney], w. Benjamin, fever, [died] June 23, 1793, a. 35y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
6.^ "Benjamin [Whitney], [Lt. int.], and Olive Farnsworth [of Groton, int.], [married] Mar. 5, 1794," according to Pepperell Vital Records. Also, "Benja[min] [Whitney], Lt., of Pepperell, and Olive Farnsworth, at Pepperell, [married] Mar. 5, 1794," according to Groton Vital Records.
7.^ "Olive [Whitney], w. Benjamin, billous fever, [died] Jan. 13, 1809, a. 55y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
8.^ "Benjamin [Whitney] [Lt. int.] of Pepperell, and Anna Woods, [married] Oct. 11, 1809," according to Groton Vital Records.
9.^ "Anna [Whitney], Mrs., and John Varnum, [married] Feb. 16, 1826," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
10.^ Archive:Middlesex County, MA, Probate Files, #24610.
11.^ "Benja[min] [Whitney], Jr., s. Benjamin & w. [Mary], b. May 5, 1764," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
12.^ "David [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Mary], b. Feb. 11, 1766," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
13.^ "Abel [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Mary], b. Mar. 15, 1770," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
14.^ "Thomas [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Rebecca], b. July 15, 1780," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
15.^ "Abijah [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Rebecca], b. Aug. 22, 1781," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
16.^ "Rebekah [Whitney], d. Benjamin & Rebekah, dysentary, [died] Sept. 19, 1790, a. 8y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
17.^ "Joseph [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Rebecca], b. Apr. 18, 1784," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
18.^ "Aaron [Whitney], s. Benjamin & w. [Rebecca], b. Feb. 22, 1786," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
19.^ "Polly [Whitney], d. Benjamin & w. [Rebecca], b. Jan. 25, 1788," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
20.^ L.D.S. International Genealogical Index.
21.^ "Sally [Whitney], d. Benjamin, scalt, [died] Sept. 11, 1791, a. 2y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
22.^ "Hannah [Whitney], d. Benjamin & 2d. w. [Rebecca], deceased, (this word is an error,see deaths -J.W.) b. Jan. 7, 1792," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
23.^ "Hannah [Whitney], d. Benjam & w. deceased, palzy, [died] Oct. 22, 1794, a. 2 1/2y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
24.^ "_____ [Whitney], s. Benjamin & Rebeccah, [died] June 1, 1793, a. 6d. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
25.^ "Franklin [Whitney], s. Lt. Benjamin & Anna, b. Nov. 30, 1810," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
26.^ "George [Whitney], s. Lt. Benjamin & Anna, b. Mar. 24, 1813," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
27.^ "George [Whitney], fever, [died] Sept. 5, 1836, a. 23y. C.R.1," according to Pepperell Vital Records.
Copyright © 1999, 2006-2008, 2014, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.
