Family:Whitney, Calvin (1788-1870)

Calvin⁶ Whitney (Jonathan⁵, James⁴, Joseph³, Jonathan², John¹), son of Jonathan⁵ and Abigail (Hemminway) Whitney, was born 25 May 1788, Fitzwilliam, NH,^[1] and died 24 Feb 1870, Buffalo, WI, aged 82 years of paralysis.^[2]

He married, 11 Sep 1814, Hartland, VT, Polly Williams,^[3] daughter of James and Anna (Allyn) Williams. She was born 16 May 1792, Hartland, VT, and died 10 Nov 1882, Buffalo, WI.

Marion Whitney Leska wrote:

(Vermont Reports Annotated Edition 1789-1828; pp. 104-105; Volume 2 Aikens) gives the following account of a lawsuit of one Henry Hanchett vs. Calvin Whitney, Windsor, Feb. 1827: "A father having a farm, and being old and infirm, contracted by parol with his son, to live with and be supported by him; whereupon the son moved to the farm and carried it on, and supported the father several years, till the father, being dissatisfied, went away and conveyed the farm to a stranger. In ejectment by the grantee, Held, that the son was a tenant from year to year, and was entitled to notice to quit. (edited out some legalese) This was an action of ejectment for a farm of land in Hartland. The plaintiff's writ was dated on the 5th day of April, 1826, and served on the fifth of that month (edited out etc.) On the trial side of this cause, the plaintiff introduced evidence tending to prove that Jonathan Whitney, under whom the plaintiff claimed, had been in possession of the premises etc., etc."

He served in the War of 1812, in Captain Bernah’s Regiment, Capt. Dodge's Company, Vermont Militia. His widow applied for a pension:

Polly Whitney signed a Declaration of a Widow for Pension 27 May 1871 from Port Hope, Columbia County, Wisconsin, which is her post office address. She testifies that she is 79 years old and a resident of Buffalo, Marquette Co., Wisconsin. She is the widow of Calvin Whitney, who served in the military in the War of 1812. He enlisted in Captain Dodge’s Company, Col. Bernah’s Regiment of the Vermont Militia at Hartland, Vermont in 1812, and was discharged at Plattsburgh, New York. He was a substitute for Joseph Bryant, a drafted man. There is a brief in the file stating that Calvin’s service was from September 17 to November 30, 1812.

Polly further testifies that she was married under the name Polly Williams to Calvin Whitney on the 11th day of September 1814 at Hartland, Vermont by Mr. Spooner, J.P. Her husband died at Buffalo, Wisconsin on the 24th day of February 1870. Polly was paid $8.00 per month to 4 September 1882. On 29 March 1883, she is dropped from the rolls because she is reported dead.

There is a statement in the file by Polly’s son Jonathan on June 8, 1872 from Columbia County, Wisconsin. He states that he acted as agent for his father in obtaining two land warrants, of 40 and 120 acres, as a result of the War of 1812 service.

Children of Calvin⁶ and Polly (Williams) Whitney:

i.	William Harrison7 Whitney, b. 12 Mar 1816, Hartland, VT; m.(1) Mary Bixby; m.(2) Louisa M. Tinkham; m.(3) Maria Louisa Spear.
ii.	Jonathan Whitney, b. 29 Jul 1820, Hartland, VT; m. Ellen R. Rood.
iii.	Benjamin Franklin Whitney, b. 22 Nov 1822, Hartland, VT; m. Phebe Lamira Baldwin.
iv.	Ann Marie Whitney, b. 8 Feb 1825, Hartland, VT; d. 20 Jul 1872, Niagara Co., NY; m. 11 Nov 1846, Lockport, NY, Almeron H. Weaver.
v.	Clarissa Whitney, b. 6 Jun 1829, Hartland, VT; d. 1 May 1909, Portage, WI; m. 27 May 1882, Robert Robinson.
vi.	James Whitney, b. 12 Aug 1833, Wilson, NY; m. Sarah Jones.
vii.	Lucia Amanda Whitney, b. 4 Aug 1838, Royalton, NY; d. 8 Feb 1917, Sparta, WI; m. 15 Apr 1860, Port Hope, Columbia Co., WI, Thomas Nicholas Jones.

Census

• 1820, Hartland, Windsor Co., VT: Calvin Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 1 female 26-44, and 1 female 16-25; 2 engaged in agriculture.
• 1830, Hartford, Windsor Co., VT: Calvin Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 2 males 5-9, 1 female 30-39, 1 female 5-9, and 1 female 0-4.
• 1840, Royalton, Niagara Co., NY: Calvin Whitney, 1 male 50-59, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 5-9, 1 female 40-49, 2 females 10-14, 1 female 0-4; 2 in engaged agriculture, 1 in manufacture or trades.
• 1850, Port Hope, Columbia Co., WI:

1274 1274 Calvin " 60 M - Farmer N. Hampshire Polly " 52 F - Mass. James " 17 M - Farmer N. York Amanda " 13 F - " Hannah Pegel 6 F - Germany Peter Pegel 9/12 M - Wis.

• 1860, Buffalo, Marquette Co., WI:

125 122 Calvin Whitney 72 M - Farmer $1200 $375 New Hampshire Dolly " 68 F - Vermont James " 26 M - New York

• 1870, Buffalo, Marquette Co., WI:

154 151 Whitney, Polly 78 F W Keeping House $1500 $100 Vt. -----, Clarisa 41 F W Vt.

• 1880, Buffalo, Marquette Co., WI:

Clarissa WHITNEY 51 Self F S W VT Keeping House CT VT Polly WHITNEY 88 Moth F W W VT At Home NH VT

References

1.^  New Hampshire, Vital Records, Birth Index.

2.^  1870 Mortality Schedule.

3.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

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