Family:Whitney, Edward Tompkins (1820-1893)
Edward Tompkins7 Whitney (Eben6, Ebenezer5, David4, Joseph3, John2, Henry1), son of Eben6 and Esther (Patterson) Whitney, was born 1 Apr 1820, New York, NY, and died 4 Feb 1893, Norwalk, CT. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Norwalk, CT.[1]
He married, 7 May 1839, New York, NY, Catharine Helen Chapple, daughter of Anthony Chapple, of New York. She was born 13 Nov 1819, NY, and died 26 Nov 1906, Norwalk, CT. She was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Norwalk, CT.[2]
Phoenix says the following:
- "... a manufacturing jeweller and, since 1848, a photographer .... He settled in New York City, living at 38 Robinson Street, in 1842; removed, in Oct. 1845, to Rochester, N.Y., and thence, in June 1859, to Norwalk, Conn., where he was living in Jan 1877."
"From George Eastman House, Rochester, New York: Whitney, Edward Tompkins (1820-1893) 33 Daguerreotypes, 4 Ambrotypes ca. 1850
"5 stereo views, 1 carte-de-visite (Whitney & Paradise)
"E.T. Whitney was born in New York City and worked there as a jeweler. He was taught to make daguerreotypes by Martin M. Lawrence, before moving to Rochester New York in 1846. He initially worked as an operator in the studio of Thomas Mercer, then opened up his own "Skylight Gallery" in 1851. Throughout his career in Rochester, Whitney made regular trips to the New York City studios of Matthew Brady and Jeremiah Gurney in order to study improvements in the process. He helped sponsor the New York State Daguerreian Association meeting in Rochester in 1852, and contributed frequently to the photographic journals of the day. In 1859, Whitney sold his business and left Rochester, citing health problems caused by the use of cyanide. However, he continued to operate a studio in Norwalk Connecticut, as well as a Broadway studio in New York City in partnership with A.W. Paradise. In 1861, he worked for Brady photographing scenes of the Civil War, and continued active as a photographer until 1866. His "Reminiscences" were published in the March 1884 issue of the Photographic Times. He died in 1893.
"Whitney, Edward Tompkins (1820-1893) 33 Daguerreotypes, 4 Ambrotypes ca. 1850 5 stereo views, 1 carte-de-visite (Whitney & Paradise)
"The Whitney collection of daguerreotypes and ambrotypes in the Eastman House collection consists almost entirely of portraits, the majority of which are 1/6 plate images, many of which have the clean, elegant look and dark background characteristic of his work. Over half of the images are of members of the John Fellows Bush/ Mary Stone family, early pioneers to Rochester who had established a tavern at the corner of Main St. and South Ave. There is also an unusual 1/2 plate ambrotype of a man costumed as a vagabond. The museum also holds a framed, mammoth plate daguerreotype of the family of Henry Eli Rochester, one of the sons of the city's founder, Col. Nathaniel Rochester. Most notable, however, is a full plate daguerreotype which depicts the corner of Main and State Sts. in Rochester. Whitney's rooftop studio is visible in this 1852 image, believed to be the earliest photographic view of the city. There are also 5 stereo views of Norwalk CT in the Eastman House collection as well as a carte-de- visite by Whitney and Paradise.
"Joseph R. Struble
"Assistant Archivist
"April 1999"[3]
Children of Edward Tompkins7 and Catharine Helen (Chapple) Whitney:
i. Catharine Jane8 Whitney, b. 28 Feb 1840, New York, NY; d. 14 Mar 1843, New York, NY, and was buried there. ii. Mary Louise Whitney, b. 9 Feb 1842, New York, NY; m. 17 Oct 1862, Norwalk, CT, Theodore Fitch; resided Norwalk, CT, in 1868. iii. Amelia Antoinette Whitney, b. 13 Dec 1844, New York, NY; m. 25 Dec 1866, Norwalk, CT, John Thornton Prowitt, son of Henry Prowitt, b. 7 Dec 1842; a druggist; resided Norwalk, CT in 1868. iv. James Edward Whitney, b. 22 Feb 1846, Rochester, NY; d. 1 Mar 1846, Rochester, NY; bur. in Moutn Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY. v. Susan Elizabeth Whitney, b. 31 Dec 1847, Rochester, NY; d. 30 Sep 1848, Rochester, NY; bur. in Moutn Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY. vi. Emily Firth Whitney, b. 18 Jul 1850, Rochester, NY; res. Norwalk, CT, in 1868. vii. Edward Chapple Whitney, b. 28 Oct 1852, Rochester, NY; res. Norwalk, CT, in 1868. viii. William James Phillips Whitney, b. 25 May 1860, Norwalk, CT; res. Norwalk, CT, in 1868.
Census
- 1840, Ward 3, New York, New York Co., NY: Edward Whitney, 1 male 20-29, 1 female 20-29, and 1 female 0-4; 1 engaged in manufacture or trades.
- 1850, Ward 2, Rochester, Monroe Co., NY:
207 280 Edward T. Whitney 30 M - Dangerevisor N. York Catharen Whitney 30 F - N. York Louise M. " 8 F - " Attended school Amelia " 6 F - " Attended school Catharen Chappell 64 F - N. Jersey Anna Stanion 38 F - England Caroline Eales 26 F - "
70 Frame $1000 76 J. Whitney 59 M - - Ulster 1 - 21 Farmer 1 - - - - 1 - H. " 37 F - Wife Senica 1 - 2 - - - - - - - - S. A. " 23 F - Chld Ulster - - 21 - - - - - - - - M. " 11 F - Niec Orleans - - 2 - - - - - - - - Frederick 18 M - Srvt Germany - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - Benedict 16 M - " " - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - C. McCarthy 26 F - " Ireland - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - Moses 18 M B " Canada - - 1 - - - 1 1 - - - 77 E. Whitney 35 M - Brdr New York 1 - 2m Daguerian 1 - - - - - - Katharine Whitney 35 F - Wife New York 1 - 2m - - - - - - - - A. " 11 F - Chld " - - 2m - - - - - - - - E. " 5 F - " Monroe - - 5 - - - - - - - - E. " 2 M - - " - - 2m - - - - - - - -
1039 1351 Edward T. Whitney 40 M - Ambrotypist $2000 N.Y. Catharine H. " 40 F - " Louisa M. " 18 F - " Amelia A. " 16 F - " Emily F. " 10 F - " Attended school Edward " 7 M - " Attended school Willie " 1/12 M - Conn. Elizabeth Pitman 30 F - Eng. David B. Woodbury 21 M - Do Vermont Anthony Beardsley 41 M B Servt. Conn. Daniel Bearding 58 M - Labourer N.Y. Lovena " 54 F - "
1152 1337 Whitney, Edward T. 50 M W Photographer $40000 $600 New York Male citizen over 21 -----, Catharine 50 F W Keeping house " -----, Emily F. 20 F W " -----, Edward C. 18 M W Clerk in Store " -----, William P. 10 M W Conn. Attended school Cavanaugh, Catharine 40 F W Domestic Servant Ireland Parents foreign born, Illiterate
Edward T. WHITTNEY 60 Self M M W NY Artist Photo CT CT Catharine WHITTNEY 60 Wife F M W NY Keeping House NJ NJ Emely WHITTNEY 29 Dau F S W NY Keeping House NY NJ Edward WHITTNEY 27 Son M S W NY Commercial Agent CT NJ William WHITTNEY 20 Son M S W CT Artist Photo CT NJ
References
- All data imported from Stephen Whitney Phoenix, The Whitney family of Connecticut, and its affiliations; being an attempt to trace the descendants, as well in the female as the male lines, of Henry Whitney, from 1649 to 1878; to which is prefixed some account of the Whitneys of England. (New York : Priv. Print. [Bradford Press] 1878), p. 387 and p. 1010.
1.^ FindAGrave Memorial #140659807, Edward T. Whitney.
2.^ FindAGrave Memorial #140659863, Catherine H. Chapple Whitney.
3.^ E. T. Whitney Collection, from the George Eastman House Photography Collections.
Copyright © 2009, 2015, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.
