Family:Whitney, Eli (1740-1807)

Eli⁶ Whitney (Nathaniel⁵, Nathaniel⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of Nathaniel⁵ and Mary (Child) Whitney,^[1] was born 3 May 1741, Westborough, MA,^[2] and died 25 Aug 1807, Westborough, MA, aged 66 years.^[3]

He married firstly, 7 Feb 1765, Westborough, MA, Elizabeth Fay,^[4] daughter of Benjamin and Martha (Miles) Fay.^[5] She was born 9 Dec 1740, Westborough, MA;^[6] died 18 Aug 1777, Westborough, MA.^[7]

He married secondly, 12 Jun 1779, Sutton, MA, Judith (Morse) Hazeltine "of Sutton",^[8] daughter of Benjamin and Abigail (Dudley) Morse.^[9] She was born 16 Dec 1737, Sutton, MA,^[10] and died 1 Jan 1826, Townshend, VT, aged 88 years.^[11] She had married firstly, 5 Jun 1758, Sutton, MA, Silas Hazeltine (1735-1772), both of Sutton.^[12]

Sometime after her 2nd husband died, she moved to Townshend, VT to be near her daughter Judith (Hazelton) Brigham, wife of Ebenezer Brigham. They are also buried in Wiswell Cemetery.

He was born in Westborough where he always resided, and was a farmer by occupation. When the Revolutionary war broke out he was a member of the company commanded by Capt. Baker and saw active service in the Westborough company. He was a very large man, weighing nearly 300 pounds. Was a member of the church, often held town office, and for years was justice of the peace. In his day he was one of the prominent citizens in the town. He resided Westborough, MA.

Children of Eli⁶ and Elizabeth (Fay) Whitney, all born Westborough, MA:

i.	Eli7 Whitney, b. 8 Dec 1765;[13] m. Henrietta F. Edwards.
ii.	Elizabeth Fay Whitney, b. 16 Apr 1767;[14] d. 8 Feb 1827;[15] m. (int. 6 Feb 1790, Westborough, MA) Elihu Blake[16] of Westboro. He d. about 10 years after his wife. Children: a. Elizabeth Fay Blake, b. -----; m. 19 Aug 1818, Rev. Zedekiah Smith Barstow, D.D., who d. in Keene, NH.; a son Dr. Barstow; resided Flushing, Long Island. b. Philos Blake, b. -----. c. Elisha Blake, b. -----; ch., Prof. William P. and Theodore; res New Haven, CT. d. Eli Whitney Blake, b. -----; ch., Henry T. and Mrs. Rev. George Bushnell; both resided in New Haven, CT. e. Maria Blake, b. -----; m. Rev. Mr. Burgess. f. Josiah Whitney Blake, b. g. John Blake, b. -----. h. George Blake, b. -----. i. Edward Blake, b. -----. j. Frances Blake, b. -----; m. Rev. Mr. Orcott.
iii.	Benjamin Whitney, b. 13 Sep 1768;[17] m. Sibbel Blake.
iv.	Josiah Whitney, b. 31 Mar 1770, Westborough, MA;[18] d. 3 Oct 1839, Cambridge, MA, aged 70 years.[19] Josiah was b. in Westboro, where he resided until he had nearly attained his majority, when he went to Boston. There he began life as clerk in a store. By industry and economy he amassed a competency, and at his death in 1839 was one of the prominent shipping merchants in that city, and was located on Central wharf. He was an influential citizen; with other Boston merchants and one or two in the south he had the ship built called the "Eli Whitney," and she was used in carrying cotton from the south to Boston. He was a man of wit and genial temperament, and had many friends and was highly respected. He was never married.

Eli⁶ and Judith (Morse)(Hazeltine) Whitney had no children.

Census

• 1771, Westborough, MA (tax list): Eli Whitney
• 1790, Westborough, Worcester Co., MA: Eli Whitney, 5 males over 16, 1 males 0-15, and 3 females.
• 1800, Westborough, Worcester Co., MA: Eli Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 16-25, 1 male 0-9, 1 female over 45, and 1 female 26-44.

References

• All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), pp. 134-135.

1.^  His parentage is proven by his birth record.

2.^  "Eli [Whitney], s. Nathaniel and Mary, [born] May 3, 1741. C.R.," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Westborough, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1903), p. 106.

3.^  "Eli [Whitney], [died] Aug. 25, 1807, a. 66 "the 5 day of April past"," according to Westborough Vital Records, p. 257.

4.^  "Eli [Whitney] and Elizabeth Fay, [married] Feb. 7, 1765," according to Westborough Vital Records, p. 220.

5.^  Her parentage is proven by her birth record.

6.^  "Elizabeth [Fay], d. Benjamin and Martha, [born] Dec. 9, 1740," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Westborough, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Massachusetts: The Systematic History Fund, 1903), p. 39.

7.^  "Elizabeth, w. Eli [Whitney], [died] Aug. 18, 1777," according to Westborough Vital Records, p. 257.

8.^  "Eli [Whitney] of Westbourgh, and Judith Hazeltine, [married] July 15, 1779," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Sutton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Massachusetts: The Systematic History Fund, 1907). Also, "Eli [Whitney] and Judith Hazeltine of Sutton [married] July 15, 1779. In Sutton," according to Westborough Vital Records, p. 220.

9.^  Her parentage is proven by her birth and marriage records.

10.^  "Judith [Morss], d. Benjamin and Abigail, [born] Dec. 16, 1737," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Sutton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Massachusetts: The Systematic History Fund, 1907).

11.^  Find A Grave memorial #115938256, Judith Morse Whitney.

12.^  "Silas [Hazeltine], and Judith Morss, [married] June 5, 1758," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Sutton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Massachusetts: The Systematic History Fund, 1907).

13.^  "Eli [Whitney], s. Eli and Elizabeth, [born] Dec. 8, 1765. [Inventor of Cotton Gin.]," according to Westborough Vital Records.

14.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney], d. Eli and Elizabeth, [born] April 16, 1767," according to Westborough Vital Records.

15.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney], d. Eli and Elizabeth, [died] Feb. 8, 1827, a. 60," according to Westborough Vital Records.

16.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney] and Elihu Blake, int. Feb. 6, 1790," according to Westborough Vital Records.

17.^  "Benjamin [Whitney], s. Eli and Elizabeth, [born] Sept. 13, 1768," according to Westborough Vital Records.

18.^  "Josiah [Whitney], s. Eli and Elizabeth, [born] March 31, 1770," according to Westborough Vital Records.

19.^  "Josiah [Whitney], [died] Oct. 3, 1839, a. 70y., b. in Westboro. G.R.3," according to Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: 1914-1915). Also, "Josiah [Whitney], [died] Oct. 3, 1839, a. 62 y.," according to Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1925-1926).

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