Family:Whitney, Elisha (1747-1815)

Lieut. Elisha⁶ Whitney (Elijah⁵, Daniel⁴, John³, John², John¹), son of Elijah⁵ and Hannah (Coffin) Whitney, was born 6 Feb 1746/7, Roxbury, MA,^[1], and died 18 May 1815, Roxbury, MA, aged 67 years.^[2]

Marriage intentions were published 31 Dec 1774, Brookline, MA, for him "of Roxbury" and Abigail Dana "of Brookline",^[3] daughter of Daniel and Experience (Hunting) Dana. She was born 15 Oct 1752, Brookline, MA, and died before 27 Apr 1811, Roxbury, MA, aged 59 years.

His picture, painted by Stuart, is in possession of his grandson Benjamin D.; resided West Roxbury, MA.

Children of Elisha⁶ and Abigail (Dana) Whitney:

i.	Experience Whitney, b. 1 Mar 1776, Roxbury, MA;[4] d. 17 Sep 1777, Roxbury, MA, aged 8 months.[5]
ii.	Abigail Whitney, b. 10 Apr 1778, Roxbury, MA;[6] m. 17 Nov 1799, Roxbury, MA, Joseph Seaver[7] of Boston. He was b. 25 Dec 1770; d. 17 Aug 1811. A godchild is is Miss E. A. Seaver, of Lexington, MA. Children: a. Elizabeth Whitney Seaver, b. 23 Mar 1801; m. 1823; d. 1837. b. Joseph Seaver, b. 17 Jun 1804; m. 1834; d. 1883. c. William Whitney Seaver, b. 6 Apr 1806; m. 1829; d. 1858. d. Nathaniel Seaver, b. 24 Sep 1808; d. 16 Aug 1835 e. Abigail Dana Seaver, b. 16 Sep 1810; d. 11 May 1828.
iii.	Elisha Whitney, b. 4 Feb 1780, Roxbury, MA;[8] m. Sarah Heath.
iv.	Asa Whitney, b. 18 May 1782, Roxbury, MA;[9] m. Mary Hammond.
v.	Pedy Whitney, b. 20 Jul 1784, Roxbury, MA;[10] m. 14 Jun 1801, Roxbury, MA, Col. Joseph Dudley,[11] b. 16 Oct 1780. Col. Dudley owned and occupied the old homestead in Roxbury. He was a farmer, a man of strict honesty and integrity. His open-handed generosity was much commented on. In 1810 he gave a portion of his patrimonial estate as a site for a town house. He was a descendant of Gov. Dudley. He d. 28 Feb 1827; resided Roxbury, MA. a. William Dudley, b. 8 Oct 1801; d. 28 Dec 1801. b. Joseph W. Dudley, b. 2 Jun 1803; d. 20 May 1869. c. Sarah W. Dudley, b. 20 Feb 1805; d. 23 Aug 1868. d. Isaac D. Dudley, b. 23 Jan 1807; d. 2 Feb 1855. e. William Dudley, b. 24 Jun 1808; d. 13 Nov 1833. f. Samuel Dudley, b. 31 Dec 1809. g. Pedy Dudley, b. 7 Feb 1812; d. 8 May 1838. h. Elisha W. Dudley, b. 9 Dec 1813; d. 22 Oct 1815. i. Elisha W. Dudley, b. 2 Feb 1816; d. 23 Mar 1816. j. Henry A. S. D. Dudley, b. 13 Aug 1821; d. 7 Jul 1885.
vi.	William Whitney, b. 11 Jun 1788, Roxbury, MA;[12] d. unmarried.
vii.	Elizabeth Whitney, b. 13 Mar 1793, Roxbury, MA;[13] d. 20 Apr 1793, Roxbury, MA, aged 6 weeks;[14] unmarried.

Notes

The existence of two men named Elisha Whitney, of almost the same age, both marrying women by the name of Abigail Dana, has led to confusion. The identities of the wives seem sure, because their ages at death agree with their birth dates. Which marriage record applies to which couple is an issue which I believe is now correct as given above. There were two daughters Abigail and Elizabeth baptized between the two marriage dates, which must belong to the couple with the earlier marriage date. The fact that these two daughters are almost certainly the women of those names married in Newburyport argues that the earlier marriage record should apply to the other Elisha Whitney family. This is buttressed by the fact that these two names were given to later daughters in this family.

Census

• 1790, Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA: Eli^a Whitney, 3 males over 16, 3 males 0-15, 4 females, and 1 slave.
• 1800, Roxbury, Norfolk Co., MA: Elisha Whitney, 1 male over 45, 5 males 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 10-15.
• 1810, Roxbury, Norfolk Co., MA: Elisha Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 16-25, 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. 129-130.

1.^  "Elisha [Whitney], s. Elijah and Hannah, Feb. 6, 1747. [1746-7. C.R.2.]," according to Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1925-1926).

2.^  "Elisha [Whitney], [died] May 15, 1815, a. 67 y.," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

3.^  "Elisha [Whitney], of Roxbury, and Abigail Dana of B., int. Dec. 31, 1774," according to Vital Records of Brookline, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1929).

4.^  "Experience [Whitney], d. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [born] Mar. 1, 1776," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

5.^  "Experience [Whitney], d. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [died] Sept. 17, 1777, a. 8 m. G. R. 3," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

6.^  "Abigail [Whitney], d. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [born] Apr. 10, 1778," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

7.^  "Abigail [Whitney], and Joseph Seaver, [married] Nov. 17, 1799," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

8.^  "Elisha [Whitney], s. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [born] Feb. 4, 1780," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

9.^  "Asa [Whitney], s. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [born] May 18, 1782," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

10.^  "Pedy [Whitney], d. Lt. Elisha and Abigail, [born] July 20, 1784," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

11.^  "Pedy [Whitney], and Joseph Dudley, [married] June 14, 1801," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

12.^  "William [Whitney], s. Elisha and Abigail, [born] June 11. 1788," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

13.^  "Elizebeth [Whitney], d. Elisha and Abag[ail], [born] Mar. 13, 1793," according to Roxbury Vital Records.

14.^  "Elizebeth [Whitney], d. [Lt. G.R1.] Elisha and Aba[gail], [died] Mar._, 1793. [Apr. 20, a. 6 w. G.R.1.]

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